We recently stumbled across a great site showcasing some of the fantastic work from the legendary Saul Bass.

Bass made the movie title sequence into an artform, collaborating with great movie makers such as Hitchcock, Preminger and Scorsese.

The interactive image galleries in particular caught our eye, each one reminding us how iconic these titles have become.

www.notcoming.com/saulbass/index2.php

Digital design consultancy Splendid is creating a new Facebook-style social networking site for entrepreneurs, due to go live this autumn.

Owned by Brightstation Ventures, business support website Smarta will put those wanting to start or grow a business in touch with other entrepreneurs. Dyson director Richard Needham sits on Smarta’s board.

‘A website like Linked In has a very professional edge to it, but there is room for a more inclusive business support and networking website with no gender bias,’ says design group Splendid’s managing director Paul Bishop.

Brighstation appointed Splendid to create Smarta 18 months ago without a pitch, having worked with the consultancy for the past two years on three other websites.

Bishop claims Splendid was recommended to Brighstation following the consultancy’s work on websites for former Emap-owned magazines New Woman and Heat.

Brightstation has secured funding for Smarta from Vodafone and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Splendid created a holding microsite for the venture that went live in December and can be viewed at www.smarta.com.
Article from Design Week – www.designweek.co.uk/Articles

What is an autoresponder? You may be thinking that you’ve heard of the term but haven’t had any need to use one. Well it might be the case that you have already been on the receiving end of autoresponder messages in the past.

If you have filled out a web form, such as the one on our SEO page (www.mastersallen.co.uk/online_marketing_leicester.htm) pictured below and you received an email instantly then it’s more than likely that this message was generated using an autoresponder:

Imagine if Claire (a budding guitarist) visits your website. You sell a book that helps her improve her skills. She’s highly interested in what you have to offer, but she’s just not ready to purchase yet. She’s still recovering from that extended holiday and needs to pay off the credit card that she used to buy her latest equipment.

She sees a form on your website asking if she’d like more detailed information, and so she fills in her name and email address. Within seconds an email is sent to Claire with a short summary of the benefits offered by your book and a couple of useful tips she can use right away.

A few days later, Claire receives another email that goes something like this:

“Hi Claire, I know you’re quite busy, especially with the holiday period coming to an end, but I just wanted to get in touch with you to let you know we’ve got a special offer coming up for that ‘How to learn the Guitar in 30 days” book.

Claire’s forgotten that she’d been looking to buy a book like this and this email reminds her that she needs to get some help in order to improve. Claire adds buying the handbook to her “To Do” list and goes about her daily business.

Another few days later, Claire receives another email, now letting her know that the special offer is about to end along with another couple of helpful tips that’s in the book. Claire realises she doesn’t have much time now, and goes off to purchase your book.

Every email sent to Claire was automated. You didn’t have to wait for her to subscribe, you didn’t have to personally address Clair, nor did you have to send her an email every few days.

The example above shows how a series of auto responder emails can be used as a powerful “hands off” marketing tool for your web site.

Why not take a few minutes and think to yourself, “How can I use auto responders on my web site?” This simple exercise could easily add another stream of revenue to your web site that you didn’t know existed. For more information on email marketing, why not contact us to see how we can help.