VGM Forbin

VGM Group Ranked #3 Top Workplace in Iowa!

2011-09-19T15:14:00.000-05:00

VGM's Top Honors

By Neal Price, VGM Forbin

VGM Group (of which VGM Forbin is part of) has achieved high marks in a recent survey by the Des Moines Register to find the best places to work in Iowa. The results showed VGM Group is ranked #3 in the Mid-Size Category for Iowa’s Top Work Places. This is a very significant honor for VGM & VGM Forbin. We couldn’t be more pleased to be part of such a great organization. View what the Des Moines Register had to say about us here. Click here to view the other companies who made the list as well (select mid-sized category). Congratulations to VGM Group and all the other Iowa companies who made the list!

Forbin is creating websites you can take to the bank!

2011-06-28T08:11:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Forbin and Grundy National Bank in Grundy Center! GNB’s new website www.GNBbank.com , which was created by VGM Forbin, won a Gold Award in the 2010 Best of Iowa during the Iowa Bankers Association "Best of Iowa Breakfast", Friday May 6th.

Best of Iowa is the state-wide advertising and marketing competition for member banks of the Iowa Bankers Association. Forbin created GNB’s first website several years and ago and worked hand-in-hand with GNB to create the award winning new website in 2010.

The IBA sponsors the Best of Iowa competition to give deserved recognition to bank marketing professionals who are responsible for creating and executing innovative and successful marketing and advertising programs for their bank including websites.

Forbin worked very closely with GNB’s Amanda Grineski to create and hone the information, flavor and look of the site as well as including all of the programming elements needed for a bank.

“The newly designed GNB website received high marks for its creativity, originality, navigational tools, and visual elements and graphics, which is very gratifying since it is a vital element of our marketing program. We rely on VGM Forbin to keep us current on website trends and the Best of Iowa awards endorses the skills of the designers and programmers who partner with us to create our site.”

Amanda Grineski- Grundy National Bank

Forbin has been increasing the number of bank and financial institution websites in the last several years. We are constantly working to improve and update the quality of our websites and reach more banks in need of a more functional, easy-to-use website.

If your local bank has a website that isn’t “money”, tell them to check out the work by VGM Forbin and we promise to increase their “interest” in a great new website!

Medtrade Spring PowerWeb 3.0 Special 04/13-15/11

2011-04-06T10:54:00.000-05:00

F O R B I N BUSINESS SOLUTIONS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

BOOTH

#2824

FREE Kindle with purchase of newly updated PowerWeb 3.0 website during Medtrade Spring 2011!

See what over 600 other HME operations have already found out – PowerWeb is the best ‘total package’ website solution for your operation!

Reach more customers with a professionally designed site that is optimized for search engine visibility. Save time and stay up-to-date by easily customizing your online product catalog. Share your knowledge with the newsletters and videos included in PowerWeb 3.0’s content management system.

Educate your clients with PowerWeb’s comprehensive patient resource center. Gain control of your business with lead generation tools included in PowerWeb 3.0. Reach more customers and get more business with VGM
Forbin’s PowerWeb 3.0! Over 600 HME providers have trusted VGM Forbin for their website and hosting needs. Experience the flexibility of PowerWeb 3.0. Stop by booth #2824 to see how PowerWeb 3.0 can help you with website!

Contact VGM Forbin today!

P: 877.814.7485

sales@forbin.com

WWW.FORBIN.COM

VGM Forbin comes home with Addy Awards

2011-04-01T08:21:00.000-05:00

The talent, creativity and dedication of VGM Forbin shone brightly at the 2011 Cedar Valley Addy Awards.

The American Advertising Federation’s (AAF) local awards ceremony honors excellence in print, TV, web site and several other advertising categories. VGM Forbin took home 4 ADDY awards this year, three silver and one gold award, for their work in web design creation.

www.Northstarcampers.com, a local RV production and sales business in the Cedar Valley, earned Forbin a Silver ADDY. www.StainlessPlus.com, a local custom steel product business earned Forbin a Gold Addy.

www.McAbeeMedical.com

One HME dealer’s new PowerWeb 3.0 earned Forbin a Silver Addy Award. McAbee Medical’s new www.McAbeeMedical.com site was the first of Forbin’s new PowerWeb format to receive an ADDY award. Forbin has created close to 800 HME websites over the years. Within the last 18 months, they have installed 112 of their new PowerWeb 3.0 sites featuring more client control and easier-to-use features.

The new interactive and user friendly web site Forbin created for internal customer VGM Club earned Forbin a Silver Addy Award. The new www.VGMclub.com site features many fresh and innovate components to promote VGM Club and provide easy navigation to Club’s members.

www.VGMClub.com

“The number one benefit from our new website designed by Forbin is the increased inquiries and leads from our prospects and member community. Sure, it is very pleasing to the eye and easy to use. The true reward, however, is our activity has increased 500% compared to our old website. That drives customer satisfaction and profitability.”

Cam Shultz- Vice President of National Sales

“The new vgmclub.com is not only aesthetically-pleasing; it’s also a cinch to use. Our members and staff alike can navigate more easily and find the information they’re looking for with greater ease than ever before. Being able to edit the site instantaneously ensures that our members always have the most up-to-date information at their fingertips.”

Lindsey Christensen- Director of Marketing

Forbin is already working on web sites for more local, HME and O&P customers. Even if those sites aren’t awarded ADDY’s next year, Forbin strives to make each and every web site a winner for their client’s business and profitability.

PR Newswire Not Ranking Well with NEW Google Panda

2011-03-15T09:46:00.000-05:00

Google’s recent Panda algorithm update has created controversy by having both positive and negative effects for almost all websites.

WebProNews anchor Abby Johnson spoke with Rod Nicolson, VP User Experience Design & Workflow, PR Newswire about Google’s latest algorithm update.

Nicolson says the update effects up to 12 percent of sites and it may be a while before everyone can fully interpret what the algorithm change means.

