I am reminded during this holiday season just how important the basics really are in everything we do, whether it be the basics of Internet marketing or most importantly life in general. You really cannot build any meaningful success without sound basics and fundamentals. There seems to be so much stress, so many challenges, and so many seemingly complicated things to work through. We really need some super glue, or maybe even a digital blueprint, that keeps everything all together.

I have a friend in Kenya. I withhold his name only in order to protect him. He stays with Nancy and me when he comes to Orlando once a year for meetings with his mission organization. He is a Christian missionary, following the teachings of the Jewish man for whom this season is about, trying to provide for people in his area who are mostly Muslims, where there are no real basic necessities of life by American standards of living. Now think about that - Christian-Jewish-Muslim all intertwined. It sounds not only complicated, but also rather dangerous. And it can be.

While he is Kenyan, there was little trust from the local Kenyans in his motives when he was trying to reach out to help tribal Muslims who had little. They were guarded about receiving anything from him. So in the middle of a plot of almost barren land – he built an outdoor toilet. There were no toilets for the people in the area so this really made an impact. Slowly they came to find out what it was and discovered that he was just trying to help them. They slowly realized that what he was providing was of value. They continued to come and trust and their relationships grew. He expected nothing in return. He was just genuinely loving and serving the people around him.

That was a few years ago. He has expanded now by building a school around the toilet in order to offer education services for young children where there was little to no education offered before. (Of course that was always his goal, he just thought the toilet would help increase interest first.) He is also teaching his neighbors how to farm and provide better nutrition for them and their families. Throughout this life of giving, he and his wife have been threatened, have had to raise funds to provide basic services to others and struggle to provide for their own family. But he continues on without reservations. Now that’s real courage and true service to others.

We really need more people like him and his wife. We need to better appreciate and provide the basics of life through our own personal service to others. There are many people in our own communities who need some type of “toilet” that you can uniquely provide. Let’s all open our eyes a little wider this coming year, see more of what is needed around us, and reach out to serve someone else in real need in our own local community.

After all, that is what this season is all about for so many of us. It’s about a man who lived long ago but continues to change the world even today. He came to provide incredible life through the basics – love and service to others before himself. One of the greatest gifts of all is selfless giving. It is the super glue, the blueprint of life. It is the character of the Christ in Christmas.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

I love this time of the year. The air is crisp, football is on all weekend long, Starbucks brings back their Pumpkin Spice Lattes and then there is all the delicious food we can look forward to on Thanksgiving.

But Thanksgiving is more than all of this; it’s about bringing loved ones together to Thank God for all of the blessings we have enjoyed throughout the year.

The original Thanksgiving was to celebrate surviving a particularly harsh journey from Europe. In this article I would like to take a moment to talk about my family here at Xcellimark and why I am thankful that I get to work with such an outstanding group of people.

“D& D”

No, I’m not talking about Dungeons and Dragons. “D & D” is the affectionate name we have bestowed upon the Design and Development department. With our Director of Web Development at the helm of this group, we have produced the best (in my humble opinion) websites on the planet. Our websites are designed to be search engine-friendly and increase client revenues. And the D & D Team always comes up with a professional design that fits every client’s unique personality. 

Communications

Xcellimark has quite a team that provides copywriting and editing services. I have a lot of respect for what our communications team does. Not only do they generate content that people find interesting but they also give website visitors the information they need to make a buying decision, thus increasing conversion rates for our clients. They also setup, manage, and train clients on social media platforms and services that help promote our clients’ brands and drive much-needed linking power into our clients’ websites. You can count on our communications team to help increase your overall business through specialized content marketing skills.

Project Management

In order to keep things moving along and on time, you need a project manager. Our Project/Account Manager helps the team stay organized and running efficiently so we can deliver a quality product to the client. She has a unique ability to translate things from very technical or analytical people such as myself and relay it in a way that our clients can understand. She is also an accomplished actress who has appeared in several productions around Central Florida including “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “A Christmas Carol.”

Marketing and Business Development

Our marketing and consulting department helps clients understand how they can use technology, Internet marketing and content marketing in a way that can greatly expand their business. Understanding how it all fits together can sometimes be confusing to many businesses, but our marketing department helps clients recognize how the pieces fit together in a way that multiplies the effects of their efforts. Check out our bi-weekly newsletter with articles on how to use various aspects of Internet marketing to grow your business.

Executive

General Patton once said “Never tell a person how to do something, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their ingenuity.” Our leaders are a living example of this statement.

As the founders, President and Vice President of Xcellimark, Scott and Nancy have worked in Marketing for over 30 years and in the Internet Marketing industry since the 1990s. Under their leadership and guidance they have produced some of the most impressive lead generation campaigns ever. From start to finish, they have a hand in all of our projects while fostering an environment of creativity, efficiency and fun. Scott and Nancy also have a heart of gold with their continuous support of not only the Xcellimark team but to outside charities such as Toys for Tots, Central Florida Dream Center, Elizabeth House, Global Teams and many more.

The Xcellimark Team works together to produce quality work and innovative solutions. I’m humbled to work around such a talented team and for that, I am the most thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

Kris Taff, Marketing Analyst, U.S. Marine Veteran, and Historical Aficionado

Even the best writers fall prey to a mistype or two. That’s why I want you to say hello to my little friend: After the Deadline. It’s a fantastic browser plug-in that helps my copy go from “Uh-oh!” to “Wow!”

Sure, most content management systems have a spell check feature built into them but After the Deadline is different because it double checks your spelling on any field containing text – even if it’s not a content manager. It could be any website where inputting text is involved.

