davidembee

[davidembee]

Ciena Partnership Direct Mail and Sales Collateral Campaign

Ciena is at the forefront of expanding digital infrastructure across the country, partnering with leading infrastructure and engineering firms to deliver high-capacity connectivity where it’s needed most. I researched and wrote copy for a direct mail and sales collateral campaign that highlighted these collaborations, focusing on the power of connection through advanced fiber networks and strong, people-first relationships that make progress possible.

[davidembee]

Empire Access Localized Landing Pages

One of the core pillars of Empire Access’ brand is its focus on community. Creating localized landing pages for the cities within its footprint was a key way to help the company forge authentic connections with the people it serves.

Here are a few examples of the pages I created, with content tailored to each locale.

[davidembee]

Empire Access Digital Ads

Based in Prattsburgh, N.Y., Empire Access has been recognized as one of the top internet service providers in the Northeast. Despite that, they don’t want to be seen as a "big internet company" that’s lost sight of its roots. That means talking to customers like they’re neighbors, not account numbers, and using copy with personality to connect with them.

[davidembee]

TravisMathew Fashion Island Expansion Blog

TravisMathew started in 2007, but Fashion Island – their flagship and original store – helped put the brand on the map. 30+ retail locations later, this is where the legend truly lives. The signature TM spirit is all about taking having fun seriously, and the copy for the store's relaunch had to live up to that reputation.

[davidembee]

TravisMathew "Off The Record"

“Off The Record” is how TravisMathews shines the spotlight on athletes and artists who proudly sport the TM logo. These examples written for country music artist Chris Lane, professional golfer Jon Rahm and MLB star Corey Seager provide a glimpse of the writing I created for the series.

[davidembee]

Crowe Weekly Client Digest Newsletter

Crowe distributes a weekly email newsletter containing top trends, topics, and updates to over 25,000 subscribers. I handled all aspects of the copywriting process, using highly-detailed source materials to create brief copy snippets designed to engage and entice readers to take action. 

                                                                                   __________________

                                          __________________

                                          __________________

[davidembee]

I’m very proud of this work. Creating the copy on this page was a major part of the firm’s rebranding efforts, and was launched and overseen by the firm’s CEO. Click through to read more about the new Crowe core-concepts of CARE, TRUST, COURAGE, and STEWARDSHIP.

[davidembee]

Euromonitor International Paid Social Media Ad Variations

Euromonitor International, a global market research firm based in the U.K., wanted to improve their usage of LinkedIn paid advertisements to engage and attract new client leads.

Testing different ad variations with different variables – especially with regard to written copy – was essential to understanding how to speak to people who were more likely to become leads in their sales funnel.

[davidembee]

Network Account Provisioning Made Easy with Level Data

The average K-12 school district in the US depends on over 20 different software systems to stay up and running. This piece written for the Level Data blog digs into the ways user accounts can be managed more easily using automated data synchronization. 

The majority of school districts in the United States employ at least 26 different software platforms or applications to meet the functional demands of their district. Trying to manually guide data across so many platforms while maintaining the accuracy and integrity of that information would require hours of work from a dedicated team - time and resources that many districts simply can’t afford to sacrifice on peripheral tasks.

With budgets growing ever leaner, schools are under more and more pressure to work strategically and efficiently. Districts are recognizing the value found in automated and fully-integrated data management platforms, allowing them to work smarter with less effort and focus on the things that really matter - student success and effective learning.

The team at South Adams Schools, lead by Cindy Cash, approached Level Data to help manage the demands of student data and enhance capacity to handle the movement of information throughout the applications utilized in the departments of her district - SIS, Directory, Food Service, Library, Instruction and Transportation.

A tailored and fully-managed Level Data Directory Services solution was delivered that helped connect departments from end to end, and enabled information to be shared throughout applications automatically. Data only needs to be entered into the Student Information System once before the platform takes over, sending that data out to the various divisions and software platforms without the need for time-consuming manual involvement.

Similarly, the South Adams Schools technology department discovered new capabilities to focus on big-picture projects thanks to this system that allowed them to step back from the highly involved and potentially risky approach they’d previously used.