PR Newswire has seen an impact because of the Google Panda update. Nicolson says PR Newswire has been hit with collateral damage in Google’s war against content farms. The algorithm update has not had a massive effect on PR Newswire but it has been larger than expected.

Nicolson says there is no way that PR Newswire could “ ever, ever” be considered a content farm. He does not see any reason why PR Newswire would be included in a drop in rankings.

PR Newswire has been in contact with Google about the algorithm update and reminded them who they are.

To avoid the situation in the future Nicolson says PR Newswire is doing what every “SEO on the planet is doing, and looking very closely at everything being published and the data about the farmer update.”

Read story with Web Pro News and see the live video with Vice President of PR Newswire.

2010-09-09T08:26:00.001-05:00

Google Instant available on a Google Search near you. When used, this is to be faster than normal search engines. Give it a try and let us know what you think..

Only plumbers should sell the kitchen sink on their website

2010-08-24T08:45:00.013-05:00

Written by Steven Eilers, Copywriter

Only plumbers should sell the kitchen sink on their website

We’ve all seen them; websites that are packed full with every product, every detail, every employee and the entire company history crammed in; in other words everything including the kitchen sink! As a site visitor, you may read the first 2 paragraphs and then you find yourself skimming and scrolling faster and faster, trying to find that bit of information gold hidden in all of the clutter. Did you enjoy that website? Could you find what you needed or even remember why you went there in the first place after reading all of that “content”? The short answer is NO!

If you are a business that sells a certain type of product, like home medical equipment, furniture or clothing for example, you will have a product catalog that features all of your items grouped in a neat and orderly fashion and arranged in a way that makes sense where customers will go to shop and order. That’s why you have a catalog in the first place so keep it there!

So how do you avoid a “kitchen sink” website?

Read your site content from the point of view of the customer. Will the customer really care about all of this information? Will they benefit from it? Will they find what they need or will they find another site that’s faster and easier to navigate?

2. Give your site the 2 second and 1 minute test. Can the customer tell what it is you’re selling/offering after reading the first 2 seconds of copy on your site? Read the content on your site for 1 minute. Are you still interested after 1 minute or are you bored? Remember, read it from the customer’s point of view.

3. Even the History Channel talks about upcoming events. If you have the honor of being a well- established business or organization, that’s great, but now tell today’s customer why they need to care. If you are a 100 year old organization that had stayed strong during the Great Depression, how does that benefit someone today? We are a short attention span society.

4. Shakespeare you ain’t. Big flowery language is fine for Romeo and Juliet (and cheap romance novels) but not for a website…unless of course you are a website about Shakespeare. Your site content simple and easy for the average person to read and understand. Don’t talk over their heard or talk down to customers, just talk to them.

5. Remember, as a customer it’s all about ME! Why should I choose your product from your business or organization? What are you going to do for ME?

Remember- Only plumbers should sell the kitchen sink on their website!

Exponential change: It’s part of our life

2010-08-05T10:39:00.000-05:00

By: Paul DiMarco, VGM Forbin

Think back. Way back to the days of your childhood. As a point of reference, I’m 47. Did a lot change every year “back then?” Our parents sure made us think things were different than when they were kids. But looking back on it now, the times we are currently living in are vastly different in many ways on many different levels and are changing faster. We are living in an exponentially changing environment. What does that mean for us in our personal and business lives?

Rather than discuss a specific business practice, product or lesson, I thought that by discussing what is going on in our everyday lives — what makes up our environment — we could get a better business understanding of how to react and adapt. There’s no better way to see what’s going on than spend some time on YouTube. The majority of the statistics for this article are based on a popular video called Shift Happens — it was originally done by a school board in Colorado. There are many variations of the video in circulation now. The facts are amazing.

So, how have things changed? Let’s start with traditional media. It took radio 38 years to reach 50 million listeners. It took TV 13 years for that many viewers. It only took four years for the Internet to reach that number and more recently two years for Facebook. When we were going to school, subject matter didn’t change all that much. Today it is estimated that the over a third of the subject matter a college freshman will learn will be obsolete by the time they graduate.

Another sign of exponential change — one in eight married couples today met using social media/online dating. Some people may still believe that the “Internet” is not a place. I contend that it is not only a place but it is a complete environment — not like we would normally think of an “environment” but it is still an aggregate of surrounding conditions and influences. It is a force that shapes the life of a population. It is a catalyst for change that we need to understand. We cannot rely on what we grew up on. We must accept exponential change.

How does that affect our everyday business existence? While it will depend on the type of business we are in, understanding that new media needs to be at the core of your messaging and advertising plan is key. Why? It is estimated that the users of Facebook represent the fifth largest population in the world! Tapping in to that environment is critical – even if it is just for your local needs. There were more videos posted on YouTube last month than were broadcast in total by the original three networks (NBC, CBS, ABC) since they first went on the air more than 60 years ago. YouTube is fast becoming a “go to” search engine right alongside Google. In order to survive today, and set your business up for success into the future, incorporating new media (YouTube, FaceBook, Twitter, text messaging, video on your website(s), etc.) is a must to reach your existing and emerging demographic.

While there is still a portion of the population that is “Internet-phobic” — we typically consider anyone 65 or older in that category — I contend that we should not let that stop us from moving forward with new media advertising/business practices. My 93-year-old parents are daily users of Facebook, e-mail and various websites to keep abreast of what’s going on with their family and community. The business owners who feel the majority of their focus does not need to be directed to Internet and new media opportunities will be overtaken by the exponential change that is taking place every second of every day … right now.

Even with all this “change” happening, the basic rules of business common sense still prevail — honesty, loyalty, good service and reliability are still paramount. The issue, though, is that with the speed of change that is taking place, if you fail with any of these you will be negatively affected that much quicker. On a positive note, if you excel at these, your message will spread much more quickly and you will move the needle faster.

