It’s pretty simple and easy, and I’ve commented the only lines you should need to worry about configuring.  In my case, I wanted to expand the #sidebar element in order to push the footer down.  You can set the target variable to whichever element you want to expand by using the standard jQuery selector syntax.  The wrapper variable should be the element that contains all of your content, i.e. the element that should be compared to the viewport to see if it needs to be expanded or not.  Finally, the adjustment variable allows you to customize the height of the adjustment.  In my case, I needed to knock off 10px due to padding applied to elements being manipulated.  I thought about using jQuery’s .outerHeight() function, but this just seemed a lot easier.  This variable can be a positive or negative number, based on your needs.

As always, your mileage may vary.  It worked fine for me in the situation I tested it in.  Let me know if you have any questions about implementing this code, or leave a comment below to link to where you’re using this code so we can all see it in action.

Here’s the code:

jQuery.noConflict();
jQuery(document).ready(function($) {

    var target = $('#sidebar'); //What element should the additional height be added to?
    var wrapper = $('#wrapper'); //What element should be compared to the viewport height?
    var adjustment = 0; //Do you need to adjust the height due to padding, etc.?

//You shouldn't need to configure anything else down here.
    var viewportHeight = $(window).height();
    var wrapperHeight = wrapper.height();

    if(viewportHeight > wrapperHeight) {
        var addHeight =     (viewportHeight-wrapperHeight);
        var targetHeight = target.height();
        var newHeight = addHeight + targetHeight;
        
        target.height(newHeight+adjustment);
    }

});

I went from being a little frustrated with having paid, month after month, for a service I never used to being really, really frustrated that I could have been paying 50% less every month for a service I never used.  If they valued my business as much as that lady said they did, why was I paying double what I could have been if I had tried to cancel sooner?

If you’re looking for a really great way to make sure your customers leave your business with a sour taste in their mouths, be sure to offer them a discount–but only after they’ve already decided to take their business elsewhere.  That’ll really leave a good impression.

While I wouldn’t always put it this way, one of the most important parts of my job is helping clients avoid doing something stupid. Or, put another way, I spend a lot of time and energy helping clients get to the point where they’re able to get past their hang ups and make the right decision for their company in their marketing investments.

In terms of printed marketing materials, one of the ways I’ve done this is by setting all of my printing prices based on full-color printing for everything from business cards to 8.5 x 11″ flyers. Most printers and designers will have one set of prices for black and white printing (technically just black since the paper is white) and then they charge more for each additional color, with full color (CMYK) being the most expensive. They do this because it reflects their cost of production, which is very convenient for the printer–though not as much so for the client.

Study after study, decade after decade, has shown that the use of color improves attention, reaction, retention, and emotional response. A few quick facts:

• The use of color in a document increases “the audience’s willingness to read it by as much as 80% and their motivation to finish it by 78%.” (source)
• “Color enhances learning and improves retention by up to 75 percent.” (source)
• Colors can significantly impact our moods and emotions, which in turn drive buying decisions. (source)

A full-color printed marketing piece is far more likely to be noticed, read, understood, and emotionally influential. In other words, it’s more likely to do the things you want it to do when a potential client or customer sees it. Offering cut rate prices on black and white printing gives the appearance of savings to the client when compared to full color, but in reality it almost always costs them more because of missed sales and opportunities.

So, I’ve done my clients a favor. I have one set of prices. I have taken away the financial incentive to print ineffective marketing materials. And they almost always thank me for it.

Preview:

Download Twitter-Vector-Icon.zip

Just like the Facebook icon, I would appreciate it if you would leave a comment and a link so I can see how you’re using this Twitter vector icon in your projects.

1. To increase revenue.
2. To reduce costs.

That’s it. After all, no matter what your mission statement says (if you have one), you know that in order to stay in business you have to make money. Frankly, there’s nothing wrong with that. But there is something wrong with having a website that doesn’t help you to do that.

I run into small businesses all the time who have a website that was built a decade ago and hasn’t been updated in years. If you ask them if they have a website they will tell you, “Yeah, we got one of those.” I usually go on to ask them if they have a great website that they’re proud of and that drives customers to their business or makes it easier for them to do business. “Uh… no” is the usual response.