"With their approach and solution, we have created a smooth, level process flow for our student enrollment data, saving a tremendous amount of time and making accurate data available in all our applications…”, Cindy said.

Richard Silvernail from South Carolina’s Florence County 5 leveraged his district's automated account-management system to improve subsidized meal program funding for the district.

Now, Meals Plus - the district’s food service platform - is smoothly connected to the district's central information hub. By sourcing student information directly from the central SIS, they’ve been able to more reliably identify and report students who qualify for free and reduced lunch programs.

With both systems running in sync at all times, the information is more likely to be accurate and valid. “When we had to send in our final reports to get funding on such things as free and reduced lunch," said Silvernail. "If we were off by 1, 2, 3 or 5 kids - measured over a whole year of 180 days - multiplied by the missing $3 per student reimbursement, those dollars add up pretty quick.”

Days of worrying about lost meal program funding caused by incorrect student data are now comfortably behind them.

Food services wasn't the only team to gain a night and day improvement. According to Silvernail, the district’s library staff were delighted by the perks of automated student data management. “This year, on the second day of school, my high school librarian called me in surprise and said ‘All the ninth-graders are here [in Follet Destiny, the district’s library management software].’ Before, that was something she would have to enter after the first week-or-so after the kids matriculated in and I did my student export. She asked if I went ahead and did the export early, and I said, ‘no ma’am, that’s being done automatically now’.”

Smaller districts often work from a smaller resources pool, making them especially prone to the pinch of manual data-management. The community of Gobles, Michigan is a perfect example. Damien Koob of Gobles Public Schools knew this from his first day in the district. “I knew I had to talk to my superintendent and the Board of Education about Level Data when I arrived here. Because of our very limited resources, Gobles needed to invest in something that could help us improve our data accuracy and remove stressors from our staff.”  

While Koob had previous experience with Level Data’s methods, his peers in the district watched in excitement as the transformation got underway. From the moment they implemented automated directory services, faculty and staff alike were thrilled with the speed in which students receive their email accounts and network logins at the beginning of the school year.

“When a staff member enters a new student into our system, their information is automatically updated in our email network, our food service account, our library, and more,” noted Koob. “It happens that fast.”

Saved time equals saved money. Manual data entry and account management for hundreds of students quickly add up. “Five staff members and I spent so much time creating usernames and login information for more than 3,000 new students each year,” said William Oden, former Senior Systems Analyst for Kershaw County School District in South Carolina. By his estimation, Level Data’s automated account management system saved over 200 hours of time that was previously spent on manual data entry. “Now, that’s all automatic. And next year all of our students will be moved into a new grade without us lifting a finger.”

Manistee Intermediate School District had a similar experience prior to their partnership with Level Data. The system they had in place was almost entirely manual, leading to excessive time spent on account creation and data movement between schools. With school staff under a growing demand to do more with scarce resources and the capacity of their technology team nearing their limits, a better way to manage network accounts was desperately needed.

Level Data delivered an integrated solution to manage all network accounts and the movement of students within the district. What once took hours and days to handle is now done automatically.

Jaraun Dennis, Director of Technology for Uinta County School District #1, ranked efficiency as the single most important element facing his district. “Before Level Data, we had, like, ten people in the district inputting the same information,” he said. Ten people managing all that data was a significant source of lost time and wasted opportunity. Too much inefficiency robbed them of capacity that could have been better spent in other areas. Level Data provided automated connectors that eliminated the need for such time-intensive tedious work using a single-stream pipeline that remains up-to-date in real time and delivers an activity report at the end of every day. That level of involvement was an answer to prayers for Dennis. “In my department, easily we’ve saved an hour a day that we’ve been able to devote to keeping the network up and running,” he said. “If there was a three-word slogan for Level Data, I’d say ‘it just works.’”

[davidembee]

Is Your School Online Privacy an Afterthought?

As more people understand the need to protect their digital information, online privacy has been pushed into the spotlight. School districts handle vast amount of sensitive information as part of their operations. With hundreds of confirmed hacks of school networks over the past few years, the need for greater digital security has never been greater. Authored for the Level Data blog.

