New Improved CRSI Website Unveiled.

October also introduced the new improved website for Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI). New look, new color scheme, new navigation . . . in other words, an entirely re-designed website for CRSI.

The CRSI re-design took advantage of Interactive Twist’s thorough planning capabilities. Planning begins with evaluating the existing site and determining what works, what doesn’t, and ideally, what it needs to do. This planning stage is imperative to the successful re-design of a website of this size. The planning concluded that much of the site could be economically reformatted into a new template, saving both time and money.

A new homepage was built using the CRSI administration image gallery to supply three images for the homepage that rotate every time you visit the site. These images are easily changed by CRSI’s creative director.

A new scrolling news banner at the top of the page has links to current CRSI news events. Clicking on a news article expands the bar with more information and a link to more detailed information.
Web portals have been added to inform various user groups: Owners, Architects, Engineers, Builders, and Students who all need specific industry information provided by CRSI.

Accessible buttons and pull down menus are located on the homepage. A new site map added at the bottom allows visitors to find exactly what they are looking for, as well as a search box to find specific information.

Websites are visual, so we invite you to take a look for yourself and imagine what we can do for you! www.CRSI.org

New Office Is Invigorating

LGD/IT continues to offer elegant designs with stunning visuals, for both print and websites.

We just do it down the street from where we were.

Our new space encourages interaction and communication whether it’s among ourselves when we create solutions or with our clients to discuss their ideas. The flow of ideas = well thought-out solutions that exceed marketing goals.

The re-designed corporate identity for LGD & IT employs a discerning eye with a colorful iris. It is focused on the future and all the possibilities. We have shed the shades of purple in favor of a bright, colorful, energizing look. Ultimately, color is all around us – it inspires us, it sets the mood, it offers limitless possibilities. That energy will guide and inspire us to create imaginative solutions for our clients.

Tips for good design

Businesses need a recognizable image that usually includes a logo, stationery, a brochure, and a web site. Whether you go with a professional or a friend of a friend, be careful – it’s your company’s future at stake here.

As the person in charge, you may need to talk to several people before you “click” with one. Worry less about price and more about whether they embrace your vision. The design industry is full of companies that will sell you more than you need and sometimes you have to work in more affordable stages.

We all know that good design looks easy, but not everyone who understands a computer program can design a logo, ad, or brochure. Effective design is so much more than simply understanding a program, and a talented designer brings more to the table than technical know-how.

Here are some of the things to be aware of:

1)  A logo needs to be memorable. Unique is great, but if it doesn’t leave a lasting impression, it is a failure. And consider its size; if you only envisioned your logo in one size, and then decided to put it on a give-away pen, the logo might not work in a smaller size. A talented designer considers all the possibilities.

                                                                                              

 2)  A brochure needs to represent who you are.  The brochure you have now may say exactly what you wanted, but the crop marks showed when it was printed, the pages fold in the middle of words, and there are too many type sizes and colors, making it confusing. Eye movement through an ad or brochure is paramount to its success. If your eye is drawn to what’s important, your sales increase.

3)  Everything visual is a reflection of your company and is critical to your image. An out-of-focus logo, slapped partially over a bad picture of your product, won’t produce positive sales – only negative reactions.

                                                                                                                              

4)  Photo placement requires proper care.  Stretched or squeezed photos make objects or people look weirdly fat or skinny. Photos not properly attached to the file look good on the computer screen but are blurry when printed. Correcting a photo’s color is also important. People in photos who are red-faced come across as either angry or overheated, while people with yellow faces look sick. These are things your customers don’t consciously think about; they just turn off and move on – it is subconsciously unappealing. These are eyesores to a professional designer and are fixed or eliminated, all without changing the substance of the photo.

These are just a few of the things that a design professional considers before starting a project and are examples of what we effectively redesign. Don’t risk your company’s success by using inexperienced people. Consider how your time is best spent – hours creating a good image or minutes approving one.

How Much Should a Web Site Cost?

  Every web site is different and web developers have different formulas for determining costs, so there is no flat price for a particular type of site. Some web designers will charge by the hour, others charge a flat rate per page, and still others will have per project or pre-made package rates. The previous variations are considerations to keep in mind when calculating your web development budget.

