Marketing and Design Blog

Rethinking The Professional Services Website

Professional services firms often struggle with their own branding, social media and marketing. Typically, it's because the services they offer are so similar to their competition, there's no real platform or defined difference to create anything concrete. It's sometimes difficult to tell them apart.

We're fortunate to work with many professional services organizations (architects, financial services, healthcare, technology, etc.) to help develop memorable messaging and marketing strategies. And typically the first place this new thinking will appear is on the company website.

Here's some helpful perspective on what you should consider as you build your professional service firm’s marketing materials and website.

Read 'Rethinking The Professional Service Website.'

May Marketing and Design Events in St. Louis

We believe the best way to support the marketing, design and social media community in St. Louis is to get more people involved. You’re bound to run into a few Atomicdusters at these events, so you’ll always have someone to mingle with (plus one of the events is right here at Atomicdust)! 

Check out our list of upcoming marketing, design and social media in St. Louis.

Naming, Branding and Website Design for Daugherty Mobile Suite

One project leads to another.

We were in the midst of a full-scale branding program for our new client, Daugherty Business Solutions, when they came to us with a more urgent task: branding their new, mobile-oriented products.

This in and of itself represented a seismic change for the company. Daugherty had always focused on long-term consultative client relationships, rather than individual products or services. Daugherty asked us to name these new products in a way that positioned them as an extension of the company’s experience and expertise, not as a separate entity or independent division.

In the competitive marketplace, names for mobile-focused divisions run the gamut from straightforward to esoteric. We decided to leverage Daugherty’s brand equity – they have a long history in the IT consulting space – and name the set of products the Daugherty Mobile Suite. It’s simple, descriptive and accurate, while giving the company the flexibility to add new products or functionality without rebranding.

Read more and check out our naming, branding and web design work for Daugherty Mobile Suite.

April Marketing and Design Events in St. Louis

The best way to support the creative community in St. Louis is to get more involved. And we're happy to help. 

Check out our list of upcoming social media, marketing and design events in St. Louis. You're sure to see a few Atomicdusters at each of these events (or even presenting at them!).

Is the Advertising World Still ‘Mad’ with Creativity?

From the opening scene of the first episode of Mad Men, I was intrigued by the Lucky Strike-smoking, Jameson Whiskey-drinking (notice the product placements) main character played by St. Louis native Jon Hamm. The hit AMC television show depicts life at a fictional New York ad agency in the 1960s, focusing on the mysterious and talented executive, Don Draper.

The wonderfully written drama engulfs the audience by taking you deep into the creative mind of Draper. The charismatic executive builds trust with clients, motivates employees to produce better work and doesn’t hesitate to voice his opinion when he doesn’t like an idea. He's also a creative genius wise beyond his years, concocting innovative ways to connect brands to their audiences.

Yes, it may be hard to believe in today's digital world, but advertising agencies existed long before web design, social media, Internet and even computers. Read more. 

Do We Still Need the ‘Digital’ Label?

(An e-Article about Labels and the World Wide Web.) 

Eleven years ago, we started our marketing and design company. Back then, our primary focus was building websites for brands. But first, we had to explain what a website was and why they were important for brands. The internet was in its infancy, marketers didn’t know exactly what it was, and they definitely didn’t have it on their mobile phone.

Today, however, there isn’t much of a learning curve. Marketing managers and executives, and most people in the world for that matter, are well-versed in technology. We’ve worked with some very sharp marketing managers who ask about the latest online trends and our opinions of them.

This has led me to wonder if there is still a divide between digital marketing and traditional marketing. If you’re hiring a marketing agency, do you just assume that marketing in this century mostly takes place online? Is there a difference between saying “We’re a marketing firm.” and “We’re a digital marketing firm.”? Read more.

New Messaging, New Website for Florsheim Work

Our longtime client, Florsheim Work, asked us to refresh their website with new messaging, new design – and an improved e-commerce section, to make it easier for customers to find the shoes they need, and for Florsheim Work personnel to update the ever-changing stock.

Florsheim Work makes safety footwear that doesn't look like safety footwear. It's not bulky, stiff or uncomfortable. This drives their core promise: their shoes are equally comfortable and appropriate on the factory floor, in the office and at dinner with the family.

Read more about the website and messaging we created for Florsheim Work. 

Atomicdust lends a hand for U.S. Crisis Care’s branding and marketing

When we were first introduced to U.S. Crisis Care by a board member – and Atomicdust client – what we found was a small, passionate organization doing some very important work. Their mission was fairly well articulated:

“...a nonprofit organization that supports the development and operation of community crisis care programs...”

Their goals were pretty clear, they were organized and had had many accomplishments over the past 25 years. In this case, Atomicdust met U.S. Crisis Care at a time when they seemed to have their situation figured out. We weren’t sure where we were needed, but we wanted to help the organization... and we believed in our ability to help even the most successful groups get even better. They agreed to let us apply our Branding Program to see what Atomicdust could do to strengthen their efforts.

Learn more about our work for U.S. Crisis Care. 

January Marketing and Design Events around St. Louis

So it’s the second week of 2012, and you’re back into the swing of things at work, right? How are those other resolutions going? What about the one to attend more of the awesome marketing, social media and design events in our great city? Well, leave it to Atomicdust to help you out. Here’s a list of upcoming events for January. And since you’re bound to run into a few Atomicdusters at these events... you’ll have someone to thank!

See the list of January Marketing events in St. Louis.

Atomicdust plugs in to branding and design platform for Perch

Picture this: You’re in a hotel, getting ready for a meeting. As you get up to leave, you grab your laptop, phone, bag and suitcase – and head out the door. You’re on your way before you realize your chargers are still plugged into the wall back at the hotel. 

It’s a scenario that plays out in hundreds of hotel rooms, lounges, airports and homes every single day. Some companies’ solution to the problem has been to sell replacement chargers, but our client, LPS Technology had a better, far less wasteful approach.

Read more about our branding, design, and marketing work for Perch.