According to a recent study, a majority of surveyed districts used at least 26-different software applications to meet their needs. The demands of the front office are wholly different than the needs of a teacher's gradebook, the lunchroom's food service database and the transportation department's CRM. With a smattering of different systems employed, a range of potential security risks is all but inevitable.

Over 700 breaches of K-12 databases have been recognized in the United States since 2017 alone. Phishing schemes, ransomware attacks and denials-of-service tactics have been used to gain access to districts servers, steal sensitive information, and hijack critical systems.

Such intrusions don't command sensationalist headlines the way attacks against Equifax, Yahoo or Facebook did, so they've largely been able to fly under the radar of public awareness. A lack of publicity doesn't equal a lower level of danger. The risk such intrusions pose is startling, despite a common misconception that data held in a school’s servers is a low-opportunity target for cybercriminals. According to the Consortium of School Networking, education is the "single most vulnerable vertical" of business sectors, edging out retail, finance and other more "traditional" targets of cyber criminals.

History of Student Privacy 101

The groundwork for protecting student information is nothing new. Foundations were laid in 1974 with the passage of the Family Educations Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA. However, the public's recognition of the need to improve how sensitive personal information is defended online is much more recent.

The most aggressive effort to protect privacy in the education sector came in 2016 via SOPIPA, the Student Online Personal Information Protection Act. This piece of legislation was the first to formally define prohibitions against using student data for non-educational purposes, including profiling for advertising or marketing, and reselling data to outside entities. Additionally, education service providers are required to securely manage collected data and provide a way for it to be destroyed or removed from any database upon request.

The Hardest Part is Getting Started

The easiest place to begin when addressing security is ensuring that all the applications and software systems used within a district are integrated to the fullest extent possible. It's commonly accepted as truth that error by a human-user is the biggest threat to security. By ensuring that all systems are automatically accessing the same high-quality information, the need for repeated manual corrections or redundant data entry in each department are dramatically reduced or entirely eliminated. Automated sharing between programs helps to reduce the need for user access and decreases the potential for a cyber event through an errant keystroke or accidental button selection, while fostering confidence in users about the accuracy of that data.

Next in the line of defenses against a breach or intrusion is account management. Platforms without proper interoperability require manual account creation across a dozen or more software systems for new students or staff members. The most immediately recognized costs of this approach are poorly spent time and resources coupled with greater odds of inaccurate data. More importantly, though not as obvious, is security. Systems that requires manual user access to create or manage user accounts represent a potential point of intrusion, illicit access, or breached security protocols.

When account creation and management can be synchronized using an efficient and automatic directory-management tool, highly sensitive data for can be rapidly shared across multiple departments from the SIS or staff account management platform. Not only does this free up countless hours of time and foster confidence in the quality of data, it also shrinks the pool of exploitable points of entry. By limiting the need to access numerous systems for manual entry, the likelihood of data accuracy is magnified while minimizing the points of weakness and, therefore, liability.

Lastly, the biggest questions to ask when considering how data is handled are “Is my data moved off-server”, “Is off-site migration necessary”, “How is it protected during movement to and from my server,” and “What happens to my data while it’s gone?” From district and service provider vantage points, the less movement of data between servers, the less existing vulnerability is present.

Some service providers take all the data in a district for a wholescale movement off-site with minimal transparency about the “how”, “why”, “where” and “by whom” questions. From a protection and system defenses perspective, the most effective solutions manage data on-prem, and allow approved users to retain full control and supervision of their information at all times. Solutions that manage data inside existing information management systems without any migrations or batch exports provide a perk that can’t be quantified - the benefit of peace of mind!

[davidembee]

Poor Account Provisioning Could Be a Threat to Your Schools

Account provisioning is one of the largest and most neglected areas of network security. Written for Level Data, this piece outlines the need for K-12 schools to closely watch user account management as part of their digital security plan.