Your business may be large or small, but your clients and prospects are searching for information, and trying to locate the right resources to make their purchase decisions. Regardless of the price tier you ultimately select, every good site should have a professional look, have appropriate content that visitors can relate to, and be fully optimized and easily found in the various search engines.

Web Design Price Tiers

Web site pricing can range from $100 to $100,000, and the cost will not necessarily reflect your end result. Competition among web designers, as well as increased internet competition overall has driven the creation of higher quality web sites at lower cost. No price tier as shown below is necessarily ideal and each will have features that work better for some businesses than others.  Of course, your expected return on investment (ROI) should also be taken into consideration when determining a web site budget.

$2,500 or less

The difficulty in this tier is to achieve a professional quality site that doesn’t appear ordinary or “cookie cutter” in appearance. The original graphic design work often required to make a site appear unique and creative will be hard pressed to keep costs within the tier budget.  The end result may be marginally satisfactory and have a generic look. Still, a basic web presence can likely be economically accomplished.

$2,500 to $5,000

At this price level a small business can likely obtain features such as custom graphics, 10 or 15 web pages, stock photos, and perhaps flash designs. This level of site can be considered as an informational site for a smaller company. Graphic design hours may have to be closely monitored to stay within budget.

$5,000 to $10,000

A professional quality web site for the small to medium-sized business should be obtainable in this price tier. The web designer should not be constrained in labor hours to be able to create a unique and professional look to a site customized to your business. You should have custom graphics on a high quality home page, a content management system, search engine optimization (SEO), and an overall design distinguishing you from your competition. Added features such as flash content, drop down menus, online forms, and web site search would be typical components.

$10,000 to $20,000

Advanced features, complex programming, or special high quality design work become achievable in this price tier. Extra components such as intranet, calendars, database management, and technical features can often be included in a more extensive site of perhaps 50 to 75 pages.

$20,000 to $50,000

At this cost level you can enter into complex projects and transactions in e-commerce, or employ components that go beyond web design such as marketing and PR in a variety of media. You are likely to be working with an advertising agency or marketing firm and could be engaging in high-profile work with name brand products or services.

$50,000 or more

Only a very large company is likely to be working with web sites at this price level. You are probably involved with experts in specialties such as database, security, and programming to create a complex, enterprise level web site. Web pages can number into the thousands and the site utilizes advanced programming. The site may be database driven, likely to be tightly controlled by administration, and highly interactive with the visitor.

Conclusion

The cost of a web site will vary greatly depending upon features, needed internet marketing services, the quality of design work, and certainly the particular cost structure for a web developer in the very competitive marketplace. First determine the price tier that best suits your business, and then interview web developers who work in that price range. There is no magic formula for calculating the cost of a new web design or a redesign, but striving to match your web site needs with your chosen developer will help you stay within budget.

Social Media Marketing Issues

  Marketers are continuing to engage the social media in their business-to-business marketing mix. Among the most frequently mentioned benefits are driving website traffic, social buzz, branding, product feedback, SEO benefits, lead generation, and event promotion.

Certainly some types of businesses see more advantages and benefits to social marketing than others. A smaller company may be more eager to employ social media tactics than an established, more traditional large corporation. The particular media platform utilized is also a key to the social marketing plan. For example, Twitter may be preferred by banks and financial services firms discussing the markets and investment trends. Facebook seems to be well-suited to building awareness of consumer household products. LinkedIn is being utilized by professionals networking on legal services.

Among the issues and current considerations in social marketing today are the ability to measure ROI and determining the effectiveness of the marketing tactics being employed. Some companies may have metrics to at least partially attribute gains in website traffic to a social media channel. Other businesses, perhaps new to the social media, have not yet become concerned with analyzing their social media efforts.   Still others may be content to at least partially conduct a quantitative analysis of their marketing programs.  Also, when multiple social media tactics are being employed, it may be unclear which media channel can be identified as the key contributor.

