Friday, May 16th, 2008

Answers & explanations

to General: Creative: Marketing: & Technical services

The descriptions and explanations for the services we endorse and use will hopefully give a deeper understanding of what can be gained through using these as marketing tools.

Our web site marketing services

The general section will hopefully answer any questions about our design process and procedures and how we work with our clients. If of course there is a question that needs to be answered then let me know and i will add it.

Extra Special price for DCC members - Call 01302 488 178

If you're a member of the Doncaster, Rotherham, Sheffield or Barnsley Chamber of Commerce and you're looking to have a professionally designed web site (Business Start-up Package) at a reduced rate of 10% then call the number above.

The total amount payable is 436.50 inclusive of VAT

If you would like to take advantage of the payment scheme then the following would apply.

First payment of £106.50
Followed by eleven payments of £30.00 total = £436.50 including VAT.

What is a "free quotation"?

The free consultation will discuss in detail the work and price for all the necessary work needed to complete the project in full. A proposal will then be posted or emailed depending how the request was made initially for the client to read and sign. If the client is happy with the quote then the proposal is signed and returned with any payments usually 30%.

How can a client request a quote ?

Requesting a quotation can be carried out through either the contact form on the web site, A face to face meeting, e-mail or a telephone call. It is important to give as much information as possible at the consultation for SMP designs to offer an accurate quotation for the solutions. Although amendments can be made at a later date.

Accepting the quote!

To accept a quotation it would need to be signed and returned to SMP designs with a payment of 30% of the cost outlined in the quotation. This must be received back within 28 days from when the original quotation was sent. (Please check the terms and conditions)

Will meetings be involved with the design and development?

Yes, we would like to think so! communication is part of our business. It will be an essential part of the design process. It will help in communicating ideas and for SMP designs to understand the clients and users environment. This will help in putting the strongest product together for it to succeed in your business market. In these meetings we will look at culture, style and identity, target or potential audiences, marketing angles and development options. Each of these provides pitfalls and benefits to both the client and user.

What makes SMP designs different from any other web design company?

SMP designs is confident in its ability to build professional business relationships through customer loyalty and superior service ethics and provide a one to one personal service that is friendly and accommodating. The quality of SMP designs services and our reliability are very important to us for gaining the respect from the client. SMP designs believes in going beyond what is merely required and to put people before technology.

Are there any hidden charges for the design/development?

Certainly not!..Once SMP designs has all the relevant information about your requirements you will be sent a contract. The price quoted in the contract will stay the same throughout the design and development process. The price would only change if there was a need for extra content or material. If there was a need to charge extra the client would be warned of these well in advance of the final payment.

What happens once i have accepted the contract?

Our first meeting will be booked to discuss the general design process. Again this can be carried out through either email, face to face meetings or telephone. It is up to the individual.

How long will my web site take to develop?

This all depends on the type of web site you decide to have. Web design can be broken into three main areas. These will include the following. Static web sites, content managed web sites or e-commerce web sites. There is also a mix of the three. The time taken will also be determined by the interactivity of the web site. Static web sites generally take less time to develop. The deadline for any project will be discussed before any work is undertaken. Progress will also rely on the client to supply media for the web site promptly.

How does the payment scheme work on the start-up package ?

A Doncaster chamber member will pay £106.50 non refundable deposit for their first payment before work commences. Followed by eleven payments of £30.00. Once the site goes live or is uploaded to the server the Standing order payments start. None payment will result in the removal of the web site and the forfeit of the first payment. This covers the cost of development. Once all twelve payments have been made the web site becomes the sole property of the client, where upon a backup disc is produced.

What if a need more pages?

More web pages can be added to any of the web packages that SMP designs develops at a cost of £65 per basic page.

Practicing good design! and what is it?

SMP designs uses coding practices endorsed by the W3C. All web site solutions developed by SMP designs use both XHTML and CSS "Web Standards" in their development. Structuring web pages with the help of Web Standards is an essential part of good design practices and offers the client a competitive edge and benefits from....

Lower design costs to the client
Reduced markup
Improved download speeds
Improved accessibility
Forward compatibility
Smaller file sizes

How we do business with our clients

You will find that all clients receive friendly help and reliable advice on all aspects of the design, either by working with clients by telephone, e-mail or on a person to person level.

After the initial introduction or interest taken by the client, a free appraisal of the users needs will follow.

Information from this initial meeting will be collated to produce a web design brief, which explains in detail what we recommend, to give the consumer an effective web presence.

At this stage the cost will be fixed for the work outlined in the design brief (No hidden costs or nasty surprises within). If there are to be any further charges, these will be outlined to the client before implementing changes or add-ons.

