Question

Topic: Website Critique

Work In Progress-ongoing Feedback

Posted by Anonymous on 11/24/2008 at 6:59 AM ET 250 Points
Hi Friends:

Site: www.afcevents.com

I am looking for for feedback on our site from this ever so brilliant community. I posted a similar question about a month ago on this same site and got some very good feedback, made some changes, and am now re-posting for an additional critique. I guess I am one of those people who believes a web site, with its flexibility, is always a work in progress.

Let me also say that I had some good ideas about more photos, perhaps video and testimonials from the last post. I want to acknowledge they all are right on, I am experienced in the power the above inclusions and would have included them from the start; however, at this point for reasons (non-tech related, of course), we are limited in those areas. Don't want you waste time on those few ideas--they're noted.

I am; however interested in any other feedback. Navigation, clarity, understandability--even a recap of what you think we do for our services--after reading the site (impressions the site is leaving about the services being provided). Any area confusing, offensive or otherwise not suitable for small children (just kidding).

Feel free to be honest, being nice doesn't make a better site. Site is www.afcevents.com.

Thanks in advance and look forward to hearing your honest opinion.

JBL
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 11/24/2008 at 9:05 AM Author
    Kathleen:

    Thank you so much--you're the first to reply and appreciate the constructive direction.

    Brin
  • Posted on 11/24/2008 at 12:26 PM Accepted
    A few thoughts:

    Overall, I like the site and the design. It's clear, and easy to read.

    Pet peeve: impactful or impact as a verb (but that's just me)

    Also, I did events for years (at The DMA, The Economist, and elsewhere), and never heard of Event Marketing certification... do your clients recognize that? Same with Wood and Masterson's Seven "I's -- it seems a little "inside the Beltway".


    Check for typos:
    On the "Approach" page, straightforward should be one word, and you're missing the word "of" in the second sentence of the first paragraph.

    Getting to really know your business is one [OF] our keys to success.

    On the Services page, under PR:
    You need to do more than press releases to promote your event, you a need PR effort that will produce results.

    The words are in the wrong order: ...you need [A] PR effort...

    You're saying we, and Annette, and us too much. You've got benefits there, emphasize what your clients get! Tell me the results you've gotten for them (reduced waste 27% by going green, increased event registration up to 58% each year for five years).

    >>Whether you represent a corporation, trade or professional association, or a non-profit organization, we can help your organization market its products, services, or cause using the unique power of face-to-face interaction.

    Increase your sales, grow your customer or donor base, raise money for your cause, build awareness of your brand, and connect with your internal and external audiences—all with an Event Marketing effort specifically designed to meet your organization’s objectives.<<

    Talk about this stuff first, and be more specific about the types of companies/organizations you help (it seems a bit broad). Do you have a specialty? People like to feel that you understand the special needs of their particular industry or organization.

    Use more bullets and boldface or highlight benefits. People scan (not read every word).


    Hope this helps!

  • Posted on 11/24/2008 at 5:36 PM Author
    Miss Jodi:

    Thank you very much--all points well taken. Great feedback. Thank you!

    Brin
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 11/24/2008 at 8:29 PM Member
    At the end of the home page, "Contact Brin Lewis..." confused me. I had assumed that Anne Frenette was the name of the person whose picture was shown, and that I would contact her. To avoid confusion, add Brin's role.

    The font size for the home page is a bit small, and leading a bit tight. I'd prefer to see a bit more white space to aid my scanning the page.

    There's no reason for the "Welcome" text. Put your headline text there - it's prime scanning real estate.

    There's a subtle disconnect for me: "...marketing that works..." and then "...event marketing...". Without reading in detail, I can't tell if you specialize in marketing for a business event, or making a marketing campaign an event, or something else.
  • Posted by babbsela on 11/24/2008 at 10:47 PM Accepted
    "If you are looking for the most effective, impactful way to connect with your audience, then Anne Frenette can help." would be better said as, "For the most effective way to connect with your audience with maximum impact, let Anne Frenette help. " or (my preference) "We can help you connect with your audience with maximum impact."

    I wouldn't start with "if..." because they are on your site, so they are looking for what you offer. And, since "impactful" isn't a real word, that will turn some people off.

    I did a search for "Event Marketing Certification" and couldn't find any results. What is the certification that your company holds, and why is that important to me, your potential customer?

    In your navigation, you have a link to "Welcome" and not to "Home". People are looking for "Home" so I would change that link. Also, "Get in Touch" sounds nice, but again, when busy people are looking for "Contact Us" they may miss that link. I'm confused about why you have a "What We Do" and "Services," since both titles seem to say the same thing, although the page content does not. The same goes for "Philosophy" and "Approach," although those two words are not quite as close in meaning. Your navigation can be confusing to some. If it is confusing, users typically won't click on all the links to figure it out, they'll just leave.

    Also, just a helpful hint: it's a good idea to use a script to hide the email address on your website from spammers, to help keep Brin Lewis' mailbox from filling up.
  • Posted on 11/25/2008 at 2:44 AM Author
    Thank you all again for some really good feedback. Feedback so good it's leading to a couple of questions form me.

    Jkaplan-you refereed to "Annette" in your feedback. I'm interested in this, because it's "Anne Frenette"--I bring this up, because she has had others throughout her career make the same mistake, the mind "reading" what it thinks it will see and not what is there. I wondering if this might be a problem. Anyone else think it was "Annette"?

    The use of "certified" is a little creative license, at least in the way it is used, to point out that all of the event professionals are CMP's (Certified Meeting Professional) or at least one of the other specialized certifications in the industry. Not unlike an accounting company may refer to themselves as a CPA firm if all the partners are CPA's. Guess what I'm saying is that technically the "company" isn't certified, the people are. People in, or familiar with, the industry certainly know the difference between someone who is and who is not a CMP and the skill set difference (which varies dramatically in the event industry) form party planners on up to true pros like Anne.

    I'm interested in feedback on these issues-esp. the Annette vs. Anne Frenette

    Thanks agiain all, really good feedback.
  • Posted on 12/1/2008 at 7:19 AM Author
    Hi All:

    I haven't gotten any additional feedback over the past few days, so I'll close this one out.

    Again, thank you all for great input. I really do appreciate the advice.

    As I understand it, you may still post after the question is closed, so feel free to do that if you have additional comments.

    Thank You!
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