Monroestar Marketing News

Monroestar Announces New Online Business Hosted Application

Mon, 03 May 2010 13:58:00 GMT

In keeping with our tradition of client service, Monroestar is now offering clients an online business hosted application. The application combines many desirable features and metrics for web designs, but without the hassle of multiple web applications. Our online business hosted application offers a content management system, an ecommerce management framework, email, CRM, e-marketing tools, blogs and more. Now, our custom web design is supported by an easy to use and comprehensive backend system.

Our new application represents a great advancement for our web design process. First, as a content management system, it makes updating and editing the content a simple task. In addition, the online business hosted application has a built-in contact management system, which helps build a database of contacts that facilitates business relationships. This capability is further strengthened by the advanced eCommerce capabilities that allow products to be sold online and payment to be collected in real-time. SMS and email notification options offer instant alerts whenever a comment or an order processes through the web applications.

Finally, the online business hosted application has great built-in features that improve visibility and provide comprehensive reporting. The online business hosted application keeps the web design search engine friendly. There is built-in email marketing capability with in-depth reports on success. Finally, the executive insight section provides a bird's eye view on the website at each log-in for easy management.

Monroestar expects this new online business hosted application to take web applications to the next level. The system represents a significant advancement in web design, and has incredible potential to help clients from all sectors experience greater productivity, better reporting, and new features that increase profit while still maintaining ease of use.

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Monroestar Develops Custom Website Design for J Brown Photography

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 13:58:00 GMT

Monroestar recently created a completely custom website for C. Jason Brown, owner of J Brown Chicago wedding photography. A skilled and experienced wedding photographer, Mr. Brown needed a website that showed off his artistic photos to their best advantage. He also needed an easy way to integrate social marketing services like Facebook into the site design.

In response to the client’s needs, Monroestar created a new website from the ground up. The site was designed to look and feel like one of Mr. Brown’s photos: artistic, classic, but with a beautifully considered modern flair. Monroestar designed a full-browser slideshow, in addition to a separate slideshow that would appear on all inside pages of the site. These slideshows ensured that Mr. Brown’s work was always at the forefront of the webpage, no matter what part of the site each viewer visited. In addition, Monroestar redesigned the associated 3rd party blog and incorporated a Facebook interface on the contact page. These important social marketing features have made it easier for clients to follow J Brown Photography and have helped draw new business as well. Now the J Brown Photography website has all the functionality that Mr. Brown needs while putting his photography, the most important part of his business, in as prominent a featured position as possible.

www.jbrownweddingphoto.com

Monroestar Creates Informational Brochure Helping Chicago Parents Register Their Children for School

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 13:58:00 GMT

When longtime Monroestar client,The Renaissance Schools Fund needed a new informational brochure to help parents with the school registration process, they knew exactly where to turn. The brochure needed to be clear and concise, yet thoroughly explain to parents what options existed for education in Chicago. Most importantly, The Renaissance Schools Fund needed to educate parents about the benefits of charter schools, along with advice on local school choices.

Monroestar created a full color brochure that was distributed to families with children in Chicago area schools. This informational booklet covered every aspect of education at a charter school and contained a comprehensive listing of schools in the area. In addition, it offered parents general advice on how to choose a school and helped parents understand what charter schools are. It contained information as well as parent and student testimonials about the benefits of a charter school education. Facts and figures support the positive information about charter schools.

Growth and Change With Monroestar

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:43:00 GMT

The past year has brought a lot of changes to our business structure and website. With the economic issues we've all been facing, it is more important than ever to make sound business and marketing investments. That's why we've been working hard to develop new design and web services geared toward helping you strengthen and grow your business. To help you explore how these new services can help your business, we've updated our news, case studies and portfolio sections and added descriptions of our expanded marketing services.

We know that Internet marketing is an integral part of your marketing campaign. That's why we continue to create functional websites with the latest technologies that are designed for not only human readers, but also search engines.

We know that your goal is to rank at the top of the search engine results page for your keywords. For this reason, all of our websites are designed with search engine optimization in mind... but now we go even further by offering you ways to continue their SEO efforts with website marketing plans that include keyword research, articles, blogs, press releases and other link-building content.