Embrace change. Stay active with what is happening and what is available. Find employees who are affected and who use new media on a regular basis. Utilize their expertise and thought processes. Get rid of age stereotypes. In order to exponentially change, you need to make that first change. Make it a priority to do that this month. You’ll be amazed at what you will be doing a year from now!

Cedar Valley Business Monthly www.cvbusinessmonthly.com/articles/2010/08/04/business_columns/doc4c59bdd4b3f0b306673973.txt

Pepsi abandons Super Bowl in favor of CRM

2010-01-29T11:40:00.000-06:00

Britney Spears, Cindy Crawford and Ozzy Osborne all have appeared in Pepsi Super Bowl ads. But this year, the soft drink brand is breaking tradition, opting for a digital CRM program to drive a two-way discussion with consumers instead of a splashy, Super Bowl spot for its flagship soft drink.
The strategy shift means Pepsi will inject $20 million into its cause-related Refresh Project that helps people improve their communities through a variety of projects funded by the marketer. PepsiCo will officially launch a Web site, RefreshEverything.com, on January 13. On it, consumers can list projects that can improve communities, such as feeding the hungry or teaching people to read. Consumers can vote on the site beginning February 1 on projects they think should receive a share of the money. They will be asked to contribute their e-mail addresses for e-mail alerts on the project.
However, Nicole Bradley, spokesperson for PepsiCo, tells DMNews the primary goal is to create a two-way dialogue with loyal and prospective customers, rather than build an e-mail database for marketing.
"The Super Bowl broadcast can be an amazing stage for broadcasters, and [PepsiCo subsidiary] Frito Lay will be there in a big way," she says. "But our beverage brands' marketing strategy in 2010 [is] less about a singular event and more about a movement. We are always looking to further develop our two-way conversation with consumers."
The CRM campaign asks consumers to suggest ways that Pepsi can get involved in social causes. Bradley added that the company has made no decision on marketing for the 2011 Super Bowl and beyond.
With the effort, PepsiCo is taking its marketing initiatives to where its target audience is already spending much of its time, says Tracy Tuten, associate professor of marketing at East Carolina University.
"Pepsi has always positioned itself as being about the youth market of America, and young people now are inundated with social media," she says. "They are also increasingly involved in sustainability and the greater good and all of those issues. "Pepsi is making a big statement that they want to be about all of those things that their target [audience] is about."
Tuten adds that Pepsi's e-mail address collection could also be used to create a standalone social networking community.
The move marks the first time in 23 years that the NFL's championship game will not have an ad promoting Pepsi. PepsiCo spent $33 million advertising Pepsi, Gatorade and Cheetos during 2009's Super Bowl XLIII, according to an Associated Press report. TNS Media Intelligence, which measures advertising spending, reported that PepsiCo spent $142.8 million on 10 Super Bowl ads from 1999 to 2008 for its brands, ranking the company second only to Anheuser-Busch during that period.
The economy is compelling other brands to take a break from Super Bowl advertising. For the second straight year, FedEx will not advertise during the game, during which spots will reportedly cost nearly $3 million.
For PepsiCo, the decision to shift some of its marketing spend to a digital engagement project may have come down to measuring marketing effectiveness during the tough economy, says Dean DiBiase, chairman of RebootPartners.com and the former CEO of TNS Media.
"Digital advertising is going to have a better ROI for [Pepsi]," he says. "It just seems like it's a better fit for what they are doing in the real world than putting money into the Super Bowl."

From the January 04, 2010 Issue of DMNews

Welcome 2010!

2010-01-07T09:32:00.001-06:00

Just for fun...

Visit Google & click on the "I feel lucky" button without typing in a search query.

Top 10 Moments in Social Media for 2009

2009-12-30T09:14:00.004-06:00

Reported by Los Angeles Times

December 29, 2009 | 6:49 pm

This year was certainly significant in the world of online social media. Facebook surpassed 350 million users -- more than the U.S. population -- and Twitter's short blogging service skyrocketed in popularity, led by celebs, tech lovers and top companies.

Here's a look back at 2009's biggest events in which social media played a major role.

10. "Word of Web." As people spent more time chatting online and in public spaces like Twitter, buzz surrounding product and entertainment releases became instantly quantifiable. The elusive word-of-mouth promotion could now be measured, and "word of Web" became that new currency. (Marketers love to use the word "viral.")
The movie "District 9" played the game rather well. The low-budget sci-fi flick started the buzz train early with cryptic alien decals around major cities before its release. Despite relatively low advertising spending, the movie did extremely well. The fact that it was actually a good film certainly didn't hurt.

9. Whopper Sacrifice. Facebook was quick to kill this marketing ploy, but Burger King had a picnic with this one. The Whopper Sacrifice game asked Facebook users to delete 10 friends in exchange for a free burger. In just a couple of weeks, 233,906 friends were dropped like a bad habit.
It proved to be a hilariously successful way to promote a brand that seemed to get only more controversial and creepy over the course of the year.

8. Google Wave. In Gmail-like fashion, the exclusive nature of Google's newest product (people vied for a limited number of invitations from friends) made it the must-have free service of 2009. Of course, once people finally got hold of Wave, their lust died down.
The interface is still pretty confusing, and the team continues to struggle with growing pains in its mission to create a stable collaboration platform. However, it packs some intriguing technologies that could very well transform journalism in addition to a number of industries. But right now, e-mail replacement it is not.

7. Twitter and Facebook under hack attack. Just when it seemed like Twitter had finally outgrown its glitches and constant bandwidth overload at the beginning of the year, summertime rolled around and, poof!, Twitter was down. And Facebook. And LiveJournal. And YouTube. What's going on?
It was the first major malicious attack that successfully targeted a number of massive social sites. It wouldn't be the last. A source at Twitter tells us the denial-of-service attacks had been going on for months, and they were also aimed at Facebook, which was seeing increased downtime too.
In addition to the site-aimed missiles, users were increasingly targeted for phishing scams. They were showing up in practically everyone's Facebook inbox and Twitter direct message list.
As Microsoft knows all too well with its Windows platform, along with majority market share comes an army of bad guys.

