It’s all in the Attitude!

MGS Designz is all about bringing you the GOOD STUFF! Every time we have the opportunity to showcase an article on our blog you know it’s going to have good, positive and valuable content. The below is from a good friend and client who has dedicated her life to inspiring others to find success and be the very best they can be.

Today we’re happy to introduce you to Lee Knapp from Knapp Consultants, please read on! MGS Designz proudly works with Lee on all her blogs and email marketing campaigns. Please let us know if we can ever be of service to you!

Knapp Consultants would like to take this opportunity to Thank You for taking the time out of your busy day to share a few moments with us. 

Here at Knapp Consultants, we understand that the level of success we have in our business and in our lives can be directly measured by the level of gratitude we have in our daily life. On this note we’d like to share a few thoughts on gratitude with you today and in the days to come.

ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

Think about this … what if you took just ten minutes each morning to focus on your “attitude of gratitude?”  What do you have to be grateful for? 

 Gratitude gives you purpose.  When you have purpose, you’ll find success. 

Gratitude is best reflected in how you act toward and respond to others. 

Create your culture of being grateful.  How can you be more gracious with you’re your family and your customers?  

Are you anticipating the needs of people you care about? 

 It’s within the smallest details where we uncover the greatest opportunities.

 Gratitude is a state of being. 

You only live once – but if you work it right, once is enough  

JOE E. LEWIS

For more information, please feel free to visit our website at http://www.leeknapp.com or call (239) 481-8557. Take advantage of our Sales Power Boot Camp – sign up today!

Do you have any Sales Training Questions? Click Here to ASK LEE!

 

Community Fundraiser – Friends Fashion and Fun!

MGS Designz & More is all about inspiring you to pay it forward and support your community! In this blog we bring you Great News from Marci Gower at The Florida Wellness Network!

Dear Friends of the Community,

Friends, fashion & fun. What could be better than that?

How about a fundraiser for one our Cape Coral Police Officers?

Recently Cape Coral Police Officer, David Wagoner, was shot in the abdomen while making a routine traffic stop. Belk Department Store in Cape Coral is holding a fundraiser in support of Officer Wagoner.

Ladies’ Day Out is right around the corner –Tuesday, April 26 and Thursday, April 28! It’s the perfect time of year to refresh and renew your wardrobe. Plus, the flyer coupon will give you an exclusive discount on the latest fashions! So text, email and call your girlfriends today and plan a fun day of shopping at your local Belk store on the 26^th and 28th. Don’t forget to bring this invitation to receive your special storewide savings! 

Now for the fundraiser…On both days at the Cape Coral Belk Store, located at the Shops at Surfside (Veteran’s Parkway & Surfside Blvd) they will be grilling hotdogs, selling raffle tickets for fabulous prizes and collecting donations. All proceeds will go to Officer David Wagoner who was shot while doing a traffic stop last weekend. Please stop by and support a great cause. 

Enjoy the flyer discount coupon and please pass it on to your friends. It is good on both Tuesday April 26th and Thursday April 28th. 

You can check out more exciting events and happenings in Southwest Florida on the Calendar at the Florida Wellness Network website. Click here to print coupon now!

Happy Shopping!

Marci Gower – 239.691.6955

Florida Wellness Network & Wellness Wednesday Networking

Marketing & Event Consultant, Social Media Advisor

marci@FloridaWellnessNetwork.com

 

Is Networking Really Working for You?

MGS Designz & More is all about helping you succeed in your business. We’ve aligned ourselves with some really talented people that help us bring you some exciting and useful tips and information that will definitely put you on the path to success. Today we’d like to bring you some important Networking Tips brought to you by the Bridge Business View. The Bridge Business View is full of wonderful content – every now and then we’ll share some of that content here with you. If you’re looking for a place to network – check out The Bridge Networking Group today!

