Fresh ID » Fresh ID

Never Stop Dreaming

Kristi — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:06:57 +0000

A lot of things have been changing in my life lately, as many of you can imagine with the personnel changes we’ve gone through the past couple of months – I’ll talk more about that in a coming post – but I was thinking this morning about an important facet – maybe THE most important facet of business or personal growth, and that is to never stop dreaming.

I have always wanted to own a restaurant. I think I have a mission to feed people or animals, or something because it comes up again and again. I feed the neighborhood cats at the country house, which my husband hates but it seems like the least I can do given there’s no one who really cares for them in any other way. I ran a vegetarian website for a few years, with the mission of someday owning a chain of veggie fast food places. But given I make little money as it all pretty much goes into this still-growing business, it hasn’t seemed anything near reality, just a future goal or hope, wish or dream that comes up now and then.

Until now. My new business partners and I are actually talking about getting involved with some different companies, and one of them is a restaurant we would have a stake in and if we get involved, have a chance to really try to grow it into something much larger. Whether this happens or not, who knows – the talks are very early. But something that has long been a dream, is now a possibility with real conversations happening about it. And the next step from there is reality, and beyond that…. oy!! LOL!

I think about my #lilrookie, who you may or may not know is pro soccer player CJ Sapong. He came onto the team last year from the draft, and coming from a small school, I have no idea if he expected to play as much as he did or what he thought and felt at the beginning of the season. Most rookies don’t get on the field as much as he did, but when he did he took the opportunity to make his mark and that led to more and more play. And that led to… MLS Rookie of the Year. Did he dream of that early on? I’ll never know – I know I dreamed of it for him once I saw how good he really was and the kinds of opportunities he created for his team to win or score a goal. But he sure wasn’t sitting around thinking “I bet I don’t get to play much – there’s so many talented strikers on the team already, and I come from a small place and people doubted me in the draft…” No, he had his eyes wide open for opportunities to make his dreams of being a pro athlete come true, which is to play, to score, to celebrate with fans and teammates, to be a starter and integral part of the team, and to win. Another young rookie came in mid-season, Soony Saad, and though he didn’t play as much, his attitude was phenomenal. The first chance he got on the field for Sporting KC, he scored a goal! On his birthday, no less. One of his dreams must have come true in that moment, too.

Some folks dream about being rich, or famous, or something that doesn’t really focus on the work involved to get to some pinnacle that they aspire to. I say, focus on the work of your dreams, but don’t stop day-dreaming, and mentally scheming, and mentioning what you want to the people around you.

A now-famous speaker probably once hoped to help as many people as possible, and his reach grew and grew so he could.

An author hoped to have people read his books and share in his work.

A chef dreams of a room filled with people enjoying her food.

A lover dreams of looking into the eyes of her beloved and feeling the world stand still for a minute.

A doctor may dream of saving lives or healing someone from illness.

Do these people earn more money, fame, accolades along the way? Some do and some don’t. That’s why it’s best to focus on the work of the dream and not the title or money you want, in my opinion. Because it DOES take hard work to have most dreams be realized. My friend JR Schmitt said on Twitter just today: “It’s one thing to make a plan. It’s another to operationalize it and make it succeed.” She is right about that. A dream, even a very focused one, is just the beginning. It usually is going to take some work, partners, luck, will and persistence to achieve it ultimately.

I wanted to move away from downtown and get into a place where I have things around me that I can do and see in the evenings in the city, and I am doing that next month. It’s near a running trail, something I desperately wanted to be near. I wanted to have some reasons to go back to Texas more often, and we are now sharing office space in Dallas with someone who lives there, so that will become a more routine part of my life at some point. Some day, sooner than later in life, I may own part of a restaurant. Wouldn’t that just be too much? I’m not going to stop dreaming about what I want – in business and in life. You should start again if you’ve stopped since becoming an adult. It’s the only way to ever get things you truly want, or get where you want to go.

Best of luck – here are a few of my favorite inspirational tunes.

