Art Kenyon

We mentioned Art Kenyon earlier this week - he posted:  As a late Christmas gift, you can download my tunes for any price (including free!!!) Check it out here
Track List: 
Cocoon 
The Way They Try 
This Girl's Trouble 
Tuesday Night 
Juliet 
Always 

Performers: 
Art Kenyon - Guitar & Vocals 
Vince Ditrich - Percussion 
Norm Fisher - Bass God 
Richard Sera - Keys 

Produced by: Vince Ditrich 


 If you like it, post your comments here!

3 Key Elements for the Web

If you are reading this you would like to know the 3 key elements for any Band, Brand, Business/Professional. We feel that there are 3 things to always remember when presenting you on the web. 

1. Update Content Frequently

Keeping your websites content fresh and new is a pertinent way to not only ensure that visitors will come back to your site, but will be a key factor in search engine optimization and bring you to the top of the search engine results. Visitors, whether they are current or potential clients, will be looking at and judging your site, and in essence will be judging you. Make sure that your last updates were not years ago, as you should promote your business as an engaging part of 2012.

2. Be clear about who and what you are or do

It is important to be clear and concise about who you are and what you do. Whether you are a band, brand or business you need to let people know what you have to offer. This information should include information about your team and the work that you can provide.

3. Integrate Social Media

You should make sure that you integrate some form of social media. This can include Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or one of the many other options available. And, once you add an account be sure to also keep this site updated and keep a schedule of when and what you post. For instance, if you decide to blog, keep a schedule, your visitors will be looking on that day/time for your post. If you develop a facebook page, be sure to post at optimum times. 

Looking for design or a revamp?

We have decided that 2012 is going to be the year to take many bands/musicians to the next level of their promotion. We have found that there are so many great bands out there, and yet not many of them are up to the same level in which their musicianship is at.

Contact us today for ideas, concepts, integration into your world of music! To start, every Tuesday is a BAND SHARING day - which is today! Be sure to 'Like' us on facebook and add your site to the list! We want to hear from you! Click here 

Social Media - Are you sure you can execute successfully?

This week has gotten me thinking more and more about social media and how to execute it successfully for various kinds of businesses.

Horse people that usually will not (because they do not see the need for nor usually have the money to) hire someone specifically to run their social media. Yet, they usually do not spend enough time online in order to properly run a social media campaign in which they are promoting themselves or their farm and its services. The good news for these professionals is that in the horse world this seems to pass as okay, however, soon enough it will become important to be more active.

Musicians do a pretty good job at twitter because they can give various quick updates especially when they are out touring and don't have much constant contact with the same people night to night. 

Businesses have the most difficult time of all. You are usually one main brand but offer various services. It's not like you are coca-cola where you can create a page and devote it specifically to say coke zero or diet coke. Instead you have multiple services posted on a Facebook page, maybe twitter or Google+, or maybe you even try to keep a cross platform of social media outlet so that you can hit as many people as possible. This makes decisions difficult…do you use twitter for customer service like comcast has done? Facebook for various information and product updates? What about the newer Google+, do you think it is just another Facebook?

No matter what you choose to do, there are a few things that you must remember:

• Stay active with your postings
• Post when you will have the most viewers
• Do not just post info and hope for the best. Follow up with commentary.

If you need help working your social media, get it. The worst thing you can do for yourself, your brand or business is to run an unsuccessful or annoying campaign. 

Sounds easy? It can be. Spend the money up front and make it ways on yourself.  The sooner you  learn the science of and using social media outlets to execute it successfully the more success you will have in the end. 

When is Cheap Not Necessarily Better?

In this economy I can understand the need to hold the reins on a tight budget. Especially in the medium of the internet where things are constantly changing. However, these fast changes also mean you need to stand out and develop with it.

In the case of web design, cheap is not always better. If you are putting up a more personal page in order to put publish information for your family and friends, you can probably make due with purchasing a pre-made template or hiring an inexpensive or relatively new to the industry web designer.

If you are a brand, company, individual professional, celebrity or musician your web site plays a large part in your marketing and promotion. You have spent time, money, energy into creating YOU and you should spend the same amount of time, money and energy into creating extensions of yourself on the web. That includes your web site and social media.

Many companies will offer "affordable web design" or "create your own" pages. While these solutions can give you a presence on the web, especially if you are just starting out or have a very limited budget. However, at some point, these pages can actually do you harm. When your site does not appear to hit a level of professional standard, your clients or fans could also think that you are either an amateur or even question if you are a legit business.

Many of our clients have taken the long, winding road to get to our doorstep. They started with a pre-made template, designed their site themselves (or their 12 yr old nephew help), and then stepped back and just admired their work. However, while they were busy admiring all their hard work, they missed the fact that their web site was not really working for them. You see, when they went with cheaper they found that while they could make their banner blue, and add a list of links to each page, and add any text to be input via an easy control panel, they wondered why their site did not take on life of its own.

The web is one area where you get what you pay for. You want cheap, you will get on the web but not much more. You may even find middle of the road pricing, you may get a simple, possibly original, design they create the site, hand it over and say good luck with your endeavor. Pay a little extra and get an original, engaging design that promotes you and gives you the beginning of your own identity on the web. And, when you pay a little more, that company or designer will usually go the extra mile and set you up on social media, design it, and help you get started in defining you or your brand to the web.

So when is cheaper better? In this case, it's not. Whether you run a small business of 1 employee or a large corporation, you are a professional horse equestrian, or a musician in a band you have to decide that when it comes to your identity only the best will do.

3Encores joins Google+

In an ongoing effort to promote our partners & patrons, reach out to our lovely audience and add to our valuable social web assets, 3Encores has joined the ranks of Google’s latest social platform.

While Google+ continues to find it’s foothold in the social web one thing remains certain: Google has a track record of success and whatever form G+ might take in the future it seems a great place for a business focused on providing only the best service possible must be.

Looking for a Rock Star Designer!

We are looking to hire a rock star designer that loves music to join our team! You will be working on projects dealing with primarily musicians. However, we cater to other business as well so be prepared to be a well rounded designer. This person would help with the design and development of current and new projects. We are looking for someone that is creative, talented with a great work ethic. This person should have a solid understanding of web standards, cross-browser compatibility and mobile formatting a plus. The ideal candidate will begin working as a telecommuting, freelancer with the ability to grow into a full-time position.

Requirements: 
Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator 
Portfolio or resume and examples of your previous work 

Additional: 
HTML, CSS &/or javascipt is a plus 

Job Responsibilities Include: 
Designing sites from scratch 
Weekly hours will vary - dependent on projects. 
Looking for someone to grow into a full-time position. Must have excellent skills!

To find out more info go to 3Encores Careers. If you're interested, please forward examples of your work, rates and any further questions to careers at 3Encores dot com

Looking for bloggers!

We are looking to hire a blogger(s)! Details below

Love to write? We have an opening for a blogger who will be tasked to write 250 to 500-word articles on EITHER the internet industry, specifically design, social media etc. OR music: groups, releases, shows, clubs. You will be supplied with topics and background information, but you are to write and further research the topic yourself.

This person should:
- EITHER Love all aspects of internet marketing OR Music. If both, even better!
- Passionate
- Motivated

If you fit those qualities, then this is a position for you! 3Encores is located in the Lehigh Valley (PA), but employees can be located anywhere! We allow tele-commuting, during normal business hours, in fact, you will probably be hitting clubs, venues and researching the web!. 

The job is pretty light, since we only expect a blog post every other week or so. To find out more info go to 3Encores Careers. If you're interested, please forward examples of your work, rates and any further questions to careers at 3Encores dot com