SmarttNet Secures Dedicated Fiber-Optic Connection to the United States

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – January 4, 2010

Vancouver-based Internet Service Provider SmarttNet has announced new connections to fiber-optic points of presence in Seattle, WA and Vancouver’s Harbour Centre.

This infrastructure expansion will allow SmarttNet to expand their area of serviceability into the United States, a new market for the company that has built a strong presence across Western Canada in its 15 years of operation.

With two direct connections to Seattle, SmarttNet will now be able to provide point-to-point connectivity to business owners across Washington State, as well as greatly reduced transit costs for U.S. businesses operating within Canada.

SmarttNet’s connection to multiple POP locations provides increased data redundancy and a new level of security for fiber customers. If one connection is compromised, service will be unaffected as traffic is routed through the remaining active line.

With more companies offering software as a service (SaaS) and other high-bandwidth business processes, there is an ever growing need for secure, redundant fiber connections. SmarttNet is responding to this market reality with an expanded network designed to serve organizations on the cutting edge of business and technology.

About SmarttNet:

SmarttNet is an Internet Service Provider that has served the business market in British Columbia and Alberta since 1995. In addition to connectivity, SmarttNet provides hosting, data backup and server co-location within the company’s in-house data center.

The SmarttNet Data Center is centrally located in one of Western North America’s largest fiber distribution points, about ten minutes outside of Vancouver, Canada.

SmarttNet Takes an Analytical Approach to Internet Marketing

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – December 2, 2009

After 15 years of providing integrated Web solutions to businesses across Western Canada, Vancouver Internet marketing firm SmarttNet is setting out to help small and medium sized enterprises enter the profitable world of Web Analytics.

The recent addition of 4 Google Analytics Qualified Individuals to the company is a major expansion, but also a natural progression for SmarttNet, whose Chief Marketing Officer Martin Wong has always put hard numbers first when it comes to measuring the success of any marketing campaign.

“Web Analytics should be a cornerstone for any web strategy,” says Wong, “Especially with the economic downturn, it is absolutely essential for companies to measure and analyze any marketing activities. Web analytics can help you control your costs and optimize your return on investment by observing how your customers react and behave cross-channels.”

Google Analytics is a free and powerful tool that lets business owners measure website traffic and determine the effectiveness of their online marketing efforts. While it is free to install, small businesses stand to benefit greatly from the training and insights that Google Analytics Qualified Individuals can provide.

“Recent research from Forrester Research has shown that 75% of large enterprises consider Web Analytics technologies to be indispensable,” says Wong, “Through our expert implementation services and training programs, we want to bring the power of analytics to local businesses.”

SmarttNet is a full service Internet marketing firm with a long history of serving Vancouver’s business community. The company has roots as a connectivity provider and has since expanded to include co-location, web design, search engine optimization and social media marketing services.

With 4 Google Analytics Qualified Individuals in house, SmarttNet currently employs nearly ten percent of the 53 certified professionals in Canada.

For more information please contact

Jon Mandell
Writer and Media Specialist
jon.mandell@smartt.com
www.marketingsmartt.com

SmarttNet named happy winners of News1130 radio advertising prize

For immediate release October 30, 2009

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Internet company SmarttNet has been named the winner of News1130’s Burnaby Board of Trade (BBOT) draw prize for two weeks of free radio advertising.  Much to their delight, radio listeners will soon be able to hear all about “getting clicked” and the fact that SmarttNet is spelled with two ‘Ts’ in the middle.

After setting up a meeting with News1130, the two companies strategized a radio ad that would tell the story of successful Internet marketing (namely search engine optimization) with SmarttNet.  Many revisions were made and it was finally decided that SmarttNet’s motto, “get clicked” would be emphasized.

“We are really excited to be reaching out through a new medium (radio) and are looking forward to how it’ll help spread our message among businesses,” says Martin Wong, Chief Marketing Officer with SmarttNet.

It is hoped the ad will bring a heightened awareness of SmarttNet as an Internet marketing company – one that is able to bring a return on investment to businesses through their Web sites.

Of course, there was the slightest problem of just how to say the word “smartt.”  It’s not “smart” you see, but rather “smartt” – with two ‘Ts’ at the end, the way the folks at SmarttNet spell it.

