New Lick of Paint

[GhostOfDixie]

To (Local Small Businesses), Nick Toye Studios is the brand of choice that (offers the affordable all in one solution) because (insert difference).

Still thinking about the last one.

 

[atrottel]

Well, you are indeed better than them in terms of design and text (see, I can be nice when I want) but "Wirral web design" isn't the most competitive of terms so I would aim a bit higher than that.

I had wondered if you were after b2b and white-label customers, as the text and graphics seemed designed to appeal more to them anyway.

(There's something to be said for having two websites appealing to the different markets as well as the features and benefits are so different from one another.)

As far as the copy goes, that exercise I quoted was designed not to be "corporate" but to concentrate on what it is that sets you apart from the competition, what benefits you provide your target market and what reason they have to buy from you. Which is something that every business should think about.

 

[GhostOfDixie]

Oh absolutely, that is it.

At the moment I have 3 active clients. One is a local B2B company, one is in the Manchester area and they are a design agency subbing to me, and the other is a Californian based medical application organisation.

So it's pretty random. Personally I would want to raise brand awareness in my local area, there is around 100 companies who have a website in my area, most of them are rubbish and it's all about me offering them a service that improves their own brand awareness on the web and also raises my own awareness in my local community. After that I would happily take on North West and onwards.

 

[atrottel]

To (Local Small Businesses), Nick Toye Studios is the brand of choice that (offers the affordable all in one solution) because (insert difference).

Still thinking about the last one.

You're still selling features not benefits, Ghost. Take the time to have a look at some articles about it (seriously).

For example.

 

[GhostOfDixie]

You're still selling features not benefits, Ghost. Take the time to have a look at some articles about it (seriously).

For example.

Well I see what you mean, I need to keep the list of stuff I do there, but also add in how I can benefit a customer.

Hmmm.

 

[GhostOfDixie]

You're still selling features not benefits, Ghost. Take the time to have a look at some articles about it (seriously).

For example.

It's a good article, and please call me Nick.

 

[McBain]

What like Costa and Starbucks? Not sure I can afford to buy advertising space of them.

Arent you a designer? I thought it would be something you'd design, then sell the idea to a coffee cup manufacturer?A good mate of mine is doing it with coffee cup holders.

Takemeaway media_Outdoor advertising medium_Take me away

Just spitballing...

 

[GhostOfDixie]

Arent you a designer? I thought it would be something you'd design, then sell the idea to a coffee cup manufacturer?A good mate of mine is doing it with coffee cup holders.

Takemeaway media_Outdoor advertising medium_Take me away

Just spitballing...

I'm a web designer, not really a craft designer. Although I like that idea. Beer Mats was one idea I thought of.

 

[McBain]

I'm a web designer, not really a craft designer. Although I like that idea. Beer Mats was one idea I thought of.

Check out his stuff
Welcome to Ncompany_Advertising and Design company

he's a really talented graphic designer and he's just started his own company.

 

[GhostOfDixie]

Not my kind of site, but I can appreciate the work that went into it. I'm not in Flash stuff, it can get kind of annoying and I thought the sounds were a little too repetitive. But hey, his coffee holder idea is wicked.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Ok, as it's the homepage, my two penneth.

Not sure I'd keep Wirral in there quite as much as it is at the moment, unless the vast majority of your customers associate that with something important. I doubt your US customer would know where it is, and to be honest I doubt I could pinpoint it on a map either.

Regarding interface design, I'm a big fan of segmentation, and more importantly letting customers choose their segment. So leading on from Attrotels features/benefit thing I would be tempted to use the home page simply as a map to guide people to the right page. I would do this by asking 'what is it you want to achieve?', then provide a list of benefits (or buttons or whatever, you're no doubt much better at design than me), such as:

- I want to increase conversions on my website
- I want to publish content more easily
- I want to add e-commerce to my site
- I want a new logo/branding/whatever

Frame it in their terms. Then for each sub-page you have specific info about each problem, case studies about how you help to solve those problems (and importantly about how effective your work has been on their bottom line), typical costs (hate it when websites don't display prices, even guideline prices), any certification or whatever that can validate your claims (BCS membership, LinkedIn recommendations or something) and then an easy call to action where they can either book you or talk to you.

 

[GhostOfDixie]

Ok, as it's the homepage, my two penneth.

Not sure I'd keep Wirral in there quite as much as it is at the moment, unless the vast majority of your customers associate that with something important. I doubt your US customer would know where it is, and to be honest I doubt I could pinpoint it on a map either.

Regarding interface design, I'm a big fan of segmentation, and more importantly letting customers choose their segment. So leading on from Attrotels features/benefit thing I would be tempted to use the home page simply as a map to guide people to the right page. I would do this by asking 'what is it you want to achieve?', then provide a list of benefits (or buttons or whatever, you're no doubt much better at design than me), such as:

- I want to increase conversions on my website
- I want to publish content more easily
- I want to add e-commerce to my site
- I want a new logo/branding/whatever

Frame it in their terms. Then for each sub-page you have specific info about each problem, case studies about how you help to solve those problems (and importantly about how effective your work has been on their bottom line), typical costs (hate it when websites don't display prices, even guideline prices), any certification or whatever that can validate your claims (BCS membership, LinkedIn recommendations or something) and then an easy call to action where they can either book you or talk to you.

Thanks for the comments. Initially I am not that interested in gaining any kind of market in the US. The US can't pay me what my local clients can, so that is why I am looking at marketing on my doorstep.

The rest of the comments are all good stuff and something I am going to have to think about in terms of design and placement.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

I'll keep my opinion brief.

From that image, dont change it. Your current design looks better.

New one looks like Word Press.

 

[McBain]

Not my kind of site, but I can appreciate the work that went into it. I'm not in Flash stuff, it can get kind of annoying and I thought the sounds were a little too repetitive. But hey, his coffee holder idea is wicked.

Ill tell him, he's going nuts on the idea.

Imagine for a second that I dont know anything about web design.... but arent most sites flash related? And how do you convince a potential client that Bobs Web Design down the road (who obviously does flash stuff) isn't as good as your page? And will you learn how to do flash stuff? Is it that macs cant do flash? Hahaha I dodnt mean that last one, we all know they cant.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Spiders can't read Flash very well. That's a pretty big reason for not designing an entire site in it. By all means include a chat module or whatever but building an entire site in it isn't a good idea.