Author: Webmaster

Why storytelling is important to business

By Alexis Scobie
Misc

As long as there have been humans, there have been stories. Stories, told orally, were one of the first forms of human communication, and, in large part, were used to learn from one another’s experiences. Today, they are still at the center of all that we do and say. However, when we think of stories, we often go to a place of extremes – of thrilling fiction books, childhood fables, or the over-exaggerating friend we all have. We don’t always think about the ability that stories have to provide meaning, create context, and instill a sense of purpose in all that we do.

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Social Media

social icons2The emergence of social media has changed the way small businesses and non-profit organizations reach people. Using social media isn’t rocket surgery. But it requires a variety of skills that few small businesses and non-profits can afford to have entirely in-house. These include:

  • Content development: Creating a sustained stream of compelling, relevant information.
  • Technology development: Stay current in pairing the right content with the right social media tools– and just important, not spending time with the ones you don’t need.
  • Audience development: Aggregate a group of people who are interested and engaged in your services or products.

So you get the social media presence you want, and only pay for the parts you don’t want to do in-house.

Contact us to discuss your social media game plan.

Loving Hands Group

lovinghandsgroup.com
lovinghandsyoga.com
juditheugenedesigns.com

One client. Three websites. Four weeks. When a popular hosting service ended support for its point-and-click website builder, The MarketFarm rebuilt all three websites for a single small business. The design parameters were to retain all existing content and recapture each site’s cosmetic appearance – but also to make them more intuitive for visitors and easier for the owner’s small team to administer.

The sites were built using a single technology platform to assure consistency in back-end operations. The front end of each was customized to look like a next generation of the previous website, but navigation and information flow was reorganized to reflect the likely needs of varied audiences. Content was mapped and manually carried to the new sites.

 Sites incorporate:

  • Custom configuration of Weaver II sub-themes on WordPress
  • Simple e-commerce
  • Dynamic lists for cascading site updates when new information is added
  • Integration of proprietary e-mail marketing

Websites developed and supported by The MarketFarm have these four elements in common:

  • The WordPress content management platform
    • High reliability, low cost and easy administration 
  • Striking appearance
    • Based on each client’s personal preferences
  • Purposeful design
    • From words to layout to navigation, they’re as simple or exciting as needed to meet objectives established before technical work began.
  • Accountability
    • Detailed analytic reporting, as needed, through Google Analytics, an industry standard that adds no additional cost

Contact us to discuss how our common sense and expertise in affordable, effective websites can work for your organization.

 

 

Hanna Perkins Center

www.hannaperkins.org

A bright, consumer-oriented design for a non-profit organization that has a complicated message to communicate, because it provides a wide range of services for multiple constituencies. The most important design parameter was to create navigation that allows visitors to self-segment by audience, and quickly access the most relevant information. Also important were an ability to easily update the home page with current information about events and programming, and to create a hub for programming, fundraising and other activities.

Site incorporates:

  • Custom configuration of a standard WordPress theme on the Genesis framework
  • Integration with Paypal fundraising, Eventbrite registration, and Mailchimp e-mail
  • Dynamic home-page slider
  • User-selected home-page tab section
  • 200+ pages at launch
  • Multiple menus with pull-downs

Websites developed and supported by The MarketFarm have these four elements in common:

  • The WordPress content management platform
    • High reliability, low cost and easy administration 
  • Striking appearance
    • Based on each client’s personal preferences
  • Purposeful design
    • From words to layout to navigation, they’re as simple or exciting as needed to meet objectives established before technical work began.
  • Accountability
    • Detailed analytic reporting, as needed, through Google Analytics, an industry standard that adds no additional cost

Contact us to discuss how our common sense and expertise in affordable, effective websites can work for your organization.

Wood Trader Framing

www.woodtraderframing.com

A visually striking and dynamic website designed to display a frequently updated portfolio of images. Design parameters included a sophisticated and upscale appearance that reflect’s the cozy physical location of the business. Updating the images and other site content needed to be easily manageable on a near-daily basis by a non-technical administrator in the business.