However, in order to make it very clear to all audiences who listen to the ad, News1130s creative team came up with a script and voiceover that continuously emphasized the phrase: “SmarttNet – with two ‘Ts’ in the middle.”

Listeners excited for the ad’s launch can expect to hear it on the 1130 AM dial in the coming weeks.

For more information, contact joyce@smartt.com or call 604 630 7579.

SmarttNet cooks up Internet marketing menu at Canadian Coffee and Tea show

For immediate release Oct. 22, 2009

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This year’s Canadian Coffee and Tea Show featured the industry’s finest coffee beans, roasters, chocolatiers, shortbread cookie makers and, to top off the effect, a growing IT company called SmarttNet, sampling their ‘good taste’ Web site designs and Internet marketing tools.

“We realized that going to the Coffee and Tea Show was one of the best decisions we could make,” says Joyce, a marketer with SmarttNet.  “There is a huge untapped market for good marketing techniques to help boost coffee sales, and we were happy to create a product for this niche.”

Leading up to the show, SmarttNet’s Internet marketing team produced special coffee-industry-related brochures and marketing kits, designed to give tips to business owners and to show that making the right moves on the Internet can make a huge difference in customer loyalty and return rates.

“We knew we had to capture this audience in a special way, and so we went with the principle that we founded our department on: to give free advice and let our products, and our people, speak for themselves,” explains Martin Wong, Chief Marketing Officer at SmarttNet.

SmarttNet’s team also used the opportunity for intense networking and friend-making.

“We had so much fun meeting all these people in this industry.  They are all so passionate and welcomed our introductions so warmly,” says Joyce.  “Of course, we got to sample lots of goodies too!”

The Canadian Coffee and Tea Show also featured the Canadian Barista Championships, of which a Café Artegiano barista was proven the country’s best barista of the year.

And, there was one ‘bond’ the SmarttNet team felt with the industry:

“We love giving out bags of tea because our name ‘Smartt’ is spelled with two ‘Ts’, so we like to play on that,” remarks Joyce.

For more information, contact joyce@smartt.com or call 604 630 7579.

SmarttNet goes red and black at 2009 SOHO conference

For immediate release Oct. 22, 2009

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This year’s Small Office Home Office (SOHO) Conference and Tradeshow featured a fashionably branded team of Internet marketers from SmarttNet – all flaunting their company colours red, black and white.  The effect?  A great receiving audience and momentous company image that is sure to last.

“Originally we wanted to get t-shirts made as a uniform for everyone, but on a last-minute whim we decided to wear black and red as our primary colours.  It turned out that people loved it and noticed us for it, so we were happy about that,” says Joyce, a marketer with SmarttNet.

The conference was attended by a large number of small, and large, business owners looking not only to get educated, but also connected with other business owners.  Ample networking time was provided for mingling and presenting company products.

As an exhibitor, SmarttNet was drawing crowds in the dozens, sometimes overwhelmed with the response to their product offering.

“We had a lot of interested people who saw the value in Internet marketing and SEO,” says Martin Wong, Chief Marketing Officer at SmarttNet.

Visitors to the table not only left with a brochure or two about SmarttNet services, but also actively signed up to receive a free one-on-one e-marketing consultation, valued at $85.  Also being given away in the prize bowl were two free keyword research consultations, valued at $125 each, plus a Google Analytics Action Report, valued at $225.

“We were happy to explain the benefits of e-marketing and SEO to small-businesses because that’s what small businesses need during these tough times” said Wong.

In short, the successfulness of the event was evident to all, and SmarttNet’s team is reaping the rewards of their attendance with plenty of follow up.

For more information, contact joyce@smartt.com or call 604 630 7579.

SmarttNet to write Internet column in Business Fraser Valley newspaper

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For immediate release Aug. 12, 2009

SmarttNet Web development and e-marketing services have begun to take hold in the Fraser Valley market, and now Business Fraser Valley news readers can find a monthly column about being successful online, written by SmarttNet’s own E-marketing and Media Specialist, Joyce.

In its first run, Joyce wrote to Fraser Valley businesses about being ‘On Top of the Page Game‘.  Advice included SEO tips on title tags, image files, linking and proper design.  This month’s feature talks about the effectiveness of using WordPress for a business Web site.

“We’re glad to be able to give advice to business owners who are seeking to know more about SEO,” says Joyce.  “To me, it’s a very simple thing, and if business owners just had the right tools in their hand they would be able to handle it effectively on their own.”

