After having our little startup live for 2 weeks, many questions have popped up about whether we are doing things the right way and if we are headed down the right path. The major issue we have is marketing.

We decided to jump in with a live beta without a marketing plan. Was this a smart decision? Right now the answer is “We Don’t Know”. We saw a need for the site we were designing, and wanted to get it out there as soon as possible. But very rarely can you rely on the “build it and they will come” mantra. Maybe some PR is needed? We know this. But we have been able to get a feel on how users will use the service during the last 2 weeks, which will go a long way in helping us define some of the goals in a marketing plan.

We also have begun writing notes for a business plan. The major question we have is, “How the heck are we going to monetize this thing without spamming our users?” Are we in this for the money? Honestly? No and yes. Short term, we want to create a great and useful product. My wife and some of her fellow bloggers were frustrated with the social bookmarking sites out there because there really wasn’t one that was family-based. We are trying to fill that void by creating a place where mommy and daddy bloggers can quickly find and share stories from everyday life. But if this takes off, the bills will rack up, whether it is server and development costs, or just the amount of time and effort we put into it.

Like Chad Randall, I hate Google Adsense. It’s just not for me, although I know it has it’s place. Yes, we have some on our site right now. It’s a placeholder. We’ve gotten one click. I’ll be happy to donate the few cents we earned. I honestly don’t think it’s fair to have adsense ads next to content that other people have written, especially when they may have their own adsense ads on their own site with the original post. We would hope that you click through the the full article, then check out their own ads. But again, with success come bills, so we are looking at revenue-generating alternatives.

So are we blindly going down the right path? Time will tell, I guess. What do you think?

While it’s been no secret to some, Fresh Yields has temporarily closed it’s doors. Well, that should be door, since it was just the front door to my house. Many things have been going on for the past few months, but here is a summary:

• A few projects were taking way too long, and it was probably no ones fault but my own. I only have a few left on my plate, and I am trying to close them out as effectively as I can.
• While trying to get Fresh Yields off the ground, I still held a full-time job. Well, my real job’s duties increased big time, which left little time.
• Family. This may be the biggest thing, but by no means is it a bad thing. Juggling the two jobs while having 3 beautiful daughters under 6 years old and a very understanding wife become increasingly difficult. I really don’t know how some of you do it. It wasn’t that bad when they were younger. But now with homework after school, and soon sports practice or ballet, it’s just going to be too much for me. I would much rather spend time with them and not have to worry that I’m going to be up until 4 A.M coding. And, to be honest, my wife and I have been getting along much better since my workload decreased, although I think she is taking my place with her blogging.
• And finally, deadbeat clients suck. They lead to pissed off employees, who essentially worked for nothing. Any present and former clients that I still have a relationship with, please be sure to know I am not talking about you.

This does not mean I am finished with all things internet.  Hopefully quite the opposite.  Fresh Yields, the company, may be back and better than ever.  But for now, Fresh Yields will just be the blog home of Steve James.

After receiving a 60-day domain name renewal for a website I had no idea I still owned, I decided to check out my “control center” to see what other surprises might await. Here is what I found:

• Freshyields.com - of course.
• One website I registered for a friend, and is still in use, although not by my friend. Hmm, maybe I should bill the new owner?
• One concept project I had years ago, but was lucky enough to be able to reuse the design for a great cause, and was even able to reuse the rock-solid content management system behind it.
• An ecommerce experiment that my wife and I tried, which flamed out.
• One blogsite about building your own sports bar in your basement that I haven’t touched in a while.
• Three websites dedicated to a a client that I haven’t had any work from in over a year.

What’s in your portfolio?

Congrats are in order for two FreshYields clients, Su Casa and The Corduroy Button. Both were selected Best of Baltimore by the City Paper. Both stores also won the reader’s poll for their respective categories. Su Casa won for “Best Place to Buy New Furniture“, while The Corduroy Button was tops for “Best Children’s Clothing Store”.

…launched a couple of months ago, with no fanfare from us. That’s what happens when the blog is down.

Gaga for Lulu is an upscale children’s boutique. Fresh Yields performed all aspects of the site build, from identity design to ecommerce backend. We will be embarking on a comprehensive Search Engine Marketing and Optimization plan in the coming months.

In this hectic world of sales and marketing to prospective clients, it feels good to produce something for an organization that is out there making a difference in the lives of children from all over the world. Mending Kids International is one of such organizations. Many remember the story of the Guatemalan conjoined twins who were separated at U.C.L.A. back in 2002 with the help of funding from Mel Gibson. I have had the chance to meet these wonderful little girls on a visit to California, and their smiling faces move everyone around them.

There are many more stories of children in need, and Mending Kids International is helping by bringing donated medical care to needy children worldwide. We are happy to announce that their new website has officially launched today.

Su Casa selects Fresh Yields to develop website

June 15th, 2005

Fresh Yields, a new media design and marketing firm, has been selected by Su Casa to create it’s online presence.

Su Casa is a retailer of contemporary furniture and accessories. They have two locations, in Ellicott City and Fells Point. Fresh Yields will be developing new and unique ways for website visitors to find and save information on Su Casa’s offerings.
Su Casa is a retailer of contemporary furniture and accessories. They have two locations, in Ellicott City and Fells Point. Fresh Yields will be developing new and unique ways for website visitors to find and save information on Su Casa’s offerings.

Steve James

CEO FreshYields

www.freshyields.com