Education is unique among industry sectors because of the extreme rate of turnover. When viewed from a 30,000-foot perspective, the churn rate for students enrolling, transferring, and leaving a district is enough to eclipse all but the biggest multinational companies. Add in the rate of burnout for educators - roughly 50% of teachers leave the field within their first 5 years - and it's plain to see why a holistic account provisioning plan is critical for a district's technology infrastructure, digital security and user access plans.

Provisioning vs. Deprovisioning

Effective planning of user access needs covers the entire spectrum of creating new user accounts to sunsetting and deactivating old, expired or inactive accounts. Most organizations are very good at the first part - account provisioning. It's quite tricky to access vital software tools without having a user account.

Things get a little murky when it comes to deactivating old accounts. Schools and businesses alike struggle with deprovisioning.

In order to understand why effective account deprovisioning is so crucial, it’s important to understand the need for effective provisioning from the outset. Because technology has become essential in modern education, district staff who lack the tools they need aren’t just doing a disservice to the school and themselves - they’re effectively hobbled from meeting the needs of their students. Similarly, students who experience roadblocks in accessing materials and applications for classroom participation are put at an academic disadvantage through no fault of their own. 

"Just Have IT Take Care of That"

Managing user account permissions typically falls on the shoulders of the technology team, who are often stuck manually provisioning users. Because provisioning in districts is often done at scale, account-management is routinely offshored to various department heads within a district to redistribute the workload away from overburdened tech staff and save time, money, and stress. It seems to make plenty of sense when you step back and consider the results of survey that found that school districts depend on at least 26 unique software applications for their operational needs.

That attempt at time and resource saving may actually represent a gaping hole in a district’s digital safety protocols. Not only is manual user-input notoriously prone to typos and data errors, it’s also the single greatest threat to a business’s cybersecurity. The difference between safety and danger can be as easy as an accidental keystroke or a mistaken button click.

Close The Door Behind Them

When it comes to deprovisioning, the same care taken during account creation should be paid. No matter the terms on which an outgoing employee or student departs from a district, it’s important to ensure that they can’t use their credentials to illicitly access any of the systems and applications they once relied upon. The greatest and most immediate risk to a district's IT safety is posed by individuals nursing a grudge or hoping to exact revenge. Failure to seal access points from intrusion by an aggrieved former staff-member or student is an invitation for exploitation waiting to happen. It’s worth noting that 20% of survey participants in a recent study reported suffering a data breach stemming from failed deprovisioning. With education already ranked as the “single most vulnerable vertical across business sectors”, that risk is one that simply cannot be ignored.

The answer to the inevitable “what now” question lies in acting intentionally to craft thorough provisioning and deprovisioning protocols. At the absolute minimum, an automated directory-management system is a critical component of that process. The ability for user access to easily be turned on, turned off or customized according to your needs from one central platform and synchronized throughout your systems is the most secure, effective and efficient way to approach account provisioning for your schools.

[davidembee]

Digital Haves and Have-Nots: Tech Equity and Learning in the Face of a Pandemic

Equal access to technology is a serious problem in the age of virtual learning. This piece produced for Level Data outlines the seriousness of the problem and presents a solution that K-12 schools can use to bridge the technology gap.

As the coronavirus pandemic swept across the nation, schools everywhere were discovering a somber truth - many people within their districts couldn’t count on a reliable internet connection. One district in rural Texas located due-south of the Greater Austin area found that one-in-three people, counting staff and students, lived in “dead zones” without internet or cell service. They were completely cut off from the digital world at home through no fault of their own and falling behind because of it.

The digital divide isn’t limited to rural areas, though. A recent viral tweet from a county official in Salinas, California, showed two young girls who had resorted to using the Wi-Fi connection of a Taco Bell so they could keep up with their classwork.

When it was first launched at-scale, virtual learning seemed like a golden egg for schools struggling against the impact of the coronavirus. The roll out was far from smooth and problems began compounding almost immediately, leading many to label it as a bust. Of all the problems facing virtual learning - which are many - the digital divide between the ‘haves and have-nots’ with regard to reliable internet access stands out in glaring detail.

