We recently helped out the home automation specialists, Savant Systems, build a brand new website! Check out this blurb from our case study below, or click here to read the full account!

In under four months, Savant Systems increased their website visits by 400%.  On average, Google linked 13,179 more visitors a week to the Savant pages, and pages viewed by visitors increased measurably.  These statistics seem as rapid and revolutionary as the introduction of the iPod to the music market.

Savant’s secret to Internet success is just as probable and accessible—they contracted Single Throw Internet Marketing, a talented and proficient group of Internet marketing consultants with a plethora of services the size of your mp3 library.

Savant Systems provides the height of technological chic by offering a luxury home automation system that works with Apple technology bringing your home into the future.  Savant provides services for individual homeowners and corporations.  Single Throw Internet Marketing unified this image of Savant with its web presence.

While the Internet is an indisputably powerful—some might even say marvelous—tool, it is also an unwieldy thing to manage.  Many businesses’ experience with the Internet is akin to the proverbial child laying a hand on the hot stove—they get burned, so they don’t try it again. As such, their websites are old fashioned and out of date; they do a poor job of reflecting their product or service.  They target the wrong clientele, and they don’t show up in a typical Google search.

If the Internet is a hot stove, the experts at Single Throw are wearing flame retardant suits.  They build websites from years of experience and research, and they’re quite eager to share their suits with you.  They did with Savant.

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I’m sure everyone reading this blog are on some sort of social networking site whether it be the ever-so-popular Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.  However, the real question is whether your business is on social media platforms?  Both large and small businesses should have a presence on social media.  Even if you are not an expert on social networking there are a lot of tools out there (like this blog!) that can help you!  Here is a great article from Mashable that gives you 8 essential tips on how to relate and communicate via social networking.

“Since the evolution of communicating online and the formations of social networks, many businesses have shut down the access from their locations. Some might say it is due to the prevention of wasting time and improving time management. Others might be weary of hackers or phishing scams that could possibly be associated with the social networks. Regardless of the reason, blocking access to social sites is hurting your business.

Why It is Important to Establish your Business Online

You need to begin branding your name. Branding is a way to reach various audiences and demographics that may be interested in what you have to sell. Firstly, you must remember that they are people, not customers. Establishing your name on social networks will already alert your fans of who you are and since the various social sites provide places such as info tabs, bios, hours of operation and more, there is no urgency to then turn your social networks into a constant feed of what it is you do. Just make sure that you have filled out all the information areas that each social network provides and those keywords will help people find you online. More importantly, in order for them to find you, you must exist and you must be active.

Why it is Important to Maintain your Social Networks

Many businesses think that if they have the links out there then people will come. This is not only wrong but can hurt your business. Yes, having Social links with your business’s name on them will have your name stretched across the internet and of course people will be able to find you. However, once they do and all they see are empty shells of what they thought would be a community, they will be disappointed and move on. People aren’t impressed with ghost accounts; they want interaction, knowledgeable information, and life breathing from these sites.”

To read the rest of this article click here.

I have a Nikon SLR digital camera with 10 megapixels of power to capture the finest detail digitally and reproduce analog printed masterpieces that I hang in my home and office. Instead I opted for the camera my Blackberry Curve to capture a rare, low-the-sky double rainbow in the Adirondacks, leaving me only the opportunity to share it’s miniature likeness here or on Facebook, or use it as the home screen on a display that’s smaller than a business card.

We have no less than 4 working computers in our home, each with brilliant wide screen displays, yet I sit outside typing away on the small keyboard screen of my iPad, battling the harsh glare of the summer sun.

Why? Convenience. As technology “miniaturizes” it becomes more convenient. It enables us to jump online even though we are a couple hundred feet from our homes. It enables us to capture a moment in time - at our convenience - and share it with our friends, and the rest of the world, just as it happens.

This convenience comes with a cost, of course. The quality of my photos isn’t always what it should be, although I am able to capture memories I might have otherwise missed.

While I type away now on my iPad I might be able to get this done much more quickly on my larger laptop or desktop computer - and with far less eye strain - however the compact nature and ease of use makes the tradeoff worthwhile. I can site comfortably and catch a few rays, while at the same time, write this post.

The same goes for our messaging. Twitter has enabled the world to share information in 140 character sprites - quickly and easily from anywhere you can get online.

Our conversations are miniaturizing, yet we are communicating with one another like never before. The question remains, is the tradeoff quality? The answer: not necessarily.

The access to information and the speed of which we are able to share it allows us a far greater platform for communication. Combining a better understanding of the principles and techniques of Internet marketing, with the same for social marketing, you are now wildly enabled to provide relevant messages of extremely high quality. The tools are transparent yet the thoughts remain complete. I can ensure you hear the latest news about our company with a quick tweet and elaborate later in a longer blog post. I can do either of these tasks while on the road, in my backyard, or in my office - from my laptop, my cellphone, or any device I choose - and you’d never know the difference.

