Summary

This project was a site upgrade. The previous site, while it looked good, was not very automated or easy to update. The client was manually processing orders, and copy and pasting newsletters into their mail program to send to hundreds of subscribers.

Each time a minor update was needed for the site's content the "web guys" had to be called to do the dirty work of marking up content and manually updating coded pages!

Our goals were to automate the sales transactions, automate newsletter subscriptions, make it easier to create newsletter issues, integrate the blog (previously on a 3rd party solution), and make content management and updates easy enough to NOT have to call the "web guys" to do it.

Highlights

• eCommerce - We provided a very powerful online shopping system that's easy to manage, and integrates with the client's preferred payment gateway. This automation allows our client to sell their products online without manually processing anything. Funds are deposited directly into their bank account and limited access can be granted to an employee or fulfillment company who fulfills the orders.

  Also included are tools for generating customized sales reports, coupon codes and much more.

• Blog Integration - Blog marketing is a very important tool for this client. Previously they were using a free online blog where they built up a fair amount of content. We were able to import it into the new system so they didn't lose any benefits of that hard work. By integrating the blog directly into the site it will attract that targeted traffic directly to the site we have full control over, rather than a limited blog engine at an external domain. This allows for more fine tuned tracking and direction of visitors which turbo charges the effectiveness of the blog marketing campaign.
• Newsletter Subscriptions - The newsletter system allows users to subscribe or unsubscribe without any action required by the client. Previously they were collecting email addresses by hand and manually adding and removing them from Outlook. Then sending emails by pasting the subscribers into the email and sending it out.

  The new system stores addresses in a database, allowing users to subscribe and unsubscribe with the click of a button. Composing newsletter issues is simple and the system sends the issue to each address in the database in batches. This all reduces the possibility of the mail-outs being considered SPAM and thus blocked by Internet Service Providers. It also means our client can focus on composing compelling newsletters, and not worry about managing lists. There's even an opt in checkbox in the checkout phase of their online transactions.

Other Cool Stuff

• Embedded google maps that automatically add a pin for every retail location we add to the list. Or to show locations for upcoming events.
• Custom Studio where customers can customize their products.
• Events Calendar

Of course, the whole purpose of a Content Management System, is to make it extremely easy to add, edit and display your content. So on this site, publishing everything from blogs, to products, to newsletters, is easy!