6. Ashton Kutcher vs. CNN. In lieu of creating a separate list for "top 1 stupidest moments in social media," we guess this deserves a mention. The former star of "That 70s Show," under the guise of his Twitter alias @aplusk, led a high-profile campaign against CNN's breaking news account.
The @cnnbrk profile was among the most popular on the social network at the time when Kutcher challenged the news network to a race to a million subscribers. The winner would donate money to a malaria charity.
Amid all the free promotion, the ridiculousness factor multiplied by a hundred when we saw digital billboards springing up with the directive "follow Ashton Kutcher" and a link to his page.
Kutcher won, and you can't downplay such unstoppable tactics as Twittering a few, um, choice photos of his wife, Demi Moore. Lucky twit.

5. Susan Boyle launches career. Perhaps the most notable product of that "word of Web" we talked about earlier, this 48-year-old Scottish singer rose from absolute obscurity after low-key appearances on "Britain's Got Talent," England's precursor to "American Idol."
Videos of the dowdy singer resonated online as the YouTube videos echoed in every corner of social media. Both Boyle and show creator Simon Cowell have acknowledged the massive role the Internet played in her newfound fame.

4. R.I.P. Michael Jackson. TMZ was the first to confirm Michael Jackson's death. For an hour or so while news organizations cautiously ignored or speculated on its validity, the social Net was ablaze with mourning and cynicism. By the time the L.A. Times confirmed the news, the information was already being debated to death on Twitter in bite-size bits.
The death of one of the biggest pop stars in recent history was a perfect example of how quickly big news can spread on the Web.

3. R.I.P. Jeff Goldblum? The Web is also fantastic at quickly spreading misinformation. Most of the time, you don't even need a bogus news story to accompany your false tweet.
Here's a list of notable people who didn't die this year but had their "obitweets" spread far and wide: Jeff Goldblum, Natalie Portman, George Clooney, Britney Spears, Ellen DeGeneres, Michael Lohan, alleged Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan, Jared from Subway, Emma Watson and P. Diddy.

2. Iran "green" protests. The violent political protests in Iran spurred support from countless international sympathizers in the form of turning their avatars green (not to be confused with turning blue for "Avatar" or going '50s cartoony for "Mad Men.")
Though the movement was really big on Twitter and prevalent on the streets of Iran, no change actually happened. The revolt, dubbed the "Twitter Revolution," was listed as Salon's third-most-bogus story of the year.

1. Hudson River plane landing. Demonstrating the true power of social media, the iPhone snapshot of the rescue mission in the Hudson River was legendary. The picture says a thousand words about how no moment has to be missed just because a reporter or photographer didn't happen to be near the scene. Anyone can be a reporter for a moment and broadcast to the world.

Think we missed something big in social media? Let us know in the comments. -- Mark Milian, LA Times

Reporting contributed by Andrew Nystrom

Top photo: Twitter creator Jack Dorsey. Credit: Mark Milian / Los Angeles Times. Middle photo: Ashton Kutcher. Credit: Associated Press. Bottom photo: Hudson River plane landing. Credit: Janis Krums via Twitpic

Email Marketing

2009-12-03T13:17:00.001-06:00

Emails With Coupons Achieve Higher Open Rates

By Mike Sachoff

The majority (80%) of emails sent with coupons received higher open rates and transaction rates than non-coupon campaigns, according to a new report from Experian Marketing Services. Seventy percent of coupons-using households get their coupons from newspapers. However, the Internet is a growing coupon resource. Over the last three years, the number of households that get their coupons online has increased by 46 percent.

Communicate Often

2009-11-04T09:11:00.001-06:00

Web Marketing by Laura Hand

Q. How do I pick a great Web designer for my Web site?

A. First, determine the designer's skill level. Review the designer's Web site and online portfolio. This will show his attention to detail and his design style. Look at the designer's experience with various design programs. Can he work on your site from beginning to end? Can he create online forms or would he have to contract it out?

Find out their HME experience

Experience with HME and healthcare is valuable. If the designer is new to HME, be prepared to invest additional time. You'll have to give detailed instructions on your primary viewers, products and services, and overall design. A designer who's familiar with the HME business, products and customer base will make your life easier.

make sure he sticks around

You and the designer will need to establish timelines and deadlines. Ask for final approval on each stage of the project. One of the complaints I hear most from business owners is that after completing a site, the designer disappears. This could be critical when you decide to make updates or move to a different hosting company. Make sure the designer will be accessible after completing the Web site. Remember, a Web site isn't just a project; it's an on-going process.

Check references

Ask for a list of the designer's former clients. Ask them questions about deadlines, communication skills and overall satisfaction. Would they work with them again?

Agree on costs

Does the designer bill by the hour or a flat fee? What will he charge for updates? Get an exact amount for how long the project will take and the total cost. Make sure the contract also includes what happens if these terms are not met.

Be prepared

Establish your goals ahead of time and know what you want. Look at other Web sites to find out what you do and don't like, then create a specific site plan for your site.

The best advice: Communicate with your designer often.

Laura Hand is the creative director/senior Web designer at VGM Forbin.
Reach her at 319-274-4456 or lhand@forbin.com.

Using Facebook Traffic to Drive Brand Loyalty

2009-10-29T13:15:00.001-05:00

The Big Brands Do it. Why Can't You?

By Chris Crum

WebProNews recently covered a study from Chitika, which found that Facebook was the most valuable social media tool for driving repeat readers to content sites. The study was based on 33 million unique users across Chitika's publisher network in September. It compared the number of visitors coming from major traffic sources Digg, Facebook, Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Twitter, to the number of times those visitors came back to the referred site. Visitors that went to a site four or more times in one week were considered loyal users. By a wide margin, Facebook led the pack in providing loyal traffic. 20% of all visitors from Facebook visited the site four or more times per week.

