Sometimes, the best way to fix your web site is to get out the scissors. Print out your front page, and cut up the parts of it. Pull out the rubber cement from the back of your drawer, and pretend you're creating a picture puzzle. Is there a better place for your links? Is your phone number above the fold? Remember to put usability over flashy graphics, and wasted space.

This morning, my client and I worked together re-designing her clinic's home page. With the original web designer on the phone, we cut up the page, and penciled in some new ideas. By moving the pieces of our page around on paper, we were able to arrange things very nicely. I think it took us about 25 minutes.

Our "scissor session" wasn't welcomed very warmly by our webmaster. We heard some growls, a few harrumph sounds, and several big, exasperated sighs. It's a nearly $4,000 web site, and it needs to integrate with the client's established Facebook and Twitter accounts. Some of the changes are just standard design issues. We'd like to unify all the different fonts, down to one font in only two colors, move the menu bar, and be sure to have some current, written content on the home page.

My client quickly understood their web site with the help of our old friends; scissors, a pencil, and rubber cement. We gave the page better organization, and a faster loading time, just by using scissors to see what's possible. I think it will score higher in search engines, and with our readers, too.

As a social media manager, I know my expertise overlaps most webmasters. Many websites have been slow to flexibly integrate Facebook and Twitter with regular web traffic. His reticence to re-work several pages wasn't unusual. Webmasters may be "stuck" in design templates they've used in the past, and be wary of the rapid changes presented by social media.

Well, change is here. Your customers should be able to find your domain, and interact with you easily. That's what social media will help you accomplish. Instead of pages presenting fancy code, we need to offer a good, old fashioned handshake, via Twitter and Facebook updates. If your webmaster is more of a coder than a design and content source, this may be tough for them. Today, you may find it's time to cut ties, and trace a new pattern for your business to succeed.

Probably won't cost you $4,000, either.

Paine Field in Everett looks like it is closer to having commercial flights going in and out of it.  A study put together by Thomas/Lane and Associates states that local business leaders are in favor of having air access, and that having commercial flights from Paine Field would be a significantly beneficial to the area’s economy. 

The executive summary of the report on commercial flights at Paine Field was  presented to the Everett City council at their last meeting.  They are expected to review the full findings at the July 30th meeting.

“Looking into the future, scheduled commercial air service at Paine Field will help shift Everett’s economy away from its historical blue collar base and move it toward becoming a new economy type city.”  The study states.

In recent months the debate over allowing commercial flights at Paine Field has come back around again as Allegiant Air proposed to start flying to Las Vegas twice a week.  Allegiant has tagged Paine Field as an "excellent candidate" for small commercial flights.  The debate of course is the increased noise and traffic.  The resistance to allowing commercial flights has hit Federal resistance because as a Federally designated ‘public use’ airport, passenger service can not be limited or prohibited by the County.  The catch of course is that they don’t have to promote it as well.

This all being said, I can not see that the expected 5 flights a day by small commuter planes is going to disrupt life to any great extent.  I could definitely see some concern if the plans were to begin full scale jet traffic in and out of Paine Field, but that is likely never to happen.  The benefits of commercial flights are impressive as well.

“The airport’s excellent infrastructure gives rise to industrial activity located both within and around Paine Field, and the total economic benefits of this activity are in the range of 35,000 to 40,000 jobs and over $2.5 Billion in wages and salaries.”

Considering the pressure from the Federal government and economic demand and benefits, I would not be surprised to see some level of commercial air traffic at Paine Field in the next few years.  I have to admit it would make for easy escapes to Las Vegas!

Photo courtesy of Drewski2112

Jacquie Cliff - The Amazon Negotiator
Real Estate Agent, Loan Officer and Accredited Buyers Representative serving:
Lynnwood, Bothell, Mill Creek, Seattle, Bellevue, Marysville, Mountlake Terrace, Edmonds, Everett, Snohomish, Kirkland and the surrounding areas!
Call me with any of your real estate questions at 425-773-3149 or email me at Jacquie@jacquiecliff.com anytime!

Copyright © 2008 By Jacqueline A. Cliff, All Rights Reserved.
*A Bit Closer to Commercial flights at Paine Field!*