Today has been an amazing day at S & E Trusted Online Directories! We are honored to have been chosen as a finalist for the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce 2013 SABEX Awards in the Marketing category. Our finalist status was announced along with the 3 other finalist in the marketing category who were recognized for their business excellence at the nominees reception today in Saskatoon.

The SABEX Celebrate Success gala takes place May 9th in Saskatoon at TCU Place.

Here is Sara Wheelwright the Trusted Directories Founder ( she is the 'Trusted Marketing team' as she does it ALL in her in-home studio/office from concept, production, voicing and all the design) with the SABEX finalist award! Cross your Fingers for us !    

The other exciting news is the 1st birthday of www.trustedregina.com, as the directory was launched to the public with a mass media marketing campaign exactly 1 year ago on April 16th 2012!   

The rise of Trustedregina.com has been astronomical, and just shows how much of a need there is in Regina for this service! We were thrilled when www.trustedsaskatoon.com exceeded the business plan by 7,000 unique visitors in it's first year to reach 22,000 uniques visitors..www.trustedregina.com achieved this level in just 9 months and has finished the year at OVER a staggering 36,000 unique visitors, and these are quality,  engaged and active LOCAL BUYERS with over 62% from Regina and over 80% from Saskatchewan!!! 

The 2 Trusted directories are now getting 100's of unique visitors a day EACH with www.trustedsaskatoon.com getting nearly 600 visitors a day some days ..so it makes sense that the Trusted businesses are booming!!  

Google analytic data from www.trustedregina.com ( not including the traffic from the Trusted App)  

We are striving for success and excellence always ..and that means we are working hard for the Trusted Partner and the  Public to provide the BEST DIRECTORIES in the World!

Truly the Smart and Simple Choice for consumers and local businesses alike!

The principals of Trusted are based on integrity, truth and transparency and for a while now I have been thinking about publishing this blog...so hear go's!

I feel bad for small businesses in Saskatchewan and in Canada as a whole - many are being mislead and duped, by companies they put their trust in...and felt I had to speak out.  

The Trusted team has good relationships with the Trusted Saskatchewan businesses and they share with us the communications they get on a daily , weekly, monthly basis from companies trying to solicit their business when it comes to SEO and Social Media. I have to say that i feel that this business is as bad if not worse than the ' stereo typical contractors' when it comes to ripping people off.- a serious lack of good customer service is evident in this industry.

You see, wherever there’s a knowledge gap between the people providing a service and the people buying it, you’ll always find dishonest practices and people taking advantage of their superior understanding. You’ll also find service providers who don’t know what they don’t know, but know more than the client knows and they talk a lot of 'techno speak'  whilst all the while doing nothing and charging for it! 

So what and who can you trust?

The things the 'dishonest companies' charge for is ridiculous- If you see detailed and broken down lists of services these companies charge for in the list below BUYER BEWARE:

• Setting up a business Google places
• Setting up a Google Plus account
• Setting up a Google adwords campaign
• Setting up a Facebook pages
• Setting up Twitter
• Linking Twitter to Facebook
• Managing Twitter account to know who follows and unfollows  

I will tell you the truth ... these things in reality takes 10 minutes maximum!

At Trusted we do this for our clients for FREE .. yet I have seen many other companies charge $100's for each item on the list ( I have seen up to $600 to set up a Google places page and 'manage it'  ..which outrageous!).

Also an issue can be that the companies set up these accounts and have control of them - with their own passwords and emails...therby shutting YOU out of your own online presence...how can this affect you? We have clients at Trusted who realized they were getting hosed by companies that 'set up and managed their Google places' ..when they ended the contract they were barred access to their accounts and were not able to add videos, pictures or even respond to reviews from the public on their own Google page ...because the accounts were not set up under their email and the company has not responded to multiple attempts to get hold of them and rectify the situation..because they don't CARE about the businesses, they care about the money and how long they can get away with taking it ..thats all!    

Check out these 12 Warning signs on SEO companies here for some tips. 

At Trusted we suggest that you deal with these businesses in the same way you should deal with a contractor...

1. Ask for 20 x references ( and call the businesses - do your due dilligence!!!! It could save you $1000's)

2. Ask them what you can do yourself quickly and easily to help your SEO and online presence. If they are unwilling to answer this move on!

The same go's for website companies....I have seen websites that have cost businesses $12-15,000 that are horrible, badly designed templates...I know of companies that charge a fortune for websites and after sales service and ' extras' ..yet they source all of their workers from 3rd World countries where the workers are paid less in a month then they charge the clients an hour! 

If you are a small business that doesn't have / require online purchasing on your website,  then you don't need to have a bespoke fancy website..and if you are paying more than $3000 for it ..you really have to ask why! 

Want examples?

These websites from TRIO web Design  cost less than $3000.....

Decora Homes

Saskatoon Woodworks

3 n 1 Construction 

Trusted is the real deal and we work hard towards achieving an ethical marketplace for all ! 

If you have any questions or comments please do contact us, we are happy to help.  

Being TRUSTED is a unique branding and sales tool for businesses, because the Trusted directories offer quality focused local businesses a unique way to differentiate themselves from their competition, attract new customers, build loyalty with existing customers and also increase their visibility in their home city.

Once we meet with businesses, most agree that its a great concept and a fabulous marketing idea.....but does it ' WORK' ..will it provide a return on their investment?

Sara Wheelwright S & E Trusted online directories founder explains what ' being trusted'  is all about in this video, also you will hear from many of the Trusted Saskatoon.com and Trusted Regina.com directories businesses as they share their real results, 'what else' they get from trusted and how they feel about being TRUSTED!