Where does your most loyal traffic come from? Facebook or somewhere else? Comment here.

"We've received the most clients from Facebook than any other social media website," a reader commented on the article. "Although we've received slightly more visitors from Digg and Stumbleupon, the viewers have not converted into customers the same way they had through Facebook."

There has certainly been plenty of talk about how Facebook can drive traffic, but clearly there are still a lot of people struggling with just how to go about doing so.

"Why am I not getting this?" another reader asked. "Blogs I've done are boosting my Google, Yahoo, and Bing ratings and getting traffic to my web site, but I'm not getting how Facebok can do this."

Comments like these are not uncommon, and to be fair, this one was made prior to Microsoft's announcement of a deal with Facebook (Google has been rumored to be in talks with Facebook as well).

But not all traffic has to come from search, although Facebook exposure can certainly contribute to that as well, if nothing else, than simply through promotion leading to links.

When a Facebook user frequently checks for status updates, he/she is likely to see new posts made from Facebook Pages he/she is subscribed to. This means creating a Facebook page can have a great effect on page owners. Making readers aware of the page is key as well. Luckily Facebook has a widget called the Fan box, that you can put on your site, which can lead new visitors directly to your Facebook page.

Facebook has also just updated another important widget - the share button. Now it will provide a live count of shares, as well as analytical information. You can find out how people are sharing and engaging with your content, and gain further insight into how your stuff is doing with the Facebook community (and adjust your strategy accordingly).

Traffic is a common goal, but it is not the only one. Going back to the topic at the beginning of this article, brand loyalty is a big one.

A representative for Stuzo Group, one of Facebook's exclusive development partners, shared some interesting case studies with us, looking at how they created branded applications and fan pages for brands like Doritos, Budweiser, Smashbox, and Purina.

"When Stuzo works with these brands, the goals that they have most often in creating these promotions is to increase brand loyalty and recognition, boost traffic to their website, and drive sales," the representative said. "These goals all go hand in hand, and explain why Chitika's study was so valuable; hits to a website are great, but they don't mean much unless they contribute to brand loyalty and positive recognition of the brand." (emphasis added)

A common theme among the case studies provided by Stuzo is that they all present clear objectives for what they want to accomplish with Facebook. For example, Budweiser's were:

1. Create brand awareness through a strong fan base and social channel opt-ins

2. Incentivize users to engage with the brand on a regular basis

3. Convert new customers and drive increase in sales

Budweiser went the route of contests and competitions (which are viral by nature). According to the case study, this has resulted in:

- Hundreds of thousands of Unique Pageviews

- Sustained high level of brand engagement by all measurements

- Significant, continued growth in Budweiser’s Social CRM and social channel opt-ins

Budweiser is just one example of a big brand finding success through social media, and through the use of Facebook in particular. As I recently discussed, you can find new and interesting ways to integrate social media into your own plans by looking at some of the brands you use yourself and how they employ different tools. This helps you to put yourself in the customer's shoes and determine the things that work and the things that don't.

What brands have you seen using social media in interesting ways? Discuss here.

Related Articles:

> The Most Loyal Traffic Comes from Facebook

> Facebook/Twitter Use May Now Mean More for Google/Bing Rankings

> Some Brands Have Good Ideas For Social Media. Do You?

Web Pro News: Balancing Blogger and Twitter

2009-10-22T09:43:00.001-05:00

Click here to view video.

Sites like Facebook and Twitter may receive more attention in some circles, but blogs aren’t going anywhere. At BlogWorld, Blogger Product Manager Rick Klau talked to WebProNews about the state of Google’s blog publishing system, along with blogging in general and how newer communications options come into the equation.

One big thing worth noting is that Blogger recently celebrated its tenth birthday. A host of fresh features were introduced at that time to both expand how people regard the service and thank individuals for continuing to use it. And use it is precisely what they’re doing.

Klau stressed that, with regards to blogs and Blogger, we’re not talking about a static or declining environment. In fact, he stated that 290,000 words are written on Blogger per minute worldwide, which represents an increase of 10 percent versus six months ago.

Klau said that Twitter and blogs “each have their place,” too, as blogging and microblogging aren’t part of a zero-sum game. If conversations are fragmented, that’s fine. That can even be good. Twitter became the second-largest source of traffic (after Google) to Klau’s blog when he implemented software that tweeted about his latest posts. He recommended this sort of service.

Another good idea to explore is using the new “share to Twitter” feature on Blogger.

As for what, precisely, to do with a blog (if you’re new to them or just looking for some expert advice), Klau’s advice was solid: “focus on the content.” Also, don’t imitate what other people have done . . . instead find what you’re passionate about and stick with it.

Time for Blogging

2009-10-06T13:30:00.002-05:00

Time for Customers: Time to Blog.

If you have time to write one extra email, you have time to write one extra blog. Just as simple- a title and body. If you have a blog to help your site, you should be blogging at the very least 1-2 per week.

Write about: things you are passionate about, education to your readers, topics that humanize you and your company and try to be entertaining.

Google LOVES blogs. Make sure you aren't missing out.Use your keywords and tags!

What “Up” can teach Washington about health care reform

2009-09-14T16:51:00.007-05:00

NOTE: This article was recently submitted to the Des Moines Register. It also appeared in the July 5 edition of the Waterloo Courier and will appear in an upcoming issue of HME News.

There is scene in the latest Pixar film, “Up,” where two men arrive at Carl Fredrickson’s door intent on moving him from his home to Shady Oaks nursing home. Carl promises he will be along momentarily if the men will wait outside in their van. But instead of surrendering his home, he releases thousands of helium filled balloons tethered to his house, lifting it into the air and thereby escaping society’s push to institutionalize this proud man. It’s a triumphant scene, and one our legislators should see as they debate health care reform.

