I was looking at a number of websites with a friend of mine this afternoon…and what amazes me is that irregardless of vertical market – how many BAD sites there are out there. Let’s face it…in today’s day & age, your website may be the first thing that people see regarding your company – and it does leave a lasting impression regarding the quality of your company, your products / services, maybe even the quality of customer service they might receive.

The sad part is – you may have the greatest stuff to offer, and you / your team would take a bullet for your customers, but that’s not how your potential customer perceives you. I blame this on a couple of things:

1. “I have a cheapo copy of this XXX version of XXX web posting software, and I can do it myself”. Brilliant. This is like buying a Ferrari, and deciding to repaint it with a spray can.

2. “I can save money by using a template I found”. OK…in this case, the graphics might be a little better. But, I find in cases like this, either the navigation throughout the site ends up being about as effective as trying to navigate the Serengeti with a map drawn by a four year old…with a crayon. And…that’s assuming that they’ve tried to match a graphical look with something relevant to what they are trying to sell.

3. “I know a guy that has built websites before”. Gee…my coworker’s kid, who is great at Nintendo, built a website, and he’ll build mine for cheap. So…you get something that looks like Napoleon Dynamite would make – between drawing “ligers”. Stop the madness before it’s too late!

I realize that these examples may seem extreme. Right up until you see sites that fit these examples. There’s a reason why you pay a little extra for a good, creative web designer. Saving a little bit of money in the short term…doesn’t pay off when it drives sales away from your business. So…how to make sure you don’t make these mistakes?

-Look at your competitors websites. Yours…has to look better, navigate better, tell the story better. Go through their sites…and make sure that you understand what works on theirs…and what doesn’t work.

-3 clicks. Remember that rule. It should take no more than 3 clicks to get to any piece of information on your site. More than that – people go away irritated. And…they don’t come back.

-Relevant content. Which goes back to the previous suggestion. If it doesn’t need to be there…don’t put it there. Think of your website like a menu. It should wet their appetite…they don’t need to know the details of how the meat was butchered. If your site visitor has to scroll down through the equivalent of “War and Peace”…they will go away…and you’ll never see them again.

-Finally – when you know what you want, know what you think it should look like, and know what content it should have – find a good web designer. Take a look at the sites they’ve created. Make sure you feel comfortable that they can bring to life, what you’ve envisioned.

And please…no sound files that scream “domination”. Yes…there is a site out there that does that. Your task…should you wish to accept it – is to find it…and leave comments here about it.

Newest Painting availble via Giclee

West Maui Sunset – Oil
Original Size: 24″ x 36″

Pricing dependent on size

For ordering information – contact:
dfish@thedesignfoundry.com

I hate to say this…but there are reasons why professional designers exist. And why the field of “experiential marketing” is growing. It amazes me what some people think constitutes a “good logo”. Of course – when it comes to “art” – it also amazes me what some people think is “good” and “bad”. When it comes to art – that’s not a bad thing. It would be very difficult to survive as an artist if what was considered “good” was so narrow, that it forced every artist to create the same works – art should have variety!

When it comes to design – whether it’s a logo, package design – basically anything related to a company / product / service brand, the “art rules” don’t necessarily apply. Good design can have a positive impact on sales – and profit. Bad design – can have a negative impact. And…it takes much more work to overcome the negative than it takes to build a positive perspective of your brand right out of the box.

Apple is a perfect example. The “Apple” logo – very clean. Readily identifiable. The logo is simple – which subliminally reinforces the ease of use of their products, including their operating system, their laptops, their iPods…which builds an emotional connection between the customer and the company. Proof of this – look at how loyal Mac users are. Look at how well iPods have been accepted into the marketplace in such a short time, and how it’s created a cottage industry around that one, small product.

Yet…think of the logos of every local Chinese restaurant you drive by. Think about it for a second. Can you remember the name of that little chinese place on the corner? Difficult…isn’t it. No impact. Yet…P.F. Changs – great branding. Great logo. Typeface sticks in your head. Their raw cost for foodservice products – isn’t that much more than that local chinese place. Yet – their branding, elevates the perception of their restaurants. It creates an experience. An experience that builds loyalty. The loyalty – allows them to charge a higher price – which equates to higher profit.

