"Now they see you..."
 Q: What is one thing a potential customer can do faster than find your website?
A: Close it.
And once that happens, what are the chances they'll click on your purple link again when they return to that search page? You get the picture. Of course, getting your site to the number one position on the major search engines is a reason to celebrate, but it's only part of the challenge.
The other, somewhat less scientific part is convincing visitors to become customers. Technology may radically alter how people locate and choose a company or product, but it hardly makes a dent in why.
It's not just your Pay Per Click campaign that will make your website successful, it's the combination of all web and non-web marketing efforts that contribute to the success of a given website. Great placement, excellent ad copy, easy navigation and powerful calls to action are all part of a plan that creates online sales.
So before your site reaches the peak of visibility, it's well worth your time to ask questions like these:
- Does your website speak to its audience?
- Do you have an irresistible or unique selling proposition?
- Does your site have a logical flow and clear goal?
Before we design any website, we always start by asking the right questions to ensure the site we create not only has the potential to rank well, but also will appeal to viewers and inspire them to take action. Before incorporating all the latest bells and whistles, we are sure to ask the question, "Will this help achieve the goals of the website?"
For the rest, we trust our expert SEO and Internet Marketing specialist Howard Hale and a few other esteemed partners to guide us and our clients along a methodical and ethical path to search engine success.
Read more about our approach to website design and SEO services, or contact us directly.
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Welcome Howard Hale!
 We are pleased to introduce Howard and welcome him to the Eben Design team. Howard is an online marketing specialist who brings expertise in search engine optimization (SEO), e-commerce and content management.
Howard Hale has over 15 years' experience managing a variety of interactive projects. Prior to teaming up with Eben Design, Howard was the co-founder of Quick2Market, a Seattle-based company that provided web marketing, project management, sales and public relations services. Before that, his career included website development and project management for companies like Boeing and Continental Mills.
With Howard on board, we can provide clients with an even more comprehensive perspective on their website design and Internet marketing goals.
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Vivecorp
 When a flu bug enters an office and calls it home, everybody suffers. Unhealthy workers take time off from work. Even when they're in the office, fatigue and bad habits rob people of productive time. In Newcastle, Washington, one company is working to change the future of corporate fitness and wellness worldwide. Vivecorp designs and delivers custom on-site health and fitness solutions for businesses that want to boost employee wellness.
To emphasize the human touch of the their professional services, we redesigned their website using an approachable gold and blue color palette. Also, to visually broadcast Vivecorp's innovative programs, Cass Redstone from Redstone Pictures shot an array of smart, engaging images that reflect Vivecorp's experience in the fitness field as well as the friendly personalities of staff trainers and instructors. Flash navigation was built to give readers an interactive experience that easily points them to the information they seek. As a whole, we designed Vivecorp's website to display their flexibility and creativity in developing top-notch corporate fitness services.
TIP of the MONTH:
Consider a professional, onsite photo shoot for your website, especially if your message focuses on the personal touch of your organization. It's hard, if not impossible, to achieve that same feeling of authenticity with stock photography. We regularly recommend a professional photo shoot for our clients' websites. The difference can be incredible.
www.vivecorp.com
www.redstonepictures.com
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Short Attention Span Branding
 There's a common axiom in branding that one should strive to own a particular word in the mind of the market. After spending years and millions in marketing, some companies have managed to do just that. For example, can you match the brand name on the left below with the word that has come to be associated with it?
| Disney | Perfection |
| Lexus | Service |
| Nordstrom | Positive |
| Capitol City Press * | Magic |
Lately, many companies seem to be taking this idea to the extreme by using one-word taglines as a shortcut. Maybe you've noticed: Acura - "Advance"; Sprint - "Ahead"; Saturn - "Rethink"; Discover - "Brighter"; Washington Mutual - "Whoo hoo!"** The question is whether one word out of context can hold and grow meaning over time, or even differentiate a company at all.
Owning a word or idea as the result of building a meaningful message, culture and customer experience is one thing. Owning a word or idea because you've hammered into everybody's consciousness is something else altogether.
Why? Because when you drain your advertising budget to glue a word to your name, someday you may indeed own it, but when you make an authentic experience, your customers will.
Have questions or comments about our approach to brand positioning or messaging? Connect with us.
* Okay, this one's a trick question to test whether you've actually read any of our past newsletters.
** Since you could consider this to be two words OR no words at all, let's split the difference and call it one.
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Vorsite Logo and Identity System
 Vorsite made its mark through the development of integration software that quickly caught the attention of Fortune 100 companies. Often referred to by partners and clients as the "connector" company, Vorsite also wanted to communicate its value as a complete solution provider. We created their logo to embody these concepts. The three convergent lines create a focal point that hints at connection as well as the spark of innovation, two key qualities of Vorsite and the solutions they provide. The lowercase sans serif font is clean, simple and modern, suggesting a sense of professionalism. A soft grey and orange color scheme was used to differentiate Vorsite from the typical stark colors many technology companies adhere to, while also communicating approachability.
In developing Vorsite's identity system, we focused on conveying their expertise and knowledge in providing businesses with products and services that combine to create collaborative solutions. Eben Design simultaneously worked with Vorsite to develop their brand message and created the tagline, "Start with the Solution," to position their brand as a forward-focused problem-solver.
Could your brand identity use an overhaul? A free consultation is a great place to start.
See Vorsite's new brand in action at: www.vorsite.com
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