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We've written some insightful, entertaining articles that span topics from support to design to content management and beyond!




This is a headshot of Sanj Rajput.

Illustration of truck and storefront in a cellphone

 

Most people during the pandemic and with this new age of technology have shifted to online sales; our sales team at REM is no exception. We here at REM have adjusted our sales and outlook on the industry as the state of world of communications has been changing over the past 3 years.

 

Online sales have always been a thing in the business world, but never have we been this reliant on them. Now that we are coming to the end of the pandemic some sales are moving back to in-person, but most are staying online as everyone has grown accustomed to them.

 

Here at REM, we like to focus on a few main points when it comes to online sales and making sure our clients have the best experience possible. This way we can ensure each one of current and future clients is well taken care of.

 

Communication

Communication is the foundation for a great relationship with clients. Moving to online sales has come with a new set of challenges when it comes to communications. However, we have adapted to move forward as smoothly as possible.

 

Being hands on with communication is a major part of sales. Communication online is very different than communication in-person. Long pauses, exaggerated expressions, verbal ticks, and rambling all come across worse over a call or video chat. Small mistakes in verbiage and the way you speak can easily be fixed in person but over video call it can come off as unrehearsed or as a bigger mistake than it was. Being clear in communication helps immensely when it comes to online sales.

 

Clearly communicating what you are trying to sell your client on is also a major point. When you are talking to a client in person you must explain everything in detail. However, with online sales you can provide visual aids and occasional demonstrations. This allows us to communicate better with our clients and allow them to fully understand what we are trying to sell them on.

 

Here at REM, we have a very hands-on support and sales team, eager to help whenever needed. Communication has always been our top priority when it comes to client relations. Because everything we do is done here in house, it makes it very easy for us communicate easily and clearly with our clients regarding any questions they may have.

 

Flexibility

Flexibility is a key skill when it comes to sales; being able to change your pitch and approach depending on the response you get from a client is very important. Sales has always been a back and forth, a conversation between two people. So, when that conversation has a distance barrier placed in the middle it makes it a little harder to have.

 

Being able to change on the spot depending on your client is extremely important. Moving to online meetings has come with a new set of challenges that need to be adapted for. Technology is not always easy, and clients are not always as well versed with it as you may be, so be prepared to change your approach depending on them. Some people may also not be as receptive to online meetings as others, be able to change your approach depending on how the client is responding and your call will go much easier.

 

Changing meeting times is also something one needs to be on the lookout for. With in-person everyone made sure to plan their days very specifically around meetings, especially if it meant having to travel. However, with online becoming more common place it is easier for people to go over time in meetings or to double book themselves. Be flexible and understanding when it comes to having to change times.

 

At REM, our sales and support team are happy to be flexible to fit what you need. We are happy switch meeting times with enough notice and change up our pitch if it is not working.

 

Customization

Most sales representatives will customize their sales pitches depending on their client. Customization is a major player in sales and making sure that you can sell to everyone, and anyone, is the key to success. Being able to customize how you sell is a great skill to have and will help you further your sales career.

 

Not only is customizing your pitch important, but also being able to customize your product. Allowing clients to feel as though they have control over the product or service they are purchasing, and their sales experience is key. If your client feels like they have no choice in their sales experience or in the product they are purchasing, they are less likely to want to go back to the company. Now granted, not all products are customizable, and most clients are aware of that, but a sales pitch can always be changed.

 

Clients know when a pitch is rehearsed and can tell if you are just reading off a script. Change it up, make it feel like you have personally designed your pitch for the person you are specifically speaking to. Being able to improvise is also a big help. Your client's mood and approach may change while you are in a meeting, so be prepared to switch it up on the spot. The last thing you want is for your client to lose interest halfway through your meeting and get bored.

 

At REM, we care about our clients and their experience, so our sales and support team has learned to adapt. We make sure that each client feels like they are well taken care of by the best of the best. Due to the nature of the service, we provide here at REM, we can make sure the client has full customization over their website. This allows us to continue to provide the best service we can for our clients. If they are unhappy with something we are always happy to change it until they are.

