When Alexis, founder of The Dog’s Meow, and I got on the phone for the first time, she was originally looking for some help with blog writing. But, when we got to talking about her needs, goals, and vision for her business, she mentioned that her current website wasn’t anything special and she used it just as a place for people to see store hours and locations.
So, before we jumped into blog posts, I recommended that we revamp her current website. When it comes to marketing, it’s important to have a great place to refer people to - i.e. your website. For example, if we had amazing blog posts to share on social media, you wouldn’t want them to be directed to a website that doesn’t have CTA’s or one that doesn't showcase your brand in the best light. The quality of the blog post wouldn’t matter at that point.
At first, Alexis was hesitant. Would Wix be able to offer her something customizable that would better represent her brand and business? Is it the smarter move to start with the web design before getting into content marketing? Could there be a better way on the website to get people to shop?
Let me tell you, I’m not a ‘sales-y’ person one bit. I don’t like to push people into decisions - that’s something they need to decide on their own. However, I felt SOOO confident that this was the right move for Alexis, especially given how much trouble she was having with her old website. She had many people/businesses managing it, purchased a book on how to code so she could edit it, and a big red flag in my book - she didn’t really even like it!
I knew I could make a beautiful website that would be EASY for her to maintain. And, of course, when we were done with the website, she was able to delete the three or four other accounts that she was paying for and simplified everything down to Wix, which also lowered her monthly fees!
The Process
Alexis already had branding guidelines, which made it really easy to get started with the website right away! I loved her colors for the store - see below!
She also had a wonderful logo:
Before we REALLY got started on the website, she knew she wanted her store integrated with a service called eTailPet. I'd never heard of it before, so I hopped on a call with their sales team and IMMEDIATELY fell in love.
What is eTailPet?
eTailPet is a full-service eComm solution for independent pet retail, providing a digital storefront with easy to use tools every neighborhood pet business owner needs to expand their footprint and service their local furry community on demand. They offer ready-to-go custom online stores for in-store pick-up and/or home-delivery depending on your needs. This service allows you to compete with the big boys over at Chewy and Amazon - plus, they're SO passionate and genuine over at eTailPet! I HIGHLY recommend them if you're a pet retailer or online shop! (P.S. I'm not an affiliate for them - I just really love this amazing team & I know you will, too! Enter PMU at checkout and get $10 off EVERY month).
Essentially, they are your online store and you can set it up on ANY website. They maintain the catalog for you and have a HUGE list to choose from, depending on what your store offers. I absolutely LOVED it.
Multiple Locations
Alexis wanted a way to combine both store locations on her website and allow people to order online for in-store pickup. This is RIGHT up my alley and was so much fun to put together. As a pet owner myself, sometimes online store navigation can be tricky or inconvenient. So, I made it as EASY as possible for people to shop depending on which location they were closest to.
The Final Product
Take a look at her final website:
The featured product section:
She wanted a section on her homepage to feature adoptable pets:
The footer:
Alexis' Feedback
"You nailed the website. You were so confident that you could create a unique website for my business and you did. You listened to me in our initial phone conversation. You used my brand colors throughout the site in a clean manner. The site has energy and I can't wait to see how it is received by our web visitors. I am so happy we met and I can't wait to start working with you on our blogs. Loved the site and there were hardly any edits. Minor ones at that. I love that you kept me organized by using your little customer portal and that I could edit it at any time and upload pictures."
If you want to see the website in action, head here.
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Are you interested in working with us for your branding and website design? Yay! Learn more about our design package here. You can also view the portfolio here.
