Internet Marketing

Make Internet marketing part of a multi-channel marketing plan.

Since 2005, our FlexTeams have been integrating website design and development into marketing plans for businesses and nonprofits.

In 2011 we added social media, Facebook advertising and e-newsletters to our Internet marketing tool kit for clients. Combined with traditional marketing tactics, our newer ‘Web 2.0′ tools expand your marketing and customer targeting options in today’s dynamic marketplace.

Keep your Internet marketing dynamic!

Once you’ve launched a your new Internet campaign, it will not serve you well in today’s world as a static ‘brochure.’ That’s so 1995.

Your website and social media need to be dynamic to succeed in today’s digital, online, competitive marketplace.

What can we do for your business or nonprofit?

Our Internet marketing portfolio: eight examples

1. Enhance a young company’s brand and Internet marketing

Bistro To Go restaurant & catering

We successfully launched Bistro To Go in 2007 using mainly traditional marketing tactics. Since then the company has continued to grow and add new elements, including Bistro Soul.

By 2011, the array of products and services had become somewhat confusing for customers, according to the owner. She asked us to design and create a new marketing website, new Facebook page, a stronger Twitter presence, and a new e-newsletter (which merges the 2 older ones). Part of the challenge was to create an “umbrella” branding and marketing strategy that would encompass the rich diversity of offerings without undermining the existing strong (but limited) brand and “brand equity.”

First, we evolved and expanded the existing Bistro To Go brand to Bistro To Go & Company—the new “umbrella.” Next, we applied the expanded brand and a mouth-watering, fresh look to: 1) a new 34-page marketing website, 2) a new Facebook page, and 3) a new more user-friendly e-newsletter (1st new vs. old) with weekly menus and events.

Update: in November and December 2011 this Pittsburgh marketing client experienced record revenues, far above expectations and in spite of the economy!

Read more about what some experts are saying about the future of email marketing.

2. Update a 23-year old company’s Internet presence

Master Remodelers contractor

By 2008, this company’s 20-year old brand identity and 8-year old website had become dated, and it didn’t clearly define what we now call “The Master Remodelers Difference.” We rebranded this upscale, award-winning contractor to place him in an elite group of contractors—those offering ‘green,’ home remodeling energy efficiency solutions.

In 2009, we replaced their 9-year old website with a brand new 32-page site featuring an easy to manage Joomla content management system. The new website also includes a beautiful interactive portfolio of project photos and an innovative interactive quiz for visitors.

In 2010, we integrated a WordPress blog into the site to regularly publish events, tips, updates and special topics. We also added Facebook to their marketing tool kit and are gradually building a following. The blog and Facebook page keep this company dynamic on the Internet for both potential customers and search engines.

In 2011, we began experimenting with Facebook advertising (click the link to see performance data). Per Facebook’s instructions we created several ads, seven in all, with a budget set for each and only paying for clicks (i.e. action!). The ad here showed the best performance and drove dozens of new people to their Facebook page.

Bonus & Update: In 2011 this Pittsburgh marketing client saw a 55% increase in revenues and won 2 awards! We also provide Master Remodelers with a monthly internet activity report.

3. Build a first ever Internet presence for a 50-year old company

“Pittsburgh’s Oldest and Friendliest Tavern”

Since 2009, we’ve implemented a variety of traditional and Web 2.0 marketing tactics for “Pittsburgh’s oldest and friendliest tavern,” starting first with building a 7-page simple, informative, fun and colorful website. Built on a simple WordPress content management system, the owner learned the system in two lessons and is now in full control and has written more than 100 blogs since the launch!

We jokingly call it a ‘Triple Threat’ website. When the owner: 1) creates a weekly blog—written in his own colorful style—it automatically 2) posts on his Facebook page and 3) sends an email to his list. A real time saver.

And in 2011 we began experimenting with Facebook ads with success in getting new customers in the door. Like all of our web sites, it also features lots of enticing photos and Google Analytics so we can monitor activity continuously.

• Read about how social media can bring better visitors to your website

• Read about how we’re using Facebook advertising for our marketing clients.