Our hospitals and nursing homes are filled with people of every shape, size, creed and color. But these people all share a common dream – they all dream of going home. No one wants to be in a hospital, nursing home or any institutional setting; they want to be in their own homes. But rather than recognize this universal desire, our federal health policies discourage home care. While Medicare will pay for hospitalization and physician visits for virtually any reason and Medicaid pays budget-busting sums for nursing homes, home care comprises less than 2 percent of all health care expenditures.

“Up’s” Carl Fredrickson walks with the aid of a cane, and gets up and down his stairs with the benefit of a stair lift. A stair lift is both an assistive device and safety aid. It can be purchased and installed in most homes for less than $2,500. Medicare won’t pay for the cost of a stair lift in the home of a frail senior.

Nor will it pay for any portion of a bath lift, a tub bench, a grab bar or any of a bevy of other assistive devices or companion care that help seniors stay in their home, safely. This is short-sighted health policy. One in three senior will suffer a serious fall, and those falls often lead to a cascading descent in quality of life, not to mention extraordinary health care costs. Medicare will spend tens of thousands to treat a hip fracture caused by a fall in the bathtub, but won’t spend a few hundred dollars on bath safety devices. It willingly spends $2,000 a day on hospitalization for seniors with serious breathing problems, but balks at the $7.50 a day for oxygen equipment and supporting service when the senior stays in the home.

When it comes to health care, Congress and federal bureaucrats often think only in a transactional perspective, not strategically. In refusing coverage for an item like Carl Fredrickson’s stair lift, they see their decision as “saving” $2,500 in health care costs. What they fail to see is that a stair lift costs less than 15 days in a nursing home, or that Medicare could put bath lifts in homes of hundreds of seniors for the price of a slip-and-fall by one frail senior getting out of a bathtub, or that companion care in the home costs less and results in better outcomes than institutionalization in a nursing home. Our “sickcare” system is transactional; homecare is strategic.

Carl, the hero of “Up,” not only avoided the nursing home, he went on to carry out a great adventure while still living in his home. Our seniors deserve the respect and dignity that comes with staying in their home as long as they can. I can only hope our elected officials in Washington see “Up.” It is a delightful movie, and if they pay attention they just might learn a thing or two that helps improve our health care system.

Mike Mallaro is CFO and CIO of VGM Group, Inc., and a regular speaker and writer on national home health care issues.

Click here to download a copy of this piece.

HME News: Keep it simple, not plain

2009-09-03T09:16:00.003-05:00

Laura Hand, VGM Forbin speaking about design for your HME site.

Q. I want my Web site to look nice and professional. What makes a good design for HME?

A. A great Web site design for HME should draw a visitor in and make a warm first impression. Think of your homepage as the front door to your business. Is it professional, clean, warm and welcoming? Is the page easy to navigate and can visitors find the answers they need easily? Your company logo and colors, menu bar, contact information and the text describing your business are all vital. You may wish to show pictures of your store, staff members, products and clientele.

To have a good design, you need to know your audience. Most of your viewers are female and over the age of 40, either looking for products for themselves or loved ones. It is important to have an inviting design that depicts you as a trustworthy source. Use your company colors but incorporate a palette of softer pleasing colors. Use images of happy, active individuals using the equipment you provide. For easy viewing, all text, menu buttons and graphics should be in large and legible fonts.

What sets you apart from your competition? Is it your friendly and knowledgeable staff, the number of years you have been in business or having the latest home medical equipment? Make that the focus of your Web site.

Keep it simple, but not plain. Make it easy for customers to contact you by showing phone and fax numbers and addresses in a prominent spot, preferably next to your logo. Do you want them to purchase or request information about a piece of equipment? Have a graphic that directs them to your online catalog or store. Show the customer that you are an expert on HME by creating a patient resource center where customers can share information with loved ones.

A tired Web site means a tired business, so your site should be constantly evolving. Review the design elements every couple of months to keep it fresh and current.
Following these tips will ensure that your online customers will be your customers for years to come. hme

Laura Hand is the creative director/senior Web designer at VGM Forbin. Reach her at 319-274-4456 or lhand@forbin.com.

Click here to view at HME News.

Facebook User Names

2009-06-15T09:29:00.004-05:00

Facebook gave profiles and pages the opportunity to have a customized URL to direct traffic to their page/profile by setting up a user name. Example: www.Facebook.com/Forbin. However, what you didn't find out until the time of registry on Friday night at 11 pm was that if it was a page that you were setting up a user name for you had to have a minimum of 1k fans. I found this very deceiving and disappointing, especially because this is something that could be very valuable for the business pages, yet not all business pages could take advantage of this without having the full criteria of 1k fans.

Hopefully Facebook will make a revision to this requirement soon. If you do have a profile/page that you would like to assign a user name visit www.Facebook.com/Username. You can select one of their suggestions or select a custom user name.

HME News TV

2009-05-28T11:01:00.003-05:00

Joel Valenti, VGM Forbin speaking about driving traffic to your site at Medtrade Fall 2008 on HME News TV. Click Here to view.

Email Marketing

2009-05-18T16:50:00.001-05:00

Excellent for email marketing campaigns, customized newsletters, email publications and online magazines, press releases, company newsletters, new product announcements, invitations, event announcements, and much more.

Email Templates:

VGM Forbin will create professional, customized email templates that grab the attention of contacts and enhance your online branding.

CAREFLASH: The Medical Blog

2009-04-22T16:49:00.000-05:00

CareFlash and VGM Forbin have joined forces to bring the potential for compassionate and powerful social networking to patients and customers who are diagnosed with serious illness, suffer an injury, take maternity leave or perhaps require time off to care for a loved one.

What does CareFlash offer?

CareFlash offers private, secure, invitation-only Web sites, created by patients and their caregivers, which allow health updates to be posted regularly, site visitors to send messages and create an online community of support at a time when it is most needed.

