Engage The New Year Successfully!

A New Year is always a great time for trying out a "new you", so why not do the same when it come to your business or project?

Just as many of us tend to get a new hairstyle, plan new lifestyle changes, or a new outlook when the New Year arrives; your company’s image and marketing campaign can benefit from the same approach.

Take a look at how your customers have changed. Are they buying more from you or less than before? Are you attracting new customers regularly?

Take a look at how your competition has changed. Have your competitors become more successful than before? What are they doing differently?

This new year, consider revamping your business image with an updated website, marketing campaign, and refreshed logo. Check out the newest colors that are "in" right now, and the newest technologies that are out there.

While the economy is still recovering, budget-conscious consumers have honed in their bargain hunting skills. Since buyers have more price comparison ability now, work to attract them with great deals. Joining in with local coupon publications and apps can help.

Offer happy rewards for your returning customers and their referrals. It is important to be prepared to promote price reductions and discount incentives to keep those price checking shoppers coming back.

The marketing world is adapting to new technologies in 2012. While a marketer’s job is to attract customers, it can also be overwhelming to be the consumers. Think about the things you can offer that can make the consumers life easier, while also strengthening their relationship with your business or brand.

It is okay to announce on your television commercial that your website offers special deals. It is okay to produce text and e-mail campaigns. It is also okay to engage customers with social media and videos. 

Focus on gaining trust, loyalty, and repeat business from your customers without overwhelming them too much. Consider a target audience approach with an emphasis on loyalty discounts and offers.

Keep an open mind when considering new options for your marketing campaign. There are more affordable choices now than ever before. Placing locally-targeted ads in national publications can help you this New Year, just be sure to include a message that is relevant to your local area.

Check out your local bloggers and what they are writing about. If they cover topics that relate to your product or service, ask to advertise on their website. Even if a news publication or blog is out of your particular service area, check with the publisher, as they often will display your local advertising to visitors from your general area with tools such as Google AdSense.

Depending on the product or service you offer, you don’t want to miss out on attracting customers from around the world. The New Year opens with an expanded internet accessibility all over the globe. More people are online and using mobile technologies than ever before.

There are numerous website translation tools that can be implemented so that others speaking different languages can browse your site with a click of a button. Language translation tools are also readily available to many mobile device users as well. If you know what countries you are already attracting visitors from, you could design a marketing campaign tailored to their needs.

It’s never wrong to ask, “How may I help you?”

That simple sentence may seem so cliché by now, but say it - and mean it. It helps to prompt your customer to share valuable information with you. Customers who feel like they actually have someone who will listen to them feel empowered. This helps you obtain feedback that can be used to improve your product, service, or how to focus your next marketing campaign. Actively listening and engaging with your customer builds your overall credibility this New Year and for years to come.

Are You SHOUTING or Are You Just Happy to See Me?

If there is one thing that annoys me most when it comes to computer etiquette, it would have be the use of ALL CAPITAL LETTERS in an e-mail message, comment in a blog or website, and even a text message on my phone.

Not only is it considered shouting, but it is also hard to read and simply annoying.  It makes me not even want to read the text because I've lost all credibility with the person typing in all caps!  It's as though the person lacks intelligence, is immature, or just plain lazy.

One of the first things I like to teach people new to the wonderful world of computers is e-mail etiquette 101.  It describes the proper use of e-mail at the utmost basic level.  A majority of which is still ignored today as I notice sifting through my morning e-mails.  Poorly formed subject lines (if any), the RE: RE: RE: FWD: FWD: FWD: messages (which is a whole other story), mis-spellings and grammatical errors, replying to an old e-mail with old subject line intact and starting a new subject, and of course the use of all capital letters.

Early computer programs actually had problems reading lower case letters, so it was the norm many years ago to use all capital letters in computer code.  Not so much anymore.  In fact, great Code Writers and Web Programmers pride themselves on writing clean code.  That is, the programming code is nicely formatted, coding does not contain clutter or useless code, is nicely spaced and easy to read, and does not typically contain all capital letters.