Potential solutions to this problem have been hard to come by, though a number of possibilities have been floated. Far too many districts lack an effective way to measure the access to internet of their staff and students. Some fortunate districts were able identify their most at-risk students, but encountered further challenges posed by supply vs. demand, as inventories of Wi-Fi hotspots and devices that could be rapidly distributed were quickly depleted.

The digital divide crisis goes deeper than rural vs. urban. Study after study has found that historically disadvantaged populations - Black, Latino, Native and Indigenous, and low-income families - are more severely impacted by insufficient access to technology. The Pew Research Center found that 36% of low-income students could not complete their schoolwork because of lacking internet access.

Wrestling against COVID-19 has forced schools to work creatively to craft practical solutions. Looking at school data and comparing it against external trends has become a common topic of conversation throughout the rungs of district administration at every level. Many schools have some idea about student performance, but are coming up with a partial understanding at best. Building an effective and equitable solution requires the most thorough grasp of the issues as possible. It’s not enough to only know Who, When and What. Overcoming obstacles to learning requires the ability to see Where at-risk students are located within a district. As the impact of the pandemic on schools has continued to unfold, the need for practical ways to understand data has become very apparent. Because data without context is nearly impossible to fully use, a new module has been added to RealTime Reports that utilizes student geocode and location data in PowerSchool to pinpoint where students live - the Student Access to Technology report.

Raw data doesn't exist in a vacuum. There are always factors that cannot be fully tallied in any spreadsheet. These uncountables aren't just additional pieces of data - they directly influence the source of that data. Bridging the gap between schooling and external factors brings nuance to the table and makes it easier to craft equitable solutions that serve the needs of struggling students.

Outside influences, such as neighborhood crime rate, median household income, ambient property value, access to food/shelter/healthcare, proximity to major roadways and travel routes have a strong bearing on academic success. Seeing where students live in relation to those factors does something that graphs, charts and spreadsheets can’t. It incorporates their humanity and lived experiences as a key part of building bridges, overcoming obstacles, and providing the right resources to the areas they’re needed most.

Seeing the “whole person” of a school’s staff and students does more than just bridge the digital divide. It creates the sort of complete understanding required to provide access to an equitable education, no matter the obstacles.

An equitable education that values, incorporates and respects students for who they are is a fundamental right that should be available to all. We owe it to our students to evaluate every possible resource to make that right a reality.

[davidembee]

Several examples of SEO optimized product description copy created for the official New Holland Agriculture online store, newhollandcountry.com

[davidembee]

Lead Nurturing Strategies for Real Estate Agents

Beyond the break is a piece of informative copy written for a private client of Bear Icebox Communications.

In the world of real estate, sales isn't everything. It's hard to stand out in such a hyper-competitive field without a solid sales book, that much is true. However, too many agents spend too much time focusing only on the numbers game that is sales, while neglecting or entirely ignoring the most crucial part of the process - relationship building and customer service. No matter the industry, the true sales rockstars know this key component better than the product they are selling, investing countless time in people and tending to the lead nurturing garden. Because people like to do business with people they know and like, a business card is only worth the cost of ink and paper without a foundation upon which to build.   

Form Connections

The proverbial "white whale" stories that linger in sales circles everywhere don't come to the lucky few who find themselves in the right place at the right time. It takes a lot of skill and talent to land a killer deal, but every new account starts somewhere: connections. You can't start a deal if the only names that anyone can call to mind are those of your competitors. Before wading into a kid’s pool of dejection and despair, understand that the resources to build connections are all around. You just need to know where to look. Start with your local chamber of commerce or area economic development office. When considering the ease of low-pressure such organizations offer to members, it's plain to see the inherent value at hand. Beyond those avenues, look into area networking and business-interest groups. According to Money Crashers, membership in closed business groups provide another effective and affordable way to meet people and begin nurturing relationships. It doesn't matter if nobody in the group is actively looking for the service or product you offer. Word of mouth travels fast and people like to recommend professionals they know personally. Lastly, don't hesitate to introduce yourself at clearinghouses for community information. Churches, gyms, doctors offices, hardware stores, and other businesses where people count on the give and take of information can be an excellent source for low-pressure, minimal investment contact building. Get creative when exploring the options at hand in your own city, as opportunities for networking are all around.