CareFlash also offers an amazing group of three-dimensional medical animations that illustrate medical conditions and give visitors the opportunity to gain an understanding of an illness affecting a friend or loved one. COPD, pulmonary hypertension, ALS, MS and diabetes are some of the animations included.

CareFlash’s iHelp Calendar™ is an interactive site element that allows friends to schedule meal delivery, transportation assistance, organized visits, etc.

Public forums allow patients and caregivers to discuss medical issues and receive support from others in similar circumstances.

How do you work with CareFlash?

1. You can be a sponsor, which means all patient sites established through your referral will have a prominent ad on each Web page and will be seen by everyone who visits the patient’s site. Providers can expect hundreds of ad viewings monthly. Cost is $75/month for VGM Group Members. Sponsors are billed monthly and no long-term commitment is required.

2. You can refer patients to www.careflash.com as a value-added service. There is no cost for patients to use CareFlash. In this scenario, there is no advertising on patient sites. Your patients will appreciate your thoughtfulness, so this is a free public relations effort on your part.

3. VGM Forbin, the Web design company within VGM, will place a CareFlash link on all PowerWeb sites. The service is included in the price of the PowerWeb package. Social networking is changing our culture, and adding a CareFlash link enhances any medical Web site.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

2008-09-05T13:14:00.000-05:00

Purpose of Search Engine Optimization:

To increase the traffic of you web site with high ranking, resulting in visitors easily locating your site when using relevant keywords & phrases on search engines.

It's very important for your web site to be listed in the top search results when potential customers are searching for your products or services. When you are competing against hundreds of thousands of similar company web sites, VGM Forbin understands how to promote your site where it needs to be to be found & realizes how important it is for your online business.

Without Search Engine Optimization, you may have a terrific site that could be very helpful, yet may have a low site ranking. Which in turn will not be beneficial to you or your customer because your site is not being found by any customers that are needing your services or products.

Services for SEO through VGM Forbin:

Search Engine Optimization Submission

The Search Engine Submission process provided by VGM Forbin consists of us adding all the keywords and title to all of your pages within your site. Once this is completed, we run a software program on your site that will manipulate the code on the pages, and create additional pages that are "search engine friendly". Search engines will send out “Web Bots” or “Spiders” that will visit your site and rank it accordingly. This software makes your site appealing to the web bots and spiders, in turn giving your site a higher ranking.

Pay Per Click

Forbin will manage & run your Pay Per Click through Google, Ask, AOL, Netscape Netcenter, EarthLink, CompuServce, AT&T WorldNet & Yahoo. Pay Per Click is an Online Advertising model that advertisers pay per time their ad gets a redirected click to the advertiser’s web site from the search engine site. Ads are based on the keywords & phrases are provided by the advertiser & receives assistance from VGM Forbin associate.

Pay Per Post

Pay Per Post allows you to promote your company through the very popular blogging trend. VGM Forbin setups up your company to have a positive advertisement in the form of a blog appearing on one of many different blogger sites. This will create the traffic every site needs, providing your customer with the online word of mouth from customers like them. Pay Per Post is a large consumer generated advertising community & marketplace.

Contact VGM Forbin today to inquire about Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

What is SEO?

The process of improving the quantity and quality of traffic to a web site from a search engine.

Get a quote today!

Christina Throndson
1 Yahoo Certified Ambassador on staff.

Computer Networking

2008-09-05T13:07:00.000-05:00

VGM Forbin offers top of the line technical and consulting services from our quality Computer Support Technicians and Networking Engineers. Through years of experience, when it comes to setting up networks or offering support for your computer system needs, let VGM Forbin help take the stress away by keeping your business network and computer systems stable and running.

WE CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR BUSINESS
Troubleshooting network, printer and computer problems are our area of expertise. From small cabling to full network design we have done it all and can do it for you. Much of our experience comes from the work we do in house for our parent company VGM & Associates. With over 375 VGM employees, all with E-mail and Internet access, we are proven experts in large to small office networking and computer support.

We offer a wide range of levels to meet your business needs.

SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESS...
Many of our small to medium sized businesses clients choose to setup a Maintenance Support Agreement with us, scheduling a MCSE Certified Technician to go on-site and do proactive networking and computer maintenance to help prevent any problems that may occur. Our solutions help protect your systems from hacker threats, viruses, system crashes and anything else that can hold up valuable production time. Through our Maintenance Support Agreements you can receive up to a 25% discount on all of our computer and networking services.

LARGE BUSINESS SUPPORT...
Many large businesses have their own MIS or IT departments to service everyday computer needs. At VGM Forbin we have MCSE Certified Technicians on hand to help you when your problems may be too big and there will be times when a private in-house tech will need the assistance of a more experienced technician. At VGM Forbin we offer specialized services on an as needed basis and for many larger businesses who just need us to assist them out of a tight situation or help consult with them on a large system upgrade. Many of our larger clients take advantage of our effective Maintenance Support Agreement and receive the 25% discount on all computer and networking services.

WHAT WE OFFER

Network Emergency Response
When your network goes down, or experiences serious service degradation, getting it up and running in the shortest time possible is crucial to minimize serious negative business impacts. Our professional network experts quickly arrive at your site and leverage their vast fault isolation expertise to quickly determine the source of the problem and determine a solid solution. The end result is a network that is quickly back in business, so your company can get back to business.

Network Assessment
Avoid network downtime and service degradation by gaining a thorough understanding of potential network problems and current inefficiencies. VGM Forbin offers protocol analysis and network fault isolation experts to analyze network performance, pinpoint costly inefficiencies, and provide a baseline for healthy behavior. Our Network Assessment Services empowers clients to proactively address network availability, performance, and cost optimization by maximizing network infrastructure, and independently resolving problems when they occur.

