The Stateline Community Foundation

The Stateline Community Foundation serves the greater Beloit area and broader Wisconsin / Illinois stateline region. They’re at the very forefront of facilitating positive change for its target communities, their residents and service organizations. Effectively communicating with their audience and providing important information in a convenient and engaging manor is of paramount importance, not just for them but for the community they serve. Resonate Web Marketing worked extensively with the Stateline Community Foundation to help them refine and craft their message to be delivered online. Content messaging, website usability and user engagement were key in developing an intuitive and easy-to-use and consume web presence. All this in order to reach, engage and service the broadest possible audience.

Stateline Community Foundation recognized that even more than their own needs and wants, the needs of their audience required much more than a simple “brochure website”. It was what their audience needed. To a growing extent, this audience prefers to access information and engage online. So the S.C.F. site had to be as easy to update as possible given their continually changing information. It had to be current, content-rich, engaging and as easy to access and consume as possible.

Stateline Community Foundation anticipated that increasingly, their service levels are tied to client engagement online. Their client engagement online often defines to a large extent, their brand in the minds of those they serve.

Among those things Resonate delivered for S.C.F….

• An easy to access and update themselves, fully customized CMS (Content Management System) built on WordPress.
• Intuitive site navigation to those key service and information content areas.
• Completely re-engineered their scholarships presentation and applications capture methodology.
• Search optimized website and content development and presentation.
• Web development optimized for the rapidly expanding mobile audience of smart-phone and tablet users.
• Extensive development of forms, calendars, RSS feeds and more.
• Extensive graphics development.
• Extensive consultation on best-practices regarding content organization, messaging, usability and client engagement.
• Payment and donations capture.
• Social Media integration.
• Analytics… they need direct access to insight on how their website is performing.

As typically happens working this closely with clients around their online strategy, the working relationship and consultancy evolves into a caring, strategic alliance. We like to think we’re helping them reach their overall goals through leveraging the resources and economies available to them via web technologies that reach beyond simply “building a website”. The end result, another great client we’ve been privileged to work with.

Event, Tourism, Non Profit, Public Service Provider or Professional Association needing smart web development and internet marketing?

We understand your needs. We understand your challenges.

• 

  Web design & Internet Marketing for Event, Tourism and Service Providers

  You need to expand your audience.

• You need to connect with your audience in a substantive, frequently updated and engaging way integrating your site with Social Media.

• And finally, you’re a results oriented marketer who needs measurable, analytics data informed performance on conversions. Ordering, registration, ticketing, membership… what’s your metric?

All this but you want as much direct control over your message as possible so you can update your message as often as you need and as easily as possible. You want to maintain control to do-it-yourself, delegate internally or outsource as you choose.

This is what we’ve been doing for clients for years. We invite you to check our portfolio. We’ll be happy to introduce you to our satisfied clients.

So, contact us today. Let us help you reach and engage your audience.

We also specialize in helping clients reach the single fastest growing demographic in your area.
Tambien hablamos Español 

• Event, Tourism Marketers
• Community Arts Providers
• Civic & Public Service Providers
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Film Festivals
• Information & Education Providers
• Member & Professional Associations
• Professional Service Providers
• Performers & Entertainers
• Those needing to reach the Spanish speaking community

“All hat and no cattle?”

“A mile wide and an inch deep?”

It’s not just about pretty pictures. Web design that delivers results is much more.

Your website rightfully belongs at the center of your internet marketing strategy.  However, if it is unsupported by a broader, data driven integrated marketing strategy its utility and your investment is compromised. A website of pretty pictures by itself will not deliver the performance you need.

Stated another way; a beautiful looking website without traffic or conversions on what you need done is a digital paperweight.

Successful web design is an analytics informed, data driven, marketing excercise designed to deliver measurable results on your stated objectives. What do you need your site visitors to DO?

• Consume your copy/media content? Inform themselves?
• Register for or attend your event(s)?
• Join?
• Buy?
• Contact you?

Internet marketers need something to happen. They need to be able to quantify it. And they need access to the data and levers to impact ongoing performance.

Pretty pictures while important are not what drives the effort. It’s about the numbers baby. Good numbers are what’s really pretty.