Publisher and Editor of the paper Mark McDonald is also happy to have a SmarttNet internet marketer on board.

“Business Fraser Valley is very pleased to have [Joyce] of SmarttNet as one of our esteemed columnists. She has been providing our readers with great insight into the World Wide Web for our readers through her Internet column. I enjoy reading it, and I know our readers do, as she packs helpful tips and information into each column that are helpful to busy business people.”

Although giving away free tips and insider secrets may seem counter-intuitive to a business’s success, Joyce believes it to be the stronghold of SmarttNet’s growing customer base.

“Actually, I’ve had many people sign on with us just because we took the time to explain things to them,” she says.  “One guy appreciated us for not giving any ‘pie-in-the-sky’ promises about high rankings on Google.  We were honest and showed him exactly what we would be doing to help him out.  That method worked very well for him and for many others as well.”

According to Joyce, doing Search Engine Optimization is not “brain science” and the only barrier for most companies is the large amount of time it takes.  “That’s what keeps us in business!” exclaims Joyce.

Being able to reach out to a print audience in the Fraser Valley paper is also believed to bring in high returns on investment.

“It’s the people that are baffled by the Internet and SEO that are reading these articles.  Newspapers are not dead, they just have to be used effectively.  I’ve already had a good response from just one column being published, and before that we got calls when SmarttNet was mentioned in a news story,” explains Joyce.

The writing opportunity came about when SmarttNet attended their first Fraser Valley tradeshow at Tradex last spring.  They got hold of Publisher Mark MacDonald’s business card and, during routine contact procedures, landed a relationship that brought out the need for an Internet writer in the paper.  SmarttNet also signed on for an advertising deal when a published press release brought in a major client.

“In a sense this is both a business relationship and a way of helping other businesses at the same time.  We advertise with BFV but we also write impartial advice about doing business online.  It works great for both of us and BFV is showing us they are an effective medium.”

For more information, or to arrange an interview call 604 473 9700 or e-mail joyce@smartt.com.

SmarttNet appeals to mompreneurs at MomCafe

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For immediate release June 4, 2009

It’s a buzz word being used in the stay-at-home-mom business world, and recently SmarttNet actively took part in appealing to this group of women entrepreneurs, now commonly called “mompreneurs.”

At a Vancouver MomCafe event titled “Moms are all a Twitter”, the SmarttNet Women in Business Campaign displayed its Internet marketing services, as well as a draw bowl to win one of three keyword research prizes from the company.

“I believe the women at this event really saw the value in Internet marketing, especially after hearing two lucrative business owners speak of their experiences with social marketing,” said Joyce, an e-marketer at SmarttNet and the coordinator of the Women in Business Campaign.

The success of the table presence was noted especially when a few ladies quietly slipped through seats to get to SmarttNet even while the speaking was going on.

Luckily, there was enough love to go around and many women were offered e-marketing services at discounted rates to help grow their businesses.  This included Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Web development based on Content Management Systems (CMS) – a dummie-proof way to run a Web site.

“Being online with a business is a great way to help moms stay in the work force but still be able to juggle their home-life, especially with kids,” explained Joyce.  “It’s like the best of two worlds, and neither needs to be neglected with the Internet now being a huge part of our lives.”

As part of a commitment to help female entrepreneurs (and mompreneurs alike), SmarttNet has a special program devoted to the outreach of their businesses.

“We always offer a discount to female entrepreneurs, because we realize it can be tough to run a home-based business,” said Joyce.

Also being given away at the event were packages of ‘Smartt tea’ – a play on the fact that “smartt” is spelled with two ‘ts’.  “We put on the labels that ‘t is for Smartt’, and people really like the joke. It helps with our branding,” commented Joyce.

SmarttNet especially appreciated the service of MomCafe at the event.

“They were always making sure we had the attention we needed, and were so very helpful to meet all our needs.  I don’t think I’ve met such an accommodating group before!” said Joyce.  “After all, they’re the place to go in Vancouver if you want to reach mompreneurs!”

For more information, or to arrange an interview call 604 473 9700 or e-mail joyce@smartt.com.