Once you agree to the design brief we go on to produce prototypes of the site, where at any stage in development you can change the look and feel with your own input.

Evaluating the web site is on going throughout the development process, but once your happy with the overall design we can then upload and go "Live".

Often... after a design is complete, S.E.O (Search engine optimisation) is added poorly or not at all and is generally side stepped. SMP designs will discuss in detail with the client before the design process commences what SEO is! and what the strategies and solutions are for dealing with this complex field.

What is a dynamic web site?

A dynamic web site is a web site that uses a programming language and usually interfaces with a database to provide active elements, such as logins and database-driven content (e.g. product catalogs). Dynamic sites usually have an administrative type of "back end" where content can be added or managed rather than requiring that you edit each "static" HTML page.

Will my web site be unavailable for any period of time while my site is being redesigned?

During a redesign, your site should never be down. A separate development site will be used for the new design to allow your existing site to function normally until the new site is completed. Once the new site is finished, the transition from your old site to the new one is seamless. If you are moving to a new server or changing hosting accounts, your site should have little or no downtime as well although it may take time for the location of the new server (the network address) to be distributed across networks.

How important is web content?

The cost of a web site depends on the features, design, and content you want on it. Among all these factors, content is by far the most expensive and precious. For almost every site, high quality and unique content is what sells - not flashy graphics. Content is also a major factor in achieving high search engine rankings, which will drive traffic to your site.

Concept development

Concept development builds a high-level description of a web site's creative content and features. The goal is to build a plan for success and includes brainstorming,verification and a specification.

Web site concept creation is where the theory and ideas are built that drive a web site's themes and functions. This process includes brainstorming and concept refinement culminating into a set of ideas.

Concept verification evaluates the quality of the ideas developed during the concept creation sessions. Verification can be provided through informal reviews or planned testing.

A web site specification (spec) is a document that describes the concepts and parameters for designing a site. The spec is the conceptual blueprint that provides the framework

Main areas of a web site to be included are..

Information architecture
Theme/Masthead
Creative elements
Functional or interactive elements.

Concept development comes part of any new web site or rebuild that SMP designs undertakes.

Creative design

Our aim is to help you develop a vision, then translate that into communication using whatever medium you require whether its print or for online material.

The visual design, the look and feel is established, based on the tone and goals set in a creative brief and are part of all our web packages and print work.

Corporate I.D

Corporate identity is concerned with the visual aspects of a company's presence. When companies undertake corporate identity exercises, they are usually modernizing their visual image in terms of logo, design, and collaterals. Corporate identity is not the same thing as brand identity, a visual change to identity such as a logo does not always change consumers perceptions of quality and service.

Brand identities do have to maintain a modern look, but totally changing the brand visuals can give rise to consumer concerns about changes of ownership, or possible changes in brand values, or even unjustified extravagance. If there is a strong brand personality to which consumers are attracted, then substantial changes may destroy emotional attachments to the brand.

The brand can be viewed as a product, a personality, a set of values, and a position it occupies in people's minds. Brand identity is everything the company wants the brand to be seen as.

Our corporate identity consultancy includes..

Creating business names
Developing slogans and tag lines
Designing logos and corporate identities
Stationery design and print

Interface design

Customer interaction with a web site application is often referred to as Interface design.

Designing the interface is critical to the user's successful, positive experience with the software and encompasses an analysis of the needs and expectations of the user and the needs and tasks that the web site is designed to help the user perform. There are four distinct areas that are part of interface design.

Usability - Refers to how intuitively or easily your web site is navigated and processed
Visualization - Creating visually interesting and aesthetically pleasing media items while avoiding potentially distracting or unnecessary "bells and whistles."
Functionality - Refers to the features of your web site and how useful they are for supporting a given task
Accessibility - Is an emerging Web interface design topic; if not addressed, it will negatively influence Web site usability for users with certain disabilities

Interface design is part of our design process on all new web sites. It can also be offered as a separate service to our clients who are looking to improve user experience.

Graphic design

Graphic design is a creative process that combines both art and technology to convey a message from a client to an audience. These can be image based designed, type face designed or both of these balanced together to produce a message that is loud and clear.

SMP designs can help you construct and present visually appealing designs either to be used for print or the Internet.

Digital Photography

Multimedia solutions

For both Print and Online

What is Web Accessibility and why should i make the best of it?

Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web. More specifically, Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. Web accessibility also benefits others, including older people with changing abilities due to aging. Accessibility statement

Web accessibility also benefits people without disabilities. For example, a key principle of Web accessibility is designing Web sites and software that are flexible to meet different user needs, preferences, and situations. This flexibility also benefits people without disabilities in certain situations, such as people using a slow Internet connection, mobile phones TV's to access this content etc.

Developing accessible web sites or building accessibility into a web site can be a complex and time consuming job and will increase the development time, although in the long term an organisation can reduce the time spent on maintenance. Implementing Web accessibility solutions often results in improved technical performance.

The importance of various technical benefits of Web accessibility will be different for specific organizations and situations. e.g.

Reduce Site Development and Maintenance Time
Enable Content on Different Configurations
Be Prepared for Advanced Web Technologies
Have High Quality Web Sites

if you would like your web site to meet certain technical standards such as the WCAG 1.0 then please call.

Standards compliant designs

Web standards as they are known, are coding practices developed by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium)

In the past all designers and developers relied on bloated markup using nested tables to achieve web sites and even today they are still a very common sight. Nowadays most good designers and developers are using web standards, although there are probably just as many who are not. Be aware! all good designers should be using XHTML and CSS in their design and development phases.

By having a web standard web site your benefits will be..

Lower design and maintenance costs
Reduced markup
Improved download speeds
Improved accessibility for your client
Future compatibility

What is Flash animation?

Flash is a highly interactive animation technology and is used on the the web for all kinds of content, such as games, banners, intros, cartoons, advertisements, and other web page components, but its most significant role is used for designing interfaces and the producing of visual stunning effects which can be achieved from its programming language, ActionScript. It is mostly used nowadays to add subtle effects to web sites that are built with HTML, rather than it being used to address full web sites.

If you would like to talk in detail about your own ideas and the costs involved on using this technology then please call.

What are Database designed web sites?

The current trend for certain online services has meant more and more sites are using advanced features such as user registration and log in/out features. People are also starting up Internet based web sites that require extra programming and development skills with the need to have database integration.

Database designed web sites can collect a range of user information. Common uses can be Data capture, password storage and authentication, search engine facilities, online ordering systems, product lists, guest books, forums, business blogs, etc. To allow our customers to take advantage of databases we have included PHP and MySQL in all our Hosting Packages, so when your ready to add extra interactive facilities or services, the technology will be there waiting to be used.

If you are looking at ways to improve your marketing services for your business clients or customers please discuss your requirements with us first.

Content management systems and how they can help you and your business

A content management system (CMS) supports the creation, management, distribution, publishing, and discovery of corporate information. It covers the complete lifecycle of the pages on your site, from providing simple tools to create the content, through to publishing, and finally to archiving. It also provides the ability to manage the structure of the site, the appearance of the published pages, and the navigation provided to the users. The following benefits can be gained through using a content management system. They are often used in conjunction with databases. See Above for more information on databases

streamlined authoring process
faster turnaround time for new pages and changes
greater consistency
improved site navigation
increased site flexibility
support for decentralised authoring
increased security
reduced duplication of information
greater capacity for growth
reduced site maintenance costs

Beyond these, the greatest benefit the CMS can provide is to support your business goals and strategies. For example, the CMS can help to improve sales, increase user satisfaction, or assist in communicating with the public. Generally they have the potential to dramatically simplify the maintenance of web sites.

E-commerce

E-commerce is the trading of products and services by means of the Internet. This can include retail shopping, personal services or any type of transactions that can be thought of. Nearly all businesses can benefit from selling their services or products through an E-commerce web site.

There are four main areas that you will need help with...

The E-commerce Web Site Design: A well designed web site that is welcoming and easy to navigate is very important to a client. potential customers decide in a matter of seconds whether to explore or move on.

Professional E-commerce Web Site Hosting: Professional hosting is essential. Your web site needs to be up and running 99% of the time.

E-commerce Shopping Cart Software: Shopping cart software is the part of your web site that actually processes your customers' payment.

E-commerce Merchant Account: For transferring money from your customer to your bank account.

Advantages for Buyers

E-commerce can offer buyers maximum convenience.
24/7 days a week buying with multiple vendors.
Compare pricing.
Can immediately obtain a product or service such as electronic books, download music or computer software.

Advantages for sellers

Cut costs expand their markets.
No need for a physical store.
Cuts labour costs.
Build client relationships.

Disadvantages

Consumers are hesitant to buy some products online.
People consider shopping to be a social experience, which cannot be duplicated on the web.
Consumers are still dubious of credit card transactions online, although in recent times confidence has improved in regards to security and privacy.

It is estimated that by 2011, 70% of the uk shopping population will regularly buy goods online, and web buying will represent 10% of the total retail market value.

