IT-OK are delighted to have just completed a new website design and development for one of Cornwall’s leading family attractions, Dairyland.

Dairyland Farm World, Newquay, Cornwall is an award winning family theme park which boasts a huge ‘Fun Farm’ themed adventure park with many outdoor play areas, fantastic nature trails, tractor rides and a huge indoor play centre ‘The Bull Pen’

Alongside the many full pace attractions, Dairyland is also a fully functioning working farm, visitors can meet the many traditional farm animals such as the farms rare breed cattle, lambs and chickens as well as a few more unorthodox residents like the friendly Alpacas and Lamas!

The park also has a huge collection of farm antiques and Cornish artifacts all collected in the extensive Farm museum and heritage centre. Dairyland are always keen to strike a balance between play and education with many kids activity sheets available for download on the site, discovery areas and informative interpretation around the farm.

Brand Development and Selling Fun!

Working Cornish marketing company Wise Monkey Media, IT-OK developed upon a platform of recent marketing activity for the theme park and established a new, cartoon led website design featuring a ‘funky’ farm font throughout, styled buttons and navigation, wooden planked features and a colourful cartoon full screen background.

The attraction has an avid social media following and it was important to extend those connections through the website, the site becoming the focal point in their social media cloud. We developed custom Twitter and Facebook feeds that dynamically update and created an individual blog that allows Dairyland to create articles, post pictures, video and prompts visitors to comment in return.

We were delighted with the result, the site launched in time for the February half term in Cornwall and initial feedback has been great. Dairyland posted on their twitter

“@andrew_hampton We LOVE it!” …….Enough said!

You can view the website here, www.dairylandfarmworld.com

Twitter links: Andrew Hampton, IT-OK, Dairyland, Wise Monkey Media.

IT-OK have just completed a new brochure design for Cornwall Holiday Park, Trevella Park near Newquay. After a 2011 season where we launched Trevella Parks’ new website design and designed and managed a season long email marketing campaign. The Park were delighted that we could fulfil there requirements for a brand new look and layout for their 2012 holiday and short breaks brochure as well as their inserted 2012 holiday tariff.

Working closely with Trevella’s marketing team we developed the 16 page brochure, introducing a rich new colour scheme for their different holiday offerings. We developed a series of simplistic icons to represent the different holiday types, touring, camping, static caravans and their brand new for 2012 Glamping offerings (that’s glamourous camping), consisting of pre-erected speciality tents such as teepee, safari tents and bell tents alongside their already popular introduction of Ready Tents. These units offer an alternative holiday experience and the brochure boasts ‘great adventures under canvas’ as its introduction.

We were keen to continue development of the parks brand as well, working closely on colour themes, font selection and choice of imagery, presented in a well structured and modern approach that represented the parks, tranquil and friendly nature.

Alongside the design IT-OK and Trevella decided on local printing company St Austell Print to provide the finished article. The brochure was printed on 170gsm Inaset uncoated stock throughout providing a very tactile and natural feel in the hand. Not only renowned for the high quality of their printing, St Austell Print also were able to manage a complete print, mail sort and postage fulfilment. We designed an attractive carrier sheet and supporting letter which was then printed, bagged, mail sorted and delivered nationwide.

This start to finish service of design and print in Cornwall meant a hassle free process for the holiday park, and they were delighted with the final result. Andrew Howe, Parks Director said:

“I’ve just received my copies of the brochure and wanted to say thank you – it looks great and is a brochure we can be genuinely proud of. Many thanks for all your hard work and tenacity – all much appreciated.”

If you’re interested in the many design services IT-OK can offer why not contact us here or drop us a question using the form provided.

Newquay Camping and Leisure is a well established family business based in Newquay, Cornwall.  Newquay’s popular mix of wonderful coastlines, spectacular beaches, beautiful scenery and great nightlife provides one of the UK’s leading holiday destinations attracting 1000’s of tourists each year.

With many families seeking more cost effective and UK based alternative holiday solutions, camping and touring equipment has seen a massive growth, and Newquay Camping & Leisure has led the way in the Southwest!

