What better new year's resolution could any business make than to attend to their website? Amazingly, some businesses in the UK still don't have one! Unbelievable? I agree but it is a fact. (www.statistics.gov.uk - '70% of businesses have a website'- 2007 ecommerce survey I admit so it must have increased by now). Surely these businesses will be presenting themselves to the world soon in the best shop window there is?
Many will have taken the plunge a few years ago and have something that they can't update (and never have time to anyway) and that maybe does their image more harm than good. Good news for these people - things have moved on now! You can now have access to a content management system that allows you to change text, and even images, on a day to day basis if you want to. It will become a hobby! How much more dynamic to have new stuff to talk to your target market about whenever they log on to your site. What a great way to introduce yourself to new contacts! There is little doubt if anyone is half interested in you, they will check out your website before getting back in touch - to see how professional you really are.
A good website will be working away for you - even while you are in bed!
If you own a small to medium sized business think about this over the Christmas break - and contact a design consultancy (like Primary Graphics) to help you get your ideas together.
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
marketing in the 'credit crunch'?
As we approach December businesses will be winding down towards Christmas and maybe assessing the year gone by and thinking about making fresh marketing resolutions for the New Year. All this with depressing forebodings about how the credit crunch is likely to affect us all - tightening belts, cutting back on all spending. Traditionally marketing has been the first target for cut backs - even though most people know it's a 'chicken and egg' situation - to keep going, new business development cannot be allowed to stagnate.
There is much a business can do for themselves simply by having a marketing plan and working through it in a structured way at a pace that they can manage and maintain.
A design and marketing consultancy like Primary can help put such a plan together and provide the tools to implement it.
My first piece of advice is this - whatever is done should somehow be geared to collecting email addresses from all clients, potenital clients and targets so that a comprehensive database can be achieved. A small promotion may need to be put togther to achieve just that if email details have not already been sourced. Every promotional item used should be examined to see if maximum benefit is being gained from it in terms of data-gathering - whether that is confirmed contact details or simply feedback from clients on standards of products or services and user experiences.
Once the database is in place we can then work on segmenting the market and designing emailshots to each potential client that highlights u.s.p.'s and answers their needs. Emailshot campaigns can be closely monitored and results assessed. Regular contact with existing clients can be maintained with well-designed and informative e-newsletters.
As with all marketing, presentation is key. Brand image should be strong and consistent and concepts should be original, thought-provoking and clearly promote the u.s.p.'s of the business.
Where can you find all this expertise? Take a look at www.primarygraphics.co.uk - and start the new year with great design that works hard and gets results!
There is much a business can do for themselves simply by having a marketing plan and working through it in a structured way at a pace that they can manage and maintain.
A design and marketing consultancy like Primary can help put such a plan together and provide the tools to implement it.
My first piece of advice is this - whatever is done should somehow be geared to collecting email addresses from all clients, potenital clients and targets so that a comprehensive database can be achieved. A small promotion may need to be put togther to achieve just that if email details have not already been sourced. Every promotional item used should be examined to see if maximum benefit is being gained from it in terms of data-gathering - whether that is confirmed contact details or simply feedback from clients on standards of products or services and user experiences.
Once the database is in place we can then work on segmenting the market and designing emailshots to each potential client that highlights u.s.p.'s and answers their needs. Emailshot campaigns can be closely monitored and results assessed. Regular contact with existing clients can be maintained with well-designed and informative e-newsletters.
As with all marketing, presentation is key. Brand image should be strong and consistent and concepts should be original, thought-provoking and clearly promote the u.s.p.'s of the business.
Where can you find all this expertise? Take a look at www.primarygraphics.co.uk - and start the new year with great design that works hard and gets results!
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
Why am I at Uclan?
Why, after so many years in marketing communications do I find myself back in the classroom? I sometimes wonder when I am sitting in the rush hour traffic into Preston and grappling with the unfamiliar PC I have to work on - among other far more pc literate students. However the reason is this - to get a broader view of web development other than from inside a design studio, be able to talk teccie to my clients with greater authority and less reliance on picking other people's brains (That's the theory anyway).
We have for many years created successful and good looking websites for our clients - and are continuing to do so. We have never been guity of indulging ourselves in the design and look of a site at the expense of good search engine optimisation and accessibility. In fact we may have gone too far the other way and limited our designs too much to accommodate our web developers' wishes. Who knows? - hopefully I will soon! Now I am catching up on the history and how things have developed over the last 10 years to get us to where we are now - and this includes getting to grips with the whole html / css bit. I'm pleased to find things have simplified a lot and a lot of the frustrations have been eliminated.
We have for many years created successful and good looking websites for our clients - and are continuing to do so. We have never been guity of indulging ourselves in the design and look of a site at the expense of good search engine optimisation and accessibility. In fact we may have gone too far the other way and limited our designs too much to accommodate our web developers' wishes. Who knows? - hopefully I will soon! Now I am catching up on the history and how things have developed over the last 10 years to get us to where we are now - and this includes getting to grips with the whole html / css bit. I'm pleased to find things have simplified a lot and a lot of the frustrations have been eliminated.
Tuesday, 11 November 2008
What Makes a Good Web Designer?
The very word 'designer' is sometimes used very loosely when applied to websites. Designing a web site must surely require some creative skills and assembling the content, probably the hardest, most time consuming part, requires indepth understanding of the person or business that the website is about.
