Blogs

So, here I am, looking for an outsourcing partner who has the resources to provision web development and marketing projects for me, so I can concentrate on what I do best - selling.

So, I run into AIS Media - It appears at first blush that it is a perfect fit, right?  They say they do complete provisioning and also help in marketing, as well as provide ways to manage your customers through internal interfaces.  Fine and dandy.  Here are some problems:

1. You're expected to sell their services at unreasonably high prices and then share a certain percentage with them.  Of course, if you have to discount, you're the one who's screwed, not them.  They have their minimums, of course.
2. They charge exorbitant fees to join their partner program.  This is one of the most rediculous parts of their deal - From my point of view, I'm doing these guys a huge favor by selling their services for them to my clients - and for that privilege, I've got to part with my hard-earned money?  Idiots!
3. They're just not that good.  Look at their website - You'd hope that it would be their shining example and would be spotless.  Not so.  There are javascript errors, spelling errors, and the website is very average looking.  Hardly a confidence builder.
4. They have this long and arduous vetting process and they stick you with salespeople who strictly follow a script and don't care if you don't want them talking to you as if you're a 4th grader and if you've shown to them again and again that you're far more experienced and smarter than they are.

I see AIS Media advertises heavily on franchise websites.  Though they clearly say they're not a franchise.  Dishonesty!  I suppose they'll get their share of non-smart and non-savvy people desperate to rid themselves of some of their money.  Their entire marketing strategy seems to me to be geared towards tooting themselves as a good outsourcing partner (franchisor)- not at all geared towards demonstrating or illustrating how good they and their services are.

Our friends at Customized Embroidery provide fantastic services all around, but they truly excel when it comes to delivering amazing high-quality customized corporate apparel. 

Do you need denim shirts with your logo on top of the pocket?  Perhaps you need a message written below the logo?  Maybe a message also in the back of the shirt?  Perhaps you're looking more for baseball caps or jackets for your sales team, with your logo in it?  David Zeluff, from Customized Embroidery is your man!

What do companies do when they're looking for help online?

What kind of help do they need?

Unless you're new, you already have some sort of presence on the Internet and likely have spent some good money and time on your Internet initiatives.  So, what do you need?

Can we serve up some SEO?  Perhaps a little link campaign while we're at it? How about a good SEM campaign while we wait for the SEO to kick in?

No?  You've got that covered?  Want to syndicate your blog entries instead?   Perhaps post your items on Google Base? Perhaps sustained e-mail marketing campaigns are more along the lines of what you're looking for?