Consider this. If there are frequent changes and updates within your market or offering, if  you need to engage and hold the attention of your audience, then nimbleness and easy updating needs to be a core strength of your integrated web marketing plan and website.

No es semántica. Su  sitio Web legítimo pertenece en el centro de su estrategia de marketing en línea. Sin embargo, si está sin apoyo por una estrategia de marketing más amplia e integrada,  su utilidad y su inversión se compromete perceptiblemente. Un gran sitio Web por sí mismo no le llevara probablemente a donde quiere ir.

Indicó otra manera; un sitio Web maravillosamente diseñado sin tráfico es un pisapapeles digital. Y al contrario sitio Web que recibe mucho tráfico, obligando el Web site mantenido el aislamiento, faltas su utilidad más completa, potencial de la palancada y su ROI.

Considere esto. Si hay cambios frecuentes y las actualizaciones dentro de su mercado u ofreciendo, si usted necesita enganchar y llevar a cabo la atención de su audiencia, después la agilidad y la puesta al día rápido-n-fácil necesita ser una fuerza de la base de su plan y Web site integrados de comercialización de la tela.

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Contact us now for a free consultation!

Contáctenos ahora para una consulta gratis!

Hablamos Español

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I’m fortunate to be able to do work that I enjoy. It’s something I’ve not always had the opportunity to do. It’s something many are not able to do.

I’m lucky… or perhaps in a more self-determinant way… perhaps I’ve paid enough dues over time to be in this position. At any rate, while there’s still work-work to be done, for the most part I like what I, along with Ana do for a buck. Hopefully I’m not inciting a turn of events by my acknowledgement. You don’t talk about your team’s pitcher nearing the end of a no-hitter game. You don’t want to risk inviting bad karma.

That said, the type of work we’ve been able to attract and win is good work. We’ve interesting clients who are pursuing worthy objectives we applaud. They’re doing important work and we enjoy being a part of it. I like contributing in our way to what they’re working hard to accomplish. But this is what we do for a living. And at the end of the day we still need to meet the mortgage, we’ve got kids and all the rest… just like everyone else.

What we do takes time, a lot of time and perhaps more than is apparent. Profitability however is frequently driven by, among other things, speed. Pound it out. Get it up. Get’r done.

We just finished up with yet another client meeting that took way too much time and in large part was due to our having way too much fun. We enjoy each others company.

You see, working closely with clients over the time it takes to do this kind of work well, we’ve experienced, you build friendships that extend beyond the strictly business client-vendor relationship.

This week, yet again, we’d been spending an unjustifiable amount of time on an aspect of the project because, well, we’re into it. It goes beyond the fact that our name and reputation is on our work. The subject matter itself and the opportunity to do some cool things with it… well it’s fun to do. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about fluff. Our intent is to drive audience engagement, improved traffic and conversion on targeted actions. Developing around these objectives for nerdy types though can be very seductive.

So absolutely, no complaints. Just had a very nice time with another great client helping them to do important work, work we’re proud to be a part of. Doing what you love though… you tend to spend more time than you can really cost justify. So here I am. Now I need to play some catch up. Baby needs new shoe’s.

Most likely you’re someone who is responsible for getting your company or organization’s message “out there”. You’re looking to broaden your audience, increase the level of engagement with your targeted audiences, increase the number of inquiries or sales. You’re likely not the tech geek of the group. You’re simply the guy or gal with the short straw to improve performance, numbers… to get it done.

Some terms

Perhaps you’ve heard of WordPress, perhaps not. But while a big a deal in the world of web development, that’s not your world so it’s new to you.

WordPress is what’s called a “CMS” or Content Management System. It’s a technology that powers dynamically rendered websites, in real-time based on multiple data and content inputs.

Perhaps that sounds like jargon. You’ve no doubt seen static, unmoving sites where the content never changes? Well, it’s not that.
Now, technologists may argue my simplistic definition but hopefully you get my meaning. And of course I’m happy to try and clarify for you.

Well this “CMS” platform called WordPress has been growing in popularity very rapidly over the last few years to the point that it is now the single most widely used platform for authoring websites. There are use case exceptions of course.

WordPress is not the best solution for every and all situations and expressed client needs. Priorities and resources still dictate the best solution. I will not attempt here to fully define what WordPress is and its relative merits to other platforms. If interested a simple Google search will net you better treatise then I will attempt here.

