K.A. Wiggins

BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS PORTFOLIO SAMPLES BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS PORTFOLIO CONTENTS Portfolio Contents Table of Contents Portfolio Contents ....................................................................................................... 2 DISCLAIMERS: ............................................................................................................................................ 3 LETTERS & DIRECT MARKETING ................................................................................. 4 Professional Services ........................................................................................................... 5 YVision Financial Marketing Referral Letter & Newspaper Ad Copy ....................................... 5 Non-for-profit/Institutional ................................................................................................ 7 ReCalibrate Leadership Consulting Letter of Introduction ......................................................... 7 REPORTS & GUIDES ..................................................................................................... 9 Professional Services ......................................................................................................... 10 Training Management Handbook ..................................................................................................... 10 Incident Investigations Handbook .................................................................................................... 15 WEBSITE CONTENT ................................................................................................... 21 Professional Services ......................................................................................................... 22 Gourmet Marketing Comprehensive Website Refresh ............................................................... 22 Brunswick Group Recruitment Process Outsourcing Copy ...................................................... 53 OpenProject Software Parallax Website Content ........................................................................ 53 MobApi Software Services SEO-divergent Product Copy .......................................................... 57 OAC Services Software Consulting Landing Page Copy ............................................................ 59 Caribe Tours Landing Page Copy ..................................................................................................... 60 Kuwait Translation New Website ....................................................................................................... 61 Finance ............................................................................................................................... 64 MIB Extended Finance Services Description.................................................................................. 64 Lite Insurance Lead Generation Content........................................................................................ 69 YVision Financial Web Copy ............................................................................................................... 76 B2C/Retail .......................................................................................................................... 80 Avis & Budget Car Rental Localization SEO ................................................................................... 80 Tapious Private Social Network Relaunch Copy ........................................................................... 83 Sign Guru Online Location-Targeted Services .............................................................................. 85 B Crystal Corp Manufacturing Landing Page Copy ................................................................... 90 Ethical Designs Retail Sales Copy ..................................................................................................... 90 BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS PORTFOLIO CONTENTS Handcrafted Bath & Body Retail Sales Copy ................................................................................ 91 Photon Export Lens Manufacturing ESL Website Rewrite ....................................................... 91 Healthcare .......................................................................................................................... 91 Nobledoc Homepage Microcopy ....................................................................................................... 91 Owens Optometry New Website Content ...................................................................................... 92 Caribe Tours Landing Page Copy ..................................................................................................... 95 Avis & Budget Car Rental Localization SEO ................................................................................... 96 CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS ............................................................................ 100 Professional Services .......................................................................................................101 Gourmet Marketing Case Studies .................................................................................................. 101 Fast + Epp Structural Engineering Boilerplate .......................................................................... 117 Fast + Epp Industry Competition Entry Texts ........................................................................... 121 BLOGS & ARTICLES .................................................................................................. 131 B2C/Retail/Industrial .......................................................................................................132 Photon Export Lens Manufacturing Technical Blogs .............................................................. 132 Forma Floors Content Marketing ................................................................................................... 136 London Events Editorial .................................................................................................................... 141 Adventure Holiday Travel Feature ................................................................................................. 144 Family Travel Editorial ....................................................................................................................... 146 Family Travel Feature ........................................................................................................................ 148 Live Abroad Feature ........................................................................................................................... 151 Career Abroad Feature ...................................................................................................................... 153 Traveling Professional Feature ....................................................................................................... 155 DISCLAIMERS: Portfolio work has been completed under a variety of arrangements: in house, freelance, ghostwritten, or commissioned. Canadian, American and British standard language has been used depending on client requirements. All content is the property of the owner/client and to protect our clients’ interests, this file is copyprotected and personal identifying details are, in some cases, redacted. Live content online may differ from provided text as clients tweak and refresh online content to meet conversion goals. The text in this document is as originally provided. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS LETTERS & DIRECT MARKETING LETTERS & DIRECT MARKETING BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS LETTERS & DIRECT MARKETING Professional Services YVision Financial Marketing Referral Letter & Newspaper Ad Copy Client: YVision Financial Services Inc. Language: American English Industry: Financial Services, Insurance Scope: Sales re-marketing letter to encourage existing customers to make referrals. Newspaper ad micro-copy. Also see Website Content for additional content for this client. Referral Marketing Letter Thank you for trusting YVision Financial to help you protect your “why” in life. We take great pride in helping our clients with the things that matter most to them: protecting their peace of mind, livelihood, financial security, and ability to provide for loved ones. Taking the first steps toward building life-long security and capital by choosing YVision Financial as your insurance and investment broker demonstrates great responsibility and commitment to your career success and loved ones. We know life is busy; the rush of finishing degrees, getting careers established and building thriving families can be overwhelming at times. It takes thoughtfulness and foresight to make careful arrangements for your future well-being and happiness, and not everyone has made the effort to take such steps. That’s why we’re writing today to extend an offer to join our rewarding affiliate program. We believe in creating awareness, helping everyone see the value of protecting their financial security and making sure soon-to-be clients can benefit from quality insurance and investment services - including your friends, family and peers. With no sales quotas and a clear focus on our clients' needs first, YVision's Financial Security Advisors are at our clients' service to build and maintain a Financial Security Plan suited to each stage of life and unique needs. We can help soon-to-be clients build on the right foundation, whether they're just finishing up education, launching BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS LETTERS & DIRECT MARKETING a career, starting a family, buying a new home, or already a force to be reckoned with in their chosen field. Our no obligation policy ensures that your friends, family and coworkers feel zero pressure to take any steps they may feel uncomfortable with, so you can feel confident making each referral. Our comprehensive solutions, including Life and Disability Insurance policies, as well as Mutual Fund Investment services in line with Peak Investment Services Inc., allow us to customize a package of services appropriate to each soon-to-be client's situation. YVision Financial operates with integrity, the highest ethical standards, and a passion for creating awareness around how planning ahead for your financial security can make all the difference in protecting your future and your loved ones. To join our affiliate program and be eligible for valuable program member benefits such as prize draws, event tickets, insider-only events, and referral awards, please visit [link] and sign up to the program mailing list. In addition to the rewarding incentives just for joining, we offer a USD$200 gift card for all referrals who give us your name and sign on as clients. Thank you again for choosing YVision Financial for your insurance and investment needs. Newspaper Advertisement Micro-copy Version 1 Life Insurance preserves more of your estate from the tax man while helping family cover last expenses. It also provides better value and benefits than mortgage insurance alone. It’s never too late to make a difference; let YVision Financial's specialist experts help you find the right Life Insurance match today. Newspaper Advertisement Micro-copy Version 2 BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS LETTERS & DIRECT MARKETING Specialist insurance for the elderly and homeowners. Preserve your estate and help family cover last expenses. Best value – we help you save on mortgage insurance. Insurance that benefits you, not the banks! No-pressure sales. Custom solutions. It’s never too late to make a difference. Non-for-profit/Institutional ReCalibrate Leadership Consulting Letter of Introduction Client: ReCalibrate Leadership Solutions Language: Canadian English Industry: Non-for-profit, churches Scope: Craft an introductory business development letter. Letter of Introduction 70 - 80% of existing churches in North America are experiencing plateau or decline.i ReCalibrate was developed to help churches accomplish their mission with ongoing vitality and effectiveness. We have a burden and passion to help both church plants/church planters and existing churches be in a constant process of recalibrating to God’s mission, or get ‘unstuck’ii to prevent slowing and decline. By engaging: • Mission/Vision • Strategy • Outcomes ReCalibrate helps leaders and churches provide careful and crucial attention to the integrity (wholeness or cohesiveness) of the ministry, with clear, close focus on God’s mission for his church supported by optimized ministry effectiveness. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS LETTERS & DIRECT MARKETING Churches, leaders and denominations can benefit from ReCalibrate’s process, which brings to bear a number of tools and best practices in a variety of formats: • Group For leaders/churches/denominations who want to learn how to recalibrate their ministry to align more effectively with God’s mission for his church. We lead participants through the principles of ReCalibrate and leave them with concrete steps they can begin implementing in their ministry. Onsite or remote group workshops. • Next Steps For leaders/churches who want to engage at a deeper and more customized level after a workshop. Onsite or remote coaching. • Transformation Ongoing, customized coaching access to churches who engage in the ReCalibrate process beyond the onsite process. • Masterclass For Regional Leaders, organizational and leadership development training in providing ongoing support to their churches as they recalibrate their effectiveness. [Redacted} planted churches, led and transitioned existing churches for 30 years prior to launching ReCalibrate. A. brings his leadership insight as a pastor, church planter, leadership trainer and motivator, while S. contributes marketplace experience in organizational and leadership development and a gift for creative problem solving and strategic solutions. We’ve attached an overview of the ReCalibrate process, and would love to hear from you to discuss how we could help your ministry recalibrate to God’s mission for his church. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS REPORTS & GUIDES REPORTS & GUIDES BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS REPORTS & GUIDES Professional Services Training Management Handbook Client: Withheld Language: American English Industry: Professional services Scope: Brief instructional overview guide to Training Management. The Painless Training Management Handbook Why read this guide? Across most industries and in most countries, following a rigorous protocol regarding heath and safety and/or environmental practices is not only responsible and humanitarian, but also an absolute requirement by insurance, government and standards boards. Unfortunately, getting new hires up to speed and maintaining staff awareness and compliance with your standards, especially across a large number of employees and/or locations can be time-consuming, expensive and frustrating for all involved. A well-developed training management plan, supported by the right tools and oriented towards your specific set of requirements, practices, and industry norms makes all the difference. This guide will help you understand your training management options and how they will benefit you. Who is this for? Leaders and employees in organizations with specific requirements regarding health, environment and safety practices will benefit from this handbook. Specifically: • Human Resources Professionals looking to update or identify the best way to train staff on health and safety or environmental best-practices and procedures. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS REPORTS & GUIDES • Training Professionals and Consultants looking for tools and systems to improve learner outcomes. • Leaders and key decision makers of organizations looking to reduce risk and optimize efficiency and employee safety and understanding. • Employees concerned about their workplace or occupational environment and health and safety practices, and in search of a better way to learn. • Organizations with a large and/or decentralized workforce who need to ensure all employees are trained consistently and comprehensively. What is training management? Training management is the activities, strategies and tools that support learning. Often, though not always, a subsection of the human resources discipline, training management is the practice of bringing new employees up to speed with knowledge and expectations they need to be aware of, and maintaining awareness in existing employees. Competency management - closely related - focuses on broader skillsets and identifying where gaps need to be filled for best outcomes. Since we live in the digital age, the best solutions incorporate competency management or training management software to automate data-intensive steps, enhance the learner's experience, keep track of details and enhance overall efficiency. Software and plans offer various methodologies and expert learning approaches to optimize learner outcomes, such as: • Safety simulation exercises to help learners deepen their understanding of practical applications. • Behavior modeling BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS REPORTS & GUIDES • Online safety training to ensure consistency and optimize clarity and presentation of content that is available at any time and from any location. • Continuous learning plan with automated alerts, reminders and content reviews to keep everyone and everything up-to-date and on track. • Gamification with user stats, badges or challenges to stimulate engagement with learning material. • Customization by employee, role, location or other criteria to make sure learning material is appropriate to each learner. • Video, multi-media and interactive training facilitated for better learner engagement with the material. • Competency management to identify, track and update employee skills, traits, accreditation and performance. • Dashboards and automated reports to track and visualize various desired outcomes (or KPI: key performance indicators) such as learning progress, qualifications and compliance. Training management software can facilitate and improve on a number of activities including: • New employee on-boarding • Continuing professional development (CPD) • Employee continuous performance management and performance reviews • Maintaining current and comprehensive employee resume detail such as certifications and courses • Matching and managing crews based on up-to-date employee data • Initial or continuous safety training, health or environment training, or other unique training requirements BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS REPORTS & GUIDES How do I choose the right match? The right plan and training or competency management software for your needs will take into account what you need employees to learn, know and do, how your organization operates, communicates and interacts, and what constraints or challenges you face. See "How do I get started" below for more on understanding these requirements. Once you have a clear understanding of your needs, goals and constraints, you can starting looking at where to focus your search. You might lean more towards overall competency management, or simply zero in on safety training for the time being. How do I know it's working? Successful outcomes are as critically important, as they are customized to each organization. The difference between a painful and a painless training management plan lies in the outcome. Is your environment, health and safety training resulting in less accidents? Do new employees know what they're responsible for and expected to do, both on a day-to-day basis, and in critical environmental, health and safety scenarios? Are you fielding fines and confrontations over errors, omissions and mistakes, or cruising along without a hitch? Are your insurance claims - and premiums! - going up, or are you negotiating lower fees based on an impeccable record? Of course, while these are all great indicators that your training management software and plan are successful, they may not be easy indicators to keep track of and understand in the short term, or on a regular basis. That's why training management software offers built-in features like at-a-glance dashboards and automated reports that take the KPI or outcomes that matter to you, and put them at your fingertips. Instant feedback, and the power to understand where you're at and when to take action. With the right KPI, you'll be able to understand if you have the right people on the job, if they're up-to-date on their safety training and other key competencies, and where there's a gap that you can take action to fill, before there's a mistake or a crisis to clean up. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS REPORTS & GUIDES How do I get started? As with other areas of business practice, the clearer and more focused your plan is, the better your success. The first step in achieving painless training is to identify your goal. Simply; what do your employees need to know? Your answer will come from a few different sources: • Insurance provider: are there any requirements that will affect your policy rate or premium? • Professional organization: • Government policy and business license: • Standards certifications: • Industry expectations: • Ethical requirements: • Company (Organizational) culture or identity: The second step is to identify any challenges. These can be based on what's slowed you down or caused pain in the past, or could be related to the type of employees you have. Considerations like amount of time (efficiency) and funds spent (costeffectiveness) may also be listed as challenges or constraints. Make a list of any reasons that you haven't had or followed a training management plan in the past, or why training isn't meeting your expectations. If you find these steps challenging, not to worry! Training management companies and consultants specialize in helping you answer these questions and identify your path to success. Once you understand your goal and objectives (the list of things you need to train staff in) and where training plans have failed in the past, or are likely to fail, you're more than halfway there. What remains is simply to compare available tools and practices against your criteria (goals and challenges). If a tool doesn't help you meet your goals and solve your challenges at the same time, it's not a good match. When it helps your employees learn and remain in compliance BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS REPORTS & GUIDES with requirements, and even saves you time and money, you'll know you've found the right match. You're almost there, but there's one more thing left before you're finished. Checking your results to make sure the plan and tools are giving you the right results is an important part of choosing a training approach and tools. The right training plan will come with a set of targets (often called KPI - Key Performance Indicators) and a way of ensuring competency management is in place. Simply, you'll want to know that your employees know and do the stuff that they were supposed to have learned. Now you can sit back and enjoy the benefits of a fully compliant, effective and painless training management program! Reference sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_management_system https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competency_management_system Incident Investigations Handbook Client: Withheld Language: American English Industry: Professional services Scope: Brief instructional overview guide to Incident Investigations. Purpose Incident investigations are a necessary component of any organization dealing with specific environmental, health and safety related tasks. Effective incident investigation will not only identify, document, and influence a solution, the right approach will push past surface-level causes and solutions to get at information that can help you avoid future incidents and, by extension, accidents and time and money lost. This guide offers insight into incident investigation methodologies such as root cause analysis and the 5 Whys approach, benefits, applications and solutions, BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS REPORTS & GUIDES including incident management software and incident reporting software that support better outcomes for you and your employees. Methodologies A methodology is how you think about, understand and resolve the root cause of an incident. While incident management software and and incident reporting software greatly support the process, the right methodology must first be selected and implemented. Some common incident investigation methodologies, some of which are closely related, include: • Systemic Model: Focuses on the systems and processes of the organization culture and leadership to understand accident causes as mismatches or failures between those components. • Epidemiological Model: From the medical term for the spread of disease, this methodology investigates accidents as emanating from hidden failures across all organizational components, including management, procedure and design. • Sequence-of-Events (Domino) Model: Understands accidents as a continuous set of failures that set off a chain reaction. • TOP-SET Root Cause Analysis: Follows a relationship diagramming discipline that asks "Why?" as relates to three types of causes (Immediate, Underlying and Root) to build a tree/funnel investigation leading to the root cause • “5 Whys” Approach: The 5 Whys approach recommends asking the question "Why" repeatedly, starting with why the incident occurred and taking each answer as the start to the next question, to push past surface causes and identify systemic root causes. It is important to avoid getting stuck with other questions (who, what, how) in order to successfully reach past simplistic answers and reach the root causes. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS REPORTS & GUIDES Note that the 5 Whys methodology may involve more, or less, than five iterations in practice. This approach can be used jointly with any of the other methodologies, as it has the potential to reach into a variety of causal factors including systems, processes, organization culture, and leadership decisions. It is also easily understood and applied. Benefits Applying the right methodology, understanding the applicable causal factors and performing effective root cause analysis can create immediate and long-term benefits for your organization. There are several challenges or barriers to incident investigation that can get in the way of understanding the cause of an accident or incident and finding solutions. Perspectives or methodologies can influence a predisposition to a rigid understanding of causal factors. For instance, it's common to understand all incidents as having been caused by a familiar culprit - most often this is recorded as human error. While humans are indeed inevitably implicated somewhere along the chain of events, this fails to adequately understand the longer-term, more far-reaching causes and from there, misses the opportunity to adjust course. Rigorous root cause analysis pushes on simple answers to investigate if there are additional causes that can be addressed. Additionally, an organization's culture or leadership can influence root cause analysis. It is human nature to avoid blame, and employees may feel afraid to point out personal, leadership and system risks or failures if they feel that it will hurt them. This can be mitigated by making sure leadership - from the very highest levels - engages with the incident investigation and demonstrates commitment to understanding and addressing problems, while making it advantageous for staff and leaders to expose risks and failures instead of concealing them. Creating an environment where taking the steps necessary to reach beyond the easiest, most obvious cause(s) to reach the root cause is encouraged will benefit your organization. You will create a strong organization culture of trust, safety and responsibility, and potential incidents will be identified long before they can occur. When incidents do happen, you will be able to come to a clear understanding of BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS REPORTS & GUIDES their cause without shame and blame-avoidance clouding the issue, and from there, you will be able to take effective steps to avoid not only a repeat incident, but the many related incidents that could have stemmed from root causes hidden up the system stream. Incident reporting software and incident management software can help by ensuring that effective methodologies are applied in a rigorous, simple and accessible framework. These can challenge expectations or 'easy answers' to expand the perspective son causal factors, gather actionable data to aid in root cause analysis, and aid in communicating and document the steps needed to correct any failures or risks. Applications A couple scenarios to illustrate how effectively identifying root causes can influence outcomes: Workplace injury: A warehouse employee is injured stacking boxes. A human-error causation response could be that the employee exceeded recommended heights when stacking the boxes. A lack of training, or too long between training is blamed. A systematic methodology following the “5 Whys “might ask why the employee was stacking boxes dangerously high. It turns out that the contents were higher density and not distributed evenly, so the edges of the boxes collapsed. Why wasn't the packaging more sturdy? This was a new product formulation, and production used packaging on hand. Why didn't production test packaging before shipping? Production took longer than expected. Why wasn't there time for comprehensive testing? Production was understaffed due to summer vacation time. Why were multiple team members approved for vacation time at once? Vacations are approved by a line manager at his discretion, without a system to enforce regulations. Now you've gone from increasing the regularity of safety training sessions for all warehouse staff to recognizing risk areas in shipping packaging quality and design, production quality assurance compliance and scheduling processes and tools. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS REPORTS & GUIDES Environmental spill: In a 'near-miss' scenario, now that you've created an open environment of trust and responsible, no-fault reporting, an employee submits a risk alert identifying a materials production irregularity. The irregularity coincided with manufacture of pipeline joins for a renewal project. The irregularity could cause a reduction in flexibility and effective seal or fit on the pipeline join, turning brittle in cold temperatures. The renewal project is taking place in a northern location, and could have resulted in a spill once the ground freezes, but you are able to restart production, manufacture replacement parts, and ship them to the site with only a week's delay. Your employee could have been afraid to say something because the replacement cost you money in manufacturing and construction time, and reflected poorly on their department and their supervisor's quality control, but your consistent commitment to responsible incident management and your no-fault reporting system gave them the confidence to alert you to a risk and save you massive damages and a PR nightmare down the road. Implementation Understanding causal factors, incident investigation methodologies, root cause analysis approaches will help you implement the right solution for your environment, health and safety needs. Incident management software and incident reporting software help you keep your approach consistent, insightful, data-driven, up-to-date and effective. These tools support your process and approach by facilitating step-by-step processes to collect data about an incident or 'near-miss' incident (risk), ask and answer the questions that drive root cause analysis, and identify and assign mitigation steps to address risk. When using incident management software and incident reporting software, a key benefit is the access to automated reporting, at-a-glance dashboards and insights supported by data visualizations that will help you stay on top of incident investigations in progress, identify trends, respond and resolve, and address risks before an incident can occur. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS REPORTS & GUIDES Sources http://www.asse.org/assets/1/7/F1Manuele_10141.pdf http://www.cgerisk.com/knowledge-base/incident-analysis-methods/incidentanalysis-methods BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT WEBSITE CONTENT BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Professional Services Gourmet Marketing Comprehensive Website Refresh Client: Gourmet Marketing Language: American English Industry: Luxury Hospitality Marketing Services (New York market) Scope: Full website content to accompany a brand refresh/redesign. Over 10,000 words of original content in a fresh voice including Mission Statement, micro-copy (slogans), 25 services pages, 6 project pages, and 19 case studies. Case studies listed under Case Studies & Competitions. Mission Statement We're on a mission to transform the hospitality industry with strategic, integrated marketing services to help you connect with more of the customers you want. Whether you're a small, family-owned, regional business or a multi-location national or international chain, our one-stop, comprehensive menu of marketing services makes it easy for you to reach and surpass your goals. Access our full slate of experienced professionals to put together only the support you need, or work with us to identify appropriate targets and the best array of services to achieve your desired success, with fully flexible and customized marketing packages. Advertising Services Make strong connections with customers through strategic investment. You've honed your hospitality services, crafted your brand and built an excellent online presence. Now it's time to tell the world. Target the right audience with a combination of advertising approaches and channels tuned to the particular demographics and interests that resonate with your customers. We'll help you find the best approach for your brand, whether it's Social Media Advertising to meet people where they're at, Display or Video ads to grab and hold attention, Search Engine Marketing to drive and keep traffic to your curated online BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT properties, or strategic Retargeting to emphasize and embed your brand in customer's minds. SMA Make a connection with customers by seamlessly integrating your offerings into their social world. Social Media Advertising is your chance to spark a conversation and build rapport with your hospitality brand by placing your message organically into their social media feed. Display Get dynamic with display advertising. Use compelling images or short video on relevant, targeted web-pates to make an impression on customers. SEM Focus your efforts on refining your proprietary resources. Combine searchoptimization of your website and online channels with targeted online advertising campaigns to ensure a strong brand presence. Video Take your display advertising next-level, or leverage video-optimized sites for your brand by telling the story of your hospitality offerings. Retargeting Make the most of your advertising investment by strengthening your brand presence. Ad retargeting places your message in front of customers repeatedly, encouraging stronger brand recall. Branding Services BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT First impressions count. So do all the other ones. Make them memorable. Logo It's your calling card, your at-a-glance identity, what you'll be remembered by. And in the crowded hospitality industry more than ever, it matters. Put your best foot forward with a memorable, signature logo design and invest in crystal-clear brand guidelines to keep your branding and visual identity purely you. Print There's an art to visual communication. Great print collateral captures your critical content in an aesthetically-pleasing and attention-grabbing layout, while supporting and communicating your overall branding strategy and guidelines. It's a visual extension of your hospitality services; clear, engaging and valuable. Packaging Stand out from the crowd with unique packaging that's perfectly aligned with your branding and your customers' needs. Form and function, integrated. This is your chance to elevate the mundane, making a serviceable object into a meaningful hospitality experience for your customer while promoting your brand. Signage Expand your brand and connect with customers where they're at. Craft an experience around your brand with environments structured to support your customers' experience and promote your brand. The larger, 'outside-the-box' canvases of signage and interior design offer an unparalleled opportunity to surprise and delight customers. Email Marketing Services Strategy BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Maximize the power of direct email marketing with clear goals and targets for your hospitality business, and campaigns fully aligned and in support of that strategy. Complete service Benefit from integrated email marketing services: targeted campaigns in support of your hospitality business' strategy with quality design aligned with your branding and clear, engaging copy that sparkles. Creative Draw and hold your customers' attention with email marketing designs that shine while promoting your hospitality business' branding guidelines.. Restaurant Email Marketing Services You've done the hard work of making a connection and gathering precious email addresses. Now make the most of that opportunity. Start with solid strategy, identifying the right goals and targets, in the right order. Ensure all communications are value-added for your customer, to keep them coming back. Add excellent creative; designs fully informed by your branding and oriented towards your customers, in concert with stellar layout and clear, engaging text. Then confirm your restaurant email marketing efforts are communicating effectively with your customers and reaching your targets with regular, actionable follow-up reports. A dedicated team will keep everything aligned, balanced and on target. Strategy Effective restaurant email marketing strategy makes the most of your investment. Set clear, actionable goals, then measure progress. Complete service BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Get all the support you need from day one, with a dedicated team to help with identifying and defining strategy, setting creative direction and crafting layout, design and content, and measuring the success of your restaurant email marketing campaigns. Creative Effective communication is more than words on a page. Make a splash with designs and content that are informed by your goals and hospitality brand to help you reach your targets and connect with customers. Hotel Email Marketing Services Email subscribers represent near-wins; customers who have expressed a desire for you to stay in touch. Reward their trust and loyalty with hotel email marketing campaigns that engage and support them, while maximizing your investment by targeting a receptive clientele. Great campaigns are built on solid strategy and are supported by brand-compliant, visually engaging and clear creative content crafted by an integrated specialist team. Strategy Hotel email marketing needs to engage customers with a compelling, value-added experience. Strategic campaign planning will help you identify goals and targets that benefit your hotel hospitality business while pleasing customers and keeping them coming back for more. Complete service Benefit from integrated services and a coordinated team of professionals to support you through the entire hotel email marketing campaign. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Creative Express the essence of your hotel brand with creative designs and content fully aligned with your visual identity. Restaurant Branding Services Be the first choice every time with outstanding restaurant branding. A clear, memorable logo and consistent brand across print, packaging, signage and interior design is key to getting inside customers' minds and staying there. Logo Be yourself; unique, bold and worth remembering. Now visualize that. The right logo carries your identity wherever it goes (so: everywhere!) Signage It's in the details. And the broad strokes. And everywhere in between. Create a cohesive, appealing identity for your space and beyond with signage and interior design. Print Communicate effectively out of your unique brand identity with print collateral designed to connect with customers while supporting your restaurant branding. Packaging Take your branding and customer experience to the next level with custom-designed packaging and make the most out of every opportunity to connect. Brand BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT It's your identity, defined. Make it consistent and compelling with careful and comprehensive brand guidelines for every form of media and use case. Hotel Branding Services Customers have more choice than ever before. Be their first one, with integrated branding that carries through from a memorable logo, striking signage, compelling print collateral and custom packaging to above-and-beyond interior design with thorough, strategic brand guidelines. Logo The starting point and core of your hotel branding, the right logo is at the heart of your visual and brand identity. Signage Get noticed and stay memorable with signage and interior environments strategically designed to make a lasting impression on your customers while supporting your hotel branding. Print Great print collateral is beautiful and compelling, but unobtrusive and focused on benefiting the customer - just like your hotel business. Packaging Extend your signature hotel branding throughout your customers' experience with custom-designed packaging for integrated and superior service. Brand BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Your hotel prides itself on quality service. Carry that dedication through to all aspects of your visual and communicative identity with thorough, reliable brand guidelines for all forms of media. Hotel Advertising Services You've cultivated an inspiring experience, crafted a beautiful space and built the right team and infrastructure to support excellence in hospitality. Deploy balanced, strategic hotel advertising to make the connection between your quality services and the customers who are looking for the unique experience you provide. Implement Social Media Advertising to connect with customers where they're at, use engaging Display ads and compelling Video ads to make an impression, Search Engine Marketing to intercept customers searching for your service, and Retargeting to follow customers through their research and be there when they're ready to book. SMA Tell a story, surprise and inspire customers by engaging them where they're at. A well-developed social media advertising campaign can boost your hotel advertising to new heights with fresh opportunities to connect and draw customers in. Display Let your pictures speak with compelling images that tell a story and draw customers in. SEM Refine your hotel web presence to strategically target customers with the means and intent to book with you, and build your brand to the highest level of visibility. Video BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Help your customers envision themselves on their dream stay with you using the power of video hotel advertising. Retargeting Stay fresh in your customers' minds as they dream, plan, and finally book that visit with hotel advertising retargeting. Multiple impressions make for a more memorable brand and a more focused investment. Restaurant Advertising Services Stand out in a crowded space with strategic restaurant advertising that promotes your brand and makes a lasting impression on your customers. The right mix of advertising investment will reach customers are looking for your hospitality services, at the right stage in their decision-making process. Social Media Advertising gives you the chance to drive the conversation, while Display and Video ads are great for making a splash. Integrate Search Engine Marketing to be there when they ask the question, and Retargeting to stay with them through their research process. SMA Restaurants are social environments; engage your customers' social worlds with Social Media Advertising and integrate your restaurant advertising into their daily experience with a fresh, meaningful experience. Display Make their mouths water and help customers visualize the benefits of your hospitality with beautiful display ads. Make sure you get more than a glance with effective images that tell a story or encapuslate an experience. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT SEM Be there when customers are choosing a destination to visit and make sure your restaurant advertising is front and center with Search Engine Marketing. Video Show. Or tell. Or both. With video restaurant advertising, you can paint the picture for customers and help them appreciate and desire your offerings. Retargeting Prove your worth through extended research sessions with customer retargeting, so when they're ready to book, you're there. Multiple impressions keep your brand at the forefront of their minds. Social Media Advertising Be at the heart of the conversation with an active, engaging brand identity. It's a natural extension of your business - restaurants are social places. Meet your customers where they're at with strategic Social Media Advertising. Use the platforms where your customers spend their time organically to engage in conversations, offer value-added encounters, and personify your brand identity. Be a destination, the place your customers want to be, and build a brand that they want to identify with, by telling the stories, showing the pictures, and sharing content that delights and draws them in. Channel the organic chatter with Review Management and Customer Engagement to maximize the benefits of every encounter. Social Media Advertising is your chance to connect with a network. Reach new customers and strengthen the loyalty of existing ones with a balanced, strategic social media presence. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT SMA Meet customers where they're at, spark and drive conversations, and make a splash with the creative opportunities of Social Media Advertising. Review: Put your best foot forward and make the most of feedback and organic reviews with Review Management. Customer Build loyalty and help your customers identify with your brand. Cultivate Customer Engagement with consistent, enthusiastic communication and encounters that build your brand and connect with customers. Posting Maintain a strong presence and stay fresh in the minds of customers with regular, brand-supporting posts. Spark and continue conversations, demonstrate relevance and inspire sharing. Retargeting Be there when they're ready to visit with strategic Retargeting. Multiple encounters strengthen your brand and make it more memorable. Be easy to find when it counts. Social Media Marketing Place your hotel at the center of your customer's daily experience with Social Media Marketing. Spark conversations, surprise and delight, provide added value and reward loyalty. Social media facilitates expanded opportunities to communicate a relatable, memorable brand identity for your hotel. SMA BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Stay at the forefront with effective, well-considered Social Media Advertising. Meet customers in their preferred environments and create an engaging and rewarding experience for loyal and potential customers. Review Make the most of every encounter and communication with strategic Review Management, to channel conversations in the right direction. Customer Reward loyal customers and keep them engaged, while reaching new customers with value-added experiences. Posting Cultivate a consistent, appealing and brand-compliant voice with regular, on-point and relevant social media posts to keep your brand fresh and present. Retargeting Maximise your investment with advertising retargeting and ensure your hotel is present, memorable and accessible when customers are ready to commit. Influencer Strategically connect with social media influencers, 'super-users' with expansive networks who can carry your brand to new heights. Social Media Influencers Micro-Copy Social media influencers have large networks, and a significant impact on their substantial number of followers. Multiply your benefit by connecting with and providing added value to these strategic contacts. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Social Media Marketing for Restaurants Harness the power of social with targeted Social Media Marketing for your restaurant. Connect with customers in their preferred environments, engage in valuable two-way conversations and take control of your story and brand identity for targeted connections and loyal customers. SMA Give your brand a voice in the places your customers frequent most. Review Channel organic conversations in the right direction with Review Management. Customer Reward and encourage the loyalty of existing restaurant customers, stay fresh and present in their minds, and connect with the people best placed to become future customers. Posting Stay fresh, on-target and relevant with Social Media Posting. Promote and encourage a community and identity around your brand to strengthen ties with existing and developing customers. Retargeting Encourage brand recognition and be at the forefront when customers are ready to make a choice with Retargeting. Stay present and available throughout their restaurant search. Influencer BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Make a strategic connection with the contacts that matter most. Social media influencers have a large network and spur the success of your restaurant brand when their attention and loyalty is cultivated. Additional On-Page Slogans & Subtitles SEO1 Are you the first answer when customers ask the question? You can be. SEO gets you there. SEO2 When they search, your brand can be the first thing they see. Optimize your online properties to meet the right customers at the right point in their search. LSO1 You want customers, not browsers. Connect with people who need your services, in your area. LSO2 Be the first choice, the nearest choice, the best choice. Use local search optimization to maximize your investment and reach customers who can actually reach you. SEM1 Your customers are calling for you; are you there? SEM2 BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Be ready. Be there. SEM ensures your hospitality services are front and center for every query. SMM Join the conversation and become a part of your customers' lives with SMM. Be where they are. Speak their language. Inspire. Advertising Connect with customers. The right advertising strategy, channels and message will get you there. Photography Your hospitality business offers unique, quality services. Envision that with creative, polished photography that tells the story of your brand and displays your identity to best effect. Marketing Services Your hospitality business deserves to shine. Our integrated team of experienced professionals can help, with specialist services encompassing all areas of online and traditional marketing, promotions, advertising and brand identity. Whether you're looking to take the next step, or the first step, we can help you grow and succeed. Branding Encapsulate a compelling brand identity. Website Ensure your online presence benefits your business and your brand. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Email Reward customers who are looking to connect. Advertising Reach new customers ready to enjoy your services. Search Be at the top of their list when customers go looking. Social Engage new customers and reward loyalty. Strategy Make the most of your resources and build your returns. PR Get the word out and guide the conversation. Photography Share exciting, attractive images that tell a story about your brand. Restaurant Website Design Make a lasting impression. Excellent restaurant website design communicates your unique brand while connecting with high-value customers who are looking for the experience and services you provide. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Awards Your success is our goal. We take great pride in providing the highest degree of excellence in restaurant website design to our clients, with beautiful, unique and effective designs. And our hard work hasn't gone unnoticed. We're incredibly pleased to have achieved four awards from WebAwards across all hospitality-related categories this year; Hotel, Restaurant and Travel. In the general category, we were honored to be awarded the Travel Standard of Excellence for the Burn to Earn microsite, which we designed for the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Additional awards included The Marmara Park Avenue, which won Outstanding hotel website, and Agave, which was awarded as an Outstanding Restaurant Website. Custom Your brand is distinctive; your restaurant website design should be too. Enjoy custom designs developed to support and promote your brand identity. Wordpress Proven, industry-leading technology to keep the backend of your website simple, accessible and at the forefront of technology. Responsive Your restaurant website design will connect with customers wherever they go, on whatever device they choose. Flawlessly. SEO Make sure the right customers can find you with search engine optimization. LSO BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Connect with customers in your area, with website designs optimized and integrated with local search. Hotel Website Design Create a destination, tell a story and craft an exceptional experience with custom hotel website design. Benefit from an accessible design that's aligned with your brand and inspires bookings. Your success is our success, and we take great pride in creating unique custom hospitality or hotel website designs that support your distinctive brand identity, goals and customer base. We're honored to have been recognized for excellence in hotel website design by the WebAwards hospitality awards, including hotel, restaurant and travel-website design awards. The Mobile Standard of Excellence was awarded in the general awards category illustrating outstanding design for mobile devices, as well as the Travel Standard of Excellence for the Burn to Earn microsite created for the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Additionally, we were recognized for an Outstanding Hotel Website for The Marmara Park Avenue website and the Outstanding Restaurant Website award for the Agave website. Custom Design Enjoy the benefits of a custom-designed website that expresses your unique brand identity. Wordpress Backend The leading backend website technology for an accessible, simple and up-to-date experience. Responsive Design BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Make sure your customers can reach you on any device, wherever they travel with our award-winning design. SEO Make it easy for existing and new customers to find you with designs that take into account search engine requirements. LSO Be easy to find by locals and connect with customers in your area to drive traffic through the door. Public Relations Express yourself. Reach new audiences. PR helps you craft your identity in the public eye, shape the conversation, and encourage positive buzz around your brand. Media Use our press connections and expertise in developing stories that benefit your brand while incorporating a newsworthy hook to access new avenues of customer interaction. Brand Hone your brand to engage the right clients more effectively with our specialist support. Brand audits, strategic planning and focused recommendations identify and inform the next step in your growth. Influencer BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Making the right connection can multiply your success. We help you identify the best way to reach and leverage the influence of leaders who can organically promote and spread your brand. Digital Access customers through their preferred channels. Deliver your message and spark conversations over the social media or digital channels your best customers prefer with expert support. Restaurant PR Shape the conversation and build buzz around your brand with the power of Restaurant Public Relations. Hone your brand, share your message, and make the connections that matter most to the success of your business. Media Bring the authority and reach of the press to the table and spread your message using our press connections and expertise in crafting brand-enhancing stories that appeal to the press. Brand Start with the right story for your audience. Restaurant Public Relations Brand Enhancement helps you identify the best customers for your restaurant and share your identity in a way that grows your business. Influencer Borrow the social influence of movers and shakers by engaging key influencers with the power to connect their circle with your restaurant brand. Digital BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Augment traditional restaurant Public Relations with Digital and Social Media campaigns to reach customers through their preferred channels. Hotel PR Tell your story in a way that reaches and resonates with customers. Hotel Public Relations can help you access exclusive channels and generate buzz around your brand. Media Strategically communicate your story in a way that traditional or new media outlets can get excited about. Our expert Hotel Public Relations professionals can help you make the connection. Brand Refine your brand and strategy to effectively reach the customers most beneficial for your hotel, with audits and recommendations, planning and positioning support. Influencer Make the most of your Hotel Public Relations efforts by connecting with the key influencers for your target customers. Let them naturally spread your story to a wider audience. Digital Approach your customers through the digital and social media channels they trust. Share stories that resonate, start conversations and build a connection. Strategy BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Know where you're going, and get there on the shortest route. The right marketing strategy crystallizes the goals and opportunities that will lead to success for your hospitality business. Then it identifies the best tools and approaches to achieve the customized targets that are key to your success. Ongoing analysis keeps it all on track and informs further refinements. Brand Development Strategically optimize your brand to be clearer, stronger, and to reach the right customers better with brand development. Strategy Development Pinpoint the right steps to success in the region, marketing, audience or period that you need to win with focused strategy development. Industry Analysis Understand your industry and the opportunities for your business within it with industry analysis. Competitor Analysis Learn from your competitors' successes and identify where there are gaps you could fill with competitor analysis. Brand Audit Where do you stand? Check the effectiveness of your existing brand and identify opportunities to better connect with your customers with a brand audit. SEO Services BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Connect with customers when they need your hospitality services. Auditing existing online properties highlights opportunities to connect better, with on-site optimization of content to strategically connect with the highest value customers at the point of selecting services, while off-site connections raise your profile and trustworthiness for better discoverability. Then conversion tracking shows what really works, when your customers click, message or call. SEO Audit Get the score on what it takes for customers to find you online, and what you can change to be instantly discoverable. On-Site SEO Make sure your website connects with the right customers when they're ready to take action by strategically optimizing content. Call Reporting Establish the value of online marketing efforts by digitally tracing the origin of customer calls. Conversion Tracking Understand what's working, and where there are opportunities to improve by tracking responsiveness to key steps and action items. Off-Site SEO Build the online trust and authority of your brand through meaningful connections and a strong presence on trusted sites. Local Search Optimization Services BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Valuable customers are the ones who can actually visit your business and purchase your services. Make the most of online marketing efforts and digital properties by optimizing your website with contact, address and location data and ensuring your business is easily discoverable both online and off by getting on the directories, sites and maps that your customers prefer. Conversion tracking and call reporting can help you trace what works and where customers find you. On Page Optimization Make sure your hospitality services connect with customers in your area by optimizing web properties for local search terms and identifiers. Data Distribution Get in relevant directories so local customers can quickly, easily connect from their preferred sources across the web. Call Reporting Discover which sources customers call from and focus your efforts to help locals find you more often. Conversion Tracking Understand the value of sources and see where local customers are finding you from. SEM Services Draw new customers in, and existing customers back, with effective Search Engine Marketing (SEM) campaigns. Use pay-per-click (PPC) ads to reach customers at critical stages in their search, retargeting to stay present and reinforce key BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT messages until the customer commits, or display ads to make a strong impression. Then refine your investment by using conversion tracking and call reporting. PPC Target customers at critical stages in their search for hospitality services to get your business the attention it deserves. Retargeting Stay at the forefront of customers minds with strategic ad placement to repeat key messages and keep your brand present. Call Reporting Prove the value of campaigns by understanding where customer calls originate and refine to boost customer engagement. Conversion Tracking Understand the effectiveness of campaigns by tracking customer interactions with key indicators and calls to action. Display Advertising Capture attention with compelling images or video that tells a story, makes an impression, and inspires action. Restaurant Photography Services Inspire key customer interactions with the right quality photography services for your restaurant. Whether you're targeting increased online orders, reservations, events or catering bookings, professional food, product and interior photography will have your customers clicking, calling and beating a path to your door. Draw the BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT customers in to your ambiance with virtual tours or enjoy the design benefits of cinemagraphs, which fluidly transition between multiple high-quality photos in place. Food Photography Capture customer attention and drive increased orders, reservations and event bookings with mouth-watering food photography. Product Photography When your brand is more than food and a location, excellent product photography makes all your offerings inspirational. Interior Photography Make the most of your investment in an exceptional space with interior photography that showcases your ambiance. Cinemagraphs Enjoy the best of both worlds with fluid cinemagraphs featuring multiple high quality images in a single design block. Virtual Tours Help customers envision their experience at your restaurant by bringing them in the door with virtual tours to unlock increased bookings. Hotel Photography Services Your hotel offers an exceptional experience. Help your customers connect with that experience with high quality visualizations. Professional interior, food and product photography highlights the benefits of your offerings to drive critical interactions and inspire your customers to click, call or book. Cinemagraphs offer multiple BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT images in a fluidly shifting block, while virtual tours bring your customers right in to the experience, to help them envision themselves at your hotel and enjoying your services. Food Photography Make your customers' mouths water with appealing food photography that drives bookings. Product Photography Feature the full extent of your brand with product photography that highlights the appeal of every offering. Interior Photography Showcase your space and help your customers envision themselves at your hotel with compelling interior photography. Cinemagraphs Balance content and design considerations with fluid, high-quality cinemagraphs offering multiple images in a single design block. Virtual Tours Draw customers in with virtual tours of your rooms and amenities that inspire, inform, and increase bookings. The Halal Guys Project Page A clear target, the right mix of services, and precise tracking and follow-up achieved a return on investment (ROI) of over 600% in just two weeks. The Halal Guys, a stand-out New York success story that had grown from a humble food truck to a BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT multisite, international franchise, identified an opportunity to expand their catering services across all locations. We used two strategies, supported by several technologies and platforms, to get the word out and bring the orders rolling in. First, a location-optimized pay-per-click (PPC) advertising campaign targeted relevant keyword searches in areas with The Halal Guys branches. Then, display network retargeting campaigns on websites and social media reinforced the brand offering to potential customers who had previously connected with a search ad. Far from operating in isolation, the paired advertising campaigns were strategically supported by updates to the Client's own website and analysis and tracking services to achieve the highest