Cool Blue Interactive

e-Newsletter   
Design Develop Manage Market

Winter 2006 Edition

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I spent the final weeks of 2005 talking to an agency veteran, now a consultant, about the joys and challenges of running a company in an industry that is, well, ever-changing.  His advice: stay focused on people-your customers, your partners and your employees.

I'm proud to say we have. And we will. Since Cool Blue's inception in 1997, we have remained disciplined, avoided the traps that have consumed many agencies, and now offer our deep know-how about all things online to companies both regionally and nationwide. We attribute our exceptional offering to rationalized growth, a unique perspective on our clients' business goals, and a mix of extraordinary professionals.

In the new year, we will continue to leverage our solid footing to offer enhanced Web solutions, including results-based e-marketing. But "people" will remain the core of everything we do.




Warmest regards,
Bo Simmons,
President and Founder

Lesson #1: Relationship. Relationship. Relationship.

What is meant by a "client relationship" and how does that play out online?

Whether in the context of buying a paint brush or working with your accountant, the benefits of a "relationship" are as many as they are momentous. Indeed, an understanding of a customer relationship-and how to execute programs that enable a relationship with a customer-can have a dramatic impact on your profits.

Below, we point you to two articles.  Each article builds on the next and, together, they will help you to realize the potential of this line of marketing.

Article 1 - An overview of customer relationship management
Strategy: Managing customer relationships
Business by design
By Cathy Osborne
http://www.smps.org/mrc/articles/1002managecustomerrel.pdf

Article 2 - Quantifying customer relationships
How to add value to customer relationships
Inc.com
By Craig Woirhaye
http://www.inc.com/articles/2001/06/23137.html

Intelligent Designer

We are pleased to announce that Matt McMillan has been appointed Cool Blue Creative Director. Formally trained as an artist, Matt is a gifted Web designer who helped Cool Blue win numerous national and international design honors in 2004 and 2005. Matt will have his hands full in 2006. Not only will he direct all Cool Blue creative assignments, but he and wife Kate are now proud parents of Riley, a beautiful baby girl who arrived in late December.

Cool Blue: Up and Out

MeadWestvaco
 
To capture prospective leads, MeadWestvaco turned to Cool Blue and partner Nolen & Associates to develop and launch an integrated magazine and online marketing campaign designed to collect customer data and to distribute survey results.

YouDecide.com

A leading provider of voluntary benefit and discount programs to large corporations, YouDecide hired Cool Blue to create a new corporate Website to direct critical information to various audiences.

Cool Blue: On Deck

Another West Coast Production

Just months after receiving multiple awards for our design of the San Jose Repertory Theatre Website, Cool Blue is completing work for another West Coast theatre site: The Laguna Playhouse.  Debut is set for late February.