I definitely want to thank everyone who has been supporting me the past couple of years. I absolutely love what I do and I am excited that I will get to focus my passion so intently on these two properties.

If you are looking for specific design services, don’t hesitate to contact me, I can point you in the right direction.

Core4 is an easy to follow weight loss plan that allows you to eat what you want and still lose weight. It features four products designed to work together to target your body’s core, maximize weight loss and burn calories.

The products include an Amino Acid Protein Smoothie, Metabolism Booster, Organic Colon Cleanse and a food sprinkle that when added to your food, removes 25% of the calories ingested.

“I got involved with the product after I lost 42 pounds in eight weeks”, says Reagan. “I didn’t really change that much in my routine and if I can do it, anyone can.”

To listen to the radio program online, visit http://tobtr.com/s/756141 or for more information on the Core4 system, visit www.AzWeightLossCenter.com. You can also call Nikki Reagan at 928-444-6234

I would think that the sites are sacrificing search engine readable content because each page has been converted into a graphic or a flash file.  While the site becomes more “interactive”, we’re still talking about 40+ pages of content (on these particular sites) that you have to “flip” through with no searchable features.  Is this  counter productive to a user friendly site? Do I want to sit and flip through a book page by page online or do I want to just click on what I want to read and move on?

Many of the pages have a ton of content on them, making the text on the page virtually unreadable unless you zoom in on the page, which just adds more clicks.

On the plus side,the site is impressive looking from a graphics standpoint and it is kind of cool to see the 3D page turning in action, for about 3 minutes. Other forms of media including audio and video can be added to the pages, making the user experience a little less monotonous. You can control your content as text and graphics won’t be able to be lifted from the page as easily, which is another plus.

All in all, I suppose that since the publications in question  plan on keeping a print presence,  offering a website  similar to their printed product would benefit  their printed product, but only their printed product.

To me, it seems that a page flipping website is just a backward step in technology.

Goldrush Apartments is located at 2030 Prospector Court at the intersection of Ramar Rd. and Goldrush Rd. in Bullhead City.

For more information, please contact Ty Williams, Goldrush Apartment Manager, at (928) 704-0044.

Keeping with the bistro’s tradition of fun local events, Saturday, August 22nd, the islands will be coming to Bullhead with a Hawaiian Luau from 4 p.m. until closing. There will be a special Hawaiian inspired menu along with specially priced tropical drinks featuring Ocean Vodka from Maui and selected Hawaiian wine and beer. Several contests including the “Ugliest Hawaiian Shirt” and music will round out the evening.

Cork and Beans is the only coffee and wine bistro in the Colorado River area and offers a large selection of specialty coffees and teas. The bistro does have a full bar and specializes in wines from all over the world. Wines are also available for purchase in their wine store. Cork and Beans is located at 1595 Mohave Drive, Suite 4 and 5 in Bullhead City, AZ.

For more information contact Joanie Madrid or Charlie Grimshaw by phone at (928) 758-2009 or visit the Cork and Beans website at www.CorkNBeans.biz

Cork and Beans is family- friendly and the only coffee and wine bistro in the Colorado River area. They offer a large selection of specialty coffees, teas and exotic tapas and appetizers in addition to specialty sandwiches and homemade soups. The bistro does have a full bar and specializes in wines from all over the world. Wines are also available for purchase in their wine store. Cork and Beans is located at 1595 Mohave Drive, Suite 4 and 5 in Bullhead City, AZ.

Participants in the beer tasting must be 21 or older.

For more information about the Bistro, or the Sam Adams Beer Tasting, contact Joanie Madrid or Charlie Grimshaw by phone at (928) 758-2009 or visit the Cork and Beans website at http://www.CorknBeans.biz

Below you will find the two episodes where they shared the love with me!

Episode 8 of Mohave Real Talk

Another round of banter from Evan and Todd in Episode 8:Social networking: Local marketer Nikki Reagan gets it. Click here for Episode 8 of Mohave Real Talk

Episode 14 of Mohave Real Talk

A social media case study, national real estate trends, and a baseball branding lesson in Episode 14 of Mohave County’s favorite podcast. Nikki Reagan gets hyper local social networking.
Click here for Episode 14 of Mohave Real Talk

Local businesses take advantage of social networking on Web

By DANIEL CALLAHAN/The Daily News

BULLHEAD CITY – Ten years ago, if a company wanted to get more exposure, it would print flyers, make some phone calls and maybe even have a sign spinner on the sidewalk.

Today, the nature of marketing has changed. What once was a tangible medium now is an Internet-based model that relies on the use of social media. The utilization of Web-based social networking sites such as Twitter, MySpace and Facebook has opened doors between businesses and clients, allowing for a greater flow of information.

For local business people like Evan Fuchs and Nikki Reagan, business means communication and transactions in real time, online.

The spread of information, says Evan Fuchs of Bullhead/Laughlin Realty, in an integral part of the real estate business. With national reports daily about the dire state of the mortgage scene and rising foreclosures, Fuchs found himself in a different position.