degree of benefit. Customized landing pages were crafted with a user experience designed to funnel visitors to place a catering order. These pages were added to the corporate website, as well as to each branch-specific website, and the PPC and Display Network ads directed visitors to these focused links. Google Analytics was deployed to watch the conversion from the two types of ads through to orders placed, and supported by advanced call tracking and recordings to establish precise ROI. In just 14 days, our services drove over 180 catering inquiries via the website, and over 350 additional inquiries via phone, resulting in a remarkable ROI of over 600%. The Marmara Park Avenue Project Page Advertising works. But what about when it doesn't? When The Marmara Park Avenue, a new, luxury Manhattan hotel, opened in 2016, they knew they needed a solid advertising campaign to help get the word out, and the customers in. But after running Google ads for some time, they were still disappointed with the results. As it turns out, they just needed some help to start moving in the right direction. We came in and tweaked their advertising to target the right customers and help the Park Avenue increase traffic and revenues. Starting with pay-per-click (PPC) ads on Google, we were able to reach customers looking for the Park Avenue hotel BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT experience using keywords like "luxury" and "extended", and focusing on the Manhattan area specifically. Following the PPC campaign with display ad retargeting across multiple networks including Facebook and the Google Display Network increased the return on investment (ROI) by connecting with customers until they were ready to book and extending the reach of the PPC ads. Additional metasearch ads on travel aggregators such as Google Hotel Finder, Kayak and Tripadvisor connected with an even more focused group of customers. Implementing a focused advertising strategy and refining the campaigns paid off for The Marmara Park Avenue in a big way. Their advertising spend decreased by 50% while connecting with more customers and maintaining an ROI of over ten times their investment. E-commerce conversion tracking implementation helped correlate sales data with website usage and advertising spend; six months later, the Park Avenue had increased digital revenue by over 60%. Isik University Project Page When you're looking to reach a global audience, you can't afford to cast your net too wide. Isik University, a large, two-campus English-language university in Turkey, wanted to draw in students from across the world to their Summer and Graduate programs. We helped them achieve their objective with a tightly-focused, carefullyhoned strategy that made use of custom website design in concert with targeted advertising campaigns to maximize their return on investment (ROI). The first step was to develop and manage specific micro-sites that operated independently from the main university website. All content was lead-capture optimized, so searchers would land on the page for a specific program that corresponded to their search terms, reducing wasted advertising dollars on searchers that get tired and leave before they find what they're looking for. Setting the micro-site apart from the main website not only allowed for intentional structuring of content to meet specific search needs, but made it easier to BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT understand the effects of the pay-per-click and retargeting ad campaigns and refine the content, campaign and strategy continuously for greater conversion. Additionally, customer relationship management (CRM) software allowed us to offer full monitoring and reporting on each individual lead generated through the campaigns and micro-site. Further refinement of the campaigns and keywords boosted the effectiveness of the ads and increased conversion rates. The result was an increase in the volume of applications by 700 year over year, more than 3,000 program applicants and over 1.3 million clicks for Isik University. The Out Project Page What’s your website good for? The Out Hotel NYC, an urban resort in Manhattan, were looking for results from their new website. Specifically, they wanted to increase the number of online bookings and connect with both US and international customers, all with a high return on investment (ROI). We helped them make the most of their investment with a comprehensive mix of services designed to bring in the bookings. On the advertising front, the multi-channel strategy incorporated pay-per-click (PPC) with subsequent retargeting honing the focus on to even narrower categories such as "pet-friendly" or "luxury shares", with highly targeted ads. PPC ads were run both with and without the brand featured, and were supported by targeted landing pages. Strategic retargeting ads were also used to follow up on the search engine optimization (SEO), which increased organic reach by refining the website content, including landing pages for targeted search terms. Local search optimization and data distribution further zeroed in on targeted customers. To ensure all advertising and organic optimization efforts were achieving maximum ROI, full analytics, conversion and revenue tracking was implemented and maintained throughout the entire campaign, including multi-channel revenue tracking. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT This combination of PPC, SEO and retargeting, supported by landing page web design and development and conversion tracking resulted in a high ROI of over 10 times the investment. The average keyword ranking was cut in half, with over 1,800 top-ranked keywords. Better yet, the revenue from PPC campaigns alone increased more than 100% year over year, while organic search drove over $600,000 in revenue. Mollaga Project Page Your brand is your handshake, your story, envisioned. It needs to evoke positive feelings. It needs to be memorable. And most of all, it needs to bring customers through the door. When Mollaga was preparing to launch their fast-casual Indian grill in New Brunswick, New Jersey, it needed to find a visual language to communicate authentic Indian tradition in a fresh, contemporary American style. Their strengths included flavor - exciting spices and herbs in recipes handed down over generations - freshness and healthiness, emphasizing naturally raised ingredients, and service and ambiance that leaves customers eager to return. We created a visual identity to express Mollaga's uniqueness, carry them into the future and give them a solid, uplifting foundation to build on as they grow. The brand solutions for Mollaga included a memorable logo with a bold, simple design and a versatile brand pattern to give shape to Mollaga's bold flavors and fun personality across a number of applications. These two visual elements are flexible components that illustrate Mollaga's brand wherever they go, whether that's customer-facing collateral like menus, packaging or in-store signage, or external promotional materials. We further supported Mollaga's build up to launch with a unique photography style, social media graphics, and a brand style guide. This mix of services supported their deployment of a cohesive brand identity across all visual arenas even before 'day one'. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Brunswick Group Recruitment Process Outsourcing Copy Client: Brunswick Group Language: American English Industry: Professional Services Consulting Scope: Service description of Recruitment Process Outsourcing. You need the right people on board. People that have the skills, qualities, and personality traits that support your culture, your mission, and your needs. People that help you make it to the top. However, too often the recruitment process feels like a barrier; expensive, time-consuming, confusing and out-dated. It doesn't have to be. Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) is a fast, cost-effective, flexible solution that bridges the gap between you and the valuable people you need by giving you access to manpower, cutting-edge expertise and depth of specialized resource access. Brunswick Group matches you with quality recruitment experts who take the time to understand your organization, your culture and your needs. This focus on relationship allows our highly skilled specialist staff to develop a customized recruitment process with strategy that uniquely supports your goals while easing off pressure from your team so they can get on with supporting your success. OpenProject Software Parallax Website Content Client: OpenProject Language: American English Industry: SaaS, Project Management Software Scope: Full content for a complex webpage with expanding content and parallax elements. Comprehensive services and benefits with emphasis on micro-copy content. Collaborative Project Management Beautiful. Easy-to-use. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT OpenProject's leading open source software makes your project management processes beautifully easy. 1. Concept 2. Plan 3. Execute 4. Control 5. Close Concept & Getting Started Initiate a project and track deliverables & tasks Specify and break down work packages and deliverables into manageable tasks and activities using the list view. Rapidly create tasks with inline creation or specify detailed information using the full screen view. Plan & Define Timelines Schedule projects with timelines (Gantt chart) Create a project management plan that shows how and when the project team will deliver the work packages defined in the project scope. Display multiple projects in one bar chart and highlight changes to the project schedule. Calendar Keep everything in sight with the calendar Get an overview of upcoming activities and milestones. Filter the information relevant for you. Roadmap BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Visualize progress with the roadmap Get an overview of the next milestones, versions, releases and sprints and see the planned scope. Track the progress and the status of the deliverables and the logged time and booked costs. Execute Issue Tracking Manage all deliverables and project activities with powerful collaboration Stay on top of every possible issue - tasks, risks, features, bugs and much more with the ability to define separate workflows and custom fields to adapt OpenProject to your specific needs. Have all information and communication in one place. Activity streams Instant status reports. Stay up to date with a real-time feed of all project activity. Meetings Communicate changes in meetings Use meetings to manage agendas and minutes and inform project members about the latest developments. Link tasks and send email notifications to participants. Agile & Scrum Update tasks with drag & drop Use the task board to break deliverables into individual tasks and update their status with drag & drop. Monitor & Control Performance BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Cost report Log time and costs and create custom reports Track the time and costs spent on a project, then create custom reports for accurate, current insight into project performance and allocated resources. Budgets Create and manage budgets Plan the cost for each project phase, and see how much of the allocated budget has been spent at a glance. Project Close Summarize the project in a wiki Use wiki functionality to create project closure reports and easily summarize the main results. Archive projects for later reference and lessons learned. Learn more about wikis. Enterprise-grade project management software for high performance teams Security OpenProject provides enterprise-grade security and privacy features Mobile Stay up-to-date with the current project status and activities, wherever you are. Collaborate with your team members on the go. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Customization Each project is different. OpenProject provides a multitude of powerful customization features to best support your project teams. Accessibility We value making project management tools accessible to people with disabilities. OpenProject is regularly assessed and certified based on the WCAG 2.0 accessibility guideline. Get started with OpenProject Create your organization with no obligation and test for free. Start free Trial 30 days free trial. Full feature set. 100% Accessible. MobApi Software Services SEO-divergent Product Copy Client: Mobapi Language: American English Industry: SaaS Scope: 5 distinct product descriptions to take advantage of unique SEO and highlight different features and benefits for different use cases MobApi Product Description 1 Is your data working for you? Do you have thousands of lines of valuable insights just sitting around, gathering digital dust? Feel like you can never get enough technical specialists, time, or money to make the most of your database? Mobapi can help. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT We bridge the gap between data and application. Get your data out of silos like MySQL Server, Google Spreadsheets, Excel and more, and into your mobile app, client-facing website, or business intelligence tool. All without writing a single line of code. User-friendly custom APIs for data extraction. Get Mobapi today, and free your data. Mobapi Product Description 2 You're busy, high-performing and on-the-go. Shouldn't your data be as savvy and mobile as you are? With Mobapi, it can be. Mobapi is the easiest way to take your valuable insights on the road. Plug in databases, servers, and data streams ranging from traditional business silos to internet-of-things APIs using our user-friendly drag-and-drop interface. Painlessly add analysis and adapt content without writing a single line of code. Then grab it and go in real time, with APIs for mobile and web apps. Mobapi Product Description 3 Mobapi connects your data. Secure. User-friendly. Mobile. Our SaaS platform uses a simple interface to help you access, analyze, modify and share any data. Manage valuable insights from any source: MySQL Server to Excel or Google spreadsheet, web insights to connected devices. Enjoy SSL and OAuth 2.0 supported security, ensuring your data is protected and accessible only by those you choose to share it with. Then use Mobapi's drag-and-drop visual API builder to combine, modify and customize your data stream to meet your needs. All without writing a single line of code. Optimize for user-specific dashboards and assess based on KPI's in real time. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Mobapi gets your data in the right hands, in the right format, and at the right time, whatever that means to you. Prefer a mobile app? Done. Want the full web-browser experience? We're there for you. Already have a preferred business intelligence tool? We'll meet you there. Your strategy has never been better informed. Or better connected. Mobapi Product Description 4 Open up your databases with Mobapi. Our user-friendly API builder lets you plug in any data source, modify, and share to mobile or web applications. All without writing a single line of code. Free your data from server and web silos, combine and contrast insights, and share up to date insights and analysis with ease, security and mobility with Mobapi. Mobapi Product Description 5 Margins are getting thinner, and the pace of business is getting faster. You know the best strategy is based on data - if you could only get it, when and where you need it. Mobapi opens up your databases - classic servers and web APIs alike. It combines the insights you need in dashboards customized to your users. All in a simple, easyto-use interface with built-in connectors, security, logic and analysis. Then access your custom insights in mobile or web applications for on-the-go answers. Mobapi gives you the edge. OAC Services Software Consulting Landing Page Copy Client: OAC Services Language: American English Industry: Software Consulting BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Scope: Website landing page copy with a focus on services, benefits and customer conversion. OAC Services helps you get the best results out of your business software, so you can stop focusing on tools, and start achieving the outcomes you want. We are global providers of implementation, adoption and customization consulting services for ERP and CRM solutions. We understand where you're coming from; our certified consultants come from hands-on business backgrounds, and focus on helping you achieve best practices in your field with sensitivity to the unique constraints of your industry, business practice and organizational culture. Our stellar customer satisfaction rating speaks to the quality of our service, which blends technical expertise with honed business consulting skills. We help you achieve high user adoption of an effective system that results in smooth, effective tools for your business and your team that "just work." OAC Services is a world-class and fully certified provider of several industry-leading Cloud ERP, CRM and on-site ERP solutions including Salesforce, SteelBrick, FinancialForce and Oracle. We can support your team in achieving its goals at any stage of an implementation, from helping you select the technology solutions that best serve your needs, to a fresh implementation, or a strategic refresh of an older or inadequately implemented solution to bring it up to optimal performance. Contact us today for a no-pressure consultation on your business needs. Caribe Tours Landing Page Copy Client: Caribe Tours Language: American English Industry: Travel, tour services Scope: Landing page copy with an emphasis on benefits and conversion. Landing Page BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Breathtaking coastal and mountain destinations across the Dominican Republic include Punta Cana, Bayahibe, Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata , Samana and Jarabacoa. Enjoy unparalleled experiences and make the most of your travel dollars with budget-friendly tours that provide more for less. Spectacular natural beauty is around every corner, with crystalline waters and flawless tropical beaches, dramatic mountain ranges with thrilling rapids and UNESCO World Heritage architecture. Spend less time on the details and more time enjoying your Caribbean adventure with our seamless, speedy booking process. Your exceptional tour experience starts now, with customer service specialists on hand to offer courteous, responsive support. Make your next trip unforgettable, with a Dominican Republic tour that engages, excites and leaves a lasting impression. Kuwait Translation New Website Client: Withheld Language: American English Industry: International Translation Service Scope: 3 pages of SEO and localization-optimized web content. Home Page Welcome to our premiere online translation service. Based out of Kuwait, we offer a pioneering, fully online translation service for clients across the Middle East and abroad. Our home page is your gateway to superior quality, timely and costeffective translation services. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Our experienced translators offer professional, timely translations to and from most world languages for business, academic, entertainment purposes and more. Our translators are from all over the world, ensuring that the highest quality of nativelanguage level translation is available to meet your needs online, every hour of every day. We make every effort to blend technical accuracy with native-languagelevel fluency. We pride ourselves on our sensitivity to your purpose, ensuring translations are appropriate to the usage, industry or sector that you need. We are proud to be certified by the ATA (American Translator's Association), a wellknown and rigorous translation professional organization. Our ATA certification is just another evidence of our commitment to our clients to supply precise, natural and customized translations to every client. Expect world-class quality, with fast turnaround and reasonable rates. Our carefully developed online interface has been optimized to provide exceptional service to our clients, including a unique fully Arabic user-interface for Arabic language-speakers to have total access to our online services. As the first, and only, completely online translation agency, we value providing all the benefits of technology to our clients to support our first-class, individualized translation services. While technology is a great enabler and a cornerstone of our success, make no mistake, our services are underpinned by quality human talent and skill; no automatic translation nightmares here! We don't shy away from the human touch, with an unparalleled commitment to customer service and human expertise. There is no substitute for qualified translators, and each and every one of our translation team has provided painstakingly precise qualifications. We are proud to provide our first-in-class online translation service from beautiful Kuwait overlooking the Persian Gulf. We delight in providing services to our local and regional clients across the Middle East, but we're not about to let a little thing like time zones get in the way of providing exceptional translation services across the globe! Between our thoroughly tested and completely reliable online interface and our truly international array of skilled translators, we are ready, able and eager to meet all your international translation needs. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT New York office needs that report ready for review in Paris and Tokyo? No problem! Dubai office designing the promotional cards, posters and brochures for roll out in China, Germany and Argentina? We've got you covered! Whether you're adding a few new regions and local languages to the website, or adapting sales materials for some new foreign clients, let our skilled translators help you get it perfect, polished, and in the right hands in the right time. Contact us today to get set up with the perfect translator for your job. We'll find you the right match between language, translation time and time zone, with unparalleled quality and excellent turnaround times. About Us We take great pride in providing world-class translation services out of bustling Kuwait. The first thing to know about us is that we provide only quality human translation. There is a huge demand for professional, accurate translation in Kuwait, a worldwide center for ground-breaking education, medical, political and commercial undertakings. Sadly, our great city has historically been sadly under-supplied with reliable translation services, and too often suffers from tired, traditional 'translation' offices with very limited, and often machine-translated, services. We pride ourselves on being pioneers in providing quality human translation services supplied by native speakers from all over the world and provided through a rigorously tested online interface. Our 100% Kuwaiti Administration has worked hard to source only the most skilled translators from around the globe to ensure your needs are met, regardless of timeline or time zone, sector or document type. We are equipped to meet your translation needs for a limitless variety of specialized usage types, including business, academic and entertainment-oriented translation services. You'll find no shoddy automated machine translations or stiff wording here; we customize our translation services to ensure fluency and appropriateness of language to your purpose and usage by matching native-language speakers with experience in your specialized area and familiarity with the locale that the BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT translation is intended for delivery. We have a great depth of talent on hand to ensure your needs are met with precision, fluency and sensitivity to more than just the mechanics of language. Contact Us Thanks for getting in touch! We are excited to serve all of your quality translation needs. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions at all. We are more than happy to serve your needs via telephone or email. The best way to reach us is outlined below through our three main service lines. For questions or to make arrangements regarding our Home Delivery services, please contact us by: Phone: Email: For help troubleshooting our services (for both clients and remote translation staff), please contact us by: Phone: Email: For any other questions, concerns or other assistance, please contact our administration line by: Phone: Email: Finance MIB Extended Finance Services Description Client: Merchants in Banking (MIB) Language: Canadian English Industry: Finance Scope: Sales funnel content: informational article, comprehensive service offerings. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT The Perfect Fit for your High Risk Merchant Banking Needs What is High Risk Merchant Banking? Very simply, high-risk merchant banking is access to financial services such as payment gateway/processing or banking accounts geared towards businesses (generally consumer-oriented) that are considered to have a high-risk service/product, track record or customer base. Standard banking services may not be available, or may be available only for an extremely high mark-up for your business if your product/service or customer base is considered high risk, in which case you will need specialized banking services. In particular, web shops use high-risk merchant banking services to act as an intermediary for the customer and hold the risk apart from either party in the transaction. What Situations Require High Risk Merchant Banking? There are a number of situations that can result in your business needing high risk banking services. One of the most prevalent examples in recent years are online shops, where the high risk merchant banking service holds the risk of purchase nonfulfillment (on behalf of the customer) or payment issues (on behalf of the merchant) to reduce the risk inherent in remote transactions. Other situations leading to a need for high-risk merchant banking services tend to relate to the type (industry/sector/product category) of a business, or a business' history and financial record. Your industry may have a high degree of industrial accidents, exacting quality standards, or high insurance costs. An unusually high level of returns/refunds, card cancellations or fraud can be negatively impact your risk assessment, as well as being an offshore business. Certain businesses such as adult services, gambling and many online/mail-order merchants carry a high-risk status. Poor credit history or lack of collateral can also contribute to a high-risk status. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT This is not a comprehensive list, but if you are one of the following business types, industries or sectors, you will likely require high risk banking services: • Online retail or auction-style stores • Online/remote services (e.g. SEO, marketing, web) including advertisingsupported sites • Agriculture/Industry • Construction • Mining & Exploration • Health Care • Weapons • Pawn Shops, second-hand/antiques • Education (Seminars) • Computers & Technology • Online vitamins, supplements or pharmaceuticals including cigarettes or drug paraphernalia • Adult Services (Escort, Pornography, Dating/Matchmaker, Adult Product Sales etc.) If you're not sure if your business requires high-risk merchant banking solutions, feel free to contact us directly for help determining your needs. Our High Risk Merchant Banking Services Merchants in Banking (MIB) provides a range of high-risk merchant banking services to help your business be successful. Specializing in banking services for web shops, we provide customized solutions including: • Advising: Speak with our expert finance professionals about your unique situation to get the best suit for your specific needs. Our experience in highrisk merchant banking is your key to achieving stellar business performance with a minimum of risk. Let Merchants in Banking help you reduce, avoid or BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT eliminate risk and build a strong foundation through our specialized advising solutions to help with your business model, planning and solutions. • Company Formation: Whether you're a long-standing operation, or just getting ready to launch your business, Merchants in Banking has the expertise you need. For business just starting out, you're in the perfect stage to let MIB can help you identify and build the right structure and solutions to minimize your risk and maximize your success from day one with custom advice and assistance on business models, business planning and tools and solutions. • Customized Merchant Financial Services: Credit card payment processors or payment gateway services are a risk-averse bunch, and their caution can make it hard for you to do business. No business model is going to solve an inability to collect on payments! Merchants in Banking can help, with merchant accounts, payment gateway solutions and a thorough range of payment processing solutions. As an independent high-risk merchant banking service, MIB has the flexibility to work with a wide range of banking partners, ensuring that your financial services are seamlessly integrated with a maximum of choice for our clients. Contact Merchants in Banking today to learn more about our custom solutions for your business! How We Can Help Your Business Regardless of business type, at the end of the day, what you care about is getting those payments in the door. Merchants in Business (MIB) will help you cut through the fog of technicalities, requirements and jargon, and make sure you have what you need to get paid. Our custom solutions uniquely tailored to your business, our depth of expertise in merchant high risk banking, and our flexibility in working with a number of different banks allows us to ensure you have the perfect plan and process, and the right tools to get the job done. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT We'll make sure you're collecting on payments seamlessly, so you can get back to providing your great product or service! Our Values and Commitment to You Merchants in Banking (MIB) has three core values that inform our service and shape our approach to helping you: • Professional Expertise • Custom Solutions • Flexibility in Banking Partners Our commitment to you is that you will always receive the highest quality of service and professional advice from us. We want to make sure you have what you need to succeed and thrive. MIB recognizes that a one-size-fits-all solution just isn't in our clients' best interest. We believe strongly in building solutions as unique as you are, and that includes the flexibility to choose the right bank for your location, needs and preferences. Why You Should Choose Merchants in Banking Don't settle for less. Merchants in Banking (MIB) knows that your business and needs are as unique as you are. As an independent service, we won't try to force you into a mould or make your needs fit within some big-bank corporate offering. We work with a number of banks to offer maximum flexibility to you. We specialize in high-risk merchant banking and web shops. We're here to help, whether you're an existing business that could use a little advice to tighten up the ship, or getting ready to launch and keen to make every penny count. Trust MIB's expert professionals to help you reduce or avoid risk and process payments with our flexible, custom high-risk merchant banking services. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Lite Insurance Lead Generation Content Client: Lite Insurance Language: American English Industry: Finance Scope: 4 informational articles (blogs) to drive potential customer traffic to partner sites. Insurance: Choosing Policies When it comes to your hard-earned money, there's one thing that you care about: best value. Purchasing life insurance is no different than any other investment; you need the right match between your needs and available prices. Choosing the correct type of life insurance is the first step to getting maximum value and reward from your investment. There are a number of types of life insurance, often with a variety of costs and benefits associated with each option. For best results, a qualified life insurance broker can guide you through the process. In general you'll have the choice between term life, whole life (permanent), guarantee universal life (variable life or variable universal life) and index universal life insurance policies. These are broad categories, so keep in mind that slightly different names may be used for these types of policies, or sub-categories of each may be offered depending on the insurance provider. In simple terms, the options are: • Term life: temporary, for a set length of time, cheaper in the short term and lower effort to obtain. Can be expensive if you need coverage after the term ends. • Whole life/permanent: value increases by a schedule, so it's predictable as well as flexible. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT • Universal/variable/index life: cash value of policy can be invested in the stock market, so it's less predictable, but potentially more valuable over the long run. Your first key decision is between temporary/fixed-period or lifetime insurance options. You'll generally access lower costs for temporary and fixed-period life insurance products, known as 'term life insurance', but the fixed period is often relatively brief, and after the fixed period is up, the costs will increase if you need to continue the coverage. Another potential downfall is that term life insurance has no independent financial worth (fixed cash value) and is generally taxable. Other types of life insurance, such as universal, whole life or index life insurance, can both hold a cash value and be tax free, which may give options such as borrowing against the value of the insurance policy, guaranteed benefit amounts, dividends (refunds or payouts), investment/stock components, flexible/adjustable premiums and tax free status. These policies are generally more expensive because they are more comprehensive, flexible, or have higher benefits. Another contributing factor is your personal status. Depending on a variety of lifestyle and personal factors, you may be assessed as low to high risk for life insurance, which will impact the options or types of insurance available to you, as well as the cost of premiums. Some types of life insurance require very little in the way of qualification, such as a simple questionnaire, while others will require medical screening. Costs vary based on personal risk factor (increasing from low to high) as well as value and type of coverage. Personal risk factor may include things such as age, health, weight and personal habits such as smoking, again, depending on the policy provider. There is a significant amount of variation in the policy requirements and benefits, so the simplest and most effective way of getting the best value for your situation and investment is to have a qualified insurance broker set the policy up for you! Freelancer Business Insurance You're great at what you do. Talented, quick and experienced. Your clients expect the best, and you deliver. But sometimes things go sideways on even the best of us. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT What happens when that project fails, that error didn't get caught, or that offhand comment turns viral in a bad way? Without business insurance, you can lose thousands - or hundreds of thousands of dollars - as well as business assets. Depending on how you've set up your freelancing business, your personal assets can even be in jeopardy. What are the risks? Virtually every type of freelancing has the potential to require business insurance. Copy writers/editors/bloggers can be sued - successfully! based on their content, in the case of libel particularly, or under-performing web/ad copy. Financial and data services freelancers such as analysts and bookkeepers can face repercussions for any missteps resulting in misinterpreted data or false results. Web designers and programmers have to watch out for highly visible, embarrassing and costly errors when a program or site is hacked, goes down, or simply doesn't perform to client expectations. Photographers and graphic artists can be caught offguard by technical or virtual equipment failures, including dead batteries at inopportune moments, travel delays or third-parties having a run in with your equipment and causing damage. Additionally, there is inherent risk in simply having business equipment or premises - accidents and even theft often require business insurance, even if you work out of your own home. Business insurance comes in a variety of coverage types. In general, a distinction is made between professional insurance, known variously as Errors and Omissions Insurance, Professional Liability Insurance, or Indemnity Insurance and General Liability Insurance, also called Commercial Liability or just Liability Insurance. There are other types of specialized insurance such home/property, health, media, supplemental, auto, contents, disability etc. that may also be helpful depending on your situation. Professional insurance can be generally understood as insuring direct losses resulting from your professional services, and can cover legal expenses in the case of an error, oversight, or even just in the case of a groundless lawsuit (where you're ultimately found to be not at fault, but still require legal representation.) As a side note, intentional harm is not covered under insurance, so this type of business insurance takes effect when damage is essentially accidental or unintended. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT General Liability Insurance covers things like injuries/accidents or property damage on your premises. It can also cover slander/libel/copyright infringement suits. This type of insurance is going to come into effect if, say, a client comes over for a meeting to your space and trips, or gets coffee spilled on them, anything that damages their person or their (or your!) property where a claim may be made. The advantages to a freelancer of having a good business insurance policy extend beyond simply coverage against claims and lawsuits. Many reputable, corporate and/or higher value clients will have contracts written with the expectation that the freelancer carries business insurance backing their work, since their contracts ensure, first and foremost, the well-being of their own organization. It is important read thoroughly and to be aware of the details of your contract. Additionally, carrying your own business insurance as a freelancer can give you a competitive edge when bidding for work, and some clients even make it a mandatory, explicit requirement when selecting and hiring freelancers. It's never too early to get business insurance coverage. Premiums can vary depending on a variety of factors, including type and depth of coverage, industry, your business size and history. Signing up early, when your earnings are lower, can help you get better rates. The most important factor in getting the right coverage for your business and the best pricing is finding a reputable and experienced insurance broker who can understand your needs as a freelancer and arrange the right package. Don't wait until something happens and you're on the hook for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars! Pet Insurance We all like to be smart with how we spend our money, so the question of whether or not to invest in pet insurance for your cat is one that comes up early for most pet owners. There are many considerations, and no one-size-fits-all approach, so the right choice will be different for everyone. Let's examine some of the key considerations in choosing whether pet insurance for your cat is a luxury or a necessity. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT First, the risks. Why would anyone bother with pet insurance? Unfortunately, there are many difficult - and expensive! - misadventures that can befall your beloved feline. For outdoor cats, or cats in a shared household, there is the risk of physical damage in the shape of scratches, torn ears and even broken bones from run-ins with another animal or vehicles. Indoor cats are not exempt from accidents either; falls from railings or balconies don't always end in a gentle landing, and cats have a habit of getting underfoot, in the way, and generally in places where they run a higher than usual risk of impact. Add to that the various dangers attendant on their delicate digestive tract, including blockages from string, debris, build-up of hair, urinary tract issues and food allergies, and there's a whole host of problems that can necessitate vet visits that can run to hundreds of dollars of tests and medications, and thousands or tens of thousands of dollars if surgical procedures are needed. There are also a variety of hereditary and critical illnesses that cats can be prone to, depending in part on breeding. Feline diabetes and immune system diseases are not uncommon. Many causes of illnesses are not detectable when you first get your cat, and only show up long after you've bonded and your feline has become a part of the family. Next, the rewards. Pet insurance comes in a variety of packages with varying coverage, rates, maximums and deductibles. Generally you can expect your pet insurance to cover some or all vet visits, medications and treatments for accidents and injuries or illnesses. Some pet insurance will be optimized for only more critical needs above and beyond regular check-ups and vaccinations, while other policies are more comprehensive, including alternative therapies and wellness, boarding or travel costs, advertising in case of loss or associated costs if the worst happens. With all policies, you're protecting against worst-case scenarios, much as you do with your own health, travel and life insurance policies, ensuring that you don't have to choose between suffering and your bank account in case of emergency. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Finally, variables. For those of you happy kitten owners, congratulations! You're in luck! Owners of very young cats with no medical history or risk factors generally benefit from lower premiums, lower deductibles, and have an easier time finding reasonable coverage. You may want to take advantage of the opportunity to get coverage as soon as possible. Likewise, if your cat has no history of illness or injury, you'll have an easier time finding reasonable coverage. Just like with your own health and life insurance policies, personal history, life/risk factors and features all play a part in rates, available coverage, maximums and deductibles. Basic levels of pet insurance coverage should cost less than a couple cups of coffee per month, while premium or high-risk coverage will increase accordingly. So: luxury or necessity? The choice will depend largely on your situation. If you are comfortable paying high, lump-sum costs for injuries or illnesses - often ranging into thousands of dollars, tens of thousands or more - or you would choose to immediately end a pet's suffering, even for treatable conditions, then you may regard pet insurance as a luxury. However, given the wide number of injuries and illnesses that cats are at risk for, pet insurance is simply a wise investment against unnecessary and prohibitively high expenses. If you feel that your cat is part of the family, it's simple wisdom to provide for its future well being and ensure your own ability to care for it in the future. Indemnity Health Insurance Welcome to the wonderful world of fee-for-service health care. Unlike regular health insurance plans, Indemnity Health Insurance offers greater freedom in making selections like which doctor or hospital you prefer to visit - without the requirement for a referral. Regular health insurance plans, like the more common PPO (Preferred Provider Organizations) or HMO (Health Maintenance Organizations) place more restrictions on who you can see, under what circumstances, and where you can go. They tend to limit choices to more budget-friendly sources, which can be limiting in particular for anyone with unusual or more critical health concerns. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT The benefits to Indemnity Health Insurance lie primarily in the absolute flexibility of the plans. You can see the doctor or specialist of your choice and also don't face restrictions when it comes to available hospitals. You also don't have to have a primary care physician. Best of all, you don't need to get a referral to see specialist. Ideal for people who like to be in total control of all their health and wellness decisions, an Indemnity Health Insurance plan is a great way to go if you like to really get involved, do your research and seek out the best options for your needs. While there is some variation between plans, generally setting up an Indemnity Health Insurance Plan involves the same basic components. Your health insurance plan will have associated fees or charges due at regular intervals - generally monthly or annually. The plan will have a deductible, which is a required amount to be paid before any benefits come into effect. This is an initial dollar amount of services that are not covered by the plan, but are charged directly until a threshold is met, at which point the plan comes into effect. Often there is also a co-pay, sometimes referred to as a 'coinsurance', which is the amount of services that are not covered by the policy. The co-pay may be a flat rate (dollar value) or percentage, or it may vary depending on the specific service type. The co-pay can be treated as a 'remaining amount' above and beyond what the plan covers, or a set fee, depending on your plan. The services covered may also vary from plan to plan. For instance, plans may offer absolute flexibility when it comes to choosing doctors, hospitals or specialists, while others can include more freedom than a traditional health plan, but still have some restrictions. Some plans will have different levels of coverage for critical versus preventative care, or wellness services. Critical care involves things like injuries, illness and general emergency treatment, while preventative care covers things like regular check-ups and maintenance type office visits. Wellness services can extend to non-traditional and para-medical treatments such as chiropractor, registered massage, acupuncture or naturopath office visits. Other benefits may also be advertised, such as discounts or incentives on fitness or medical, health and wellness products such as eyeglasses or contacts. There are plans that cover only critical care, or don't count preventative care services towards the initial deductible, while other plans are more comprehensive. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Fees for Indemnity Health Insurance are based on a combination of breadth of service coverage and deductible/co-pay amounts. Generally, more available services (including preventative care and/or wellness services) result in increased fees. A higher deductible and/or co-pay can lead to lower monthly or annual fees overall. Having a strong grasp of your or your family's health needs and regular or past usage of health care services, as well as a thorough awareness of any past, current or potential hereditary conditions can help you find the right plan and get the best value for your level of usage. YVision Financial Web Copy Client: YVision Financial Services Inc. Language: American English Industry: Financial Services, Insurance Scope: 8 pages of web copy including conversion page, mission statement, and services pages targeting conversion of specific customer types. Also see Letters & Direct Marketing for additional content for this client. Insurance Website Referrals Page YVision Financial Services Inc. is the trusted financial security planner for a wide range of professionals: lawyers, engineers, doctors and other business and medical health professional occupations. We've been privileged to help those launching their careers, young families and established professionals alike build life-long security and capital to protect the things that matter most to them. Skilled professionals at every stage of life have recognized the value of our quality financial security planning and customized service, and have shared their testimonials below. Insurance Website Mission Statement YVision Financial exists to help you protect your "why". We take great pride in helping our clients with the things that matter most: protecting their peace of mind, BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT livelihood, financial security, and ability to provide for loved ones. Life-long security and capital will support you in launching a career, building and raising a family, or taking the next steps in your professional field. We're driven by helping people, and every step of our services and offerings is developed around this mission. YVision Financial has access to a listing of 25 insurance carriers and provides full market analysis to provide solutions customized to you. With no sales quotas and no in-house product sales benefits, our skilled Financial Security Advisors are free to use all the tools at their disposal to help you succeed without up-selling or pressure. Insurance Website Mission Statement, Extended Variant YVision Financial exists to help you protect your "why." Taking the first steps toward building life-long security and capital by choosing YVision Financial as your insurance and investment broker demonstrates great responsibility and commitment to your career success and loved ones. We know life is busy; the rush of finishing degrees, getting careers established and building thriving families can be overwhelming at times. It takes thoughtfulness and foresight to make careful arrangements for your future well-being and happiness, and not everyone has made the effort to take such steps. With no sales quotas and a clear focus on our clients' needs first, YVision's Financial Security Advisors are at our clients' service to build and maintain a Financial Security Plan suited to each stage of life and unique needs. We can help soon-to-be clients build on the right foundation, whether they're just finishing up education, launching a career, starting a family, buying a new home, or already a force to be reckoned with in their chosen field. Our “no obligation” policy ensures that your friends, family and coworkers feel zero pressure to take any steps they may feel uncomfortable with, so you can feel confident making each referral. Our comprehensive solutions, including Life and Disability Insurance policies, as well as Mutual Fund Investment services in line with BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Peak Investment Services Inc., allow us to customize a package of services appropriate to each soon-to-be client's situation. YVision Financial operates with integrity, the highest ethical standards, and a passion for creating awareness around how planning ahead for your financial security can make all the difference in protecting your future and your loved ones. We're driven by helping people, and every step of our services and offerings is developed around this mission. YVision Financial has access to a listing of 25 insurance carriers and provides full market analysis to provide unique solutions customized to your needs. With no sales quotas and no in-house product sales benefits., our skilled Financial Security Advisors are free to use all the tools at their disposal to help you succeed without any up-selling or pressure to take on services that aren't optimally beneficial to you. Insurance Website: Mortgage vs. Life Insurance A mortgage ensures the ongoing safety and comfort of your loved ones while saving capital. Protecting that is critical, but you risk a lost investment if you choose Mortgage Insurance. Better understood as 'Creditor Insurance', you end up paying to protect the lender's investment, which necessarily declines as time goes on and you pay down the mortgage, though your premiums stay the same. The truly savvy choice is a Personal Life Insurance Policy, which maintains its value to you. Insurance Website: Elderly Clients You've worked hard to build a good life, and it's never too late to preserve that investment. At the later stages of life, you can make a difference for your beneficiaries by ensuring your investment isn't lost to estate taxes and loss of net transfer upon death. You're not alone in life, so why not make this a family affair? The kids can help out with the cost of insurance too, investing in their own futures. YVision Financial has access to insurance products for elderly clients that include insurance cover without medical (no need for blood or other invasive tests), requiring only a short, simple questionnaire and quick approvals. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Insurance Website: Young Family Clients You work hard to provide for your family; don't let anything get in the way of that. Without the proper financial safeguards, losing the security you provide could be devastating to their comfort and security. Protect your estate and secure your kids education and family lifestyle from an uncontrollable event with life insurance today. It's also important to act now to save your future insurability, as an unexpected diagnosis can limit or remove your insurance options. Insurance Website: Young Professionals You're on your way! You've battled through the education system, emerged with your degree in hand, and launched your career. Congratulations! You've invested time, discipline and sacrifice to getting where you are now; don't let unexpected life events set you back now. An accident or unexpected illness can be a huge setback - the average length of a disability period is three years! Particularly if you're a high earner with bright prospects, the financial cost can be enormous. Personal Disability Insurance helps you protect your greatest asset - you! - by keeping your life and your finances on track. As little as 2% of your salary can go a long way in protecting millions of dollars at risk. Our Financial Security Advisors have access to dozens of insurance carriers and the expertise to perform a market study and help you find the right fit for your circumstances. Depending on the carrier, YVision Financial can even help you arrange the option to have your payments (premiums) reimbursed at a later date even up to 50-100% of premiums paid! With no sales quotas and no in-house product sales benefits, we are committed to helping you protect your future without up-selling or pressure. Contact YVision Financial today to take advantage of recent graduate plans and discounts. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Insurance Website: Mutual Fund Investments Ready to make the most of your finances? YVision Financial’s skilled professionals are committed to guiding you through the investment process. Unlike so- called "Gurus" who over-promise and often fail to deliver, we focus on factors we can control to develop personalized plans around your unique situation and needs your goals, your preferred timeline, and your comfort level with risk. Our philosophy is to use tried and tested strategies to help you succeed. We cannot predict the markets - no one can - but we can and do build our portfolios with proven, sound investment strategies like asset allocation and diversification. Asset allocation is where we build and maintain a custom investment portfolio for you by splitting the funds invested based on your goals, your preferred timeline and your comfort level with risk to optimize the returns based on your parameters. Diversification helps limit your risk by allocating funds in different sectors at the same time so you are insulated from any dips in a given market. YVision Financial works in line with Peak Financial Services Inc. to ensure we have full access to the tools to optimize your portfolio and get you the best possible results for your circumstances. Contact us today for a no-pressure discussion about your investment needs and opportunities. B2C/Retail Avis & Budget Car Rental Localization SEO Client: Avis & Budget Language: American English Industry: Online retail/car rentals Scope: 3 pages of SEO-optimized and localized content to drive locationspecific traffic plus microcopy. Car Rentals: Avis BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Headed to Los Angeles for fun in the sun, or to close that big deal? Avis Car Rental has the perfect vehicle at a great price for you in one of our five convenient locations. Starting from the moment you step off your flight, we're there to meet your needs when it comes to Los Angeles car rentals! Our LAX location offers complimentary shuttle service to and from Los Angeles International Airport to get you to and from your flight in minutes. Already in the city? Our Wilshire Boulevard Avis is here to help you rent a car in Los Angeles, California with a minimum of effort. We're centrally located between Beverly Hills, Hollywood and Downtown LA, so no matter which sight you're here to see, you can directly on your way. Our Washington Boulevard Avis location offers Los Angeles car rentals just south of the center of the city, near the fashion district, while our Downtown LA location on Figueroa meets you in the heart of the action, a quick shot to Staples Center and the Convention Center or Walt Disney Concert Hall. Finally, if you're looking to rent a car in Los Angeles, California for the express purpose of star hunting, look no further than our Beverly Hills Avis location, placed between The Los Angeles Country Club, Hillcrest Country Club and Los Angeles National Cemetery, and a quick drive to the neighbourhoods of the the rich and famous. Plug in the addresses of your favourite celebrities to our onboard GPS for a star-watching cruise through California's most star-studded zip code! Headline: Your solution for getting around Los Angeles - Avis Car Rental Preview: Headed to Los Angeles for business or pleasure? Avis Car Rental has the right match for you in one of our five convenient locations. Car Rentals: Budget, Redding California BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Looking for transportation options in Redding, California? Budget Car Rental offers two convenient locations in Redding, serving the airport and downtown areas. Redding, like much of northern California, isn't known for its strong public transportation system, so having your own vehicle can greatly increase your freedom and flexibility, as well as keep costs down during your stay! We offer rental cars in Redding at the Redding Municipal Airport, which is near the Interstate 5 Highway and a number of hotels on the outer edge of town. This is a great choice if you're flying in from a nearby city, visiting in the surrounding suburbs, or heading out for sightseeing to one of the several National Forest reserves surrounding the city. If you're located closer to the downtown, Budget also offers a more urban location car rental in Redding. Our second Redding car rental option is right by the Four Corners (West) shopping centre, surrounded by all the comforts of city life. While this location is surrounded by restaurants, shops and other services, it's also just off the Interstate 5 Highway as well. You're minutes away from Park Marina Village and Turtle Bay Exploration Park on the Sacramento River, with main transportation arteries heading to all major attractions and areas of the city just a short drive away. This location is ideal for all car rental needs, whether you're sticking close to civilization, taking in the sights, or ready to embark on a multi-day wilderness trek. Budget is ready to help with our convenient airport and urban Redding, California car rental locations. Heading: Convenient transportation in Redding, CA - Budget Car Rental Preview: Whether you're flying in to Redding, or looking for a better way to get around, Budget Car Rental can help with convenient central and airport locations. Greenville, SC Car Rental: As one of the top 10 fastest growing cities in the United States, Budget Car Rental knows the demand is higher than ever for a car rental in Greenville, South Carolina. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT That's why our rental cars in Greenville are conveniently located just off the Interstate 85 and Interstate 185 highways, with quick access to the urban heart of downtown Greenville and easy routes to the surrounding areas. Our fast, easy rentals will help make the start of your journey a breeze, and since all major routes and highways radiate from the downtown core of Greenville, you can easily launch off to any destination. To add to the convenience, Budget Car Rental is located close by to the Greenville Downtown Airport, between Haywood Mall, Magnolia Park and The Shops at Greenwood shopping centres, and near the TD Convention Center. This location is just a short drive to Bob Jones University, the Overbrook Historic District, Patewood Medical Campus, or the Greenville Zoo, and is surrounded by hotel accommodation and shopping options. Given the scenic location of Greenville in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountain range, this is the perfect location to launch a romantic picnic or hiking adventure from, with multiple highways within reach. For those that prefer to spend their leisure time within the city, all of Greenville's theatres, arenas and the Falls Park on the Reedy are within close reach. The Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is a short drive away, as is the Five Forks neighbourhood. No matter what your needs, Budget Car Rental in Greenville is the easiest, fastest, and most convenient solution. Headline: Fast, accessible car rentals in Greenville - Budget Car Rental Preview: Flexibility and freedom with quick and easy vehicle rentals from Budget Car Rental's accessible location just off the highway in Greenville, South Carolina Tapious Private Social Network Relaunch Copy Client: Tapious Language: American English Industry: Mobile/Browser App startup/Social Network/Online Services Scope: New product description in four different ‘voices’ for app and website. Informative BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Tapious gives back control of your social experience. Build a private community as small or as large as you like. Keep the conversation - whatever the format - secure, whenever and wherever you are. Share text, audio, images, video, whatever you want, with who you want, when you want. Collect and organize the content that you care about. Ready to cut through the noise, the clutter, and the crowd? Use our app and Google Chrome extension to take control of your social experience. Tapious keeps things simple, private, and accessible. It's your network; shouldn't it work for you? Get Tapious and take back your social. Fun Tapious gives back control of your social experience. It's for sharing your latest adventure - and planning your next one. For asking questions, telling stories, and celebrating life's special moments, from his first word to her "I do." It's where you keep the stuff that matters, a home for the triumphs you capture and the messages you care about. Tapious is a private social network that helps you build a community that's in tune with who you are and what you care about. Try Tapious on the web or via mobile app to securely share what you want, with who you want, when you want. Functional Can't wait to post that footage from your Diamond Head climb? But what about all the candid family shots back at the resort? Tapious is a space for your public collections AND your private memories. You make the call. Using our simple mobile or desktop app, automatically keep a copy of your media in our online Vault. Never worry again about losing a moment to a computer crash or lost phone - and, bonus - free up precious device memory. Your days of privacy BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT concerns are over - Tapious lets you share with loved ones without fear of copying, downloading or tagging. Enjoy private, secure social and take back your network with Tapious. Wacky Juggling crabs on the beach? Shareable. Getting all those stitches afterwards? ...yeah, maybe not. Tapious is a space for your public collections AND your private memories. You make the call. Using our simple mobile or desktop app, automatically keep a copy of your media in our online Vault. Don't sweat losing another moment to fiery computer death or a phone that decided to go for a swim - and, bonus - free up precious device memory. Your days of privacy concerns are over - Tapious lets you share with loved ones without fear of copying, downloading or tagging. Enjoy private, secure social and take back your network with Tapious. Sign Guru Online Location-Targeted Services Client: Sign Guru Language: Canadian English Industry: National Small Business – Industrial/Retail Scope: 7 pages of location-targeted, SEO-optimized web content Landing Page Edmonton Signage has the expertise to meet all of your quality signage needs, whether you're in the market for outdoor signage, portable signs or fixed signage, banners or sandwich boards. We offer a full range of business signage options to suit your budget, timeline and business purposes. Edmonton Signage can help you BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT make the most of your space with fixed or portable signs meeting your needs in your location or on the road! Serving the greater Edmonton area and beyond, Edmonton Signage are known for our quality materials and finishing, excellent customer service and timely attentiveness to your unique needs and timelines. We take great delight in helping you select and develop the perfect sign to meet your needs every time. Our expertise allows us to offer specialized service optimizing your investment for a wide variety of business purposes and locations. Catch the eye of your customers with outdoor or indoor banners! With the help of Edmonton Signage, no matter what your location or building, you'll be visible and easy to find. Raise your walk-in-traffic while promoting your brand with bold statement banners or signs. Take advantage of prime street-space with a sandwich board or one of our other portable signs! We can help you catch the attention of pedestrians and vehicle traffic alike with portable signs positioned at eye level or freestanding from your location. Be the go-to destination at the conference, fair or expo with a selection of our standing portable signs and banners! You've invested in space, so let Edmonton Signage help you make the most of that investment with portable signs made to travel and