 

Rapport

Building rapport with a client is one of the most important things when it comes to sales. Something to remember is that with long standing clients you are not just talking to them once or twice, but constantly. Making sure that you build up that rapport with them is key, it makes them feel like you care and not just because you want their sale.

 

Sharing jokes, talking about pets or kids, and talking about hobbies are things that can help you build up a relationship or a rapport with your client. Now yes, most of your time talking to a client should be focused on business, but, if they start talking about their kids do not cut them off. People love talking about themselves, and yes that does sound bad, but it is true. Allowing your client to talk a little bit more about themselves and their lives makes them feel like you care about them and will make them want to come back.

 

Building a rapport also helps you as well. Rapport with client does not just make them feel more comfortable but it can also help you. The better you know a client the easier it is to have future conversations with them and the easier it is to gear your pitches towards them. If you know how someone will react you are able to change how you act around them accordingly. The better you know a client the easier it will be to sell to them in the future.

 

Not only will it help you sell to them better, but it may get you personally more sales. If a client likes you specifically, they may request you time and time again as they work more with you company. They may also recommend not only your company but you to others they know, bringing in more business with your name attached.

 

Due to REM’s smaller size, we can have more personal one-on-one relationships with our clients. This allows us to make sure each client's needs are met. It also allows our sales and support team to better adapt to our clients as they know them more personally.

 

Once your company moves to a customer-focused sales approach, your staff will realise that it’s all about building relationships with your clients. They will stop focusing on pressing the sale and worrying about their commissions or close-rates and they will start to enjoy spending time with potential clients.

 

Professionalism

Moving to online has also come with working from home more, so maintaining a professional appearance has become more of a challenge. Making sure you appear at your best will affect your sales. It is also no longer just about how you look but how you background looks.

 

In the business world there is a certain dress code most companies prefer you to uphold. But, as people began working from home more, the dress code went out the window. However, if you have a meeting with a client you cannot show up wearing your pajamas or comfy clothes, you still need to look like a working professional. Make sure your hair is done and clean, you have on a good shirt and tie or anything else that suits you. Your appearance affects the appearance of the company, so make sure you look the part.

 

These days, since most people are still working from home or do a hybrid, not only do you yourself need to look good but your background does as well. Now most people do not have the time, money, or space to re-arrange their entire house to make sure they have a clean and clear working space.

 

However, you can limit the amount of unprofessional or distracting items in the background. That means removing most media posters, distracting knick-knacks, anything that can make noise, and if possible, keeping kids and pets away from working areas. The last thing you want during a virtual meeting is for your client to get distracted by a poster you have on the wall behind you or get upset because your cat keeps walking across your keyboard.

 

Take advantage of the latest technology and put in a virtual background to hide your office space if you can’t make it look professional. REM sales staff use the same branded virtual background to make sure our potential clients get a consistent experience regardless of who they are speaking to on the sales team.

 

At REM we have moved to a hybrid style of working, meaning our support and sales team works both in the office and from their homes. Due to this we make sure that even when they are working from home, they uphold the highest level of professionalism to ensure the best experience for our clients, both current and future.

 

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This is a headshot of Sean McParland.

Laptop with the warning icon on it

 

In the past few weeks, I’ve received several messages from people that consist of a screenshot of a text message or email followed by one word “Scam?”

 

 

Screenshot of an Amazon scam text message

Screenshot of an Amazon scam text message.

 

Invariably, they were all scams. So, I figured it might be a good idea to make a blog post with some tips on picking out whether something is a scam or not. These can apply to various types of scams like via text, email or phone call. 

 

 

Is there a time limit / sense of urgency?

One of the many tactics that scammers will use is to create a sense of urgency. When you are presented with a situation where you don’t have a lot of time to think, you usually don’t. The following examples demonstrate situations where this tactic can be used to manipulate you into doing something.

