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Our thoughts from our unique blend of philosophers, artists, educators, musicians, scientists and poets

@SandstormDesign

Research Shows It: Attractive Web Site Design Is Critical

They say you learn something new everyday. And today we learned quite a bit from our Technology and Usability Director, Michael Hartman, who shared some key takeaways from a ‘Putting Research into Practice’ training seminar by Human Factors International, Inc. One of the most intriguing findings was from a study by Tractinskya, Cokhavia, Kirschenbauma, and Sharfib (2006) where participants made a split second decision (500 milliseconds) about the attractiveness of a web site.

Turns out the average attractiveness ratings stayed about the same when the exposure time was extended to 10 seconds. This means users’ impressions about a web site’s aesthetics are made in less than a second. They don’t really change their mind after more time on the site. We all know how important first impressions are. Which is why aesthetics are extremely critical if you want a user to stay on your web site for, well, more than a second. If you ever need a little help with your website design, you know who to call.

@SandstormDesign

Our Own Sandy Marsico in Flash Mob with Infinium Capital Management

Visitors of the skating rink at Millennium Park in downtown Chicago this past weekend got a sweet surprise when they were bombarded with an orange hat wearing flash mob. Our own Sandy Marsico was in the crowd of dancers who were shaking their stuff to Queen, Michael Jackson, Beyonce and more. Check out the video here!

@SandstormDesign

Resolutions to Grow in 2011, and Not Just in Business

2010 was a spectacular year for Sandstorm! At the beginning of the year our office space grew, and as the year went on, so did our staff. In 2011, we’re anticipating even more growth for this Chicago marketing firm.

And the Sandstorm staff is looking forward to another type of growth – we’re hoping to grow some healthier personal habits! I asked around the office for the Sandstormers’ New Year’s Resolutions, and from the results, it looks like we’re a pretty health conscious bunch. Here are the resolutions:

Surround myself with positive people

Drop 5% body fat

Stop eating high fructose corn syrup

Eat better and be nicer

Run on the treadmill every week

Cook more home cooked meals

Read new books, one classic novel, one work of fiction, and one fluff read

Eat more organic food and less pizza

So, with salad on our plates, gym shoes on our feet, books in our bags and smiles on our faces, we at Sandstorm Design wish you a very Happy New Year!

@SandstormDesign

Pajama Day Leads to Increase in Productivity

There has been a lot of talk around our the Sandstorm Design office about possible “days.” Accent day, musical day, Spanish day (Día de Español), wacky socks day, potluck day. But pajama day is the one that really got our staff excited. **So we brought this office talk into fruition and deemed the day after the holiday party Pajama Day. It was already a half-day workday (one of our cool holiday gifts was that the office didn't open until 1:00 PM the day after the holiday party), so coming to work in our pajamas was only appropriate.

It turns out, sleeping in and wearing pajamas is good for business.** We were on top of our to-do lists, our brainstorming sessions left the whiteboard overflowing with ideas, and the overall office vibe was relaxed, comfy, and productive. What? Holiday stress? Not at Sandstorm Design.

@SandstormDesign

Good Food, Good Cheer at the Sandstorm Holiday Party

At Sandstorm, we’re experts at a lot of things – branding, usability, marketing… and general holiday merriment. Yes, at Sandstorm we know how to do the holidays! We gathered Sunday night with our significant others at Cafe Ba Ba Reeba for the annual Sandstorm holiday party. For some of us, including me, it was our first holiday party with Sandstorm, and I’m sure I speak for all of us newcomers when I say it was even more fun than I had anticipated. With sangria in hand (or beer, or margarita), we laughed the night away. Everyone ordered a few tapas, and then the plates just started passing.

Fried goat cheese? Yes, please.

Spicy potatoes? Yup, right here.

Something with mayonnaise? I’ll take it.

Something with bacon? Pass that to Zak.