Network Design
More than 40 percent of companies overbuild their networks, but don't realize maximum product performance. Before you purchase more bandwidth, make certain that you really need it and that the design you’re investing in is a long-term solution. VGM Forbin certified experts will determine your network’s load capability, and which upgrades are required or needed. VGM Forbin networking services provide assistance for all phases of design projects, from cost benefit analysis to optimization recommendations for existing network infrastructure additions.
If you have any questions about our networking services, call us at 319-274-4430 or click here to contact us through our Web site.

Orthotics & Prosthetics

2008-09-05T12:56:00.000-05:00

Forbin can help provide your Orthotics & Prosthetics Corporation with the kind of marketing tool that’s essential to assisting and informing your clients. Such information would be provided to your current and future customers per your personalized web site:

Products & Services
News & Articles
Patient Monthly Newsletter
Patient Education
Glossary of Orthotics & Prosthetic Terms
Care & Maintenance
Locations
Testimonials
Event Calendar
Resource Center
New Technology with Demonstration of Usage
Related Sites
O & P Facilities

VGM Forbin is able to personalize your web site with anything additional you may want to add or remove, providing your new and existing clients with the ease, comfort and knowledge that they can trust.

Forbin can help allow your consumers the access to knowledge of your company with the ability to purchase their medical items right from home as well as enabling your staff the convenience to assist the client in a prompt & easy manner.

Contact VGM Forbin today to inquire about your future web design.

Online E-commerce Platform

2008-09-05T12:54:00.000-05:00

Get results with VGM Forbin’s PowerWeb combined with the Wired Retail Solution’s ecommerce cyber portal, offering instant access to products and categories from the entire Invacare Supply Group catalog!

Whether you’re launching a new site or looking to upgrade your existing site with added ecommerce capability, VGM Forbin’s proven website solutions will meet the challenges and concerns of today’s HME.

Featuring:

Award winning website design and service
State of the art, HIPAA compliant Hosting
Spanish and English Patient Resource Center
Online shopping cart with instant access to more than 15,000 products and categories supplied exclusively by ISG
Easy, user friendly customer interaction for immediate order fulfillment and rapid home delivery

For more information contact the professionals at VGM Forbin.

Joel Valenti
(319) 274-4572
joelv@forbin.com

Christina Throndson
(866) 621-4514
(319) 274-6594
cthrondson@forbin.com

VGM Forbin's Proven Web Site Solution - Increase Sales with an Effective Web site

2008-09-05T12:46:00.000-05:00

We offer a personalized approach aimed specifically at the needs and demands of today's HME provider to compliment the goals and philosophies of your business. Let the professionals at VGM Forbin assist you with changes or upgrades in your HME business whether you're looking for a new web site or a redesign of your existing web site.

Included with VGM Forbin's PowerWeb:

* Award winning Web site design and service
* State of the Art, HIPAA Compliant hosting
* Affordable pricing and personalized consultation
* LiveSTATS Web visitor tracking

* Research driven, content-ready Resource Center
* Real time updateable Online Product Catalog
* Standard and Advanced Search Engine Optimization

1. DESIGN
You are to choose 1 of 5 designs. In turn, we will create the design to accommodate your company's colors, logo and other marketing materials. Below are the five different layouts to choose from.
STANDARD LAYOUT or CUSTOM LAYOUT

2. CONTENT

We know our clients are busy running their businesses and time is a rare commodity. Therefore, we have developed an easy preformatted checklist of information to assist in the process. In a matter of minutes we can have everything we need to populate your web site.

These checklists collect information for the following pages:

* Homepage text
* About Us
* Qualifications (View Example)
* Customer Services
* Product Categories

3. EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER

Forbin has put together an extensive resource center of information for you and your clients.
The Resource Center includes:

* Glossary of Medical Terms
* Best of Medical Web sites
* Medicare and Insurance Guide
* Help for Patients and Caregivers
o Tips for Patients & Caregivers
o An array of information Health Issues. Some of these include:
+ Alzheimer's
+ Osteoporosis
+ Wound Care
+ Hepatitis C
+ Many More...

Web Design & Development

2008-09-05T12:27:00.000-05:00

Many Web sites today lack the feeling of urgency and excitement that promote opportunities for potential customers, and in fact, these sites may hurt or damage most corporate and business images. Many trusted businesses have an established name and presence in their local or national market, so it is important to understand that VGM Forbin is not looking to change the image that has become successful with your company. We do however want to stress that it is important to update or to “evolve” your online presence to meet the demands of today’s online customers.

Most potential online customers are looking for vital up-to-date information. If your current site lacks the ability to provide this on a daily or even quarterly basis, there is a strong chance that your Web site may not be as effective as you might think.

Effectively updating your Web site is just a part in making it successful! After the final check is paid to most Web design companies, the service seem to end. As a VGM Forbin client, it’s just the beginning!

FORBIN WEB TEAM
Our Web Design Team consists of award winning Web Programmers and Web Designers who are proficient in using the best technology available today for building your online solution. Keeping up with new technology and methods is crucial to maintaining the quality of service we offer. Our Web Designers are devoted to excellence and attention to detail and will visit with each client on a one-on-one environment to discover the goals and objectives of your organization or business. Once the ideas and objectives have been defined, our award winning team will then blend those goals and ideas with their artistic skill and experience to build a Web site that will rival everyone in your industry.

We will teach you how to properly track the visits to your Web site and determine whether or not your Web site is doing what is was designed to do. VGM Forbin will also offer valuable marketing advice, at no additional cost, to help make your corporate or business Web site successful!

OUR COMMITMENT
We strongly believe that no site is “too big” or “too small,” VGM Forbin takes pride in all of our projects and value all of our clients equally. VGM Forbin also believes that excellent customer service and customer satisfaction is crucial to the success of our business. If you feel that your current Web site may not be doing its job or you may have a question about building a new site, then please give us a call Toll Free 866-621-4514 or locally, 319-274-6594 or click here to contact us through our Web site.