But we needed to be certain that this would fix the problem or else the attack may have been worse the next time. We used a comparison program to look at the differences between the old version of WordPress that had been “hacked” and the new version. Not having found anything different that would solve any of the usual types of attacks (i.e. SQL injections), it was evident that the problem was not yet solved.

After some investigation, it turned out that the problem was with Network Solutions, the hosting company. While we were trying to determine the problem, we noticed that a lot of WordPress sites had been attacked in the same manner, all hosted by Network Solutions. That gave us an area to focus our attention on. In the end, Network Solutions was not properly configuring their web servers. Every user, regardless of their permissions, was able to access the files of every other user on the server.

Network Solutions originally tried to blame the security hole on WordPress thinking it was a software problem. However, the ultimate responsibility of configuring a webserver so that users cannot view the files of other users is with the host. WordPress is completely blameless in this matter.

Network Solutions is one of the more trusted names in hosting, having been the most recognized name for the longest amount of time. In a world where hosts come and go Network Solutions has been a constant. They have at this point acknowledged that they own the problem, and that they “…are learning from this experience.” But that just raises more questions about their qualifications: How can they still be “learning” when the tools to prevent this very thing from occurring have been in existence for years? This rule is the most basic of the basic and students learn this from day one: you don’t allow users access to the files of every other user. How can they still be learning that basic and most important rule?

The worst part is when you consider that they are constantly setting up new web servers to keep up with the constant flow of new customers. Thus it stands to reason that they must have a Standard Operating Procedure for setting up new webservers and adding new clients to each of them. It isn’t as though each technician has carte blanche to set up a new webserver however they see fit. So if there is a Standard Operating Procedure for this huge mistake, then it must come from the people who are supposed to be the most knowledgeable in the organization because these are the guys writing the books!

There is no way that we can’t recommend abandoning Network Solutions to any company we encounter who hosts with them. How can anyone ever trust such a company ever again? Learning from past mistakes is great. Even better: hiring people who paid attention in class when the professor taught them how to use tools that were created to fix someone else’s past mistakes.

Ottaway Digital is here to help.

We are amazed at the difference in attitude we see in the first quarter of this year when contrasted against the first quarter of last year. The change for the positive is overwhelming. Most of you see the economy coming back and are planning for it. That is not to say that people aren’t moving with caution…they are, of course, but people see opportunity now where they didn’t at this point last year. Remember the NYSE low of March 9, 2009 when Ford and Citibank were at about $1.00 a share?

So, what to do now? Where to go to get more leads?

1. BULK EMAIL DISTRIBUTION: This is an important element of all annual budgets. If done improperly, if can backfire. If done well, it is very cost effective and powerful. We have a system set up to develop your offer and get it out quickly and effortlessly. Don’t overlook an email blast!

2. ADVERTISE “ONE 2 ONE” VERSUS MASS MEDIA: Budgets are generally smaller now, and therefore mass media doesn’t make sense for many businesses. Using direct marketing…whether search, postal or email…you will be able to see the response…and the interest. The added benefit is the “free market research” that we can provide you too. You’ll know quite quickly what people are interested in and what they don’t care about. This allows us to move your advertising budget into the best responding campaigns. No need to spend where people don’t want to buy.

3. CHARITY BEGINS IN THE STORE/OFFICE: Make no mistake about it, even in tough times; people want to help others who are less fortunate than they. You absolutely, positively must connect with a charity. The big guns are doing it with great success, and you can too. What’s nice is that everybody wins. We keep suggesting ideas to clients and they seem to think that it sounds like work. Well, it is, but that’s what we do. Pepsi dropped their Super Bowl sponsorship in favor of allocating $20 million to charitable causes and set up a website to let their customers participate. Theirs is an intricate plan, but yours doesn’t have to be. Get involved with an organization that makes sense for your business and that would make a good partner. Your customers will thank you, especially the younger ones.

We have plenty of great marketing ideas below, so please take a look. If there are topics that you’d like to see us address, please email me at bottaway@ottaway.net. We welcome your feedback. And, speaking of feedback, thanks for the many complimentary comments on our sales newsletters. We appreciate it!

Focus, plan and sell,

Bob Ottaway, President

FREE MARKETING INFORMATION FROM
OTTAWAY DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS

Here’s more helpful stuff we know you’ll find useful:

1. Change in media spending in 2009. Top 10 category changes: Spanish Language Cable TV (+32.2%); Cable TV (+14.8%); Free Standing Coupons in Sunday Newspaper (+11.5%); Internet (+0.1%); Spanish Language Network TV (-3.9%); National Sunday Supplement (-7.2%); Spot Radio (-8.7%); Network Radio (-9.7%); Network TV (-9.9%); Local Newspaper (-10.4%).