designed to get you the attention you deserve. A variety of portable signs are available depending on the layout of your space, the preference and capacity of your staff to set up signage or hang banners, and the integrity of your brand. Edmonton Signage aims to please, with careful consideration and consultation available to help you succeed in getting the perfect portable signs for your venture. Build your visibility with storefront or in-window banners or signs elevating your business brand or an exciting new promotion! Make the most of your sales with banners, sandwich boards and more! You have a great product or service at a great price; Edmonton Signage can help you make sure everyone else knows. Use portable BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT signs and banners to make the most of your revenue-earning potential by informing, engaging and drawing in customers. Whether you need tasteful elegance, a bold message or colourful attraction, Edmonton Signage can meet your needs with fixed and portable signs such as standing or hanging banners, sandwich boards and posters. Our sturdy materials are chosen to look great based on their design, whether they're braving the extremities of our lovely Edmonton-area climate or traversing the globe from one exhibition to the next. Let our experienced professionals guide you through the process of selecting the perfect design and format for your needs, to meet your deadlines. Banners Edmonton Sign Guru offers premium quality banners for outdoor and indoor use to Edmonton and across Alberta. Whether you're planning a temporary promotion or trade show, or building your brand through a fence or building-based long-term installation, our durable products can take the beating of those Edmonton winters and cross-country trade show marathons! We make all our banners out of a sturdy woven material with taped edges for extra reinforcement and resistance against wear and tear. We'll help you get the longest life out of your banners with tabbed holes and grommet finishing to protect from stretching or ripping along the edges. A properly hung banner has the best chance outlast the elements, and our expert staff is committed to guiding you to ensure your banner endures any storm Edmonton can throw at it! We offer a simple pricing structure for our banners based on the size (in square feet) and number of grommets needed. Our designers are the best in the outdoor printing business and can add that special something to make your banner pop. Once designs are approved, we'll get your sign to you in three days or less. Contact Edmonton Sign Guru for quality banners, fast and expert service, and the perfect sign every time! Business Signs BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Edmonton Sign Guru has over 15 years of experience in providing outdoor and indoor business signs toEdmonton and across Alberta. In addition to new design services, we have qualified professionals able to help you replace and refurbish aging business signs, whether they're mounted on pylons or attached to your storefront. Edmonton Sign Guru also installs back lighting into storefront business signs and provides bucket truck services. Expect the utmost in professionalism from Edmonton Sign Guru's experienced staff. We treat you right, respecting your space, your customers and your time to ensure you have a great experience. Whether you need a little extra work on your existing business signs, or a whole new installation, Edmonton Sign Guru is committed to quality materials, great design and impeccable service. Contact us to take care of all your business signs needs! Portable Signs Ready to take your commercial real estate investment in Edmontonto the next level? Edmonton Sign Guru provides portable signs that give you the flexibility to advertise on the property in front of your store, maximizing the ultimate limit of square footage in sign space that a business can legally have on the streets of Edmonton! Make sure the thousands of cars passing your store each day know exactly who you are and what you offer with billboard-like street front portable signs! Edmonton Sign Guru offers only the best quality in materials and construction, and has an amazing team of designers ready to make sure your portable signs reflect your brand identity. We offer fast, reliable service with affordable pricing, and can have your portable signs ready in three days or less once designs are approved. Trust Edmonton Sign Guru to help you make the most of your rent or real estate investment with portable signs today! Roll Up Banners Edmonton Sign Guru will help your brand stand out with beautiful, quality indoor banners. Our banners are constructed from high-end materials that will stand up to the wear and tear of trade shows and event advertising, and still look great. Edmonton Sign Guru has a team of talented designers that can help you show your BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT brand off and make the most of every promotion with designs uniquely suited to your visual identity, location constraints and audience.We'll make sure you meet your deadline, with banners ready within three days of the designs being approved. Serving Edmonton and Alberta, Edmonton Sign Guru offers experienced professionals, quality service and simple, affordable pricing.Whether your business requires roll up, portable or long-term banners, Edmonton Sign Guru can help you shine, with affordable, durable and beautifully designed banners built to meet your needs on your timeline. Sandwich Boards Are you making the most of your location? Edmonton Sign Guru can help, with sturdy yet portable sandwich boards. Make sure the pedestrians strolling down those Edmonton streets don't pass you by! Let the walking traffic know who you are with easy-to-carry sandwich boards. And why stop at the outdoors? When Edmonton's buried under six feet of the cold white North, direct shoppers to your great bargains with custom indoor sandwich boards! To maximize on your flexibility, we offer sandwich boards with removable inserts so you can freshen up your message periodically. For best durability, consider our coroplast inserts, a lightweight material that stands up great to the weather! Edmonton Sign Guru offers amazing designers to help you get the message across and make the most of your sandwich boards. We'll make sure you're ready for that big sale with quick turnarounds and affordable pricing. Let Edmonton Sign Guru help you grow your brand with indoor and outdoor sandwich boards! Wall Graphics Stand out from your competition with custom wall graphics! Edmonton Sign Guru can help you maximize your return on space investment with strong, long lasting wall graphics applied directly to your walls, menu boards, desk fronts... the possibilities are endless! Bring us your ideas, or let Edmonton Sign Guru's team of skilled design professionals help you get your message across. Wall graphics offer unparalleled flexibility and creativity when it comes to brand identity and BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT promotional messaging. Be one of the first in Edmonton to make a real statement with your space! Edmonton Sign Guru will make sure you're ready for the big sale or grand opening with wall graphics ready within three days of design approval, and our experienced professionals will make sure your wall graphics are applied perfect for long lasting, vivid messaging that really pops. Contact Edmonton Sign Guru today to discuss which wall graphics would be right for you! B Crystal Corp Manufacturing Landing Page Copy Client: B Crystal Corp Language: American English Industry: Technology Manufacturing Scope: Landing page copy with a focus on services. B Crystal Corp specializes in the design and manufacture of semiconductor and optical crystal. In particular, we excel at providing crystal optics and electro-optical components such as VIS, infrared and laser optical components. Our Opto-Mechanical Design and Embedded Software Design team brings years of experience in the design and production of crystal optics and electro-optical components. Our VIS, infrared and laser optical components are backed by this depth of hands-on experience and proven quality. In order to further deepen our expert service offering, we launched an Emerging Technology division focusing on infrared technologies for use in infrared cameras, high-end thermal/night vision security devices and thermal analysis with nondestructive testing. Ethical Designs Retail Sales Copy Client: Withheld Language: American English Industry: Online retail BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Scope: Sales microcopy. Our eco-friendly jewelry line pairs social and environmental responsibility with gorgeous designs for you to feel great about gifting or wearing. A great alternative to a traditional engagement ring, every single one of our gems and diamonds are ethically sourced and mined in accordance with fair trade principles, and are set in recycled gold. Handcrafted Bath & Body Retail Sales Copy Client: Withheld Language: American English Industry: Online retail Scope: Sales/product description. Welcome to your source for handcrafted soap, lotions and our custom line of bath and body products! We have been in the business of painstakingly creating premium quality bath and body products for over a decade, and are committed to providing you with handcrafted soap, lotions, creams and other bath and body products carefully formulated with only the best quality, freshest ingredients. Why settle for chemical formulations that hurt you and the environment, and have been sitting on a shelf for ages, when you can have healthy, luxurious and fresh natural products like our handcrafted soap, lotions and creams at the click of a button! Photon Export Lens Manufacturing ESL Website Rewrite Healthcare Nobledoc Homepage Microcopy Client: Nobledoc Language: American English Industry: Healthcare: International Medical Professional Networking Scope: 4 product/services feature-benefit microcopy for home page slider BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT The best doctors at your service What if you could have the best expert medical care in the world? Our secure online patient profiles connect you with the best doctor or medical expert to reduce suffering and return you to the best of health. Worldwide expertise in your pocket Get the answers you need to help each and every patient. Nobledoc offers fast, easy access to resources and expert help to save doctors time and money while reducing patient suffering. Find answers, share solutions Be recognized as a leader in your field. Nobledoc helps you share your expertise with patients with tough problems, connecting the best doctor and the right knowledge to make a difference. Stand out from the crowd Your organization is a world leader. Maintain those world-class connections using Nobledoc to learn from, and market to, the best medical experts and doctors in the world. Owens Optometry New Website Content Client: Owens Optometry and Optical (Springdale, AR) Language: American English Industry: Healthcare – Optometry, Local Small Business Scope: 5 pages of SEO-optimized content: full web content including landing page & services descriptions Homepage BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Welcome to Owens Optometry and Optical. We provide a full range of optometrist-provided eye exam services including family eye care and specific children exams, as well as a wide selection of stylish eyeglass frames including Ray-Ban® eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses and contact lenses. Our eye care professionals are here to serve you, with adult eye exam and contact lenses or frame fittings, optometrist-provided family eye care, and eye care professional services for children’s exams and fittings. Regular eye exams are a part of healthy living, and we feel passionately about helping you maintain optimum health through personal and family eye care services. If you do have a need for correctional lenses, we are well equipped to find the perfect solution to your unique situation, lifestyle and personal expression. We care about your eye health, experience and satisfaction with all products and services. Expect only the best in professional eye doctor care, customer service and vision-related products! Call today to see our eye doctor or drop by to have an eye care professional help match you with stylish eyeglass frames or prescription sunglasses that are uniquely suited to your needs and style. We carry brand name designer styles, including Ray-Ban® eyeglasses, to make sure that you have your choice of the best style and quality! Lenses Our experienced optometrists and eye care professionals can help you find the perfect solution for all your vision needs. Following an eye exam to check your overall health, as well as to make sure your eyeglasses are matched with your unique needs, our team can help you get the right match between a stylish set of designer frames and the right lenses for your needs. We also offer children's eye exams and a range of children's eyeglasses. There are a variety of factors that contribute to the choice, including weight, thickness, coatings and vision correction needed. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT In terms of material, there are a number of solutions beyond actual glass. Plastic lenses are a good choice for durability and lightness, and we offer polycarbonate lenses, as well as Trivex lenses, an impact-resistant, lightweight solution. Our transition lenses automatically darken to provide vision protection in bright areas - eyeglasses and sunglasses in one! We also offer bifocal lenses for near- and far-sighted needs. Contacts Contacts are a great alternative or addition to eyeglasses. Prescription contacts will require a specific contact eye exam to make sure the fit and function meet your needs. Our experienced eye care professionals will then guide you through a contact fitting for the lenses of your choice. We offer the Acuvue, Air Optix and Frequency 55 brands. Selecting the right contact lenses requires a separate set of measurements for each eye, as well as diagnoses of any additional visual correction necessitated. Options will depend on your needs, such as astigmatism, myopia, hyperopia, near-sighted or farsighted etc., as well as preferences for colored or clear lenses. Preferred duration of daily (disposable), weekly or monthly lenses is another option to select. After you have completed your contact eye exam, we can help you make your choices and finish your contact fitting for Acuvue, Air Optix or Frequency 55 contact lenses. Vision Concerns A regular eye exam is key to maintaining optimum health and catching any developing issues early. Whether you have a chronic eye condition, ongoing vision problems or a developing eye disease, make sure to schedule a regular eye appointment to maintain optimum eye health. Our optometrists are experienced in diagnosing and treating, referring or providing correctional solutions for a variety of complaints such as lazy eye, cataracts and glaucoma, as well as contagious illnesses such as pink eye. Common vision problems BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT include astigmatism, myopia, hyperopia, near-sightedness and/or farsightedness and can generally be treated with correctional lenses (contacts or eyeglasses), while developing, vision impairing and potentially critical conditions such as cataracts and glaucoma may require more invasive measures. Eye exams are also the first line of defense in catching developing illnesses that may not be only vision-related such as diabetes. Call us today to book your regular check-up, or to treat any vision-related concerns! Customer Service Our experienced team of optometrists and eye care professionals are committed to your health and satisfaction, providing an excellent experience for you every time, quality patient care and if needed, the perfect functional and stylish solutions for your vision needs. We provide vision check-up eye exams, family and children's exams and fittings, and exams and treatment for eye conditions as well professional contact lens and frame fittings. We care about your health and satisfaction, and our qualified professionals will make sure that you receive the utmost in patient care, customer service and product support, whatever your needs. Caribe Tours Landing Page Copy Client: Caribe Tours Language: American English Industry: Travel, tour services Scope: Landing page copy with an emphasis on benefits and conversion. Landing Page Breathtaking coastal and mountain destinations across the Dominican Republic include Punta Cana, Bayahibe, Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata , Samana and Jarabacoa. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Enjoy unparalleled experiences and make the most of your travel dollars with budget-friendly tours that provide more for less. Spectacular natural beauty is around every corner, with crystalline waters and flawless tropical beaches, dramatic mountain ranges with thrilling rapids and UNESCO World Heritage architecture. Spend less time on the details and more time enjoying your Caribbean adventure with our seamless, speedy booking process. Your exceptional tour experience starts now, with customer service specialists on hand to offer courteous, responsive support. Make your next trip unforgettable, with a Dominican Republic tour that engages, excites and leaves a lasting impression. Avis & Budget Car Rental Localization SEO Client: Avis & Budget Language: American English Industry: Online retail/car rentals Scope: Three pages of SEO-optimized and localized content to drive locationspecific traffic plus microcopy. Car Rentals: Avis Headed to Los Angeles for fun in the sun, or to close that big deal? Avis Car Rental has the perfect vehicle at a great price for you in one of our five convenient locations. Starting from the moment you step off your flight, we're there to meet your needs when it comes to Los Angeles car rentals! Our LAX location offers complimentary shuttle service to and from Los Angeles International Airport to get you to and from your flight in minutes. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Already in the city? Our Wilshire Boulevard Avis is here to help you rent a car in Los Angeles, California with a minimum of effort. We're centrally located between Beverly Hills, Hollywood and Downtown LA, so no matter which sight you're here to see, you can directly on your way. Our Washington Boulevard Avis location offers Los Angeles car rentals just south of the center of the city, near the fashion district, while our Downtown LA location on Figueroa meets you in the heart of the action, a quick shot to Staples Center and the Convention Center or Walt Disney Concert Hall. Finally, if you're looking to rent a car in Los Angeles, California for the express purpose of star hunting, look no further than our Beverly Hills Avis location, placed between The Los Angeles Country Club, Hillcrest Country Club and Los Angeles National Cemetery, and a quick drive to the neighbourhoods of the the rich and famous. Plug in the addresses of your favourite celebrities to our onboard GPS for a star-watching cruise through California's most star-studded zip code! Headline: Your solution for getting around Los Angeles - Avis Car Rental Preview: Headed to Los Angeles for business or pleasure? Avis Car Rental has the right match for you in one of our five convenient locations. Car Rentals: Budget, Redding California Looking for transportation options in Redding, California? Budget Car Rental offers two convenient locations in Redding, serving the airport and downtown areas. Redding, like much of northern California, isn't known for its strong public transportation system, so having your own vehicle can greatly increase your freedom and flexibility, as well as keep costs down during your stay! We offer rental cars in Redding at the Redding Municipal Airport, which is near the Interstate 5 Highway and a number of hotels on the outer edge of town. This is a great choice if you're flying in from a nearby city, visiting in the surrounding BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT suburbs, or heading out for sightseeing to one of the several National Forest reserves surrounding the city. If you're located closer to the downtown, Budget also offers a more urban location car rental in Redding. Our second Redding car rental option is right by the Four Corners (West) shopping centre, surrounded by all the comforts of city life. While this location is surrounded by restaurants, shops and other services, it's also just off the Interstate 5 Highway as well. You're minutes away from Park Marina Village and Turtle Bay Exploration Park on the Sacramento River, with main transportation arteries heading to all major attractions and areas of the city just a short drive away. This location is ideal for all car rental needs, whether you're sticking close to civilization, taking in the sights, or ready to embark on a multi-day wilderness trek. Budget is ready to help with our convenient airport and urban Redding, California car rental locations. Heading: Convenient transportation in Redding, CA - Budget Car Rental Preview: Whether you're flying in to Redding, or looking for a better way to get around, Budget Car Rental can help with convenient central and airport locations. Greenville, SC Car Rental: As one of the top 10 fastest growing cities in the United States, Budget Car Rental knows the demand is higher than ever for a car rental in Greenville, South Carolina. That's why our rental cars in Greenville are conveniently located just off the Interstate 85 and Interstate 185 highways, with quick access to the urban heart of downtown Greenville and easy routes to the surrounding areas. Our fast, easy rentals will help make the start of your journey a breeze, and since all major routes and highways radiate from the downtown core of Greenville, you can easily launch off to any destination. To add to the convenience, Budget Car Rental is located close by to the Greenville Downtown Airport, between Haywood Mall, Magnolia Park and The Shops at Greenwood shopping centres, and near the TD BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS WEBSITE CONTENT Convention Center. This location is just a short drive to Bob Jones University, the Overbrook Historic District, Patewood Medical Campus, or the Greenville Zoo, and is surrounded by hotel accommodation and shopping options. Given the scenic location of Greenville in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountain range, this is the perfect location to launch a romantic picnic or hiking adventure from, with multiple highways within reach. For those that prefer to spend their leisure time within the city, all of Greenville's theatres, arenas and the Falls Park on the Reedy are within close reach. The Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is a short drive away, as is the Five Forks neighbourhood. No matter what your needs, Budget Car Rental in Greenville is the easiest, fastest, and most convenient solution. Headline: Fast, accessible car rentals in Greenville - Budget Car Rental Preview: Flexibility and freedom with quick and easy vehicle rentals from Budget Car Rental's accessible location just off the highway in Greenville, South Carolina BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS Professional Services Gourmet Marketing Case Studies Client: Gourmet Marketing Language: American English Industry: Luxury Hospitality Marketing Services (New York market) Scope: 19 case studies as part of a larger project involving full website content to accompany a brand refresh/redesign. Over 10,000 words of original content in a fresh voice including Mission Statement, micro-copy (slogans), 25 services pages and 6 project pages listed under Website Content. Ayza Social Media Case Study Ayza was a small, low-profile New York café when we started working with them in 2007. Located on a side street in Manhattan, they weren't getting significant walk-in traffic and their brand identity was unclear and not compelling enough to draw in customers on its own strength. Turning them into a sought-after destination took a clear, defined concept spread via social media. We started by defining and clarifying the strengths Ayza already had, zeroing in on their offerings as a wine and chocolate bar with locally-made chocolate, pairings, and gorgeous presentation. Feature nights like Sundays couples' night and Tuesday girls' night out were a great way to bring in traffic at traditionally slower times. To communicate Ayza's identity and draw customers in, we started with curated social media. Beautiful photos of their attractive offerings and promotion of feature night campaigns got the ball rolling with in-house content. From there, much of the social media content shifted to user-generated on the strength of Ayza's photogenic desserts and very social media-active customers; 75%+ young professional women who enjoyed photographing and sharing photos of their visits. While social media was a natural fit for Ayza's customer base, we encouraged and expanded on organic growth and sharing with strategic input. Inserting beautiful, professional quality photos for people to comment on and share was one approach; BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS bringing customer-generated media to the forefront was another. We used Facebook advertising to boost posts and implemented native advertising to extend Ayza's reach to a wider target market beyond the social web of existing customers. Interactive campaigns also spurred organic sharing; a free glass of wine for a Facebook check-in, photo contests to boost sharing, wine tasting events booked directly through Facebook. We've grown Ayza's Facebook presence from zero fans in 2007 - to nearly 70,000 for a single location of around 30 seats on a Manhattan side street! With such a large, active social community, every photo, offering and campaign has incredible reach with very little ongoing investment needed. Marmara Park Social Media Case Study The challenge was to take an unknown and turn them into a star. Marmara is a Turkey-based hotel group with international flagship locations on the Upper East Side and Park Avenue in New York City. The brand lacked the ability to draw in customers on name recognition alone. Their Park Avenue location in the historic Jasper Building provided some unique benefits, but they faced dozens of betterknown 5-star hotel competitors in the area. We started with rigorous brand guidelines and style guides to ensure the Marmara Park brand was credible, relevant, on-trend and appealing to the local market. A three-step strategy followed up using social media to cultivate trust and understanding of the brand in the targeted audience. The first step was to invite and invest in social media influencers. Bringing people with large, engaged fanbases into the hotel extended the trust and credibility they'd built with their followers to the hotel while spreading word of the elegance and luxury of the location via organic posts and sharing. This strategy included working with luxury brands such as Elite Stoli Vodka. Just 37 posts from a single event when they brought their influencers to the hotel for an event generated 1.4 million impressions. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS Next, we ensured stellar quality content across all social media channels. Influencergenerated and other customer-generated organic content was supplemented with professional photoshoots and digital media such as cinemagraphs - moving gif-like photos. Finally, we solidified their position as a luxury destination by connecting their social media outreach with the website. A successful lifestyle blog with extensive content run by influencers generates more shareable content while drawing traffic and giving the brand authority, while every page of the website contains social media content to tie it all together. This integrated strategy has allowed the Marmara Park to build a social media stronghold to connect with customers by continuously growing their audience and expanding their reach. Agozar Website Design Case Study A great website design communicates the individuality of a brand while promoting strategic goals. For Agozar, a Cuban restaurant in the Bowery, we chose to communicate the funky, quirky character of the brand through graphics, since the low lighting and angles of the restaurant interior negatively impacted the ability to capture appealing photography. The fun, graphic layout and visual elements gave us great flexibility to then highlight and encourage interaction with key elements such as the main calls to action: reservations, order online, gift cards and feedback. Another featured element highlighted was awards; the restaurant had won Open Table's 2015 Diner's Choice and Trip Advisor's 2015 Certificate of Excellence, and these award badges feature prominently on their home page. We worked with Agozar to develop special offers to drive weekday business, promoting each offer with a custom graphic, and emphasized their catering offers to build business in that area. Another significant component was the menu; we split it into distinct sections for the website to help customers better understand the BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS offerings, with particular emphasis on the best-selling food and drink options, and used the opportunity to also drive more traffic to high-value group dining with prominent graphic advertising. Private events were another important initiative. To encourage bookings, we emphasized the character of the space by naming each room and laying out all the detail for customers on the page, including the ability to easily book the space directly on the page. Agozar benefited from a strong, fun social media presence, so incorporating a curated social media feed into the website design helped reinforce their brand while linking their channels to drive traffic in both directions. We also incorporated mouthwatering photos of their food and a blog showcasing their background, history and passions, which keeps the site fresh and active, while demonstrating a fun, engaging brand and offering. The media and social components provide a backbone and visual language for the strategic initiatives. Agave Website Design Case Study Successful businesses are always looking for their next win. For Agave, a West Village Southwestern restaurant and tequila bar, established prominence as a wellknown weekend brunch destination wasn't enough. With one of the most extensive tequila and mescal collections in the city, they saw the opportunity for significant growth, despite their existing success. Agave's website need to reach out to customers outside of their weekend crowd and showcase their other strengths in addition to their brunch offerings with a unifying, compelling experience. To visualize this, we started with a layout that heavily relied on photography to create an atmosphere, grab and hold on to customer's attention and simplify their experience on the site. Every page carries the distinctive stamp of the brand, with continuity in the color scheme and type. From that visual core, we brought out the calls to action to ensure the valuable activity of making reservations and placing online orders were immediately visible BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS and easy to use. The website had to be more than a showcase for the brand, it needed to be a workhorse, driving business in the doors. Another key customer motivator was a constantly changing notification bar for messages, to make the most of all the events and promotions that Agave kept on the go. A strategic initiative to promote private events on the strength of Agave's large, flexible space was supported by a dedicated page advertising all relevant details over a series of accurate background photos of the actual space to help customers appreciate the opportunity and envision the possibilities for their own event. Finally, we integrated Agave's social media activity using a custom tag #agavenyc and mediating the content prior to display to ensure only the best user-generated photos were featured. This emphasized customer engagement, excitement and appreciation of the Agave experience in an authentic, social experience. Ayza Website Design Case Study Ayza, a New York Wine and Chocolate Bar with a back-street location, but a rockstar social media and online presence, understands the importance of staying fresh and current with their customers. Having gone through many successful refreshes of their website, their latest version features all the best features of an elegant, engaging and relevant of-the-moment design. An immersive experience for the customer was achieved using parallax design, where the background and foreground move at different rates to create a sense of 3D interaction by visitors. Top of the line photography with a distinctive filter, videos, virtual tours and animation help create a sense of the atmosphere of the space and the elegant presentation of the food at Ayza, while minimized navigation avoids intruding on the compelling visual environment. At the same time, it's a very active and strategically functional website. The main calls to action - reservations, menus and private parties - are always