Sometimes it’s hard to separate the signal from the noise. We get that. Technology is constantly changing at a rapid pace and what’s this week’s hot new tool for marketing your business may be entirely different than last week’s (or more likely, it’s a different representation of the same thing from last week).

When presented with all of the new hotness that you’re told to use by numerous pundits on all things technically hot, it’s important to look at your business model, your customers and your overall web strategy and decide whether or not it’s a good fit.  Sure, Twitter is a great tool for concise and quick updates and sharing of information, but are your customers likely to have Twitter accounts? Are they likely to want to follow you? Have you created a compelling reason for them to follow you?

The new business model as it relates to newer Internet technologies requires a certain amount of transparency with your business, and if you are not prepared to offer up some of that transparency (let your customers get to know you, to see inside, even to take part in making product and service decisions) and also to keep those updates flowing, chances are Twitter may be relegated to your hallway closet, along with that old Thighmaster and those dusty old LPs.

The same goes for social networking platforms like Facebook, MySpace and even LinkedIn. Make sure you are prepared to take on the extra time and labor commitment necessary to keep those profiles updated and keep in touch with your customers.

Your best strategy is to have a strategy for your online presence. Find out about your customers, figure out your business needs and see where they intersect with available web technologies and trends. Taking a broad overview of such needs and capabilities can help you focus your energy and decide what options are most crucial and which ones are as destined for the Goodwill donation pile.

I can speak from experience — we’ve set up several profiles for Workshed, some of which are updated more than others. The other rub of Social Media is that it can take time to quantify the results of one’s efforts. We recently had a new client lead who stated they found us on Facebook. I’ve heard of other people getting some big ticket development jobs via Twitter.  But it takes time and dedication to reap the fruits of one’s labors. And patience.

Also, one must decide how much they want to leverage these technologies. Do you want to become at the top of the heap in your industry or market? Or do you want to simply build a stronger bond with your customers? It helps to  have a strategy in place so one can build a schedule and guidelines and stick to it.

We’ve just been informed that the JGS, Inc. Forward Thinking Museum, which Workshed helped to develop, has been nominated as one of five finalists in the SXSW Web Awards Art category! This is the big one, the hot tamale, the cream of the crop! We’re excited to have been a part of this project along with our friends and partners at MacTechHelp.com.

So everyone close your eyes, begin to chant whatever chant you desire, and think good thoughts for the Forward Thinking Museum. Nam myoho renge kyo… nam myoho renge kyo… nam myoho renge kyo…

http://sxsw.com/interactive/web_awards

Hi All, we’ve had a few reports of difficulty reaching us through our new phone system for Camas businesses and residents. If you have difficulty reaching us at 360-833-2901, please try our toll-free number, which should not cause issues. We are working with our phone system provider to track down the issue and appreciate your understanding.

TOLL FREE: 888-963-1117

Hi everyone. I wanted to take a moment to update you on our office status during the inclement weather we’ve been having here in the Northwest lately. Workshed’s policy is typically to follow the school closures in Camas. When we close due to inclement weather, we generally telecommute and are available to answer questions via e-mail.

Additionally, Workshed will be CLOSED during the following dates:

• Wednesday, December 24 – Friday, December 26
• Thursday, January 1

Happy holidays to everyone!

On Friday, December 5, Workshed will be celebrating the launch of a new web site for our clients at Jonesy’s Auto Restoration. The new Jonesy’s site allows them to share their work with the world, communicate with their clients via private project blogs, invoice and receive payment for their customer work online and manage their web site content all through a custom-built CMS based on our Pegboard platform.

Everyone’s welcome to attend. You can find out more about Jonesy’s, about the work we do and you can enjoy some live music from local indie act, Hellokopter. Did we mention the free snacks and drinks?

The event starts at 5:30 and goes until 8 p.m.

See you there!

Workshed Creative Agency
415 NE Cedar St.
Suite B (Downstairs)
Camas, WA 98607

It’s no secret that people are holding onto their money right now. Things are downright scary out there. Whether businesses are doing well or not, they are being cautious about spending money, with good reason. But they still need to market and have a web presence. When times are tough, the businesses that can still keep their name out there are the ones who will survive.

Recognizing a shifting market in a down economy, Workshed has decided to work with businesses and make a great, custom-designed web site, complete with content management tools and a blog, all the more accessible—all without breaking the bank.

Enter SimpleSites, our entry-level web presence solution. We design the site tailored to your business brand and style, we build out your pages, perform a basic search engine optimization and submission, then turn it loose for you to enter your content and go to town. We even provide a solid and affordable hosting platform for a reasonable monthly fee.

So, you may ask, why should you get a SimpleSite when you can get a template site for really cheap?

