Why choosing Cohen Creek Creative for your next project may be your best move yet…

When most companies or individuals set out to find a design company to work with on their next project, most simply look for the company that will give them the “best rate.” Understandably, running a business these days is tough sledding. It seems there are costs coming from everywhere and the money coming in doesn’t always seem to come in as quickly. I get it. I run a smaller business myself and I am always trying to get the best deal possible, not just with my business, but in my personal endeavors as well.
Cut Cost on Web Design

What I have come to realize is, the “best deal” isn’t always the lowest price. Some companies may offer lower rates, but what are they saying about their product? How is their customer service? Do they truly care about you as client, or are they just trying to make a quick buck?

From day one I wanted my company to be one that supported the small business man and woman. I wanted to provide services for all size companies, from one-man-shops to Fortune 500s. Fortunately, I have been able to do this, and do it well. I used to hear all the time when I talked to business owners, “I can’t afford a website or professional services like you offer…” My response has always been the same, “You can’t afford NOT to have a website and professional services…”

Times have changed, and the typical client is going to be visually moved by what they see. I use the example of two companies who sell swimming pools. You have company “A” who offers phenomenal customer service and reliable products. Anyone in their right mind would choose them over any other company. Then you have company “B” who has an act of selling a lot of pools, but they tend to rush through the process. Their customer service isn’t always top notch and their prices seem to be a little higher than most. We then take the client looking for a pool builder. Long gone are the days of scrolling through a phone book where everyone looks equal. Nope, it turns out that company “A” doesn’t have a website, just a phone number and an address on Google Business (if that). But, company “B” has a great looking and very informative website. The reality here is about 8 times out of 10 the client will go with a company that they can visually see product samples and can form some type of emotion by seeing other sources of information on a website. The sad truth in the end is, company “A” has the overall better product to offer but sadly will miss a lot of sales.

Cohen Creek Creative Web Design

Maybe a pool company isn’t the best scenario here. Ideally, most people would get multiple quotes, but for the sake of the story, I provided this situation.

So how does our company solve the many issues of high design prices and making sure that we can work with all size companies, provide a wide range of budgets, and still present high-end designs? I’m glad you asked.

What I have done is found many ways to cater to my clients. I understand many small businesses don’t have $5-10k (and this is low) to drop on a brand new custom website. Let’s be honest, most of them can barely afford to spend $500 for this service. So, the solution I have found is to offer a few options, they are as follows:

  • Total Project Fee: Your typical quoted project fee is paid in 2 payments. The first payment due before work commences, and the second is due at launch.
  • Payment Plan: This is typically a low-down payment and then monthly plans are paid until the full project fee is paid off. We agree on a “pay off amount” for the project, and once the site is fully paid off, it becomes the sole property of the client.
  • Customized plan: We want to work with you and are willing to customize any type of plan to help you achieve your project goals. This is an area I take pride in; helping customers, meeting their needs and providing them services they never thought they could afford.

There is no right or wrong, or set way of doing business with us, other than transparency and an understanding that we want to be fair and do what is right. With any of our services, we work with our clients to make sure they are fully satisfied. I understand if I take care of you and your company, you in return will take care of me, whether that be returning services or word of mouth recommendations to other potential clients. If someone tells you no, give us a chance to make it right.

Sincerely,

Shawn
Cohen Creek Creative
Owner

Traditional Media vs. Social Media Advertising

Traditional Media vs. Social Media Advertising

Selecting the best advertising mediums for your company can be challenging. There are so many options available today, such as print, radio, television commercials, and the Internet.

How do you select the best advertising mix for your business?

Traditional media has created exposure for thousands of businesses for decades. With the Internet, you can take advantage of social media, content marketing, and search engine marketing.

There are many benefits of social media that indicate how social media is more effective than traditional media. These benefits include the ability to communicate with your consumers in a two-way format, developing a long-term following, and being able to quickly promote new products and services.

However, there is one defining metric that defines the better option between traditional media and social media. This metric is cost per thousand impressions (CPM).

CPM is an advertising metric that measures how many advertising dollars you must spend to reach 1,000 people. The goal of any advertising should be to reach as many relevant people as possible at the lowest cost.

In a recent cross channel media costs comparison, the CPM of various media channels were measured. The results were interesting. Take a look below.

 

 

Social media is cheaper than any form of advertising available today. It is one of the only forms of media that can expose you to over 1,000 people for less than $3.

In addition, you can incorporate traditional elements into your social media campaign. You can advertise video commercials, publish articles, host live podcasts and webinars, and much more. Social media is the only “billboard” that can communicate to your customers, answer their questions, and provide them with feedback.

Hidden Costs

There additional costs associated with each medium. Obviously, with direct mail you have to consider print and mailing costs. With TV and radio, you have to consider the spike in prices during peaks times to advertise (rush hour traffic or popular shows). Billboard prices can also range based on quality of traffic and location.

With social media marketing, you only have one “hidden” fixed cost – time. Whether it is your time, an employee’s time, or an agency’s time, you must consider this as a cost. However, this is normally not a cost that depends on so many variables such as traditional media.

While there are many ways of proving that social media is more effective than traditional media, cost is the factor that anyone can agree upon. The ability to track results, laser-target your exact audience, and use data to guide your decisions are benefits you’ll read about in the next section.