Comments on: 10 Signs You Picked the Wrong Web Design Agency - Marketing WTF? http://blog.reachforce.com/sales-and-marketing-tips/10-signs-you-picked-the-wrong-web-design-agency-marketing-wtf/ B2B Marketing and Sales Tips Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:15:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Joe Doyle http://blog.reachforce.com/sales-and-marketing-tips/10-signs-you-picked-the-wrong-web-design-agency-marketing-wtf/#comment-2034 Joe Doyle Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:31:02 +0000 http://www.theb2blead.com/internet-marketing/10-signs-you-picked-the-wrong-web-design-agency-marketing-wtf/#comment-2034 Hi Pam! Thanks for sharing that DesignEdge example. It's smart! Ours is similar, too. We don't ask the client to search for sites and design, we provide the examples after discussing their goals and researching their vertical. For example, if we're building an eCommerce site with 1,000s of products, we'd likely show a Javascript reveal that provides product data and one-click ordering. We ask their opinions before offering it up as a solution, so we can gauge the marketers willingness to use new technology or a specific design element. Sorry, I just now got around to re-visiting this topic. Have a good one. - jd Hi Pam!

Thanks for sharing that DesignEdge example. It’s smart!

Ours is similar, too. We don’t ask the client to search for sites and design, we provide the examples after discussing their goals and researching their vertical.

For example, if we’re building an eCommerce site with 1,000s of products, we’d likely show a Javascript reveal that provides product data and one-click ordering. We ask their opinions before offering it up as a solution, so we can gauge the marketers willingness to use new technology or a specific design element.

Sorry, I just now got around to re-visiting this topic. Have a good one.

- jd

]]> By: Pam O'Neal http://blog.reachforce.com/sales-and-marketing-tips/10-signs-you-picked-the-wrong-web-design-agency-marketing-wtf/#comment-1900 Pam O'Neal Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:34:50 +0000 http://www.theb2blead.com/internet-marketing/10-signs-you-picked-the-wrong-web-design-agency-marketing-wtf/#comment-1900 I hear ya, but why make the client go through so much agony to seek out examples? I mean, who is the expert in design in this instance? If you present logical and compelling reasons behind a design, hopefully, the client should follow your lead. Let me share an example - I've worked with DesignEdge, here in Austin, and they have a wonderful technique where they interview the client to identify their brand goals and objectives. They really get a feel for the customer's goals and the audience. Then they plot out a quadrant showing the core attributes on each axis. They then overlay similar products/websites/designs in each segment of the quadrant based on how those designs matched up to the attributes. So, you can easily see how the design would support your goals and select a "direction" to follow. This is difficult to describe in a blog comment, but it was an excellent exercise to get everyone on the same page. And, best of all (for me anyway), I didn't have to spend hours scouring the Internet to get the design moving in the right direction. I think this is a classic example of the disconnect between designers and the "client from hell." As Marketers, we have very specific objectives that we must meet. Fortunately, Marketing has become much more metrics-based and objective. Design must follow this lead and become more targeted and based on objectives. Techniques such as the one I described are a huge leap forward in making this happen. I hear ya, but why make the client go through so much agony to seek out examples? I mean, who is the expert in design in this instance? If you present logical and compelling reasons behind a design, hopefully, the client should follow your lead. Let me share an example - I’ve worked with DesignEdge, here in Austin, and they have a wonderful technique where they interview the client to identify their brand goals and objectives. They really get a feel for the customer’s goals and the audience. Then they plot out a quadrant showing the core attributes on each axis. They then overlay similar products/websites/designs in each segment of the quadrant based on how those designs matched up to the attributes. So, you can easily see how the design would support your goals and select a “direction” to follow. This is difficult to describe in a blog comment, but it was an excellent exercise to get everyone on the same page. And, best of all (for me anyway), I didn’t have to spend hours scouring the Internet to get the design moving in the right direction. I think this is a classic example of the disconnect between designers and the “client from hell.” As Marketers, we have very specific objectives that we must meet. Fortunately, Marketing has become much more metrics-based and objective. Design must follow this lead and become more targeted and based on objectives. Techniques such as the one I described are a huge leap forward in making this happen.

]]> By: Joe Doyle http://blog.reachforce.com/sales-and-marketing-tips/10-signs-you-picked-the-wrong-web-design-agency-marketing-wtf/#comment-1882 Joe Doyle Fri, 06 Jun 2008 01:50:26 +0000 http://www.theb2blead.com/internet-marketing/10-signs-you-picked-the-wrong-web-design-agency-marketing-wtf/#comment-1882 No. 5 is interesting to me. We go through an introductory exercise of reviewing sites with the client, because we've found that some marketers have a hard time verbally expressing their design thoughts. Of course, this example is not apples to apples with what you're saying (as our exercise is pre-design). But I'd encourage the client to express themselves any way they can if they've see a function or feature they like. I enjoyed the post! No. 5 is interesting to me. We go through an introductory exercise of reviewing sites with the client, because we’ve found that some marketers have a hard time verbally expressing their design thoughts.

Of course, this example is not apples to apples with what you’re saying (as our exercise is pre-design). But I’d encourage the client to express themselves any way they can if they’ve see a function or feature they like.

I enjoyed the post!

]]> By: Marketing sussex http://blog.reachforce.com/sales-and-marketing-tips/10-signs-you-picked-the-wrong-web-design-agency-marketing-wtf/#comment-1878 Marketing sussex Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:49:10 +0000 http://www.theb2blead.com/internet-marketing/10-signs-you-picked-the-wrong-web-design-agency-marketing-wtf/#comment-1878 Interesting subject Interesting subject

]]> By: Webdesign http://blog.reachforce.com/sales-and-marketing-tips/10-signs-you-picked-the-wrong-web-design-agency-marketing-wtf/#comment-1876 Webdesign Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:48:19 +0000 http://www.theb2blead.com/internet-marketing/10-signs-you-picked-the-wrong-web-design-agency-marketing-wtf/#comment-1876 Wonderfull idea. Wonderfull idea.

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