Photo credit: nattavut

Reasons Not to Beg for Facebook Fans

Kristi — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:20:55 +0000

I’ve noticed a number of disturbing posts from brands I follow on Facebook lately, and that is to request “I need X number of followers by Monday – please help us and ask your friends to like us!” Said once, it’s kind of… icky. Said repeatedly, downright annoying and embarrassing. This isn’t just coming from small businesses or amateurs. Everyone from major brands who already have a fair amount of followers there, to city governments, to event organizers are making these unseemly requests for no real reason except they WANT more fans.

Some people feel compelled to raise their fans and follower numbers, and often forget about nurturing and interacting with those they already have. One of our clients, Spa Insights, has the following stat they share with clients: “The probability of selling to an existing customer is 60-70%. The probability of selling to a new prospect is 5-20%.” Even if those numbers are specific to their industry, that likely is similar for others. Think about that, and then think about what it says to your existing fan base when you spend your time (and theirs) begging for new fans.

Maybe it’s job pressure from a boss demanding more numbers, or maybe just ego, but this is not the way to do it. What is truly gained by adding “numbers” to your company’s bottom line? A number is not what we call an “advocate.” True influencers and brand advocates will follow/like/fan you willingly, and they are the most important brand evangelist you can have in a word-of-mouth era, not just showing off some big number to your competitors.

This post has to be short and sweet today, but I found an article I want you to read if you feel the urge for more Facebook interactions and are willing to earn them with a timely and relevant-to-your-audience focus. This article is on converting Facebook fans to event attendees, but the advice is solid for an everyday approach to interacting on Facebook. They recommend to:

1. Solve people’s problems
2. Be a thought provoker, not a thought leader
3. Take action

It’s well worth the read for the detailed explanation of each of those recommendations.

Another short lesson you should read is a negative experience that happened when a well-known coffee brand focused on gathering new fans and not the true value of what that meant, to the tune of thousands of dollars in giveaways that they did not necessarily plan to give.

Finally, some sweet advice from Hershey’s on how they approach Facebook interactions: with awareness, content and agility. Hershey’s has found that letting consumers voice their opinions on their products and just express themselves has enriched both the company and the brand relationship with people who buy the products.

This is what really counts: do you matter to existing consumers, and can their enthusiasm and social sharing result in possibly new customers finding and trying your products or services? You can’t guarantee that with more Likes or bigger fan numbers. That takes time, care and dedication to social media as a true aspect of doing business, not just a flash-in-the-pan marketing tactic you may decide to abandon tomorrow.

Photo credit: creativedoxfoto

Fresh ID Announces CEO Succession Plan

Kristi — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 08:37:45 +0000

Lisa Qualls to Exit as Chief Executive Officer on December 31, 2011 Kristi Colvin to Assume Role of Chief Executive Officer KANSAS CITY, MO — Fresh ID, LLC, creative services agency today announced a planned transition in executive leadership with Lisa leaving her position as Chief Executive Officer of the Company effective December 31, 2011. Kristi B. Colvin, the Company’s Founder and current Chief Creative Officer, will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer concurrent with Lisa Qualls exit. Qualls has served as Fresh ID’s Chief Executive Officer since February 2010. Before joining the Company, she was co-founder and Chief Development Officer for LightThread, LLC, a business consulting firm. Prior to LightThread she worked as Executive Staff Manager to the Chief Network Officer at Sprint Nextel. She serves on the board of several non-profit organizations and is an active speaker on the topics of business management, project management and social media adoption. Kristi Colvin, who founded Fresh ID in April 2002 in Houston, Texas, began providing client services in 1993 for print design and brand identity, added web and software design services by 1997 and more recently social media strategy and digital solutions for Fresh ID clients like the Kansas City Chiefs, Trezo Vino and Pandolfi’s restaurants and Associated Plastic Surgeons of Kansas City. Colvin commented, “During her two years with the Company, Lisa has contributed her expertise to Fresh ID as we established a stronger infrastructure and expanded our footprint into new markets. We appreciate Lisa’s leadership through a period of growth and transformation. We are pleased that we will have an orderly transition that will allow the Company to move forward seamlessly. With a solid foundation in place, I’m excited to take the helm of our business again going forward and we have some exciting projects planned for 2012.” Lisa Qualls remarked, “Having worked closely with Kristi for over two years, I have full confidence in her ability to continue to drive the business forward and deliver value for Fresh ID’s clients and partners. I am grateful to have worked with such a talented team and am proud of all that Fresh ID has accomplished in that time.” Fresh ID is a creative agency offering an integrated marketing approach that combines social media strategy and campaigns, digital marketing, SEO, copywriting, brand identity and print design with unique website, ecommerce and web application design and development to create a memorable social and online presence for brands. The Company designs traditional, social and digital solutions for an increasingly complex, mixed media landscape using both proprietary products and custom created assets for clients. A diverse set of global clients include conferences, professional sports teams, restaurants, professional service firms, retailers, non-profit organizations, athletes, authors and software companies. The Company is located in downtown Kansas City, MO at 400 E 18th Street. For more information, visit www.freshid.com or call 816-359-3554. You can also follow Fresh ID online at http://twitter.com/freshid and http://facebook.com/freshid.