Leave Shallowness for the Community Pool

Take a genuine interest in your contacts and clients. Spend less time talking, and instead focus on asking more thoughtful questions. You may have heard of the "Ford Method", which encourages adherents to ask open-ended questions about a client's most valued personal bullet points - Family, Occupation, Recreation, and Dreams. You'd be surprised at how quickly someone can open up to you when they get talking about their youngest daughter going to junior prom, or the cabin they're building on a piece of family land up north. That openness lends itself to familiarity, affection, and trust, building an effortless bond between yourself and your clients.

Communicate Similarity and Shared Values.

People like to spend time with others similar to themselves. Familiarity and a shared sense of values or purpose is the easiest way to establish trust in any relationship, whether personal or professional. Find a way to communicate with your clients that you understand their needs at a deep and genuine level, and you've found an in that will help to further that sense of confidence and trust. If you're struggling with areas where you can cultivate a sense of shared commonality, don't be afraid to backtrack and ask more open-ended questions about what has them looking for a new space to call their own, or their particular needs and wants. Pay particular attention and be sure to listen attentively. The words a client isn't saying are just as valuable as the words they are!

Build Trust & A Sense of Expertise

Stop right there. This may sound like a no-brainer, but trust is built by actions, and not by words. When you give a client a timeframe, be sure to stick to that deadline. If you miss a call or email from your client, reach out to them at your next opportunity. Keep communications clear, open, and honest. If you are failing on any one of these marks individually or collectively, the only thing you'll be succeeding in is undermining your own credibility. Actively engaging with your clients and honoring your commitments with them communicates that their needs and time are important, and are taken seriously.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Another no-brainer, right? Not quite. Even if there's nothing you have to report to your clients, the simple act of connecting with them shows that you care about their needs. When making a big purchase, it's not uncommon for the buyers to feel overwhelmed with questions. You may need to break the ice with a quick and easy "Just Checking In" email or phone call. With so many different variables, it's easy for a client to feel paralyzed by stress and uncertainty.

Beyond that most obvious objective, keeping your clients in the loop is excellent customer service. This shows that you are open and available to address whatever needs they might have. Customer service is one area of the sales process that too many people want to talk about but few truly put into practice.

Outside of your direct clients, keep in touch with your connections. There's no way of knowing who in your circle of acquaintances and friends may be in need of your services at any time. If you aren't in regular communication, though, it's nearly impossible for you to know those newsworthy nuggets. Think outside the box and take a different approach from the “standard” - send a client a handwritten birthday card instead of a generic email, or deliver a box of donuts and coffee to a client's offices on a random occasion that doesn't demand any special celebration. Those little touches will make sure that you stand out for all the right reasons.

Building and nurturing your network can seem like an intimidating process. Don't try to rush in and tackle everything at once. Quality, not quantity, is the name of the game - it's not a race to see who can get the best leads in the shortest time. Relationship building of any sort is a marathon. Focus on incremental steps instead of giant leaps, and you'll be setting yourself up for a rewarding and sustainable future.

Don't be afraid to use this as an inspirational resource to draw upon. The best agents in the game learn these rules and then find creative ways to mix-and-match them as they need. There are as many combinations in this system as there are unique connections to be made and clients to meet.  

Above everything else, don't look at this process as a series of chores to be struck from a “honey-do” list. Make a game of it, have some fun and see this as building new friendships.

[davidembee]

Three Things Your Client Must Do Following a Home Inspection

Beyond the break is a piece of copy provided for a private client of Bear Icebox Communications. 

Your clients have finally found the property that has them champing to “say yes to the address,” and are working toward making this dream a reality. Whether they are first-timers or seasoned home-buyers, it’s important to keep the process as smooth and stressless as possible. Consider the following trio of client must-do actions following an inspection.