 

 

Scenario 1 – Do this thing or something bad will happen

You receive an email that says something along the lines of: “We have found suspicious activities on your amazon account, click this link to log into your account to verify your recent purchases.” That’s not good, what if someone has access to your account and is buying things with your credit card? Better log in to make sure nothing is awry. 

 

Scenario 2 – Do this and something good will happen

Conversely to the previous scenario, you receive an email that says you have won something (like a phone from the screenshot above) BUT you only have a few minutes to collect your prize. All you need to do is fill out the simple survey and then log into your account at the end to verify.  Free? Huh, well free is free, why not right?

 

 

What should you do?

You may have heard the advice “never click links in emails” but then what are you supposed to do instead? Whenever you receive emails related to logging in to any kind of account, you should always do so through a trusted link. Looking at the Amazon example above, what you should do is go directly to https://www.amazon.com and follow the log in links there. This way you know you are actually logging into Amazon and not some Amazon look-a-like site that a scammer has setup. The same would apply to things like your bank, or any other account. 

 

 

Quick tips

 

  • The Golden Rule 

    You have probably heard this one before: “If something seems too good to be true, it probably is”. If there is one tip that you remember, make it this one. If you are presented with a situation when free stuff is dangled in front of you and it requires you to give someone something before you can get said free stuff, then it’s a scam. No, Bill Gates is not going to double the Bitcoin you send to him.
     

  • Ask Questions

    This is a great one for phone scams. Scammers hate when people ask them questions. The more you use critical thinking and question things, the quicker their scam logic falls apart. Ask why, ask things that only the real caller would know.  
     
    You can also modify this one for other situations as well, such as emails or text messages. The difference is you ask yourself instead of the person on the phone. Ask questions aloud, break down the situation before doing anything. Always take time to think, being rash and jumping through hoops for someone without thinking is usually a bad idea. 
     
  • Call Back

    This is another useful one for phone scams. This uses the same principle as the Amazon login from earlier. If you receive a call from someone you don’t know, like your bank, and they request information from you, just say you will call them right back. One of the biggest tools that phone scams have is that spoofing phone numbers is trivial. They can make it look like you are receiving a call from your bank or from the CRA/IRS. If you are the one who calls then you can be sure that you are connected to the right place.

 

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This is a headshot of Shauna Ramsaroop.

Illustration depicting people working on building a website on a large laptop

 

Congratulations starting on your journey as a small business owner! As you navigate the waters and try to stop your head from spinning, we figured it would be a great time to get your feet wet on the steps to building a great website for your small business.

 

Here at REM Web Solutions, we provide you with everything you need to design, build, and support your website, we have compiled a list of services that we offer to help get you started and some key information to ensuring your website works best for you.

 


 

Icon depicting a desktop monitor with 'www' on it

 

Domain Name

Choosing a great domain name seems easier than you think, however it is critical that your domain name is easy to remember, is relative to your brand and company name and chosen with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind.

  1. Avoid special characters. Typically, your domain name shouldn’t have numbers or hyphens in it, word only domain names are easier to remember and have less chance of user error.

  2. Using the correct domain extension is also extremely important. You should always try to make your domain a .com unless it’s a .org, .gov, or .edu

  3. Less is best. Having a short and concise domain is easier to remember and far more user friendly. Remember, the odds of you using your domain for email addresses are high – which means less typing for those trying to reach you. When creating marketing material having your website’s domain name short will also allow you to design with less noise.

  4. Keep it simple by making it easy to spell without any slang or odd wording.

  5. When deciding what your domain should be, try to keep it nonspecific to your product or service. This gives you the opportunity to continue using it if your company decides to branch out with product/service offerings.

  6. Google it, once you come up with a domain, google it – this allows you to determine if there is a similar website based on the domain. You want to make sure your website and business stands out.

  7. Your domain should be SEO friendly, meaning it should include keywords and locations. A great example would be “kitchenercupcakes.com.”