“There’s so much bad information out there,” mainly because, he said, real estate markets differ quite a bit regionally. National averages are not always indicative of the reality in specific locations. “Locally, our market is very different.”

Fuchs says Bullhead City is on the rebound, with the numbers indicating a possible balancing of supply and demand for homes in the city. And he decided to do something about it.

“I kind of look at it as my job to get what I know out there without spin,” said Fuchs. “Sometimes it’s better, sometimes it’s worse but it’s the truth and I think that’s what people want to see.

“I’ve got a little bit of techie going through me,” he said, noting that his fascination with technology helps him more easily spread information via the Internet.

First came the Web site. Then the blog. Then the podcast.

“Social media opens a lot of doors,” said Fuchs.

From its inception 10 years ago, Bullhead/Laughlin Realty’s Web site has seen considerable monthly traffic and brings in “a ton” of business. “I’ve definitely found business through my blog,” he said.

Through the development and integration of the regional multiple listing service (MLS) – a database of home listings in the area – Fuchs met fellow Tri-state Realtor Todd Tarson of Kingman. After a few months of comparing notes via their individual blogs, Fuchs and Tarson realized the next step was podcasting.

“We talk about real estate and we do market updates, that sort of thing, but we also just kind of chat,” said Fuchs, of their now weekly Internet broadcast. “It’s real casual.”

The co-hosts of Mohave Real Talk connect via Skype, an online phone system, record the show and post it for free download on the Web site.

Fuchs says he favors Social media because it simply gives his audience what they’re looking for without pressure or hassles, which helps build trust.

“Our thing really – and this is what the Web site, podcast, blogging are all about – is to be a source of information for people,” he said. “I don’t like things getting crammed down my throat, so I try not to cram things down people’s throats. … We just put information out there and just hope that people find it useful.”

Maybe technology isn’t for everyone at first, but “everybody loves it because they’re hearing about it; but a lot of people don’t know where to get started.”

That’s why Fuchs has started offering what he likes to call Tech Tuesdays, where people interested in learning more about online tools can learn how to market themselves and their businesses.

Real estate agents aren’t the only ones who have found a place in the Internet marketing scene.

Local graphic designer and marketing professional Nikki Reagan is well-versed in the world of social media. She has written two books on the subject, along with assisting several local businesses in their efforts to develop a competitive Web presence.

A seasoned Web site designer, Reagan spent a considerable amount of time on the Internet and discovered businesses putting themselves out there in new ways.

“I started doing real estate marketing,” said Reagan, “and I started watching certain Realtors … using MySpace and marketing themselves.” As someone whose business is online marketing, Reagan saw it was a chance to expand.

“I have a habit of taking on too much,” said Reagan, but when the opportunity presented itself, she began to integrate social media with the Web work she already was doing. She used new tools such as Twitter, a Web site where subscribers can post short messages in a blog-type format. The local businesses she was working with wanted a way to quickly and easily update their Web sites.

“As business owners, they don’t have a lot of time … so they’re not going to play with it a whole lot,” she said. It was natural to embed Twitter feeds on Web sites so the businesses could easily upload coupons and keep customers abreast of recent news.

“I’ve kind of gone on a Twitter campaign,” said Reagan. “With Web sites like Twitter, you have up-to-the-minute, up-to-the-second information and an immediate response time.”

Reagan runs Web sites for multiple local businesses – from Dominos Pizza to Cork ‘N’ Beans Coffee and Wine Bistro – and maintains screen names, or handles, for additional businesses and causes. Reagan has written two e-books, books that appear only online, on marketing real estate and computer businesses via the Web.

Reagan also runs OurLocalScene.com, which has been dedicated to the local music scene since 2001.

Originally, Reagan and a friend planned to put together a print publication about local music. Printing costs were prohibitive, so Reagan thought the Internet would be a better idea.

Eight years later, there are pages on the site for local bands to post bios, upcoming gigs and other information.

Reagan has seen some opposition to the online marketplace, and not all the local businesses she works with have wanted to take on things such as Twitter.

“People are afraid of new things, especially if they’ve never heard of it before,” she said, noting that many people become interested initially but eventually fail to update their information, which slows traffic to their Web sites.

Still, she thinks online marketing is where businesses are going to have to go to stay competitive.

“You have people who, when they need a phone number, they look online for it,” said Reagan. The Internet has, in her words, “become a way of life.”

Together with Young’s Market Company, the bistro will be offering 4 different premium tequilas for the tasting along with specially priced margaritas and Mexican beers.  There will a special Mexican themed menu for this event.

For more information about the Wine Tasting contact Joanie Madrid or Charles Grimshaw by phone at (928) 758-2009 or visit the Cork and Beans website at www.CorkNBeans.biz

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Contact:

Joanie Madrid/Charles Grimshaw

Cork and Beans Coffee and Wine Bistro

1595 Mohave Drive, Suite 4 and 5

Bullhead City, AZ 86442

(928) 758-2009
winegal@corknbeans.biz