Forum Moderators: phranque
See, I dabble in web design. I never was a 'whiz' but I also am told I have a good eye for aesthetics and people have generally enjoyed the sites I've produced.
Thus, when my boss (who is the general manger of the company) asked if I would be interested in designing a website for our company, I more or less tackled the project with vast enthusiasm.
Here's the problem:
We're a statewide wholesaler of plumbing and electrical supplies. Pipe, wire, toilets, light bulbs and so on. This site is not meant to sell anything nor shall it have anything interactive. Basically, I was told that the site needs to be static, contain contact information, a delivery schedule and so forth. It seems easy, but it's very bland content. For some reason, my boss demands drop-down menus even if I don't think the site will merit them.
I'm not even allowed to post links to the manufacturers we buy from because our company is paranoid that any visitor might follow the links, look in the 'where to buy' section and go with one of our competitors. I think it's a bit neurotic and stunting (why bother naming what we sell and not give the users access to item specifications?). Still, this is what I have to live with.
Another issue is our hideous, awful, dated, nasty logo. It's the state of Indiana with a giant, blocky "C" crossing it. Our state is highly assymetrical and it just looks gross on a banner or a branding, but again, I was instructed that it needs to be 'huge and centered' for all the gape at. That's very poor web design in my opinion. He wanted it slammed hugely in the body of the front page. I wanted to weep.
If that isn't bad enough, they haven't even bought a server to host the thing on. We have a domain name for e-mail purposes, but not a single place to store files. I'm having to work off of trial versions of photo-editors because they won't purchase one for me, not even reasonably priced Paint Shop Pro! Well, this is a company that owns exactly one color printer and guess what? Despite being the one who designs all of our handouts and many of our promotional flyers, I don't have access to it. Great.
What can I do? Every design I try just chafes me. How can I work with a site that has basically no content and requires I use a logo that causes my brain to cringe every time I see it? I have learned XHTML and CSS all over again for this, but I feel like I'm doing it for naught.
haveing horrible logo's and a boss with f!@#$ bad taste is not a fun combo - i've been there
good luck
IPfreely
Just an aside, a nice free graphics manipulation tool is Gimp. Definitely worth checking it out. I switched from photoshop to Gimp and love it.
Good luck.
Anyway, if you can get sorted out with the right software, hosting etc. I have a suggestion for the design:
Make two designs. Do one according to his specifications and make it suitably hideous, which shouldn't be hard according to what you've said!. Do another one showing how cool it could be and present them both as alternate choices.
I bet the boss will have a change of heart...
Still, it's the logo that's really irritating me. From all I've read, it doesn't even meet any of the goals that a logo should meet.
The worst part is that my boss wants to change the logo completely! He is, unfortunately, wedged between the older and more powerful executives and me, his twenty-something secretary. I think the thing needs an update. Something simpler and sleeker that clues people in on what it is we even sell!
logo needs to be 'huge and centered'
Is there any chance that you can make it so big that it can be used as a centered background image and then fade it to near 'invisible'?
Try reassessing your view of your situation. One client (your boss,) one set of difficult problems. Put that scenario in a corporation with over 100 clients, no software, no staff, be your own salesperson/tech support/customer service/developer/programmer/designer, and if you run into a problem with a client, it's hands off and ZERO support from the company - buddy/lady you're on your own, but we won't empower you to do what is required to satsify the needs. So in that aspect - you've not got it so bad. :-D
About the logo thing: the worst part of being an artist is that everything you do is a reflection of your artistic personality. It's near impossible not to take it personally, you point to a site you did and there's that horrible logo like a big festering zit in the middle of your forehead. You feel the need to explain it, and fear for everyone who sees it without your explanation.
But this is not art, it is commercial graphics. There are so many things you will encounter that are out of your control this is going to drive you insane, even with the best therapists and medications - it is still going to send you bonkers. You need to learn when to let go. This is when to let go.
"Basically no content?" Are you kidding? You could write VOLUMES on toilets and wire. From a man's standpoint (arruhh aruhh, we LIKES tools and stuff :-) ) this is is an endless source of content. My point is that you need to get behind this topic and figure out a way to see it. I've done a few sites for some women's topics and believe me, it is no easy task to step outside what you know and gain insight to something that is not interesting to you (especially since I totally lack a feminine side. Honest. :-) ) This one's going to be tough and I can't tell you HOW you're going to do that. But that's what's required.
Chin up, you have the task, forge onward!
The truth is that people:
a) will come back if you have something to offer.
b) want options.
Best of luck.
I realize that it isn't art. I don't care about it being pretty. It's just difficult to deal with the logo because even my boss resents the logo. I suggesting using it as a watermark a few weeks ago but he shot that one down. I personally was secretly wishing he'd go ahead and push a new logo for this project but alas..
It's just as with the manufacturer links. Our company president is willing to shoot down a vertiable goldmine of current information with splashy interactive zooms and pans because Joe Customer, who can probably figure out the address of a site anyhow, might just choose a competitor over us. Well, you know, we can pretend H*** D**** and L**** don't exist, but they do and they advertise. However, I am not satisfied with either of their websites and maybe that is where we could have lured in the customers.
We deal primarily with middle-aged contractors who know what's what. They want information fast. It's amazing that despite wanting information quickly, many of them refuse to go online and download a catalog for free. They'd rather call us, have us order a printed catalog, and then wait for it to arrive. I have to design the site with this in mind. I work with a lot of technophobes and a lot of our clients are technophobes.
I just want to make this site elastic so that when greater things come, we will be ready. Our IT tells me that our inventory system has an entire order-tracking and management system built in and all we'd need to do is slap some code on it. The 'elders' are very resistant to change. Put it this way: we're just now getting rid of the wood panelling inside of the building after thirty years. Our new design is far from hip and contemporary, but at least it's a change. A inside joke floating around the company is we're leaping into the '60's! :D
Yes. This lovely company where I still am running Windows 97. I'm supposed to pop out flyers and manuals and all such things with ancient tools and an old black and white printer. Hilarious.
Thanks for the help! I feel like this is doable.
You could do the same thing. Do what they'll let you do, at first, and gradually improve and expand the site. You knock out a new flier, and suggest, "hey, what do you say we add this to the web site?" You suggest, "We get so many requests for this piece of information -- we should put it on the Web site." And so forth. Before you know it, you're on your way to the top of the Google SERPs.
You probably won't get to change the corporate logo, though, no matter how hideous it is. That won't happen until they're good and ready, in another 30 or 40 years.
Now for writing content.
Oy!
