Diamond Motorsports chose Delaware.net to redesign and rebuild their old, automated site due to shortcomings in functionality, design, and lack of web sales. Diamond was using a site developed by PowerSports Network (PSN) using a catalog-based, eCommerce template with little to no SEO, extremely low Google page ranking for their vehicle listings, and extremely limited web sales orders. In addition to the poor eCommerce engine PSN provided, the CMS package included was difficult to manage, update, and was prone to front-end design fragility.

Delaware.net’s goal was to bring a web 2.0 visual feel to the dealership’s web presence while providing an easy-to-use interface powered by our fully customizable Team-Logic CMS and Store-Logic eCommerce engine that not only drives up sales of vehicles, parts, and accessories, but also provides a powerful sales and customer tracking tool for the staff to use through our Team-Logic CRM system.

Brand New Vehicle Listings App

Before coming to Delaware.net, Diamond Motorsports was utilizing a PSN-powered catalog-based vehicle listings application. Although this gave Diamond an automated import of vehicles and products from distributor catalogs, the interface was neither intuitive nor search engine optimized. The challenge was to create an easy-to-navigate interface, an app that can be integrated into our Team-Logic CRM system, and a tool that can drive up sales and promote online sales and interest in a range of powersports vehicle categories.

The programmers at Delaware.net developed a custom app from scratch to handle this task and produced a system completely managed by the staff at Diamond Motorsports. The vehicle listings app features the ability to add and edit an infinite number of vehicle types/categories, an inventory management system, the ability to add and edit custom specs for each vehicle type, and to manage all related content including an infinite number of images for each vehicle in the inventory. In addition, the listings app was integrated into our Team-Logic CRM system giving customers the ability to submit sales inquiries that would then create projects and tickets in the Team-Logic CRM system for the Diamond Motorsports sales staff to utilize for followup and tracking.

Store-Logic eCommerce Engine

In addition to the vehicle listings app developed for Diamond Motorsports, Delaware.net’s core Store-Logic eCommerce engine was utilized to provide a high-performance online store to sell parts and accessories from Diamond’s in-store inventory as well as accessories from distributors partnering with the dealership. Diamond Motorsports now has the ability to manage and track all of their online inventory with an easy-to-use admin interface utilizing a suite of eCommerce tools that are continuously being maintained and upgraded as new web trends emerge. Among the dozens of features Store-Logic contains, the staff at Diamond Motorsports will be able to utilize drop shipping for orders needing a 3rd party distributor, use real-time shipping rates with their choice of FedEx, UPS, or USPS, and track various stages of shopping cart entries giving the staff the ability to follow-up on abandoned carts as well as track, automate reponses to, and follow-through with completed orders.

Team-Logic CRM System

Delaware.net’s core Team-Logic CRM system comes standard with Team-Logic CMS and has full integration with Store-Logic as well the vehicle listings application. The Team-Logic CRM system gives the staff at Diamond Motorsports the ability to receive sales inquiries, contact information on their web users, and the ability to follow-up and track customers that submit information via the website. The Team-Logic CRM system automatically creates tickets and projects when sales inquiries, questions/comments, or contact info is submitted through the website. Diamond’s staff can then sort the generated projects/tickets into various different groups, add notes and details about the ticket or customer, and assign it to any staff member or department at the dealership. This maintains a streamlined flow of information, tracking, and follow-up from customer submission to final sale.

Team-Logic CMS

Before utilizing Team-Logic, Diamond Motorsports had limited capability with PSN when it came to adding and editing content to their internal pages, much of the time struggling with broken layouts and design elements. As seen with several other PSN template-based sites, it was extremely easy to break the layout of the entire site by way of poor implementation via the PSN-provided CMS app.

Our Team-Logic CMS gives the staff at Diamond Motorsports the ability to manage all non-commerce content throughout the site. Some of the features of Team-Logic CMS include full control over content layout, the ability to add and edit photo galleries, edit and update navigation trees, and add video inline or as a popup (lightbox-style) window. Through constant development and upgrades as well as hands-on personal support, our Team-Logic CMS offers a fully customizable content solution developed for any site, large or small.

Mail-Logic eNewsletter Application

The Team-Logic CRM app also gives Diamond the ability to group customers into various mailing lists for easy newsletter emailing using Delaware.net’s core newsletter app, Mail-Logic that can easily be bundled with any of our other apps. The purpose is to provide as much communication and follow-up contact with clients as possible to keep them informed of news and events in and around the dealership, new features, and sales promotions.

