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What If?

September 27th, 2021 by Ima Admin

Many of America’s greatest innovations began with the big question, “What if…?” and the solutions were even bigger. Virtually every business, large and small started with the question, “What if…?” Often one ‘what if’ leads to other ‘what ifs’.

Let’s assume that your ‘what if’ has lead you to develop a business, but your current ‘what if’ has you on the fence about the need for a website. Let me save you some time – you need one. A good one. Professionally designed to catch leads, increase sales, tell your story, differentiate you from the others – regardless of your industry. Want to know why?
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Site Redesign: Imagination Factory

January 30th, 2017 by Ima Admin

jugglingIt’s finally here! The new IFI site. During 2016, Team IFI launched ~20 new client sites (several quite large with an extensive list of features); We ghost blogged through the year for six clients; We managed SOCS, our Suite Online Catering System, for a dozen minor league baseball ballclubs around the country; We handled the tradeshow support needs (design of trinkets, handouts, posters, banners, A/V shows, even tailgate flags) for several clients; We designed / produced numerous direct mail campaigns for several clients totaling over 200,000 postcards (mail merged and EDDM); we handled Adwords campaigns for a couple retained clients; we designed a variety of new logos, business cards, and newsletters for several clients; and we managed site (and server) updates/upgrades for over 50 managed client sites.

Whew!
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Site Launch: Cutting Horse Training Online

August 9th, 2016 by Ima Admin

IFI_Blog_CHTO2_552x587Similar to a previous client, Simone & Duncan, owners of Cutting Horse Training Online (CHTO) out of Texas had built a successful online video education program that was functional but had outstripped the underlying design and technology of their current partners.

Having seen the transformation the Imagination Factory for the other client, they asked what was possible. CHTO had a few more things happening in their site, so once again we spent a lot of time investigating their specific needs, researching current technology they were using, and especially discussing the shortfalls of the current site – for both the owners and the users.

The result is a subscription-based, members-only, ecommerce, mobile-responsive site with hundreds of streaming videos & podcasts from multiple sources and by numerous training partners and grooming experts from around the world. Additionally, this site also needed to tie into third-parties InfusionSoft & Click Funnel for extensive email marketing campaigns, Dartfish for private video critiques, and SoundCloud for Podcast streaming. The site allows members to search and view streaming categorized videos on their desktop, tablet or even smartphone. In addition to basic ecommerce for books, DVDs and apparel, the site also needed to support an event calendar/ticketing system for clinics and workshops. Members may subscribe monthly, quarterly or annually to one of three different membership levels via several payment gateways to gain access to videos that are searchable by category, by training partner, by title.

This one raised the bar, yet again, on the built-in functions and capabilities that we’ve been asked to design into a site!

Mosey on over to the NEW CHTO site.


Site Launch: Wheeler Business Machines

October 30th, 2015 by Ima Admin

IFIblog_WBM_smFollowing Google’s ‘mobilegeddon’ updates, Wheeler Business Machines, began noticing a fall-off of site traffic and phone calls, despite their continuous SEO efforts.

The site was large, with a lot of good product content, but it was also quite old – predating tablets and smartphones, so it was still an HTML-based site, not mobile responsive with no real ecommerce function.

The Imagination factory re-designed the site into a CMS-based structure and gave them a much easier e-commerce setup which was not only mobile responsive, but easier to search optimize AND manage the site content. Client is much more productive at managing the site, the site is regaining its search ‘juice’, calls AND orders are flowing at a higher rate.

Visit WHEELER BUSINESS MACHINES


Site Re-vamp: Borgman Ford

July 25th, 2015 by Ted Bailey

IFIblog_BORG_C_smIn addition to their main new/used auto, truck and commercial vehicle site, Borgman has numerous mini-sites which we maintain on their behalf. Each mini-site focuses on a specific model or group of models, so given the numbers of Fords and Mazdas out there, you can begin to get an idea of just how numerous we’re talking.

Although designed some time ago to be mobile friendly, by your friendly neighborhood web-slingers at the Imagination Factory, changes at the various search engines dictated that we revamp ALL the sites to be even more mobile responsive.

Fortunately, when we originally designed the original structure, we had done so using a multi-site concept which deploys a single CMS engine as the back-side foundation and then allowed us to spawn each mini-site as a child of the master. This allows us to use a common master design and codeset, then easily tweak each child to be unique sites on their own even w/ their own domain name. It also reduces re-design, maintenance and update time considerably.

