Want the Best Website?

April 27, 2012 Advertising / Business / Communication / ecommerce / Marketing / Online Marketing / Public Relations / Social Media / Technology / Web / Websites
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Start With the Answer!

It’s not about you. People are so busy today, they’re either surfing the net or have landed on your site via Search Engines or connection recommendations because they’re looking for answers to their questions or problems.

It may be to learn, for entertainment, to connect, to increase their business or to find help for themselves, family or friends, but basically they’re looking for answers. They’re looking for content that provides VALUE, solving their needs, essentially answering the question:

‘What’s in it for me?’
People are too busy today, have too many choices and things to do. You have 3-5 seconds for users to decide if they are in fact on the right website, the best solution that answers their quest. So, your site better give them what they want, NOW.

Who Are They?
When you start with the answer, make sure you’re addressing the right people. No matter how big or small your business or organization is, the truth of the matter is that you are ‘speaking’ with ONE person when they’re on your website. It’s just one person and their computer or other electronic device.

That one person may indeed be and likely is, part of a larger group, whether it’s business or personal connections. The one thing you can be sure of, is, when you’ve answered their questions properly, they will let others know.

Who might they be?
This is where you must know the answer to ‘Who is my target market and demographic anyway?’.  Knowing who you’re ‘talking to’, helps you to make sure you answer the right questions, for the right people.

How?
Content, design, navigation and functionality. A website strategist plans what your website will DO for users, long before the pretty colours and pictures are in place.

When we know what your website will DO for people, the answers come, in turn, answering the ‘What’s in it for me? question. This in then translated into the website structure for navigation, functionality and ultimately, the look and feel of the design.

Yikes!

One of the biggest mistakes made on websites is the failure to tell people what you want them to do with the information that you are providing. Tell them with  ‘Call to Action’ text, images, navigation and buttons.

Think About It
Here’s some questions to help you to get started with the answers:

1. What makes me so great?
This is where you turn your features and benefits into the answer to their problems. What’s your USP (unique selling point)?

2. What are my readers really looking for?
Solve their problems. Know your target market, learn their needs and give them what they want.

3. What action do I want users to take?
Do you want them to sign up, buy now, read on, learn more, contact someone, share with friends or comment? Tell them!

4. Do they need the whole enchilada?
You’ve heard the saying less is more? Way to often, websites have so much text, content, generally speaking, that it actually drives people away from websites. How much ‘So, who cares?’ info do you have on your site?

Grab users with content that matters to them. Show them you ARE the answer. You will be rewarded in spades.
Discover Engine Communications online and offline marketing solutions here. 

Funny Little Boxes

April 13, 2012 Advertising / Business / Communication / Design / Online Marketing / Print Advertising / Social Media / Websites
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QR Codes by Engine Communications

QR Codes by Engine Communications

You may have seen these funny boxes and wondered what they are or perhaps you’ve used them on your Smart Phone. They’re called QR codes and they’re everywhere!

QR is short for Quick Response. What do you need to know now?

They send Smart Phone users directly to anywhere that is online. Engine creates customized versions of these QR codes. We’ve been using them for quite awhile now on signage, auto graphics, magazine ads, posters and more.  We get to play with colours, sizes from tiny to huge and have have fun hiding cool images inside of the boxes. While these funny little boxes can be great, let’s remember to give how we use them, a great deal of thought. Used correctly, your Online Marketing World can expand substantially.

Yes, we’ve seen them used incorrectly:

An example of using QR codes incorrectly? We’ve seen QR codes placed on websites. Huh? Ummm, no, that’s not the idea. Think print. You see, the idea is to send people to your website or other online content anywhere on the web. Driving traffic to your online content, continuing your marketing message and increasing business.

QR Codes? That’s Smart!

