When designing or redesigning your website consider avoiding some of the more common mistakes found in bad websites. Working with a specific goal and keeping things simple is best in achieving a successful result. Take a look at these points and make changes that will create customers and leads.
(ONE) Budget your design or redesign with enough funds to achieve your goals. In looking at successful websites you will see great photos, well written text and a design that supports a specific purpose. Give the project the time and money to do a good job.
(TWO) Flashy graphics and animated parts really do nothing for your business. If you keep clients hanging at the front door while a flash graphic loads then chances are they won't be there when the door opens. Animated actions on a website are distractive, let your pictures and text motivate the client. Most times, keeping it simple is still the best policy.
(THREE) When developing an idea about your website presentation get a reasoned opinion from someone outside the company. Create a website that’s convenient for your clients. Put yourself in their shoes. Use plain English. Create a website that works for them, but shows what you do best.
(FOUR) Start your website design with a strategy. Do you want to generate leads? Bring them in by offering what they asked for in the search engine. Give them what they came for and direct them in a few clicks to making contact directly with you either by phone or email. Make it apparent that you want their business. Start getting your website working for you and your clients. Get away from standardized website formats and offer something that make clients want to call you. Do this by having a purpose and plan that caters to them.
Max Marble —
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Calendar of Events
Calendar of Events
March 17—Utah Cont. Educ, Davis Applied Tech, Kaysville
March 18 – Utah Board Meeting, Salt Lake City 10-2
March 19—Utah Continuing Education, SUU in Cedar City
March 20—Utah Continuing Educ., Hampton Inn, Orem
April 13— Idaho MH Board, Building Safety Div., Meridian
April 14-15 – MHI Congress, Paris Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
April 29-30 – Great SW Home Show, Tulsa, OK
May 12-—Utah & Idaho Board Meetings 9-Noon
Golf Tournament at Falcon Ridge Course
May 13— Annual Meeting, Convention & Expo
CasaBlanca Resort in Mesquite, NV
June 15-17—MHI Annual Capitol Hill Visits, D.C.
August 6—Idaho Board Meeting, Boise, Idaho
September 23—Utah Board Meeting, Salt Lake City
For information email
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News From Other States
News From Other States
OREGON—Consumers embraced factory built homes at the Spring Home and Garden Show in Portland. The Ideabox (www.ideabox.us), the innovative home coined “pre-fabulous” by regional media and featured live on two TV stations was featured. Over 10,000 people toured the home and loved it. The public appreciated the technology, green building and efficiencies associated with factory-built homes. WASHINGTON— Two bills in the Washington state legislature would require park owners to notify residents when the property is for sale and to give residents three years to find new housing once the property is sold, three times longer than now required. What other business has to give notice to go out of business? queries John Woodring attorney. NORTH CAROLINA - The North Carolina Court of Appeals reversed a previous decision by a lower court banning the installation of an older mobile home in Pasquotank County. In 2008, a lower court upheld the county’s ordinance limiting the age of mobiles homes to no more than ten years and prohibited a company from setting up a mobile unit, arguing that it was too old. The N.C. Court of Appeals recently limited its restrictions of mobile homes to appearance and measurements only.
WISCONSIN— The Wisconsin Legislature is considering a bill to make it a felony for a landlord or employer to discriminate based on an arrest or conviction record. The author of the bill is a privacy advocate who opposes the use of a state computer database that tracks civil and criminal court proceedings. The Wisconsin Housing Alliance and a broad coalition of others are vigorously opposing the bill.
TEXAS— Coachmen Industries has signed a letter of intent for military housing at Fort Bliss, Texas. With a potential value of $21.3 million, the agreement calls for two new barracks buildings at the U.S. Army base. Coachmen stands to earn another $15.2 million for additional work as Congress approves more funds.
CANADA - Pacific Building Systems, headquartered in Canada’s Cowichan Valley, who already produces prefab structures for users in the U.S., Korea, Iceland and Israel, will build four dozen townhomes in the Asian nation of Mongolia’s capital Ulan Bator. It will build all the major components at its main production plant and transport them to Mongolia for assembly.
