Data-Com Case Study

Data-Com Telecommunications Achieves Successful Website Redesign with the Help of eCoast. Download PDF

Data-Com is a New York metro area technology solutions provider offering a full range of communications and networking solutions. Formed in 1999, Data-Com began as a maintenance support organization providing MAC service and repair to large enterprise customers. Over the next 12 Years, Data-Com grew into a well-respected networking and communications provider, forging both a strong client base and solid reputation of success. With proven methods of improving business communications, Data-Com is the technology solutions provider for hundreds of companies and organizations in a variety of vertical markets.

In 2009, Data-Com become an Avaya Channel Partner, and began offering Avaya Communications solutions to their customer community.

Challenge

“We had a really outdated website and hadn’t done anything in a while,” said Jim McKenna, Executive Vice President and General Manager at Data-Com. “It wasn’t a good representation of our company and our capabilities, and it felt like a major challenge every time we tried to tackle it.”

Data-Com’s website was originally built in 2005 and did not reflect the overall look and feel that McKenna and his team were aiming to achieve. Although the content could be updated regularly, McKenna felt the content needed a complete overhaul and that the site’s appearance was outdated and did not accurately reflect Data-Com’s technical expertise and capabilities. Having recently become an Avaya business partner, Data-Com was also looking for an opportunity to refresh the company’s online image and drive traffic and interested prospects to a fresh and modern website.

“We wanted people to know that we are a company that can successfully service a variety of vertical markets, and needed to make a better first impression,” said Amanda Atanasio, Executive Assistant at Data-Com.    After several minor attempts to update the website on their own or with small marketing firms, the management team at Data-Com decided that they needed to seek out a reputable content/design team to work with them in carrying out a complete website redesign.

Selection Criteria

“Every time we attempted to redesign the website, the content creation and the layout design always fell back on us,” said Atanasio. “We were looking for a company that had experience with tech websites and would keep our workload at about 10%.”

Eager to get a website redesign underway, McKenna and his team utilized Avaya Market Leaders to identify three outsourced marketing companies that had experience designing websites for the Avaya channel partner community. Data-Com reached out to all three companies requesting proposals and an estimated time frame for the project. eCoast Sales Solutions, an outsourced sales and marketing company that deals exclusively with the technology industry, was among those in consideration.

“eCoast made a strong first impression and seemed to have the flexibility we were looking for,” said McKenna. “TheeCoast team did a lot of pre-sales work, and really took the time to learn about our business and determine what our specific needs were.”

After reviewing the three proposals, Data-Com decided to work with eCoast in redesigning their website.

“eCoast was an easy choice for us,” said Atanasio. “They were comfortable working with us, had an in-depth technical background, and were eager to meet our expectations.”

Solution

eCoast worked closely with Data-Com to develop several customized deliverables. The website redesign was managed by several members of the eCoast marketing team and included the following deliverables:

  • Customized website design with up to 30 pages
  • Search engine optimized
  • Customer marketing support
  • Graphics procurement and collateral creation
  • Customized content creation • Customized calls-to-action and event
  • registration forms
  • Social media and blog integration
  • Real-time lead notification and export functionality
  • Website analytics software
  • Ability to update content with access to a content management system

Results

Initial Design
eCoast worked closely with Data-Com to effectively launch a redesigned website that reflected the company’s partnership with Avaya, as well as its skills and prominence in the technology industry. The entire project took less than four months, and the new, redesigned Data-Com website was up and running by mid-April, 2010.

Prior to engaging in the website redesign, the eCoast web-marketing and content creation team had several in-depth discussions with McKenna and Atanasio to understand exactly what Data-Com’s expectations were in regards to overall look and feel, content creation, site navigation, and site management. Scott Parker, Web Developer at eCoast, took note of Data-Com’s considerations and presented them with three distinct and customized layouts to work from in designing the customized website.

“All three designs were fresh and modern looking, and eCoast took all our needs into consideration, combining our favorite aspects of all three designs into one cohesive and very appealing layout,” said McKenna.

“Your website is the face of your company and needs to portray the right image to your target audience,” said Parker. “We did all that we could to make sure that Jim and his team were pleased with the design and navigation before moving forward with anything else.”

In the end, Data-Com was very pleased with the overall design of the website. “We wanted a fresh and attractive look and feel, and that is exactly what we got,” said McKenna. “Before going into this I had this idea of integrating watermarked manufacturer logos into the website somehow, but had no idea how to do it. Now, they are at the bottom of every page in the footer, and really look fantastic.”

