Dave Carlson

Good Content for Web Sites

noreply@blogger.com (Dave) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:25:00 +0000

Okay, you go to a nice restaurant. The table setting is beautiful and the service is impeccable. Nice lighting, good music. And then you order your filet mignon. This is gonna be good.

But then you get your meal and it's not filet mignon but a hamburger from the dollar menu at McDonalds. What's happening?

This is similar to having a great looking web site but has bad content. Something's amiss. There is more to a web site than just the design and function. You need to have good content.

I've been talking to several clients and potential clients about the content on their sites. I'm finding that content has been more of an afterthought than a recognized need. We really do need to have great content on our web sites.

If you're looking at your site and realizing that you need to revamp your content, I would like to help. Click here to read more about content writing on my business web site, Green Chair Marketing Group. We would love to help you better communicate your message.

Watching David Letterman's Monologue

noreply@blogger.com (Dave) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 06:33:00 +0000

I was watching Letterman tonight and heard the audience laughing. It made me remember the time I was at the show a couple years ago. You can see the picture here of the lobby.

Things were pretty regimented. You weren't allowed to take pictures in the lobby (obviously I was a bit disobedient). There were some shouts about my flash when I took the picture.

Anyway, before the taping of the show Letterman came out for a few minutes to greet the audience, which was nice.

But as I was watching the monologue tonight it harkened me back to the night I was there. It seemed like the level of excitement was elevated and people were laughing for the sake of adding to the energy of the show.

Bruce Willis was the guest the night I was there and he was funny. And it was a great experience to be there--something I had always wanted to do. And I'd do it again. But I think I'd laugh normally next time.

The Value of a Great Business Card

noreply@blogger.com (Dave) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 21:10:00 +0000

A great business cards tells a lot about you. If you skimp, it's obvious.

I get business cards all the time and I make judgments of the person and the company according to the quality of their card.

A good business card says volumes about you. Take the time to get your professionally designed and professionally printed. This is your chance to make a good first impression.

You can read more thoughts about business card in my article, Eye Popping Business Cards That Make You Memorable.

Marketing Budgets for New Small Businesses

noreply@blogger.com (Dave) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:03:00 +0000

The other day I made a presentation to owners of new small businesses. My presentation was about how they could use the Internet effectively to get their business going. Some of them already had sites but hadn't yet put a lot of effort into it.

I talked to Frank after the meeting, and he was showing me a flyer that he was putting together for his business. It wasn't a very good design but it looked like he had spent a lot of time designing it. I think it would have been better for him to spend his time building relationships and talking to people about his business.

I see this a lot with small businesses. Most of them spend too much time and money on print material, and too little time on their web site.

If I were to give advice to someone starting a small business today, I would tell them to put their marketing budget into having a web site professionally design and then concentrate on getting visitors to the site. The print material they should concentrate on is getting a great looking, distinctive business card that they hand out all over the place.

Seeing Live Music at Herman's Hideaway

noreply@blogger.com (Dave) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:00:00 +0000

Went to Herman's Hideaway for the first time to see my friend Melle Johnson play. It's located on Broadway and Iowa in Denver.

It was new talent night and the crowd was sparse. But the music was good. Melle played 14 songs, most of which were originals. He sang and played acoustic guitar. His buddy, Dan, sang with him on a couple songs. They used to play together in a band called 61.

It was refreshing to hear live music. I went to a Caedmon's Call concert the previous Saturday night but before that it had been a while since I'd heard live music except for at church.

A hip-hop guy, Rawnie Jaws, was after Melle. I got his CD and have enjoyed some of the songs, especially Rok the Block.

Personal Favorite Sports Moments

noreply@blogger.com (Dave) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 01:20:00 +0000

There was an article by Bernie Lincicome in the Rocky Mountain News sports section this morning about his favorite sports moments. He mentioned general things he liked, such as, "I love a shot at the buzzer, match point, going for the green, the 15th round, the last furlong, a walk-off homer." I like those things, too, but I want to get more personal concerning my favorite sports moments. They are in no particular order:

Michigan State winning NCAA basketball championship in 1979 with Magic Johnson and Gregory Kelser - beating Larry Bird's undefeated Indiana State team - still the most watched college basketball game of all time.
1984 Detroit Tigers winning the world series - the Tigers almost played the Cubs but the Cubs lost three straight to San Diego after winning the first two games. This was when they they played best of five.
Winning championships on three different teams in three straight years in little league.
Watching the Rockies go to the World Series in the fall of 2007 with an incredible run victories at the end of the season.
Winning championships last year with my church softball team in a church league in the summer and then in the parks and rec league in the fall.
Winning t-shirts for free throw shooting contests in summer basketball.
Being part of ball handling exhibitions in summer basketball.
Playing soccer in the Michigan high school state semi-finals.
Going to my first professional baseball game at Wrigley Field as a kid.
Being at Soldier's Field in Chicago and watching the Packers beat the Bears - this was around 1974.
Watching Kirk Gibson hit the walk-off homer versus Oakland A's in 1988.
Working for ABC as a spotter at the 1985 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills in Birmingham, Mich. We could see the back nine of the course from our front yard. I was working the 18th hole when the final 5 twosomes came through. I was on TV for about 4-5 minutes with the final twosome because one of the players' ball landing on the cords near me.
Watching Hank Aaron play at Cleveland Municipal Stadium when he was with the Brewers near the end of his career.
Seeing Boog Powell in the Indians locker room before a game.
Seeing my kids sing the national anthem in left field with their school choir at Coors Field before a Rockies game.
Getting a birdie on the first hole last summer during my first round of the year. I told my buddy Tim, "I forgot how easy this game was." I parred the next two holes before falling apart the rest of the way in.
Winning the long drive contest at a tournament for the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce in Detroit. The drive was about 345 yards. My dad was a witness and still talks about it 20 years later.
Driving to Chicago from Detroit to watch a Cubs-Phillies doubleheader with my buddy Jeff.
Having name in local paper for 7 RBIs in the little league championship game that we won.
Playing golf with my dad in the fall at Stonycroft Hills Golf Club in Bloofield Hills, Mich.
Getting a varsity letter for soccer during my senior year. Was also voted Most Improved by teammates.
Winning a two-on-two pick up basketball game with my buddy Dan while working at U. of Nebraska. One of our opponents was a former Nebraska football player who was playing for the KC Chiefs at the time.
Creaming Bill in racquetball after hearing him brag all summer about how good he was at racquetball. He even wore a necklace that had a racquetball racquet on it.
Bowling, swimming and playing basketball at the Cleveland Athletic Club during junior high, and then having lunch afterwards at a new fast food restaurant called Wendy's. Nearly blew a blood vessel out in forehead from trying to drink their Frosties with a straw.
Playing King of the Hill on a huge pile of gravel at an abandoned gravel pit near my house. Also jumped off an old crane onto the pile of gravel.