A Solution That Works

Working closely with the staff at Diamond Motorsports, the developers at Delaware.net were able to produce a high-quality, high-performance powersports website built upon a powerful CMS, CRM system, eCommerce store, and an email newsletter system. Please feel free to browse through the completed project at www.ridedms.com and if you would like more information on a quote to improve your own website, please visit Delaware.net

Please enjoy this video from Google’s search guru Matt Cutts.

In reality, pursuing a Web strategy is not particularly suited to either group. IT may be excellent at rolling out complex systems, but it is not suited to developing a friendly user experience or establishing an online brand. On the other hand the marketing department may only be concerned with making the site flashy and loose the functionality. Lastly if the task is left to an individual in the company with other duties already, the site will more than likely get neglected altogether.

To remedy this there should be either a dedicated department or individual who’s sole task is to manage the website and keep it current, while also spending time researching and developing strategies to keep their site growing with the companies goals. If it is impossible to have a team or individual dedicated to your website full-time, than there needs to be time set aside every week to update and maintain your site or potential clients will lose interest.

Try to think of your website as a garden, without the proper attention it will not be fruitful.  Without continual maintenance and updates your website will not attract new clients to help grow your business. A decentralized approach to site management using a Content Management System can enable multiple stakeholders to edit their respective areas of the website.

Visit http://www.delaware.net/team-logic/ for more information.

Inbound links are a great way to market a website online. An inbound link is a link from an internet website to the website you are trying to promote. It is important to note that not all inbound links are created equal and your link building campaign should be carefully planned. If the website linking to your target site is in a relevant field, you will see a greater benefit than one from an unrelated field. As an example, if a manufacturer of widget x links to a website selling widget x, this is the perfect “authority” link and these are your best types of inbound links.

The important thing here is not to get carried away. I have seen people go overboard and scour the internet looking for Forums, Guest Books, Blogs and Directory sites to add their links too, only to find that their target website loses credibility in the search engines. Too many poor quality inbound links, especially paid links can be counter-productive so, choose your links carefully. One method to determine a good inbound link is to check the Google® PageRank™ of the referring website. If the PageRank is 5 or above and the website is in the same field as you or, even better, the website is the #1 resource for information related to your industry, that is a perfect inbound link opportunity.

Why do inbound links matter?
Inbound links from authority websites can make your website more credible for a subject that search engine users are typing in to a search engine. In this example, I will use the Google search engine. If a Google search engine user types the term widget x into the search field and Google determines that 18 websites have linked to your website as a resource for widget x, Google will reward you and list your website in their search results.

Sounds too easy, right?
Well, there are challenges to this practice, one of which is how do you ask for a link? The most common way to ask for an inbound link from a website is to send an email to the company in which you would like a link from. You might start by providing information about your company such as length of time in business, some sample clients, testimonials and as an added benefit, tell them that you will provide a link to their website in exchange for a link to yours. This practice is known as building reciprocal links. Reciprocal links are often the best form of linking campaigns and most definitely a topic for another blog post…stay tuned for that one in the next few days.

It cannot be stressed enough the importance of choosing a specific, appropriate color family that matches your brand and communicates your desired message to your target market. The good news is that you don’t have to be a design geek or web nerd to assemble a solid color arsenal. There are tools to help.

The first step is to know your identity and demographic. If you don’t know what EXACTLY your business is selling and who to, develop that wing of your plan. Once you have your ideal customer in mind, and a company ethos to cater to that individual, pick one broad color that portrays that image.

There is a general guide to, for lack of a better word, guide you to choosing something that works. Reds are intense and passionate, persuasive and for the daring. This is a tough starting color, so if you’re basing the rest of your hues off of this one, be careful and make sure it fits.

Blues are all around safe. A cooler family, they speak mellow, trustworthy and seriousness.
Greens denote subtle emotion, health, and serenity if it is a lighter shade, while darker hues emanate wealth or prestige and are not as calming.
Yellows are associated with the sun and communicate optimism and warmth. They are energetic but comforting.
Purples show royalty and sophistication when used properly. Lavender is more about nostalgia.
Pinks very as much in meaning as they do in shades. A more dusty pink is sentimental while hot pinks are energetic and loud, and softer pinks are more feminine and romantic.
Orange is always energetic but feels clean and falls more often in a children’s theme, but peach tones work well in upscale markets.
Brown is earthy and shows stability but can come across as dirty. Lighter shades, however, can convey that upscale look.
Black is bold, dramatic and intense. While this is really hard to pull off, if you’re working in a technology field or a personal site it really makes products and photos jump.
White is clean, fresh and pure. Works great in many areas.