present, highly visible and easily accessible, no matter how you move through the site. All sources of social media are integrated throughout the site and within every navigation bar BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS to take advantage of Ayza's enormous and successful social media and email groups. This omnipresent integration keeps new and existing customers in touch with the latest developments and provides a way for Ayza to direct visitors to the most important events and promotions. Another highly successful component has been the blog, which draws its own crowd through relevant content targeted to connect with Ayza's customer base, while providing another avenue to advertise special events, offerings and promotions. In their quest to continually engage their customers and grow their business, Ayza has invested in a brand-enhancing visually compelling website with highly functional and engaging design, complete social media integration, and a value-added trafficgenerating blog. Bonchon Website Design Case Study International Korean fried chicken chain Bonchon required a multifaceted, scalable website strategy to grow the franchise as a whole, while also driving business to each individual location and providing valuable insight. With a solid brand and fast expansion on an international scale, an updated website strategy needed to support, give insight to, and expand on existing success with improved customer-facing and franchise-facing components and detailed analytics. Bonchon locations vary widely, from nightclub-inspired to hole-in-the-wall, and have customized menus, so we developed easy-to-manage individual websites for each location to display the uniqueness of each specific franchisee while supporting a consistent brand and tracking insights about site visitors and page usage. Local Search Optimization, as well as the creation of a store locator tool inside the site and IP tracking, ensured customers always were shown the nearest physical location. To expand on the franchising opportunities, a franchising website tells the story of the brand, establishes the potential rewards of becoming a franchisee, and offers multiple outlets to submit franchise applications via a customer relationship management (CRM) system that improves the ease of use on both sides. We developed a guidebook for the site to help potential franchisees to get all the BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS information, and individual franchise location websites have been used to demonstrate how easy it would be to get set up, operate, and gain attention for a new location. Social media integration with the websites is another big draw for potential franchisees, as well as individual locations, taking advantage of the engaged global fanbase who enjoy posting fun photos of their meals. Daisy Website Design Case Study Inspired by the owner’s vision of vintage hole-in-the-wall bars of old Manhattan, we launched Daisy’s first website with an eccentric, attention-grabbing design that conveyed their characteristic atmosphere while displaying their offerings. A small, upscale location with a curated shortlist of signature cocktails and dishes, Daisy encouraged engagement with weekend bottomless brunch, weekday happy hours, two bars and a space for dancing with live bands or DJ. While the hole-in-the-wall target concept was charming, the challenge was to surpass the inherent limitations in that portrayal of a small, local bar to craft a brand experience that customers were drawn to and could get excited about. The website design was both creative and comprehensive, ensuring that a consistent mood and atmosphere was conveyed throughout, while detailing the features of the space in an appealing manner. Google Analytics was deployed to track site usage, to ensure goals and targets were being met effectively. As part of their growth strategy, Daisy had made it a goal to set up their social media accounts including Instagram and Facebook. To maximize the benefit of these efforts, we planned for social media integration in their website design. This would allow them to incorporate and display the organic growth and inherent advertising of happy, engaged customers posting about their experiences, so that as Daisy’s new social media accounts gained traction, they could reflect that growth on their new website. Firebirds Website Design Case Study BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS As a multi-unit corporate restaurant group, Firebirds benefited from a well-defined brand, with scrupulous organization to maintain the success of their upscale casual steakhouses. At the time of this website refresh, accessibility design and mobilefriendly design were emerging as new concerns, so a unique component of the project was research and implementation of the best solutions to challenges on mobile screens and for disabled customers. This incorporated solutions for accessible screen reading and flexibility to different screen sizes and rations. While the brand and restaurant branches were corporate-owned, not franchisees, each location had unique menus, promotions, staff and local owner-operators. We created highly detailed, intricately developed and updated sub-sites for each location. These maintained painstaking brand cohesion, including highlighting brand-universal signature items like the bars and cocktails, while featuring variable content such as location-specific restaurant managers and chefs. Featuring detailed information about each specific location’s specialist team was of key importance to the brand identity. E-commerce tools such as gift cards, location-specific career sections and reservations were also developed and implemented to suit the needs of the clients. The main corporate website was created separately from the location-specific subsites. With a wide-ranging dedication to involvement in corporate events, the main website featured separate tools and components from the sub-sites, such as an intuitive store locator, recruiting center and blog/news center. Halal Guys Website Design Case Study A true success story, the Halal Guys started as immensely popular street-cart fare. With customers lining up for blocks to eat their fast, flavourful food, the transition to dedicated restaurants didn’t stop at the borders of New York City, or even the United States. We joined the team as Halal Guys were gearing up towards a huge international franchise expansion effort. With investor capital waiting in the wings and incredible BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS opportunity within reach, the website needed to illustrate the strength of the Halal Guys brand beyond its street cart roots and sell their success and further potential to leads. Rock-solid branding was conveyed via the website with absolutely comprehensive visual identity in the design. The right colours, icons and logo were painstakingly tied together on every page to reinforce the message that the brand was clear, established and strong enough to extend indefinitely to franchises around the globe. A clear communications strategy informed every word, supporting the Halal Guys brand as a whole while targeting strategic goals. The website has become a profoundly powerful e-commerce tool, not only supporting dramatic franchise expansion on an international scale, but connecting with local customers as well. Features include an integrated rewards program that engages customers, and the strength of their corporate marketing is demonstrated by their online promotion and sales of gift cards. Other huge successes are the online ordering and catering solutions, which drive revenue directly through the website. Matt & Meera Website Design Case Study Website design strategy is as unique as your business. For Matt & Meera, a mixed Indian and American restaurant in Hoboken, New Jersey, the goal was to create a website as simple and inviting as their space. But the expression of simplicity comes with significant behind-the-scenes complexity. Matt & Meera embraces their identity as a small but warm and inviting location, and we reflected this with a warm, faded colour scheme that avoids overbearing intensity and conveys the coziness of the actual space. We created a parallax, one-page website for the brand to keep things simple for visitors and behind-the-scenes managers of the site, while still providing a dynamic experience for the customers with movement and visual interest. In a parallax design, the foreground and background move at different rates, in this case offering a sense of depth without intensity or unnecessary complexity. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS In an unconventional move to bring the brand to life while maintaining this painstakingly crafted sense of inviting simplicity and coziness, we created a personified identity for the brand. The creative element of two frogs acting as mascots for the brand helps give it personality; we integrated the mascots by repeating them throughout the site to tie things together. While maintaining a very cohesive brand experience, we ensured calls to action were present and visible throughout the website. Catering, order online and contact access points drive revenue and keep customers engaged via email subscription, while a blog integration expands the opportunity to develop the brand personality and convey its sense of characteristic whimsy. Planet Wings Branding Case Study Planet Wings faced an identity and marketing challenge with their brand. They needed to differentiate their premium quality ingredients and processes from their competition and their own previous branding. In the past, their image had reflected more of a fast-food chain, and elevating their brand perception with customer and potential franchisees would take a thorough overhaul of their brand. Planet Wings started this major refresh of their image with a new logo, and we were able to extend their fresh, high-quality messaging with comprehensive visual identity services. Inspired by their values and personality, we created a signature brand pattern to visually communicate their unique strengths in a versatile manner. The brand pattern is reflected across everything from packaging and menus to wall art and interior designs, creatively tying diverse elements together to present a clean, consistent image. We further supported the brand refresh with a collection of signature graphics, colors, photography and textures to communicate a cohesive, polished presentation with great design flexibility. A detailed style guide further helps the Planet Wings team implement and maintain high-quality design consistently as they move forward with future expansion and campaigns. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS Additional marketing efforts are tied in to this visual design, referencing the brand pattern and brand elements on website and social media, digital and print campaigns and signage. This creative, polished and thorough brand refresh enables Planet Wings to effectively communicate their true quality to customers and attract franchisees to support continued growth and success. The Marmara Park Avenue Branding Case Study As a new entrant to the competitive luxury accommodation market of Manhattan, The Marmara Park Avenue brand had to both introduce and establish the value of this international hotel chain’s New York City location. We supported the hotel with full brand identity development to help them communicate their brand effectively, connect with customers and leave a lasting impression. Our visual design elements were inspired by the unique characteristics and personality of The Marmara Park Avenue. We incorporated the repeating designs in the heritage flooring of their historic location for uniquely identifiable design assets. These brand patterns are used across all print and digital marketing materials, including the website to bring a memorable, signature look to all branded collateral presented by the hotel. Incorporating an existing logo, we further designed an integrated system of logos and icons in addition to the signature brand pattern, which brought added flexibility and could be used in various formats. The logo form of an ‘M’ with a bird was essential for brand recognition - particularly important, since the brand was new to the region - so we looked for ways to feature that form on its own as much as possible across branded materials. A complementary color palette and marble backgrounds rounded out the key visual identity elements. We finished by creating a comprehensive style guide to further support The Marmara Park Avenue in maintaining excellent brand cohesion and continuing to reach customers as their business grows. The Cuckoo Kitchen Branding Case Study BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS While a branding refresh and renewed focus on strategic direction can be game changers for existing businesses, starting with a strong brand strategy from day one is an opportunity not to be missed. Cuckoo Kitchen took advantage of the benefits of starting strong by approaching us as they were about to launch their web-based food delivery system, which planned to offer Chinese meals that require minimal preparation. We looked to Cuckoo Kitchen's values, which promoted natural ingredients and nextday delivery, to find inspiration and shape the direction of the design process. An icon featuring a leaf/bird emerged as the perfect way to visually represent the company and their services. The leaf element in the logo icon represents their fresh, clean food, while the bird conveys their fast delivery. From there we extended the leaf element of the brand's logo design in a repeating pattern that could stand alone. This allowed us to reinforce the fresh element across multiple design use cases with a branded pattern that offered more flexibility than the single logo icon presented, enhancing items such as delivery box and food packaging. A complementary color palette and detailed brand style guide will further support the Cuckoo Kitchen team as they grow, helping them maintain their strong, unique brand design and extend it to additional use cases such as a website or online presence and packaging as they continue to develop their services. In order to help prepare Cuckoo Kitchen for anticipated growth, we also developed a preliminary website direction concept for the team to envision and plan around. Kiin Thai Public Relations Case Study The owners of Somtum Der launched Kiin Thai Eatery to expand on the success of their existing specialty northeastern Thai food restaurant. While Somtum Der offered healthy, culturally-grounded Isan (northeastern) dishes in a warm, inviting environment, Kiin Thai Eatery would focus on Lanna (a different variety of northern) and Central-style Thai food in a fresh, bright format. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS Helping Kiin Thai Eatery establish its own success without cannibalizing Somtum Der's efforts and drawing away customers was key. Rather than marketing the new launch to existing customers, we worked to create a splash and draw in traffic from a much wider audience. Starting with a series of three small media events, the eatery hosted a private dinner for New York Times reporters, a fashion dinner for fashion writers, and a culinary experience for food writers. The aim was to make an impression, communicating the uniqueness and quality of Kiin Thai's food and ambiance, and by extension, connecting with a discerning yet diverse audience. This targeted investment resulted in coverage in high quality publications including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Serious Eats, Thrillist, the New York Post, Eater, Urban Daddy and more. It also generated over 20 million social and media impressions, effectively connecting the new restaurant with a wide audience without cannibalizing the existing restaurant's customer base. Somtum Der Public Relations Case Study Somtum Der, a specialty northeastern Thai food restaurant in New York, took the opportunity to revitalize its business heading into their second year of operations. Offering fresh, culturally-grounded and distinctive Isan cuisine in a warm, engaging environment, they needed a way to refresh interest in the restaurant now that the initial novelty had worn off. The push to gain more press and new customers started with the introduction of the Tong Tom Der. A new dish to most New Yorkers, but popular in Thailand, the new menu item proved the perfect centrepiece for a public relations push. The multi-faceted strategy started with an exclusive media event hosted at the restaurant. A papaya salad-making class encouraged the media to engage with the staff. We also hosted one-to-one media tastings with Somtum Der's chef and curated content on Instagram that emphasized the history of Thai Food, and specifically where the recipe for the Tong Tom Der dish originated. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS Leaning into the menu refresh with in-person events and a social media push paid off. We secured coverage for Somtum Der in top New York City press including Serious Eats, the New York Post, Eater, Thrillist and more, along with over 10 million media and social impressions. Somtum Der also benefited from a 10% increase in social media check-ins to the restaurant. Marmara Park Website Design Case Study An unknown quantity in the competitive New York City hotel scene, international hotel group Marmara’s Park Avenue location needed to make a name for itself in a crowded market, competing with the best in luxury brands. A high-quality visual showcase helps customers envision themselves at Marmara Park. From gorgeous photography to virtual tours and cinemagraphs - flowing images using large, excellent resolution gifs - we crafted a stunning experience to draw customers in and inspire them while building the brand identity. Gorgeous visuals are key to making the right impression, thoroughly supported by excellent functionality. The most important calls to action were placed at the forefront and repeated throughout, so the ability to quickly and easily book is immediately accessible. And we kept all those amazing images lightweight, so the entire design is extremely fast and responsive, completely mobile friendly on all devices and screen sizes. Even the website backend has been fully optimized, transparently allowing insight into opportunities for further improvements on an ongoing basis. Finally, to emphasize the buzz and growing popularity of the brand, social media involvement was incorporated so influencer posts, blog posts and cinemagraphs continually spread the message that Marmara Park is an exceptional experience. The website design was awarded as an Outstanding Hotel Website, based largely on its concept of virtually inviting the guest into the space using photography. Additionally, the new design has driven a 100% increase in traffic due to SEO BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS optimization and online reservations have increased by 90%, with extended stays boosted by 60%. Pera Website Design Case Study A Mediterranean Restaurant with locations in Soho and Midtown, Pera’s new website required a complex design to incorporate the many events and special menu deals for both locations. Parallax animation in the design, with elements moving at different speeds, dynamically incorporates a sense of the cozy sophistication of the restaurant locations and brand identity. We ensured the key call to action - reservations - was always at the forefront of navigation while crafting the design to responsively fit any mobile or desktop device. This marriage of design with functionality won the Web Awards Outstanding Restaurant Website 2015. Planet Wings Website Design Case Study Implementing a franchise-wide rebranding in concert with a new website helped Planet Wings better reach their customers. A rapid-growing fast-casual restaurant franchise from the metropolitan New York and New Jersey area, Planet Wings needed a brand refresh to keep customers excited and grow their franchise. We reimagined every element of the brand to catch the attention of customers, overhauling the logo, website and interior design of new and existing locations, supported by a solid brand style guide. Starting from their already high-traffic existing website, we implemented Google Analytics to track the effects of the new design, ensuring key metrics like length of stay on page, number of pages accessed and conversion rates improved during the redesign. We simplified the website to craft a more modern and clean approach with concise but creative designs and content. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS In addition to overhauling the visual design to match the new brand guidelines, we drew all the key customer-facing assets to the forefront to improve customer relations. An email subscription gets customers involved with promotions, which are broadcasted on the main landing page alongside the rewards program, online ordering, and social media integration to keep customers involved, in touch and informed. We also refreshed the design of their location finder tool to create a better customer experience with a smoother, more interactive interface. To target increased franchise growth, a key brand target, the franchise page on the website was also designed to offer the step by step process for new franchisee onboarding in an interactive and creative format. Stoli Website Design Case Study Premiere vodka brand Stoli, in partnership with renowned mixologist Jeffrey Morgenthaler, needed a showcase website for their Drink What You Want campaign. The campaign aimed to break down gender stereotypes and encourage men to drink more mixed cocktails. The Stoli and Jeffrey initiative included a variety customcreated content and advertising efforts. The campaign comprised of a series of instructional, humorous mixology-promoting videos, a nationwide media and PR effort, and a hashtag social media campaign, #drinkwhatyouwant. By the time the decision was made to create a custom website for the campaign, time had become an issue. We rose to the challenge of designing and coding a website in a short amount of time to allow Stoli’s campaign to progress on their planned schedule. From there, we ensured the design was capable of further development, and then continued to add content and features as the campaign grew. The custom website for the Drink What You Want campaign showcased all of the curated videos and content created by Stoli and Jeffrey, while supporting both the brand and campaign visual identity. At the same time, it incorporated related usergenerated social media content. A critical achievement of the design was ensuring full mobile responsiveness and flexibility for all device types and screen sizes while BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS loading very quickly, despite the media-rich, content-heavy requirements of the campaign. Additionally, we incorporated tools to facilitate social sharing, allowing organic growth and buzz around the campaign to flow in and out of the website. Fast + Epp Structural Engineering Boilerplate Client: Fast + Epp Language: Canadian English Industry: Professional services – structural engineering Scope: Proposal boilerplate sections. FIRM PROFILE Since its inception in 1985, Fast + Epp has gained a reputation and been granted numerous awards for creative and economical structural design. Personal service and a keenness to bring fresh ideas to the design team have enhanced this reputation. Assisted by competent staff and structural analysis software, the Partners and Associates provide "hands-on" control of every project throughout all phases. Our office currently employs thirty people, including eighteen engineers, five of whom have post-graduate degrees and two with LEED® AP designation, and six experienced CAD technicians. PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH PROGRAMMATICALLY COMPLEX BUILDINGS In today’s demanding economy and environmentally-concerned climate, buildings need to do more with less. Fast + Epp supports superior building design through structurally efficient and innovative engineering, which allows for an optimized range of building functions and uses without wasteful overdesign. The Richmond Olympic Oval is a shining example of a building that has been a traditionally highly-specialized, single-use venue. The Oval not only fully supported its founding purpose as an Olympic long-track speed-skating venue, but also BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS currently serves as a significant community sports and recreation complex. The Oval contains multiple rinks, courts, and fields, professional and community training facilities and specialized studios, a Rehabilitation Centre, as well as commercial, meeting, and event spaces under one roof, and is still easily reconfigurable for use in world-class athletic competitions. The unprecedented clear span roof enables the extensive reconfiguration of the largest part of the building, while providing an uncompromisingly stunning interior aesthetic regardless of use. The recently completed Arena Stage project in Washington, DC collects three performing arts theatres in a massive transparent timber-steel glazed atrium, with a full range of support spaces including meeting rooms, practice/training and educational spaces, food-service, backstage and production spaces, and communityaccess spaces. Not only did this project retain and rehabilitate two historicallysignificant heritage theatre buildings within its design, but it drastically expanded the space offerings of the complex, and is playing a significant role in revitalizing the ailing neighbourhood which surrounds it. The soon-to-be completed Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS) at the University of British Columbia will be one of the greenest buildings built to date. It will act simultaneously as a constantly updated and evolving teaching tool and a research centre. It will contain a core public-access atrium lobby, an interactive, reconfigurable theatre, multiple labs, a lecture hall, and dedicated space for both UBC administrative staff and strategic alliance partners from the public sector. PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE ON MULTIDISCIPLINARY INTEGRATED DESIGN TEAMS An integrated design team provides the best possible finished product, and Fast + Epp have been fortunate to frequently have been invited to be a part of such teams. When the Richmond Olympic Oval was completed, the roof structure represented an unprecedented degree of integration between disciplines. In order to conceal all services within the hollow timber and steel arches and panels, the full collaboration of the mechanical, electrical, and acoustical consultants was required from early on in order to ensure all requirements were met at the prefabrication stage. Additionally, Fast + Epp’s experience with Partner Gerald Epp’s design-build firm, BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS StructureCraft Builders Inc., has facilitated a greater level of comprehension of construction demands and techniques on the part of our engineers. While the Richmond Olympic Oval stands out in regards to the extent and complexity of its integration between disciplines, numerous other projects that Fast + Epp has completed or are currently working on similarly involve strong collaboration between team members in order to produce superior results, from the Richmond Canada Line Stations to Trout Lake Arena, UBC CIRS to Van Dusen Centre, and countless other significant projects. STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS AND THE ARCHITECTURALLY INNOVATIVE BUILDING Fast + Epp firmly believes that good structure is good architecture, and that the one cannot exist without the other. It is manifestly evident that even the most innovative architectural design cannot escape the drawing board without the input of a good structural engineer, and well-designed, exposed structure is both economically and environmentally ideal. Fast + Epp has won numerous engineering and other industry awards for their innovative and industry-leading structural solutions over the last couple decades, starting with early efforts on the EBCO Aerospace Centre and Concord Pacific Marketing Centre, and including SkyTrain stations (Brentwood, Gilmore, and the Richmond Canada Line Stations), community centers such as Gleneagles and Sunset, arena and recreation facilities including Trout Lake Arena and the Richmond Olympic Oval, bridges (Kingsway, Griffiths Drive, and Princeton), and numerous other public and private sector buildings, including, most recently, Arena Stage. LEED EXPERIENCE Fast + Epp has significant experience with LEED design. With two LEED AP designated management team members, we are well equipped to contribute to sustainable design from a structural perspective. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS Currently we have a number of buildings under construction that are being built to Living Building standards (Okanagan College Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Technologies, SFU Childcare Facility, and Van Dusen Botanical Gardens). The Brook residential complex has been certified LEED Platinum, and the underconstruction UBC CIRS project is expected to achieve the Platinum certification once complete. Additionally, we have a large number of projects that have been certified or are pending other LEED designations, including the White Rock Operations Building, which was the first LEED Gold certified building in Canada. COST EFFECTIVE, INNOVATIVE STRUCTURAL DESIGN SOLUTIONS: WOOD AND CONCRETE Fast + Epp have won numerous awards for their innovative structural design, which is frequently cost effective in addition to being environmentally and aesthetically superior to the standard alternatives A recent success story is the Trout Lake Arena, which started out as a concrete box with multiple steel trusses spanning the width of the heavy roof structure, and was transformed with the addition of a single curved steel vierendeel arch truss along the length of the building, and an array of glulam beams spanning the halves of the width of the building, into a bright, welcoming, and notably less-expensive community venue. The proposed structural solution brought down the budget by reducing the total amount of materials needed, since the concrete walls did not have to be as high to accommodated unnecessary ceiling depth, and eliminating the large, heavy steel trusses. The new structural solution allowed for a decreased building height at either end of the building where the roof curves down, and improved the ease of construction of the roof with shorter-length, easily transportable and easily installed glulam beams. These two factors; cost savings by reducing the materials needed, and cost savings through improving constructability, are common to many of Fast + Epp’s projects. Prefabricated and easily transported and/or assembled structural components, along with repetition in the design can create significant cost savings, as well as BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS contributing to superior building designs. Award-winning projects such as the Kingsway Pedestrian Bridge, the Canada Line and certain Millennium Line Stations, and Whistler Public Library are examples of other recent successes. Fast + Epp Industry Competition Entry Texts Client: Fast + Epp Language: Canadian English Industry: Professional services – structural engineering Scope: Technical content rewriting to present project features and benefits in an industry awards setting for two projects. TROUT LAKE ARENA: HIGHLIGHTS Trout Lake Arena, which served as an Olympic practice venue during the 2010 Winter Games, smoothly sidesteps the design elements of a typical ice rink. Instead of plain and industrial it opts for open, airy, and dynamic, incorporating the aesthetic and environmental advantages of wood and natural lighting into an innovative structural solution. Significant use of wood as a sustainable material in the design was desired; however, the initial architectural concept of a flat roof with a longitudinal clerestory window at midspan did not lend itself to traditional steel roof trusses, due to the step in the roof plane at the window, nor the use of wood beams, due to the long span. Fast + Epp proposed a major departure from conventional arena roof design. Instead of supporting the roof on traditional steel trusses spanning the width of the building, a single steel Vierendeel type arch was installed running the length of the arena, effectively splitting the building in two halves. This resulted in shorter spans which facilitated using glue-laminated beams as primary support elements, and allowed natural daylight to stream into the building through the open panels in the steel truss. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS The resulting dynamic aesthetic expression accomplished a visual and unusual structural hybrid – concrete, steel, and wood combine and interplay to create rhythmic patterns which interact with the shifting natural light. The final result is an arena structure that showcases wood and design innovation to Olympic skaters and provides an economical and aesthetically striking long-term legacy venue for the community. NEW APPLICATION OF EXISTING TECHNIQUES: ORIGINALITY AND INNOVATION The structural design of Trout Lake Arena forgoes typical concrete-and-steel-box ice rink design in favour of an attractive and efficient vierendeel arch and glulam beam roof assembly supported on concrete buttresses. The result was an aesthetically interesting community arena which also served as an Olympic practice venue during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Trout Lake Arena has 3,175 sq. m. of floor area and contains an Olympic sized ice rink. It served as the first stage in a revitalization of Trout Lake Park; an adjacent community centre is currently being constructed. The initial architectural concept called for a flat roof with a longitudinal clerestory window at midspan; however, traditional steel roof trusses could not efficiently accommodate the step in the roof plane at the window, while the long span prevented the use of wood beams as an attractive solution. The structural engineer proposed the following solution: A 67 metre longitudinal steel Vierendeel type arch (no diagonal members in truss (See Figure 1)) was installed, supported by cast-in-place concrete buttresses at the north and south ends of the building. The arch was constructed using standard steel wide flange sections. The top chord of the arch supports the high roof glulam beams spanning 26 metres to the west perimeter concrete columns while the bottom chord supports the low roof glulam beams which span 14 metres to the east side perimeter columns (See Figure 2). The glulam beams support curved metal decking. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS Taking the unconventional step of incorporating a longitudinal Vierendeel arch into the roof structure, rather than spanning conventional steel trusses in the short direction of the building accomplished the following purposes: 1. It splits the 40 meter wide roof structure into two halves, thereby creating secondary spans of 14 and 26 meters. This facilitated the extensive use of wood, a highly sustainable local resource which typically becomes uneconomical at spans exceeding roughly 25 metres due transportation challenges. (See Figure 2) 2. The depth of the truss serves as a crescent shaped clerestory window space allowing ample daylight to penetrate the arena and create interesting light patterns. The use of a Vierendeel type arch eliminates the diagonal members and clutter of a conventional arch and results in cleaner aesthetic expression. (See Figure 1) 3. It results in an economical structure notwithstanding the curved form of the roof which would typically be associated with higher costs. The higher cost of the curved form is more than compensated for by a reduction in the height of the perimeter walls that are associated with a deeper truss conventional solution. The structural engineer’s solution served architectural design and Client objectives by incorporating significant architecturally exposed structural timber in an elegant, efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable manner while also introducing significant natural light through the natural openings in the structural components. COMPLEXITY Technical challenges that were encountered include the following: 1. The longitudinal arch had to be carefully analyzed, and steel member sizes optimized, to ensure stability against buckling and economy of design. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS 2. Large thrust forces had to be accommodated within the concrete buttress walls supporting the arch. This required deep shear keys to be incorporated below the foundations to prevent sliding of the footings. 3. Initial consultations with the metal deck supplier indicated that they did not think it was feasible to bend the steel deck on such a tight radius of curvature. F+E performed calculations to prove it was, in our opinion, possible and the project was tendered as such. Construction proceeded without any of the anticipated difficulties, admirably demonstrating that persistence pays off! 4. The roof diaphragm was subject to high forces due to the 67 meter long building length, and due to the step in the roof. Concrete columns were designed to cantilever from the basement structure at the west side of the building to mitigate against this effect. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS The arch-clerestory provides ample natural light penetrating at an indirect angle into a traditionally artificially-lit space. This avoids negatively impacting ice quality and reduces glare while providing a visually brighter, healthier, and more positive user experience. The curved roof shape cut costs by reducing roof depth at both ends and both sides of the building. Significant use of wood and architecturally exposed materials reduces costs and environmental impact of materials by eliminating redundancies. The single vierendeel arch enabled shorter lengths of environmentally sustainable glulam beams to be used to span the width of the arena instead of multiple long steel trusses. Additionally, it created construction and cost efficiencies since the glulam beams were now short enough to be easily transported and installed. The use of wood and the dynamically curved roof form also improves the interior aesthetic and user BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS experience, adding warmth and visual interest through dynamic patterning and juxtaposition of materials and textures. The Trout Lake Arena has been awarded LEED® Silver. MEETING AND EXCEEDING OWNER’S/CLIENT’S NEEDS The design team set out to meet the following objectives for the design of the arena: • Showcase Vancouver to international audiences and create a lasting impression of innovation and excellence while serving as an Olympic practice venue for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games. • Superior aesthetic and functional legacy community facility. • Natural light access to rink area. • Significant structural and aesthetic use of wood. • Maintain fairly tight budget despite rising pre-Olympic construction costs. The attached photographs attest to success of the arena’s aesthetic expression, due in a large part to the effects of significant exposed wood and abundant natural light. Client and user responses have been positive through the Olympics and beyond. The final structural solution introduced significant use of exposed wood to the design at a slightly lower costs than the initial steel design was priced at. The Client has since commissioned an adjacent community center which draws heavily from the design of the arena. KINGSWAY PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS For many years, the City of Burnaby had been accumulating taxpayer money in a special fund that would be used to finance construction of a 145 foot clear span BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS pedestrian bridge at the busy intersection of McMurray and Kingsway streets in Metrotown. Once sufficient funds had been raised for the long awaited bridge, the mandate to the design team was clear: Design a signature bridge that would serve as an aesthetically striking welcome portal for visitors entering Burnaby along the Kingsway corridor. The resulting design was an elegant, one-of-a-kind bridge structure consisting of an extremely thin concrete walkway suspended from a composite timber and steel arch. The covered wood portion of the arch structure features a series of bi-axially curved glue-laminated beams that are anchored by custom shaped steel haunches at both ends. The timber components exude warmth, enhance the dynamic multi-material expression of the bridge and demonstrate the viability of using a rapidly renewable resource in a construction sector that is dominated by steel and concrete. It is believed to be the first bridge ever to feature a timber drop-in span between steel haunches tied together by a post-tensioned concrete platform. The bridge design has received very favourable response as it gracefully arches Kingsway Street and offers a warm and attractive welcome to visitors and residents of Burnaby. INNOVATION AND ORIGINALITY The Kingsway Pedestrian Bridge set new esthetic standards for public works while featuring the following distinctive engineering: • Structurally marrying three materials, including wood, in the manner and to the degree in which it was done on this pedestrian bridge is as far as we know, unheard of. The composite arch construction using steel haunches and a timber drop in span is thought to be a “world first”. • Bending and warping glue-laminated wood to achieve the desired dynamic aesthetic expression in a pedestrian bridge has rarely if ever been done. Most designers will shy away from the complex analysis and construction procedures this requires. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS • Supporting glass guards on tension rods in a bridge structure is very unusual. The engineering was distinctive in not only combining wood and steel to form a long span pedestrian bridge arch, but constructing the bridge, using three different materials, without any significant disruption to traffic along Kingsway, a major and heavily trafficked vehicular artery through the City of Burnaby. COMPLEXITY The apparent simplicity of the final design belies its underlying complexity, and in fact is one of the most difficult designs Fast + Epp had undertaken. The design was complex in the following respects: The wood component of the arch consists of bi-axially curved and warped gluelaminated beams. This is a manner of construction that is rarely attempted as it results in a complex geometric shape that is difficult to both analyze and construct. The double curvature results in biaxial and torsional stresses that required careful analysis with a 3-D SAP program. The two edge beams actually had to be split into two halves in order to make them more flexible and achieve the large horizontal bend to create the desired ‘pinched’ shape of the arch. The result was probably some of the longest and thinnest wood components ever manufactured – spaghettilike 100 feet long and 3 inch thick pieces! (ref. Images 4 & 8) This required extreme caution to avoid damage when shipping to the job site. The stainless steel rods supporting the concrete bridge deck tend to overstress the edge glulam beams by virtue of their support points being immediately adjacent to the edge of the arch. However in order to create more desirable uniform stress distribution in all the wood members, extreme care had to be taken to incorporate properly detailed blocking pieces that would transfer load from the edge of the arch to the more interior wood members. (ref. Roof Framing Plan, Section 1, Detail 2) This was accomplished with on-site tensioning of the individual glulam elements with steel rods that were glued into the cross holes to ensure tight fit. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS Because a hybrid wood-steel arch has to the best of our knowledge never been constructed before, careful joint analysis was required and custom details were developed to ensure the successful transfer of bending, axial and shear forces. (ref. Detail 3) Keeping in mind that construction tolerances have to be respected and potential differential shrinkage between the wood arch and steel haunch has to be considered, extra care and attention was given to ensure that a tight fitting connection was achieved that would avoid potentially ‘soft’ structural behavior and undesirable bridge sag and vibration. The bridge deck was originally envisioned to be a stiffened steel plate with concrete infill. However, in order to minimize long-term maintenance and also in order to provide additional mass to mitigate against bridge vibration, it was decided to construct the bridge using precast concrete planks post-tensioned together. This resulted in much more attention having to be paid to the erection procedure, as the only traffic closure permitted was a one day weekend stoppage. However the extra effort was worth it, not only because a minimum-maintenance solution was achieved but also because a thin concrete bridge edge aesthetic was achieved. The architect chose to incorporate tall 2.4m high glass guards. Rather than add chunky guardrail posts that would have compromised the aesthetic appearance of the bridge, the glass guards were structurally fastened to the stainless steel tension rods that support the bridge deck. (ref. Section A, Section1) This is a very uncommon method of supporting glass guards and results in larger horizontal wind forces being imparted to the tension rods. This required detailed analysis to determine if the large lateral tension rod deformations were within an acceptable range. Additional items of complexity included detailing the steel haunch to concrete platform connection (the platform acts as a tension tie to resist arch thrust forces), creating a sliding connection at the south end to avoid large thrust forces on the south end concrete support structure, and determining a seismic resistance strategy. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS The biggest erection challenge was shipping the spaghetti-like glulam pieces to the site and prefabricating the wood arch component in the Sears department store parking lot in a short time frame without compromising the structural integrity of the wood. The Contractor’s carpenters took great pride in this one-of-a-kind construction and produced outstanding workmanship under difficult conditions. The arch erection was seamless and occurred with only a single day traffic closure. Unfortunately the precast concrete deck panels were prefabricated with marginal quality, which caused much grief for the design team. However, carefully detailed repair procedures were specified and successfully implemented at spall and joint locations so as to ensure that the final deck met stringent safety and aesthetic requirements. A significant challenge in mixing three different materials in a complex geometric shape is the coordinating and reviewing of shop drawings from three separate sub trades (steel fabricator, glulam fabricator, precast concrete fabricator) to ensure that everyone is ‘playing to the same tune’. The seamless erection of the arch and deck structure is testimony to the fact that all trades were well coordinated. ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL BENEFITS Aside from the obvious benefit of providing pedestrian access across a busy arterial road, the Kingsway Pedestrian Bridge also provides the City of Burnaby with a signature bridge that positively enhances its landscape and reputation, helps defines its cultural identity and creates civic pride. There are almost no long span bridges being constructed with wood in North America. Designing a contemporary and aesthetically striking bridge across a much traveled arterial road in the Greater Vancouver region communicates to all that it is possible to successfully construct bridges with one of nature’s most sustainable building materials – wood. This project, amongst numerous others designed by Fast + Epp has enhanced our firm’s position as a global player in the design of economically viable, aesthetically BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS CASE STUDIES & COMPETITIONS pleasing structures using a resource that has for far too long been neglected as a primary building component in the bridge design field. MEETING AND EXCEEDING OWNER’S NEEDS In designing the highly anticipated Kingsway Pedestrian Bridge, the client called for the design team to construct a 145 foot clear span signature bridge for a specified budget that would serve as access across Kingsway and as an attractive entry portal for traffic entering and leaving Burnaby. The Kingsway Pedestrian Bridge was constructed with an elegant and structurally robust design that can be enjoyed by both pedestrians and vehicular occupants driving beneath it. This distinctive-looking structure successfully met budget and schedule constraints, although the budget was increased from $1.7 to $2.7 million during design in view of the rapidly escalating construction costs during the preOlympic building frenzy. A very thin concrete walkway was suspended from a gracefully curving arch structure that incorporated three different materials: wood, steel and concrete. This combination of materials, and in particular, the inclusion of dynamically shaped wood elements, adds a warmth and distinctive character to the bridge, supporting the owner’s technical demands while improving upon the urban aesthetic of the commercial core. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES BLOGS & ARTICLES BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES B2C/Retail/Industrial Photon Export Lens Manufacturing Technical Blogs Client: Photon Export Language: American English Industry: Manufacturing and B2B sales Scope: Two 500 word commissioned blog posts plus LinkedIn microcopy on emerging or growing technologies for a Barcelona-based manufacturing business. Articles commissioned after a full website localization proofread and rewrite to bring ESL content up to international standard. The Future of OLED Why does it matter? Organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) are starting to be used in consumer products, and are expected to take off as an alternative to LCDs in displays. Uses include mobile devices, televisions, virtual reality and other display screens, and automotive lighting. Currently used in the Apple watch and Samsung’s Galaxy S7 and Note 7, the technology is expected to feature in the next generation of Apple and Samsung products. Improved color and image crispness aren’t the only benefit of OLED; it can be used to make thin and flexible screens, contributing to a revolution in form-factor design. The world-takeover isn’t going to happen all at once, however; Samsung controls 95% of the global market, and suppliers across Asia are scrambling to develop their own production lines. Competitive Advantage OLED have already swept the high-end television market based on their stellar image: the technology allows individual pixels to be switched off for true-black and includes higher contrast ratios with no backlighting – and therefore, no light bleed muddying the image. It comes with much faster refresh rates than both LCD and LED, with a clear image across a wider range of viewing angles. Even more BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES significant, when it comes to mobile and next-generation devices in particular, OLEDs are lighter-weight and flexible, being made from plastics instead of glass, which allows for curved displays. Alternative Technologies Apple is known to be developing Micro-LED technology, which is currently difficult to produce, and not cost-effective, but would allow for better color, brightness and resolution while supporting thinner, lighter designs. If efficiencies are made in production, MicroLED could challenge OLED’s projected dominance. Currently TFTLCD and low-temperature poly-silicon (LTPS) panels are used in iPhones, but is expected to switch over to OLED starting with 2017’s release. In television screens, OLED has been championed as the ultimate display technology for it’s excellent color and crisp blacks, while enabling the thinnest form factors. However, Samsung, despite being the dominant provider of OLED internationally, stopped selling OLED televisions, switching to quantum dots [link to previous blog], which are more efficient from a production standpoint, and allow excellent color quality, although they don’t have the capacity to switch off individual pixels for trueblacks. LinkedIn Version: OLED: revolutionizing screens OLED is already making waves in the world of high-end television, but it’s in mobile technology that it really stands to change the game. Pairing high-quality image with flexible, lightweight plastic structures will allow for dramatic new form-factors. The first step is curved screens, with schematics for folding, bending and wrapping screens leaking out of mobile R&D departments. However, current high production costs and relatively few suppliers are limiting OLED progress, while competing technologies like Apple’s Micro-LED development dog it’s heels. Quantum Dots BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES Why do they matter? Quantum dots provide ultra-vivid hues and better quality pictures for screens using fabrication and technology that is currently within reach and financially accessible. Look for the next generation of televisions to use this technology, as well as computer and mobile screens (with enhanced power/battery savings), photovoltaics, diode lasers, medical imaging and quantum computing. What are they? They’re really tiny particles – typically with a radius of 5-10nm. Need more? The detailed answer is: quantum dots are semiconductor heterostructures with quantum confinement to zero dimensions. What does that mean? Quantum confinement is when excitons (electron-hole quasiparticles) are squeezed in a semiconductor nanocrystal with a size many times smaller than the wavelength of the electron (in other words, much smaller than the Bohr radius). Nanoscale physical confinement like this causes the electron to transition from a continuous to a discrete energy state. The discrete energy state is affected by the confined space of the tiny semiconductor nanocrystal and causes predictable excitation wavelengths. The wavelengths can be precisely selected for based on the size of the semiconductor nanocrystal, or rather, the size that you squeeze the excitons down to. How do they work? Quantum dots absorb light and re-emit it at a different wavelength than it was first absorbed at – a longer wavelength. Generally, they absorb blue or UV light and emit it in the visible range of the spectrum – most commonly, as red or green light. In TVs and screens, you’ll generally see them used with blue LEDs to achieve a full range of BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES bright, low-loss/low-filtered light, unlike older generation LCD televisions, which used filters to achieve white LED light and a range of colors. The size of nanocrystal used during the fabrication of quantum dots changes the width of the semiconductor bandgap due to the quantum-size effect and allows for very precise adjustment of the desired emission wavelength. Essentially, you choose the color you want by squeezing the excitons to the corresponding size. Since you can fabricate quantum dots to very precise emission wavelengths and the spectral width of the light emitted can be very narrow, you can get very pure colors, and much more vivid colors than colored LEDs. In practical application, quantum dots have been used as backlights to improve the color gamut and brightness of LED TVs, while keeping the prices cheaper than OLED TVs, although with their reliance on LEDs, they cannot produce blacks as well as the OLED televisions. Materials Quantum dots are typically made of Cadmium selenide (CdSe) and Cadmium telluride (CdTe), which are limited for use below 100 ppm due to toxicity by EU regulations. Since the amount of cadmium used in quantum dot televisions is extremely low and noticeable effects on health have not been observed, some manufacturers simply use cadmium amounts just below the 100 ppm limit, while others use Indium (In). Indium is not currently banned for use, but doesn’t provide quite as high-quality colour, and may be banned in the future for the same reason as cadmium. LinkedIn Quantum Dots: the next generation of super screens BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES Quantum dots are transforming the next generation of televisions as the technology that’s going to make LCD TVs cheaper and better quality than the current ‘goldstandard’ OLED TVs. In a nutshell, quantum dots glow either red or green in combination with blue LEDs to produce vivid hues with less need for filters – and therefore, less ‘muddiness’ in the picture – although given the use of LEDs, they don’t offer true blacks. Since the overall structure of the televisions is essentially the same as current LCDs, there’s no need for an (expensive) overhaul of the fabrication pipeline. Other use cases include computer and mobile screens, which include significant energy/battery life savings using quantum dot technology. Photovoltaics, diode lasers, medical imaging and quantum computing also are exploring uses of quantum dots. Check out our expanded blog post at [link] for expanded details on the nature, fabrication and uses of Quantum Dots and related technologies! Forma Floors Content Marketing Client: Forma Floors Language: American English Industry: Retail/trade, flooring suppliers and installers Scope: Content marketing blog article to drive SEO-based traffic. How to choose flooring types in rental properties It's your first big investment, and you've debated and researched every step of the design to make sure it'll net you the perfect tenant. Or maybe it's just a quick refresh; adding a little extra shine with the right renovations. Or perhaps you're just about to start on that complete overhaul after finally getting those nightmare tenants out. Whether you're getting ready to choose the flooring for a first-time rental unit, a small upgrade of an existing space, or a complete overhaul and BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES renovation, many of the key questions are the same. Ultimately, you'll want to find the right balance of functionality, fashion and quality. Your ideal tenant and target market are the starting point for fashion. Is the whole unit carefully coordinated with complimentary colors and finishes to reach an upscale, design-savvy tenant? Are you aiming for a more neutral, long-lasting or classic look? Is it more of a utilitarian rental, where factors such as durability and price-point will ultimately override questions of appearance? Identifying your desired tenant will help shape your choice. If you're starting a complete design or redesign of your rental, selecting the flooring your preferred tenant type would appreciate most is a good first move, and then you can choose other design elements to compliment it. If your other design components are already set, their colors and textures can guide you in identifying contrasting or supporting shades of flooring from the wide variety available. Fashion and design can inform color, texture and material, but very quickly you're going to come up against the question of functionality. What priorities support your rental unit and target tenants? Do they need a tough, family-friendly flooring material that can handle spills, dropped toys and playful pets? Or are they looking for more of a luxury flooring experience? With a wide range of finishes and shades available, functionality need never be a barrier to design, but it should certainly be a key consideration when selecting flooring for your rental. With fashion and functionality in mind, the final component to integrate is quality. Your starting budget and desired tenants will inform this choice. If you're targeting an upscale rental market and high-end professionals, with commensurate rental income, you may choose to invest in appropriately elevated quality for your flooring. However, the design and durability you need play a large part in the final selection of the right flooring for your rental market, and you are likely to find the look and function of the flooring that best suits your unit available in a wide range of price points. A more economical choice may suit your goals just as well as an extravagant one, if your budget, tenants and slice of the rental market make that choice more appealing. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES Whatever your needs, considering fashion, function and quality will help you identify the best flooring options for your rental. Moscow Destination Editorial Client: WorldEscape Short Stay Apartments Language: British English Industry: Retail – Tourism Scope: Commissioned content – 1,000 word editorial + client link placement. Moscow for first timers The largest city in the largest country in the world offers seemingly endless opportunities for the first-time visitor. This handy guide for beginner travelers will help you make the most of your time and travel budget with curated tips and tricks. Flights Apply for a visa as early as possible. While last-minute express visas are available, they’ll cost you. To get the best price, get your application in a month or more in advance of your trip. There’s a choice of three international airports in the Moscow area. While your destination on the other end of the flight will influence which airport you need to use, trains run from all three, making it easy to get into the city. Trains stations can be less than secure; however, and taxis are pricy for the solo traveler, with the added disadvantage of highly variable pricing. Uber is an currently an excellent alternative. Once you’ve arrived, your visa needs to be registered within seven business days by your accommodation provider, whether that’s a hotel or the owner of a private residence. Accommodations BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES Moscow hotels are on the pricey end. For budget stays there are lower end hotels and hostels, but you can also look for alternative solutions to get better deals, such as Moscow short stay apartments. Transportation The Moscow metro is world-renowned, and the absolute best form of transport within the city. Gridlock shuts down the streets, so opt for a pre-loaded metro ticket and plan your routes accordingly. Outside of the city, long-distance trains are usually written in Moscow time, but suburban trains may sometimes be in local times, so double check all times to be sure. While planning your trip, double check your scheduling; Russia doesn’t use daylight savings time. Food and drink Food is generally expensive, but you can look for ‘business lunches’ on signs to get a filling, affordable meal. Growing in popularity, ‘anti-cafes’ charge by the minute and offer coffee, light food, wifi and sometimes other features such as computer games. Learn a few phrases in Russian to bargain ahead of time, as some vendors, particularly in markets and taxis, may try to upcharge foreigners. Try the caviar – it’s illegal to export, so think of it as a cultural experience and indulge while you’ve got the chance. Vodka; be prepared. It’s considered rude to turn down a toast or try to mix it, so be aware of the situation your limits going in – financial and physical - and load up on the caviar for extra ballast. Snacking between shots – and you are expected to drink it in a straight shot – is traditional and encouraged, so take full advantage and order some small plates. What to see and do The Red Square is a scenic, beautiful, renowned and historically significant location at the center of Moscow that is not to be missed – but plan ahead and try to visit BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES early in your trip to avoid disappointment. Since many cultural events take place in the square, it can be closed off to visitors. Other grand historic sites include the Kremlin, Lenin’s tomb, the stunning St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Tretyakov Gallery, home to the art of the Russian Old Masters and Russian Orthodox icons. Check ahead for any holidays or festivals during your trip. These can provide a wonderful opportunity to experience local flavor, but may also reduce access to other activities or sights. Search by the specific dates you wish to visit to make sure business and attractions are open on the right schedule. Major holidays include the first week in January and the first couple weeks of May, coincidentally also some of the best times to visit for either a mild late spring before the summer heat sets in, or a proper Russian winter. Museums charge higher rates for foreigners; expect to spend big on admission if you want to see historic sites. Student pricing is sometimes available, so be sure to bring relevant ID if you’re currently enrolled in education. Depending on your nightlife preferences, Moscow’s nightclubs, ballet and opera are all world-class… with the prices and dress code to match. For a less expensive evening diversion, try a jaunt down the Old Arbat, a traditional tourist stretch known for the famous writers and artists that used to reside along it. Churches are some of the most impressive historic buildings in Moscow, but take caution to be respectful in these locations. Women are expected to cover head and shoulders, and sometimes to wear a skirt. Men should avoid shorts and remove hats inside the church. In working churches, take care to avoid disturbing worshippers by moving quietly and unobtrusively through the space and avoiding conversation and shutter sounds. Avoid taking photos of government buildings including stations, public and military structures; this can result in fines and/or arrest. City tips BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES Pick up as much Russian as you can ahead of time, and download a translation app before you go. English is not universally spoken, and relying on English-speaking services will limit you to pricier options catering to foreign travelers. The ability to read street signs, navigate and complete simple transactions will allow you much greater flexibility and freedom. Dress up and avoid casual wear – though do strive for a degree of comfort, as the traffic is bad enough that you’ll want to travel