WordPress. My personal short-list of what’s in it for you.

I just want to point out a few things that I find have been of particular value for the folks that we’ve worked with. And it has to do with “Content Management”, or the what, how and by who around what is presented to your audience on your website(s).

• Autonomy over content management: Disclosure. A personal issue for me. I’ve worked on the client-side. I’ve worked on the agency-side. Allowing others (my web developer) to hold the keys to my website and being hand-cuffed to what I can, cannot do and with whom can be a challenge. WordPress provides an unsurpassed WYSIWYG admin editor for non-coders. You or your associate are likely the most knowledgable about your message. If provided access and the ability wouldn’t it make sense to update your site yourself? And if not, it should be your choice who to delegate to internally or outsource externally to. Can I get an Amen? (I’m not talking about modifying the site. That likely requires a deeper skill set perhaps you have, perhaps not)

• Immediacy of updating content: As communication needs flow, often quickly, sometimes and too often… last minute, the ability to update the website content quickly is hugely important. Announcements, calendar items, responding to changes in the marketplace, today’s news, your offering… all these drive the need for ease, convenience and speed of updating site content. If you’re dependent on communicating updates to external tech staff to do updates this can be expensive and require additional lead time adding further delay.

• Economy provided by self-management: While being penny-wise and dollar foolish will continue to trip people up, we’ve found that budget constraints and the need to get the most for their money is still what drives the go/no-go decision. If you do not have the staff or ongoing budget to have the “hired IT guns” do all your updating, the self-managed content option may be your best… or only option.

The “Gotcha”

To be sure, we’ve found that some folks, at the end of the day discover that they have little time to create content and update their sites. Or they’ve found that perhaps they’re just not the best content creators. They’re good at running the enterprise. What they’re putting up is less engaging, beneficial for their audience or just not up to their brand standards. (We can help with that too.)

All the same, WordPress provides them the option. The option for autonomy to update themselves when they can (and most likely should), delegate internally or outsource for help as they need and choose. Having options as good is one of those universal truths.

Final caution. It comes down to execution.

Aspects of what makes WordPress easy to use for the client also makes it easier for individuals to create sites for themselves or “clients”. This holds the potential for allowing some lowering of the bar for what constitutes “professional” web development. We’ve been paid to rebuild websites already paid for recently or donated by some well-meaning student, volunteer or brother-in-law who knows about computers.

Web development in WordPress like any platform is about delivering quantifiable results. It’s an analytics informed, communications & marketing exercise. It requires expertise in usability, analytics, SEO, content creation/presentation and a host of other skill sets behind the scenes. So check the portfolio. Check references. Ask about performance. Don’t get fooled by pretty pictures. That’s the easiest part.

The Greater Beloit Chamber of Commerce

The Greater Beloit Chamber is growing… and very nicely, thank you please. At base they needed a new website that better reflected the growth and dynamism of their rapidly evolving organization. They needed a platform they could self-manage that was nimble enough to update quickly and easily given how rapidly their community and involvements change. It needed to be current, content rich… engaging. It needed to contribute to gaining membership.

More specifically….

• Direct owner/admin access for quick/easy/inexpensive day-to-day updating
• Greater visibility, promotion and ability to update their range of sponsored events and programs.
• A member directory that was attractive, content rich and  a value-add for both members and site visitors
• A higher level of member and visitor engagement via calendar, program registrations, newsletter signups and more
• Online payment capture, Social Media integration, online forms, archived documentation, searchable content etc. etc.
• Analytics… they needed to know how they’re doing
• Bottom line, increase new membership and provide greater value to their membership resulting from all the above.

So, we developed…

• A highly customized WordPress CMS architecture with rich content and dynamic functionality
• A member directory that is content rich and provides real value to members and visitors
• Too many content, presentation and functional enhancements to itemize. Just check it out.
• And while we handed them the keys we’re always here to help when asked.

Beloit Janesville Symphony

Online ticket sales, payment capture for donations, performance schedule and calendar presentation were high among a longer list needs the Beloit Janesville Symphony in WI had for a new website. WordPress CMS is what this community based arts program needed. That’s because it provides them unsurpassed ease, convenience and cost saving for making the day-to-day website, schedule, performance and calendar updates themselves.