So now you have your base color picked and you want to assemble swatches to complete your family. How do you do it without taking a semester of color theory? http://kuler.adobe.com is your friend.

You can create your own scheme based on a color you enter, and then choose which mode you want to use. Just remember to use the guide above for the additional colors you pick! For a hilarious video that touches on horrible color use, visit www.makemylogobiggercream.com. Cheers ’til next time.

What’s great about our Team-Logic™ CMS System is that our clients can add as many modules as they want. Some of the modules include news, a project portfolio, HR Job Posting Manager, Business Directory and News Ticker. All you have to do is login to Team-Logic™ and type away. The system is user friendly and easy to learn. After training, I personally send “cheat sheets” as helpful reminders to assist in the learning process and your phone calls are always accepted.

Since I do most of the training here (Yes that’s right, I do the training), I get to see first hand how the CMS System helps each individual organization and/or business. And I can tell you they work! I’ve trained municipalities, chambers of commerce, construction companies and entertainment companies. Each of these businesses has asked for more, and continues because they are becoming more receptive  to managing their own website (sorry IT Personnel). So don’t be afraid, jump on board!

P.S. Did I mention Team-Logic™ is a great organizational tool for the whole office to use, even outside of work? That will be my next post. Stay tuned!

In a nutshell, here is the problem:

Let’s say for the purpose of this example your domain name is “MyCompany.com“.
A potential customers hears about your company, and decides to check out your web site and learn more about your company.
So the customer goes to their web browser and types in “http://MyCompany.com”, and hits “GO” expecting to see your web site.

Then – Nothing. Your site doesn’t appear.

Realizing their mistake, more savvy web users realize that they forgot to put “www” before your domain name. So if entered correctly, the domain would look like this: http://www.MyCompany.com. But many, many, many people are too lazy to enter the entire domain name into their browser. You may assume that both domains are the same, but in actuality they are not. The “WWW” part of the domain name is called the hostname, or the subdomain. These are setup on the web server, and have to be entered by your hosting company when they setup your web hosting.

All about subdomains

It’s important to note that when you buy a domain name, your are buying the MyCompany.com portion, but you can put WHATEVER YOU WANT as a subdomain in front of the domain. At the very most basic domain name setup, you should have the WWW and empty hostnames setup so that they both reach your web site. But there are other subdomains that you should consider for your web site, as each subdomain can be used for a part of your web site, an application (like a blog), or for separate web sites entirely.

Sample subdomains

• WWW – again, every site has this to reach your home page. Sample: http://www.MyCompany.com
• MAIL or WEBMAIL – this is an easy way to create a link to your webmail program, or your email server. Sample: http://mail.MyCompany.com
• BLOG – obviously enough, you can use a subdomain to point to your blog. Sample: http://blog.MyCompany.com
• HELP – this is an easy way to give your customers a reference site for help in using your site or services. http://help.MyCompany.com
• CLIENTS, MY, or EXTRA – this is an easy way to make a client area where your clients can log into your web site. We use “extra”, which is short for “Extranet”
• INTRA, or STAFF – use these subdomains to create an Intranet site for your staff to access. Call Delaware.Net for information on how to create an Intranet.

Do lots of subdomains help with search engine ranking?

No. Neither does purchasing many domains. I’ve seen companies purchase domain names with the word “delaware” in them hoping this will help them with local search ranking, and it doesn’t. Domains help with memorizing how to get to your company’s web site, and that’s it. Its better to have one good domain name than to have many. I own “delaware.com”, and it is amazing how many people simply type it in to reach it. A big portal is a coming to that site soon.

So don’t forget…

Make sure all of your sites come up without the “WWW” in front of them. It can save a lot of missed web traffic! Good Luck

First, it’s important to understand that logo design is not nearly as easy as it seems. A good corporate identity (logo) will cross all sorts of barriers- language, gender, religion, age. A four year old can’t read, but if you pass the “golden arches” they know they can get a happy meal. On an even larger scale, people across the world can identify what the “apple” logo stands for. These logos referenced are very simple, but have conveyed their meaning quickly and uniquely.