 

 


 

Icon depicting a website server with a check mark next to it

 

Website Hosting and Support

When choosing the company that is going to host your website, it’s incredibly important to know what you’re paying for. When you’re purchasing your domain, you are effectively in a hosting contract with that specific company. If you build your website on their platform or another platform then you’re in a contract with that company. Separating your services could potentially cause you headache in the long run, you want to make sure that your hosting provider can support you all around.

 

At REM Web Solutions we provide you with everything that you need to get your business’ website up and running. I’ll break down the services for you:

 

Domain Management

What does domain management really entail? Well, in the first part of this post we talked about choosing your domain. Once you have chosen something you have to purchase it and register the domain with a Registrar. Most companies that offer domain management, have accounts with these registrars that allow them to register the domain on behalf of a client. At REM Web Solutions, we have accounts with two main registrars, we purchase domains for you, handle the renewals, act as the admin for you so you don’t have to worry about updating nameservers.

 

DNS Hosting

Once you have your domain chosen and registered, the next step is to have your hosting provider set up your DNS hosting. Having the same hosting provider host your DNS is one of the most important decisions you will make. In the event of your site not functioning properly, email not sending, etc., DNS investigation is typically your first plan of action. Your hosting provider should be more than capable to help you manage your DNS settings, and update them when required. At REM Web Solutions, DNS hosting is part of your package when you’re a client of ours and we’re available to you during our support hours to make sure any update required can be completed for you with ease.

 

Website Hosting

Having a reputable company host your website is imperative. When you’re shopping around for a company to do your website hosting, it’s beneficial to you to understand how your website is being hosted. For example, once you’ve built your site, are backups being made of your data in the event of downtime? How secure is your website on the company’s servers? In the event that you need to make fundamental changes to your website is the company ready to meet your needs and potential demands as you grow? Working with a hosting company who can provide you this type of information is imperative. Don’t be afraid to ask.

 

Support

Once you have clearly defined the hosting aspect of the company you’re doing business with, be sure to ask them about the amount of support that is available to you. Building/designing a new website is a challenging thing. There may be moments when you’re trying to change your website, or have it function in a specific way and you’re hitting roadblocks. Having a support team available to you is crucial, especially in the beginning. At REM Web Solutions, our support team is one that we are proud of, we are dedicated to the success of your business. Majority of people aren’t designers or developers, so having a team that’s willing to advocate for you is half the battle.

 

 


 

Icon depicting a pen on top of a web page

 

Content Management Systems

As defined by HubSpot, a content management system (CMS) is a software application that allows users to build and manage a website without having to code it from scratch or know how to code at all. For more detailed information on content management systems, I suggest reading this blog. When building your website for your small business it’s essential to choose one that works best for you. There are many different ones out there that are designed for different reasons – budget and user-friendly platforms are the first that come to mind. Here at REM, we have built our own custom content management system (WebWiz@rd) that is easy to use, adaptable and comes with a bunch of support to help you navigate it.

 

 


 

Icon depicting thumbs up and arrows pointing up

 

Create an Engaging Website

When designing and building your website you want to make sure that you drive engagement. You want viewers to have a positive impression when they visit your website. Make sure that your brand is clearly captured through the design of the website, this allows your messaging to be well received. In addition, not only should your website clearly describe your products and services, your graphics and fonts should be simple and easy to read. One thing to be cautious on is ensuring your graphics are optimized for fast loading; search engines decrease your ranking if they are slow.

 

Navigation and Pages

One of the things that makes your website easy to use for viewers and potential customers is having a clearly thought-out navigation. Designing a navigation that allows viewers to find information easily is crucial, your navigation should link to the most important pages on your website, which typically are:

  • Home

  • About Us

  • Products/Services

  • Management Team

  • Contact Us

  • Terms of Use

  • Site Maps

  • Privacy Policy

 

These pages can be linked in your header or footer navigation. If you have other pages that are important to your business, they should be added into your navigation as well. Our design and marketing teams at REM are here to help you create and design your navigation and pages to ensure that you’re creating the best content for your site. We’ll guide you on best practices to ensure your business is clearly and effectively presented to the rest of the world.