And of course it needed to represent their brand well with rich and dynamic content presentation, site speed and navigation, all in a quiet sophistication visually reflecting the art form and BJS brand. They needed their website to evolve from a static, flat home page where the visitor had to dig for updated information to a content-rich, dynamic presentation where updated information was right there.

Take a look at some of the major market symphony websites and we think you’ll find this Rock County arts organization’s new website compares very favorably.

• Online ticketing
• Payment capture (season subscriptions, donations etc.)
• Performance schedule and calendar
• Rich, dynamic content presentation
• Visual presentation supporting brand
• Economy and convenience of self-managed site updating via WordPress CMS

KoshFun | The Rock Koshkonong Business Association

Local tourism and vacation getaway focused Rock Koshkonong Business Association needed a fun and engaging web presence to attract, engage and serve their regional target audience. They wanted to use WordPress so they could manage the website in-house as much as possible and save some money. What they needed was…

• robust content management
• calendar/event presentation
• social media and email marketing integration
• advertiser placement
• intuitive directory presentation/usability
• integrate with their off-line print marketinig
• establish their visual brand identity
• optimize the site for search engine performance

All this and they had a limited budget.

They chose Resonate Web Marketing to make this happen for them.

QR Codes have been around for a while now. And while we’re seeing them pop up more and more frequently, their first and primary utility has been to provide a conduit from the tangible print world to the increasingly ubiquitous world of peoples web enabled smart phones. It’s a primary means of mobile marketing.

Just my contact file. Try it out. Scan it with your smart phones downloaded QR reader ap. Save to your phone and you'll have it handy to contact me some time if we can be of assistance.

QR Codes.

If you’re not familiar, they are those square, typically mysterious codes you may have seen in magazines or elsewhere. Mysterious because they often, because of space constraints of print are placed somewhere without benefit of introduction, call-to-action, what you’re to do with it or why you should care. We’re to assume there is some unspecified Cracker-Jack prize inside that will reward our efforts.

Their use typically assumes A LOT on the part of the consumer.

Assumes tech savvy and highly motivated consumer

There are many good applications for using QR Codes and the level of creative use and utility is growing. And while consumer use is still very small it is growing. I suspect we’ll reach a tipping point when smart phone manufacturers start delivering their product to the marketplace with this utility pre-installed. Currently, the market is still dependent on a consumer who is (1) aware of and (2) motivated enough to…

1. Know what QR codes are and value them enough to bother
2. Seek out and choose a QR code phone ap of their liking from various competing providers and download it.
3. Upon seeing a QR code presentation will pull out their phone, open the ap, take the pic
4. Most likely then have to do something with what has been accessed or downloaded

All this assumes a VERY motivated consumer. So, I’d assume conversion rates for those who access your content via QR codes are likely very good though the volume or % who would go to that much trouble would likely be very low volume or %.

This is not to say that marketers should not be using QR codes. To the contrary, there’s not really any reason not to… if you’ve the time and print space to justify the effort. There is also good reporting and feedback loop on their use. And finally, in most cases they’re very easy and inexpensive to use. It’s simply more a matter of managing expectations on traffic/usage. And this will be heavily dependent on your target demographics. Like many things the more you put into your QR code effort, the more you’ll get out. Meaning, if you just slap up an anonymous QR linking to your website home page without intro, call to action, benefit proposition… well…

Your mileage may very.

Website, webpage use of QR Codes

Conventional applications for QR Codes have been for smart phone consumer engagement from a printed source. I’m starting to see though periodic use of QR codes on web pages. For what purpose though? You’re already on a website via your computer or smart phone. Why not just provide a conventional link?

It would seem the off-line habit of just throwing up a QR code without intro or call to action has migrated to this same anonymous online use. In print it’s understandable that there may not be space for intro/call-to-action. You have to assume. But online… you have considerably more flexibility to get around this constraint.

In fact there are several good uses for QR code use on a web page but they’re less obvious. And given you’re not constrained by space there less excuse for not introducing what it is, what you’d like your reader to do with it and why they should bother.