Take a Time-Out To Understand the Findings of the Inspector The findings of any inspection can be among the most stressful moments of the homebuying process. There’s no telling what may be found just under the surface (or siding, sheathing, and shingles if you want to be precise). That seemingly perfect piece of property may potentially have a plethora of problems and pitfalls. While time is of the essence at this mile marker, give your clients some room to breathe and digest the findings. Be open to answer any questions they may have, and help them navigate the nuances of their home-to-be’s bill of health. With a good amount of money about to be spent, it’s important to ensure your clients don’t feel hustled or pressured to make a decision no matter what the report may contain. Having said that, don’t be afraid to have an active role in guiding the process of comprehending the report. It’s easy to lose sight of the forest for the trees when culling through the various actionable items returned by the inspector.

Identify and Prioritize Items of Concern Your clients may be inclined to see the findings in absolute terms. Help them sort through everything and categorize the items of highest priority from those parts that can be done at a future date to be determined. Small items such as caulking, replacing windows or doors, and simple wiring may seem like big issues when considered in their sum but are of relatively low priority. While important, most projects of this nature are easy DIY projects that the homeowners can tackle themselves. Remember, the job of the inspector is to identify any and all issues present in a house. As such, it’s not uncommon for the majority of the report to reflect issues toward the smaller end of the scale. Maintaining focus on the areas of immediate concern is vital. Depending on the age and location of the house, radon or other dangerous gasses may be present, and should be considered crucial to the sale of the home. Other items warranting action by the seller include major defects in the plumbing or electrical systems, problems with the roof, and water control systems in and about the house. Nobody wants to buy a house with a sagging roof or a flood-prone basement.

Build a Plan of Action Once items of immediate concern have been identified, it’s time to put together an action-response plan. This area can be tricky, but the experience and advice of a skilled real estate professional is invaluable in this area. There’s a temptation to ask for more fixes than are absolutely needed as a negotiation tactic, but caution should be exercised when building out a list of actionable items requiring attention. Knowing the market conditions and the successes of similar repair requests will have a significant hand in how this plan takes shape. Asking for too few of the critical fixes can put the buyers at a disadvantage after closing; too many, and the seller may decide to walk away from the sale.  

How the clients opt to proceed can be significantly influenced by the willingness and cooperation of the selling party. A motivated seller may be more willing to address issues prior to closing, but will likely want to keep their involvement at a minimum. They’re looking toward their next home, and won’t want to be tied into repairs any longer than necessary.  An alternative to insisting upon repairs is to request concessions in the home price, making it more cost effective to hire repair professionals after the close. Many buyers opt to pursue this route as they are afforded control of the quality of work they may not have otherwise.

[davidembee]

Mobile Friendly Websites are a Must | Appletree Mediaworks

Past the break is a blog article, produced for Appletree Mediaworks, detailing the critical need for mobile-friendly websites.

Mobile Friendly Websites are a Must

It’s official – internet traffic from mobile devices has surpassed traffic from desktop systems. That may or may not surprise you. If you need help suspending your doubt, simply open your mobile’s app library. You’ll soon notice a vast number of apps that rely on internet access to varying degrees. From social media platforms to workplace productivity applications, more and more of the global digital landscape is trending toward mobile-first usage. As this trend continues, ensuring your website is mobile friendly is more vital to your success than ever before.

Social Media and Mobile Traffic

Love it or hate it, social media has had a profound influence on the traffic shift from desktop to mobile. Two platforms – Facebook and YouTube – presently make up over 30% of mobile traffic. 

Though the day’s preferred platform is constantly in flux, people are spending more time on social media overall. Every major social media hub is geared toward mobile-first access. Have you ever tried using Instagram on an actual computer? Going one step further, SnapChat is mobile-exclusive as far as real usage is concerned, making it nearly impossible to send a snap from a desktop or laptop.

This increased attention on social media is impacting the amount of time is spent on mobile devices. Meeting your customers where they spend time is common sense in the world of business marketing. Don’t spend time optimizing desktop functionality while your next customer is checking out the competition from their smart phone or tablet.