There are so many mini-sites, we couldn’t begin to list them all, but head over to Borgman Ford Commercial Vehicles Used Cars Grand Rapids or Grand Rapids Ford Escape and you’ll get the idea.


Site Launch: CTMAX

December 31st, 2013 by Ted Bailey

ctmax_trio

Long-time client, CTMAX, has developed a split personality! Since we put up their original site in 1996, we’ve revamped their we presence several times, the last was in 2009/2010… BEFORE the onslaught of the mobile devices that have found their way into our pockets and purses.

Since Connecticut Maxillofacial Surgeons (aka CTMAX) started their practice (you’d think they wouldn’t still be ‘practicing’), they have continually improved and expanded their services and geographical reach. A few years back they launched a separate learning center to provide a place of continuing education for colleagues. Earlier this year, CTMAX, began to apply their expansive knowledge of facial aesthetics in the areas of non-surgical facial aesthetic enhancement… and the Facial Aesthetic Center for Enhancement (CTMAX FACE) was launched.

The problem was the primary practice was that of oral surgery and caters to a bit more toward the referring doctor and their patients; the learning center is really aimed at area doctors interested in increasing their industry knowledge; and FACE is more consumer-related.

The solution was NOT to try to make one site do it all, but to actually split the former site into three inter-related but separate sites… And, of course, make them mobile responsive and search optimized.

 


Site Launch: Lease GR

August 7th, 2013 by Ted Bailey

IFIblog_lgrSince 2000, LeaseGR Rental Property Management has specialized in mid-market and higher-end rental properties. They manage hundreds of properties in and around Grand Rapids, MI, helping renters find the right home and owners find dependable tenants. They also offer complete property management services for landlords, investors and homeowners who would rather have their focus elsewhere.

Their core business is property management, mostly for owners who don’t want to deal with the daily drudgery. LeaseGR does it all—advertising, tenant screening, lease execution, 24-hour maintenance, accounting, inspections… every last detail.

And when they wanted to revamp their online story, make it mobile friendly, and enhance their online presence with a searchable inventory that was easy to manage, they called on the Imagination Factory.

Visit Lease GR


Site Launch: Kentwood Office Furniture

June 2nd, 2013 by Ted Bailey

Kentwood OfficeKentwood Office Furniture is the Midwest’s premier specialist in high quality remanufactured, used, and new office furniture. Since 1976, they have been passionate about providing the best selection of affordable, well designed, furniture solutions with an emphasis on outstanding customer service. No longer just in ‘Kentwood’ they have locations in Traverse City, Jackson, Lansing, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Chicago.

Their last site was built before the advent of mobile tablets and the proliferation of smartphones, so they asked the Imagination Factory to make it mobile ready, revamp the ecommerce section to make it easier for online customers to browse online, request quotes and convert those quotes to orders.

Visit Kentwood Office


Site Launch: Bos Greenhouse

May 27th, 2013 by Ted Bailey

Bos GreenhouseSome things haven’t changed throughout three generations of service. Today, Bos Greenhouse uses the latest planting techniques and the best agricultural science to produce superior seedlings and delectable vegetables. This enables them to deliver high quality products at fair market prices. Though farm practices have changed, their homespun philosophy hasn’t.

What also has changed is their logo AND the milestone of being awarded the ‘Centennial Farm’ designation.

To celebrate, the Imagination Factory was asked to give the site an entire overhaul. Similar to the advance in farming, Bos wanted the new site to be mobile responsive, easy for them to manage, flexible enough for them to add their farm reports, recipes, and other tips, and above all be visible in search engines so more people could see what Bos has to offer.

Visit Bos Greenhouse


Site Launch: ServiceMaster of Kent County

April 12th, 2013 by Ted Bailey

Service MasterIn the Kent and Ionia counties of Michigan, when you want your home or office expertly cleaned or recovered from a disaster, you call ServiceMaster.

They’re your number one source for residential Duct Cleaning, Carpet Cleaning; and Upholstery Cleaning. They offer commercial maintenance on contract carpet cleaning and floor polishing for a wide range of contract commercial customers, including restaurants, commercial office suites, hotels, manufacturers and more. They are a leader in Grand Rapids for commercial and residential disaster restoration and recovery for water damage, including flood and sewage backups; for smoke and fire damage and for mold remediation.

When the local Servicemaster franchisee owner wanted their web presence cleaned up, they called the Imagination Factory. We sat down with them and developed an easy-to-manage, mobile responsive and SEO friendly site for them.

Visit ServiceMaster GR


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