Client Happenings

freshid — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 22:20:31 +0000

As we enjoy this beautiful fall, we thought we would take a moment and share all the great things happening with our clients this season. We are a blessed company to have the opportunity to work with some of the most generous, fun and innovative companies around. They also love their clients as much as we love ours and as you will see below, they know how to take care of their customers, fans, and patrons. We are thankful for their business and appreciate all they do!

Local KC Businesses

Trezo Vino, an Italian Bistro in Leawood, KS recently announced a new lunch special they will offer Monday – Saturday. Get one of their fabulous lunch entrees and a beverage for only $8.50. If you are looking for a great stocking stuffer gift be sure to check out their holiday gift cards. They also offer monthly wine tastings and have special events planned for the holiday season. Located in the Park Place shopping area with the only outdoor skating rink in Johnson County, Trezo Vino is a great place to enjoy a meal, cocktail or simply to take a break during the season. Associated Plastic Surgery, KC’s Cosmetic Surgery Center, is your resource for all the latest procedures, including Slim Lipo. Also known as Lazer Liposuction, this procedure is less invasive then traditional liposuction and still effective at contouring the body. For more information on this and other cosmetic procedures check out their blog. Direct mail has been very effective for Sole Patch. This local Barbershop, located in Prairie Village, has seen an increase in their business since starting their direct mail campaign. We are very excited to see their business grow. Guys, if you haven’t already be sure to check out Sole Patch for a unique experience.

Kansas City Sports

Congratulations to Sporting KC’s CJ Sapong on wining the MLS Rookie of the Year! Sapong was drafted to Sporting as the #10 pick and made his debut in their first game, March 19th. The rookie forward has had a great year with Sporting KC taking their season all the way to the Eastern Conference Final. Season starts up again March 2012.

The Chiefs are busy on and off the field. Watch your team take on the Bears, in person! Like the Chiefs on Facebook for your chance to win two round-trip tickets to Chicago, two nights hotel stay and two tickets to watch the Chiefs take on “Da Bears” December 4th. Are you the biggest Chiefs fan ever? Prove it! Enter the Ultimate Chiefs Fan Photo Contest for your chance to win a Motorola Xoom Tablet! In the spirit of football, the Chiefs are celebrating local high school football coaches. In both Kansas and Missouri, vote daily to select the coach you feel deserves the title of High School Coach of 2011. Don’t wait, voting ends November 21st!

New to Twitter

Welcome to Twitter! We are very excited that Tippin’s Pie and Summit Marketing have started to “tweet”. Award winning Tippin’s Pies are a Kansas City tradition. Their hand crafted pies can be found at any Hen House location or by ordering online! Follow them on Twitter for pie specials and coupon offers. Summit Marketing uses their M4 Marketing Process for commercial, government and non-profit clients. Follow Summit on Twitter for more information.

Ready to Launch

It’s that time… New websites for AuctionAnything, QuickieChick, PurseBlog and Spa Insight Solutions. AuctionAnything, an online software, uses their expertise to help other organizations. Find them on Facebook for tips and launch date information. Need daily quickies? Check out QuickieChick’s new tumbler and wordpress site. Laurel House shares her expertise on fashion, food, work and workouts and and life in general. You can also see her new brand proudly displayed on her Twitter and Youtube accounts. PurseBlog is your online resource for designer handbags and will be rolling out their new site within the month. This online magazine provides daily editorials about, you guessed it, designer handbags. Check out their new site for monthly giveaways! Our friends at Spa Insight Solutions also recently launched their new website just in time for the 2011 ISPA conference they attended this month. A company that is dedicated to improving the spa industry through spa consultation and strategy, we appreciate the services Spa Insights provide their clients.