5 Marketing Questions to Ask Yourself:

March 29, 2012 Advertising / Business / Communication / Design / ecommerce / Marketing / Non-Profit / Online Marketing / Print Advertising / Public Relations / Social Media / Technology / USP / Web / Websites
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What are you saying? After branding, a user-friendly interactive website is likely one of the most important tools that you need for your business or organization. Your online messages, along with cohesive marketing collateral, make a big difference for increasing your business. To help you get started in the thought process, here are 5 Marketing Questions you should ask yourself:

1. If I’ve never heard of my business, is it absolutely clear ‘WHAT IT IS?’ that I do?
2. Do my messages immediately identify the ‘WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?’ question?
3. Am I consistent in my branding across ALL print, logo, tagline, ad, POP item, website and Social Media?
4. Do I have a UNIQUE printed piece that I could give to my clients that encourage repeat business?
5. Does everything I do include my website ADDRESS?

Yippee for SPRING!

We thought we would take a moment to show our appreciation to you, our clients. To us, it’s all about relationships. Thank you for including Engine Communications in your marketing success. As a little thank you, we’ll be posting marketing tips on our Blog, FaceBook,  Twitter and Google+ pages. Stay Tuned!

Here’s to a great spring season! Need Help? We’re here for you. Let’s Chat!

~ The Engine Communications Team

Your Project?

March 21, 2012 Design / Marketing / Public Relations / Social Media / Web
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Only Engine Has the 7 Point Rule

We have a rule here at Engine Communications when we tackle projects. We really take our time to consider every aspect of your business or organization from a sales and marketing point of view. To make sure the magic really happens, we’ve created and follow 7 rules for every single client and every single task.

Size doesn’t matter!

Small business, large organization and everything in-between, we follow the 7 point rule. A tagline, ad copy, poster, website, multi-media or an entire campaign, the size of the project doesn’t matter. We follow our 7 point rule.

Rules. ONLY at ENGINE:

  1. Listen and understand the client’s needs.
  2. Learn about the products and/or services.
  3. Find out past and current marketing initiatives.
  4. Research competition and trends. Locally and Internationally.
  5. Be unique. Find the USP (unique selling point)
  6. Cross-connect online and offline projects.
  7. Always power the brand, empowering the client’s goals.

WHY?

Because to us, it’s about relationships and we care about your success. Your job is challenging enough. We’re here to make your life easier.

7 Rules ~ Only at Engine Communications.

A Click-Free Week!

February 10, 2012 Uncategorized
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I was very lucky to have the opportunity to escape to sunny Florida last week. Oh the sun, the sand and the sound of the waves were ever so rejuvenating! Seven days of glory, sans any and all electronic devices.

That’s right. No email, no computer, no phone, no texts, no surfing, except for the surfers on the beach! I didn’t even check my FaceBook or feel compelled to post images on my wall to prove how much fun I was having.

How enlightening it was and I didn’t miss it one bit!

Back now this week, soul-southed, brain cleared. It’s made a difference, for sure. I feel so refreshed with that little Winter reprieve, now re-fueled, full of new ideas for the many new projects we’re working on! That Click-Free Week, did just the trick. You might want to try it sometime :)

~ Laura

Gift Cards a Win for Non-Profits!

December 15, 2011 Advertising / Design / ecommerce / Marketing / Web
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It’s funny how one idea leads into another. Being in the creative field, that’s often how it works. We brainstorm, research and throw ideas around all the time. Sometimes we begin leaning towards one direction, but then, more ideas come to mind that lead is into another. The end result is a culmination of all of our wacky, and at times, pretty clever thoughts and ideas.

That’s how we ended up with the idea of helping local community agencies.

While creating business Christmas gift certificates for our marketing services, we were going through the details on what could be done and how it should be redeemed, and all of a sudden, we realized that non-profits could use some help too.

And so, the birth of the gift card for non-profits came to fruition. While this is late in the season, we decided to go ahead anyway, with the aim of expanding the concept further in the future.

Then we thought, ‘Hey we would like to help too!’ Why not create a contest for the agency that receives the most donations in gift cards? We looked in our pocketbook and our production schedule and decided that we could donate $5000 worth of free services to the winner.

So, if you’re looking for a new idea for giving this Christmas, something that counts to make a difference in your community, you can now give the gift of professional marketing, consulting and creative campaigns to your favourite local charity or not-for-profit organization!