 Company policies regarding employee social media usage are also under widespread review. With most businesses being relatively new to the entire social media arena, issues such as inappropriate comments and the limits of free speech by employees are just now being analyzed. While being too restrictive may run counter to the purpose of the social media, the image and reputation of a company may be inadvertently jeopardized with unlimited free-thinking by well-meaning staff.

Leader Graphic Design is a full-service marketing resource and would like to discuss your marketing planning with you at your earliest convenience.  Let us help you plan, produce and execute your marketing strategy. We help our clients to explore the edge of today’s marketing possibilities.

Define Your Audience

  Twenty-five years ago it was said that the VCR and the personal computer were going to make us all anti-social. We would all work at home and rarely interact with one another. In fact, quite the opposite has occurred; we are now more frequently in contact with each other than could ever have been imagined.

So today with many more communications options than ever, how do you reach your prospective customer?

Following are several considerations before you start putting together your marketing plan:

1)      You must define your audience. The definition may begin with a demographic such as young, old, professional, mom, student, or retiree. You may seek a broad target group or be very specific in criteria such as income, location, shopping habits, or media usage. The choices to approach your designated group can be equally as varied as the groups themselves. But knowing your audience will largely determine your marketing plan strategy and tactics.

2)      Insight into your defined audience will help steer the decision process in choosing marketing tactics. For example, seniors are likely more responsive to print and television, as opposed to the internet. In contrast, professionals are frequently reached through effective email blasts, LinkedIn contacts, or online news sites.

3)      Your chosen marketing tactics will have elements that need to be presented in a professional manner. Your message will likely require logo design, web site, and a clear corporate identity. You may wish to employ online ads, print advertising, email blasts or the social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter.

4)      Design of your marketing imagery should also take into account your target audience. For example, a teenage audience would better respond to visually busy graphics conveying energy and excitement. A business person would likely prefer a clean design and easy-to-read type style.

5)      Web sites communicate information about your business, but can also function as your store or as an appointment scheduling tool. Through your website your business can be open 24/7 and remotely accessed through computers, TV, phones, and mobile data devices. Websites can enhance your company’s image, while a poorly-designed or non-functioning site can have a damaging effect on your business.

These few steps are but a starting point to your marketing plan. They may be basic, but their importance to the ongoing success of your business cannot be underestimated. Outside assistance to effectively implement these steps can be gained by working with experienced and knowledgeable marketing professionals. LGD can work step by step with you to develop your plan, or effectively implement the plan you have in place. Contact us to discuss the possibilities.

To Email or Direct Mail, that is the question.

     To email or direct mail – that is the question. Whether ‘tis’ nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous junk mail and spam, or take arms against the sea of marketing blockades and, by noble effort, vanquish them.

OK, Shakespeare might be cringing, but it is a question for the times. Which is the more effective marketing tactic today, email or direct mail? Either way, your challenge in penetrating the glut of marketing information is daunting. With either method it is a given that you need to grab your reader’s attention in a matter of seconds. The subject line of an email must attract interest and the beginning script compelling enough to encourage further reading. The entire exposed area of a direct mail piece can serve a communications purpose, or defeat your message.

An advantage of email is the ability to link the recipient directly to your website for additional content. Direct mail, however, can reach people at a glance, assuring that they will see at least some message before it leaves their hands. This arguably compares favorably to the speed with which one can delete an unwanted email.

The prevalence of spam and the relative performance of spam filters is an important consideration with an email campaign. Spam filters serve a purpose for the end user, but can be challenging to the email marketer. Your message may be received, but will never be seen if it is identified as unwanted. A subject line needs to present a reason to open the email in the first place. The email needs to open fast or it will be deleted. The first section of content must be attention-getting or the result will also be a quick deletion.

The answer for most companies is to incorporate both email and direct mail in their marketing plan. Use email to inform customers and potential customers of your company news, sales, or upcoming events. Direct mail can direct readers toward your website, inform them of your email newsletter, and provide them with all of your contact information.

Businesses are always looking for effective, efficient, and economical ways to increase sales. Well-designed, concise, and compelling email and direct mail can greatly help the cause. The quality and professionalism of how the message is conveyed can make the difference in a successful marketing campaign.

Experience the difference that the quality of our work can make for your business.