12 Tips for Getting the MOST out of Networking – by Sam Black

1. DO attend lots of networking events each month. The more you attend, the more opportunities you have to meet that person who needs your product or service.  Make it a point to attend at least one a week… and more is better.  Go to several different Chamber events within a 30 minute drive each month – breakfasts, lunches and dinner programs are available to meet every busy schedule. No excuses!  Also attend meetings of relevant professional associations and groups and Rotary or Toastmasters. Networking is like dating – you won’t find that match if you are sitting in your office. Plus, networking is so much more fun and productive than COLD calling. It allows you to make a WARM call to a prospect you met at an event and might even get you some HOT referrals if you do it right! Referrals are good!
2. DON’T go with a friend or business associate to stand or sit with that person during the socializing time and/or meal time. Your goal is to meet new people. And, when you sit with people from your company, you not only limit the number of new people you will meet but you also limit the new prospects the other table members will meet. That’s not fair to them. They came to meet people from many companies, not just your company. I see this so often and am puzzled. Five sales reps from the same printing company sat at the same table – even after I jokingly said while on the check-in line “you all are sitting at different tables, right?” It would have been much better for that company to come back with 5 x 7 = 35 possible printing connections instead of only the 3 they got! I also watched bank managers do the same at a different event, all four from the same bank at one table – why?
   

   Sandra “Sam” Black

3. DO come prepared with a sufficient number of your business cards (please, never run out of them), your 30-second powerful “elevator” introduction, and 3-4 open-ended key questions you want to ask anyone you meet. These are questions about THEIR business that show you are interested, give you information about what they do and need, and might give you insights on how you could help them. People like to talk about themselves and these questions help you get the conversation going. Some suggestions -“How did you get into this business?” “What are some projects you are working on right now?” “How are you planning on building your business this year?” “What key challenges do you face trying to build your business?”
4. DON’T talk about yourself – it’s NOT about what you need – it’s about what they may need from you…or from the people you know who you can direct them to for assistance or solutions. Its building relationships and their confidence in you as a resource – the business you want from them will come because they will view you as that “go-to” person.
5. DO pay attention to what they are saying, and make appropriate notes on the back of their business card so later you can think about resources for them. In fact, as you enter them into your database later that evening, you’ll probably think of several other people in your database that you can connect them with to help with a need they may have verbalized that day. Shoot off an email with those contacts “Great to meet you. I thought about what you told me today – here are some people that you might want to talk with about the ______ you mentioned today…” A good networker should be able to send that type of email out to at least 2-3 people after each networking event. Think of all the good will and credibility you build as a resource when you do this!
6. DON’T let your eyes wander looking for other people in the room. For stand-up networking, the person in front of you is the most important person in the room for the next 3-5 minutes.  You may break away graciously to meet someone else after you have made your connection and followed #9 below (if applicable.) Then, simply say “I’ve enjoyed meeting you. Let me let you circulate some more so you can meet a few more people and make other connections. (I will call you _______.).”
7. DO ask, “what type of help can I give you to be successful in your business?” You never know what resources you have in your mental rolodex right then and there that will be perfect for their needs.
8. DON’T transact business or try to sell during a social networking event.  It’s a time to make connections and start relationships, not promote and close on a product or service you want to sell.
9. DO ask for either a firm appointment later in the week or for the best time to call to schedule that time to meet. If you believe this person and you can help each other, make this time valuable by verbalizing that feeling so the individual will be eager to schedule the appointment when you call (and know that it will be a two-way street.)  “I think I might have some ideas to help you, and I suspect you might know someone who needs my product/service or you yourself might benefit from my product/service. Let’s get together for a coffee to discuss how we can help each other build our businesses. I’ll call you on _______ to schedule it, OK?”  In addition to at least one networking event each week, DO schedule at least one networking follow-up “coffee” meeting a week.  That’s where substantial value comes from your social networking event.
10. DON’T monopolize the table conversation if it is a sit-down event.
11. DO, however, initiate introductions and conversations if you are at a quiet table. The participants will appreciate your effort and you will earn a reputation as someone who makes the table interesting and fun. Bring everyone out of their shell!
12. DON’T go to the networking event expecting immediate business! You will be disappointed.  So many people tell me they don’t go to networking events because “I never get any business out of them; they are a waste of my time.”  Please change your view of networking!  Networking is the start of a process, the beginning of relationship building. If you avoid networking you will be missing a viable way of building your connections in your business community. If you are nervous about doing it, the more you do it the more comfortable you will get. Practice makes perfect! Most successful business people – owners and sales reps – will tell you that networking has been an integral part of their marketing model.  Remember, networking leads to WARM or HOT calls…and those are the ones we want!

