A brief presentation I did for NHASFAA in november 2009. Note: In 2010 we changed our company name from Uptown Uncorked to Magnitude Media to better reflect the wide variety of clients we serve.

1. Best Practices For Standout
Websites In A Regulated Industry
NHASFAA, November 2009
©Leslie Poston, All Rights Reserved

2. Should You Have a Site?
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3. YES
It helps you stand out in a sea of
information
It helps you become a resource for help
It helps you reach the students looking
for loans, who expect companies to
have a site
It helps you define your brand in a
heavily regulated industry
©Leslie Poston, All Rights Reserved

4. The Good News?
You all have to comply with the same rules
and restrictions, so everyone starts on the
same level online.
This sounds restrictive, but actually gives
you more room to compete for people’s
attention.
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5. Biggest Issues In Your Industry Online:
Privacy
No Ability To Compete In Price
Information Disclosure
Changing Federal and State Regulations
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6. Brand Focus
Usability
User Interface
Information Flow
Calls To Action
Be In Service
©Leslie Poston, All Rights Reserved Be Human

7. Brand Focus Should Answer:
Who Are You?
What Do You Offer?
Why Are You Here?
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8. Usability and User Interface
Often Go Hand In Hand
(this flow chart is here for a laugh, but a flow chart can help design your site better)
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9. Good Information Flow
means that your data is always current
and where you put it makes sense to
people outside of your industry
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10. CLICK HERE
Fill Your Site With Calls To Action
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11. Be Helpful
Give back more than you expect to get.
Users will see you as more than
just a financial aid company
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12. Be Human
This is were social media can step in and help
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13. But How Do You Know If It’s Working!?
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14. Increased Inquiries
& Applications
plus
Site Analytics
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15. HaveAMint.com
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16. Social Media Is So Overwhelming!
How Do We Keep Up?
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17. Interaction Tools Aggregators
Sharing Tools
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18. What Concerns Are Left For You?
(Q&A Session)
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19. Leslie Poston, Magnitude Media
@leslie or @magnitudemedia on Twitter
800•501•4049 phone | 928•438•5038 fax
leslie@magnitudemedia.net
Co-Author: Twitter for Dummies (Wiley, 2009+)
Contributor: Social Media ProBook (Eloqua)
Author: Grande Guide to Social Advertising (Eloqua)
Author: Social Media Metrics for Dummies (Wiley, 2012)
If you enjoyed my presentation, won’t you recommend me on LinkedIn?
http://linkedin.com/in/leslieposton
Connect with Magnitude Media’s pages also:
http://www.linkedin.com/company/magnitude-media
http://facebook.com/magnitudemedia
http://magnitudemedia.net
©Leslie Poston, All Rights Reserved