Simple: This isn’t a template site. It’s a custom design, done by an award winning creative agency that knows the web and how to design and build web sites. We’ve been able to streamline our process to make this product offering at a sigificantly reduced cost compared to a completely custom web site solution. Best of all, it’s built on a platform that is already search engine friendly right out of the box. Oh, and did I mention you can update your content at any time using an intuitive, web-based content management tool? We also probably didn’t mention that, depending on schedule and client turnaround times, we can complete your SimpleSite in as fast as one week.

Contact us for pricing information. We have some lovely, flexible payment plans at your disposal.

Fool the economy—stay in the minds of your customers by keeping it simple.

Workshed is proud to announce the launch of another new web site, this time for Zookbinders, a manufacturer of quality, hand-made photo albums for professional photographers. We programmed the site build out and programming on behalf of our Seattle agency partners, SDM Marketing and PBR Design, who did an amazing job on the marketing direction, graphic design, creative direction and content.

The site makes use of several current technologies, such as AJAX, Javascript/jQuery, PHP, MySQL and Flash. The site also makes use of our own content management tool, Pegboard, so the client can keep their content up-to-date without the need for a web developer.

Check out the site:

http://www.zookbinders.com

Tonight, Workshed and Lacamas Community Credit Union are proud to present art and music by the students of Hayes Freedom School. Hayes is a non-traditional school where students and staff can learn, grow, and experience life and education in a way that works for each individual.

We will also be showing a small sample of work from a local artist, Diana Rice Bonin, who recently lost her battle with cancer. Please stop by and share in a small sampling of the prolific legacy of art she has left behind.

We’ll have refreshments and representatives from Lacamas Community Credit Union will be on-hand as well. We look forward to seeing you there!

Date: Friday, June 6
Time: 5 – 8 p.m.
Location: Workshed

It’s been truly inspiring to see how much downtown Camas has changed and grown since my family moved here five years ago. When we moved here, there was very little to do in Downtown Camas, and we spent most of our time over in the Fisher’s Landing area when we wanted to eat, shop or relax at a movie.

Fast forward, and now we have a burgeoning city center, full of high-end shops, excellent eating establishments and a great group of friendly people staffing them all. This is something we should all be thankful for.

Unfortunately, whether it’s due to the economy or just a lack of interest, we are losing some businesses down here lately, and that makes us very sad here at Workshed. We see these people every day, we are their customers, friends, associates and supporters. To see one of our own close their doors and call it a day is like losing a close friend. Not only that, but it strikes a chord among all of us—are we next? Will our business slow down too? Will we have to close our doors?

Unfortunately, I think we’ve all felt the sting of the down economy at some level. Nobody wants to call it a recession, but it if looks like one, talks like one and acts like one, chances are it is one. We’ve noticed some of this trickling down to us during our sales process as of late, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t concern me. At the same time, I understand and can empathize with these people. How can one justify spending money when money isn’t being entirely forthcoming?

I don’t have any answers. Sure, I can tell you to spend money with us on marketing and a fancy new web site and all of your ills will be fixed—but that’s not a promise I’m willing to make. These are unpredictable times, and there is no cut and dry solution other than the pursuit of survival. Do what you feel you need to do to keep your business afloat.

The one thing we can all do is to spend money with local businesses. Make a weekly trip downtown, buy a trinket or new article of clothing at a shop, catch a movie (it’s cheaper and cozier than the Regal multiplex) and buy a great dinner. In the grand scheme of things these purchases are small, but on the whole, they add up enough to maybe help someone keep their doors open long enough to weather the storm. A community isn’t just the people who live in it, it’s also the businesses who make life more convenient for its residents, who give back to the community and who provide jobs to its residents. We are all responsible for the success of local businesses on some level.

Our sincere thanks to the businesses who have closed their doors recently or will be closing them soon. Your presence downtown made our days better and we are better off for having served in the business trenches with you. You will all be sorely missed.

We’re back for Downtown Camas First Fridays in March, and we’re going all out! This time, we’re featuring local photographer, Lara Blair. Most of you may know Lara as a talented portrait photographer, but we’ve managed to squeeze some rare landscape photos out of her, which you can view in our lobby on Friday, March 7! Lara will be showing her exhibit “Hudson Valley Landscapes,” which features images of Barns and scenic landscapes and the fall in Warwick, New York. Lara will be on-hand to answer questions, and we will be featuring live music by James Manuele of the Portland Guitar Duo. Swing by, say hi and enjoy the sights and sounds! The opening will run from 5 – 8 p.m. on Friday, March 7th. We’re located at 415 NE Cedar St. Suite B (downstairs), Camas, WA.