The BRAINS Foundation, a collaboration between volunteer board members and the local community, works to “increase the accessibility for services in the areas of Psychological and Neuropsychological Assessment.” The group works along side renowned area hospitals and medical institutions such as Helen Devos Children’s Hospital and Community Mental Health of Ottawa County to serve children and their families.

The main objective in the redesign process was to establish a new online home for the BRAINS Foundation, separate from its parent organization, BRAINS; a network of Behavioral and Neuropsychological specialists providing care to individuals of all ages. This was accomplished through the development of a fresh new look and by promoting the foundation’s commitment to assisting those in need of their services.

The new BRAINS Foundation website also includes a donation feature as well as a newsletter signup to help connect and engage the target audience in a call to action.

To see and learn more about the new BRAINS Foundation site, please visit our portfolio, or click here to launch the full site.

Don’t lose track of your purpose. What do you want to get out of your website? Will you be using it mainly as an online portfolio that you can refer your clients to, or is your goal to more effectively engage your client base with a blog? Perhaps you’d like an online store where you can sell your work. Many professional photographers also have some sort of login system where clients can go to view their images and order prints. Regardless of what you decide, it’s important to communicate your website’s purpose to the designer or developer if you are working with one.

Functionality is as important as creativity. Yes, you want your website to help distinguish you and your brand from your competition – but not for the wrong reasons. Photographers often choose to incorporate Flash video, an often unreliable platform for those with out of date versions or mobile devices such as the popular iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. What many don’t know is that achieving a striking and dynamic website is possible using jQuery and other types of viewer-friendly coding techniques.

Less is usually more. As a photographer, you don’t want your work and your brand’s value overpowered by the design of your website. Just as an art gallery ops for a muted color scheme and cohesive layout, you want your website to complement your work. This doesn’t mean that you have to go the boring route, though. Work with a designer to create a visual atmosphere that both grabs your viewer’s attention and complements your images.

Keep your viewers in mind. Another important aspect of your website to consider, both in terms of functionality and aesthetics, is the gallery. There are many options out there, some dynamic and interactive and others more static and typical. The key is to choose one that you like that will also work well (both technically and design-wise) and is appropriate for your target market. If your clientele is younger and technologically inclined you might want to opt for a more fun and unique gallery, while an older audience might appreciate something more classic and easier to browse.

More than just a makeover, the WLGC redesign also included developing more user-friendly features in order to better engage current members as well as appeal potential members. The site now includes a member log in area where administrators can add or edit members via a custom member form, and members can update their profile, view a member directory and even find a game to join using the forum.

Additional features include a notification system for course closings and delays, and a calendar of events that allows members to register online. Golfers that are new to the course are also able to take a tour, which includes images as well as key information on each hole.

Now the only thing that WLGC needs is warm weather and blue skies!

To see the website for yourself, click here.

What is a brand? 

A brand is more than a logo, a font, a color, or a style – it’s all of those and much more. It’s a message of value that only your business offers to its clientele.

As we tell our branding clients, a brand will create a lasting impression in the consumer’s mind and it should be based on the unique, proverbial “image” of your business, which includes the features, benefits and overall value that you have to offer.

Some might say, “I’ll just let my work speak for itself,” but the problem with that is that your image is visible to your clients in several ways, and many times your actual work might be one of the last things that they see. For example, if a photographer were to hand me a business card I would have to make assumptions, having not yet viewed their work, of their style and quality based on the way they present themselves in print.

Another important thing to consider, especially for those specializing in custom contemporary and lifestyle photography, is that clients care about more than just getting good pictures taken; they care about the experience as a whole. Brides are looking for someone who is able to take charge and alleviate some of their stress on the big day, while mothers are looking for someone who easy-going and puts their children at ease. How does a photographer communicate that he or she offers these sorts of experiences? 

Through their brand.

After carefully reviewing all of the great promotion entries from Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce members, we have chosen GMI Composites as the winning applicant. GMI Composites is a composite manufacturing company based in Muskegon and has been in operation for around 85 years.

As part of the promotional package, GMI Composites will be working together with Envigor to develop a custom CMS based website that meets their unique business needs. Simply Marketing will also be offering the company 10 hours of marketing consultation to help develop or refine their marketing strategy.

The Envigorate the Lakeshore promotion was launched on Small Business Saturday, November 26^th, as a way to show support to Lakeshore area businesses and organizations that have been instrumental in both Envigor’s and Simply Marketing’s growth.

Be sure to check back for more information on the development process of GMI Composites website!

As defined by the creators, a small startup from Palo Alto, California, “Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web.” Think of it as having multiple bulletin boards on your wall at home; when you come across an image or article in a book or magazine, you can save it for future reference by pinning it on your board. Pinterest uses the same concept but virtually, with images and short descriptions and links back to the original source.

