360angles

In june 2011 Voltage Creative began working with Paige Technologies. And we’re already well underway in the development of a new and highly functional web property. This new website, scheduled to launch at the end of the summer 2011, will offer site visitors robust and real-time functionality pertaining to Paige Technologies core business as an IT staffing agency for the area’s top technology companies and IT talent.

Since 2002 Paige Technologies has worked with and provided IT staffing solutions to some of the region’s leading technology companies and has become a trusted resource for this demanding industry.

“Our Relationships. Your Success” is the Paige Technologies tagline and mantra. We’re excited to be working with this driven group and look forward to launching a new site that mirrors the quality of their services and mission.

Founded in 2011 and supported by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and some of the area’s most well-respected technology companies and education organizations, this non-profit organization will focus its efforts on uniting area resources, educators, companies, and affiliate STEM organizations to drive interest in STEM education and careers:

Mission: The KC STEM Alliance is a collaborative network of educators, business partners and organizations that inspires interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math careers to generate a robust force of related professionals for our community.

Vision: A diverse, innovative and sustainable STEM workforce.

We live in a technically advanced world with an ever-growing demand for highly skilled professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). At the same time, there is increasing concern among education, business and government leaders that we are not cultivating a workforce prepared to meet the challenges of the future.

The vision of the KC STEM Alliance is to see that a diverse, innovative and sustainable STEM workforce becomes a reality. By developing an environment that leverages the strengths of educators, STEM organizations, and local industry we can create a collaborative network to encourage and sustain interest in STEM careers. Working together will allow us to target limited resources where they are most needed, strengthen STEM programs across the community and serve as a vital source of information and research.

In early Spring 2011 Voltage Creative began working with KC STEM Alliance to develop branded materials and core support assets including identity, Mission and Vision Statements, talking points and much more. We have recently completed the development of vital print assets and are in the midst of developing a web property scheduled to launch late summer of 2011.

Everyone knows the saying “it’s who you know.” I can personally vouch for the validity of that statement as it’s worked in my favor as well as against it.

But, there’s another “who” we sometimes forget or lose sight of as business people and that’s “who WE are.” How do we define ourselves and our business and how do we provide our contacts and prospects with the tools to describe the “who” as it applies to us?

One of the most powerful tools we have as business people is our identity – the definition of who we are as a business in a succinct and memorable fashion. And the assets at our disposal to accomplish this include the following:

1) Identity:
Make sure it’s easy to understand, well designed, exudes quality and is used consistently. Brand dilution happens when logos change across media or over time. Brand standards can go a long way in combatting this issue and can be accomplished easily.

2) Messaging:
Can people tell what you do in the fewest number of words possible? That sounds simple enough, but all too often buzz words and lofty etherial sales-speak takes the place of clear communication. In the age of tweets and short attention spans, the 500 word description and “think outside the box” verbiage no longer apply. Keep it simple and get to the point ASAP. I’m talking short – think 25 words. And if you want to be able to tweet your description, it’ll need to be less than 140 characters.

3) Brand Assets:
This includes brochures, business cards, your website and any other vehicle that transports your brand to your markets’ eyes. Keep these simple, informative and go for quality. If your collateral is cheap, that perception will transfer to your business offerings.

4) Networking:
Apply all of the above to this. Networking can literally be done anywhere – coffee shop, wedding, convention, online, etc. If you can flip someone your business card, it reflects a quality business, they can find your website and tell what you do in a matter of seconds, your efforts will be that much more effective.

Hone your “who” to be easily understood, remembered and portable. In this fashion your identity can serve as an extension of you and your sales efforts – working on it’s own and through others and preceding your business before introductions ever occur. So when the time comes to approach a new prospect, your “who” has a better chance of already being known.

Harry Epstein’s Hardware is an 81-year-old hardware store on 8th Street in downtown KC. It’s one of those historic, funky, and ancient little places you could easily drive right past if you’re not in the market for an Adjustable Klein Spud Wrench or a nice Friction Thimble Micrometer … and I’m guessing most of us aren’t. They specialize in high-quality specialty tools and hardware for serious tradesmen.

