Am I a twit for Twittering? – By Ken Harwood

The way we communicate is clearly changing. The new social network allows us to communicate information about our business as well as what we had for breakfast to a global audience instantly from a computer, cell phone, or other device. The question is, is this technology good for business? The answer is of course – It depends. Lets look at the opportunities, what we need to know, and how we can use them.

Before you begin there are a few questions you have to ask yourself:

Is the information you provide interesting enough to follow as real time updates?

If you feel the need to tweet, I don’t care about your breakfast, but we may check in on a project like Edgewood on a daily or weekly basis. I would also find an update on a new office building, project, or available new properties worth looking into.

Is your information of value to your customers?

If you can make me money or save me time I am a fan for life. I also like to laugh and learn. People use the Internet like the newspaper, what’s current, interesting, or entertaining – If you are not providing one of these we will get the email address and leave.

Does your information change often?

If I visit your FaceBook Page, or even your website and find no new information it is unlikely I will come back. When I find a website that always has new data, I develop a habit of visiting. I always scratch my head in amazement when a company spends thousands or tens of thousands on a website that never changes.

How do you attract visitors to your web presence?

The perfect website, FaceBook Page, or LinkedIn profile is useless if know one visits. I am a fan of directing people to my websites via email or print, my Wisconsin Development News is viewed by thousands,

PropertyDrive’s New Property Listings are invaluable to brokers, and you are reading the CIREX Digest right now.

Does your web presence direct users
to other websites?

A business owner recently told me he used FutureVerona.com to find a building site, a construction firm, chamber and city contacts, and a bank for his project. A child of the futureWisconsin.com project, the website only provided links to other sites and is
free to anyone to promote their business or property.
Not sure if directing people away from your site is a good idea – one word Google.

Remember, on the web, content is king. If you found something valuable to you, link to it on your site. If you are developing a project, let us know about the process. If you have a property or service to promote, network with those who may have an interest and provide access to your information on other sites. Do not forget those who prefer paper, use print to bring us to the web for details. Remove old outdated data. Spend less money and provide more information. And never, ever, tell me what you had for breakfast.

KEN HARWOOD
The Future Wisconsin Project and Wisconsin Development News
P.O. Box 930234, Verona, WI 53593-0234
Phone (608) 334-2174

MATC Smart Investment Could Be Hard Sell With Voters

Madison Area – 8/19/2010 …here is a laudable proposal by Madison Area Technical College to spend up to $150 million in the next couple of years on building projects to accommodate students in programs that lead to family-supporting jobs in IT, software engineering, health care, public safety and many other fields. There are now long waiting lists for admission to many of these programs… the toxic tea party terrain of 2010 where any public institution asking voters to pay even a little more in taxes for a greater long-term good $20 to $40 per year on an average home for the next 20 years seems chancy.

Ken Notes:This project will need a great public relations campaign to move it forward but if MATC can listen and be flexible I think the can get it done. I hope they can get it done.

Courtesy of
www.madison.com

Gateways To Madison: Officials Vow To Spruce Up City Entryways

Madison’s most attractive gateway, John Nolen Drive, is targeted for new upgrades, but city officials say that doesn’t mean they’ve forgotten promises to fix up its three less attractive siblings.

More progress must be made on the East Washington Avenue, South Park Street and University Avenue corridors, so they don’t undermine the central city’s most enduring claim to fame — its beauty, officials say.

“All of these gateways are crucial to the future economic development of the city and the region,” said Ald. Tim Bruer, the City Council’s senior member, whose district includes…

Ken Notes:Wouldn’t it be nice if each of these gateways had an efficient cost effective mass transit corridor to bring people into the city.

Courtesy of
www.madison.com

As RTA Plans Emerge, More Municipalities Put Transit Tax Referendums On Ballot

As the Dane County Regional Transit Authority begins to flesh out the details of its transit plan, more municipalities are putting a transit sales tax advisory referendum on their local fall ballot.

The RTA Board is unlikely to hold a referendum in November, so several municipalities are considering asking voters whether they support a half-cent sales tax for commuter rail. Sun Prairie, Cottage Grove, Waunakee and several towns have already voted to put the question on the fall ballot and others will be voting on the proposal in coming weeks.

The RTA Board has committed to holding a referendum before imposing a sales tax to fund its operations, so communities that vote this fall will likely vote again on the issue in a future election.

Tom Wilson, an RTA Board member and administrator of the town of Westport, which voted Monday to hold the referendum, said he doesn’t see a problem with local communities weighing in on commuter rail now.

“If all the communities want to go ahead and have a referendum on commuter rail, they’re certainly entitled to do that,” Wilson said. “The more information we can get, the better.”
But RTA Board Chairman Dick Wagner cautioned that interpreting the results of those votes could be complicated.

Courtesy of
www.madison.com

KEN HARWOOD
The Future Wisconsin Project and Wisconsin Development News
P.O. Box 930234 Verona, WI 53593-0234
Phone (608) 334-2174