 

 


 

Icon depicting a web page in a gear cog

 

Maintenance

Once your site has been built, it is incredibly important that you create and add new content on a regular basis. Search engines give higher rankings to sites that are continuously updated. One of the best ways to achieve this is by blogging, other options include updating customer testimonials, creating a news section on your website and updating it with pertinent news about your products or services. When updating your website, you want to make sure that you’re still using design elements that are consistent with your brand.

 

 


 

In Conclusion

When building a website for your small business there are a lot of things to consider. Remember, the key is to have your website work for you. Your website acts as your resume to the rest of the world, potential, and existing clients. Your website should be a tool that you are using to generate business and a significant amount of thought should be put into the process. Bringing all of the pieces of your business together can be quite the daunting task, however, we’re here to help you.

 

If you’re not sure where to start or if you want to make changes to your website feel free to contact us!

 

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This is a headshot of Shauna Ramsaroop.

3D Illustration of a computer with office and website-related icons around it

 

It’s been over a year of some businesses struggling to stay alive as a result of the pandemic. This year has taught us how to restructure our teams, building work from home infrastructures, taking every precaution in the book for essential workers that are required to physically be around each other. This year has truly taken a toll on our businesses, unfortunately some were forced to close their doors, but many were able to adapt, and with the inevitable changes that we face moving forward we see new opportunities and new businesses rising from the ashes of COVID-19.

 

As we continue to soldier forward, now more than ever is the perfect time to re-evaluate your business’ online presence. Do you have one? Do you have social media accounts? If you do, are you easy to find? Are you attractive to your target audience? Are you reaching your target audience? These are a lot of questions I know, but having an online presence is the most important thing you can do for your business today and it’s extremely important to make sure you’re doing it right.

 

Websites

I know this sounds strange, since most companies do have websites, but it’s something that we need to bring up, having an updated website is incredibly important these days. Here are a few questions I suggest you ask yourself in regards to your website:

  1. When was the last time you did a redesign on your website?

  2. Is the information that you have on it accurate with the services and products that you have to offer?

  3. Is your site responsive – meaning does your site automatically change based on the device it’s being used on?

  4. Is your contact information up to date?

  5. Do you have links to your active social media accounts on your website?

  6. How are you ranking in terms of Search Engine Optimization?

  7. Is your website AODA compliant? Should it be?

  8. How are you informing your clients of changes on how you do business?

These are all very important questions that you need to be asking about your website, and if you don’t have a website yet, these are most definitely questions that you want to ask when designing your new website.

 

Search Engine Optimization

This is one of the most common questions that we are asked about from our clients and prospective clients: “How do I get my website to show up on Google’s first page?” Search engine ranking is one of the most sought-after results and there are things you can do on your website to help increase your ranking such as having a responsive website, blogging, redesigning your content to ensure you have proper heading structures in place, and optimizing images that you have on your website. If you’re looking to boost your ranking, give us a shout – we’re here to help!

 

Social Media Marketing

The concept of social media marketing for businesses has really taken off over the past year. Businesses have turned to social media applications such as Instagram and TikTok to attract potential clients and highlight their products and services. Are you making the most of these applications to help generate business?

 

eCommerce

In a previous blog we touched on some of the eCommerce tools that we have available to you, with the increase of curbside pickup methods, businesses are now required to offer their products available to purchase online and picked up at a specified date and time. We have built solutions to help businesses meet the needs of their customers – allowing them to browse online, request quotes, and make purchases. This functionality has almost become an absolute requirement for the survival of businesses.

 

In conclusion the reality of face-to-face interactions is dwindling and it’s incredibly important that the world can find you online, not only should they be able to find you, but they should be able to KNOW you based on your website, social media, SEO and eCommerce platforms. Having a well-rounded online presence will directly increase your sales and we’re here to help you make sure you’re well prepared to tackle the new normal of business. Aside from our tools, our team is here to support you throughout your journey, make educated recommendations, provide you with industry knowledge to help increase your profits and guide you through your marketing efforts.

