EnSky's Unique Methodology
Evaluation Overview
There are two types of Evaluation. Pre- and Post-Evaluation. Pre-Evaluation is the phase where we establish the needs of the client, and define the methodology for success, which would also contain the methods we will use to track the results in Post-Evaluation. More over, it is establishing the goals of the project, identifying the existing branding, marketing strategies, middle market demographics, competitors and developing an understanding of the business and sales models. In Post-Evaluation, we measure the effectiveness of the goals we set in Pre-Evaluation, the measurable goals of the project.
For a website, that may be an increase in customer retention, a decrease in customer telephone inquiries (customers get answers from FAQs on the website), an increase in online sales, improved ranking on search engines, an increase job candidates, reduction in the number of abandoned shopping carts...the list goes on. It is this process of Post-Evaluation and ongoing measurement, that will reveal your ultimate ROI.
Pre-Evaluation
The start of any successful web development project begins with an assessment of the current situation. We work with you to evaluate your needs, clearly define goals of the project, and initiate methods for assessing and measuring the ongoing success—ultimate ROI.
During the pre-evaluation process we create the specifications document, which ultimately determines the scope of the project.
Some of the steps we may require to complete this phase are:
- taking the necessary time to evaluate your company's existing marketing and branding strategies
- examine the competition, industry and visitor/customer demographics, CRM data
- evaluate your sales and business model
- process your company's information infrastructure
- create site and process maps that adhere to EnSky's strict usability guidelines
- build a logical data model
- develop site maps and process maps
- determine the content (database development, programming, copywriting, photographic images, e-commerce capabilities) and functionality needed to be developed for the site
- create an effective maintenance strategy to update the information on your website to ensure its ongoing usefulness to your company and customers
- develop a plan to promote the site, and a plan to track the visibility of the site over time
- develop a Measurement Plan, which will be a list of measurable goals set for the development of the site, and a means for evaluating, tracking, and measuring the results
Design
During the design phase we use the specifications and requirements document to design the look of the end product that extends from the branding and marketing strategies already employed (or being planned for deployment) by your organization.
Using the site map and process map as a guide EnSky designs the GUI (Graphical User Interface), using tools like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to create the look of your website which will include how content will be displayed as well as the navigation. Once the design is signed off by the client we move to create functional templates, and style sheets for the website. Once the functional templates have been approved we then move into the development phase.
Develop
During the development phase we use the specifications and requirements document to build the website using the templates and graphical files created in the design phase, combined with the rest of the content (databases, copy, images, PDF's, Flash etc) that will make up the pages on your website or new media project, and program the functionality of any processes like forms, client web administration services or any backend (database) development needed for dynamic sites. In short we put the whole thing together into its final completed deliverable form.
Testing
Once the project exits the development phase it enters final testing. The scope of the testing phase is determined in the requirements document and spans in scope from basic browser requirements testing to usability testing which vary in cost and the time need to complete. Once the testing requirements have been met and approved by the client the project is ready for deployment. Sometimes we deploy to the LIVE Server environment for one final round of testing in cases where dynamic functionality like e-commerce functionality would only work from the live server environment.
Deployment
In the Deployment phase we transfer all the files from EnSky's environment to the destination specified in the Analysis and Specifications document. For a website this would mean your shared ISP, co-located or in-house web server. For a new media project, we might deploy by sending the files to another company for CD-ROM or DVD duplication services. The Deployment phase is immediately followed by the promotion and maintenance phases where we begin the process of both updating the content on the site to keep it relevant, and marketing the site or product to create awareness and drive traffic to it ensuring ultimate ROI.
Promote
Now that the website or new media files have been deployed we need to put in place a marketing plan to promote awareness to the site or new media files. The promotional activities could include press releases, link building, banner ad campaigns, paid search engine or directory listing campaigns (or other advertising methods), and the on going tracking and measurement of the effectiveness of those campaigns at bringing potential customers. This is ongoing as part of the maintenance phase if need be, as this, and the ongoing evaluation, tracking and measurement of the results based upon the goals specified at the beginning of the project, now will reveal your ultimate ROI.
Maintain
Now that the website or new media files have been deployed we need to start the maintenance phase or "SkyMaster" plan. During the Maintenance phase you have full access to the core services utilized during the previous phases prior to deployment for the care and feeding of your finished project. Maintenance duties run the gamut from content updates to web marketing planning and execution, evaluation of measurable goals, analysis of website visitor statistics, ongoing enhancements, search engine optimization strategies and more. The maintenance phase retains the EnSky team to ensure that the quality of work developed in the development phase will be maintained until such a point it is needed to be updated to the adoption of global technological advances.
ROI
Websites cost money, but shouldn't be looked upon as a cost, but as an investment. Not only that, an investment with an attainable plan for recouping its initial cost. Measuring ROI is tricky business, and you need to develop and define measurable goals at the beginning of the project, which enable you to track your return on your investment.
This return should come from multiple goals, all aimed at the final goal of recouping the initial investment, and ongoing investment in the technology that has been built. We understand, that as an ad agency, the creative work that we provide to our clients is directly linked to our clients' bottom line. With that said, we want to make sure, that after a reasonable time has lapsed to measure the effectiveness of the project, we can show you (or you can show us) tangible results from our efforts, as measured in the goals. This process of investing with a return on the investment is an on-going process that should scale upward. If you develop a website with no plan for promoting and maintaining, you drastically reduce the time to recoup your investment as well as the potential on the top end of the return you can hope to see.
In the ultimate ROI example, the investment is multiplied by a factor of 10, so a well planned out $10,000 investment results in a net profit of $100,000. Not every business or organization model can be lumped into this model. For example, a non-profit we worked with wasn't interested in raising additional revenue. They had other goals that were just as valuable and measurable, like cost reduction and global awareness. Also, factors outside of EnSky's control, like employees, supply chain, your business model, the economy, industry and technology paradigm shifts, all have a potential effects on the ROI.
Measurement
Measurement is part of the ongoing Maintenance of your website and is integral in determining your ROI. EnSky uses a number of different tools for measurement for assessing different goals set at the beginning of the project. Some goals are measured at EnSky on a month to month basis like search engine ranking and website visitor statistics. Some are measured at the client side with regards to tracking sales, new employees, new customers, etc. It is through measurement, and post-evaluation, that we would make any necessary changes or modifications to the site, thus enabling both EnSky and the client to make improvements...you guessed it...revealing ultimate ROI!