It helps if the subject of the new website already has a strong corporate identity or brand image as this will provide the starting point for the visual style of the site. The website must relate to other marketing communications being used by the business.
Many web developers deliberately avoid any sign of consideration of typography and choice of images, feeling that this is not what the internet is about and it is all rather superfluous. However, as in every media, badly presented information has no credibility. A web page that is crammed with text in unattractive fonts and garish colours just shouts 'unprofessional' and the relevance of what is being said diminishes. In the early days some over enthusiastic designers indulged themselves with impractical designs that were contrary to guidelines and not search engine friendly.
Further down the line the gap between designer and web developer has closed. Users have expectations of what a website should look like and these have been lifted by strong, well designed, creative layouts that comply with web standards, consider quick, efficient navigation. many are still irritated by too many 'whistles and bells' that waste their valuable time, but good design, as always, wins through.
It helps if the subject of the new website already has a strong corporate identity or brand image as this will provide the starting point for the visual style of the site. The website must relate to other marketing communications being used by the business.
Many web developers deliberately avoid any sign of consideration of typography and choice of images, feeling that this is not what the internet is about and it is all rather superfluous. However, as in every media, badly presented information has no credibility. A web page that is crammed with text in unattractive fonts and garish colours just shouts 'unprofessional' and the relevance of what is being said diminishes. In the early days some over enthusiastic designers indulged themselves with impractical designs that were contrary to guidelines and not search engine friendly.
Further down the line the gap between designer and web developer has closed. Users have expectations of what a website should look like and these have been lifted by strong, well designed, creative layouts that comply with web standards, consider quick, efficient navigation. many are still irritated by too many 'whistles and bells' that waste their valuable time, but good design, as always, wins through.
Sunday, 2 November 2008
How to Choose a Design Consultancy….
Why a design consultancy?
A design project requires a lot more than a graphic designer.
Your job needs a team working on it. This team will include a project manager, with experience, to establish a clear brief and follow the job through to completion for you.
To do this they will first spend time with you understanding:
a) the culture of your business
b) your taste and preferred styles
c) where the service/product needs to be positioned in the marketplace (ie. is it budget or premium?)
d) who your competitors are and what they are up to
e) your unique selling points
f) your budget
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
Who needs a design consultant?
Good design is available to everybody. However, it's not always clear where to look for help. A printer or a signwriter is not the place to start if you need help deciding how to present your business to your ideal target market. (Have you even identified your ideal target market?)
Maybe you have heard about a good freelance graphic designer - is this the person to help you? Probably not. What you really need is a team of creatives to work together on your account, to plan a cost effective campaign, within your budget, and co-ordinate all your marketing activities.
If you have a new product or service you will want a strong brand image to set it apart from the competition and to demonstrate a high standard of presentation from the very start. This will make the work of brand building much easier and more effective. Signwriters can be briefed by the consultancy and supplied with approved artwork for signs and vehicles and the printing can be commisioned in the same way. Once your brand image is established marketing concepts that convey unique selling points can be developed and these will form the basis of literature, advertising, a website and all future e-marketing.
The place to find such a team of creatives is a design consultancy who will project manage the entire campaign and always to be there to advise and help you through the 'minefield' of commissioning design and print. Primary Graphics Ltd have over 20 years experience to offer in addition to top quality, cutting edge design. Original and relevant copywriting is also key to the success of a campaign. Primary can provide an integrated marketing and PR campaign that gives maximum exposure to all creative work produced for you, thus maximising brand awareness in the most cost effective way.
You will be sure of personal attention from myself, Jackie Williams, from the start and throughout the work we do for you. We outsource to our trade suppliers and 'shop around' for the best rates for you, so you are ensured of the most competitive prices for any work done.This is also the best way to avoid costly mistakes, born out of lack of experience in this field. We respond and keep promises and usually exceed expectations. Allow us to create something unique for your business.
Maybe you have heard about a good freelance graphic designer - is this the person to help you? Probably not. What you really need is a team of creatives to work together on your account, to plan a cost effective campaign, within your budget, and co-ordinate all your marketing activities.
If you have a new product or service you will want a strong brand image to set it apart from the competition and to demonstrate a high standard of presentation from the very start. This will make the work of brand building much easier and more effective. Signwriters can be briefed by the consultancy and supplied with approved artwork for signs and vehicles and the printing can be commisioned in the same way. Once your brand image is established marketing concepts that convey unique selling points can be developed and these will form the basis of literature, advertising, a website and all future e-marketing.
The place to find such a team of creatives is a design consultancy who will project manage the entire campaign and always to be there to advise and help you through the 'minefield' of commissioning design and print. Primary Graphics Ltd have over 20 years experience to offer in addition to top quality, cutting edge design. Original and relevant copywriting is also key to the success of a campaign. Primary can provide an integrated marketing and PR campaign that gives maximum exposure to all creative work produced for you, thus maximising brand awareness in the most cost effective way.
You will be sure of personal attention from myself, Jackie Williams, from the start and throughout the work we do for you. We outsource to our trade suppliers and 'shop around' for the best rates for you, so you are ensured of the most competitive prices for any work done.This is also the best way to avoid costly mistakes, born out of lack of experience in this field. We respond and keep promises and usually exceed expectations. Allow us to create something unique for your business.
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