As I say Goodbye….Reflections of Fresh ID

freshid — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 18:09:41 +0000

The day I started Fresh ID was the day I saw my transvestite neighbor slip and fall on the icy sidewalk, on a cold January day. That morning I woke up early, fresh, focused and ready to start my new challenge, but instead all I could picture in my mind all day was my transvestite neighbor, with her long flowing pink hair and purple-puffy jacket sailing through the frigid air landing with a “thud” on the snow packed sidewalk. I quickly learned at Fresh ID that nothing is “normal”. There wasn’t any “set in stone” processes to follow. Instead its place that encouraged creating your own process that worked for you personally and would be successful at getting the job done right. That was one of the first hard challenges for me. For years of being in school, having people tell you what to study, when to turn something in and then grade you on how well or terrible you did it, being able to explore and create my own professional system was a struggle. I constantly looked to Lisa and Kristi to say “That’s Great” or “You’re wrong”, because I was seeking that feedback, but instead I was given the challenge to invent something that worked for me and the company. Now don’t get me wrong, I did get feedback (A LOT OF FEEDBACK), but it was also teaching me to reach out and learn through trial and error, which has now contributed to my growth because I got to learn by experience. My favorite lesson came, when one day, through my tears of frustration and uncertainty, Lisa looked at me and said “Kid, you need to learn how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable”. This slap in the face was a reality check and made me stop and change how I perceive myself and the real-world. At work, you need challenge and change, but at the end of the day you have to love it or you wouldn’t do it the way it deserves to be done. I know for me, when I’m comfortable I stop trying because I like where I’m at. In order to grow, pushing outside your comfort level is a must. I’ve learned at Fresh ID that the only way I was going to be successful was to push to the next test, even if it was uncomfortable. In order to meet personal expectations of greatness, it’s all about being comfortable with putting yourself out there. Once you reach that comfortable successful peak, it’s time to push harder. Only then can you evolve. There have been some amazing times here at Fresh ID these past 10 months. I have laughed until I cried, or peed my pants, cried and huddled in a corner, and created some really cool things that I’m so proud to be part of. The bond that grew between us all has given me the strength and confidence to move on.There have been many moments of education, but here are a few that I will take with me (and are appropriate to share to the world). 10 things in 10 months

When you are arguing or having an in-depth conversation with someone, take time to stop what you are saying and truly listen to their words. You might be arguing the same point, just in a different way.
Things don’t always go right, even when the best laid plan is in place. Airplanes could run late, minds can be changed and ideas may be altered. But at the end of the day, if you have cheese, a sweet treat and enjoyable colleagues around you at work, your job is successful and fulfilling.
Take time to be around someone you admire and listen to how they do business. But don’t let it make you quiet, your ideas are still valuable and just because you may feel they are always “right”, you may put a new spin on something that could change the course to bigger and better things.
Surround yourself with co-workers who have different values, ideas and ways to do things. It will be frustrating at times, but in the long run the “ying and yang” effect is truly remarkable and works in a small business.
Be proud of the work you do. Shake hands with confidence and share with anyone and everyone what your job is, you never know where a business deal or future negotiation will be hiding and you don’t want to miss out.
A beer and a good idea can go a long way. The best thoughts don’t always happen in the office, take time to step out and let your mind go (and yes, wine can help you there too, we don’t discriminate at Fresh ID!)
Express yourself. No matter what you are feeling, excitement, anger or confusion.
Having an office that’s an “open door” to friends and other colleagues makes the day better. Filling up the office with these people adds excitement, new ideas, and laughter. It truly helps build a dynamic work place that all enjoy.
Take time for yourself. At Fresh ID our minds go 24/7 and that’s what makes us unique and special. But it’s okay to stop and take time out before you burn out. You deserve that time.
Be a family. Dysfunctional, determined and deeply committed to each other and the work. Success will come, but at the end of the day you have each other.

