Marketing Strategy, Web Solutions, Project Management
SilverStone Group contracted Barton Visions in May of 2009 to provide marketing and web strategy consultation. SilverStone Group is a resource management organization that provides risk management, employee benefits, private client services and consulting services to more than 1,600 businesses and 2,500 individual clients. Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, SilverStone Group is ranked as the 73rd largest broker of U.S. business and the seventh largest U.S. benefit specialist by Business Insurance magazine.
After performing a thorough analysis of SilverStone Group's marketing materials, website and brand identity, Barton Visions identified a few inconsistencies and many technical challenges affecting their web and marketing efforts. Barton Visions recommended a phased approach to update the firm’s website for improved search engine optimization, functionality and conformity with the SilverStone Group brand. Barton Visions also recommended the removal of main navigation from flash programming and a change to the coding by removing an ASP rewrite. This changed included the use of long-tailed URL’s. These modifications to SilverStone Group's website will facilitate proper Google indexing and allow for more optimized internet searches.
During the first phase of improvements, Barton Visions implemented an electronic press release strategy through PR Web for corporate announcements, management of a vendor arrangement for aviation certificate software, keyword analysis for the firm’s online content, and acquisition and implementation of software allowing SilverStone Group to produce its interactive PDF newsletter, SilverLink, in-house.
At the end of phase one, Barton Visions advised SilverStone Group to update their website from a proprietary content management system to an open source option. Such a revolutionary change would facilitate easier content updating. Barton Visions helped SilverStone Group Associates understand that a movement to an open source platform would facilitate numerous other improvements to their web and marketing activities.
In phase two, Barton Visions led a request for proposal (RFP) to obtain bids from vendors to provide a content management system built on an open source code platform, server space for development, quality assurance and production environments, and a redesign of the look and feel of the website. Barton Visions provided project management throughout the vendor selection and implementation process. The result at the end of phase two was an SEO-optimized, keyword rich website with an inexpensive WordPress-based content management system that allows SilverStone Group Associates to make immediate updates, as well as simple and complex modifications with ease.
With a new website in place, Barton Visions currently helps SilverStone Group leverage and optimize their open source platform. Barton Visions recently introduced a WordPress plugin that renders their mobile pages and navigation at a great cost savings over custom installations offered by vendors. Barton Visions designed an open source-based marketing matrix that enables SilverStone Group to track the effectiveness of print, e-mail and internet marketing campaigns.
During the three-year formal relationship with SilverStone Group, Barton Visions has helped the company realize significant savings in their web and marketing operations. Our experience brought an open source platform to a large website, introducing numerous enterprise-wide software solutions based on that platform. The many roles we filled at SilverStone Group prove that Barton Visions can provide cost-effective, client-focused consulting for any size company experiencing any type of marketing challenge.