~ Credits, thanks and applause to Sara Borck Photography

Fraser Valley paper calls attention to successful SEO at SmarttNet

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For immediate release June 4, 2009

An Abbotsford-based newspaper has drawn attention to the successes a company can have with Search Engine Optimization (SEO).  In particular, it highlighted the power of SmarttNet’s e-marketing services.

“Before working with SmarttNet, our Web site only generated approximately three per cent of new business. Yellow Pages was around 13 per cent. Today, Google comes in at 17 per cent and Yellow Pages has dipped to just seven per cent.”

That’s the quote from SmarttNet’s press release, titled ‘Ferguson soars thanks to SEO by SmarttNet e-marketers’ that was picked up by the media outlet.

Mark MacDonald, publisher and editor of Fraser Valley Business, met SmarttNet at the Tradex Tradeshow in April of this year.  In a routine follow up, MacDonald was contacted with the press release and wrote back asking for a photo go with it.

“I didn’t realize it was something they would want to cover, but now that I think of it, of course they would because SEO affects all businesses these days,” said Joyce, an e-marketer and media relations specialist at SmarttNet.

The article mentions the huge success that SmarttNet has had with Ferguson Moving and Storage – a process now being duplicated with its many other clients.

As a result, SmarttNet has already received a call for a large contract.

“This really shows us the effectiveness of being out there in the media and the impact it can have on a company doing business locally,” explained Joyce.  “We get a lot of referral business, because people are always happy with us, but no business should neglect the importance of attracting new customers.”

The coverage can be viewed by clicking on the “Published” tab on the homepage at www.smartt.com.

For more information, or to arrange an interview call 604 473 9700 or e-mail joyce@smartt.com.

SmarttNet reaches ‘close-to-home’ businesses at Burnaby Tradeshow

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For immediate release May 21, 2009

Since SmarttNet joined the Burnaby Board of Trade, its Internet marketing department couldn’t wait to attend their first tradeshow as bona fide members.  Much to their delight, the event was more than they ever expected.

“This was one of the best tradeshows we have attended this year,” said Chief Marketing Manager Martin Wong. “I was pleasantly surprised at the turnout. Last year the show was very tiny and it seems like this year they have really marketed it well…There was a good mix of small businesses, corporations, government organizations, and also the community.”

The organization itself was especially happy to have SmarttNet’s presence.  According to Jason Wong of the Burnaby Board of Trade, “On behalf of the BBOT, it’s been a pleasure having SmartNet as a member this year. Not only were they first-time exhibitors at our most successful Annual Business Creating Business Trade Show ever, they have also become one of our most active and engaged members since joining us in March 2009. SmarttNet is a prime example of a progressive and emerging company in Burnaby’s growing technology industry. We need more businesses like SmartNet.”

The SmarttNet table was the only exhibitor of Web development and e-marketing services and SmarttNet itself is one of the only companies offering Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on the Burnaby Board of Trade.

Live demonstrations of SmarttNet Web sites were being held on a fancy Macintosh computer and, according to Wong, many guests were “shocked” at how easy it is to use a Content Management System (CMS). “We made some good relationships,” continued Wong.  “Lots of people were interested in how we can help them with their rankings [on search engines].” Business was also pleasure at the show, especially when SmarttNet staff took a turn at the Oxygen bar.

“It was really fun being able to try out a fellow member’s product, and at the same time I made new contacts while breathing in fresh oxygen,” recalls Joyce, E-marketing & Media Specialist at SmarttNet.

For more information, or to arrange an interview call 604 473 9700 or e-mail joyce@smartt.com.

Amy, SmarttNet’s Project Manager in the E-marketing Department at the SmarttNet table exhibiting at the Burnaby Board of Trade. Joyce, SmarttNet’s E-marketing & Media Specialist showcasing the fancy screen used to give live demos of SmarttNet’s Web sites using a Content Management System (CMS). Martin, SmarttNet’s Chief Marketing Manager, trying out the oxygen bar at the Burnaby Board of Trade tradeshow. Trying out the oxygen bar and then making a few friends while she’s at it!

As you can see, SmarttNet enjoyed the oxygen bar!

SmarttNet advises online marketing in magazine

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For immediate release May 1, 2009

Business in Vancouver’s Adpages magazine has been released, featuring a section about “Online strategies: what works, what doesn’t.”  The source of the advice? SmarttNet’s e-marketing department.

