value proposition Archives - IFI: Web Design Grand Rapids MI - Ecom Development

(616) 356-2545 15 Ionia Ave. SW, Suite 220 - Grand Rapids, MI 49503

First Best Impressions

August 2nd, 2018 by Ima Admin

On a sad note, funeral services were held earlier this week for a friend who was a psychic contortionist, but it was OK because she had said she saw her own end.

Wow! I’ll bet that left an impression!

‘Impression’ is a funny word.. we can DO an impression, we can MAKE an impression, we can GET an impression, we can be LEFT with an impression, and we can COUNT impressions.

When you arrive at any business or networking event, you make some judgements about who you THINK everyone is and IF you want to have a conversation with them.

It’s OK, we all do it. They’re doing the same thing.
Read the rest of this entry »

Historical or Hysterical

July 22nd, 2018 by Ima Admin

Is your web site Historical or Hysterical?

There are a number of things that go into designing a successful website or any marketing piece, whether it’s a restaurant menu, a billboard, an advertisement, a sales flyer, or a tradeshow banner.

Its easy to point to appropriate use of colors, the fonts used, putting things (such as the logo or navigation) where people will see and use it, or using a CALL TO ACTION (CTA) to generate interest.

But all that is really informed by YOUR customers. What works best for one company and its customers might not be best for you and yours.
Read the rest of this entry »

Some time ago I met a sales coach at a networking event and during our conversation, I asked what constituted the bulk of the requests they receive. She indicated that they get more requests for workshops on how to close more business than any other topic.

It seems that many of us are relentlessly searching for that one killer closing line or magical silver bullet technique that will compel a prospect to hire us and/or buy from us on the spot.

She had some real Bad News!
Read the rest of this entry »

What Makes a Great Site?

June 22nd, 2018 by Ima Admin

In 2016 mobile internet use had surpassed desktop use. Sometime in 2019, people that forecast this stuff expect that time spent on mobile will exceed time spent on TV (which is today just under 4hrs/day).

With that in mind, several designers/marketers were asked to comment on a question in Alignable, “What makes a great website for today’s time (ie what are the top 5 things for a great design)?”

It’s a good question, and there were a number of varied answers, with many suggesting mobile-responsiveness and fast loading as two of the five criteria. The most liked answer was ‘animated dancing penguins’.

However, the question is too ambiguous to answer. Here’s why…
Read the rest of this entry »

Is Your Website Making Cold Calls?

March 21st, 2018 by Ima Admin

While most of us hate making COLD CALLS ourselves, we allow our websites to do it with abandon.

We know that if our prospecting strategy is to simply log in to the customer relationship (CRM) database and start randomly ‘smiling and dialing’, our sales will be low and frustrations will be high.

Many of the best companies will provide their sales team the proper tools they need and their successful top sales pros will have multiple “opening value statements” crafted, practiced and memorized for different types of sales calls to different types of customers and the varied potential objections they might have.
Read the rest of this entry »

How Different Are You?

March 14th, 2018 by Ima Admin

So… How DIFFERENT are you? Not how ODD or STRANGE are you, but how DO YOU DIFFER from your competitors?

Note, that I’m also NOT asking how you COMPARE to your competition. When you COMPARE its often going to be a price comparison. Price comparisons don’t build long-term relationships with customers. When you DIFFERENTIATE its usually about the value you provide.
Read the rest of this entry »

Visibility Credibility Profitability

March 7th, 2018 by Ima Admin

I might be biased, but it’s hard to imagine a reason for any company of any size not to have a website.

As a multi-year member of BNI (Business Network International), when you think about BNI’s VCP (Visibility/Credibility/Profitability) process, having a website is a no-brainer. If you are unfamiliar, the key concept in BNI’s referral marketing is relationships. Referral marketing works because these relationships work both ways: They benefit both parties.
Read the rest of this entry »

A Branding Equation

November 30th, 2017 by Ima Admin

I’ve managed to get through most of this year without (knowingly) using algebra, not once. But I do have an equation for you…

Brand Depth + Brand Awareness = Brand Success

We’ve said previously that your brand isn’t simply your logo, although like the tip of an iceberg, its often what is seen first. The customer experience you provide, the quality of your products, and level of services you offer, are what lies below the surface and provide depth. However, depth AND awareness go hand in hand in building your success.
Read the rest of this entry »

Site Redesign: Imagination Factory

January 30th, 2017 by Ima Admin

It’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!
Read the rest of this entry »

Site Launch: Andy Mast Greenhouses

September 19th, 2016 by Ima Admin

Andy Mast Greenhouses grow a wide range of high-quality bulbs, spring plants, mums and poinsettias to help homeowners beautify their homes and gardens year-round. Not available directly to the consumer, the product of their tender loving care can be found in Kroger supermarkets throughout the United States.

That said, when thinking about developing their first online presence, they wanted to serve two distinct audiences – their retailers as well as the consumers – both with different reasons for visiting their site. The retailers want merchandising assistance while the end user can benefit from care and feeding information.

Andy Mast came to the Imagination Factory for a creative online way to meet the needs of both groups PLUS allow their staff to tell a climate-conscious planet their ‘green’ story. We designed an easily managed site w/ a searchable and categorized seasonal product catalog and blog categories of direct interest to both groups.

Take a minute to STOP and smell the mums at the fresh new Andy Mast Greenhouse site.

Sounds like what I need! Let's get to work.