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Do I Really Need to Hire a Designer?

By admin on February 13, 2011 in

by Christopher Jones
Staff Blogger

Do I really need to hire a designer? That’s an age old question. More often than not, businesses will turn to their administrative staff, a friend of an employee who is in college studying design or their nephew who is a high school sophomore but knows how to use computers. While these resources are inexpensive, the biggest question is this: are you sacrificing your image to save a few bucks?

Here are three areas where having a designer is worth paying for:

1. Your Logo. Whether you like it or not, you’re in competition with the Disney’s, McDonald’s and the Nike’s of the world. Your image needs to reflect complete professionalism. Your logo is how you will be identified and you need that image if nothing else to be burned into the minds of all of your potential customers and those who are in their circle of influence.

2. Your Business Card. There are more offenders who violate this than any other branding area. Your business card is your first (and maybe last!) impression. Would you go out on date without combing your hair or brushing your teeth? Probably not. However, the equivalent of that is handing out a business card with perforated edges, poorly set type, clip art imagery, or worse, having the branding of your printer on the back (the “free” Vista Print business cards). All of this scrams amateur and it thrusts you into the cheap business category. For the price of two week’s worth of venti lattes and vanilla scones, you can have a professionally designed and printed business card.

3. Your Website. Since web design is such a big ticket item, this is where a lot of businesses cut corners. They hire neighborhood kids, relatives or college students to design their most important marketing vehicle. Sure, there are tons of freebie site builders available, but again, you have to live with their templates which all of their other customer’s use and their branding at the bottom of your site (they use you to advertise their business and you don’t even receive a check!). You have to think of your website as your baby. No one leaves their children in the hands of the unproven. Don’t leave your site to the hobbyist. You’re a professional, look the part.

Now that you have the knowledge you need to make a better and more informed decision, we hope you’ll consider allowing Results Creative  to help your business in one of there three ways or some of the other ways that you’ll find under our services page. Contact us now at (540) 412-8484, email us, or set up a meeting to learn more.

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Why Having a Website is Important

By admin on February 13, 2011 in
by Christopher Jones
Staff Blogger

More and more businesses today are investing the time and resources into creating their online presence. still, there are scores of businesses who don’t have a website, think that they cannot afford a website or simply think that because business is good that they don’t need a website. In an age where most consumers will use the internet to research and make purchasing decisions, it could cost you far more to not have an online presence than the money it takes to create one.

It’s Financially Smart to Develop a Website. Considering that it almost automatically increases your revenue by about 30%, a website gives you more visibility and access to clients that you may not have considered or who may not have thought of you prior to dropping a few terms in a search engine. According to the US Census Bureau, 85% of consumers shop online with most siting that they don’t want to have to go outside the home to make their purchases. A good website provides all of the information necessary for this to occur. Being found on the Internet will give you an advantage over your competition when they call you instead of the competition. Now consider how large a number that 85% is and you can see that it only makes sense to consider developing a website to get the added exposure and the chance to gain that additional 30% in revenue.

It Allows Customers to Learn About You on Their Time. Not every consumer will desire to or have the time to contact you through email or on the phone. Many prefer to have the time to research your company first before making contact with you. Without a website, you lose that advantage. Another consideration is that a website means that you’re never closed. A client can access your company and make purchasing decisions day or night and if you have an eCommerce website, you have the ability to make money any time of day.

It Saves You Time. A good website can answer nearly 90% of consumer inquiries. A website with a forum of FAQ can cover it all. When you give the consumer the opportunity to be educated about your business through your site, you cut back on the number of calls and emails. Face it, most questions that clients ask can be listed on a website FAQ and in doing that, you’ll never get calls about your operating hours, service areas, product availability and so forth.

Increases Credibility. Most consumers will lump companies without websites into the amateur category. Just like having a business card with perforated edges effects public perception of your value, so does not having a website in a time where it’s as easy as ever to build one. A good website adds to your business’s credibility and shows that you’re serious about what it is you do.

These are just a few reasons to consider. Results Creative prides itself in providing its clients with fully functioning websites that they themselves can manage and expand. Call today, or set up a meeting to learn what you need to do to get your business on the web.

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