Uses for QR Codes on a web page:

1. Download contact information to visitors smart phone
2. Download an application or file to same
3. Save one or more GPS locations to same
4. Save the webpage to their phone? (Don’t think so. It’s a bit of a reach as there are easier ways to bookmark)
5. Placement on a webpage you want printed out where they may place the hard copy for other’s use/access
6. Save a coupon code to the phone for later in-store presentation
7. Add to your Linked-in or other social media profile (contact info or other)
8. PayPal buy link

Creative off-line uses for QR Codes

More typical, ho-hum uses you’ll see are print publications, newspapers, magazines, flyers, posters etc. linking to website home page.

Less common and more creative placements include:

• Billboards, storefront signage, box / wrapper packaging, in-store signage
• Shelf tags, price tags, register receipts, for sale signs
• T-shirts, jackets, book bags, coffee cups
• Manufacturer ID labels
• Warranty cards, instruction documents, customer service documentation
• Video/film trailer and/or credits at the end of same
• On the back of your business card
• Direct mail pieces
• Conference or employee name tags and ID cards
• Place at the end of your Powerpoint or screen presentation
• At the end of a print story/report. Send the reader to where they can get more on the story presented.

More creative use of the code include:

• Linking to a unique and optimized-for-conversion landing page for the specific purpose or offer, not just the website home page.
• Linking to your V-card or contact information (try this on your luggage tags and other non-carry-on items)
• Linking to fuller product information you can’t fit on a price tag, shelf tag, product listing packaging etc.
• Coupon codes to be presented in-store upon your next visit.
• “Call us to place your order” automatically dials phone
• Linking to your PayPal (or other) buy-now link
• Linking to your Event Registration page

If you’re new to QR Codes

Usage assumes you have a web enabled smart phone. If you do you’re likely already familiar with selecting, downloading and activating web aps. Having tried a few we like and use ScanLife but there are others you may want to try. Further, it’s a rapidly evolving and competitive space. So by the time you read this there may already likely be a better mousetrap. They’ve gotten considerably easier to use in just this last year. So try out a few.

If you don’t have a smart phone… well… I’d strongly encourage you to get one, particularly if you’re a marketer of virtually anything. I don’t care if you’re a proud technology Luddite. Most likely an exploding share of your existing and potential customers do have smart phones and they’re using them, to access your brand. You should know, first hand how you’re being experienced by both current and potential customers vie this medium.

Pssst. You can use this excuse with your mate for justification of the expense too.

If you’d like to discuss how you may best leverage QR codes in your off-line and/or on-line internet marketing efforts we’d love to talk with you. You may see us online (see Chat Now utility above right), give us a call (608-713-4380) or drop a line. rick@resonatewebmarketing.com

Wisconsin Head Start Association – WHSA

The statewide professional association serving member Head Start offices, their directors and staff needed a complete rethinking and overhaul of their online presence. While a member focused, professional association they needed to likewise serve their members client families and individual communities. How to effectively and intuitively present the sheer volume of information, engage and service both audience segments was the key objective.

Further, while they needed professional development they also needed the ownership, control, speed and economy that direct hands-on website management can provide. A WordPress platform provides this better than any other. And Resonate provided the highly customized development and training to exceed their needs and provided options and services they didn’t even know were available to them.

• Web Design – Intuitive and broadly integrated content presentation. To provide quick and easy access to the vast amount of information available for two distinct audiences without overwhelming or confusing the visitor.
• CMS – Content Management System – Provide the nimbleness for quick and easy updating of frequent information updates, in varied content categories, audience types and interests.
• Performance – Caregivers, frequently first-time visitors (as opposed to repeat members) needed to find local services quickly and easily while providing rich content for informed decision making.
• Calendar of events - A robust, intuitive and content rich calendar was central given the primary focus of providing services.
• Multi-channel and Social Media integration - WHSA needs to be everywhere their expansive members and member communities are and how they prefer to access information. Email, Smart Phone, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, RSS etc. were all customized, branded, integrated and readied for their use.
• Spanish Speaking Translation – There are a few good translation tools. Every one is flawed. The difference is only by what extent. How to provide an intelligent, quick and easy management and correction of inevitable errors was addressed and an elegantly solution provided.
• Mobile web optimization - While not all of their audience has or may be at their computer a significant majority of them need access to website content via their smart phone. The full site is accessible without need of band-aid “mobile skins” or additional “aps” development and expense.