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.

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.

SmarttNet powers Variety telethon with hearts of gold

For immediate release Feb. 16, 2009

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At this year’s Variety telethon, meant to raise funds for special needs children, SmarttNet was privileged to do more than power Internet services – the company got to show its heart of gold.

SmarttNet’s yearly contribution to Variety – the Children’s Charity includes complimentary Internet DSL connections to all their locations, e-mail management and, most importantly for the telethon, a reliable Web site that is able to take donations online.

“We had a Web programmer on stand-by for the whole weekend in case Variety needed any last minute changes,” explained Chief Executive Marketing Manager Martin Wong. “We actively took all the precautionary measures to make sure their Web site and online donation system would remain up and running during the whole event.”

The 43rd Show of Hearts Telethon was held at Red Robinson Theatre in Coquitlam and lasted 23 hours, from Feb. 14 to 15.  It aired on Global Television.

The goal was to raise 8 million for the charity and sponsors exceeded that with a total of 8.3 million.  Wong alone was at the Gold Panel seat for just one hour and raised $1,000 receiving and making phone calls to personal contacts.

“The fact that SmarttNet and its staff can play even a small part is very rewarding,” he remarked.

Chief Executive Officer Saleh Tousi was also at the event presenting a live cheque worth almost $10,000, giving a speech and experiencing a few heart-felt moments.

When asked what his favourite part of the day was, Tousi described a young girl who nervously gave a speech after raising $10,000 with her classmates.

“She was very nervous and blushed several times but despite being on live television and visibly shaken she finished her mini-speech to resounding applause from the crowd,” recalls Tousi.

This was SmarttNet’s second year attending the show and Tousi plans to go again in future years, as well as continue to provide Variety with SmarttNet services.

“Variety now can use the large footprint of the Internet to keep in touch with donors, partners and supporters. SmarttNet is proud to help them spread their important message,” he said.

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

SmarttNet solves bandwidth demand with new Internet

For immediate release Jan. 8, 2009

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Burnaby-based Internet service provider SmarttNet today announced the release of a new Internet product – a technology it says will solve bandwidth and pricing problems for industries such as healthcare, engineering, law, IT and multimedia throughout the Lower Mainland and B.C.

“It trumps all comparable forms of connectivity,” said CEO Saleh Tousi. “Businesses always need more bandwidth, and more bandwidth comes with more cost, but we found a way to offer the best speeds at a lower cost.”

SmarttNet is currently the only provider in B.C. offering the technology, and their packaging is not greedy either – the product competes heavily with cable and fiber providers and even reduces costs for its own clients in these hard economic times.

The service is called Arista Connect and works by bundling multiple DSL lines together. However, the exact method is something the company won’t reveal. Tousi said the technology, unlike usual bundling, is up-to-date and highly reliable for “mission critical” applications.

“Since Arista does not use third-party software, connections are not buffered in any way, allowing for real time, super fast data transmission that would be perfect for any industry dependent on a centralized document repository or is heavily involved in file sharing and requires a secure connection,” said Tousi. “What used to take 30 seconds will now take four to ten.”

Another feature about Arista that won’t come with other types of Internet services is built-in redundancy. Since multiple lines are at work instead of one, if a path fails, the others keep going. This virtually eliminates down-time. The lines are also not dependent on each other. If one is slowed down by overload, the other lines continue operating at normal frequency. This type of efficiency is a breakthrough for Internet technology.

Businesses in remote areas requiring high speed Internet would normally have to opt for personal fiber lines. The setback has always been price. Fiber connections can cost up to $20,000 to set up, plus monthly fees between $800 to $2,000, depending on location. Arista outputs speed that would feel like fiber anyway at prices starting from $179 to set up and $300 for a monthly connection.

“Arista offers more for less,” commented Tousi. “Cable has similar pricing, but it can’t be as fast or as reliable as Arista. With Arista, users anywhere can get their own line, as with any DSL connection, and aren’t slowed down when too many users come online.”

The company has already conducted months of testing to ensure the service is a viable one. Arista will be available to 90 per cent of B.C. and parts of Alberta.

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

SmarttNet changes Internet landscape with new offering

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For immediate release, Dec. 5, 2008

A new kind of Internet is being offered by Burnaby-based ISP SmarttNet – one that could change the business Internet landscape.