by foot and public transit as much as possible. Clubs in particular, but also restaurants, music and cultural venues will turn you away at the door if your dress code isn’t up to their standard – and may turn you away in any case at their discretion. Avoid sneakers and aim for low-heeled boots or nice flats for women during the daytime or heels and a short skirt at night, and a black outfit with dress shoes or boots for men. The Russian authorities may stop you. Photocopy and carry copies of your passport, visa and registration at all times. If pressed for any sort of payment, possibly framed as incentive to wrap up the check quickly and with a minimum of fuss, be sure to ask for an official receipt. London Events Editorial Client: London Escape Language: British English Industry: Retail - Tourism Scope: Commissioned content – 750 word editorial with client link placement. London’s best summer events 2017 In London over the summer months? There are countless great activities and events to get involved in for both the local Londoner as well as those just passing through, catering to every taste. Sports and Racing BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES There are numerous large-scale athletics competitions and races in London during the summer months, but undoubtedly the two most renowned are Wimbledon and the Royal Ascot. While the Royal Ascot, running 20-24 June, is known as much for its exclusive reputation and sartorial extravagance as its horse racing, general access tickets are available, and worth the price of admission for the people-gazing if nothing else. The Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships are set in a picturesque neighbourhood in the southwest of London and are a must-see for tennis fans. Running 3-16 July, they’re easily accessed via tube or train, with nearby options for snacks, drinks or meals. Family For a great all-ages activity, check out the Caribbean-themed Notting Hill Carnival. Capping off the summer on 27-28 August, this is not only London’s largest carnival, but also the largest street festival in Europe. Enjoy the parade, food stalls, live music, shows and free-to-access entertainments throughout the day – but be sure to leave plenty of time for transit or book accommodate nearby well ahead to avoid road closures and overwhelmed transit. Or, for a slightly lower-key experience, Film4 Summer Screen offers outdoor cinema at London historic site Somerset House in August. Music In central London, Hyde Park will be the place to be for music lovers from 30 June – 9 July. Transformed into a massive open air concert venue, the British Summer Time (BST-HP) is hosting such international superstars as Phil Collins, Green Day, Justin Bieber, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Kings of Leon and The Killers to cater to a range of tastes. Within walking distance of major tourist attractions such as Buckingham Palace, Harrods, the British Museum, the V&A and Big Ben, visitors to the city who plan ahead would do well to book a vacation London rental in central location neighbourhoods to take advantage of easy access to both Hyde Park and the nearby shops and sights. For locals and those coming from farther afield, Hyde Park has a half dozen tube stations within a block of its borders and is easily accessible by transit. BST-HP is far from the only summer music festival or event in BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES London, so music lovers with tastes ranging from the classical to indie to international will all find plenty to appreciate. History Entertain, inform and delight both the history buff and forward-looking science (fiction?) aficionado with Robots at the Science Museum, Brompton. On throughout the summer, it’s a great indoor activity for that odd less-than-ideal day, and with 500 years worth of robotics history, a look back at robots in cinema and fiction, and cutting edge developments in robotics, it offers a little something for everyone. But for those who turn their noses up at a mere 500 years of history, museums and historic sites around the city are open extended hours during summer. A tour of Buckingham Palace – with a break to watch the changing of the guard - is an excellent option. Alternately, a stop off at Hampton Court Palace Festival, on 7-24 June, offers a grand adventure through a beautifully preserved and enormous Tudor castle and grounds along with the opportunity to hear live music from the likes of Van Morrison and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Be warned, though; many of the world-class museums and historic sites, including Hampton Court, offer enough to occupy visitors for hours. Plan ahead which galleries or areas you want to see, or allow at least a half-day per attraction to adequately enjoy the experience without rushing. Food & drink For fans of cuisine and/or libations, June is your month to take advantage of all London has to offer. Start with London Wine Week from 5-11 June, exploring the city by way of tastings, masterclasses, and pop-up bars. Then take a couple days to recover from your investigative research into the vast variety of wine on offer, and reconvene for Taste of London in Regent’s Park from 14-18 June to sample a wide variety of flavours, and of course, drinks from around the world. While such festivals are an ideal opportunity to enjoy curated food and drink experiences, London offers hundreds of international food options along with breweries and distilleries right in the heart of the city. For a unique experience away from the crowds, consider a tour and tasting of some London Dry Gin or a local microbrew. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES Adventure Holiday Travel Feature Client: As Seen On TV Store Language: American English Industry: Retail Scope: Commissioned content – 800 word feature with client link placement. The best adventure holiday locations How you choose to spend your vacation time says a lot about you. Maybe it’s all family, all the time. Others prefer the low-responsibility, high-indulgence experience of a lazy stay at an all-inclusive resort or cruise liner. And then there are those who need to get out there and have an experience. Maybe it’s about the challenge. The adrenalin. The wonder. Adventure holidays are a way to beat back the boredom of the 9-5 grind. But unless your idea of a thrill is hopping the next plane out and scrounging for a room with running water and a locking door on short notice, it pays to do a little research ahead of time. There are a lot of different types of adventure holiday, and you’ll want to consider your appetite for roughing it versus luxury accommodations, duration of activity versus refueling time, and location preferences. The perfect adventure holiday awaits. Head North Most people head south for vacation days, but if you’re not a fan of sweating your way through your holidays, or just looking for something a little different, you might want to look north. Far north. Finland, Norway and Iceland offer gorgeous, wild scenery and a range of outdoor sport. Wrong continent? Hokkaido gets great snow. Or check out beautiful British Columbia, the Yukon or Alaska for sea-meetssky adventures where you can race from the surf to the mountaintops and back again in a single day. Or race dog sleds. Or quads. Whatever gets you going. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES Surf’s Up Of course, there’s nothing wrong with catching some waves and a tan, either. Puerto Rico’s an ever-popular budget pick, with plenty to do inland in the jungles and mountains. The Maldives, at the opposite end of the spectrum, promise unparalleled luxury with flawless beaches and endless watersports. Looking for something different? Okinawa’s off the beaten track for many world travellers, but offers sun, sand, and fresh cultural experiences including traditional ocean sports. Channel your inner Indie Dreamed of being a famous archaeologist/explorer/adventurer as a kid? Know every line of the Indiana Jones trilogy by heart? Live your best life exploring ancient monuments, vibrant jungles, and storied cultures in Peru or Honduras, or Thailand and Cambodia. Get the full Indie experience with a zip line or helicopter tour– just don’t forget to bring your hat. Bullwhip and booby traps optional. Can’t take the heat? Trekking the wilds of the Scottish Highlands or the Northern Isles brings you face to face with the mysterious structures of the ancients and the more recent martial towers of the tribes. Enjoy a chance to step through a portal into the past – or go for a very different type of adventure as you follow the Whiskey Trail and enjoy a dram or two fresh from the distiller’s hand. Save the world Voluntourism blends travel with giving back for a meaningful holiday adventure. Options are available around the world, with focuses that range from health and disaster relief, to home and school building. Focus on getting involved in causes that matter to you, as well as climate or location preferences for the best experience. Some programs have recreational and rest breaks baked in, while others are more focused. Swim with sharks BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES Diving is a great, worldwide adventure holiday experience. Head to South Africa to spend some time with the sharks (cage optional), or the Great Barrier Reef to experience one of the great wonders of the world firsthand (before global warming gets it . . . ) Arctic diving is an irreplaceable experience for more confident, fearless and experienced divers with serious equipment, while the northern coasts of North America offer a surprising number of exciting dive sites such as those off of BC’s Vancouver Island. Or head south to search storied shipwrecks for buried treasure. To make sure you enjoy your adventure and get the most out of the experience, be sure do a little health and safety prep ahead of time too. Get the flu shot and appropriate travel shots or treatments for your destination. Nothing brings down a backcountry trek faster than a round of malaria. Pack for the conditions, with warm clothes for northern climates, and breathable, non-chafing outfits for tropical destinations. For longer adventures, make sure you have a way to access clean water sources, or purify on the go. Pack compression gear to keep you going when the strain hits old injuries, to compensate for new ones, and to help on long flights. The As Seen on TV Store provides a range of options. Refresh, recharge, and bring home the best stories with one of these adventure holiday locations. Consider your appetite for activity, preference for luxury, and preferred climate or country, and don’t forget to do a little health and safety prep to make sure you to experience the adventure you signed up for. Family Travel Editorial Client: Stamford American School, Hong Kong Language: American English Industry: Education Scope: Commissioned content – 500 word editorial with client link placement. Life planning for traveling families You value your family and your career, but balancing both can be a challenge sometimes. Whether you’re a jet-setting executive, a beach-hopping creative, a BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES medical professional on a mission or a hard-working military household, you want to make the best choice for your kids while meeting your professional obligations. One of the first choices you’ll need to make is whether to move the entire family with each change in location, or to create a “home base” to come back to. You may be more comfortable with everyone within sight, or your job may make it safer and more stable for the kids to stay in a separate location, and for you to visit them. Education is another key consideration. Changing schools regularly can really get in the way of children’s learning progress, since schools in different locations may have different academic levels, different subjects being taught at different rates, and even different languages of instruction – and that’s before you factor in the challenges of fitting into a new social world. In the long-term, the right educational choices will help your child be successful in whatever she or he chooses to do in the future, and the quality of instruction and beneficial relationships acquired at school are a significant part of that. International schools can be a good way to resolve some of these challenges in the life of a traveling family. A common language of instruction – usually English – a high quality, transferable and uniform curricula, such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) or Advanced Placement (AP) standards, and exposure to a diverse student body with global connections can offer your children a better experience and more opportunity in the future. For those moving the whole family frequently, placement in international schools helps keep your children’s education portable, so they can keep making progress as you change locations, and aren’t held back by new languages or divergent areas of study. For those looking to establish a home base, picking a school in a central location for your travels can provide stability and quality instruction. If you will be traveling mainly around the Asia-Pacific region, international schools in Hong Kong offer world-recognized quality instruction in a highly developed city with easy connections to East Asia, India and the Middle East, and the pacific island region. If your focus is in the Middle East and Africa, Dubai is widely recognized as BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES an international city, while for those focused mainly in Europe or the Americas, major cities such as New York and London, or regional capitals such as Los Angeles or Warsaw, can offer excellent flight connections for more accessible visits, travel access to the surrounding region, and world-quality schools. The location, duration and frequency of your travels, as well as the type of work you do are one part of the puzzle that is life planning for traveling families. Your children’s future and your connection as a family is another. Bringing the two together will be choices around location, education and intentional investments to make sure you all have the best experience. Family Travel Feature Client: Stamford American School, Singapore Language: American English Industry: Education Scope: Commissioned content – 800 word feature with client link placement. Need-to-knows for traveling families Whether they’re jet-setting executives or just in love with adventure, many are incorporating a significant amount of travel into their family life. But full or part-time life on the road comes with a whole different set of challenges and opportunities for the family. Adventure and excitement A shared sense of adventure is key to a happy family travel experience. Nothing brings down a vacation faster, or undermines a relocation harder, than dueling expectations and comfort levels. Practically, this means good communication and taking into account each family member’s needs and preferences. If your idea of travel is hiking the wilds of Peru, while your partner’s all about city breaks and historic sights in Europe, and your teen refuses to go anywhere without a bikini- BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES worthy beach and Wi-Fi, you’re going to need a strategy for dealing with disappointment or finding healthy compromise. Negotiate a solution before setting off. Maybe you’re relocating to a location that frightens one family member, or that he or she finds boring. Perhaps this season’s vacation destination is right up her alley, but he’s bored silly by it. Can you split vacation days between activities that please different family members? Can you get involved in groups or take day trips that meet his or her needs even though your new location isn’t quite what he or she prefers? Sometimes splitting up for a little while is the best option; maybe the kids need to go to school in one location, while you head out for work or an adult-only getaway elsewhere. Gateway cities are perfect for establishing a family base of operations. Consistency and stability Even the most adventurous family needs some consistency and a sense of normalcy. The demands of travel can be exhilarating, but also make finding a routine a challenge. Adjust your approach based on the ages and needs of your kids (and take your own into account too!) Small kids tend to need a more inflexible schedule around feeding and naps, so don’t plan to get as much done in a day, and map out home bases where you can crash for some quiet time. Older kids have educational requirements. A short break can usually be sorted out with the school in return for special projects or extra homework, but be sure to check in with teachers before booking – some tests and requirements can’t be missed. Longer breaks and relocations are a bigger challenge. Is there a free adult in the family who can oversee the kids’ education? Distance learning is an option, but most kids struggle to stay motivated and on track when left to their own devices. Consider an international school in a gateway city that you can easily access to stay in touch for a quality education and cultural experience. Traveling for business in Asia or around the Pacific Rim? Take a look at the Stamford American school calendar and get the kids settled in Singapore. Jet setter with global reach? Dubai’s a great luxury travel option with plenty to do for you and the kids, and plenty of quality education options as well. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES Community and opportunity Travel can be isolating. You might be busy networking with clients and business partners, or perfectly content with the company of your spouse, but you need to take every member of the family into account. For short stays, schedule time for kids to connect via online messaging and video to extended family and friends, or look for opportunities for them to play with other kids on the road. For longer stays, getting involved in social or activity-based groups in the community is a way to make friends and build connections. Lasting relationships can be another form of stability for the family, and an international school experience can pay off for both you and the kids, giving them the chance to grow friendships and build a life-long network of diverse, well-education, global connections. Legality and safety Travel comes with paperwork. Family travel comes with extra paperwork. Do your research, and when in doubt, connect with a travel agency or consultant who specializes in navigating documentation and safety requirements for your destination. Passports and copies of identification documents for every member of the family must be obtained and kept up to date, but that’s just the beginning. Kids’ documents need to be updated more frequently as they grow and change. Visas and travel permits are required in many locations, and may be challenging to get for family travel. And don’t forget vaccinations, medication and health advisories. Depending on where you’re headed and how long you’ll be there, kids as well as adults should be inoculated against local illnesses or carefully monitored until they build immunity. Family travel can be fun, education, and a great bonding experience as you share adventures together. Be realistic about the needs of each family member, look for compromises and creative solutions, and make sure you’ve got all travel documents and shots up to date, the kids’ education covered, and emotional and practical needs met before setting off. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES Live Abroad Feature Client: Stamford American School, Hong Kong Language: American English Industry: Education Scope: Commissioned content – 800 word feature with client link placement. How traveling can make you want to live abroad It was just a week, but you can’t stop thinking about it. You always wanted to life a life of freedom, changing scenery as the mood takes you. Your career would really take off there; there’s so much more opportunity. You could totally do your job from the beach, and just imagine all the money you’d save at those exchange rates! You spent all that time in college learning that language, and you’ll just forget it all unless you go and really immerse yourself. That culture! That food! The music! The history! We’ve all had those thoughts. Those last couple days of vacation, when you just long to skip the airport lineups and play hooky from the drabness of home a little longer. Or a lot longer. That business trip where your networking just took off, and every meeting was a tantalizing taste of what your life could be like if you didn’t have to go back. That stopover, where you looked out the window and the landscape just called to you. Easier as a young, free, unattached adult to make that jump. Harder if you’re established in your career, if you’ve got a family in tow. Once the kids come along, there’s just so much more to consider. Harder, but not impossible. So you want to live abroad. By extension, this means you want to work abroad. Great! There’s never been a better time to make the jump. Work can be completed from anywhere in the world and sent quickly, easily, and inexpensively to clients across the globe. For freelancers, independent contractors, remote workers, entrepreneurs and startup founders, living abroad can offer a better lifestyle, more favorable business circumstances, and better exchange rates, making launching a BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES new venture more feasible or more quickly successful and sustainable than it might have been back home. International companies provide opportunities for advancement and in-house transfers. Emerging economies are looking for leaders and teachers. Growing economies need experts to fuel corporations and innovative startups alike. If you’re established in your career, check your network for opportunities, polish up your LinkedIn and start putting out feelers. If you’re young (under 30 or 35, depending on the program) and getting established, work-travel and work-study visas are surprisingly easy to access. But what about the family? You got married. You had kids. Years ago, even. What about them? You have a responsibility to meet their needs. Luckily, family travel is getting increasingly accessible as well, and the opportunities for your children may very well outweigh the costs. Children with exposure to more people and cultures demonstrate better empathy, deeper understanding of world events, geography and cultural differences, and greater acceptance and understanding of others, and often experience improved future career and network benefits. Depending on where you’re heading and for how long, your kids, and your preferences, you could bring them along, take responsibility for their education, and make it a learning experience, or get them settled in an international school, either in your location, or in a gateway city that you’ll have easy and frequent access to. Traveling around Asia or working in one of the biggest international business hubs in the area? Try a Hong Kong school for American kids. International schools provide high-quality English-language education, added stability, and a diverse, well-traveled community of peers and future networking contacts around the world. Living abroad with kids and a family means taking their needs, experience and opportunities into account, but it is possible, and may even end up being a much more enjoyable, meaningful, and successful experience for them. One thing that’s important when it comes to planning a move abroad is examining your expectations. There’s probably something you fell in love with, or that you dream of as being better about your destination. But traveling through a location BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES for a brief amount of time or while on vacation can give you a limited and false sense of what that place would be like long term. To avoid disappointment, be sure to do your research ahead of time and be honest with yourself about what you want out of your experience. List and define your goals. Do you want to develop your language skills? Have a better lifestyle? Make career advances? Enjoy beautiful scenery? Connect with other people who have relocated there to hear their stories and make the move with eyes wide open. Living abroad could be the most incredible experience of your life. If you’ve traveled to a place you love and can’t wait to go back to, it might be time to start seriously looking into the opportunities. It could be easier than you think to have the life you dream of, the opportunities you crave, and the adventure of a lifetime. Career Abroad Feature Client: Stamford American School, Hong Kong Language: American English Industry: Education Scope: Commissioned content – 800 word feature with client link placement. How a career abroad can change your life If you’re thinking about starting a career that involves travel, or travelling internationally in your existing job, stop thinking and start planning. Working abroad can be an incredible opportunity to advance in your career, enjoy new experiences in a variety of places and meet interesting people. However, the benefits of a career abroad also come with a lot of change. Understanding the impact of working overseas can help you determine whether it’s the right choice for you and your family. One the first things you’ll likely want to consider will be travel’s impact on your career. Are there other people in your field or at your company that work abroad? Is there support for these staff? Are they regarded as promising leaders? If working abroad will give you the opportunity for travel experiences that you would enjoy, or BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES if it will give you more opportunity to distinguish yourself as a professional and a leader, it may be worthwhile moving toward. Lifestyle is another consideration. What countries or regions will it be possible for you to work in, given your career? Are these places you have an interest in? How similar or different will your everyday life be? And how comfortable have you been in the past when it comes to change? If you thrive on trying new food, navigating new places, learning and problem solving new processes and technology, a career abroad will be easier than if you prefer a stable, comfortable home life. Even for the most adventurous, it’s important to have a strategy for smoothing the transition and coping with life in a different place. Bringing some familiar objects, relocating with a loved one or close friend, and participating in an expat community can all help. You’ll also want to think about whether language and cultural differences might be a barrier to your career or not. Will you mostly be working with people who share your language skills or are used to working with translators? Does your personality type connect well with social norms and personal interactions in your destination country? A good fit will help your career thrive, while a poor fit could set you back. If you have a family, planning what’s best for them is also important. Will the children relocate with you, or stay with extended family members for trips? Will they be immersed in a new culture and language, or will you place them in an international school at home, at your destination, or in a location you pass through regularly? The school for Americans in Hong Kong offers high quality education in English, and exposes children to a diverse international community of travellers. Local schools might pose more difficulties with adjusting to cultural and social norms, for instance, as well as language challenges. A career abroad can offer incredible opportunity for advancement, excitement and priceless experiences, but it does come with a lot of considerations. Work through your and your family’s needs and preferences to make the right choice for you as an individual, for your career success, and for your family. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES Traveling Professional Feature Client: Mark Green Language: American English Industry: Institutional – Politics Scope: Commissioned content – 750 word feature with client link placement. How to become a traveling medical professional The rise of the digital nomad has filled our Instagram feeds with smiling, tanned beach bodies balancing a laptop on one knee and a drink on the other. But not everyone who wants a change of scenery, an adventure, or a chance to experience a different way of life is a remote IT professional or social media marketer. Here are five medical professionals who found a way to take their skills on the road and how you can do it too. Patricia Carrick of Montana – Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Patricia is a Family Nurse Practitioner who made the decision to take on intermittent assignments with MSF later in life. She has worked on clinic and hospital-based projects in Malawi, South Sudan and Sierra Leone. MSF is an extremely well-known humanitarian and medical assistance organization that brings medical personnel to emergency and chronic situations in remote and developing regions around the world. They recruit medical and non-medical staff, including a wide range of medical professionals with at least two years work experience, for missions that typically last 6-12 months and offer a minimal salary. The ability to speak multiple languages is an asset. These meaningful positions are relatively accessible, but require willingness to work hard in adverse conditions. Mark Green of Tennessee – Military Service Now a U.S. Senator and businessman, as well as a medical professional, Mark Green is a West Point graduate and served five years before becoming an Army special BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES operations flight surgeon. Based out of Tennessee, he flew missions to the Middle East. Educated medical professionals can enter the United States Army as officers and practice in their specialties. While postings are not guaranteed, there is the potential for longer term travel with paid living costs to relocate to new areas, as well as good vacation and travel benefits. For hopeful or in-progress medical students, the army offers strong financial and practical support. This option offers less flexibility in location, but more financial benefits than most. Ambereen Sleemi of New York – Teaching/Training Ambereen is a urogynecologist who set up a partnership in Haiti to train Haitian doctors. She self-funded the project, which she says is common for smaller programs. Teaching or training overseas is a great way to pair your medical skills with travel, but the organization you travel with will likely determine the level of funding (or not) available. Larger, more established groups may provide some compensation, and of course, traditional academic institutions may be willing to bring you in if you have something in-demand to offer, but in smaller cases these trips are often more humanitarian and volunteer-based. Comparisons have been drawn to a medical Peace Corps. Janice Boughton of Idaho – Locum Tenens Janice Boughton is a primary care internist who started traveling with a locum tenens agency. She worked in California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska in a single year. Locum tenens agencies find temporary jobs for medical professionals who want to travel or take shorter term work in practices or hospitals. The term can also be used to describe practice trading, where two doctors swap places for a period of time. All applicable laws must be taken into account, including licensing restrictions, so this is BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS BLOGS & ARTICLES a great way to travel within the country or to other countries where your medical license is accepted and make money while enjoying a new area. The agencyarranged placements are extremely expensive for employers, and so tend toward shorter periods of time, while a swap can be based on mutually agreed-upon terms. Grady Snyder of Colorado – Just Get Hired Grady left family practice in small town America out of frustration with the system. He explored Locum tenens placements, but ultimately found work in rural Australia through a specialized employment placement agency. Your medical training and experience is valid in many places, and simply taking a job in another city or country is often an option if you’re interested in longer-term travel. Particularly if you’re willing to follow demand and head to countries or regions currently experiencing a shortage in your specialty, simply applying or working with an agency to find opportunities can net you an extended paid travel experience. There’s a wide range of travel options available to medical professionals – arguably more than in most professions. The right fit for you will take into account your experience and area of practice, your expectations around compensation and duration, and the range of validity of your license. Partnering with an organization or agency can smooth the process, but tends to come with more limitations, while striking out on your own opens the door wide, but comes with more challenges. Whether you’re looking for some time in the sun, to explore new cultures and regions, or to make a difference in the world, there’s an opportunity out there for you. BUSINESS WRITING SOLUTIONS