Archive for January, 2010

Choosing an Advertising Agency Takes Some Research

Saturday, January 16th, 2010

 

When your company realizes that they have reached a point where it is obvious that your company needs advertising.  This point may be when you see that your sales have been stagnant for the past 4 quarters; which may be a good thing if it has been a positive during this terrible economy.   Otherwise if you continually barely break even, it is time to start research a quality advertising agency.  A simple google search such as “advertising in Worcester ma” is a good place to start.  From there choose the top 5 or 10 agencies that have a quality websites.  It will become self evident which agencies will offer similar ideas for success as you.  As you research the agencies, you will notice many choose to create websites for themselves that are made to impress other agencies.  Why in the world would an agency choose its competitors over its end users is beyond me.  Many have websites that are difficult to use and leave you questioning what on earth they are trying to push.

After skimming through the top agencies, you’ll want to schedule an appointment with some of the agencies.  Whereas your time is valuable, I suggest emailing the owner the companies for their portfolios. I for example can be reached at Zachary@giggidyadvertising.com

After you receive the portfolio, you will see an idea of what the agency is capable of and what type of direction you can expect.  Maybe a safe modest direction, or an out of the box direction that is sure to generate buzz for your brand. 

After this short work is done, you should schedule an appointment with your agency of choice, at Giggidy Advertising we can be reached at 508-989-8420.  During your appointment, you want to ask as many questions as the account executive is asking.  You are going to want numbers, success rates, examples, remember your money is meant to make you more money that’s why you are deciding to enlist the help of an advertising agency.  If the agency seems lacks, it’s not going to look in the best interest of your company. 

My final suggestion after you have completed the aforementioned is to ask for references.  Not just one or two but at least five.  This will give you a good picture of how the agency works.

Things to consider when choosing a website developer

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

 

After working in the advertising business with a strong focus on website design for some time now; I feel obliged to share some noteworthy instances that seem to occur.  When choosing a website developer, it is imperative that the client reviews all websites that the developer has created.  This will give the client a good idea of what the developer is capable.  This does not mean that the developer is limited to what he has created in the past, but he does have a style that is bound to repeat is some fashion or another.  This is not necessarily a bad thing; chances are that the website designs are focused on search engine optimization and for ease of use for the potential customers.  Clients have ideas in their head of what they would like their website to accomplish, and an idea of what the website should look like.  It is imperative that the client takes advice from their website developer, as they have a good idea of what will work and what will achieve the desired results. 

Prior to starting any website with any developer, the client must and developer must sit down and hash out expectations.  Since websites can range from one week of development to a year; it is of the utmost importance that both sides are on the same page.  It is expected that there will be changes throughout the process: text, color, pictures, etc. but the template of the website should stay the same throughout the process.  If the client agrees to a web 2.0 website which expands over the website and then 3 months later decides that they want a completely different website which does not offer any chance of being transferred to the new website; it must be expected that there will be a contract amendment to pay for a totally new website.

Also, in regards to the research of your website developer, it is extremely important to review the developer’s portfolio.  You will want to look at the graphic art that is displayed and make a determination that the quality meets your standards.  If not, you may want to have a separate graphic artist or see if your website developer has a subcontractor who can provide a portfolio which ideally will meet your standards.

Taking a little time in the beginning of a website development relationship will save thousands of dollars in time and frustration.  Good Luck!