We ate, drank, and cracked jokes until our cheeks were sore from laughing so hard. Then there was the Dirty Santa game. Alma stole Holly’s #1 spot this year, and got to be the first to pick a present, and the last to steal. Even though we had a private room, I’m pretty sure the whole restaurant could hear our Ooooh’s and Aaaah’s as each gift was unwrapped, and our bursts of laughter when someone would steal a coveted gift (like the Christmas Story leg lamp, or the neck massager, or the vampire Abe Lincoln book). And just when you thought you couldn’t eat, drink or laugh any more, they brought the dessert menu. To make the night even better, Sandy made an announcement that the office wouldn’t open until 1:00 PM the next day. Like I said, Sandstorm knows how to do the holidays.

@SandstormDesign

Surprise Decking of Sandstorm’s Halls

Here at Sandstorm, we all tend to take on the same mood of the day. You'll know when we’re in our Friday mood because the jokes are more frequent and the laughter is a lot louder. We also get in seasonal moods, enjoying cider in the fall and tea in the winter. And now that the holidays are upon us, we thought it would be fun to deck the halls to accompany our festive mood!

So on this extra wintery Monday morning, the Sandstorm staff arrived to see lights strung, gifts wrapped and stockings stuffed. To add to our already hefty supply of sweets, there are now candy canes, old-fashioned candies, peppermints and lollipops on just about every table. Everywhere you turn there are decorations to remind you of the season. Along with all this snowy weather, we now have a fully decorated office to keep us in the holiday spirit!

Speaking of holidays, I still need to get my Dirty Santa gift for this weekend’s Sandstorm Holiday Party…

@SandstormDesign

Mystery Offsite Mandatory Marketing Meeting Revealed

Our Sandstorm Design staff couldn’t stop talking about the mystery “Offsite Mandatory Meeting” scheduled for Friday. Concerns included what type of meeting this would be, exactly how far off site we would be going, and what type of clothing we would need (hiking gear, perhaps?).

With the meeting scheduled for 3:00 PM, Sandy called our anxious staff into a conference room at 2:45 PM to reveal that we would not be having a meeting after all. We would, however, be going off site – to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 on opening day! After a few excited updates to Facebook and text messages to jealous family members, we threw on our coats, jumped in the cars, passed out the tickets, claimed a row in the theater, and sat back to enjoy the Friday afternoon show. Sandy sure knows how to keep a smile on our faces! Thanks from all of us!

@SandstormDesign

Web Development Job in Chicago - .NET Developer with Sitecore CMS Experience

Sandstorm Design is hiring! We're looking for a freelance ASP.NET Developer with Sitecore CMS experience. We have been (and will be) busy creating the concepts, designs and information architecture for a site for a large local non-profit and need your development skills to build it. The project will be starting in development in January 2011 with some up front consultation needed immediately. Ideally, we would like to find a local Chicago ASP.NET contractor with whom we can build a long-term relationship to help with this project as well as future projects.

Candidates must have 4+ years .NET experience, preferably with a Microsoft certification, 1+ years hands-on experience using Sitecore CMS and 2+ years experience with MsSQL. We would like someone with experience developing high volume web applications, and the ability to design database tables, stored procedures and SQL Queries. You will need to know HTML and CSS. We also need you to be able to meet project timelines and budgets, collaborate with peers on a project to meet client needs, and have strong written and verbal communication skills. We're looking for a highly motivated, detail-oriented individual with excellent problem solving skills and a passion for delivering high quality products and creating highly usable web sites that optimize the user experience. A few pluses that will give you an edge: experience with AJAX/Jquery, developing e-commerce sites, and/or familiarity with Shopsite shopping site software.

Think you might be the one we are seeking? Submit your resume and work samples and/or links to jobs@sandstormdesign.com. Please NO phone calls.

@SandstormDesign

Sandstorm Launches New Web Site with Passion for Paschen

We are proud to announce the launch of the new F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen web site! We love working with this construction company, some say we’re almost as “Paschen”-ate as they are. Great people, great work, and a great history. We couldn’t wait for this site launch!

In addition to a new branded look and feel, the web site is filled with interactive video and functionality. We built a searchable project database that includes over 100 of their top projects. We also created an interactive experience on the homepage, new custom videos, an interactive map and a dynamically building ‘Contact Us’ form. To top it all off, custom photography highlights one of the company's strongest points of pride – their people. We couldn’t be more passionate about launching this web site for F.H. Paschen, a company we are proud to call our client and partner.