The majority of businesses and companies these days have e-mail and web policies in place for their employees.  They are strictly enforced and are not taken lightly as they are a true reflection of the Company's Image.  In my Corporate work experience, I've seen many issues arise from the improper use of e-mail communications.  Some of which, I have witnessed first hand and sequestered to Managerial meetings over.  Some outcomes did not fare so well, while others, employees were kindly reminded that you just can't do that in an e-mail.  According to this article, a woman in New Zealand was fired over the use of all caps in an e-mail.  She even took it a step forward and changed the color of her text to red!  She may have got her point across, but lost her job in the process.

When it comes to Graphic Design, the use of capital letters becomes a whole other world.  It is a conscientious decision made by the Designer.  An artistic license if you would.  Although, I may sound like I'm contradicting myself from everything I've said above, that can be tossed aside when capital letters are used effectively in a design.  The letters of a logo for instance, become a graphical shape and part of an image that signifies a brand.  Capital letters are used as a design element rather than to start a shouting match.  By using all capital letters in a logo (or other design), there tends to be an innate portrayal of trust and strength with the business.

Take our logo for instance.  We made the decision to use all capital letters to signify an importance to our name.  The type in GING is bolder than ALLEY and is intended to create a visual balance since there are more letters in Alley. The logo also works on a whole by using a variation of the same font and keeping the type uniform and on the same plane. The tagline below is scaled down and although it too uses all upper case, the importance is less significant and does not draw as much attention to the eye.

On the opposite side, the use of lower case type can signify a more whimsical or softer tone. A good choice for some business logos, but not all.  Oftentimes ascending and descending type can play against Designers when using lower case, so upper case becomes an advantageous choice.         

In conclusion, if you use all caps in a message, please use them sparingly and certainly be conscious of others' feelings towards them.

I guess you could just say that I'm case sensitive.

-Chris

Links:

Samples of our logo designs using both all caps and a mix of lower and upper case.

e-mail etiquette

GINGALLEY Visit WPDE NewsChannel 15 Studios - Delivers The News

Chris Gingrich & Jerri Alley of GINGALLEY Web Design & Promotions, along with Chris' niece Carlee Andrews and her friend Michaela Dalton, visited the WPDE NewsChannel 15 Studio yesterday evening.

Ed with Michaela and Carlee

It all started with a comment from Carlee on Ed Piotrowski's Facebook wall.

Carlee said, "I'd like to meet you someday [Ed]."

Ed answered back and said, "You should come to the studio sometime for a tour."

Then, Jerri and Chris quickly chimed in on the thread and said that they wanted to come too!  That they would tag along with Carlee for the tour – so, the date was set!

Upon moving to South Carolina in 2008, Chris and Jerri quickly became fans of Ed Piotrowski and his work as Chief Meteorologist at WPDE.  His delivery of the weather forecast is flawless and his wonderful personality shines through each and every newscast.

"Ed is very knowledgeable and passionate about the weather. You can really tell that he loves what he does.", Chris says.

When Carlee asked Ed if he ever gets nervous on-the-air, Ed said, "not so much anymore.  It's like riding a bike."

Well, it surely shows!  In fact, Ed doesn't rely on teleprompters when he is live on-the-air.  He prepares his forecast and report prior to the newscast.  Then he just goes out there in front of all the cameras and delivers it – without a hitch.

Ed has always been a reliable source to watch when severe weather hits our area.  As we are currently in "Hurricane Season", we will be sure to tune into WPDE should the weather take a turn for the worse.

Ed has won many prestigious awards and is surely deserving of each and every one.     

From Ed's Profile on the WPDE website:

In his 17 years in South Carolina, Ed has been named Best Weathercaster in the state twice by the South Carolina Associated Press, Best of the Beach 11 years in a row, and was nominated for the National Hurricane Center's Media Award for outstanding efforts to educate and inform the public about hurricanes and hurricane preparedness.

Most recently, Ed was voted Best Local Weatherperson by the Weekly Surge Superlatives: Reader's Choice Awards. And, this past week, Ed was busy on his mini-tour of the Grand Strand delivering his informative "Hurricane Preparedness" lectures. 

On top of being a great Weathercaster and genuinely a nice guy, Ed is also an astute Photographer and is getting some quality lessons from one of the area's greats, Phil Lanoue. (If you have ever watched Ed's weather report, then you should know who Phil is.  If not, you can check out some of his pictures- and Ed's of course- on Ed's Facebook page.)