See you next week at a networking event! 

Is Your Website Really Working for You?

Do you want more out of your internet presence? Are you interested in improving your Google listings? Do you wish you had more control over your website? Are you tired of paying those outrageous monthly fees?

If you said YES to any of these questions, this article is for YOU!  

It’s safe to say that advertising isn’t what it used to be and the yellow pages just aren’t enough anymore. In today’s challenging economy we have to make sure we do everything necessary to stay above the competition and put our name and logo in front of our clients and potential clients on a regular basis in order to keep our business alive. Studies show that more and more people are looking online for their products and service than anywhere else. This is why you should have a website that really represents you and your business in the best way possible.

We are now a fast moving society that has become accustomed to marketing that speaks to us, jumps out at us and even grabs us! Black and white, plain, old, drab and boring is definitely a thing of the past! Your website is your 24 hour salesperson and should represent you well.

A good website should be attractive to the eye, professional looking, free of clutter and easy to navigate. There should be an even balance of text and images and your clients or potential clients should be able to understand what you offer without having to read too much. Your content should be simple, clear, short, sweet and to the point with options to click here for more in depth information. Your contact information should be readily available and you should offer the option for them to email you directly from the website on your contact us page. If you have a storefront, I recommend a Google map for clients to click on and find you with easy.   

Your logo, graphics and images should be clear and never blurry; they should be colorful and well balanced. The overall look should be professional and top quality, not something you threw together on your spare time with a “Do It Yourself” web template designer. Your text should be large enough to read without having to be a strain on the eye. Dark text on light background is always easier to read than light text on dark background. 

The Google map I suggested earlier will help you improve your search engine listings, make sure your website is linked on your Google location map. You can also title your pages with your important key words and location to help you come up higher in the searches. Getting on The Bridge Directory, BBV, The Florida Wellness Network or other website directories that link back to your website will also improve your searches. We also recommend you check out Quality Service Pros, CapeCoral.com, What’s Up SWFL? and SWFL Naturally – each of these offers a great opporutnity for putting your business out there.  Social Media Marketing is another route you can take to improve your search engine optimization. Creating a Facebook, Linked in, Twitter or professional blog that links back to your website creates valid connections that the search engines look for to know you are real and improve your placement in their listings.  

With today’s internet technology you have many options for web hosting and management. MGS Designz & More offers you the opportunity to manage and control your own website in an easy to use program that give you all the control at a very low monthly rate. You can have the website you want at a price you can afford and update your website at your convenience whenever you want!

If you are ready to take your marketing to the next level and explore your internet options, please feel free to give us a call at (239) 282-2869 or (954) 326-5366 and we’ll give you a FREE one hour phone consultation. Our website packages are affordable, convenient and flexible! Let help you get noticed today!  

For more information visit www.mgsdesignz.com or email Monica at mgsdesignz@gmail.com or call her at (239) 282-2869.

Do I really need a blog?

Since writing is a challenge for most people, one of the fun things I get to do in my business is help my clients write their blogs. Every now and then I like to share those blogs with my readers, especially if the content fits perfectly with what I want to say! The post below first appeared in Create Small Business Success by Jason Evers.  Jason send me the first draft of a written piece and I add my creative magic to it and together we come up with some pretty good stuff! Jason always has wonderful business advice so I suggest you visit his blog and get on the path to success now!