@SandstormDesign

Sandstorm Design Rocks The Cradle

It’s easy to love your job when you work for Sandstorm Design, and it’s even easier when the projects that come your way are for organizations that are working to make the world a better place – like The Cradle, an open adoption agency in Chicago. Along with giving them a fresh, new look, we also made their site easy to update by completing development in Drupal so that they can change their content regularly with current news, new waiting families, and new stories of success.

We loved working with The Cradle and being a part of helping birthparents, adoptive families, and adopted children come together to create their own unique family stories. We are so proud to launch this web site!

@SandstormDesign

Sandstorm and the National Association of REALTORS^® Build a Site for Baby Boomers

Sandstorm Design is excited to announce the launch of SRES.org! We’re so happy to provide this excellent resource to anyone age 50+ with real estate needs, helping them connect with SRES^® designees all over the country. The SRES^® designation, offered by the National Association of REALTORS^®, indicates specialization in the real estate needs of those age 50+. Baby boomers can visit this web site to easily search for an SRES^® designee near them, and prepare themselves for what types of considerations they’ll face with their real estate decisions. We love working with the National Association of REALTORS^® and marketing to seniors, and couldn’t be more excited to launch this web site!

@SandstormDesign

e-PRO^® Web Site Launch for the Social Media Savvy REALTOR^®

Sandstorm Design is thrilled to announce the e-PRO^® logo and website launch! e-PRO^® is a certification from the National Association of REALTORS^® that helps REALTORS^® build their businesses online. We loved working on this web site to encourage interaction and conversation (our specialty). A social media API integration on the homepage, including their blog, Facebook and Twitter pages, continues the conversation beyond the website. And certificate holders can create and update a profile to stay connected with clients and peers.

At Sandstorm, we’re all about staying connected with those you really enjoy working with, and that makes this launch even more exciting!

@SandstormDesign

The “Yes, and” Marketing Strategy

At Sandstorm Design, we live and work by the “Yes, and” marketing strategy. It is one of our core values and reflective in absolutely everything we do. So what is the “Yes, and” marketing strategy? For us, “Yes, and” is a way of thinking. It is being open to new ideas, thinking outside of the box, and drawing outside the lines. It is doing what is asked for, or expected, and then coming up with something new and interesting to also think about. It is always striving to be better, and innovative, and three steps ahead of what’s next.

If you’ve worked with us before, the “Yes, and” marketing strategy is very evident in our creative work. Usually, we will give you one concept that’s exactly what you want (we hope), and another that gives you a new idea to consider. The goal is that, regardless of which concept you go with, we challenge you and show you something unexpected.

And, until now, we sort of thought that we coined the “Yes, and” marketing strategy phrase. Recently, I came across this article that proved otherwise. It also outlined how special “Yes, and” truly is (we invent airplanes ☺), and how the counterpart “Yes, but” also plays into the mix.

@SandstormDesign

New Law Firm Gets a New Web Site

Sandstorm Design is so excited to announce the launch of a new web site for a new firm, Partridge IP Law. Having the opportunity to work with this unique law firm from inception has been such a privilege.

We created their new identity and brand, starting with the logo and print work before moving to the web. While the firm might be new, the attorneys are experienced. Their new web site showcases this expertise with detailed bios and a very active blog. We absolutely loved working with Partridge IP Law, and couldn’t be happier to announce this launch!

@SandstormDesign

Secret Ingredient Wins Marketing Firm's Guac-Off

The Sandstorm crew gathered on Sunday afternoon with bowls of guacamole in hand for our marketing firm’s annual Guac-Off. I had suspected the competition would be steep, but my poor minimalist recipe really didn’t stand a chance. The colors and flavors of the different guacamoles on the table were diverse, intriguing, and sometimes shocking (chocolate guacamole?!). Once the tasting began, some of us couldn’t even tell which was ours. I personally made one round to taste them all, and a second round to try to identify mine.

In the end, it was a snazzy, secret ingredient that made the winning dish stand out. Janna and her husband Tim used smoked paprika (yes, smoked paprika) in their recipe and won the trophy! There were so many tasty guacamoles, but this one was definitely one of the more creative. Congratulations Janna and Tim!