The portability and choice provided by technology has empowered us in ways most of us have never imagined. The challenge remains to ensure that these choices do not interfere with a quality outcome. Enjoy the freedom that “small” provides but strive to keep the ideas and messages BIG.

Source: nydailynews.com

Now on Facebook: Once you’re done skimming your college roommate’s baby photos, you can purchase airline tickets to Aruba.

The social media “Ticket Window” on the airline’s Facebook page will allow customers to book their flights on the popular networking website.

“We’re now delivering technology where our customers are – from our own website to our Facebook page to Internet news sites and beyond,”  Bob Kupbens, Delta’s vice president of eCommerce said in a statement.

Facebook is the most used website by in-flight Wi-Fi users on more than 2,000 Delta flights every day, said Kupbens.

In the near future, Delta plans to launch a new iPhone app that will allow customers to check into flights, check flight statuses, and use eBoarding passes. Eventually, the app will allow customers to select seats, practically bypassing the ticket counter all together.

For full article click here.

Here at Single Throw, we’ve long been advocates of the use of social media as a marketing tool for businesses of all sizes.  Lately, we’ve seen a great rise in popularity of these tools among car companies.  Check out the article we found below, evidencing Hyundai’s use of social media.

“Hyundai has been getting a lot of attention these days as a company that cares about its customers, and part of this success can be credited to social media marketing. By integrating a customer relationship management (CRM) strategy with social media along with their traditional marketing, Hyundai has branded itself as an altruistic company that really does care about its’ customers. In fact – Hyundai has jumped ahead of every other car manufacturer in the critical customer satisfaction index (CSI) category. Here are a few examples how Hyundai is applying their social media marketing strategy in key parts of their business and how it is paying off.

Hyundai’s Assurance Program began in early 2009 when the economy was at its worst and unemployment was rising rapidly. The Hyundai Assurance Program promised that if you got laid off from your job, you could return your car and not even have to worry about honoring the rest of the note payable. The promotion was innovative but coming from a major car corporation was it believable? The attention the campaign received from the press and from many blogs and websites was skeptical. Hyundai began promoting the idea on Facebook and Twitter. They asked everyone to buzz and tweet about it and people responded with enthusiasm. The idea of social networking for business exposure is not new, but the strategy was extraordinary because it laid the groundwork for the campaign and gave it credibility. It was a brilliant way to market a promotion that really did work. Sharing this information on Facebook and Twitter turned out to be a big plus for the car company’s marketing campaign. Hyundai sales are up 6.2 percent through November 2009. This marks the eleventh consecutive month of year-over-year gains in retail market share by Hyundai. The Hyundai Assurance Program is without doubt one of the reasons their sales have increased this year while other car manufacturers have floundered.

Zafar Brooks, Director of Government Relations and Diversity Outreach at Hyundai, has a refreshing perspective on the value of social media when combined with corporate outreach programs. The Hyundai “Hope on Wheels” program fights pediatric cancer by funding cancer research programs across the country. Brooks understands the importance of authenticity and relevance in social media outreach, particularly on behalf of corporate charitable programs. He said: “Consumers are more sophisticated now — corporate social responsibility programs are no longer something that is ‘nice’ to do, but it’s expected of the company,” noted Brooks. “Simultaneously, consumers will smell-out what is not authentic — Hope on Wheels isn’t advertised, but is part of the news we share with our brand loyalists,” he said. “It is a part of our story because it is a part of who we are and what we are about. Social media should be authentic and organic.” Mr. Brooks added, “Brand leaders must align themselves with a cause that is consistent with corporate values so they can illustrate their relevancy. Leadership has to establish the priorities around which we stand and make it part of our messaging point.” Brooks concluded: “All social media should link together with a common objective to develop a program based on who we want to talk to about what we want to accomplish. Social media outreach must be part of a cohesive approach. Consumers will smell-out what is not authentic!”

Hyundai Aftermarket recently announced the launch of a new social media campaign. The goal was to give Hyundai owners a new way of finding content on the Internet about modifying their vehicles. The interactive social media campaign involves additional features being built into the Hyundai forum that owners can use effectively to get the word out about what they are doing to make their cars stand out from the rest. Twitter accounts and Facebook “Fan Pages” have been built so that owners can follow live updated news feeds about Hyundai Aftermarket as well. “Finding important and relevant information is not easy when you are unfamiliar with how to perform certain modifications,” said a Hyundai spokesperson. “Having a forum and website where answers to important questions are laid out for you, would help with modifying your Hyundai to its highest potential.” While the site has been branded as the “web’s most premier Hyundai forum” and currently is the oldest Hyundai forum on the internet, it has been designed for both the amateur and professional car enthusiast in mind. The site is built on the principle of being very easy going and helpful to anyone who may or may not know a lot about Hyundai’s. Users register for free and can partake in discussions about Hyundai Accents, Tiburons, Elantra’s, Sonata’s, Santa Fe’s and the all new Hyundai Genesis. In addition to providing great technical content, hyundaiaftermarket provides great off topic discussions ranging in everything from technology to music & movies to even food and health/nutrition.

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