If you have ever wished you could get more visibility online, then our website marketing plans are an excellent place to start. We really appreciate your business over the years and look forward to continuing to help you market and grow

Monroestar Develops Web Game To Help Children And Parents Make Healthier Food Choices

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 13:57:00 GMT

Longtime Monroestar client Pro Sports Experience Youth Football Camps asked the company to design a game to help educate children about healthy food options. Pro Sports Experience partnered with the Chicago Bears and needed help creating Eat Like A Bear, a web-based program that would feature the Chicago Bears players to help inspire the kids and get them excited about living a healthier lifestyle.

Monroestar was asked to develop the look and feel of the game and then create the actual game logic. Always conscious of the need for the game to be kid-friendly and fun, Monroestar began creating the basics of the game. In Eat Like A Bear, players select eleven of their favorite Bears players who will visit their 'restaurant.' The player then reads some basic nutrition information before moving on to the game portion. In the game, each selected Bears player will visit the 'restaurant' and ask the child to pick a food with a certain nutritional characteristic. Kids learn about nutrition from the game, and parents must enter contact information in order for their kids to play, helping Pro Sports Experience gain future client contacts.

Visit website

Monroestar Tapped To Take Website Live, Add Features For Charles Cottle “The Ri$k Doctor”

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 13:56:00 GMT

Monroestar recently took over the implementation, support, and further development of a website for Charles Cottle. Cottle, better known as The Ri$k Doctor, specializes in explaining options trading for the real world. In addition, he is a well-known author, lecturer, consultant, floor trader, and developer of financial software. His website had to meet the high standards of Mr. Cottle, as well as the high expectations of the demanding clients he works with. He needed a dynamic web services company that would be able to support the website and also develop it further by adding new features.

Based on Mr. Cottle’s needs, Monroestar helped take his existing website design live. But it also helped him determine what additional features he would need to optimize his online presence, and are continuing to work with him on further additions. Monroestar also takes care of all website support needs, from content updates to client questions and beyond. Right now, Monroestar is focusing on updates to the content management system, helping The Ri$k Doctor website become easier to manage.

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Monroestar Creates Online Presence for Local Politician Patrick Maher

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:03:00 GMT

Monroestar was recently responsible for the creation of Patrick Maher's campaign website. Monroestar developed his online presence to support his run for Cook County Commissioner for the 17^th District, building an effective online portal to allow communication with supporters and clear expression of his platform. Monroestar created a web design that was powerful but yet not overwhelming, providing voters with key information without overloading them. The design was tailored to make it easy for citizens to get involved with the campaign through social media networking, donation, and volunteer work.

Monroestar also created the graphics for the website. They were carefully chosen images that spoke to Mr. Maher's vision for Cook County's 17^th district, but Monroestar made sure the graphics don't overwhelm the messages the website conveys. The design concept is professional, but simultaneously upbeat, encouraging attention and designed for easy reading. Every element is designed with the reader in mind, carefully tailored to the goals of Patrick Maher's candidacy. The website offers the best features for a political campaign website, including a news feed and newsletter sign up. There is also an easy volunteer sign up link from the main banner, providing the community with easy connection to Patrick Maher's issues and campaign.

Monroestar Helps Launch New Restaurant Q-BBQ with Logo, Menu, and Website Design

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Monroestar recently created media tools for Q-BBQ, a new barbecue restaurant in La Grange, Illinois. Filling a long-standing void in La Grange's restaurant scene, Q-BBQ needed a company to help them bring their fresh image and new message into the public eye. Monroestar responded by helping Q-BBQ prepare a range of public relations tools. Everything created needed to represent the attitude of the company, capturing its warmth and relaxed atmosphere while simultaneously speaking to the quality of Q-BBQ's food.

Drawing on the uniqueness of the restaurant, Monroestar designed a logo, menu, and website for Q-BBQ that were reminiscent of traditional barbecue concepts, yet spoke to the qualities that set Q-BBQ apart. The logo was created to be simple and striking. It was heavily inspired by old steakhouse and ranch designs, yet also tempered with a minimalist, modern aesthetic. Monroestar was also called upon to create the menu design for Q-BBQ. The result was a menu that complements and enhances the available food choices, harmonizing with the restaurant's energy and décor. Finally, Monroestar is currently developing the webpage for Q-BBQ. Although a work in progress, the site already shows the same detailed design that created the logo and menu for the restaurant.