@SandstormDesign

Sandstorm Helps Federal Government Employees Explore Insurance Options

Sandstorm Design is proud to announce the launch of our second interactive health care web application. Federal employees have the opportunity to answer a series of questions and get a customized recommendation to help them find the right insurance plan. Along the way, learning moments are integrated throughout the experience, educating the user to make better decisions.

We love working with our clients as much as we love creating interactive tools to make people’s lives a little easier, and that’s why we’re so excited to launch this quick and easy-to-use web application to help Federal employees!

@SandstormDesign

Google Search Stories Interactive Tool

The idea of Google advertising on TV is a little weird to me. They’re a search engine, and the leader in their industry...what do they need to advertise for? But when I saw the first commercial in their “Search Stories” campaign, I was very impressed. They took something as quick and trivial as a 20-second search, and demonstrated the monumental impact that it has on a person’s life.

Before learning search engine optimization and working at an interactive marketing agency, I never really understood the importance of search engines. But in today’s world, Google is the first place that most people turn for literally every decision they make. If you have a question, odds are that Google can answer it.

And that is a really important thing. Because in doing so, Google, a search engine that is mathematically pulling data based on relevance, obtains a persona and a voice. It’s your trusted advice-giver, resource, and industry-expert for everything life throws your way. And it knows me so well! Today, I found this fun little tool that lets you create your own Google Search Story. I built a quick one about a user’s first experience with Sandstorm Design. Check it out, and please share your stories with us too!

@SandstormDesign

Marketing Firm Guac-Off to Knock Our Socks Off

How do you improve upon something you already feel is absolutely, fantastically wonderful? With Sandstorm Design’s annual Guac-Off approaching this Sunday at 4:00pm, this question keeps nudging its way into my head. Let me make this clear: I love guacamole.

I am a frequent visitor of the many awesome Mexican restaurants all over Chicago, and I have yet to try a guacamole I didn’t like. The flavors and textures span such a wide range with so few ingredients – smooth avocado, sweet onion, bold cilantro and tangy lime paired with salty corn tortilla chips. How could I possibly enhance such a winning equation in order to win our marketing firm’s Guac-Off? And as the newest member of the team at Sandstorm Design, I must say, I am certain my competition is steep.

Creativity is, after all, how we use marketing and web design to improve upon already excellent brands. Even as a newcomer it is quite apparent to me that taking something great and making it better is what our marketing firm does everyday. So I can only imagine what this team can do with a couple avocados! Lucky for me, I love guacamole just a smidgen more than I love winning. So even if my dish doesn’t win, my tummy most definitely will.

@SandstormDesign

10 Great b2b Sites: Sandstorm Design - a Featured Expert in Crain’s B2B Magazine

We are so honored to be mentioned in B2B magazine today! I just wanted to share as it really demonstrates our company's passion for user centered design and usable web sites. Here's a little excerpt for those that don't have time to read the full article:

Another trend: Making the most of a user's time on the site, rather than focusing on increasing the amount of time spent on the site, said Sandy Marsico, principal of Sandstorm Design, a web design and usability firm. “You want to help them find what they want quickly and get on with their day. Businesspeople don't have any time to waste anymore.” “You want clear areas of content,” Marsico said. “There should be more conversation and less selling.”

@SandstormDesign

Sandstorm Design thanks Com Ed for an unplanned company event at Riverview Tavern

This morning we received a pre-recorded phone call from Com Ed letting us know that due to a severe problem and an emergency on their end, that we would be losing power from 12:30 pm - 2pm. Ug... In the middle of the work day without power. In a matter of a few hours, we were going to lose our voicemail, server, and computers. All business as we know it would have to stop for the hour and a half. What a perfect opportunity for a team event!

On the bright side: At least they let us know in advance and we were able to shut down our machines and our data so there wasn't any danger in corrupt files or fried machines. And this will force us to take a leisurely lunch break and relax as many of us tend to work straight through the day.