Site incorporates:

  • Custom configuration of a standard WordPress them on the Genesis framework
  • Photo gallery functionality
  • Integration with best-of-breed e-mail marketing

Websites developed and supported by The MarketFarm have these four elements in common:

  • The WordPress content management platform
    • High reliability, low cost and easy administration 
  • Striking appearance
    • Based on each client’s personal preferences
  • Purposeful design
    • From words to layout to navigation, they’re as simple or exciting as needed to meet objectives established before technical work began.
  • Accountability
    • Detailed analytic reporting, as needed, through Google Analytics, an industry standard that adds no additional cost

Contact us to discuss how our common sense and expertise in affordable, effective websites can work for your organization.

SCE Limited

www.scelimited.com

A clean, simple layout designed to quickly present the service offerings of a small consulting practice. Design parameters included a bright color palette and a sophisticated, streamlined appearance in line with that of other high-end consultancies.

Site incorporates:

  • A custom theme built on WordPress;
  • Simple e-commerce
  • Integration with best-of-breed e-mail marketing
  • Permission-based access to select content
  • Customized landing pages for specified clientele.

Websites developed and supported by The MarketFarm have these four elements in common:

  • The WordPress content management platform
    • High reliability, low cost and easy administration 
  • Striking appearance
    • Based on each client’s personal preferences
  • Purposeful design
    • From words to layout to navigation, they’re as simple or exciting as needed to meet objectives established before technical work began.
  • Accountability
    • Detailed analytic reporting, as needed, through Google Analytics, an industry standard that adds no additional cost

Contact us to discuss how our common sense and expertise in affordable, effective websites can work for your organization.

Special Services

A background in writing, editing, visual communication, media management, advertising sales and customer service – combined with an extended team of specialty partners – provides a powerful combination of capabilities to serve your regular and occasional needs.

Our special services include:

  • Advertising sales and sales team development
  • Graphic design
  • Internet research
  • Interviewing
  • Printed materials creation/production
  • Public relations
  • Semi-technical/specialized writing
  • Trade-show planning and preparation
  • Webcasting

Contact us to discuss these or your other marketing/communication needs.

Image courtesy of Dan/Freedigitalphotos.net

Editorial Services

With a background in media and an extended network of skilled writers, editors and graphic designers, The MarketFarm provides high-quality editorial services for media organizations and other businesses that publish editorial-style content.

Capabilities include:

  • Project management
  • Content development
    • Editorial planning   |   Reporting   |   Writing   |   Editing
  • Content execution
    • Journalistic Event Coverage   |   Publications   |   Articles
    • Whitepapers  |   White-label blogging
    • Consumer  |   Semi-technical (technical content for non-peer audiences)
  • Product design
    • Web   |   Print   |   Mobile
  • Print production management
  • Sales
    • Integration  |   Planning  |  Facilitation

Contact us to discuss how we can help start or streamline your content-based projects.

 

Home-page image courtesy of adamr/freedigitalphotos.net

The importance of storytelling, big and small

Tristan Abbott
EContent

A recent Harvard Business Review article discussed the issue of storytelling and its importance, concluding that during this time of information saturation, telling a good story is essential to being heard and getting your message out.  The article concluded that no matter what aspect of business you are involved in, storytelling is an essential skill.

[Read the full article below]

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The importance of storytelling for social change

By Simon Hodges
Positive News

Business is only now learning that telling a good story requires authenticity, as if bewildered by the discovery of truth. Storytelling in social movements is more advanced. In fact for those who work for social justice, the problem has not been making up good stories, but getting people to listen to the ones they have already. This can be especially hard when movements are very broad, and when the issues they deal with are so large in scope. But my storytelling sessions taught me another lesson that’s useful in this context: even when the issues are large and complex, we feel compelled to listen when we ourselves are included in the storyline.

[Read the entire article below]