Archive for July, 2009

Working in the web development and design industry, I think it is essential to be aware of not only current design trends but also market research. As an online shopper myself, I was curious to know what other online shoppers valued in choosing an online store. In a study of 4,023 adults conducted in April by BIGresearch on behalf of NRF and Shop.org this is what they found.

According to the study, the most significant factor is price (sales or price discounts). Shopping online enables you to easily do price checks, read reviews and make what you feel would be the most informed decision. Nowadays with the market at a down turn, many consumers are looking for ways to stretch their bottom dollar.

“Over two-thirds (67%) of women cited price as a significant factor in choosing to do business with a given retailer, though somewhat fewer (58%) men felt strongly about price.”

In second place, 45% of customers valued free or discounted shipping. I can personally attest to this. It’s a contributing factor to why I do a lot of my online shopping on amazon.com.

It was refreshing to learn that consumers are not only swayed by price. Other factors that contribute to online shoppers purchasing decisions include merchandise assortment and quality. The study found that steady value-based shopping was preferred over ongoing unpredictable sales.

Fiona Swerdlow, Head of Research at Shop.org states that “while consumers certainly welcome the term “value” these days, retailers can set themselves apart by emphasizing merchandise quality, durability and selection in their marketing and product descriptions – and may even want to do some A/B testing around those messages. From a marketing perspective, retailers should segment their customers to most effectively target messages that emphasize purchase factors important to different groups.”

So the bottom line is, if value, quality, and durability are the key factors that has the greatest impact on consumers’ decision making regarding where to shop online, shouldn’t your online store market those same key factors?

There’s nothing like a nice weekend getaway to Charleston, South Carolina where you experience good old fashion hospitality, fine dining, and peaceful walks through neighborhoods on old cobble stone roads. It’s a place where you discover magnificent courtyards tucked away behind cast iron fences draped with sweet jasmine and the fragrance of the crisp ocean breeze fills the air.

Charleston has always been a special town for us. It’s the town where we celebrated our first wedding anniversary and found ourselves coming back almost a dozen times a year. It’s that special place that we consider a home away from home and where we get the most inspiration. Most designers and creatives can relate when I say inspiration is a necessity and not just a luxury.

So what did we get inspired to do after our trip to Charleston? We’ll for one, this brand new website and blog. It’s been on the to do list for a long time, but over the past 8 months, I became a new mother and have been busy with several projects putting the Allegro website on the back burner. As a mother who works in and outside of the home, it’s not news to anyone that time is a very rare commodity.

However, after our trip to Charleston, I knew it was time to launch a brand new website for Allegro and to utilize key functions for web marketing, like search engine optimization, content management system, and a blog.

We are all aware that the web is constantly changing. Just ten years ago it was rare to own a website and now it’s an expectation to have your company online. Web standards and design trends are improving. Every day new updates are created, designs continue to evolve and stretch the limits, and more and more people are going online to do their research, read consumer reviews, watch videos, learn and shop. The bottom line is if companies don’t keep up, they will miss out on the largest growing market.

As a web designer and developer, I learn something new everyday and it’s my job to keep up and I not expect my clients to know what to ask and know the ins and outs of web development. The more I know, the better equipped I am at helping my clients become successful. I have no idea how web developers stay in business without constantly updating their skills. You certainly shouldn’t be in the web development business if you don’t want to continue to learn and grow.

Did you know that Americans spend an average of 14 hours a week online and 14 hours watching TV? However, of the marketing dollars spent, 22% of their advertising dollars go towards TV and only 6% online, according to data compiled and analyzed by Google.

I am shocked at the number of websites out there that are so outdated and difficult to navigate. Many people don’t know where to start or know if they should spend the money to get a new website. For the novices out there, sure there are templates you could buy, but if you don’t know anything about coding, you will likely pull your hair out trying to figure it out. It’s never that easy. You’re better off hiring someone who will take your interest to heart and will who will do a good job keeping you informed of best practices. Web development is a profession of its own.

“Of all the advertising platforms, the Internet is one of the few on an upward trend,” says Wharton marketing professor Patti Williams. “But if you look in terms of the sheer amount of time most consumers are spending online and the amount of dollars being spent to reach them, it is still probably way under what it should be.”

For some, the question is I don’t know if I can afford a new website. But the reality is, I don’t think you can afford not to. Your online presence is a long term investment that needs to constantly evolve. Imagine if you were the owner of a clothing company. Would you sell the same style of clothes indefinitely? Of course not! How about if you owned a specialty boutique shop, would you set up your specialty shop like a garage sell? Of course not! Your online presence is your store front. You want to create an experience for your online visitors just as you would a customer who walked into your shop.

This is a brochure created for Duke University Department of Anesthesiology in an effort to educate patents about the important role of an anesthesiologist in patient care and how anesthesia research makes a huge impact on the future of medicine.

This was Allegro’s first website which was launched in the Spring of 2008.

Church bulletin called “Called Out”.

Church bulletin called Jonah.

Church Christmas Mailer called “From Reel to Real”

Church bulletin design for Mother’s Day.

The Duke DREAM Campaign is a philanthropic effort that was established to raise funds for anesthesiology research for the Department of Anesthesiology at Duke University. We created all of the marketing materials including website, environmental banners, print collateral, Christmas Cards, and videos for the campaign.

Tomorrow’s America Foundation administers several youth leadership conferences throughout the summer. Allegro was charged with creating a complete new rebranding package which included logos for their camps, stationary, website, marketing materials, t-shirts and several other conference print collateral.

Michael Broome is a motivational speaker and author of the book, Be a Liver of Life and Not a Gall Bladder, known for teaching solid leadership principles and use of humor. The goal of his website is to capture his audience with a multimedia incorporating video footage of his speeches and to inspire them with his humorous and powerful message. Allegro was charged with editing video and creating a website that also included an e-store and a content management system. Visit Michael’s website at www.michaelbroome.com.

Allegro created a print ad for Pavilion East Lofts, unique luxury condominiums designed to cater to professionals and the academic and medical community.

This is a multipurpose ad campaign for Burlington Outlet Village. The ‘Shop BOV’ design incorporated the different types of shops at the outlet in a fun and unique way. The design was crafted in a way that it could be ‘decorated’ for the different seasons giving people something to look forward to. The first ad is targeted towards students and the second ad is more general.

Back of business card

Brochure

Post Card Front

Back of Post Card

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The 100midtown.com project was a complete rebranding project for a luxury apartment community in Atlanta, Georgia targeted for college students. The project included a new identity package, stationary, website with custom social networking features, and custom photography. The website includes an interactive map of the Midtown Atlanta area to give students a feel for the environment. In addition, Allegro created a private social networking site within the website that enables residents of 100 midtown to search for roommates, blog, post images and videos, fill out roommate surveys and much more!

SouthBridge Fellowship Church needed a bulletin graphic for their ‘Core’ series as they covered the the church’s core values over several weeks.