The product, called Arista Connect, is a technology recently deployed by SmarttNet as a new way of offering high speeds that mimic fiber connections, only without the prohibitive expenses.  Now, any sized company can afford to have real-time transmissions, which could solve bandwidth issues for what CEO Saleh Tousi calls “mission critical applications.”

“As data transmission rates increased and interest in high bandwidth connectivity increased with it, SmarttNet saw a desperate need for businesses to acquire lower cost connections,” said Tousi. “We decided to test existing infrastructure to provide a new type of service, and so Arista was born.”

Whereas a fiber connection could cost anywhere between $800 to $2,000 monthly, plus up to $2,000 to set up over six to eight weeks, Arista Connect pricing is not dependent on location and can be implemented within a week starting at $179 to setup and about $300 monthly.

The technology runs by joining multiple DSL lines together, but is at an advantage over traditional bundling methods by operating at a different level in the system.  In short, it does not rely on software, which means direct communication is possible between devices, allowing for more reliability and security, not to mention speed.  For businesses, the result is a low-cost product that SmarttNet believes can’t be beat.

“Sure, you can get fiber or wireless in more locations now than before – but really the start up installation cost and monthly fees can be extreme. Plus, there is no redundancy,” explained Tousi. “Cable is likely not to meet a company’s needs as Cable data transmission rates do not go that high for business accounts.  Arista is the perfect alternative.”

According to Tousi, Arista is an ideal connection for companies trying to reduce monthly costs yet still require high bandwidth speeds for file sharing over multiple locations.  Even running a VoIP telephony service in an office or hosting a Web site could require more than what an ordinary Internet connection can offer.

“Many businesses run everyday applications that need higher uploading speeds because they are constantly feeding information out to other users,” described Tousi, who mentioned engineering, law, IT, healthcare and multimedia firms as ideal candidates that could benefit from Arista.

Arista is also the only type of Internet service that comes with built-in redundancy, so that if one line slows down or blacks out, the others continue functioning, virtually eliminating down-time.

SmarttNet Arista Connect officially launches in January and will be available to 90 per cent of B.C. and Alberta.

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

SmarttNet takes on e-marketing

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For immediate release November 17, 2008

Internet Service Provider SmarttNet has recently opened a new marketing department to serve its clients; however, this kind of marketing is far from conventional.

The idea to use Internet-based tools to get noticed by customers in a virtual world has been around for years. In fact, there are many products out there already that claim to teach the ins and outs of the system with the view to making a quick buck. But, according to Marketing Manager Martin Wong, that’s not how it works. If you want to market effectively on the Internet, you need a wise e-marketer to work behind the scenes on a consistent basis.

“Most people don’t know what they’re doing. They think that keywords are all you need to take care of in the code, but actually that is an outdated strategy,” he said.

Internet marketing can be explained as the fusion of activities that get search engines to notice a Web site, and thus include it in their database. So, when a keyword related to a business is searched for, SmarttNet makes sure its clients come up at the top – without necessarily paying for a sponsored link. This way, they get ‘clicked’, which, according to Wong, is the first step in making sales.

“After optimizing the site to make sure it can be read by Google, we then help our customers ensure a steady flow of traffic and sales to their site,” explained Wong, who himself ran a highly successful E-marketing firm for 10 years. “It’s all about content and links, and if you have them in the right places, people will trust you, and then buy from you. The Internet is not like real-life shopping. People have to trust you first.”

The idea to open the department came after Wong joined his old time college buddy Saleh Tousi, who had just taken over the company, to form new management initiatives at SmarttNet. Realizing the trend towards Internet usage is now more than just being ‘connected’, or even having a Web site in itself, the two like-minded business men sought to put meaning behind their company’s slogan: “Complete Internet Solutions.”

“For years we have offered the best support to our clients in terms of products like ADSL and Web hosting, and they like that they can call in and get someone right away – but we wanted to offer more in terms of helping their businesses grow,” commented Tousi. “Now we have an entire department dedicated to doing that.”

Though there are competitors to stand up against, Wong believes SmarttNet is at an advantage because of its “method” – offering Web development and Internet marketing together, instead of outsourcing one or the other, which is what usually happens at other companies.

“By doing it this way, we eliminate the bugs and delays that come when parts of projects are given to another company to do. We make sure Internet marketing works with the Web sites we make, and visa versa. Our customers will be very happy with our service, and they will tell others about us,” he said.

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