 

If you’re an existing client and are looking for suggestions on ways that you can improve your online presence, or if you’re a new business looking for some guidance feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]. We want to help you be the best you can be!

 

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This is a headshot of Shauna Ramsaroop.

Red mailbox with lots of envelopes flying out of it

 

One of the most common support questions that we get at REM involves our clients email hosting, and we get it – if something isn’t working right with your business email it can be rather frustration. The most frequent issue that support receives is our clients reaching their mailbox capacity and cannot receive emails.

 


 

How can you prevent this from happening? Let’s chat:

 

Clear out your Mailbox

More often than not we tend to keep emails for a long period of time. I have a really bad habit of not clearing out my mailbox. On a weekly basis I go into my mailbox and delete any old emails that I no longer need, this include a quick look through any folders. Once I’ve deleted emails that are no longer required, I always be sure to empty the deleted folder as well!

 


 

Use a 3rd Party Email Client

This is one thing that you should be doing regardless, REM gives you access to your email via a webmail account, it’s a basic platform that allows you to login and manage your email account. We do highly suggest that you configure your email addresses with a 3rd party Email Client such as Outlook, Gmail, or Thunderbird. Using these clients allows you to extend the use of your emails – it also helps you manage your storage. Most of these clients allow you to create personal folders which will remove them from the webmail and store them locally opposed to on our servers.

 


 

Increase your Support/Hosting Package

If you’ve exhausted all of these options, I would definitely suggest talking to our support team to determine if you can increase your mailbox storage or increase your hosting package to provide you with more email storage.

 


 

If you have concerns about consistently reaching your email capacity, please reach out to us at [email protected], we’ll help you determine next steps and review your package options.

 

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This is a headshot of Shauna Ramsaroop.

Woman using a laptop with the Webwizard login in the screen

 

Now that I have a few training sessions under my belt upon my return to REM, I’d like to share my experiences with you as a trainer, and as a fellow student. Once we have designed, built, tested and reviewed your website, we typically reach out and schedule a training session with you. Pre-pandemic, we would invite you into our awesome office and hangout in the boardroom. Nowadays, we’re inviting you into our homes and conducting training sessions virtually.

 

Depending on the site we’ve built for you, sometimes we split your training sessions into two parts, one 1.5-hour session for our standard modules and a secondary session for anything custom on your site, for example – eCommerce. As a student, I know first-hand that there is a lot of information provided to you, and it really is difficult to absorb new material. As a trainer I know the majority of what is presented to you in the training session doesn’t quite resonate until you’ve had a chance to play with the tools. 

 

Here are some tips to help you through the training session:

 

Taking notes is NOT essential

I know this is slightly breaking every rule when it comes to learning. However, we have compiled training documents for you and will send them after the session is complete for your reference. I honestly believe, you will get more out of the training session if you’re focused on how to navigate our tools.

 

Ask questions

Our trainers won’t get upset if you interrupt us. I promise. If you’re unclear of how something works based on the way we’ve presented it to you, ask us to clarify or explain it in a different way. Remember, we want you to succeed.

 

Provide us with hypotheticals

Our trainers do our best to understand your business, however we are limited, during your training sessions, give us examples of the results you want to achieve and we’ll show you how.

 

Once your training session is over, you’ve received the training documents go into WebWiz@rd and update your content, make changes and get a feel for how it works. Remember, that’s not the end of the road for your learning either.

 

If you’re trying to change something and you’re stuck email us at [email protected] – we’re here to help.

 

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This is a headshot of Shauna Ramsaroop.

Illustration of multiple devices with online shopping graphics

 

I have to admit, I’ve never been one to shop online. I was stuck in the mindset of only making purchases if I could touch a product. With the onset of COVID-19, I was forced to surrender myself to the world of online shopping. Let’s just say I may never return to a shopping mall again.