Word Processing
 

Blogging
 

Any Field of Text
 

It’s Free

One of the best things about After the Deadline is that it’s free so there is no excuse not to use it. After the Deadline should not take the place of a pair of human eyes editing and proofreading your content – any good writer knows that! But no matter how many times you have another person read your content, sometimes things are overlooked.

After the Deadline is not a replacement to your current editing process – instead it should be looked at as an asset you can use in your editing process so you focus more on your writing and less time on proofreading.

It’s that time of year again where we welcome the official start of summer.  All of us enjoy a good BBQ feast and time with the family, but how did we get here? Isaac Newton once said “If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of Giant.”

He was referring to how his work was built upon the work that others had done before him.  No doubt that we live in the land of opportunity. Those opportunities are there because of the hard work and sacrifices made by those who have gone before us to build this country.

Honoring Fallen Heroes

Last year I took a trip to France. On one part of the trip, I visited Normandy and the sites of the D-Day invasion. It seemed surreal to stand where so many had fought and fallen.  I can tell you that visiting the American cemetery in Normandy is an overwhelming experience.

Walking through a cemetery of where nearly 10,000 soldiers have been laid to rest is a humbling experience. As my eyes filled with tears and my heart swelled with pride, I felt honored to render a salute to all of our fallen brothers in arms.

Let Freedom Ring

American Pride goes far beyond one war or one person. We can look back at the American Revolution and find the people that stood up to a tyrannous king with one voice and said “We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal.”

We can fast forward to today and see our loved ones in Iraq and Afghanistan still proclaiming the same messages of freedom and liberty. This Memorial Day, let us take time to honor those who have gone before us and sacrificed everything so that we may “stand on the shoulders of Giants.” God Bless America and Semper Fi!

Do you know a mom that happens to be a Web or Graphic Designer? If you do, chances are she’s the coolest person you know and you’ve been waiting all year for Mother’s Day to buy her an equally cool gift. Lucky for you, I’ve put together a list of some quirky last minute items you might want to head out and snag.

1. Porn for New Moms - This book is 95 pages full of photos and captions of hunky men doing exactly what new mothers want. Immerse yourself in a fantasy world where your husband insists on changing dirty diapers, cooking fantastic meals, and waking up for late night feedings. That’s my kind of daddy!
2. Nestling Birds Necklace - These sweet necklaces are handmade from recycled sterling silver and make a great gift for any mom. Who wouldn’t want happy little mama and baby birds hanging around? The artists also have earrings and rings available in a similar style.
3. Moleskine Passion Journals - Designers LOVE their Moleskines. Now the classic notebooks are available in a new series that cater to other passions outside of design. These gorgeous journals have fully embossed hard covers, expandable inner pockets and theme based sections to help you organize and create. Choose from 6 passions: Recipe Journal, Wine Journal, Book Journal, Film Journal, Music Journal, and Wellness Journal.
4. Apple’s iPad- What kind of web designer gift list would this be without at least one techy item? In the off chance that the mom in your life gets to relax, what better way than sitting on the porch, kicked back and enjoying the beauty that is the iPad. If you’re feeling a little extra adventurous, grab this fun but embarrassing protective case (with wings)! The one-of-a-kind iMaxi.
5. Olive Manna Coloring Book- One of my personal favorites is this coloring book made by Olive Manna. It features 50 fun patterns ready to be colored any way you like. This serves as a double duty gift. Not only will web designer moms love to take some off screen time to get creative with their color crafting, but they can also share in the fun with their kids! The only bummer is that the books don’t go to print until May 15 so you won’t make it by Mother’s Day. However, all pre-orders will ship with a free set of mini colored pencils while supplies last.
6. Bonus Item: Web Designers Are Sexy T-Shirt- Because every mom likes to be told that she’s sexy. Okay, so this one technically can’t fall in the “things to buy” list since you can’t buy it. The website lets you know how you might win or earn a shirt. I won myself a shirt (that’s me and my boy) by crafting a killer haiku in a contest they were running. Regardless though, take this as a tip, a hint, a suggestion. You may not have a shirt to give her, but tell that mom in your life that she’s still sexy! Overlook the spit-up filled wardrobe, the messed up hair, and the not so light circles under her eyes.  Web designer or not, sometimes the best gift is a sentiment of appreciation and flattery.

To all my fellow designer moms out there, Have a Happy, Happy Mother’s Day!

P.S. If you know lots of Web Designers, but none are moms (according to A List Apart’s 2008 survey, 83.8% of people who make websites are male) leave a comment below and I’d be happy to let you know where you can mail MY gift!

Over the weekend, my mom and I volunteered at the GR8 To DON8  8K Run for Organ Donation  where runners, walkers and volunteers came together to raise money and awareness for organ donation. It’s a cause that is dear to my heart because I am a living donor; I gave my mom a kidney almost 4 years ago. We had so much fun on our route #18 as we cheered and guided the runners and walkers to the finish line. We also got to see some dear old friends who provided love and support during and after the transplant.

When it was discovered that I was a perfect match for my mom, I was elated. I have never felt such a sense of purpose than when I came out of the hospital after donating my left kidney. It was like I was finally able to give back to my mom after all her years of hard work and sacrifice for me. And I would do it all over again if I had to.

April is National Donate Life month so it’s the perfect time to become an organ, tissue, marrow, and blood donor. There are more than 98,000 people who need an organ transplant and you never know when you can be someone’s saving grace. Click here to get more information on organ donation. Trust me, you won’t feel a thing ;-)