I also feel it’s my duty to share how it is I work with my Fresh ID family, just in case you feel the need to suck up or work with any of them. Sherry: Between drinking Coca-Cola and packing her purse with every random item you may ever need (seriously, ask her for something I bet she has it), she’s a detailed genius at what she does. Give her the specifics, make sure she has all the information and then let her work. Oh yeah, and to show how much she rocks, find something with “Hello Kitty” on it….she has a lot so get creative. Tom: He likes meat, and being the only male in the office, he’s had to suffer through some pretty girly conversations and food. His sense of humor comes out sporadically so listen for it, because when he says something you want to hear it. He’s the level-headed partner who is always up for a challenge and a Star Trek TV show. Kristi: Yes she loves her ruffles, Eiffel Tower, French Wine and Lil’ Rookie, but deep beneath her sassy blonde exterior, there is no one else who can create and imagine like she can. The way Kristi’s mind works amazes me, but she showed me that no matter where you are in your life, if you truly love something, if it truly moves and inspires you, it deserves your full attention and faith. She may mix things up now and then, but if she never spoke up (which trust me, she’s never held back), creative genius wouldn’t happen and we’d all be stuck un-challenged and like everyone else. Lisa: I hope I can be half as intelligent, funny and giving as she is one day. This time spent with her made me realize that a working woman can have it all, you just have to put the time into it and know that sacrifices will be made. Her words, actions and the way she does business is inspiring. Her dedication to something is beyond compare, as she puts 110% into whatever she is doing. Whether it’s cheering for a KC sports team, being a mother, a CEO, a toe-touch, or being the life of the party, Lisa gives it all she has with a smile on her face.

Fresh ID out and about…ONLINE

freshid — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 22:04:48 +0000

The Fresh ID team believes in practicing what we preach. And you all know (or should know) that we try to share our world with you, online. We believe in exploring, updating, engaging and embracing all different kinds of social networks and sharing our thoughts and opinions. So we wanted to share with you all WHERE exactly we are hanging out, and invite you to “Follow” us. Also, if you’d like help setting anything up (Like Tumblr, Blogging etc.) you know we’d be happy to help! So here we are, you can find us 24/7… Introducing, Fresh ID ONLINE Lisa Qualls, CEO: @LQualls4444 Facebook.com/lqualls4444 Linkedin Google Plus Tumblr About.Me Slideshare Visible. Me Kristi Colvin, CCO: @KrisColvin @EatWellWorkWell Facebook.com/kriscolvin LinkedIn KrisColvin (FourSquare) Blogging Tumblr Tom Jenkins, CTO: @TechGuyTom Facebook.com/Techguytom LinkedIn Google Plus Blogging Slideshare Sherry Liu, Art Director: @SherryLiu Facebook.com/AznLiu Sherry Liu (FourSquare) Google Plus LinkedIn Tumblr Ryan McElhaney: Sales and Marketing Director: @RyanLeighMac Facebook.com/RyanMcElhaney LinkedIn Google Plus Tumblr Blogging Flavors.Me Fresh ID: @Freshid Facebook.com/FreshID Blogging Slideshare YouTube

Fresh Friday- July 15th

freshid — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:37:19 +0000

New and old friends, family and three K-9’s joined us on Friday, July 15^th for our first “Fresh Friday”. This celebration was to show off our new, larger digs, welcome Tom Jenkins, our new CTO, display art from fabulous local artist Mike Savage and of course give us a reason to gather, drink, eat, talk and enjoy a beautiful hot KC night! Fresh ID has grown tremendously in the past year, so moving to our new space at 400 E 18^th Street (18^th and Oak, by Grinders, YUM) was essential to keep up with the increasing staff, (and projects!) of now 5 full time and our current intern. We love any reason to celebrate and came up with the idea of “Fresh Friday” quickly after moving into the new place because we knew we wanted to share our success with the ones we love dearly and the ones we are getting to know! We are so grateful to all who were able to make it, and even if you were not available, no worries, we love any reason to party so you better believe another one will happen! This “Fresh Friday” was a chance for friends, clients and family members to melt into one loud, laughing and talkative group (and when I say melt I mean it! It was really hot in our place, we’re sorry!) The stories told, the new friends met and the excitement of new beginnings filled our office as guests ate, drank and played with the dogs! When a business succeeds and grows that’s exciting, but what makes it all worth it is having friends and a community that is supportive and ready to celebrate along with you. For that we thank you all for the support, confidence and happiness you have for Fresh ID. We couldn’t have done this without you all and we are so happy to have friends, family and dogs alike to share it with. So cheers to new beginnings and growing! We look forward to celebrating with you all very soon.