The problem here is usually that whoever built the website for them never helped them understand its potential value to their business. A well designed and regularly updated website can help your small business find new customers and earn repeat business from existing ones. Could your business use a little more revenue? Of course.

What about businesses that are customer service intensive? Do you find yourself answering the same question over the phone a dozen times a day? If each of those conversations takes five minutes, that’s an entire hour per day that you’re losing. What if you had an effective website that included an FAQ’s page? You probably already know what the questions are because you hear them all the time. Why not incorporate them into your website? When the phone rings, you can simply direct the caller to visit that page on your site. Before long you’ll find that your customers will learn to check the website first. They’ll appreciate the convenience and you’ll actually get some work done!

If your website isn’t helping your business increase revenue or decrease costs, you need a new one. Contact us to find out how Wittmania can create an affordable, effective website for your small business.

• Tabs are now on top by default on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux

In previous versions of Firefox, tabs for multiple pages in the browser were located directly above the content of the page, but below the address bar and search box. In Firefox 4, the tabs have been moved up, now residing above the address bar and just below the menu commands (File, Edit, etc.). Like in this diagram:

While the debate about tab position has gone on literally for years, Mozilla chose to take a decisive step forward in the name of usability. I won’t go into all of the reasons here (you can red them on Mozilla’s blog), I was rather impressed by the depth of thought they put into the decision. This is just one more example of developers shifting their focus to user experience rather than just flashy eye-candy that looks nice but doesn’t actually contribute anything. That’s in line with a trend among my clients, who are less concerned with my Photoshop skills than they are about my ability to create a website that attracts and engages their visitors.

If you’re interested in checking out the Firefox 4 Beta, you can get it here. If you’re interested in a website for your business that is engaging, interactive, and effective, you can get one here.

It would have been easy enough for them to just advise their customer to “shake well”. This simple step would have been enough to improve the user’s experience with their product, making them more likely to purchase it again. Always a good idea.

But somewhere in some cubicle in Colorado, an “associate” in Packaging took it a step further. “Buy often.” In those two little words, the message is clear. “Don’t forget to buy our product again the next time you visit the grocery store.” Will it work 100% of the time? Probably not, but so what? How much more does it cost to add those two words and an ampersand? Not much, if anything.

There are two important lessons here that no business owner or marketing professional should miss.

First, don’t be afraid to give your customers advice on how to best enjoy your product or service. Don’t assume that they’re experts or long-time users. Giving them tips like this can greatly improve the value your product or service provides to them, making them much more likely to purchase it again in the future.

Second, never miss an opportunity to market your business or product. Always remember that people respond to directives. I know it sounds obvious, but telling people to buy your product increases the likelihood that they will. When you are communicating with potential and existing customers, don’t be afraid to tell them what you want them to do. Tell them to visit your website. Tell them to call your office. Tell them to “buy often”.

So, let’s wrap up with some practical applications. What about your business cards? Are they just a piece of paper with contact info on them, or do they carry an effective marketing message? Is the back blank? Why not put your website address on there. How about your email signature? Again, put in a link to your website and tell people to check it out for the latest x, y, and z. What about the website itself? Is it chock full of boring information, or does it give visitors a consistent, compelling call to action resulting in additional business and increased revenue?

You’re always marketing. The only question is whether or not you’re marketing effectively. If you need help making your marketing more effective, give us a call at 402-570-6482 or send us an email to find out how Wittmania Marketing can help you add new customers and increase repeat business from existing ones.

WP-DB-Backup
WordPress Backup

The first one automatically backs up your database and sends it to an email address (I use a spare Gmail account). The second one zips up your uploads, plugins, and themes directories and emails them. You can set the backup frequency for both of them. I backup databases once a day and files once a week.

The Permalinker lets you use WP shortcodes in your page/post content that automatically update your links if you ever need to change the base URL for a site. There’s also a handy shortcode for the current template directory, making it very easy to link to or display images included in a theme rather than in the “standard” uploads directory.

This seems to be much easier than using a plugin to allow PHP execution from within pages and posts, and then using the native PHP permalink functions in WordPress. We’ll see how it goes…

For Christmas, I registered his domain for him so he could go “public”. You can check it out at RobbieHotz.com. Stop by to leave him a comment and wish him a Merry Christmas.

For a Merry Christmas from Wittmania Marketing, check out our e-mail Christmas card sent via Constant Contact earlier today.