How does Pinterest work?

Many people use Pinterest, from industry professionals to stay at home moms. Some use it to catalog inspiration and ideas, others use it identify trends and even promote their own products. Whatever the case, you begin by creating ‘boards’ based on the type of images or ‘pins’ that you’d like to populate it with. For example, you might want to have a board for DIY projects, a board for recipes, a board for decorating and so on.

The next step is to find images to pin. You can do this by browsing what other users have pinned based on category, or by installing the Pin It button to your browser’s bookmark bar so that you can pin images while searching the web. You can also upload your own images.

When you find other users who have similar tastes and interests, you can keep track of their pin discoveries by following their boards. 

Helpful Hints

- Be sure to leave a description of the image that you’re pinning for both your own reference and for others who might repin it. This will also make it easier for other users to find your pins when searching by keyword on Pinterest. You should also categorize your boards based on subject matter (you will be prompted to do this when you click on your individual boards) for the same reason.

- Don’t be afraid to pin images of your own work! If you’re an artist, photographer, designer etc. and want to share a project that you are particularly proud of, go for it, just don’t over-promote. This is especially useful when you pin images directly from your website or blog – that way there is more of a chance that other users will follow the link back to your site.

-If you have friends that use Pinterest and want to make sure that they see an image that you pinned, you can tag them in the description using ‘@’ followed by their user name (just like on Facebook and Twitter).

- If you are tagging a picture of something that is for sale in an online store, you can add a price banner to the image by simply typing $ followed by the amount (ex. $10). This is very helpful for the many people that find items on Pinterest that they would like to purchase. 

How do I sign up?

Currently, Pinterest is by invitation only, similar to Google+ earlier last year. When we signed up a few months ago by requesting an invitation, we didn’t have to wait very long before we received it. Once you have received your invitation, you are able to login using your Facebook or Twitter account, which is nice and convenient.

If you are already on Pinterest, you can follow Envigor’s discoveries here.

Revisit your marketing plan. Now is your chance to look back and reevaluate your marketing plan. Your local business environment is always changing which means that your marketing plan may need to be adjusted as well. For example, maybe you have discovered a new market to target, or your competitor’s strengths have evolved. Whatever the case, your marketing strategy should be adapted to reflect these changes.

Strengthen your identity. Look over your business’ identity with a critical eye – does something not fit or are you in need of an update? Remember, your identity includes more than just your logo; it’s your entire image as a business. That includes everything from your logo to your promotional materials to signage. Maybe your menus are outdated or your business cards don’t match any of your current advertising. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and consider whether or not everything is consistent and professional. If not, now is a perfect time to work on changing that.

Increase your social media presence. Sites like Facebook and Twitter play such an integral part in connecting and engaging customers with businesses. For individuals who are new to using these social media sites for promotion, however, it is often overwhelming and difficult to even know where to start. Use the off season to familiarize yourself with these sites and brainstorm ideas of how to take advantage of these free marketing tools. There are plenty of resources out there to help you get started.

Broaden your network. A slow period also presents a perfect opportunity to get out there and make new contacts. Become more involved in community events. Join a local business group such as your Chamber of Commerce or an association of professionals. You never know what opportunities might present themselves through networking with other small business owners.

Photo Source: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1000864

Orchard View Community Education is a division of the Orchard View School district located in Muskegon, MI. They offer a variety of programs and services which cater to preschoolers through senior citizens; basically anyone and everyone in the local community and beyond. Some of their programs include youth enrichment, business and industry and even travel.

Our goal during this process was to revitalize the image of Orchard View Community Education by developing more of a modern and user-friendly interface. We wanted to showcase the extensive programs that they offer the community and appeal to each specific target market. It was also essential that users be able to easily access content relative to the program(s) that they are interested in as well as request additional information. The logo was also touched up for a more refined look and to differentiate the organization from the school system.

A Content Management System (CMS) was also implemented so that program heads could easily edit information as needed.

To see more of the website, please view OUR WORK or visit Orchard View Community Education.

Together, with Simply Marketing, we are offering members of the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce an opportunity to win a free website, 1 year of paid hosting and domain registration and 10 hours of marketing consultation. As two small Lakeshore creative agencies, we understand the value and importance of fostering local economic development, and what better way to enhance your business than with a new website and marketing strategy!

To enter your business in the running, you must complete a short questionnaire that will provide us with a little background on your business and how it could benefit from our free web and marketing package.

The Envigorate the Lakeshore promotion is open now and will run through the end of December with a winner being announced by the 9^th of January.

Enter your business in the Envigorate the Lakeshore promotion

To stay informed on the promotion, as well as other news and business and marketing tips, feel free to sign up for our monthly newsletter.