Upon entering the "Weather Command Center" at the studio, we quickly noticed the walls adorned with framed photos of Phil's work which is nothing less than breathtaking.  We spoke briefly about making Ed and Phil websites to display their photography.  A conversation that we will need to continue another day.

The tour of the studio will surely be a memorable one! 

We would like to thank Ed as well as Allyson Floyd, Tim McGinnis, Mark Haggard, Ryan Naquin, and Victoria Spechko for allowing us to sit in on a live recording of the nightly newscast.

See you all at 5 and 11! 

Some more pictures...

Allyson Floyd and Tim McGinnis

Chris Gingrich, Jerri Alley, Michaela Dalton, Carlee Andrews
Ed Piotrowski, Allyson Floyd, Tim McGinnis

This just in...

Links:

WPDE website - Carolina Live
WPDE on Facebook
Ed Piotrowski on Facebook
Tim MiGinnis on Facebook

Is It Time For a Logo Update?

The logo you use sends out a message to all who view it. As an iconic symbol representing your business or organization, your logo needs to work for you. It is true that repetitiveness, consistency, and omnipresence are wonderful characteristics for a brand to have. However, there are several reasons that a logo update may be important to you.

Changes In The Marketplace

Former brick-and-mortar institutions have an ever increasing online presence, or wish to appear as though they do. Your logo must create more accessibility in its usage on the printed medium as well as the virtual world. If the style, line, or font is antiquated in a way that was not intended, it is time to consider a logo redesign.

Changes In Your Organization

Periodically, your company’s or organization’s services, products, mission, or target audience will change. Your logo can reflect the improvements you've made or the milestones you've reached. Has your group or company recently become more eco-friendly? Have you added more products or services? Have you moved to a new location or want to create a new online image with a new domain name?

A physical move of your place of business or organization means you will need to update your address on letterhead, signs, business cards, shirts, or other printed items. This is a perfect time to reflect on the relevance of your logo since you will need to order updated marketing materials.

Updating your business practices creates an opportune time to consider updating your logo. Maybe you are releasing a new e-commerce website or adding new office locations. How well does your branding and logo translate within the online environment? Is your logo clean and bright on the computer screen? Does your logo project the message and feelings that you wish to portray as your image?

Transition events like these are optimal for enhancing a new marketing strategy and a fresh logo while you announce your new address or new business practices.

Simplification For Easier Recognition

Simple can be beautiful. A simple logo of bold lines and few colors can be easier on the eyes and easier to remember. A logo should be recognizable with one glance. The viewer can perceive the subtle meaning. The next time they see it, they will know it is yours.

The most memorable logo designs are simple in appearance and act as a memorable identifier for the organization or company represented. An average person will normally just take a brief glimpse at a logo so one that is overly complex will decrease the opportunity for it to be remembered.

You may think that a simple logo is harder to market because an obvious meaning may not easily be determined from it. In actuality, it always depends on how good your marketing strategies are. Take a look at the Apple logo. It is simple. But one look at it, you will immediately know that the iPhone, iPad, or laptop was made by Apple because it bears the famous logo.

Retro Can Be Cool: Stale Is Not

An outdated logo is like wearing cargo shorts and flip flops to a job interview – you may surely stand out, but not in a flattering way. Renewed excitement and vibrancy can be brought to your brand with an updated logo. Your refreshed logo can have a reinvigorating effect on customers and employees. A logo redesign keeps your image from feeling stale or out of touch. In most cases, the logo was great when it was initially designed, but now looks outdated. You can still hold true to the history and people represented in your existing logo, but freshen up the colors and expression. How is your logo doing? Is it stuck representing what your company used to do? Is it looking just like every other logo in your industry? When someone sees your logo, do they remember who you are and what you do?

If you decide that it is time to redesign your logo, make sure you have it done professionally. Presently, a logo is not just for business cards and letterhead. Your logo needs to shine on your website, on your signage and marketing materials, on your staff’s shirts or employee’s uniforms, or on your cars and delivery trucks. Maybe you have had someone else design your original logo and they failed to provide you with all of the file versions you need to use it effectively. In this case, you will need to have your logo recreated in all of the file formats necessary for it to look its best online and on printed materials.

GINGALLEY Sponsoring Georgetown, SC's Inaugural 5k Marathon

GINGALLEY Web Design & Promotions is a proud sponsor of the upcoming Georgetown Marathon! 

