http://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/blog Managing Your Business Online Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:09:12 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Most of us have a few favorite websites we visit on a regular basis. For me, it's the content that is updated regularly, like forums, blogs, RSS feeds, and even news aggregates, that keeps me coming back for more. Because there is always something fresh and interesting to read or ... http://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/blog/2008/11/by-nik/building-a-web-community-why-and-how/ Stagecoach Designs is a pretty eco-conscious company. All our lights are CFLs, we used recycled paper in our printers, our computers and servers all using energy-saving settings, but this week when I was shopping for supplies, I think I took it a step further. 100% recycled bathroom tissue and recycled plastic ... http://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/blog/2008/10/by-nik/really-going-green/ With less than two weeks to the U.S. election, I find myself in New Mexico on sabbatical, and it's hard not to get caught up in the McCain-Obama excitement. I know that you just recently had an election up in Canada, too (though Stephen Harper never got invited to guest ... http://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/blog/2008/10/stagecoach-express/politics-and-business-as-usual/ According to a recent study completed by the fine people that make the Opera browser: Opera also ran the pages indexed by MAMA through the W3C's validation tools to see how many conform with standards. The results show that only 4.13 percent are valid. Every site designed by Stagecoach Designs passes the ... http://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/blog/2008/10/by-nik/413/ This summer, I started running again. After a few weeks of pushing too hard and burning out, I found the Couch-to-5K running program: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml Designed to get slackers like me into running without burning out from overexertion, the Couch-to-5K program was ideal for my particular situation. By starting slow and building up, ... http://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/blog/2008/10/by-nik/letting-the-community-innovate-for-you/ This week brings the Stagecoach Designs storefront back to normal hours! 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday, you can find us at the store at 249 King St W in Dundas. Stop by and see us! Starting October 27th, we'll have apple cider and Halloween treats for everyone who stops by! http://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/blog/2008/10/by-nik/back-to-normal/ I can't remember the last time I picked up a phone book. Well, thats not true. I use a phone book pages with my charcoal grill. I don't think I've used one for a phone number or address in at least three years, though. Its not just indicitive of my behavior, ... http://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/blog/2008/09/by-nik/they-have-phone-books-on-computers-now/ Well, it looks like I'm going to be spending even more time in front of a computer screen. Google recently made it easier to embed, into your website, any book available through Google Book Search. Use this snippit of code: <script type="text/javascript" src="http://books.google.com/books/previewlib.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> GBS_insertEmbeddedViewer('GkCpLIk7aisC',600,500); </script> Reference: http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2008/09/embeddable-google-books.html http://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/blog/2008/09/by-nik/embeddable-google-books/ No matter how much time, effort and money you invest into SEO (Search Engine Optimization) techniques, other factors also come into play when Google and other search engines calculate your page ranking. If you are wondering if blogging is for you and your business, if you are unsure of the costs ... http://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/blog/2008/08/webdev/to-blog-or-not-to-blog/ In addition to our online marketing and promotion, Stagecoach Designs is a big believer in referral networking and word-of-mouth marketing. I belong to the Bay Area chapter of BNI [Business Networking International], and Marianne Sandvall (our account manager) belongs to a chapter here in Dundas called Referral Winners. My BNI chapter ... http://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/blog/2008/08/by-nik/business-networking-and-other-marketing/