In no real order of importance.

1. Who is your audience?
   location, age groups, demographics, etc.
2. Why are they there?
   research? purchase? contact?
3. What are your top 5 goals of the site?
   increase sales, increase awareness, PR.
4. Once its up, who will maintain the content of your site? you, a staff member (if so how?), the web design firm.
5. How will your market your website
   Search engines, ads, social media, grass roots word of mouth
6. Who will be building it?
   you, your brothers son, a fly by night freelancer, or maybe a quality design firm
7. What is your budget?
   $500 or $5000. Set realistic goals. Good sites do not cost $500.
8. Can you read testimonials, or speak to references of the web firm?
9. Who will be writing content and supplying the photos?
10. What should your domain be, and who will be hosting it?

These are a few questions we ask all new clients, and potential clients. They are some of the most important questions to think through as you get started on building a website.

So yesterday My wife forwarded me a great email she had received from woot.

(more…)

today is blog action day.

I think my part of this movement, should be to discuss marketing, entrepreneurship, and how to tie them to action.

In reading a new book, Brewing a business, Sam Calagione states that any good invention is tied to a passion and a dream. Thomas Edison did not want to simply create a light bulb. His desire was to create a safe, affordable light solution so that more families could have light. Candles and oil lamps where costly and dangerous.

In this thought process, it is very clear, that Blake Mycoskie of TOMS shoes, was to make life more comfortable. He truly believed that people of all financial situations needed the basics of life, one of those being shoes. In its first year of business, TOMS shoes sold 10,000 pairs of shoes, and last November, more than 50,000 pairs were delivered to children in Africa. TOMS matches donations dollar for dollar.

This year TOMS plans to distribute 200,000 shoes around the world.

Now I dont yet own any TOMS. Maybe I will have to, Since I have always believed in their cause, and the way they go about their business.

So my question is this. How can you take your business, organization or ministry, and make a difference in the world. How can you effect poverty?

Here at factor 1, we do a number of things both locally, and internationally with finances. But on a bigger note, we dedicate a large portion of our time and work load to non-profits. Because my passion to create effective websites for the greater good, and to aid other companies in their marketing efforts, we have been able to partner with, and assist great organizations. People like Food for the Hungry, Hope for Adoption, Hoops of hope, Golf fore africa, Amy’s hope, Because Justice Matters, CURE, and others.

Last night I was able to attend a local AIGA round table on communication. We had a great discussion about some hurdles we have. Some of the great things discussed were:

• Stop assuming things
• Covering all the details
• Get things in writing
• Be clear about action items (what you are saying you will do, or what you expect)
• Emailed commitments are legally binding, and will hold up in court
• Storing and archiving all email communications can be a life saver, do it!
• Always have a contract
• Limit how much you communicate, and what is acceptable communication (a text message or Instant message proof approval is not the same as an email

We had the privilege of having a former art director from the early 80′s with us (sorry i dont recall her name). Because she was around before email, she offered some great insight about what could be the problem with todays creative professionals. Too much communication. Phone, Cell, email, Instant Message, text message, mobile email, twitter, etc. We have 15 avenues of communication, and not 1 single most effective one. She made the comparison that we are becoming a jack of all trades, master of none.

How true this can be. I feel that we are pretty good about sticking with the few main stream lines of communication, i will admit i have dabbled with twitter, and other forms of communication, but after last nights discussion, i think I will keep what I have.

What hurdles have you found in communication? horror stories to share?

I’ll start with my horror story.
In a past career life, i was the marketing department for a real estate developer. We printed signs to go on properties announcing future tenants (target, home depot, etc). We wanted these signs up asap, because they were PR for getting the smaller shops sold.

On all projects in the past, the project manager would approve a sign, which meant print, and get the sign shop to install asap. On this project, a rather large one involving a super target. The Project manager approved my sign verbally, in a hallway passing. Great! print and install right.

Bad things. We later found out that super target was not yet a done deal, and they were pissed at our announcement.

Lesson: Have a proof approval process involving 2 check boxes. Art approval & Sign install date. No verbal approvals.

To this day, we ask for email approvals that are clear in order to move on.

What do you have? lets hear some awesome stories!

We recently were asked to help out a great client on a new blog design.

http://www.garylamb.org/

From Gary:

Just wanted to give a quick shout out to Matt Adams and the gang at Factor 1 Studios for the new blog look. We’ve been using Factor 1 for a couple of years now and we love the work they do, their attitudes, the quickness in which they work, and they are very competitve with their pricing.

On top of doing my blog, they have done our last two web designs. Their latest redesign of TheRevolution.tv is my favorite site we’ve had (and we’ve had a ton).

If you are looking for a website, give these guys a call.

thanks Gary! We love the fun work we get to do for revolution.

Pine Ridge church was one of our first church clients over 2 years ago. We did their first site, and it was awesome. Times change, and the site was no longer the revolutionary site we once loved (although we always got compliments on it, even the day before we took it down).

A few months ago Tadd @ pine ridge decided it was time for a fresh site.

the results:

Tadd Grandstaff had this to say:

I do have to say that, “I LOVE the new site” – we have been getting TONS of great feedback. Definitely a lot more clean and crisp and I really love the feel of the new site. Thanks to Matt Adams and the team at Factor 1 for once again doing a phenomenal job!

So I really love finding great advertising. Ads that are unique, clever, and witty are always catching my attention.

Here are a few of my recent finds.

What I really enjoy, is that these ads make you stop, and look.

What great ads have you found recently?