I’m writing this blog not because of their inventory of seemingly endless random and “can you say that again” tools, but for their good use of social media. No they’re not tearing up Facebook with six-figures in followers and they’re not tweeting specials on Carbide Tip Scribers. Rather, as a small company, I feel they have properly integrated YouTube into their brand.

I found just two videos on their (rather crude) site, and in the most basic way, they work. They’re simple, not overly produced, semi-humorous and best of all, they play into their quirky identity and speak to their specialty hardware products.

This is one of the cardinal rules of social media – be authentic and true to your biz and keep in mind it doesn’t have to be overcomplicated.

The customer is always right, right? So when we’re the customer, how do we handle the responsibility of being considered “always right?”

Some people/organizations handle it gracefully while others wield it like a sledge hammer crushing all who dare beg to differ. You are paying a vendor for their services and thus there is a reasonable expectation of quality, service and that promises be met. It’s an important dynamic and it is in all of our best interests to manage our vendor relationships with responsibility and professionalism. Here’s why:

1. Paths cross and word travels fast: You’re most likely working with a vendor because they service many companies like yours and work within the same space. If you tend to be a tough client to work with, they’re going to remember and when they evoke your name, you don’t want their opinions to be negative towards those with whom could become your client.
2. Be careful on your way up: Quite simply put, you never know when your vendor may become your client or when you may need something from them. Once again, there’s a good chance your fields of business are related and whether it’s advice you need, a client referral, a favor or an opportunity to assist them with a project they have, you want to be known as the go-to, easy to work with group.
3. Brand advocates: The best kind of marketing is word of mouth and anyone will tell you that “who you know” plays a HUGE factor in getting your foot in the door with a new client. Your vendors can become some of your best brand advocates. They talk to people in your industry and to people who may be seeking your services and if you work with them on a regular basis they’re going to know the kind of work you deliver. Treat them with respect and they’ll be more apt to speak your praises to people with whom they have solid relationships.

I’d recommend viewing vendors like any other business relationship; hold them to their promises, but be professional, and respectful. The relationships we have with vendors can benefit us both if managed properly.

We tell a lot of e-commerce clients that if you’re not going to A/B split test, at least copy Amazon… I have a similar stance on design. If you’re not going to hire an amazing web development and design agency (like us, amiright?) then there are roughly two things you should keep in mind:

• Keep it simple
• What is Apple doing? (I’m only half kidding; you’ll see why.)

So what is Apple doing? Let’s take a look at what I consider one of the best product pages online right now. The product page for the Macbook Air:

My favorite thing about this page is that the call to action (CTA). The little blue “Buy Now” button in the upper right sticks out like a sore thumb, but it doesn’t break the design language of the page in the process. They tastefully drew attention to it by making it the most extreme iteration of their design language.

The button is completely in line with the overall design language,  it’s just been turned up to eleven.

• It has the most drastic rounded corners.
• It’s the brightest and largest concentration of the page’s highlight color.
• It anchors the site navigation of this area on Apple.com by placing it last punctuating it with the bright blue button background gradient. (When you’re making a list and want something to stand out, always put it first or last.)
• It doesn’t look out of place, but there isn’t anything else on the page that looks like it, or more importantly, that competes with it. This is the big one – your CTA should be the most extreme example of your design language, but it shouldn’t look like it came from another site.

One great way to test your CTA’s visibility is the ten foot test. The literal version of this to step back from your monitor 10 feet and see what you can still deduce about the content of your page. Of course, the fake version is to just zoom out your browser a few steps:

You can still read the main title of the page, “The Macbook Air”. Great. You can’t make out much of the other text unless you’re eagle-eyed and even then the vast majority of it is still unintelligible, but that’s OK. One other thing above the fold (not that there’s a fold :) does still stick out, though. It’s that little bright blue button in the top right. You can’t tell what it says, but you still know it’s important.

And back to my earlier note about putting things at the front or back of lists when you think they’re the most important; you’ll notice the first item on that sub navigation list is Design. I’m shocked I tell you… just SHOCKED.

As usual, Apple’s page layouts are a master class in how to get the response you want from your audience. (Not that they never miss, they still can’t seem to make a mouse I care to use for more than about 20 minutes.)