In an article titled, ‘The online marketing game,’ SmarttNet Internet marketer Joyce is quoted by writer Sara Newham, explaining the difference between consumer habits in real life verses online.

“On the Internet…what they’re looking for is usually…expert advice and information, so if your web page homepage is a sales page, they will get turned off really easily,” says Joyce in the article.

The idea is that brick and mortar businesses should operate differently on the Internet, realizing it is a medium on its own.

“It’s about people’s expectations in different settings,” explains Joyce.  “If they walk into your store, traditionally they have the mindset that they’re there physically because it’s time to buy something.  In that case, by all means a sales pitch will work, because that is what helps.  But on the Internet, people aren’t there for that – they want to do research before they buy.”

For this reason blogs are heavily important to the conversion process, the method by which a visitor becomes an actual buyer.  The written, impartial advice acts as a stimulant to keep people on a Web site longer, which is what eventually convinces people to buy.

Another aspect of online marketing brought up in the article is syndication.  Joyce recommends that all social networking accounts be linked together so that “any time an activity happens in one place, it will show up in all the other places, [and] all of your networks will be able to see what you’re doing.”

In addition to being interviewed about online marketing advice, Joyce also wrote a commentary explaining the parallel universes of online and offline marketing.

“Here we showed the online equivalents to marketing tactics that are common in ‘real life’,” says Joyce.  “For example, getting market share in real life can be compared to building backlinks online.  The more you have, the more you out-beat your competitors on search results.”

Other examples mentioned include social networking, article campaigns, target marketing, competitive research, pay-per-click ads, keywords, affiliate programs, meta-tag spying and shopping carts.

To view copies of SmarttNet’s presence in Adpages, click on the “Published” tab on the homepage at smartt.com.

For more information, or to arrange an interview with Joyce, call 604 630 7579 or e-mail joyce@smartt.com

SmarttNet woos traders at Abby show

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For immediate release Apr. 27, 2009

As the only Web marketing company to exhibit at this year’s Fraser Valley Business Showcase, SmarttNet received all the attention it could handle, and then wooed the rest of the audience.

Deciding to attend was a no-brainer.  According to Martin Wong, Chief Executive Marketing Manager at SmarttNet, the business community in the Fraser Valley is “underserved” when it comes to Web marketing services provided by a long-standing Internet company.

“There are a lot of independent Web designers out there working from home, but sometimes businesses need something more than that – they need to partner with another established business that understands the scope of their project needs,” explained Wong.

Wong believes the benefits of SmarttNet’s presence at the show was paramount, with approximately 700 attendees, and more than 120 exhibitors, opportunity for brand awareness and direct sales was prime.

“We had a lot of people saying, ‘oh! I’ve been looking for someone that does your services for a long time,’” said Wong.

At their booth SmarttNet had a dashing Mac ready to give demonstrations of how Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Content Management Systems (CMS) work.  The two go hand-in-hand when trying to compete for high rankings on search queries.

In addition to having a booth, marketing representatives took advantage of “the Fraser Valley’s most inclusive networking event of the year,” according to fvtradex.com, by visiting every other business table for an introduction. SmarttNet distributed small invitations with a map locating their table so that people would come over to find out if they were getting “clicked online.”

Wong found the response to be very welcoming, since not many business owners at the event knew the ins and outs of Internet marketing.

“It turned out to be a very effective strategy.”

More about SmarttNet’s Web marketing program can be found at http://www.smartt.com/internet-marketing/ , by calling 604 473 9700 or by e-mailing sales@smartt.com

For more information, or to arrange an interview with Martin Wong, call 604 630 7579 or e-mail joyce@smartt.com

SmarttNet joins Burnaby Board of Trade

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For immediate release April 9, 2009

This year is no ordinary year for SmarttNet, a growing Internet company making its mark on business territory all over the Lower Mainland. Having officially joined the Burnaby Board of Trade (and read its welcome letter!), SmarttNet plans to embark on a mission that will educate, advocate and economically develop other businesses on the board through Internet marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) initiatives – not to mention all the other ‘goodies’ the company offers by being a full-service ADSL and data colocation provider.

SmarttNet says it looked for months to find the right chamber or board to become a member of and found that, through research, the Burnaby Board of Trade was the “perfect fit.”