So off we went, after shutting down the office, we piled into a few cars and had a GREAT lunch at Riverview Tavern on Damen. Complete with a toast to Com Ed for reminding us that when you can turn a curve ball into a home run. What could have been a stressful, annoying and frustrating afternoon became a memory of fun, laughter and much needed play time. I'm so sorry for those that missed it because they were out of the office today. Thanks Com Ed! Cheers. :)

@SandstormDesign

Third River’s Values Reflected in New Website

Third River Capital Management (now Dearborn Partners) wanted a web site that would represent them for who they are: a professional, contemporary, collaborative group. We at Sandstorm Design were so excited take this vision and build it, and are even more excited to announce the web site launch!

The imagery of running waters on the site gives it a clean look, and reflects Third River Capital Management’s approach to the business – consistent and long term. They are such a joy to work with, and their collaborative approach is especially inspiring. We couldn’t be happier to announce this web site launch!

@SandstormDesign

Health Care Web Application goes live

After months of collaboration, health care education, Medicare explanation, web application development, voice over talent selection and a bit of instructional design, we are proud to announce the launch of an interactive health care web application to help users understand Medicare health care coverage options from a large insurance company. After going through the application, I feel confident I can help my parents through the Medicare process and explain the difference between A, B, D, gap and advantage. If you can't, and you know someone who is around 65 years old, you should send them to check it out. (There's closed captioning as well as the ability to increase the type, too.)

@SandstormDesign

Responsive Web Development for over 230 unique screen resolutions... and growing

Over 60% of all mobile phone owners in the United States use a smartphone. To achieve the experience and scalability of responsive web design, Sandstorm employes an agile development process including extremely close collaboration with our UX designers, architects, and responsive web developers.

Developers and designers work side-by-side to find natural break points within the content, prioritize functionally based on top user tasks, and remove unnecessary assets as the site responds to a user's device. This partnership produces a better end result in less time, and our clients get the opportunity to see our progress along the way.

With thoughtful execution on the initial design concepts, our in-house team develops with constant testing at every step of the way on all supported devices, including phone, tablet, and desktop experiences on Apple, Android, and Windows operating systems. This ongoing checking and rechecking ensures that the responsive web sites we develop are compatible with the most up-to-date software and devices, AND delivers a user experience aligned with user goals and expectations.

At Sandstorm, responsive web development is an attentive and agile process of building, problem-solving, innovating and, ultimately, producing a web site that creates the best user experience for our clients and yours. Whether we're developing in a responsive code base in Drupal, or native HTML, the development methodology remains the same.

Contact us today to discuss your responsive development needs.

Responsive Web Development Company Chicago

@SandstormDesign

Chicago marketing firms quote chosen from 5000 submissions

Congratulations Sandstorm! We submitted an inspirational quote for the 2011 Woman's Advantage Calendar and from over 5,000 submissions, our marketing firm's quote (and internal company philosophy) was chosen. Woo hoo!

Our inspirational quote will appear on our own calendar page (September 22) with our company name and url. What a great way to increase our visibility and get a little free publicity. I love PR and marketing, and I love to win. This is such an honor. And a fun way to share a little insight about our marketing firm and the people who work here.

So you might be wondering, what was our winning quote and inspiration: "To become an exceptional leader, take the time to help others achieve their dreams" The extra special part - I found out today, on my birthday.

@SandstormDesign

Sandstorm Design Serves Pilsen Junior Tennis Camp a New Web Site

Sandstorm Design is proud to announce that the Pilsen Junior Tennis Camp web site has been served! We had such a great time working with this nonprofit, and even donated a large portion of our time in order to provide them with the kind of web site they deserve. We are an inspired group, and love working with others who inspire us, like Pilsen Junior Tennis Camp. This nonprofit teaches tennis to economically challenged children, and focuses on building personal achievement, confidence and self-esteem.

The new web site includes a blog so they can keep the community up to date, as well as a sponsor/partner area to help promote local businesses. We’re so proud to have been a part of this project, and couldn’t be more excited to launch this web site!

@SandstormDesign

Sandstorm Design Helps REALTORS^® Help Baby Boomers and Seniors

We are proud to announce the launch of the Seniors Real Estate Specialists^® web site! SRES^® is a designation offered by the National Association of REALTORS^®, an association we’ve absolutely loved working with for over seven years.

