As the official start of summer approaches, the workout frenzy that precedes swimsuit season is in full swing. Something about the added exposure of a swimsuit propels us to boost our fitness plans and reap the benefits of improved health and endurance.
Unfortunately, many business owners do not feel the same urgency to shape up their Web sites, although the first impressions made online can have a huge impact on a company’s bottom line. We’re not saying that every site has to be sexy, but your site’s user interface should be appealing and attractive to potential customers.
Here are some basic steps to assess your company Web site’s functional fitness:
1. Write down the keywords that describe your company and the product or service your company provides.
2. Type these keywords into Google search engine: does your company appear in the first 10 to 15 entries?
3. Visit a free Web site grading service online. You can use one of our favorites from Hubspot. This site allows you to examine the “backend” of your company’s Web site to analyze your site’s search engine optimization and ranking among competitors.
In addition to search engine ranking, consider the look of your website. Can your potential customer zero in on your purpose quickly and accurately? Is your design eye-catching and easy to navigate? Without design appeal, many Web sites languish as mediocre.
Finally, how does your company Web site compare to your competitors? Does it need a better fitness plan, some minor re-design or a major overhaul?
It’s time to take notice so that others can find your company online and enjoy access to your product or services. Rivers Agency can help you achieve your Web fitness goals – let us know how we can help!
Each year, Rivers Agency partners with nonprofit organizations to create promotional campaigns that may involve a combination of public relations, marketing and design services. This is a great opportunity for us to give back to our neighbors, maximize our creativity and network with community members—all for a great cause.
When we work through a creative process with a nonprofit, we’ve found there are common themes that emerge when promoting nonprofit work:
Prioritize: When working for nonprofit, there are often many needs that the organization is seeking to address. Be clear about the objectives of a single campaign and address each issue one step at a time. Muddled messaging can reduce the effectiveness of a campaign.
Play to your audience: It’s a true pleasure to work with a client that is offering real solutions to social or environmental issues. The content of these campaigns makes it easy to communicate an organization’s goals with passion. Creating emotive and compelling creative is of paramount importance to drive interest and garner support.
Work efficiently and effectively: Nonprofits often work on limited budgets, which means efficiency is a high priority. This theme carries through in our for-profit work as well, but working in the non-profit world allows us to push ourselves to become more efficient while maintaining a high standard of quality in our product.
This year, Rivers has partnered with the Goathouse Refuge, a sanctuary in Pittsboro that houses nearly 200 abandoned or injured cats, and has seen skyrocketing demand in this economic turbulence. Through close collaboration with Siglinda Scarpa, world-renowned artist and proprietor of the Refuge, we have created a campaign to boost adoption numbers and raise funds for the organization.
Most recently, our public relations and design teams helped organize and promote a Spring Art Show at the refuge that raised over $10,000, no small feat for this volunteer-run organization!
At Rivers Agency, we pride ourselves on providing customers with exceptional design, advertising and public relations services. Rivers Agency’s work during the 2008 High Point Market was no exception. Preparing fully for fall 2008 events took careful planning and consultation with our clients.
Weeks in advance, Rivers Agency staff was busy creating artwork for showroom invitations, refining lists of prospective market-goers and targeting new audiences. Rivers Agency design staff conducted site visits to help our clients plan showroom layouts that were ideal for both visitor flow and collection highlighting, and several billboards and digital marquis designs were executed for prominent display near High Point’s Market Square.
Our public relations department worked closely with clients to determine which products would be featured during market, creating persuasive descriptions of fabrics, carpets and furniture frames to include in market press releases and press kits.
Before we knew it, High Point market had arrived and we were on site to conduct guided media tours through showrooms and to make sure that all of the details came together exactly as planned. Each publication editor or reporter received a personal invitation to view client products on display and were taken through the latest collections of interest to their readership.
We’re proud to report that despite the uncertain economic conditions, both of our High Point market clients, Capel and Taylor King, saw steady sales this year. Our High Point post-market follow-up is almost complete, but the next market is just around the corner – and we’ll be ready for it!
Rivers Agency extends heartfelt congratulations to the Ackland Art Museum on its 50th anniversary!
Rivers Agency leads design and creative marketing efforts for the Ackland Art Museum. As part of its anniversary celebration, the Ackland recently unveiled “Circa 1958: Breaking Ground in American Art.” The show explores artistic trends that emerged during that influential year. Rivers Agency played a primary role in the branding and design of exhibition materials. The Rivers’ design team also created a 3D illustration of the exhibit for the program guide from a basic layout of the gallery space.
