March Newsletter 2013

If you're not used to hearing 'it's all in the cloud' yet - you will be soon. Recently we attended the Xerocon - the Xero accounting software conference - and met with like-minded businesses that have developed cloud applications to run any business virtually from anywhere. Pretty soon nearly every niche of business will be covered by its own specific online cloud app with all the parameters and points of reference covered. Yep - they thought of that too... whatever 'that' was. If they didn't it will be in the next release which, because its a cloud app, will automatically be added to your own dashboard immediately you log in. 

OK so its not that new - we've been updating your CMS dash since the beginning of time in this fashion and you have been working on our system remotely without downloading anything - right? Yes! But now you can subscribe to any number of little services or add-ons to make your life easier, without the addidtion of grunty hardware and servers or expensive software. Pretty neat huh? 

We've investigated all the add-ons we think might interest our clients (that's you) and we've entered into partner programs, where required, with these add-on partners. With others we've just added it as something you can have if you would like it. Cool eh?

Here are the first two in our list of add-on partners we are grouping together. It starts with Xero integration, asa rule, because accounts are crucial to any business and its operation. From there it gets interesting - online shared diaries for appointments, quoting with CRM, a new payment gateway that will save anyone using payment gateways a heap of cash - there is a lot to take in. We will add to this list - but we endeavour to only offer you the very best add-ons and cloud apps. It will become a very big list if we dont. 

Finally - Meet MIGHTY ANGUS LITTLE. He's a smiling, fun loving and roughish wee man who has battled numerous health issues throughout his short life. In December 2011, after numerous scans and invasive tests, Angus was diagnosed with a Ganglioglioma brainstem tumour, a tumour that is so rare it occurs in less than 1% of all brain tumours world-wide. 

We've helped Angus Little by getting their site online and looking good for FREE - maybe you will stop in, take a look and offer your support. 

www.anguslittle.com

Happy Easter - yes its chocolate time soon.

In this issue of Website Builder News, March, 2013

Cloud apps and add-ons

  • Timely
  • SwipeHQ

Training options

  • Training videos 
  • Personalised one-on-one training
  • Free website check-over

Tips and tricks

  • Customising Email Notifications
  • Custom thumbnail sizes
  • Cool links & system links
  • Free sites for charity

Promote website builder - get free hosting

Websites of the month

Online bookings? That's Timely!

Does your business run on appointments? Timely is appointment scheduling software that is awesome for clinics, salons, day spas, tutors and anyone that takes appointments and wants a great way to manage their calendar and customers.

- Beautiful and fleixble scheduling calendar 
- Simple to use 
- Online bookings for your website 
- SMS and email appointment reminders 
- Customer record keeping 
- Staff rostering 
- Works on any device, including mobile version 
- Free one month trial, free support, plans from only $19/month

Timely - the cloud-based appointment scheduling application for service-based businesses.

Timely online appointment scheduling

The revolution is coming...

SwipeHQ is changing the payments industry. Forever. Every once in a while a technology innovation comes along and things are never the same. Our aim is to equip and empower businesses to transact more efficiently and do so at a price that's fair and reasonable. This is the story of Swipe HQ so far. They are also the best-priced payment gateway we've found yet and that transfers directly to savings on the bottom line for you. But its the device they are due to release that we like the most. It fits most smart-phones (plugs into headphone jack) and reads EFTPOS and credit cards. No more EFTPOS machine. Less fees. Welcome to the revolution.

Give me a Swipe!

New features & updates

Vend integration:  beta testers STILL required

If you are considering a point of sale system Vend is well worth looking at. We will be happy to assist you to get set up - please get in touch with us directly. 

vend integration

Unleashed integration: beta testers STILL wanted

This is a very powerful stock management tool for multi-branch businesses. We still need test pilots for this integration to get it out of beta test mode -  if you are interested please get in touch.

Help Link here 

Product option level pricing and availability

This is now live and operative. See our help file below for details.

CMS Help - Bulk product pricing updates

GST reverse calculations 

This is now live and operative. See our help file below for details.

CMS Help - GST

Backorders if you're out of stock

Backordering is now available to users and the option to ask your customers if they would like to do so - or not. Take a look at this feature - we think you'll like it.

Training options

Videos

Check out our training vids for tips on everything from how to set up your website, or shopping cart, or payment options. Please note these videos show the old look and feel CMS and we are slowely upgrading the videos.

We also have a collection of excellent tutorials on our  FAQ 

Personalised one-on-one training 

If you require personalised training, we can provide this training to you over the phone, or in person at our offices in Grey Lynn, Auckland. Training costs $100 per hour by either method. Minimum time is 30 minutes.

We would encourage all customers to get at least one hour of training at the early stages of building their website, and one more review prior to going live, just to give your website that professional critique, and quick tidy up of the rough bits.

Training topics include:

  • How to use website builder and shopping cart

  • How to design websites

  • How to crop and tidy up photos

  • How to optimise to get your website higher on google and other search engines

  • How to setup a facebook page, or other social media account

  • How to send newsletters

  • How to use any other feature we offer.

Book personalised training here

Free website audit? 

Want us to give your website a quick 'once-over' before you go live, or even if it is live? We offer a free website review and provide feedback on the main areas needing improvement.If needed we will get back to you quickly with a quote on how we can make your website really sing. We work website magic in just 1 hour ($100+GST per hour), so why not let us take a look at your site? 

Discount Tip: If you purchase 6 or more hours, you will only be charged $90 per hour! Saving 10%

Web Design Options

Tips and tricks

Customising Email Notifications

If you are unhappy with the default message your customer receives upon ordering from your online store, check out this help article. You can make it as simple as adding a logo to the top of the invoice, or completely customising every aspect of it.

Custom thumbnail sizes

If you are a web designer using our system, you may find this help article very useful. You can set the thumbnail sizes of galleries and shopping carts to suit the website design. Previous experience with CSS is essential. Give us a ring if you would like a quote from one of our designers to customise your thumbnail sizes.

Cool links


System links and recent help updates

Trello - CMS and our system development suggestions board

HELP/FAQ - Content Management System online help

Embedding Web Fonts - Resource file on using Google web fonts

CLIP ART - Web graphics and CSS stylesheets ideas for your sites

Free websites for charity

There are two new hosting plans, FREE for very charitable websites serving the greater good and helping those less fortunate, or $150/year for other community groups, church groups and sports teams. Existing customers may retrospectively request these plans.

All charities must comply with our special terms and conditions, primarily that they must not have any paid staff nor income apart from donations. Free websites will include an advert promoting website builder services. The discounted plan option does not include adverts. 

Learn More: - Learn more about free websites here 

Help us promote our Website Builder - earn 20% commission ongoing

Anyone who refers friends to our service, or sets up a 2nd or subsequent website gets a 20% discount off their web hosting fees. Refer 5 friends and you pay nothing for your website hosting. Refer more than 5 friends, and we start paying you. 

Terms - live websites only, based on equivalent hosting plans, payouts subject to minimums.

How to promote:

  • Ask your friends to include your login email address on the form when they signup

  • Create a trial for your friends, using their email address, but put your login email in the referred by area.

  • Contact us to tell us who you have referred (after they have created their trial)

  • Create an affiliate link, refer top right within the CMS, then copy and paste into your page

  • Add a page, on the right under tooltips, see 'website creation affiliate link'

More information about affiliates and reselling here




Websites of the month

Here's a selection of some of our recent DIY Go Lives.  

DIY's

And a few of our recent professionally designed/upgraded sites, or websites that received some professional help.

Posted: Wed 13 Mar 2013

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