Monroestar Redesigns Website for Top Chicago Charter School

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:06:00 GMT

Monroestar recently completed a redesign of the website of the Amandla charter school, an educational institution in the Englewood neighborhood on Chicago's south side. The school previously had a bare bones website that tended to confuse rather than inspire visitors. It was not as effective at communicating the school's mission and the experience of students as such a website could be. The overall layout needed improvement to become more user friendly. Although the information and other basics were sound, the look and feel of the website needed a redesign.

Monroestar stepped in and turned the website into a warm and welcoming place that matched the good work that the Amandla charter school does every day. The user interface was made much easier to navigate, helping visitors to learn about the charter school easily and get involved quickly. The general design was also retooled to include updated images of Amandla, giving the visitor better access to daily life at the school. Employment opportunities and more can be viewed easily; enrollment information is equally easy to find, helping the families in Englewood get their children involved with Amandla and its advantages faster. The new redesign sets the stage for Amandla's growth into a middle school, and eventually into a high school.

Monroestar Launches New Web Design In Response To Increasing Customer Demand

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:08:00 GMT

In response to recent increases in business growth, Chicago website and print marketing company Monroestar redesigned their primary website. It now features new web applications for easier access and a greater emphasis on case studies and additional services.

Chicago, IL - Top Chicago print and web design company Monroestar just reissued its website, unveiling a streamlined new look that allows for easier navigation. The new website features the company's case studies and previous work, allowing easy access and facilitating browsing. The website also includes new web applications and additional services and information.

Monroestar has been moving toward a new webpage for some time. The company recently finished several new projects for Chicago area businesses, and in the process realized that their own webpage could use a few updates. "We want to provide the best experience for our customers, and this new web design will do just that," said Dave Spoehr Co-Founder of Monroestar (http://www.monroestar.com).

The company completed a multimedia campaign for the Renaissance Schools Project. The Project hosted the New Schools Expo, a large showcase of the most recent charter schools in Chicago. This Expo provided a place for parents and school administrators to gather and talk, and also acted as a starting place for parents to fill out applications to each school. Monroestar was called in to provide all print signage for the event, including mass transit signage, flyers, and posters. Monroestar created all the print design elements and conducted the campaign, helping to create a successful turnout for the event.

Soon after, Monroestar was asked to increase the functionality of a webpage for Pro Sports Experience – an organization that provides NHL and NFL certified youth sports camps, endorsed by teams, throughout the northeast and Midwest. Monroestar created a shopping cart tool to allow Pro Sports Experience to sell camp logo t-shirts online, and also integrated UPS shipping utilities to provide swift and reliable merchandise transport.

Finally, Monroestar was called upon by the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce to create a series of custom web designs for its new website Shop Lakeview. The website had to be functional, giving shoppers detailed information about retail stores in the Lakeview area of Chicago, and providing maps of the neighborhood. But Monroestar was also asked to balance that functionality with aesthetic value, creating a design that would be both pleasing to the eye and helpful. What emerged was a highly functional website with an attractive design. A Google maps utility is built into the site, allowing for detailed mapping capabilities with individual businesses highlighted on the map. Monroestar also created a content update utility to allow easy maintenance of the website.

As their volume of work began to increase, top Monroestar executives realized that the website could use some streamlining. "Customer service is our priority, and our new website design reflects that perfectly. Now customers can get in-depth knowledge of our processes, service offerings and portfolio," said Spoehr. The accessibility of the new web design will benefit new clients and old alike, making Monroestar's ideas and previous designs easy to reach.

About Monroestar: Monroestar (http://www.monroestar.com) is a top Chicago print and web design company. Specializing in unique web applications and custom web design, Monroestar offers their talents to companies throughout Chicagoland and across the country.

Monroestar Creates Online Presence for Top College Marketing Firm College Recruitment Media

Wed, 27 May 2009 15:22:00 GMT

Monroestar was recently chosen to create College Recruitment Media's online presence. CRM, a top college career center media agency used by a number of the most competitive colleges, needed an online presence that did more than just bring their services to the internet. "They needed somewhere to gather online advertising sales, which meant a user interface and a cart-type system. Moreover, the whole thing needed to be as professional and high-quality as CRM itself," said Dave Spoehr, Co-Founder of Monroestar.