Search engine optimisation

All web sites that SMP designs and develops are search engine optimised for certain key phrases with relevant meta data added to each page, but this alone will not guarantee a high listing in any of the top search engines. SEO does not happen over night and needs lots of patience and diligence for it to succeed in this field. Those who are expecting instant success will be very disappointed.

This is because the algorithms that check web sites are very sophisticated, mostly basing their rankings on web site popularity, e.g. the number of incoming links to a site. Although each search engine is slightly different in its approach, so if one web page works well with one search engine it doesn't necessarily mean it will rank high in another. To complicate things further, the algorithms of a search engine that filter web pages change regularly, making it near impossible to work out what works and what doesn't. There are some hard and fast rules that need to be followed for the internal layout of a web site before building a link strategy.

SEO is critical for every business. If a company fails to list highly in the page listings there is alot of potential business that is being lost to competitors that rank higher. Studies have shown that anything less than a third page ranking is probably worthless. 62% of all users will click one of the top ten results!

SMP designs can help in optimising your web site but cannot guarantee a first place listing in Google or any other search engine, In fact nobody can unless it’s a paid listing. If some SEO marketing company say they can, then don’t believe them. It is also not possible to buy your way to the top of Google and don’t believe anyone who says they have a special arrangement and can do it for you.

What you can expect from SMP designs is to get a high listing throughout the top search engines, such as MSN, Yahoo, Google, Alta vista and Asked Jeeves (first page). For several Key Phrases.

What we also guarantee is that you will not pay anything until your web site is listed on the first page. If by chance the web site falls down the page rankings then any payments will cease until the web site is back on the first page of listings. YOU ONLY PAY FOR RESULTS.

If you would like to know more please call: 01302 488 178 or e-mail

Business Blogs

RSS feeds

RSS makes it possible for people to keep up with their favourite web sites in an automated manner.

Press releases

Press releases can be used to build a stronger media presence in order to promote the company as a viable marketplace competitor. This can be achieved through official documents. These can be stored in a public collection where they can be searched and read through at leisure. E-mail and RSS subscriptions can be added as a simple means for readers to be alerted to new press releases.

SMP designs can help you manage your press releases. Everything we do is to help get you noticed by search engines, social net workers, bloggers and your potential customers/clients.

(search engine optimisation occurs naturally with heavily key phrased documents like press releases, so this would be a valuable bonus for the company).

Podcasts

Podcasts are a method of publishing audio files to the Internet for playback on mobile devices and personal computers, even with a name like podcasts it is not limited to just the iPod brand of products developed by Apple.

Podcasts are messages that utilize RSS technology. They can be broadcasted to specific audiences and times to coincide with new products or services being offered by a company. The podcast usually offers the user interesting and informative content and be thought provoking and entertaining at the same time.

The number of people interested in podcasting is growing: 15 million adults have recently downloaded a podcast of some sort according to Nielsen/Net Ratings. The estimate is 56 million by 2010. This means that there is a great opportunity for podcast marketing, and it is coming at a time when RSS technology makes it easy to distribute podcasts. Here are some of the advantages to podcast marketing.

Very low cost
Targeted, yet wide, RSS distribution opportunities
Attracts search engine traffic
Regular podcast programming can draw a repeat audience

If you are interested in knowing more about Podcasts then please contact us.

PDF brochures

We can produce PDF documents for companies, which cover both product and services documentation.

Why we encourage companies to use PDF Documents...

Compatible Across platforms
Compact and Small
Can be created from any source document/application
Securable, avoid people from modifying and redistributing your work
Secure, almost no chance of getting infected with viruses.
Easy and quick to create when using the right software
Software to view PDF Files is completely free
Viewable within most web-browsers
PDF Files meet legal document requirements
Compatible with modern portable reader systems

E-mail campaigns

According to a recent email consumer study, over 78% of online shoppers have purchased through a permission-based email and 59% of email recipients have bought in a retail store as a result of a merchant email. A well-designed campaign using a properly managed mailing list will give response rates which are much higher than other direct marketing methods. Read more on what we can offer!

Web site forums

Forums are online user groups that give users a chance to research questions or ask their own. They provide three key areas, community building, Information repository and constant access to the clients or customers mind set. A forum can be a massive asset to a company, by acknowledging their customers opinions. Forums can grow very fast and can be the central hub for clients and can become a huge knowledge base of archived information. Companies can use this information to gain an insight into their audience, but they can also add new threads with important announcements or perform searches.

Mobile: 07809 872409 | Home:01302 488178 | E-mail: info@smpdesigns.co.uk

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