The Newquay Camping and Leisure store specialises in camping equipment, tents, caravanning and all camping accessories, it also stocks a wide range of outdoor clothing.  In store you can find all the great brands from, Vango, Outwell, Coleman, Royal, MultiMat, Gelert, Easy Camp , Whale plus many more.

Their online store has been well established in the search rankings for the past 5 years, originally designed and built elsewhere IT-OK took on the maintenance and ongoing development around 3 years ago in that time have helped to improve the website’s Search Engine Optimisation and visitor experience.

After a bumper 2011 and an expansion at their high-street shop the time was right for a new facelift helping to cement Newquay Campings position not only in the South West but their growing national customer base. Damien Rowe, Newquay Camping’s driving force said;

“We needed a website to compete with the leading industry brands throughout the and deliver a much enhanced visitor experience. Our online sales have become a major factor in our business and we needed a website that would deliver our brand nationwide!”

Developing with ZenCart

The existing shop was built on the ZenCart ecommerce framework and the store contains over 1000 products so keeping the shops platform was essential in the brief. Zen Cart is an open-source online store management system, providing an ‘out of the box’ solution with everything needed to maintain an online store. Products, customers, pricing, payment and shipping, orders and more are managed by the store owner through the secure administration area. The shopping cart is set up to receive payments from major credit cards via the merchant’s choice of numerous available payment gateway services.

ZenCart comes with a few website themes to get you going and many websites built on this framework simply make minor adjustments to these website themes, such as changing colour and font, IT-OK however took a different approach! We wanted to develop a new site that lost all of those generic ZenCart looks, we designed a new website theme as if we were building the shop from scratch and although this provided quite a few challanges on-route we succeeded!

Enhanced Online Shopping Experience

The new website has a bold, dynamic new look. Taking the companies existing brand and giving it a new lease of life! The template contains a dramatic image wallpaper that resizes to the viewers browser width, this can be changed with ease and will provide an ongoing seasonal change to the website throughout the year. The home page has a new slick slider showing off latest offers and product categories.

We worked with Newquay Camping closely to re-structure the product categories into new user friendly drop down menu’s. These menu’s are also built dynamically so if the shop adds a new product range it will appear automatically.

We redefined the product pages presenting much clearer product information and technical specifications, also implementing a new image gallery to display alternative images of products.

Much work went into the shopping cart and checkout experience. Re-structuring ZenCarts somewhat long-winded generic cart into user friendly bite size steps. The checkout process of an online shop is essential to converting any online orders and consumers need to feel confident, secure and reassured throughout the process.

Damien Rowe finalised by stating,

“We are very proud of the new website, it is such a dramatic move onward from where we are. I feel the experience rivals if not betters the leading online stores in our industry, to have it in place and established before the new season will kick off what we hope will be our best year yet! However the work is not yet finished, we will be working with IT-OK on further online marketing and some new ideas too – sorry guys but there’s more to come!”

You can check out our website design for the new Newquay Camping & Leisure online shop here: www.newquaycampingshop.com

IT-OK are currently offering a FREE business IT health check

Get yourself a business IT health check – FREE OF CHARGE! Our local IT experts will provide you with a report and help suggest improvements:

Are you finding that your computer:

• is slow to start-up and freezes when you’re using programs?
• is easily subjected to spam and viruses?
• asks for updates but you don’t know whether to install them?
• reminds you that your anti-virus or spyware software is out of date?

Is your server:

• secure?
• protected from power surges or failures?
• backing up correctly?
• in a temperature controlled environment?
• running out of disk space?
• running out of memory?
• performing as expected?
• experiencing problems sending or receiving e-mail?

Do you wonder if:

• your system is secure?
• your backups work all of the time?
• there are more efficient ways to use your software?
• your system is effective for your requirements?
• you can synchronize e-mail, calendars and contacts with other people or devices?

Would you like to:

• upgrade your system?
• introduce a backup or a business continuity plan?
• add a server to your office to improve file sharing and e-mail?