A company’s logo is what will define them to the consumer. Are they a corporate business or more casual? What field is the business? Is the field competitive? Are there tons of other companies out there in that field with already easily recognized brands? A designer has to have these answers before beginning, and must consciously be aware of these facts throughout the design process.

I’ve also seen too many logos that haven’t been designed with much consideration as to what they might end up being used for. Your logo should be readable at many different scales- from the size of a nickel (or smaller) to billboard size. It needs to look good on brochures and folders, as well as shrunk down on business cards, pens, or embroidered t-shirts. A good logo should work in color and in black and white. If your logo is too dependent on color to convey its meaning or purpose, what is your company going to do if they want to run a one-color ad in the newspaper? Come up with a new logo? Are you willing to pay extra for print work because you just HAD to have a logo with 6 different colors in it? At most, a logo really doesn’t need more than two or three colors…unless again, you don’t mind paying more to have it printed on things. Do you want your logo to be an image or shape or do you want it to be logotype (just text in a manipulated font), or do you want a combination of the two? Or maybe you want one logo that is a combination, but you also want the mark to be able to stand on it’s own without text for when you want to print it on certain things (like clothing or other items, etc.). All of these things need to be considered before the creative process even begins.

Once these decisions have been made, development of the logo can start. Keeping the aforementioned things in mind while designing and creating a logo can be pretty complex. It may be just one mark- one small building block that leads to the rest of a company¹s marketing materials, but that small block has to be able to stand on its own, without an explanation to go beside it. You can use an ad, brochure, or a website to explain your company and its mission, but your logo has to be able to tell the consumer all of these things by itself, very quickly, all the while being unique and easily recognizable.

The Process of Good Logo Design

Everyone’s creative process is different, but this is mine: as elementary as it may sound, I start with a word list. I take the company’s name, and literally look up the dictionary definition of the words. Then I look for synonyms. If any of those synonyms sound appealing, I might make up a word list based off of those words, maybe not even the original words. The point is, I write down a long list of words that I associate together, and that’s how I start. This list can totally deviate from the root word(s) but that’s just how I have to begin.

At this point, I’ve already zoned in on the words that appeal to me most. Then what I do next is write down the company’s name. Even if they don’t want a logotype, I’ll do this. This is my attempt at seeing what kinds of shapes the letters in the name of the company might make. Once I’ve exhausted all these possibilities, I’ll switch to just sketching shapes and images for the logo. Where I go from here depends on what type of logo the company has voiced they are looking for.

Once I’ve made some promising sketches, I will scan these in and bring them into Adobe Illustrator, to trace them and start building the digital images. The stronger designs are sent to the client, usually in black and white, sometimes in a color or two. From there the client will choose one or two designs that they like, and I will make the requested edits and color changes, until the logo is complete.

Please click here to view an example project.

Dan McDowell
Dan is joining Delaware.Net as a new senior web developer specializing in .Net, ColdFusion, and SQL programming. Dan has a Computer Science degree from the University of Delaware, and previously worked as a senior programmer at HostMySite. Dan will be working on our new Store-Logic 2.0 framework with our other developers, and he will help to integrate them into our new application framework (Team-Logic 2.0). With the addition of Dan, Delaware.Net now has three programmers that have computer science degrees. That is more than most all other Delaware interactive design firms.

Chris Horton
Chris is joining Delaware.Net as a Junior Web Developer. Chris is currently studying for his Bachelor’s degree in Internet and Networking Design with a minor in Graphic and Desk Top Publishing at Wilmington College. Chris also working towards his Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice at the Community College of the Air Force, Dover Air Base, Delaware. In 2006, Chris obtained an Associate’s Degree in Media Art, Design and Technology at Wilmington College.

Even with the recent downturn in the economy, Delaware.Net has continued to experience steady growth . We win web development contracts because web sites are so critical to the business operations of today’s businesses, and our new clients depend on our experience. When a web site under-performs for a company, that is typically when they turn to Delaware.Net to take their web site to the next level.

The hiring of Dan and Chris is part of our strategy to hire the best and brightest new employees that we can find locally, to help us execute our plan of developing world-class web applications and web sites of the highest quality.

Please welcome Dan and Chris to our team!