Elora Grand River Raceway Video

Even if you have never been to the races, you can get an idea what it is like by looking at this YouTube movie. The wonderful world of the Internet, and all the sharing features of it, make it so easy to peak over the fence and see whether it is something for you. The Raceway also has slot machines and a fine restaurant.

Planning a trip to Elora and surrounding area is not complete without spending some time downtown, of course, with its wide variety of artisan shops and fine restaurants and coffee shops.

And tell them we sent you! )

First Night Fergus – New Year’s Eve Celebration

Just like last year, at the beginning of the fergus175 celebratory year, we will have another First Night celebration downtown Fergus this year.

Some of the activities downtown Fergus on December 31st, 2008:

• Live music by One Minute, The Unbreakable Clocks, Sebastian Ennis and The Mod Wolves, Backroads (8:30), Moonshine (11:15)
• Countdown and Fireworks at 9:00 and 12:00
• Storybook character Geronimo Stilton will be at Roxanne’s Reflections Book and Card Shop from 7 to 9 p.m.
• Storytelling in the children’s area of the Fergus Library
• Screenings of Cogeco’s production of “Fergus Then and Now” will run at the Grand Theatre at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.
• Horse-drawn trolley rides around the downtown area, running from 7 to 10 p.m.
• Hot chocolate everywhere! (at least at Melville’s Church, Thompson Funeral Home, Fergus Library
• An alcohol-free and admission-free event for the whole family!

Check out last year’s post with some YouTube videos of last year’s First Night celebrations.

For more information, look for one of the distinctive posters around Fergus, call 519-843-5140 or go to www.fergus175.ca.

Information taken from the Fergus Elora News Express.

Merry Christmas From Us!

Small Business – Big Website

October is Small Business Month. Small Business is usually defined as a company with a small number of employees, but that does not mean that its impact or income has to be small. And websites can help a lot to make a real splash.

Websites allow small businesses to play with the big guys. As a sole proprietor you can start your own webshop, and you do not have to worry about renting a store or hiring staff. You can get people to your online store by making sure it is easy to find in the search engines, and you can add many other online and offline promotion activities to the mix. You can grow your small website into a big website without having to add much to your expenses. Small Business – Big Website.

You can also have a small website with a Big Impact. A website allows you to effectively market your invention or niche product in a niche market, making you an expert or “guru” in your field. Again, if your website is easy to find and also easy to use, targeted visitors will find your website and your site will convert many of these browsers into customers. If your website is perceived as being trustworthy, and obvious and effortless in its navigation, you can beat larger corporations!

Being a small business also allows you to be more to the point and personable, for instance by adding a blog to your website. I usually is also a good strategy to add testimonials, case studies, white papers or articles written by you, the expert. These samples of your products and services, or your customer service, will evoke a lot of trust and give a visitor insight into what they can expect from you as a service or product provider. Being honest and true will resonate with your website’s visitors, which can be a great start for building customer loyalty. Small Business – Big Impact.

Using the powers of the Internet you can turn being a “Small Business” into your advantage. So join me in celebrating all our (future) Big-Impact Small Businesses this month!

For more information: contact your webmaster, or email Nardo Kuitert at nardo@u-cwebs.com.

Published in Minding Our Business, October 2008 – Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce

Don’t Make Me Think!

The part that I like most about my consultancy? The usability evaluations, or “website critiques”. Being able to point out the obvious (“Duh!”) that so many people do not see until you point it out to them can be very rewarding.

Yes, many of the usability guidelines are obvious. A lot of dotted i’s and crossed t’s. And many things revolve around a common theme: “Don’t Make Me Think”. Because your website should not make people think – at least not in the sense of “OK, what should I do now?”. Your website should be obvious and effortless – should suck people in.

So how to make YOUR website obvious and effortless?

Well, for starters your navigation should be clear. Cute is often confusing. You can be cute in your written content, but the navigation menu should be crystal clear. It should also be organized in a logical manner, so people understand how the various pieces (pages) are connected.

Hyperlinks within the text (a few, not too many) can be used to direct people from page to page, without them having to think too hard about where to go next. It also helps you to direct your website visitors to where YOU want them to go – your conversion pages, like the pre-sales page, order page or contact form.

Do not forget that trust is a very fragile thing in the online world. Make sure you have a clear and easy to find About Us and Contact Us. Even when you have a home-based business and you do not want to disclose the address: at least mention a town and a Province. The Internet is an International place, and without a geographical marker many people will leave your site prematurely. Ask yourself: would you contact a site owner if you had no idea whether they are located in Fergus, Ontario or in Nhlangano, Swaziland? (yes, you can Google that!)

Don’t make me think!

For more information: contact your webmaster, or email Nardo Kuitert at nardo@u-cwebs.com.

Published in Minding Our Business, September 2008 – Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce.

Fergus Fall Fair (video)

Planning to visit the Fergus Fall Fair, but still on the fence? Always wanted to know what the Fergus Fall Fair looks like?

Well, it is not all cattle, handicrafts and plants. The evenings are filled with noise – sweet noise…

Fergus Truck and Tractor Pulls

One of the main attractions of the fall fair are the Truck and Tractor Pulls. Take a look at the YouTube video below to give you a bit of an idea!

And don’t forget to book your accommodation in Fergus, Elora or Belwood while you are here!

The Fergus Fall Fair is held the second weekend in September.