Our health check can provide you with solutions which will help you invest in your business and get the best in return…

Get in touch today:

When looking at the many business IT installations that our company have done over the past 6 years, it seems apparent that there is a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the right time for a business to make the step toward a server to support their IT infrastructure. Small businesses start out with a very organic IT infrastructure which has a tendency to be based on reactive planning rather than proactive. This is fine initially but as businesses grow there will be need to introduce security, centralised email and file sharing.

To help provide you with a better understanding of when is a good time to get your first server and what you can do prior to this to help the function and efficiency of your business take a look at the following steps:

Stage 1 – Starting out with desktop and laptops!

When you start out costs are tight so normally getting the best computer for your money is the best option for you. As I suggested in my last post which I recommend you to read here, I strongly advise you purchase a computer or laptop with the following specification:

• Buy hardware with a good processor and plenty of memory (RAM) (suggest a minimum here for windows 7 and a copy Office 2010 Home and Business)
• Choose Windows 7 Professional (not home!) as your operating system to avoid expensive upgrade costs in the future if you choose to install a server or use cloud services
• Find a computer professional or a company that can offer you sound advice to help you manage and make good decisions for your business!

Be careful - There are many major high-street retailers that stock a wide range of computers for businesses however you have to search long and hard to find computers they stock that come equipped with suitable software and specification to be used with a server. I find this quite astonishing but it is often the reason so many people choose the wrong machines from the outset.

Stage 2 – My office is growing and I have copies of files everywhere what should I do?

When you start to have more than one computer things can begin to become a little more complicated especially when sharing files and emails. At this stage it is important that you always work on the correct version of a file, email or database and you can work efficiently with your fellow workers.

A business server will support and streamline all of these common issues surrounding file sharing, backing up and initiating user privileges to your important data, however there are costs associated. If your working to a tight budget I can suggest some effective solutions that could help bridge the gap.

With this in mind it sometimes good to start thinking about the infrastructure even if you do intend buying a server. Below is a list if things you can implement to help progress to a server solution:

• Set up a main desktop computer with a shared network drive or introduce a NAS (Network attached storage) drive so you can share your files with co-workers.
• Move your email to Office 365 or Gmail business so you can synchronise your email, contacts and calendars across multiple devices and computers, including smart phones.
• Set up a backup procedure that copies your data from your office drives to a USB hard drive or cloud service like Amazon S3 which has data centres located in the EU.

With these basic areas covered you are at a good starting point within your business and when the time comes to move to a Windows Server you will already have in place a good infrastructure for your next step.

Stage 3 – I think the business is ready for a Server?

I think a good indication of when a business requires a server is determined by the following:

• The number of users in the office exceed 5
• You need to introduce tighter security measures around file access and what people can install on their desktop/laptops
• You have requirements to run more advanced software like an accounting package or CRM system
• You need to be able to access software and files from remote location to allow you to work on the move.
• You need a more efficient back up procedure and disaster recovery structure in place
• You require fast office access for files that Cloud storage solutions may find problematic

The key to a successful server installation is planning and these key steps will aid you in making some key decisions to help ease the process. Small businesses can introduce key procedures and systems early on without the need of expensive technology, this can pay dividends for future growth and expansion.

If you are a business with a current IT infrastructure or just starting out please feel free to get in touch with us as IT-OK can help you find cost effective IT solutions for your business big or small.

Introducing our holiday park service partners I-data

To help support our growing specialised service offerings to many Cornwall and UK holiday parks, IT-OK are proud to announce a partnership with data-analyst specialists i-data.

In these tough economic times it is essential that holiday parks maximise on their marketing spend, after all £1 spent sending a brochure to someone who has moved is a £1 essentially thrown in the bin!

All good marketing starts with clean data and a good understanding of your customers, and this is something our new partners i-data know all about. i-data specialise in data analysis for the Holiday Parks industry, working with individual Parks to the biggest operator in the business, and they can help you ensure you are sending the right message to the right customers and at the right time!