“It is one of the fastest growing boards in Canada and it’s really exciting to be part of that. It’s almost like we’ll have a chance to grow together,” says chief executive marketing manager Martin Wong.

Wong also believes the board is beneficial for stronger connections because of its small size and the many other small businesses that have joined in the last three years. There is currently no other ADSL or colocation provider on the board and no listed categories for SEO and Internet marketing specialists.

“This is a great opportunity for us and for the other members.  We will be able to tap into their services and they will be able to tap into the major effects the Internet has on businesses today,” comments Wong.

The Burnaby Board of Trade has, in recent years, restructured their organization and tripled membership to over 1,000.  The board is aligned with East Asian associations and has plans to host business events related to the 2010 Olympic Games, among other initiatives.

SmarttNet has plans to participate in upcoming tradeshows and its Women in Business Campaign is set to attend the board’s first women-focused event on April 21, the Burnaby Business Women’s Link Networking Breakfast.

“It’s hard to find a Burnaby-focused women’s group, so this will be a very exciting partnership, especially since we are a Burnaby business ourselves” says Joyce, coordinator of the SmarttNet Women in Business Campaign.

More information about SmarttNet can be found at www.smartt.com , via e-mail at info@smartt.com or by calling 604 473 9700.

For more information, or to arrange an interview call 604 473 9700 or e-mail joyce@smartt.com.

SmarttNet’s Arista Connect a “Massive” hit at tradeshow

The SmarttNet Arista Connect display was a hit at the Massive Tradeshow, drawing attention from other technology companies and businesses all across B.C.  Vancouver’s fifth annual technology tradeshow was a huge success, drawing many ideas from local entrepreneurs.

The tradeshow was designed to be a resourceful event for businesses looking for the latest technology.  It featured two keynote speakers, panelist discussions, informal workshops and exhibitor displays.

Members of the SmarttNet team showed up with their newest way to connect to the internet, Arista Connect.  With the recent economic downturn, everyone is looking for ways to cut costs and Arista offers the perfect solution.  It allows businesses to achieve fiber-like speeds at a fraction of the cost.

“We want to demonstrate to small businesses how they can use the latest technology to reduce their costs and increase their bottom line. By binding multiple DSL lines together, businesses can now have fiber-like speeds at the offices without paying thousands of dollars a month,” says Martin Wong, Chief Marketing Officer at SmarttNet.

“We were able to generate several direct leads at the show,” says Barry Richardson, director of business development.  “But more substantially, and more importantly, we found several businesses to partner with for the long-term.  There are many opportunities in the relationships we formed.”

Partnerships were the central theme for SmarttNet.  To demonstrate the power of Arista, SmarttNet showcased Lifesize video conferencing from Cinemaworks.  The display featured real-time video and audio conferencing in high definition.  Throughout the day feeds were captured from all over the world including Vancouver, Texas and New Zealand.

“The Massive Techshow was a great opportunity to show off our unique Arista Connect solution,” says Wong.  The connection worked great as expected and we received great feedback from guests and other exhibitors.”

Wong continues, “Internet speed and reliability are becoming increasingly important for businesses. Many businesses are now running point-of-sale terminals, alarm systems, VoIP phone systems, and even IP video surveillance or conferencing systems that rely heavily on bandwidth usage. We wanted to showcase at the Massive how Arista Connect lowers the entry costs to adopting these new everyday technologies.”

“The Massive Tradeshow was a great opportunity for SmarttNet to meet potential partners for our new high-speed internet connection, Arista Connect,” says Anoush Nakhaei, and account manager at SmarttNet.  “We made some important connections with companies such as Polycom and Sutus.  It’s always about partnerships.”

For more information call (604) 630-7579 or email sales@smartt.com

SmarttNet dares to thrive at women in business conference

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For immediate release April 3, 2009

At this year’s Dare to Thrive Women in Business Conference, held by the Valley Women’s Network Tri-city chapter, the SmarttNet Women in Business Campaign was the perfect solution for female entrepreneurs looking to take their career online.

The SmarttTeam – SmarttNet’s Internet marketers – were there to bring to light the possibilities of reaching out to an online market.

“We spoke to lots of women there who knew the Internet was a powerful tool but didn’t quite know how to tap into it,” explains Joyce, coordinator of the Women in Business Campaign.  “For that reason we presented the idea in a simple way and taught people on the spot about how Google works.”