Fresh ID Brings Innovation to Professional Sports

freshid — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:02:27 +0000

Fresh ID, LLC signs Sporting KC and the Kansas City Chiefs to help them connect and engage with fans KANSAS CITY, MO (June 28, 2011) – Fresh ID expands their client roster with the signing of Sporting Kansas City and the Kansas City Chiefs. Fresh ID has completed several major projects for Sporting Kansas City including integrated rich media applications for live event viewing and interaction. Notable projects include the live viewing of the Ochocinco tryout, the official site for the team’s new stadium, LIVESTRONG Sporting Park and a Sporting Club Membership site that offers an unprecedented member experience. “We pride ourselves on working with the best local partners, and Fresh ID more than fits that mold. They not only bring great ideas and strategy, but they invest all of their efforts and interests in making a project successful. From the unveiling of the LIVESTRONG partnership to the recent launch of SportingMembership.com, Fresh ID has developed projects with great agility and care,” remarked Kyle Rogers, Digital Strategist with Sporting Kansas City. In a continuation of Fresh ID’s fast-paced growth, they recently added the Kansas City Chiefs to their client base, providing services that include a social voting application, social media consultation, custom Facebook design and a redesign of the Arrowhead Stadium website, all of which create crucial pieces in the Chiefs’ overall fan outreach strategy. “Kansas City Chiefs’ fans are passionate and we want to make sure we are leveraging every opportunity to engage and excite them. Fresh ID brings creative ideas to connect with our fans utilizing the best in user experience and digital solutions today,” remarked Lance Brown, Manager of Internet and Digital Media for the Kansas City Chiefs. “Fresh ID’s success is a result of Kansas City based companies supporting local businesses creating a mutually beneficial partnership that is rewarding for all involved,” remarked Lisa Qualls, Chief Executive Officer and partner. Fresh ID recently announced a new executive team member and address change. Tom Jenkins, Chief Technology Officer and minority partner, joined Qualls and Chief Creative Officer & founder, Kristi Colvin on June 13^th, 2011. The company re-located to an office within the downtown Crossroads District at 18th and Oak.

Fresh ID Welcomes: Tom Jenkins as new CTO, partner

freshid — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 22:38:36 +0000

KANSAS CITY, Mo.–In an ongoing commitment to company growth, Fresh ID announced the selection of Tom Jenkins as the company’s new Chief Technology Officer and minority partner. Jenkins has worked in the technology industry since 1989, and most recently served as the director of web production for Adcuda, a Kansas City-based online marketing firm. As CTO for Fresh ID, Jenkins will fulfill a variety of duties, including overseeing the company’s development production. Jenkins’ hiring comes at an important time for the Kansas City-based company. Fresh ID continues to see fast-paced growth, especially with recent client acquisitions including Sporting KC and the Kansas City Chiefs. Jenkins brings a wealth of digital experience to the group and is an ideal addition to the company, according to Chief Executive Officer Lisa Qualls. “We’re excited to have Tom join the team,” she says. “He brings the industry knowledge and technical depth that Fresh ID needs in order to build our team and achieve our company goals. His years of professional experience further elevate our high standards, and he has a shared philosophy of ‘customer first’ that aligns with our customer-focused commitment.” Jenkins initially connected with Qualls and Fresh ID Chief Creative Officer and founder Kristi Colvin through the Social Media Club of Kansas City and the annual Start-Up Weekend event. Prior to Qualls joining the company in early 2010, the trio had collaborated on a variety of projects for clients such as Associated Plastic Surgeons of Kansas City and the City of Katy, TX. The experience facilitated Jenkins’ recruitment as CTO and evolved into an opportunity for Jenkins to become a managing partner in the company. “In addition to his technical knowledge, Tom brings a process maturity to operations management that we need in order to become more profitable,” Qualls says. “It’s a great achievement for us to welcome such a respected professional in Kansas City to our team.” Jenkins says he’s thrilled to join Fresh ID, and is eager to use his existing skills to assist in the company’s continued evolution. “This is an amazing, creative team,” he says. “Anything I can do to take us to the next level as a company—that’s what I’m here for.” About Fresh ID: Fresh ID works with clients throughout the world to deliver intelligent design for life online. The company embraces a customer-focused approach to give social media, marketing, brand identity, digital strategy and world-class design services to a diverse set of clients. Fresh ID specializes in creating custom branded online events aggregating real-time media in to one integrated experience. For more information visit www.freshid.com.