SRES^® designees are specialized in the real estate needs of those age 50+, and this web site gives them a place to connect with each other and with anyone looking for an SRES^® designee. After logging in, members can update their profile, download marketing materials, or receive help with live chat. We’re so excited to launch this web site for the National Association of REALTORS®!

@SandstormDesign

Sandstorm Design and Immaculate Conception School Parents Volunteer to Help Launch New Web Site

We are so proud to announce the launch of the Immaculate Conception School web site! The parents at Immaculate Conception School are an inspiring group of people. They came together with the school’s administration and Sandstorm Design to redesign and develop the Immaculate Conception School web site. We were so excited to be a part of this project, and even donated extra time and effort to make sure their new web site was absolutely incredible.

One of the most valuable sections on the web site is the Parent Center, accessible through a secure login. There, families with registered students can see calendar updates, register for after school programs, see upcoming events and more. And the best part… every face you see on the web site is an actual student at the school! We loved working with the school and parents to create this very functional web site, and couldn’t be happier to announce its launch!

@SandstormDesign

A good omen indeed - we are hiring!

Back in January we had the good fortune of being featured in the Chicago Tribune about our forecast for growth. The article talked about "good omens" and somewhere in the back of my mind I was thinking that if this goes to print (which it did) then we have to have a good year because I publicly made the claim (or the prediction).

What I am most thrilled about is that so many companies are hiring this year - big and small agencies, corporations, associations, etc. This is good for the marketing and advertising industry, and even better for the Chicago people, for my friends, and my family. When companies hire, we all win - and putting together a job offer is my most favorite thing to do. In the interactive space, there is so much going on right now that when we call Creative Circle for some help, the position we are looking to fill is always in "high demand."

So what are we looking for? Great interactive account managers, web developers, UX designers, and we're still on the lookout for that right marketing copywriter. Write us an interesting email and send us your best work (via URL please, no attachments), and we'd love to hear from you.

@SandstormDesign

Website maintenance services & proactive timely support

Looking for a new web development agency to take over the maintenance of your website? We'll leverage our technical expertise with content management systems (Drupal, Kentico) and service-oriented project management to ensure a smooth transition maintaining and supporting your site. We currently manage multiple national web site applications and global websites on a multi-year, annual retainer including monthly traffic and lead reporting, web site enhancements, search optimization, copy changes, security patches, module updates, and API adjustments – in multiple languages. We re-evaluate our clients' needs regularly to stay aligned and on target with their expectations, and we would take the same care with you.

Our clients come to us for our website maintenance services, technical know-how, web analytics reporting and insights, and UX expertise, but they stay for the timely and resourceful support. We love what we do, and it shows! We're not afraid to suggest ideas, and we're proactive when it comes to updates and security patches.

To get started, our web developers will conduct a code review to understand the inner workings of your code, content management system, functionality, and identify any custom code sections or areas of risk. Most sites lack adequate documentation, so a code review is a good way for us to identify any immediate action items such as module updates or security patches, and gets us familiar with your content, taxonomy, site structure, and maintenance patterns. From here, we'll build a website maintenance package (a combination of flat fee and hourly) to align with your particular needs.

Contact us about our website maintenance services!

@SandstormDesign

Sandstorm Design SEO website grade: 99/100

I love taking tests. Sounds weird, I know, but I love learning, and tests are a quick way for me to discover what I don't know and immediately pinpoints an area or two that I can improve on. And I found a website SEO tool that tests your website and gives you a grade. Sandstorm Design got 99/100!

When it comes to SEO and marketing your website, the high level concepts don't often change (write strong original content, continue to add to that content, attract quality links, etc). What does change are all the new things you can do to increase your odds that people will come back to your website and promote your content, which in turn drives more traffic. Of all the website SEO tools, I like Website Grader. (and no, they didn't pay for that link).

When I find a tool I like, I share it. And what I like most is that Website Grader put together in a very organized fashion what they look for in the analysis, what you can do to improve your website, and if you want more help, where to go. And it's free.

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