They can help provide data cleansing, detailed analysis of your customers and aid with planning and targeting your future holiday park marketing. Some of our customers have found their support invaluable in generating better sales and bookings!

Get in touch with us and see how you can benefit from i-data’s expertise or take a look at their website here for loads more information www.i-data.co

Boost your sales this year with a business Email Marketing Campaign for only £275!*

Email marketing or “E-shot” campaigns are a fantastic way to generate traffic to your website, promote your business and communicate with your customers.

Take a look at what you get!

• Our email marketing campaigns are a cost effective way to contact any number of people from your database of contacts and customers. Our campaigns cost just 2 pence per email!
• Send out Newsletter, an advert, a bulletin, or shout about a special offer, particular products or your service.
• Have a chat with one of our designers and we’ll get a great looking design made up in no time specifically themed to your company!
• Our designs are tested and will look great across all major email clients
• Allow your customers to share your campaigns with ease across facebook, twitter and sharing via email.
• Our dedicated email systems will do all the hard work for you, including sending the emails and managing any bounces or unsubscribes. What’s more you will get a detailed report at the end so you can see how your campaign performed!

Choose from one of three base templates that best fits your needs and we will customise it to your company brand:

Get in touch with our team and give your marketing a low-cost boost in 2012, increase your sales and the traffic to your website!

*Cost per email campaign design based upon our pre-set templates and include intitial set up, design (limited to 1 supplied design and 2 sets of amendments) and import of your supplied email database. Campaigns are subject to additional sending fees of 2p per email sent. Less than 1000 recipients are subject to a flat sending rate of £25.

In the summer of 2011 we were approached by Cornwall health and safety and first aid training provider In Safe Hands training. This fast developing organisation was seeking a new solution to their first static website and a solution that could grow and develop with the company.
With an already impressive selection of training courses, their company was in need of a flexible website design to cater for this vast library of course information alongside the need to expand the users experience, to aid them in making more informed choices and download specific relative course documents.

Website Design Solution

We built a brand new website design built from a user’s perspective, the aim is simple to find the training course you’re looking for within a couple clicks of the mouse, and when there to present the info in a simple easy to read panel. We devised a series of sector icons and colour schemes so that you can always relate to your course sector and know where you are in the website. Course information is clearly labelled and related downloads available to the viewer via PDF. The home page features a jquery powered slideshow and navigation which adds instant impact to the start of the website.

Website Development Solution

Powering the website is a custom built admin interface, tailored to In Safe Hands requirements, this allows the company to add and edit courses, documents, viewers reviews and much more. This type of website solution goes beyond a standard static website and becomes a vital part of the business operation, we effectively create a bespoke app to manage the business marketing. And it doesn’t stop there, we’ve in-built expandability, allowing a structure than can accept bolt on extras in the months and years to come!

We’re delighted with the result of the new In Safe Hands Training Website and invite you to take a look for yourself at www.insafehandstraining.com

Over recent years and with the country gripped in financial gloom the holiday industry in the UK have seen some strange times. There has seen a big growth for holiday parks offering touring holidays in the UK, as families seek cheaper holiday alternatives from the traditional static caravan breaks and cottage holidays that we’re doing so well in the boom. Whilst some park owners have the advantage of those all important repeat loyal customers, other savvy holiday park owners we’re quick to recognize the growing trend for ‘alternative’ family holidays and we have seen a big rise in “Glamping Holidays” or glamorous camping to cite it’s proper name. Glamping parks can offer a wide range of alternative holiday units from Mongolian style ‘Yerts’ to ‘Wigwam Huts’, Ready Tents, TeePee Holidays and gypsy style caravans. All of these units offer holiday makers pre-sited holiday accommodation and all the camping accessories, leaving guests to just bring their sleeping bags.

Marketing for Holiday Parks

One thing is clear, through times when the going has been tougher, Holiday Parks, Groups and small operators alike have had to look at their marketing of their holidays parks very closely. With increased competition, parks big and small are all trying to attract the same pocket of UK holiday makers. So what are the key ingredients in marketing your holiday park. Well, the best place to start is your website.