Contest closes January 31st, 2012. We hope you can participate, spread the word and we certainly also hope you like the idea. Wonder what we’ll think of next!

Gift Card for Marketing
Click here to check it out>

Jian Ghomeshi – Pop Culture

November 1, 2011 Uncategorized
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CBC Radio

I was invited to The Ambassador Hotel in Kingston last week to hear a speech about Pop Culture. Who better to do that than Jian Ghomeshi, radio host of Q, CBC’s national arts magazine show http://www.cbc.ca/qIt was a very interesting conversation about “new media”. Being in the communications field I found this to be very interesting! He mentioned that the “new world is new media”, as it always has been. Thinking back, twelve years ago Facebook, U-tube, Google and Twitter all did not exist. Change is everywhere around us and we cannot predict the future. There is an immediacy about Pop Culture that didn’t exist before, and today we are harnessing it for political and social change.

He spoke about the classroom in the Philippines he was visiting recently. He was given an opportunity to teach the children all averaging about 7 years old. Not only was the language barrier and issue, so was the socio-economic barriers that he was facing. Funny story is that after mentioning he was from Canada, one student at the back of the room said “Bieber”…..as in Justin Bieber…..and yes! …an instant connection was made. Where it seemed hopeless at first, Pop Culture allowed him to connect with these students from a very different world. Very cool.

Creativity in Education was a topic highlighted as well. Jian referenced that employers today are looking for renaissance people. “You are your own unique brand, follow your passions and don’t be afraid to be a unique and individual person…all of this drives your brand”. I found this to be very interesting as we apply this to branding philosophy at Engine. It is nice to see personal and professional lines blurred.

Jian finished with the importance of “the pause”. We live in a world where everything is moving at such a break-neck speed that it is time to slow down and listen. “Part of listening is the pause. Listen and let the person finish speaking. The most amazing things can happen”. Well said.

It’s that time of year!

October 18, 2011 Uncategorized
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Well, it’s that time of year! I was excited this morning when I received an e-newsletter from Pier 1 Imports for their annual Unicef Christmas card design contest for children. I make a point of buying these cards every year. Christmas is a special time for family, and we all want a safe world for children to live in. UNICEF is the leading charitable organization dedicated to just this main goal. Children are our future, and what a wonderful way of spreading the message of the tireless efforts of UNICEF. Download the entry form and add your child’s Christmas card design and they could be the next Unicef artist for 2011. Good luck to all!

Unicef Canada

What’s your Focus?

June 29, 2011 Art / photography
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Although technology seems to advance at a relentless pace, photography seems to be one of those mediums that (in my opinion) is resistant to change. I mean clearly digital photography is rapidly replacing film, but I think there will always be a place for it – just look at polaroid. There are effects that can be achieved with film and old film cameras that have so much character. That being said, digital has made everyone a photographer.

Now comes what could be the next step in the evolution of photography. These 2 photos are not 2 different shots with different settings  - they ARE the same photo. This is a new technology that allows you to adjust your focus after the photo has been taken.


“A company called Lytro has just launched with $50 million in funding and, unlike Color, the technology is pretty mind-blowing. It’s designing a camera that may be the next giant leap in the evolution of photography — a consumer camera that shoots photos that can be refocused at any time. Instead of capturing a single plane of light like traditional cameras do, Lytro’s light-field camera will use a special sensor to capture the color, intensity, and vector direction of the rays of light (data that’s lost with traditional cameras).”

See the rest of the article and more examples here.

What do you think? Is it as revolutionary as they claim?

Broken Design?

June 24, 2011 Uncategorized
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I came upon this design today at Looks Like Good Design.

At first it brought a grin to my face. Pretty clever packaging… Then as I thought about it – as cool as the aesthetic is, what would be involved in producing this?

Maybe that is the point. Maybe it is worth it to distress the cardboard and to add the tape, and to stick on the “broken” typography…

Ironically, perhaps it is the added care that has to go into creating the packaging that sets it apart. I like it, I just wonder if the expense justifies the concept. What do you think?

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