Social media has become a powerful tool for brand engagement and customer relations. Consumers expect the brands they support to be attuned to their needs and wants, and assume they can easily move between the digital places controlled by those brands. Part of that assumption is derived from the expectation that websites can be easily navigated on mobile devices. According to a 2016 study conducted by Google, 53% of mobile customers will abandon a website if it takes more than three seconds to load. Accordingly, this factor has a direct affect on a site’s bounce-rate, and packs a punch when looking at search engine ranking results.

Mobile Online Buying and Selling

For e-commerce sites, mobile optimization is crucial to success. Large retailers like eBay and Amazon have even developed mobile apps to allow users to easily access every feature of their site! Seamless shopping allows customers to add an item to their cart on a desktop and complete the purchase from a hand held device. Mobile-optimized sites streamline the purchase process, and encourage shoppers to spend more. Nearly 8 in 10 mobile shoppers report spending more time and making more impulse buys on mobile-friendly websites.

Trends to Consider for Mobile Friendly Sites in 2018

Beyond the numerous reasons to optimize your website for mobile, it is essential to understand how to make the most of it:

Your text should be easily readable and simplified to target your customers. Zooming in to read long chunks of irrelevant copy will quickly exhaust a user’s patience.

Consider how mobile users will interact with your website. Desktop and laptop users enjoy the luxury of mouse navigation. Mobile displays require large buttons and scrolling column layouts to allow for quick and easy exploration.

Page load speed is crucial. Users expect immediate information from their mobile devices. Your customers will flee if your page takes more than a few seconds to load.

Photos and images should be prominent and high-quality. The images you use should be relative to your content and used sparingly. Images also attract and retain attention, so high-quality images are crucial.

Stop waiting to fine tune your website for mobile navigation – just do it! Reach out to us today to learn more about making your website mobile-friendly.

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Thermoforming Ovens Upgrade for Custom Appliance Maker Case Study

Technical writing case study authored for a client of Appletree Mediaworks that specializes in industrial heating and oven manufacturing.

Thermoforming Ovens Upgrade for Custom Appliance Maker Case Study

Opportunity: Our client was struggling with outdated and inefficient thermoforming ovens, placing a drag on their quality and productivity. A new platen system with zone-specific heating controls and energy-smart technology was the best course of action to solve the issues at hand, while giving the client the greatest options to enhance production.

Client Challenge: The custom-appliance business is exacting, requiring the goods from our client to look great and hold up against anything that may come along. Products rolling off their lines are the centerpieces in high-end homes and intense commercial kitchens.

Once several key issues were identified, our client opted to replace several machines in their thermoforming production line. As forerunners in ceramic and infrared heating, we came onboard to provide the necessary equipment and expertise.

A badly outdated oven system with a patchwork of third-party elements was stretched to capacity by even the simplest of demands. Beyond the mismatched heat emitters, the lack of zone controls hindered production and wasted energy. Boosting production efficiency while lowering costs was essential to this project.

Our Solution: After examining our client’s needs, we settled on a complete overhaul of the prior systems. First came a complete teardown and removal of the old ovens and controls. From there, a tailor-made rotary machine thermoforming oven, featuring high-temperature Ceramicx infrared heating elements, was installed. This built-to-suit system with high-temperature heat emitters was paired to a one-off ethernet-enabled multi-channel heat controller with multi-zone capabilities for seamless production integration. The variable-zone platen management system built by our experts delivered high versatility for both temperature control and energy management. Their prior thermoforming oven afforded them no such comfort, and had no control capabilities beyond powering on and off.

Outcome: Following the debut of their new thermo-forming system, our client saw an immediate boost in production using our custom industrial oven system. Furthermore, they can track the performance of this system in all areas of use, from furnace efficiency to energy consumption, thanks to the ethernet-equipped controls module. That level of specific fine tuning is something most companies only dream about. Meanwhile, our client can adjust this system in real-time.

We’re about more than just brass-tacks. We work for complete client satisfaction with the quality and support we provide. We understand the need of all clients to overcome production obstacles, and their drive to surpass existing standards for material finished goods. This project is another example of the holistic approach we take when examining any job. We’re happy to say that this was another job well-done!