At their table was a Macintosh computer which was used to show people the way a page ranks high on search engines and how SmarttNet’s content management systems (CMS) are easy-to-use tools for managing a company’s own Web site.

“These women run small businesses – none of them wants to pay a hundred bucks every time they want to make a tiny change to one of their pages.  Plus they need to be able to update constantly in order to satisfy search engine demands,” says Joyce.

The SmarttTeam had a blast sporting their red jackets and shoes – an attempt to brand themselves with the SmarttNet colour.

“We like to call ourselves the ‘e-marketing twins’ and at the conference we totally were!” says Amy Cope, an e-marketer at SmarttNet.

On behalf of the Women in Business Campaign the SmarttTeam drew for three prizes at the conference: a bamboo towel set (thanks to Shoo-Foo), a Body Shop gift basket and a free keyword research consultation.  Also, anyone who signed up for a free information session with SmarttNet was given a fitness pass to use with Evolve Fitness.

In addition to sponsoring their own table at the event, the SmarttTeam got to sit in on speaker stories and also participated in conference activities such as the exercise session after lunch and the ‘bumble bee’ networking game, coached by Sue Clement.

“We had fun hanging out with these women and meeting new people,” says Cope.

More about the SmarttNet Women in Business Campaign can be read at www.smartt.com/women

For more information, or to arrange an interview with Joyce, call 604 630 7579 or e-mail joyce@smartt.com

The SmarttNet table at the Dare to Thrive conference.

The opening word…

“Take your career online”!!!

Talking to business women about Internet marketing and content managment systems (CMS).

The prizes.

Exercising.

Exercising to the music! (And waking up after lunch!)

Participating in the bumble bee networking activity.

Sporting the Smartt colours!

The Body Shop gift basket prize.

Picking a winner…

The Shoo-Foo bamboo towel set for a prize.

Ferguson sales soar thanks to SEO by SmarttNet e-marketers

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For immediate release Mar. 19, 2009

The joy of having a Web site is no joy at all if it can’t bring in a return on investment.  That’s the feeling of sales reps at Ferguson Moving & Storage who have experienced first-hand what search engine optimization (SEO) can do for a business.

“SmarttNet has put the excitement back into having a Web site.  Suddenly, it’s no longer an ‘online brochure’ that we direct our potential customers to. It has become a fourth sales person to our company,” testified Lorne MacInnes, vice president of Ferguson Moving and Storage.

With Ferguson, it’s no guess work – business gets measured and the company can solidly say where sales are coming from.

“Before working with SmarttNet, our Web site only generated approximately three per cent of new business. Yellow Pages was around 13 per cent. Today, Google comes in at 17 per cent and Yellow Pages has dipped to just seven per cent.”

Since starting an e-marketing campaign with SmarttNet, Ferguson staff levels have doubled and sales have rocketed 43 per cent compared to figures from a year earlier.

It all started back in February, 2008, when MacInnes phoned SmarttNet’s marketing manager Martin Wong, “out of the blue.”  At the time, his frustration was that even rented-truck, basement-run moving companies were ranking higher on Google than Ferguson – even though Ferguson is an established North Vancouver company with over 90 years of experience.

“He wanted to find out how he can beat back his competition on search engines…so we sat down and I took out a piece of paper and pen and started drawing out how Google works,” recalls Wong.

For Ferguson, it was the birth of a new e-marketing campaign.  For Wong, it was the start of an Internet marketing venture at SmarttNet, which exploded with popularity.

“Our household moving business has increased directly because of the SEO work done by the entire team at SmarttNet…we always ask everyone who calls for our services how they heard of us. At first it was really exciting to hear them say “I Googled you.” After a few months, it has become so common it no longer has that ‘new car smell’ feeling,” explains a happy MacInnes.

SmarttNet’s Internet marketing and Web development team has since been acquiring new clients from types of industries including law, trades, professions and medical services.

“Clients are happy because after we put together their site, we teach them how to do their own SEO.  They can log in to their site to make updates, which is so easy, and then they can rank well to generate more sales through search engines.  It’s a lot more simple than many people think,” says Wong.

More information about SmarttNet’s Internet marketing services can be found at www.smartt.com/internet-marketing or by calling 604 473 9700.

For more information, or to arrange an interview call 604 473 9700 or e-mail joyce@smartt.com.

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