The design process for the Ackland’s 50th anniversary celebration and showcase began almost a year ago with the gathering of initial concepts. For nearly six months, the Rivers design team has developed the 50th anniversary celebration brand, designed a logo, produced multiple interior and exterior banners and developed and placed advertising. Rivers Agency worked closely with a specialty print shop to create a unique, folding invitation for the gala event, coordinating postage and last-minute reorders due to the higher-than-anticipated interest.
To celebrate its anniversary milestone, the Ackland hosted a black tie gala event Saturday, Sept. 20, 5-8 p.m. – 50 years to the day after the museum’s 1958 opening. Rivers Agency Founder and Creative Director Lauren Rivers attended along with Art Director Sarah Owens.
During the 50th anniversary gala, the Ackland’s director, Emily Kass, gave opening remarks and reflected on 50 years of artistic exploration. Kass aims to build upon the museum’s legacy during the next 50 years at the Ackland. Her speech was followed by a catered, 1950s-themed reception.
Rivers Agency has worked with the Ackland for four years to develop an innovative campaign that captures the vision of the museum. Ongoing projects include program brochures and invitations, interior and exterior graphics, exhibit guides, a quarterly newsletter, as well as personal and responsive marketing support. Recently, Rivers Agency designers created a stunning visual guide detailing the museum’s expansion plans.
Rivers Agency is proud to promote the museum’s success and innovation through creative marketing and design. We look forward to a long and rewarding partnership with the Ackland Art Musuem and hope to build complementary relationships in the Triangle that promote our region’s artistic and cultural offerings.
Check back soon for updates about our newest creative projects.
It’s been a busy summer for Rivers Agency! Thanks to the huge success of our home furnishing markets in Atlanta and Vegas, our team continues to implement creative design, advertising and public relations campaigns for our home décor clients.
Some of our latest projects include the development of real estate marketing packages and the design of promotional materials for a local art institution. And as usual, we continue to manage the complete spectrum of promotional needs for a local financial institution – getting the word out about community service events, advisory board appointments and quarterly financial statements.
It’s been a while since we’ve devoted some attention to our blog, but with recent staff added to our web design and public relations departments, we are now able to spread around the workload a bit and take the opportunity to share what’s going on this fall with Rivers Agency.
And we just couldn’t contain our excitement about one of our most recent projects – the design of the fall catalog for Raleigh-based kids clothing guru, Patsy Aiken.
Funky and stylish, Patsy Aiken clothing is kids-wear that stands up to rough and tumble playtime. The fall 2008 catalog features boldly patterned coordinates available in soft, comfortable fabrics. Each outfit can be personalized with Patsy Aiken’s complimentary monogramming service, so each item is truly a one-of-a-kind! From the essentials to seasonal favorites, Patsy Aiken’s catalog features fun fashion for every kid in the bunch. And new this season, Patsy Aiken introduces “Littles” to celebrate the arrival of her first grandchild, Joel.
Patsy Aiken’s fall catalog offers sizing from newborns to size five. Several collections offer adult sizes so that parents can get in on the fun, too.
That’s the news for now, but you’ll hear more from us again soon - stay tuned!
The Rivers Agency blog recently got a face lift and attitude adjustment to better share perspectives from the creative processes of our team. This is the hub for sharing our insights, advice, unique boutique perspective, humor and whatever other post-worthy thoughts float by. Our posts are a collaborative effort with input from the entire team and managed by our PR staff. Feel free to join the conversation!
As the official start of summer approaches, the workout frenzy that precedes swimsuit season is in full swing. Something about the added exposure of a swimsuit propels us to boost our fitness plans and reap the benefits of improved health and endurance.
Rivers Agency News | Rivers June 2, 2009 | 
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The design process for the Ackland’s 50th anniversary celebration and showcase began almost a year ago with the gathering of initial concepts. For nearly six months, the Rivers design team has developed the 50th anniversary celebration brand, designed a logo, produced multiple interior and exterior banners and developed and placed advertising. Rivers Agency worked closely with a specialty print shop to create a unique, folding invitation for the gala event, coordinating postage and last-minute reorders due to the higher-than-anticipated interest.