2. Buy online, pickup at store. Watch this category. It is gaining steam. The idea was toted loudest by Circuit City, and they still disappeared, but Sears is experimenting with it online and even offering to let you sell your products on their site. Check it out at: https://seller.marketplace.sears.com/SellerPortal/d/help/about_marketplace.jsp#SellOnSears. Certainly this is something that is worth considering in some form if you have a store front.

3. Website Refreshing. According to a recent survey the top two reasons the companies are updating their websites are: (1) Better organized and updated home, category and product pages. 43.7% (2) Better search engine optimization. 40.2% InternetRetailer.com

4. Mobile Phone Advertising Is Rising. The total spent in 2009 was $760 million. It is expected to reach $1.1 billion by 2012. Make sure that you have pages on your site ready for mobile. If you don’t, call us.

5. Social Media—Not As Easy As It Looks. This from a group of experts interviewed in the New York Times. According to Jason Liebman of Howcast Media: “What’s often not factored into social media campaigns is the time to cultivate a following and fans. Social media channels require someone to actively manage them, and that’s often a greater investment than an advertising campaign in terms of manpower. NYT, 2.25.2010, p B6. We steadfastly concur.

Here’s more helpful stuff we know you’ll find useful:

Change in media spending in 2009. Top 10 category changes: Spanish Language Cable TV (+32.2%); Cable TV (+14.8%); Free Standing Coupons in Sunday Newspaper (+11.5%); Internet (+0.1%); Spanish Language Network TV (-3.9%); National Sunday Supplement (-7.2%); Spot Radio (-8.7%); Network Radio (-9.7%); Network TV (-9.9%); Local Newspaper (-10.4%).

Prediction #2: Big catalogs are getting downsized. How can you benefit?

Prediction #3: “Charity begins at the office.” Well, it should. Read why.

Here are some ideas that you can put to work today:

1. One major problem for many store chains in that they’re too big according to analysts at Bain & Co. Too many stores for the new consumer. Too much square footage with more and more Internet sales. So, the perceived “big box” halo seems to be coming crashing down.

SOLUTION: Create an “experience zone”. Is there a way that you can turn a part of your store into an interactive area? This is just a Ten Dollar word for a testing or sampling area. Look how much mileage Costco gets out of all of their free food samples. People wait in line!

2. At J.C. Penny Co. Inc. its twice-yearly big-book catalog is out and a stronger focus on eCommerce is in. J.C. Penny’s own marketing officer, Mike Boylson, says: Big-book catalogs have become less relevant as customers have embraced shopping online….

SOLUTION: Here’s another point of differentiation that the “big” stores had over the local merchants and now it’s being abandoned for the Internet. Our advice, beef up your Web presence including social media. You can look just as “big” as they do on the Internet, in fact, the sites built by our team are better.

3. Take your charity dollars and PUBLICIZE. Google guru, Perry Marshall, tells the story of how Oprah dressed a children’s choir in Perry Ellis tuxedos. You may not be able to call up Mr. Ellis, but there are hundreds of charities that you could call. Younger consumers are especially motivated to buy from you based on your “giving back” program.

SOLUTION: First of all, this can’t be short-term. This is a multi-year program unless you’re real big, and can make it work in the short-run. We bring this up to clients over and over, and few do it: give a percentage of your sales to a non-profit. Do it strategically, but DO IT. It will make a difference. (Did you see where Kroger raised $342,000 at check-out last month for cancer research…in Detroit!) C’mon, you can get free publicity too!

If you’re a client looking for a talented, passionate agency that‘s also lean and efficient, please call us and take advantage of the tips below:

1. With the dramatic aging of the population, there will be more focus on people in their 40s. Are you staffed accordingly?

2. Name your keyword and search it for sales trends for your city or region for free. Logon: google.com/insights/search.

3. Click-to-Call ads are coming on mobile devices from Google AdWords. It will be on a fifth line of text. The cost of click for the call is the same as a click to your website. Available now.

4. Thinking about a “refreshed” logo. Think “warmer and fuzzier”. See Walmart.

Question: Do you need a better return on your marketing investment?

Question: Would you like to have a better measurement of your marketing spend?

Answer:

We’ve been in the marketing business for 27 years. We know what works in certain industries, and what doesn’t. Believe us when we tell you, some mediums are great for some industries and some are not. There is no “one size fits all.”

