Small Business: After originally selecting another vendor, Mid-Atlantic Commercial Realty comes back to RMC for web site design services

Overview

Mid-Atlantic Commercial Realty (MACR) founder and CEO Dana K. Weinberg had created his company’s own web site about a year ago. It was a very hands-on project requiring him to self-teach himself how to maneuver in the most basic form the complex world of web development and web design. Dana also learned how to work within a limited, web-based content management system. Despite his efforts, however, Dana could not escape the very obvious DIY (do-it-yourself) feel his site reflected. After realizing he needed professional help, Dana began his search for a talented web services provider who could leverage his original efforts and execute a more streamlined, online presence for his business.

The Challenge

While the MACR website itself was not a large, robust application, Dana wanted to retain the services of a provider who could achieve the following:

• Work within a budget of 7-10K
• Create a simple, elegant web interface to complement his company’s newly-updated brand and identity
• Transform the “look and feel” of the site from DIY to uber-professional
• Create a unique look that will somehow make the topic of commercial leasing and tenant representation more interesting and attractive

The biggest challenge Dana faced, however, was to find a provider who had creative leadership and who could — and would — unburden him from being ‘ responsible’ for creative direction.

“In working with my previous web vendor,” explained Dana, “they didn’t seem to understand why I felt the work they were producing was unattractive. I’m not a designer so I couldn’t articulate effectively WHY I did not like the look and feel they had developed. And every time I tried to give details of what I felt was wrong with the design — which was just about everything (see designs above) — their stock answer was ‘Well, we think it looks fine.’ It was a very frustrating and costly ordeal.”

A bit of background

In fact, before Dana retained his previous web vendor, he had approached our company for a proposal and work estimate. In the end, after evaluating our proposal and the other vendor’s proposal, Dana turned the RMC proposal down. “At the time, I thought I was going to gain more value and better cost with the other vendor,” Dana admits.  “I honestly did not know how involved a web project could be or become.  I thought I knew what I wanted or needed; more accurately I thought the vendor I was selecting over RMC would know what I wanted or needed. Somehow, I had felt the other vendor was the strongest choice and I picked what I thought was ‘the better solution’ … a decision I look back on now with some regret.”

When Dana had contacted RMC to explain why he had chosen another vendor, our founder Mayra Ruiz-McPherson, does what she always does: wish the prospect well.”What more can a vendor do in such a case?” poses Mayra, who firmly believes that things happen for a reason. “At the time, our team and I wished Dana well with his project but privately, I suspected he may run into some challenges. What the other vendor promised to deliver for the price quoted right away gave me reason for concern. However, when a prospect chooses another vendor, the best you can do is to wish the prospect the best success. You learn to accept the wins and the losses in this field and with this particular project, as it turns out, I turned out to be right … my hunches about Dana’s project did in the end pan out exactly as I had privately predicted.”

When Dana contacted our company a few months later asking for help, we were surprised but not surprised. “It was really wonderful to have been awarded the project after Dana’s experiences with the previous vendor,” says Mayra. “I felt he had come back to us with more open eyes. Clearly, he and his wallet had gone through the wringer. Sad to say, his web site construction dilemma unfortunately is not an unusual one; we seem to be presented with this kind of scenario quite a bit here at RMC.  It’s tough for a small business with limited resources to invest any budget amount towards its interactive marketing and not see much, if anything, in the way of return. I was determined to show Dana what a quality web design and development project can and should be.”

The Approach

The approach our team took is not unlike the best practice approach for web projects already well-documented on countless sites and blogs. Still, the unique aspects to the process were more in that the client, in this case MACR, was not accustomed to having any process in place.

We started the project from scratch, starting over from zero except for the logo which was the only detail worth salvaging from the previous vendor.

Mayra spent various 1:1 meetings with Dana trying to identify his business goals and marketing objectives (see some of the details from those meetings below).

Often we find these details are what really drive the direction of all creative, content and function for most site projects. After documenting the specifics as they pertained to competitive market positioning and brand differentiation, it was time to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

We provided an itemized work plan documenting the project schedule and outlining both the creative and development aspects to the project. Everything was approved and we began to create.

After concept development details were finalized, we began with wireframing various screens (see one of the wireframed screens below).

Before long, we layered on the color, content, our custom photography and usability details … and then just a few short weeks later, voila!

We completed not only the web project itself but also achieved every single goal we had set out to accomplish on behalf of Dana and his tenant representation business.

The Final Result

In Dana’s own words as he shares his excitement via email with his colleagues:

“Mayra and her team ‘get it.’ I was asked a lot of questions up front so they could get an intimate understanding of my business, what I do, who I am as a person, my values as well as personal and professional goals. This interview made me think clearly about what I wanted the website to communicate to my audience, what my mission is and the perception I wanted to create. I could go on because I was so thrilled at how comfortable I felt with Mayra and her team’s ability to deliver what I wanted to accomplish. I trusted their judgment and the result has been an overwhelming number of accolades from friends, clients and more. Three or four contacts have already asked who my web site designer is! I highly recommend Mayra and her team. They were incredibly creative, truly worked with me as a team and collaborator, were extremely well organized, and were always in constant communication with me on all matters and issues. I know you also loved my new site. I highly recommend you and Mayra meet to see if you can work together on projects or refer work to one another.”