"The site had to be informative and interesting -- presenting the basic facts of the company from a marketing viewpoint. The website has specific sections designed for different viewers such as colleges, recruiting employers, and people interested in general information. There is also an easy-to-use billing structure to allow collection of credit card payments online," continued Spoehr.

Monroestar also created a purchase utility allowing for the instant purchase and reservation of ad space in certain CRM publications. These special features, added to the appeal of a professional and well-designed website, provided exactly the functionality that CRM needed out of its internet website.

Learn more about College Recruitment Media at-

www.crmpubs.com

Monroestar Helps Renaissance Schools Fund Develop The New Ventures in Education Symposium Booklet

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:08:00 GMT

Monroestar recently created a brochure for the New Ventures in Education Symposium, an event sponsored by the Renaissance Schools Fund. The RSF is a venture co-funded by communities and businesses to revitalize Chicago's public schools, bringing better quality education through programs, funding initiatives, and new schools. The New Ventures in Education Symposium is an expert symposium on ways to make public education most beneficial to children, and an excellent starting point for someone who wants to launch a new Chicago public school.

To get the word out about this new symposium, the Renaissance Schools Fund turned to Monroestar. "We created a booklet that was effective in communicating information about the symposium in a clear, easy to read, and attractive fashion. There were many different speakers on the agenda and all had to be described and communicated within the scope of the brochure," said Dave Spoehr, Co-Founder of Monroestar.

The graphic design company also produced a 12-page booklet highlighting the best features of the symposium, while also providing an excellent explanation of the events and speakers present there. The booklet was also a promotional tool, doing more than just discussing the schedule and presentations. It featured quotes from past attendees, and other tools to show the value of the symposium.

Learn more about Renaissance Schools Fund at -
http://www.newschoolschicago.org

Monroestar Improves Online Checkout Efficiency For Longtime Client Pro Sports Experience

Wed, 27 May 2009 15:20:00 GMT

Leading design company, Monroestar, recently expanded on a shopping cart created for Pro Sports Experience. Pro Sports Experience provides a number of youth camps endorsed by popular sports teams and designed to train young athletes, providing summer fun and sports skills at the same time. Monroestar previously created an online shopping cart for Pro Sports Experience, and sales demand has subsequently become so large that the company requested more functionality from their online check out.

In response, Monroestar expanded the existing shopping cart, providing an integrated tool to allow for purchase of additional t-shirts and memorabilia from the different sports camps. Monroestar also integrated UPS into the shopping cart, making shipping of all items easier and faster.

Learn more about Pro Sports Experience at -

www.prosportsexperience.com/

Monroestar Spreads The Word For The Renaissance Schools Fund

Wed, 27 May 2009 15:19:00 GMT

Monroestar recently created the campaign to educate the public about Chicago's New Schools Expo. The Expo, an opportunity for parents to research charter schools and sign their children up to attend a charter school, was sponsored by the Renaissance Schools Fund, a government fund responsible for improving education in the city of Chicago.

Top Chicago print design company Monroestar was responsible for ensuring that parents knew about the New Schools Expo and understood the opportunities that attendance would provide for their children. Monroestar created mass transit signage, posters, and flyers to spread the word about this event.

Learn more about Renaissance Schools Fund at -
www.newschoolschicago.org

Monroestar Develops Look And Feel Of New Shop Lakeview Website

Wed, 27 May 2009 15:18:00 GMT

Monroestar announced that they recently completed the major elements of a new website for the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce. The new website, known as Shop Lakeview, highlights local businesses in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, and provides information to shoppers. Monroestar designed the features of the website, including the graphics and the text, as well as the overall layout.

Top Chicago web design company also took steps to help the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce maintain the content, developing a content manager that will allow for simple and effective updating whenever necessary. As part of their custom web design, Monroestar also embedded a Google mapping tool, allowing shoppers to view the area, including all retail and businesses. The company specializes in web applications like the Google mapping tool, which provides an easy way to plot a route to Lakeview, and to explore other general features of the region.

Learn more about the Shop Lakeview project at -
http://www.shoplakeview.net/.