That all Important First Impression

Holiday park websites need to present themselves to their audience in the best light possible and attract their viewer from the offset, that means good professional website design. Your website needs to reflect in an instant what your park offers, whether that’s all action family fun, quiet and tranquil, beachside or country park. Also important is to give your audience the content they seek as quickly as possible, so study your google analytics, if your most visited page is your tariff then put the link somewhere obvious, if it’s special offers people are after then give it to them from the start, people will quickly switch to another competitor if they can’t find what they want fast.

Online Booking for Holiday Parks

It’s all well and good getting the viewers to your site in the first place, attracting them and keeping them engaged through the content of your website, then follows the next challenge, the conversion to a booking. We have seen increasing trends through our many holiday park customers, those with online booking on their website are converting more bookings to their parks than those without. Generally our free time is precious and when a family sits down to find and book a holiday, they want just that, to book a holiday! I believe that the days of call back 24-48hrs later can lose holiday bookings to sites where you can simply book there and then.

Where We Can Help

IT-OK are recognised in the industry as holiday park website experts and can help you through all the processes involved in getting your park online and getting the exposure it deserves. Our team have over 15 years of holiday park experience and not just in building websites and booking systems, we have physically worked in the industry both front of house and behind the scenes. We have holiday park data analysis experience so we know and understand your holiday guests and holiday booking trends. See some of the many leading holiday park websites we have designed and built below:

• Porth Beach Tourist Park
• Hendra Holiday Park
• Padstow Touring Park
• Hengar Manor Country Park
• Trevella Holiday Park
• Carvynick Country Park
• Michael Paul Holidays

We can build some of the best looking holiday park sites you can find, we can optimise your website for maximum exposure on search engines and can easily implement safe, secure, easy to use and affordable online holiday park booking systems with or without online payment, either to your new website build or to your existing website. Considering refreshing and upgrading your holiday park website or starting from new offers a great value, affordable and long term marketing strategy, holiday parks need to be ahead of the competition going into the 2012 holiday season. Ensure your that park is equipped with the correct website armor to survive and succeed.

Many businesses are finding the current climate very difficult so are reluctant to spend money on their infrastructure within their office. Although this is the natural assumption to make this can have a negative effect within your business.

Having the correct IT hardware along with it being managed with good quality support is one of the key things required and provides the necessary tools for your management and staff to fulfil their objectives. Time and time again we see offices equipped with the wrong software, computers and given poor advice which makes it difficult for workers to collerberate and be efficient with coworkers and more importantly your customers.

Choosing the right hardware…

The difference between a budget computer and a suitable computer is not that great. You tend to find that choosing better equipped model by a good manufacturer like HP with a decent processor and memory (RAM) will give you better performance and reliability. This equates to machine that is likely to last longer and can also sometimes come with a 3 year warranty.

Choosing the right software…

The other area of confusion that surrounds purchasing is what software comes as standard when you buy your computer. Again this comes down to cost but yet again the difference is small between a budget choice and what is suitable. For example one of main things we discover when we introduce a small business server to a client is that their computers do not have the right prerequisites to connect to the server. This can lead on to a costly upgrade which can be avoided if the correct  choices are made when purchasing a new computer.

Everyones knows Microsoft Windows is required to run most business applications but what is unclear is that there are different editions which can appear to be the same.  Choosing the right one to future proof your investment is critical. I cannot state how important this is so I am gong to bold it Windows 7 Professional is what you require if you have any intention on using the computer in the future with a server or the cloud. The frustrating thing is that if you choose the Professional version of Windows at the time of purchase it will cost a small amount more which will avoid a necessary upgrade in the future which can cost more than £100.

In summary I recommend the following……

• Buy hardware with a good processor and plenty of memory (RAM)
• Choose Windows 7 Professional as your operating system to avoid expensive upgrade costs in the future if you choose to install a server or use clue services
• Find a computer professional or company that can offer you sound advice to help you manage and make good decisions for your business!

If you need anymore advice or a free consultation please contact me ianchambers@it-ok.co.uk or call 08450092594.