 

The year of 2020 brought us all challenges, it also brought us new experiences and the way we do things has forever changed. My online shopping addiction holds a strong case for business owners that are selling tangible products – it’s time to look at your options.

 

Of course, there are many platforms that exist that can give you an online marketplace, however they do come at a cost. Some of them charge transactional fees, some require you to pay a monthly subscription and you will often find yourself waiting for assistance on a support line when something goes wrong.

 

If you haven’t guessed yet, this is my shameless plug for our WebWiz@rd eCommerce Module. It really is a behemoth of a platform and allows you showcase your products, limit your transaction fees (we don’t believe in dipping into your hard-earned profits), and feel confident that you are in full control of the products you want to sell and how you want to present them to the world.

 

Here are a few reasons as to why I personally enjoy working with our clients who use our eCommerce module:

 

It looks great

When we design the look and feel of your eCommerce pages, we ensure it’s cohesive with the design of your website. Most online marketplaces offer you template looks and colours, with our eCommerce module we deliberately design and build it to give your customers a pleasant visual experience that keeps them searching through your products.

 

It’s easy

Yes, you can have complicated product offerings, however we have done our best to build you a tool that makes complicated, easy. Not only are we here to train and guide you on how to showcase and organize your products, we’re also here to support you throughout your journey of selling online. When you hit a roadblock, we’ve got your back!

 

It’s customizable

Not only is the design custom to the look of your website, our developers are able to tweak the module to ensure that it fits your needs. We’re aware that each business has different needs, especially right now and our team will work tirelessly to ensure that we provide you with the tools that you need to succeed.

 

If you like what you’ve read about our eCommerce module, feel free to reach out to us. We’re here to have a conversation about what you need to flourish!

 

This is a headshot of Shauna Ramsaroop.

Woman using a computer in a home office

 

2021 is a new year with new rules and unfortunately some of the rules aren’t helping our businesses. With COVID-19 still looming among us a lot of companies have been forced to adapt to a new normal such as online ordering, curbside pickup, virtual meetings, webinars, events and so much more. In our region we have lost many small/medium size businesses in 2020 and there are plenty continuing to struggle.

 

Our goal is to do our best to help you persevere. Having a well designed and developed website could be the key to helping you through the surge of online interactions. REM Web Solutions may be able to help you out, with tools such as our newsletter and blog modules you can reach your clientele keeping them informed of product/service offerings, discounts and things happening/changing in your business.

 

In addition to communicating, our media collections help highlight your work, the product and eCommerce modules allow you to showcase and/or sell online. If you’re not selling products you can make use of our events module that allow your clients to register and pay for online seminars, classes etc.

 

As your business adapts, we’re here to support you through the changes. If we don’t have an REM standard solution for you, our team of designers and developers are equipped to build custom functionality to help you achieve your business needs.

 

If you have any questions about how we can help feel free to reach out; we’re a chatty bunch and would love to hear from you!

 

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This is a headshot of Shauna Ramsaroop.

Illustration of people in front of CSM lettering

 

Our REM team consists of many different roles, in this blog I’m going to highlight some of the responsibilities of our Customer Success Team. Our Customer Success Managers (CSM’s) at REM act as hybrid contacts for you from the start of your journey with us, through the deployment and are here to support you after your website goes live.

 

The Early Stages

At the beginning of your project, CSM’s will typically reach out to start the discussing the hosting portion of your contract with REM. This includes transferring any domains, setting up DNS and email hosting. During this time, we explain the hosting packages that we have to offer you, discuss the importance of SSL Certificates and most importantly introduce ourselves!

 

Testing and Site Review’s

Once your site is built and tested by developers, the CSM’s will do a second round of testing. At REM we take testing your website very seriously to ensure that we hand you the best functioning website that we can. Once your site has gone through the rigorous testing stages, we reach out to you to schedule a Site Review (this is my favourite stage). A site review is the first time you see your website in its functioning form on our staging server. It’s typically a 15-minute conversation between you and your CSM reviewing the site together and discussing the outcome of the design/development of your site based on your engagement letter and concepts.