If you are like most of the businesses we talk to, you are looking to save money and survive this Great Recession, while at the same time prepare for the inevitable upturn. It is already happening for some clients who don’t want to brag.

We want you to consider Search Marketing but managed by our proprietary Internet Marketing System providing you both an online search campaign and on-going website development. We have been the leaders in this medium in Detroit since 2000. Over the past 10 years we have learned a lot so you don’t have to waste your money figuring it out. You want customers now. We understand, and we can deliver. We will even make you a guarantee. What do you have to lose?

If you’ve tried Search Marketing with someone else and it hasn’t worked, we’re not surprised. While Google markets this product as “anyone can do it”, don’t be fooled: Anyone can do it and waste hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars a day. We’ve seen the carnage when we take over other people’s accounts.

Next Step: Want more leads now? Contact us now: (248) 637-4600 or email me at bottaway@ottaway.net. We are home to Google Certified AdWords Professionals, and top level web designers and developers, and have been specializing in Search Marketing since 2000. No other Detroit agency can make this claim. Please let us know how we may help you reach your goals, and be sure to profit from the free information below.

Here’s some helpful stuff we know you’ll find useful:

1. Hulu.com…the computer portal to watch many popular TV shows…had 856 million video views in October during the height of the Fall TV Season. (comScore, 11/25/09)

2. Inspire Customers: Along with innovation, optimism has been a key ingredient in the inspiring consumers and building brands through the last 10 recessions. Coca-Cola’s history of optimistic messaging is legendary according to Phil Geier, Jr in his latest book: Survival of the Smartest: Marketing That Works in Good Times and in Bad.

3. Web Updates: “Constantly evolve through incremental changes, without changing too much at once to risk customer frustration or confusion,” said Lindy Rawlinson, VP of web operations and new business at Neiman Marcus Direct. “Let the customer get used to changes to the site one at a time.”

4. CreativityLivesInDetroit.com: Keep watching for the new creatives to attract young wage earners to the City.

5. In-Store Pickup of Online Orders Can Lift Sales: That’s because many like to see the item before purchase, and some worry about Internet security. Please email them when the item is ready for pickup and 37% want it immediately, 28% within 24 hours according to Internet Retailer.

6. Don’t Rush To Cut Prices: A price cut of 5% would have to generate increased sales volume of 19% in order to pay for itself—and that almost never happens. (McKinsey Associates)

7. 80% of Sales Come From 2% of Buyers: This according to a year-long study of package-goods sales by Checkout Coupons. Over 1300 brands were surveyed in 54 million shopping transactions. (What’s the old adage about keeping your current customer satisfied?)

8. Google is only as Good As Your Website: That’s why you have to test everything and test it constantly. The nice part is that with Google you don’t have to sign up for any contracted period of time like you do with Yellow Pages. So, if it’s not working, you can make immediate changes.

9. Squeezing Websites onto Cell phones: If you don’t think this is important, guess again. We’re coding web pages for cell phone viewing on most sites.

10. Twitter Tops Swine Flu: “Twitter” was the most popular word of 2009, according to the Global Language Monitor, a group that tracks English-language trends.

We thought that you would find the following findings of importance in planning your advertising in 2009:

* Adults are exposed to screens—TVs, cell phones, GPS devices—for about 8.5 hours/day.

* TV remains the dominant medium for media consumption and advertising, the study found.

* Computer usage has supplanted Radio as the second most common medium activity.

* Radio ranks third in media usage.

* Print now ranks fourth in media usage.

* The number of minutes with media is almost identical for EVERY age group, except 45— 54 year olds who spend on average an extra hour in front of screens each day.

* The average American is exposed to 5 hours and 9 minutes of live TV each day, another 15 minutes via a DVR and 2.4 minutes of video on the computer.

* TV accounted for 99% of all video consumed in 2008. Even among 18—24 year olds it was 98%.

* How do 18—24 year olds use media? TV 3.5 hours/day; Text Messaging 29 minutes/day; Online Video 5.5 minutes/day.

* Favorite media usage by age group: 25—34: watching DVDs or VCR videos; 35—44: on the web; 45—54: most time on email; 65+: most time with live TV.

* More than 30% of households now own DVRs, and spend at least 15 minutes a day using a DVR.

* The study showed that people underestimate the amount of TV they watch each day by about 25%.

Ottaway Communications is now approaching its 28th year in the media and advertising business. A special thanks to you for tapping into our expertise and knowledge to guide your sales. Our people are professionals and our promise is to make our service sterling. Here’s to an improving ’09!