Ryan Jennings and Charles Silverman partners of Indigo 6 Graphic Design and Visual Communication.
The Web, like most teenagers, is growing fast and is completely disinterested in yesterday”™s ideas. Web sites, like parents of those teens, can have a tough time staying relevant.
“We started five years ago and we started in a time when everything was changing in terms of technology,” said Ryan Jennings, managing partner at Indigo 6, a graphic design and visual communication in Norwalk. “It used to be that technology was just this big mystery and there were Web masters; now it”™s commoditized and it”™s off-shored. It”™s gotten to a point where there are so many services out there, a lot of them free, that you can use to power the back end, to run your marketing operations, to get your analytics, it”™s not about the technology anymore.”
Jennings said using Web platforms has enabled companies to keep content and aggressively update their Web operations.
“There”™s a huge opportunity to utilize service providers,” said Jennings. “The open source community offers hundreds of applications to choose from and for the small- to mid-size businesses it gets them 90 percent of the way there for a fraction of the cost. It provides you the ability to focus on what”™s important, what you”™re saying.”
David Murchie, principal at Hunter Mill Studio in Norwalk, said every business should have a Web site by now because it”™s where customers and prospects will compare vendors, investigate products and services, find references and find your phone number.
According to Murchie, involvement by all the members of a work place in Web operations is currently in migration, nearing arrival.
“As the technology and the basic how-to skills become a commodity, the question becomes how artfully you can leverage the Web to build and grow your business,” said Murchie.
Jennings said there are no Indigo 6 computer coders; they”™re not necessary.
“Perception is everything,” said Jennings. “A site may look like it”™s from the ”™80s and based on that I might decide if I”™m willing to give this company my money.”
Jennings said a person”™s ability look at something and after five seconds have an impression is a very important concept on the Web and a reason that fresh eyes can tell a lot.
“Web presence is all about telling a story and adding dimension to your business and your brand,” said Jennings. “The borders of a site have blown away, there are all these networking opportunities that if a brand can provide value in that arena, they”™re going to make connections. If you”™re not providing that value, there”™s no context for a conversation. If your story is about making products, find a way to tell that story.”
Steven Kline, co-owner of Firelight Media Group L.L.C. in Trumbull said past experience can help guide a company developing its online presence.
“Our client base is mostly small- to mid-sized businesses and they are at that place where either, they”™re starting out and establishing a company and a brand or they”™re re-launching themselves,” said Jennings.
According to Jennings, a company”™s Internet site is an increasingly important tool because it enables them to tell their story and compete with much larger companies.
“It”™s about putting something out there that”™s interesting,” said Charles Silverman, creative director at Indigo 6. “The Web 2.0 world is all about contribution. It”™s not about throwing your company into it; it”™s about interaction first and foremost. Proactively reading message boards and being involved in the Web site creates an affinity in the customer. A Web site as a singular destination has become an antiquated notion.”
Silverman said it”™s important to understand that the Web is a two-way street and should not be looked at as simply a platform for ads and marketing.
“This whole idea of having your process in a little black box is going away,” said Silverman. “Everything”™s becoming transparent and about exposing the process. By doing that, I think you find a way to connect with people instead of just charging people.”
Kline also suggests that companies don”™t jump the gun and evaluate the site as it stands.
“You may have a good backbone with existing technology and you just give it a facelift and maybe add a feature or two,” said Kline.
Kline said feedback is important for any business moving forward on the Web.
“People need to find you and contact you to do business,” said Kline.“Whether you are an industrial plant or corner boutique, your business can benefit from the Web. The web provides the ability to have your site sell products and answer questions even when you are not working. The idea that business and business growth happens during the 9-to-5 workday is gone.”