What’s blogging got to do with it?

I hear this question all the time… so finally, I decided to write a blog about blogging! How cool or crazy is that? Interesting I’d say, so please keep reading!

A lot of what you’ve heard about blogging is true… yes it’s a space to write down your thoughts and share what’s on your mind. But it’s also a place to share valuable information about your business, products or services. It’s a great tool to elaborate on the information currently on your website for those people that want to know more about a certain subject but don’t necessarily want to pick up the phone and call. Not just yet anyway… Your website should be clear and to the point with enough information to let people know who you are, what you do and how to contact you without overwhelming them. In this case you could redirect them to your blog for more details and information so they can just keep reading.

If you’re sending out a company newsletter and you want to share an article on the latest trends or tips but you don’t want a long, drawn out, forever scrolling down email… the solution is simple! You can share a paragraph in the newsletter and just link to the full article on your blog. They can click on the link and keep reading if they want to or skip to the next subject if they aren’t interested. Once on your blog they can sign up to receive your blogs directly to their inbox or keep surfing around and checking you out! Your blog can then redirect them back to your website, your facebook and all your other social media marketing services. Talk about full circle connections!

Do blogs really help with SEO? The answer is – YES! All the linking back and forth to your website from the various social media sites creates valid links that the search engines love to track – that’s how they determine that you are real and that people are actually visiting your site. If your blog is public, anyone can read it and the great thing about that is that potential clients can find you when doing a search with key words related to your field or industry.

Your blog should be consistent with all of your marketing – brand yourself with the same colors, same design and same look all the way around. Everything from your business cards to your rack cards, email marketing, website and blog should all basically carry the same theme. This helps people recognize who you are at first glance.

If you’re not to internet savvy and need some help, worry not! There are some great people out there that would love to help you put it all together and train you on how to manage and update it yourself, or do it all for you if you don’t have time. They are experts at making you look and sound great while you just focus on running your business. Hey, that’s one less hat you have to wear!

Remember, the more you put yourself out there is cyberspace the greater your chances become of potential clients finding you and your business. Happy blogging everyone!

Welcome to Extraordinary Marketing!

MGS Designz & More is dedicated to growing your business and getting you noticed! Whether you need marketing for print or online, in English or in Spanish, we can do it all! We’re about to reach our five year anniversary in business and we’re very excited about it. We’ve been proudly serving the SWFL area and beyond and all the while we have been learning and growing every step of the way. Our client base is mostly referrals from happy customers who have good things to say about how we helped them with their marketing needs.

We gladly customize our services to fit your specific needs and meet your specific goals. We help you take your marketing campaign to the next level so you can stand out from the crowd. We believe in creating unique and memorable marketing pieces that will help you reach your potential clients and make them yours. Are you tired of ordinary? 

Here at MGS Designz & More, we specialize in:

• Awesome Marketing Consulting
• Great Graphic Design
• Custom Web Designs
• Outstanding Blog Design
• Creative Content Writing
• Extraordinary Email Marketing
• Fun Facebook Fan Pages
• Effective Social Media Marketing
• Amazing Designs for Print
• Professional Translations

We take the time to listen to what you want and then give you our best effort every time. We are committed to serving you on your time at a price you can afford. We cater to our clients needs so rest assured you are in good hands. We handle everything from logo design to web design to creating your entire marketing campaign for both web and print. If you need help with writing your content or translating it all into Spanish, we can do that too! We have teamed up with a great group of local professionals that can meet all your needs with one easy phone call!   

Are you ready for great marketing? Contact us today to schedule your FREE one hour marketing consultation! Please feel free to email us at  or call us today at mgsdesignz@gmail.com (239) 282-2869 or at (954) 326-5366. 

 MGS Designz & More is a proud member of the following: