1. Statement of Interest_
Thank you for recognizing BRING Studios as a potential partner for your website. The Hoffman opportunity is a perfect fit for us based on our experience with the Somerville, RODAC, and Smet Construction websites, and our focus on brand culture, visual impact, and process detail.
Since 2002, BRING Studios has always looked for ways to BRING more to the table and BRING value to our clients by thinking differently about an idea, strategy, or creative concept.
After reviewing our reply, please let us know if you have any other questions or need further clarification.
Sincerely,
2. Firm Profile_
BRING Studios is a brand-led creative, production company based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. We partner with mid-to-large companies and guide them through brand development processes, video production, website design/development, and e-commerce solutions. We say brand-led because whether we are creating a new brand, re-energizing an existing brand, or working with a legacy brand, to us your brand is at the core of all communication. BRING is unique from most web development companies because our hybrid expertise in brand, video, and web development, allows us to control the depth of your brand story from all three dimensions.
At BRING Studios, it’s all about the smartest route to the best solution. Our team of 9 talented industry experts and proven processes have delivered success in achieving project goals and maintaining timelines and budgets.
Believe it or not, we designed our first website 20 years ago. Through changing technology, trends, and evolving client needs, our website development services also include digital strategy, plug-ins, SEO, photography, video production, content creation, e-commerce, payment gateways, landing pages, sales funnels, and ongoing maintenance.
3. Project Team_
The BRING/Hoffman team consists of seasoned, passionate, and hardworking individuals committed to achieving optimum results. Each project is led by a project manager and technical point person, who in turn are supported by the BRING Studios team. As a team, we guide the creative process, recommend solutions, and partner with clients along every step of the proposed timeline.
David Richards
david@bringresults.com, Director of Creative Solutions.
David studied advertising in London before moving to Minneapolis and working as Creative Supervisor at Olson, Fallon, and VML. After working at Goltz Seering in Green Bay, his passion for branding and entrepreneurial spirit pushed him to start Burnham Richards Advertising (now BRING Studios) in 2002. His experience includes brand-led websites for OSMS, Somerville, BayOral, Xperience Fitness, and HJ Martin.
He brings to the project:
- Open Communication/Expectation Setting
- Account/Project Management
- Estimating/Budget Tracking
- Creative/Brand Direction
- Concepting/Copywriting
Amber Rockey
amber@bringresults.com, Web Solutions Manager.
Amber studied Graphic Design at NWTC and brings over 12 years of website design and development experience to the account. Ada[ting to emerging trends, she became fluent in HTML before mastering WordPress, Woo-commerce, and SEO best practices. Amber has built brand-led websites for OSMS, The National Shrine, REDI Transports, Somerville, and Tadych Investments.
She brings to the project:
- Design Aesthetics & Technical Disciplines
- UX Design/Information Architecture
- Web Design/Programming
- Web Maintenance/Support
- Analytical Reporting
- Hosting & DNS Management
Stacy Richards
stacy@bringresults.com, Brand Solutions Manager.
With 25 years of brand advertising experience, Stacy carries an impressive resumé of past agency accounts, including Harley-Davidson, Mack Trucks, Minnesota Office of Tourism, and Polaris Snowmobiles, Watercraft, and ATVs. Stacy managed clients on the account side, leading both strategy and brand development.
She brings to the project:
- Brand Strategy
- Account Direction
- Content Supervision
- Process Management
- Operations
4. Website Experience_
Since 2002, BRING Studios has designed and developed websites with our clients’ brands at their core. Like a building, a website is built on a brand’s foundation. Stunning visuals and engaging brand copy will be essential to showcase your expertise and culture, whereas UX will be a reflection of Hoffman’s detailed process and architectural functionality.
In the last 5 years, we have created 32 websites. (See appendix) The websites featured below share grand, visual elements and other programming features that could be relevant to the Hoffman website.
Samples_
Click on project to see more details.
References_
Heather Nohr, Marketing Director | Somerville Architects and Engineers – hnohr@somervilleinc.com | $30,000-$35,000
Ryan Holmer, Marketing Director | Infinity Machine – rholmer@infinitymec.com | $25,000-$30,000
Darin Schumacher, Marketing Director | OSMS – dschumacher@osmsgb.com | $30,000-$35,000
Chelsey Hare, Marketing Director | The National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help – chare@championshrine.org | $20,000-$25,000
Matt Waterstradt, President | The Energy Shop – sales@energyshop-gb.com | $10,000-$15,000
5. Project Understanding & Approach_
Hoffman has led the planning, design, and construction management industry for 130 years, however, the website does not fully reflect your impact, culture, and expertise. We understand that Hoffman needs to create a visually-arresting, brand-led, website that is superior to the shared competitive site samples. The site will be clean and design focused with culture-driven content and process-driven functionality. Hoffman’s culture will help support the brand and be important for relationship building and recruitment. We are excited to also bring our experience in intuitive programming features, engaging animation or graphics, and detailed navigation. The website will ultimately be a sales tool to drive leads and promote engagement through CTAs, form funnels, and SEO strategies.
Recent updates in technology have streamlined and expedited the process through the WordPress platform. We develop websites on WordPress instead of a custom CMS because it is the most globally utilized open-source CMS platform, updated and supported by developers to integrate software. This makes WordPress compatible with more features while keeping development costs down.
Therefore, our only concern would be the long-term implications and limitations of a custom CMS versus the universal functionality of WordPress.
Our Approach_
Our approach to website development is the same, every time. As a kick-off meeting, we discuss and share our Web Audit Form with you and your team. This allows us to confirm goals and wants, understand brand and culture, discover client interactions and opportunities, and uncover nuances and internal dynamics. Once completed, we have a clear roadmap as it pertains to your brand, culture, sales process, marketing approach, and technical requirements.
Click tabs to see details on each phase.
During the discovery phase, we take our findings from the Web Audit and guide clients through the relevant information that shapes the solid foundation of the new website. After additional competitive research, we plan key messaging, create target personas, and explore web functionality to reflect the brand. Once complete, we move on to information architecture, site mapping, navigation, and review of the creative brief.
Collect and review web audits
Review client wish list
Asset & design file collection
Admin/login collection
Target research
Competitive research
Site mapping
Content hierarchy
During the design phase, we integrate the brand promise into graphics and user experience. We present key page designs for a homepage and specific internal pages to agree on colors, fonts, and site features. Once design elements are approved, we build a test site on a hidden server so you can have live interaction all the way through to the final launch. Here, we assign photography and video needs then provide an estimate for production costs to efficiently capture the necessary visual elements. As we import content we optimize headlines, images, links, and tags for optimum SEO. (See appendix for more info on SEO).
Create and present design options
Supply Google Doc for content input
Install hosting platform
Program responsive website
Deliver site for content insertion
Curate content for SEO best practices
Supply fully functioning test site
Once we have final approval on the test site and have proofed, checked, and double-checked it, we will push it live. BRING Studios offers several hosting plans that are specifically designed for WordPress installations. We host and maintain client websites to keep all plugins and software up-to-date and make sure the site remains free of bugs or broken links. This is an ongoing process and is performed on a scheduled basis, giving clients peace of mind within a fixed annual cost.
Customize meta-data
Create link redirects
Compress/offload images for
optimized site speed
Launch new website
Add Google Analytics and
Google Search Console
Archive old site
Begin site maintenance
Schedule monthly traffic reports
Update Google My Business page
6. Proposed Project Schedule_
Phase One – Discovery; Complete By | 1-30-2023 |
Initial Client Meeting, Web Audit, Review Creative Brief, Create/Approve Sitemap & Information Architecture, Present Wireframe |
|
Phase Two – Design & Develop; Complete By | 4-4-2023 |
Present Page Designs, Collect Content (Body Copy, Files, and Images), Complete Development, Provide Test-Site Links for Progress, Review Full Site For Changes |
|
Phase Three – Deploy; Complete By | 4-28-2023 |
Revisions, Final Proof, Additional SEO & Site Speed Measures, Add Accessibility Tools, Launch, Begin Maintenance |
8. Missing Items & Assumptions_
BRING acknowledges and agrees to the scope of work required as outlined in the RFP. In addition to the proposed scope and in the company mission to BRING more:
- BRING will host the Hoffman test site on an internal server during development for a live-site review of progress.
- BRING can offer our accessible website software to make the new Hoffman website ADA compliant. See accessiblewebsitesolutions.com.
- BRING will provide estimates for any additional photography or video production services recommended or requested and not supplied by the client.
- BRING will include updates to Hoffman’s Google my Business page, soliciting new reviews, branded content, and images.
- BRING includes the first year of WordPress hosting from the installation date and will provide the Hoffman team with a 2-hour WordPress workshop on procedures for login, user management, media galleries, and image/copy editing.
9. Post-Launch Customer Service_
Following the launch of a BRING website, our hosting plan would include secure hosting, daily backups, quarterly theme and plugin updates, Google analytics tracking, image compression, site-speed integration, and premium plugin access (as determined by development).
Our Hosting /Maintenance plan is $2,400 per year, which at an average of $200 per month, clients can be assured their website is kept up to date with the latest technology.
We offer multiple options for ongoing updates* to page content. Including creating new pages, updating sliders, adding projects/bios/job listings, etc. Changes are usually completed within 48 hours, depending on the complexity of the task.
- Monthly Miscellaneous Plans start at a $500/mo flat rate for BRING to be on hand to fix or – update the website. This plan is billed monthly and reviewed after 12 months.
- Quarterly Miscellaneous Billing is available for making edits ONLY if requested or approved. We track time used and bill time $120/hr at the end of each quarter.
After the website is launched:
- BRING can offer ongoing SEO support to drive relevant traffic and maintain brand awareness.
- BRING can create content for blog posts and news stories to keep the website content fresh, relevant, and resourceful.
- BRING can promote the website with 6months of Adwords to boost traffic, google ranking, relevance, and drive leads.
- BRING can produce quarterly newsletters to email list and drive links back to the website.
*You do not have to be a BRING hosting client to contract ongoing maintenance and support.
10. Estimated Cost / Payment Terms_
We have included our official estimate in the Appendix.
Payment terms are 50% upon estimate approval. We will issue a pre-bill for this amount which is due upon receipt and before work commences.
At the end of Phase 2 on 4/4/2023, we will invoice another 25% of the estimate as work in progress. (Net 30)
The final 25% will be invoiced on the scheduled launch date of 4/28/2023. (Net 30)