And…it all starts with the logo. Your logo is the first “face” your customers see. So…yes, everybody thinks they can design a logo. But…not everyone can design the right “face” for your company. It may be cheaper to do it yourself….but in the long run – it may cost you far more than you save. Don’t be afraid to higher a professional service or designer to develop your brand identity, including your logo. In the long run – it’s an investment that will pay off!

This month’s speaker is Rod Lenniger, the COO from iCrossing. Should be an interesting topic – “Advertising – Traditional vs. Internet”. With the Internet having the ability to connect any company to any customer, and search engines are the media used to facilitate that, then we can truly say that now, the customer is in control. This month’s topic is significant – as marketers, showing ROI for your ad campaigns…well, don’t do that – and you don’t have a job anymore. We run the risk of pouring money into advertising vehicles that are becoming “loosing propositions” – rather than “profit centers”. So…time to learn – again – how to “be in the right place at the right time”!

AMA Monthly Professional Development Luncheon
Wednesday, March 22nd
Phoenix Country Club
11:30a – 1:00p

For more information, visit amaphoenix.org

There is an issue with trying to impliment “new technologies” within the SMB marketplace…one that has plagued me over the last few years. Let’s call it the “SMB Myopia Trifecta”. It is a combination of upper management ignorance, too much focus on immediate ROI, and the common “if it ain’t broke…don’t fix it” syndrome.

RSS, Blogs, Vlogs…could be considered “signposts” on what Marketing is being forced to morph into – we’ve gone from a profession of “pushing the message” to “continual re-education” of our customers. Your customer may know more about your company, your products & services, and your virtues & vices – than your own people. New technologies allow your company to tap into what your customers are thinking – and whether their perceptions match yours. But, the “trifecta” I mention above…ignores this fact. I’ll address each of the issues – and why they need to change.

1. Upper Management Ignorance. “This is a passing fad / It’s too new to make a difference / This doesn’t apply to our industry / This is only good for B2C Businesses”. Nope. Sorry. Wrong! This is the new reality – like it or not. That doesn’t mean that you should just “pick a technology and impliment”. To be certain, it is imperative that you should research whether or not a new technology is a viable choice for your business. And..even if a specific piece of technology doesn’t fit today – it “pays to be prepared”. But – ignoring it won’t make it go away.

2. Too much focus on Immediate ROI – I’ve personally dealt with this one–too many times, and find the “excuse” of upper managment that “it’s too new to measure whether it’s effective” is a hollow excuse. New technologies, such as “Personal URL” direct mail campaigns vs. classical direct mail actually have better, quicker ROI. Yes – upfront costs may be higher – but being able to quickly test, evaluate, correct and impliment allow for better, faster ROI than doing things “the old way”. Take the time to research which technology “best-fits” your customer’s needs – and be prepared to explain how (and when) the company can expect to derive ROI from it.

3. “If it ain’t broke”…meaning, “this is the way we’ve always done it…so let’s keep doing it that way”. Since the only constant in the universe is inconsistant change – your customers wants / needs / expectations are constantly changing. Failing to meet this reality head on – gives your competition a competitive advantage. So – take a little time to research what tools are out there, and be prepared to build a business case as to why “new beats old”.

Why do our CEO’s need to “change their minds”? – Simple, really. If they don’t – their customers will. The other day, a friend of mine asked me when I last used a Yellow Pages. Suprisingly enough – I couldn’t remember. I just go to the web and do a quick search for what I need. That’s what your customers are doing. They are using techonolgy to make informed choices – ignoring this fact means your customers may be more informed about your competitors products and services than yours. And…lack of information about you may not be of benefit in their decision making process.

So – for those SMB CEO’s that feel that information overload, combined with a constant,oncoming blast of new technologies – means avoiding change – the question should be this – “How do these changes impact my business / my customers / my competition?”