4. Rebuild & expand a vacation home developer’s marketing website

A private residence club in an Eastern ski town

In Ellicottville, NY, a popular ski resort town, developers reactivated a multi-unit, upscale vacation home project after having been mothballed in 2008 at the start of the recession.

A previous vendor had created a marketing web site that was very limited in scope and imagination.

We built a new website in mid-2011 on an easy to use Wordpress platform.

This new 24-page website includes many great features, including a photo gallery, a news section and a secure for-owners-only section.

We also developed a Facebook page and posted intermittently for them for a few months. But, since we turned that over to the client, they have not continued to post on it or enhance it. Likewise for updating the website.

5. Build an Internet marketing platform for an historic neighbhornood

Deutschtown on Pittsburgh’s Northside

Deutschtown—where Randy Strothman’s business and home are located—is a ‘main streets’ community on Pittsburgh’s Northside. Here redevelopment and re-branding are working hand in hand to create positive momentum in a neighborhood disrupted decades ago by construction of an 8-lane freeway. While the real “heavy lifting” is about investment and renovation, branding and marketing have helped with that.

A new community website launched in 2009 helped to clearly define the unique offerings of this community on the rise.

Part of a volunteer team, Randy created the user friendly architecture for the site and set a warm tone for the site with his writing style and passion for including vibrant images on the site.

In addition, the website established a group of “ambassadors” — neighbors enthusiastic to talk with interested parties about the community. That’s part of the welcoming tone of the site, offering real people to talk to. (read more about the creation of the site by volunteers)

In 2011, neighbors Rachel Booth and Randy added a lively new Facebook page and an e-newsletter to the marketing toolkit for the community. Both were created in anticipation of the 2011 Historic Deutschtown House Tour, and helped to deliver a sell-out crowd to the house tour.

Read more about the promotion team’s use of a wide variety of Web 2.0 marketing tactics.

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6. Revitalize a website for a new river transportation service

Pittsburgh Water Limo

In a quick turn around, just before the 2009 Pittsburgh Pirate season opened in April, the owners wanted stronger branding and a revamped website to better market their unique river shuttle services.

In a few hectic weeks we enhanced their logo and branding and revamped their website to more clearly spell out the offerings, although it still needed some additional work. Newly added Google Analytics for the first time told the client what promotions were working best. (also read our blog post about extensive media coverage!)

Since we set the stage for a more sophisticated Internet strategy in 2009, the site has been modified and improved several times by the client.

7. Build a city-wide ‘buy local’ campaign—pre-social media

Shop Mainstreets Pittsburgh

In 2005, this city-wide campaign partnered 15 city neighborhoods and 187 businesses in a cooperative “buy local” effort for a the Urban Redevelopment Authority. For the 3 month campaign our custom FlexTeam produced:

National “best practices” research
Sponsor support (by Duquesne Light)
A website [PDF only, site is no longer active)
Press releases
Transit billboards
Enter-to-win contest
Flyers with discount cards
In-store and window posters
“Buy Local” education pieces

On a very limited budget for a city-wide campaign, ads and media coverage produced 11,000,000 impressions, 5,000 consumers entered a contest—which produced rich marketing data about consumers—and the project budget was expanded 60% through sponsor support and participation fees.

8. Build a website for our company and keep it dynamic

Randy Strothman & Associates

By 2009, our 3 year old website had become outdated. It was time to put a fresh face on it, sharpen the messaging, and update the content. The new 24-page site offers a cleaner, more contemporary home page, simpler menus, improved search function, links to social media and two blogs: ‘client news‘ and ‘marketing insights.”

From the beginning in 2006, it has been housed on a WordPress content management system, allowing us at no cost to quickly and easily make additions or changes. But we still keep a WordPress guru or two a phone call away.

NOTE: Randy Strothman wrote 95% of the website copy for the sites listed here, plus he maintains pages for Master Remodelers Facebook and Deutschtown Facebook. And he writes all of the blogs on this site and the blogs for Master Remodelers. As of Nov. 2011, that includes 52 blog posts.