 

Training

WebWiz@rd is a fantastic tool, it is user friendly and easy to navigate. CSM’s are armed with the knowledge and tools to provide you with training that is simple for you to understand and empower you to continuously update your website all on your own. We have many different modules ranging from our media collections, blogs and newsletters, eCommerce platforms and many more customized solutions based on your requirements. Our CSM’s will show you the ropes and guide you through managing your website.

 

Support

One of the most important aspects of our business model is to ensure that you always feel supported. Whether you’re struggling with changing something on your website, or something isn’t functioning the way you predicted, our CSM’s are here to support and help you. Whether you send us an email, or give us a call we’ll be sure to listen and help.

 

CSM’s at REM are here to build relationships with you and our goal is your success!

 

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This is a headshot of Shauna Ramsaroop.

Laptop, tablet and phone on a table showing REM's home page.

 

A great home page layout makes the web page more interesting to look at because the viewer’s eyes will want to dance around in the page. It’s definitely easy to get lost on a home page and we want your viewers to enjoy the experience.

 

Just Breathe

People underestimate how important it is to give your layout white-space. By giving your users/viewers time to digest each section while clearly separating them at the same time, allows them to really take it all in; here are some tips to keep in mind:

  • White-space emphasizes how impressive a photo is and gives it intrigue.
  • Use the right amount of white-space:
    • Too much: the user will have to scroll through or “get stuck at” empty space.
    • Too little: the user might start feeling claustrophobic if things are squished together.
  • Our website as an example, the Home Banner:
    • On the left-side is a big photo that showcases one of our clients’ website on a laptop, smartphone and tablet. There’s a good amount of space between it and REM’s logo. Never over-crowd logos, they need space all around!
    • Notice how the white space makes it really easy to read the headline, which is the 1st heading.

 

Layouts

Make your layouts dynamic, symmetrical and appropriately proportional. This will show that you as a company are structured, organized and thoughtful. Your layout will determine the home page’s information hierarchy. Here are some ways to accomplish this:

  • Vary your layout throughout; use columns to put multiple items in a row.
  • Use a grid. In our website’s case (and in most of our clients’ website’s case), the grid is based on 12 columns. Notice how we use 3 columns in some areas such as the buttons below the banner, the featured portfolio and the blog teaser.
  • Maximize the use of your browser’s/device’s screen size, while still having proper white-space. Using our website as the example, notice how the angled grey background, large photos and Google Map take up the full width of the browser.

 

Headings

We often talk about headings, especially when it comes to having AODA compliant websites. On the home page, it keeps your viewers engaged and when sized correctly the end result is a sequential experience that your viewers will subtly perceive. Some things to keep in mind:

  • Heading 1: biggest, stands out and as I’ve mentioned, the very first thing at the top that clearly states what we provide: web design and development. Important and useful for SEO.
  • Use the correct sequence for SEO and AODA purposes (For more information, read this blog post about “AODA – Colour Contrast and Headings”)
  • Headings in a home page are very useful for separating sections.

 

For our website, the headings start off the following areas:

  • “We Provide Web Design & Development” introduces the website and attracts, using big imagery.
  • “We build exceptional websites…” some vital text for SEO and to give users more of an idea of who we are, who we serve and what we do.
  • “Some of our Featured Work” with highlighted projects.
  • “Blog” teasers of our blog posts.

 

As you can see in our three-part series there is a lot that goes into designing your home page – it’s the most important page and we truly want to make sure that we support you and guide you through the process. It is a lot to stay on top of, and our designers are here to help organize and guide you through the process.

 

We want you to succeed; we sincerely love it when you do! So, if you’re looking to change up your existing website or looking to design a new one, feel free to reach out to us! We’re here to help.

 

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