Using Custom WordPress Design to Complement an Existing Site: Red House Media Case Study

Kristi — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:19:40 +0000

RedHouse Media is an advertising agency of long-standing in Brainerd, Minnesota, where they specialize in traditional marketing, creative work and photography for clients of all types. They have a well-defined brand and had a company blog that was not serving their needs as they began to grow and get more involved on social networks.

Creative Collaboration

Because RedHouse does design, they had a good idea of what they wanted their blog to do, but didn’t have the developers or experienced blog designers to bring it to life. When Aaron met Kristi on Twitter in 2009, it seemed like a great complement of skills, so they hired us to design and develop what they envisioned. Since we are both design agencies, it was easy to stay on the same page regarding the creative approach!

Extending the Brand

Kristi liked the chalkboard effect they use in their website, and wanted the blog to be a seamless transition and extension of the site, rather than feel like a separate site like their existing blog did. To achieve the transition, she took the header, footer and page shell from the main site and used that as the framework for the blog. Now, when visitors click in the header navigation they go from site to blog without realizing they are actually on two different domains (the blog has a unique address so it can be used as a standalone site, too.) This level of detail is not something that can be done with an off-the-shelf theme. This blog was designed from scratch and new fonts and images were used that complemented the RedHouse Media brand so that it appeared to be 100% authentic for their brand… this is not the brand and style of a theme designer or even our particular style.

Development Details

Though it’s not immediately obvious, there are a number of small details we designed and coded in this blog that give it some enhanced functionality or enabled us to extend the brand:

They have an email newsletter, that we added a submission form for in the sidebar for easy subscription.
They have a special calendar of events that function like blog posts. Upcoming events display in the sidebar, and when clicked you can see full text, pictures, video or whatever one could put in a blog post, for the entry.
We found adorable and free social media icons that looked appropriately “chalkboard-drawn” in addition to some chalkboard-styled fonts, that bring character and distinction it in keeping with the main site design.
We used the Twitter api to post the latest tweets from each team member, plus the latest tweets that mention @RedHouseMedia
A lot of sites use the Tweetmeme “Retweet” badge, but we opted to use another one that we could customize colors for to match this site. A palette of reds, grays and charcoals is continually used to keep this brand tight and we didn’t want to alter that with third-party badges that would disrupt the flow.
The most recent video they post shows up automatically in the sidebar.
“Latest Comments” in the footer, in addition to Recent Posts, give visitors an indication of what’s being discussed right now on the blog and within the company.

End Result

The best end result for us is a satisfied client, and RedHouse Media has expressed satisfaction and appreciation for the details we brought to the process of designing theirblog. As Aaron Hautala, founder of RedHouse Media told Fresh ID CEO Lisa Qualls,

We’re getting good responses from visitors and clients; mission accomplished! We test all contractors on the RedHouse brand first, and we’re very satisfied with the style and quality of work you produced for us. I’d like to partner on client blog development in the future based on this experience. I like that we didn’t have to pay you to learn – other providers we spoke with kept telling me “how hard” it was going to be to do what we wanted, but your team didn’t. I appreciated the pushback on design problems and liked that Kristi used her knowledge to solve the design issues, instead of saying “that’s not going to work.” Having a designer with a similar vision (bigger than normal) who gets excited about our ideas is a major plus!

We were excited to hear that in January 2010, the RedHouse Media team won a Gold Addy for their site and complementing blog by the American Advertising Federation of Central Minnesota. As if we weren’t already pleased with how this project turned out! We look forward to partnering with RedHouseMedia on more creative work in the future. Check out the live blog now!