February 2007
Volume 2
Issue 2

Our year is in full swing! Our distinguished client list is growing in leaps and bounds and in the next month you will see several new releases from us so keep checking our Web site. Watch for these upcoming releases: www.PremiumAquascapes.com and www.ChesterHollowWaterGardens.com.

We are also getting ready to head out to the Aquascape™ Water Garden Excellence Conference in St. Charles this April. Pam will be presenting a session on e-Marketing and how to make your Web site work for you. After the conference you will be able to see our presentation materials on-line. Last July, at Pondemonium™, we presented a session on Web site design and those materials are currently available on our Web site.

Neil Tyson is paving new roads with his business - quite literally in some cases! While he is fairly new to the hardscaping industry, his projects tell a much different story. Without a doubt he has done some of the most beautiful projects in the Delaware Valley. In fact, I even recommend him to our friends and neighbors (something I typically avoid) because I know that his customers will be thrilled with their results; in fact, I often have our friends thank me for the referral and invite us to see the finished project! His bold design style and great craftsmanship is evident in his site through the use of his favorite color - red! When a visitor arrives on www.tysonlandscaping.com there are no doubts about what he does or what paths to go down to learn more about his company and the work he does - clear and consistent is the message. While currently his site is on the small side, it is designed with room to grow, which we know that this talented entrepreneur will definitely need.

A picture is worth a thousand words they say - but it does not necessarily mean that they are all good words. The question really is - what do your pictures say?

If you have ever heard me talk about Web sites, you have probably heard me say, "Your photo gallery should be your on-line showroom." This can be the quickest and easiest way to showcase your work to your clients and potential clients. Unfortunately, we often see sites with pictures that don't measure up to the quality of the work. So here are a few tips to help build the best SHOWroom on the internet:

SET THE STAGE - Clean up the job site and get the workers out of the shot. Focus on the star!

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION - (Lighting) The best days to shoot pictures are cloudy or overcast days so that you avoid over-exposure and shadow issues - and be sure to check your shutter speed! (Camera) You don't have to have top-of-the-line equipment, but do use a higher resolution setting on your digital camera to get the best quality shot possible so that it can be used in any medium. (Action) Check your settings and be familiar with your camera so that you can get terrific shots of running water or little pond residents. Kids and dogs can make for a great picture, but again, remember what people really want to see is the quality of your workmanship.

REVIEWS - Go back and look through your gallery. As time goes on, the quality of your work will improve and your gallery should reflect that. Update it at least twice a year, preferably six times each year. Go back to customers to get a "mature" picture of the project - remember what a client is ultimately paying for is the end result (not the way it looks the day it's finished). If you need help updating your gallery, run a photo contest with your customer base - they will gladly do the work for you if the incentives are right!