The City of Georgetown, South Carolina is excited to host the inaugural Bridge 2 Bridge Half Marathon and 5K Run/Walk to be held on Saturday October 1st, 2011. The beautiful, historic, and charming seaport city will offer runners an event that showcases all of the unique features that make Georgetown such an interesting coastal community.

Beautiful and Historic Dowtown Georgetown, South Carolina

Clock Tower

The Half Marathon route will start and finish in the hub of the city on Front Street in Historic Downtown Georgetown. After running past the downtown’s eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, and historic landmarks, including the famous Clock Tower at the Rice Museum, the course quickly transitions into the East Bay Park area where runners will be greeted by lovely views of Winyah Bay. As circling the park, off in the distance they will get their first glimpse of the two bridges that cross the Black and Waccamaw Rivers. Upon leaving East Bay Park the course takes them through a residential area showcasing Georgetown’s signature tree-lined streets and beautiful Lowcountry architecture. The route proceeds onto US Highway 17 where the next immediate focus will be to cross Georgetown’s gateway bridges. This early morning race will surely provide participants with amazing panoramic sunrise views of Winyah Bay, with Hobcaw Barony creating a splendid natural background.

We are exciting to be involved with this Marathon, since it is the first of many to follow.  We worked closely with the City of Georgetown's Marathon Committee to develop its Marathon logo which will surely evolve over time. The logo will be used in print collateral, reusable jute bags provided by BagWisely, t-shirts for the Marathon Runners as well as distributed to Media Outlets for promoting the event.

Although we do not have any plans of running the Marathon, we plan to go the distance by helping to make this event a success!

For more information and to Register for the Marathon,please visit their website:

http://www.bridge2bridgerun.com (designed by Methods Development, Inc.)

Want to Start a Revolution or Simply Drive More Business To Your Company?

With Social Media, you can do just that.

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, FourSquare and LinkedIn have become the social media powerhouses within the past few years with MySpace losing much ground in the wake.

Beginning in December of last year in Tunisia, a firestorm of protests were posted on Facebook that culminated into a full-scale Revolution against longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.  He has since resigned and fled the country with street demonstrations and other unrest continuing to this day.

Shortly thereafter, Egypt and several other Countries in the Arab World followed suit.    

CNN's Wolf Blitzer credited Facebook with the success of the Egyptian people's uprising after Wael Ghonim, a Marketing Manager for Google, played a key role in organizing the January 25 protest by reaching out to Egyptian youths on Facebook.

So, is Facebook and other Social Media Networks that powerful?  Are they worth the time of day for your business?  You bet your bottom dollar!

If you can start a revolution through Social Media, don't you think you can gain new leads and sales for your business?

Social media is gradually changing the paradigm of how people market, promote and care about their customers and potential clients. But what is the correct strategy, tools and approach to achieve those goals?

According to The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Marketing Research, Social Media Marketing amongst Fortune 500 for 2010, 60% are using Twitter and 56% are using Facebook.

And these numbers are growing as the younger Y-Generation creates new start-ups and take over existing companies.

Social Media is a great tool for getting immediate feedback from your customers and gaining new sales if done correctly.  The soft sell approach is very effective and creates positive interactions amongst your "likes" and "followers".  Gone are the days of high pressure sales and screaming at people to BUY, BUY, BUY!

With a few quality posts and tweets, you will gain significant trust with your customers - and that is ultimately what they are buying.  They just don't know that's what your selling. ;)  This could apply to any product imaginable!  With quick responses and honest answers, even if you have a horrible product, you could possibly have a customer (or friend) for life!

So, is your business on Facebook, Twitter or even YouTube?  If not, your missing out on a Revolution of Prosperity!

The brand new ecoTub Solutions website launched today!

ecoTub Solutions website

The new ecoTub Solutions website was launched today!

ecoTub Solutions repairs and restores worn surfaces on Bathtubs, in an environmentally friendly manner.

Unlike other companies who use toxic industrial chemicals, ecoTub Solutions uses a patented technique that does not emit volatile odors and is safe for the environment.

Located in Honolulu, Hawaii, ecoTub Solutions will go down as GINGALLEY's first Client in beautiful Hawaii!

Check out their new website and let us know what you think.

You can also join them on their Facebook page and LinkedIn page (coming soon).