Did you see this news earlier this year from the UK? KFC, the giant fast-food chicken retailer ran out of…chicken!
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When I (David) was learning my trade in marketing & branding agencies in the mid 1990s, the heady days of 1980s expense account excesses were still fresh in the memory. We’d think nothing of taking clients out and spending a fortune on dinner/drinks & more because the budgets were there…and we delivered results.
Marlon…Branding?
You may have seen it in the movies, but I really was the young Advertising Exec who was told (by a somewhat snooty waiter in a restaurant) when ordering drinks at a client dinner party that “Our champagne is $200 a bottle “sir.”” I took great pleasure in replying… “Well we’ll just start with the four bottles then!” That actually happened to me back in 1995…one of my proudest memories in the industry!
This, of course, was a different time. It was a time when we faxed clients for design approval…a time when I remember clearly being asked to add “www…” to the back of a brochure for my first big client…what’s that? The worldwide web…if you say so…
Does your website do your Gilbert business justice? Is your website holding you back? When people visit your company’s site, does it make a good impression on potential clients? Do people think you’re out of touch because your website is out of date? Are you missing out on leads and/or potential revenue because clients can’t navigate your website on a phone or tablet?
All these questions can be overcome by investing in a professional, credible, custom-designed website with functionality tailored to your business.
A website lifespan is typically about 3-5 years depending on the business type. Some companies have to constantly update and refresh the design of their site to stay current, but for most small businesses you’ll find that 3 to 5 years is a good guide.
As technology and design trends change, websites have to keep up. As your business evolves over time, your objectives for your website may also shift. But more likely is the need to keep up with the competition to maintain your credibility.
When it comes to getting your message out to customers and prospects, too many businesses are overlooking the power of email marketing. For the last several years, businesses have focused their efforts on Social Media, but statistics show that when it comes to generating sales, email marketing trumps social every time.
When we’re designing a website, we often have to deal with the subjectivity of color; but there is more to color than meets the eye… so to speak! And be reassured that we do apply some science when considering the colors we suggest for your business.
When we meet with potential new clients, we often discover that many of them are looking for much more than just a new website. Depending on the maturity of their business, their needs differ. Some clients who are at the very outset of their new business adventure are looking for help developing their brand positioning; then they need a logo and brand identity that matches that positioning, and that’s before we start thinking about the website.
No matter what your type of business, when you are looking to communicate with a group of people – your target audience – you need to have an understanding of the folks that you want to attract.
As a small business owner, I know my skill sets. I wouldn’t try to take an engine apart, fix your teeth or even do your taxes; I know my limitations and that’s important when running your own business. If you need a specialist skill set you hire the right person for the job – a mechanic, a dentist, an accountant, sometimes hopefully a copywriter or a web designer.
I’ve been thinking about the Ford pick-up truck commercials over the last few months, you know the ones with the Dennis Leary (Rescue Me) voice-overs. Here’s the latest one to refresh your memory, or if you live outside of the US/Canada and don’t get these trucks, to know what I’m talking about…