If you run a locally accountable business and lead the way when it comes to customer service , and want to grow and evolve your business then applying to join Trusted really is the SMART and SIMPLE choice.

Social media is the NOW and it is the future.  

Trusted IS Social- Trusted is LOCAL ..thats what we do and who we are!  

Check out how:

-Trusted Saskatoon.com on FACEBOOK

-Trusted Regina.com on FACEBOOK

-The Trusted Channel on YOU TUBE

-@Trustedcanada on TWITTER

-Trusted on Pinterest

For more details and to see the data for yourself:

Call Sara on (306) 2915303

or email sara@trustedcanada.com

S & E Trusted Online Directories founder shares a business tip with small businesses in Saskatoon and beyond. How to do advertising effectively and why to advertise period!

S & E Trusted Online Directories was a  finalist for Marketing for the prestigious Saskatchewan Chamber of commerce ABEX Awards 2012, and it was their innovative marketing strategies they use to advertise www.trustedsaskatoon.com and www.trustedregina.com  that saw them recognized across the province after less than 18months in business.  

The Trusted group of  local directories www.trustedsaskatoon.com and www.trustedregina.com really are the smart and simple choice.

So what is Sara Wheelwrights, our founders background?

Here she shares some of her story and some big goals!  

" I've been immersed in the wonderful world of marketing, advertising and business since 1992. I persuaded business owners to buy Yellow pages, Internet, Pharmaceuticals and Radio over the years, very succesfully, before I decided to take the leap and start my own marketing/ advertising company. I founded S & E Trusted Online Directories in 2011 after thinking about the idea for years.

At Trusted we ONLY promote and do business with trustworthy locally accountable businesses. I am confident that before I created the Trusted concept, that these wonderful local businesses had no where to turn to in the advertising world that really understood how great they are, and truly valued the really important qualities of honesty amd integrity above the endless quest for MORE SALES and advertising revenue.

My primary goal is to ensure that all the Trusted partners are well represented by my Trusted team, and that the public in the cities we service are informed about and directed to Trusted businesses as the preferred choice! My company communicates daily to the public via many platforms and we help them understand why and how the TRUSTED businesses stand apart from their local competition by being Trusted. We commit to always assisting the public in the cities we serve, by providing quick and easy access to great retail and service providers.

I aim to take Trusted nationwide within 3 years, I never think small it would be a disservice to my 3 children, my supporters, my clients and to the concept of  'being' Trusted  "

Sara Wheelwright

S & E Trusted Onlines Directories commitment to community support & involvement

S & E Trusted Online Directories -the parent company that owns the online directory websites  www.trustedsaskatoon.com and www.trustedregina.com believes firmly in giving back to the communities we serve.

Since we launched www.trustedsaskatoon.com on May 31st 2011 we have had a consistent presence in community charities/ non profits and events in both of the Trusted cities we service..

Here is a list of community involvement since May 30th 2011: Totalling over $23,500 in just 18months

We are proud to partner, support and GIVE the Thumbs up to local charities, non profits and community events.   

• Child Find Saskatchewan – sponsored and helped promote an event through social media at Broadway Theatre.- $600
• We now sponsor them ongoing and promote them on www.trustedregina.com and www.trustedsaskatoon.com - $3000
• Campbell Homes Pink House for the Breast Health Centre- Sponsors- $5000 
• The Little Red Dress Club- Host Sponsor of the Scarlet Soiree benefitting Pink House Campaign- $400
• Sponsored a local first nations youngster to go to Leadership camp at YMCA -$150
• MS Society $250 donation from a Facebook contest Incentive
• C95 Radio Marathon for Breast cancer $250 Donation from a Facebook Contest Incentive
• Habitat for Humanity Regina Woman’s Build  Sponsor 2011 and confirmed for 2012 - $2000
• Silver Sponsor of Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism Celebrating Senior Volunteer awards 2011 &  Bronze sponsor 2012 -$3500
• Tourism Saskatoon Golf Tournament Hole Sponsor 2011. $250
• CFCR- $350 donation to the community Radio station.
• Hole Sponsor of Synergy 8-Decora homes –Saskatoon Crisis nursery initiative 2012 -$3000
• Several donations to silent auctions/ steak night fundraisers - $400
• Focus Mortages Kid Sport Regina Golf tournament Hole sponsor- $250
• YWCA Womens of Distinction Awards donation  - $3000
• MS Walk Saskatoon $350 donation
• Kidsport Regina Charity Race Silver Sponsor $250
• Canadian Cancer Society Jail n Bail - $100  
• New Hope Dog Rescue - Red Dress Pub Crawl - $250
• Relay For Life - Facebook Incentive - $176 
• Helping Regina boy Harrison to get to hospital - $100
• Childrens Wish Saskatoon though Facebook Contest $250

Here is a letter we received today at Trusted HQ in saskatoon from the Saskatoon YWCA ...this truly shows what these donations big and small add up to ..and what they mean to the people who are the beneficiaries! 

We are proud to be the only local Directories that work for you ..but we don't do it alone ..TOGETHER WE ARE TRUSTED! 

Our Trusted community of locally Trusted businesses are growing by the month, and collectively we raise $1000's and $1000's each month for our local community - giving back is the way to go and we give all our partners the Thumbs up for their amazing fundraising efforts and their individual donations and we will always support their efforts through donations and by sharing their events and iniciatives through our blogs, and via our social media platforms where we now have over 13,000 fans and followers!!