Content Creation

Once the initial design was in place, eCoast worked closely with Data-Com to create unique and compelling website content. To ensure that all content was relevant to Data-Com’s unique approach and abilities, Data-Com evaluated their strengths and filled out a discovery document directed towards content creation.

“The content creation discovery document allows us to zero in on what technologies and solutions are most important to our client, but it also gives the client a chance to understand, appreciate, and document their own unique value,” said Erika Lehman, Copywriter and Communications Specialist at eCoast. With the discovery document complete, eCoast strategically weaved the company’s strengths and value into the content, and turned over drafts to McKenna and Atanasio at Data-Com for review.

“It was good to have customized content given to us, but at the same time, still have the opportunity to edit it, add to it, and ensure that it really represents us,” said Atanasio. With continuous access to the content management system, individuals without HTML knowledge or coding experience can update content quickly and easily. Once the initial content revisions were complete, the website was subject to a comprehensive review and functionality test prior to its official launch.

McKenna was very pleased with the editing and review process and found eCoast very comfortable to work with. “They were flexible and didn’t nickel and dime us. Ideas and strategies changed along the way, but eCoast never pushed back on us, pointed back to the scope of work, or told us additional changes were not included,” said McKenna. “They cared about our satisfaction, and did all they could to give us what we wanted.”

Inbound Marketing Integration

Data-Com’s previous website was not search engine friendly, did not support any inbound marketing or communication initiatives, and did not encourage prospects to take action by attending an event, downloading a whitepaper, or visiting the company social media sites. To keep pace with modern marketing methods and the behavioral characteristics of an online target audience, eCoast implemented search engine optimization tactics and an inbound marketing strategy into the website design.

To help Data-Com get found online and appear more frequently in search engine queries, eCoast ensured that all pages were search engine optimized with high performing and relevant keywords. eCoast implemented on-page and off-page search engine optimization strategies, and encouraged Data-Com to utilize social media and a company blog to drive to generate interest from online prospects and drive even more traffic to the newly designed website.

To encourage discussion and social media interaction, social media links and icons were configured into the overall layout, and a Data-Com branded blog was integrated into the website. Although Data-Com did not have previous blogging experience or a social media marketing strategy, the company was eager to get involved in inbound marketing initiatives, and was pleased to have the tools in place and ready for use.

eCoast also worked with Data-Com to implement calls-to-action, landing pages, and events into the new website design. Customers and prospects visiting the Data-Com website can respond to calls to action by registering for an event or downloading industry whitepapers. Registrant and lead information is delivered to Data-Com in real-time, thus enabling their sales team to follow up almost immediately.

eCoast additionally integrated customer marketing support functionalities into the website. Whether responding to a call-to-action or signing up for the monthly newsletter, customers and prospects filling out online registration forms are automatically integrated into Data-Com’s internal marketing database. eCoast then provides customized marketing support, working closely with Data-Com to reach out and establish regular contact with new and existing individuals within the company’s marketing database.

Data-Com recently took advantage of such marketing support when creating and marketing an informational seminar. eCoast assisted Data-Com in sending an email invitation to Data-Com’s marketing database, and those interesting in attending could easily sign up via event registration forms on the Data-Com website.

“The event marketing and registration procedures have been great,” said McKenna. “We receive automatic notifications every time we receive a new registrant, and have had a great response rate thus far.” McKenna and Atanasio are also working on implementing social media into their marketing plan, using Facebook and Twitter to help drive event registrations.

Atanasio was very pleased with these inbound marketing integrations. “We have downloads, twitter, a blog... everything! It is great to have the social media integration too. We’re starting to get involved, and these tools will definitely allow us to grow into our website even more,” she said.

A Better First Impression

Data-Com considers their website redesign a very successful endeavor. Prior to redesigning their website, McKenna and his team at Data-Com were hesitant to give out the website
address or point clients towards the company website. “We used to caveat our website, but now we are proud of it, and prominently and proactively display it,” said McKenna. McKenna also mentioned that the owner of Data-Com has received a significant amount of positive feedback from current customers.

“We definitely plan on working with eCoast again in the future, and actually have another project underway” said McKenna. “They are a great resource to help accelerate marketing programs that we don’t have the time frames or the staff to internally accomplish.” Atanasio additionally mentioned that Data-Com has already submitted positive feedback to Avaya Market Leaders, suggesting that other Avaya Channel Partners look to eCoast for any upcoming marketing initiatives.

eCoast is currently working with Data-Com in organizing an event registration campaign and developing an inbound marketing and social media integration strategy to drive more traffic to the new and improved company website.