Halstead designed a brand new website to showcase outdoor lighting company’s profile and services. Our messaging and the images we selected aligned to the more affluent market in the company’s service area. The key messages were: solving problems as well as promoting luxury services (e.g. smartphone controls) that aren’t necessarily solving a problem. The style is sophisticated and professional.

A landscape lighting company based out of Fishkill, NY, was a brand-new entity that lacked a social media presence. Previously part of an established landscape design and build company, this lighting company was spun out to become a separate division with its own distinct brand. As part of this effort, a new website and Facebook presence were a must. However, while the landscape design and build parent company was known for installing outdoor lighting for years, the newly branded business was new to the space and had no community branding. The company needed to assert itself with homeowners in the region, to generate leads for high-end outdoor lighting projects.

Our new logo represents a strong foundation, sturdy support, and appealing design. Much like the hardscape industry, these attributes are at the very core of our business. To many reading this, it may look like just a few lines framing our company name. And that’s the point. We wanted our logo to be straightforward and direct. We wanted it to more closely connect with our exclusive client base – design/builds, dealers, and landscaping product manufacturers.

Properly documenting hardscape projects gives hardscape design and construction companies excellent marketing materials they can use to win new contracts. However, without a full understanding of the techniques available and how to use them, the task can seem very intimidating. The reality is actually much different.

For the 2018 FY, the cap for the first half was met on December 15, 2017 and the cap for the second half was met on February 28, 2018. This is the earliest these caps have ever been reached by a significant number of days, demonstrating the high demand for seasonal laborers. Prior to 2016, workers who had previously been employed via the H-2B Visa were exempt from this cap, but when the federal budget bill recently expired, the cap exemption expired as well.

In our fragmented world, brands must provide content that smoothly leads prospects through the buyer’s journey and ensure no gaps exist that will lead them to drop off.

A combination of new recruiting avenues through Puerto Rico and other American territories, and referral incentives for current employees seems likely to promise the most success.

"User experience website design" sounds fancy, right? It's really not. It's part of every beautiful, functional website design. What are some basic elements? What exactly is user experience website design. Whether you're a manufacturer or a design/build, think about the story - beyond the "scroll down" message. Without further ado, scroll down and watch the video. Hahah

What happens when you take something that seems (ok, it is) so complex and apply it towards your specific business? Or perhaps even towards your line of work? Today, Corey will talk about predictive analytics - to deeply understand your current and potential customers. How does it fit in? 

Want your events to last longer? The power is in your hands. In this intro-to-the-topic video, we introduce spreading the wildfire event approach with widgets that encourage people to take photos, using branded items, and share them on their social media. The return? People are posting images of themselves, happy, with your brand. Magic. Watch for more and tell us how you've done it!

Regardless of the industry, establishing an emotional connection between your brand and your customers is essential for successful business. Consumers are actively looking for reasons to support and remember your business, so, it’s time you give them a reason. If you recently finished a project for a customer, provide the motivation to pass your name along by going the extra mile. Give them a subscription box gift - a gift that lasts.

Familiar with design software? If you are a high-end design/build, you most likely are very familiar with design software from your 3D designs! And if you're a manufacturer, maybe you've used design design software if you're in the marketing department. Regardless of how you've used it, design software and website design are VERY different things. You have graphic design in both but you have user experience in website design (some would argue that user experience is more important that graphic design). Website design includes designing for various platforms (mobile, ipad, desktop). Design software is a stable platform. When you're designing in something like a 3D design software, you're not concerned about button actions or how that plan will look on mobile. Watch for more.

Everyone knows that you can choose location, age, family, income - and other demographics when it comes to creating a Facebook audience for targeting your posts and dark ads. But what about interests and behaviors? Does every high income wife with children that is age 42 want a service you install or a product you sell?! NO!! So don't stop there. Make sure your Facebook audiences include interests and/or behaviors. Watch here for more:

Just stop it already with the wet pavers in your project pictures! A couple of summer rain drops on select pavers and natural stone - yes, that can be beautiful. But a hosed down paver patio or paver walkway? NO!!! Stop it. It's not stylish. It doesn't look good. Let them dry and then take your phone or camera out to snap a pic. 

No matter how much you're investing in advertising - online or offline, every business gets the best leads via referrals. There is no denying that. So how do you - as a landscape design/build company - get more referrals in the digital world? Anna shares her 5.5 ways to help you take some huge steps in growing your referrals - tomorrow.

In this video, Corey talks about the collision of experience driven purchasing and video marketing = drone. Team them up with still shots for an immersive experience . And remember - Buying a camera doesn’t make you a professional photographer. Buying a drone doesn’t make you a professional videographer. 

Yelp is a powerful website and app. As the 10th most popular website - it gets a lot of action from visitors. Surely, you've used it to read reviews and maybe you have your free profile setup on there. Does this mean you should be spending money on this platform - as a landscape design build company (or anyone really!)? Watch now.

What happens when you begin to look at your landscape projects through the lens of a camera? You start to see things you know the camera will capture. In this video, Corey talks about the four basic steps of getting winning photography - all by yourself! 

Despite the fears of spam and annoying ads, email marketing is alive and well. But how do marketers determine their email marketing strategies? One of the most important stats we look at is the “email open rate”. You may not know what this means, or worse, you may think you know what it means. Whatever the case, we’re going to let you in on all the knowledge to perfect your email marketing tactics and increase your open rates.

Using Blackwood Group's inspiration website, Halstead created a highly image driven website. The new look placed each project into a separate case study - into what developed to be a true, high-end elegant digital portfolio. The projects are all accessible via the homepage - but city as well as by category. Awards and about the company are accessible via the menu.