Entrepreneurs are generally an optimistic group. But given enough bad news, even they can turn negative. And lately, so much of the news on the front page has been bad, really bad. So how have successful business owners responded to the credit crisis, housing mess, Wall Street turmoil and other lousy news? They keep showing up. They open their doors every day. They call on prospective clients. They tighten their belts. They try new marketing. They do whatever it takes to keep their business going. And if that doesn’t work, they try something else. We can’t control the economy, but we can control how we, as an industry, respond to these difficult times.
At the Housing Alliance, we’re not immune to the bad economic news. But we are taking our own advice and we keep showing up. Everyone in this business wants it to prosper and grow. We produce top quality energy-efficient homes and provide safe, friendly, economical community lifestyles.
There is a demand for our products and services, and there are many manufacturers, retailers, developers, suppliers and community owners who would provide manufactured housing if the opportunities existed. This is the message we need to get through to the public, media and our lawmakers. You can’t preserve or grow an industry by choking it with regulatory interference and restrictions. I’m optimistic that we will make headway this year on regulatory and legislative issues that are critically important to the factory-built industry.
I am confident that even though the financial lending is slow, our members will find ways to keep their businesses profitable and successful. A soft economy is the perfect time to sharpen your skills and try new resources and techniques. Let’s focus on what we can control. We just have to keep showing up.
With all the challenging issues we have on the table this year, I encourage every member to help your state association. By now you should have received your annual membership renewal forms. Maintain your annual dues, contribute to the Housing Alliance Political Action Committee (PAC), attend annual convention and continuing education classes. We are only as strong as our membership, so please become involved and make this a positive year where we implement goals that will help us stay a strong association and help you grow as a vital component of the nation’s housing stock. Keep showing up! Linda
Government Relations
Government Relations by Jack Lyman
Two items dominated the early part of the 2009 Idaho Legislative Session.
First was Governor Butch Otter's nomination of State Senator Brad Little to replace Jim Risch as Idaho Lieutenant Governor. Risch was elected last November to the United States Senate. Senator Little's nomination was confirmed by the Idaho Senate in early January. Governor Otter will pick Little's replacement in the Senate from a list of three candidates nominated by precinct chairs in Legislative District 11.
The second dominant issue was the state's dismal fiscal condition. The Governor proposed a budget nearly eight percent below the current fiscal year with cuts coming from nearly all corners of state government.
Democrat legislators expressed their concern for the cuts proposed in education, especially in view of the Governor's willingness to increase gas taxes and registration fees to fund highway maintenance. A number of Republicans have expressed opposition to tax increases, and it's too early to tell if the Governor will need Democrat support to win approval of his proposals.
The focus on fiscal matters has moved many other issues to the back burner. This could result in a short session, ending in mid-March, once budget issues are resolved. On the other hand, if legislators can't agree on the spending and financing aspects of the budget, the session could go well into April.
I'm guessing the session will go into April but will proceed with our landlord-tenant legislation assuming a short session. That means we will move quickly to get our bill, or a bill worked out with tenant organizations, introduced and before the relevant committees as soon as possible.
I have found general support for dealing with the issue but passage of a bill will be very difficult if the tenant organizations oppose our effort. We don't yet know if we can reach some sort of accommodation with these groups. If we can, our prospects will greatly improve. Rest assured that IHA won't accept any compromise that is contrary to the interests of our members.
OREGON—Consumers embraced factory built homes at the Spring Home and Garden Show in Portland. The Ideabox (www.ideabox.us), the innovative home coined “pre-fabulous” by regional media and featured live on two TV stations was featured. Over 10,000 people toured the home and loved it. The public appreciated the technology, green building and efficiencies associated with factory-built homes.
Entrepreneurs are generally an optimistic group. But given enough bad news, even they can turn negative. And lately, so much of the news on the front page has been bad, really bad. So how have successful business owners responded to the credit crisis, housing mess, Wall Street turmoil and other lousy news? They keep showing up. They open their doors every day. They call on prospective clients. They tighten their belts. They try new marketing. They do whatever it takes to keep their business going. And if that doesn’t work, they try something else. We can’t control the economy, but we can control how we, as an industry, respond to these difficult times.
Two items dominated the early part of the 2009 Idaho Legislative Session.
