• Making final adjustments to the recently launched Harbour Cars website
• Making final prepartions for the launch of the Cobnor Activities Centre website
• Finalising webcopy, web designs and a marketing proposal for Vanilla Catering & Events, with a view to going live very soon
• Making tweaks to the Field & Fork restaurant opening times on their website and Google Local Listings to reflect their new opening hours
• Preparing Search Engine Optimised webcopy for Inderford Courier and Transport Services and Chalet Floralie
• Preparing web proposals for four prospective new clients
• Compiling and sending out an e-newsletter from the Chichester Design team as well as the monthly bulletin from our friends at SCDF

It was go, go, go; let me tell you!

Needless to say, we’ve been spending this festive period catching up on some much-needed sleepy time as well as seeing family and friends, lazing aimlessly on comfy sofas and eating and drinking far too much. But Christmas is now behind us and we sit in anticipation during that bizarre time just before the New Year – and we call it Crimbo Limbo.

This is a pensive time. What will the 2010 bring to the Chichester Design team? How will the company develop and grow? What new and exciting web design and marketing projects will we be working on?

Here’s hoping for many more prosperous projects and happy clients! See you in 2010, Ben, Simon, Jeremy and Kate.

Once we were all seated Kate presented the boys – Ben, Simon, Jeremy and Ashley – with their matching Christmas presents. Geeky Google inspired t-shirts that suggested that if people want to know the answer to something they should just jolly well Google it (or words to that effect), needless to say they were a hit!

Next, Ellie presented us with some excellent pictures that she had illustrated herself, she’s an artist don’t you know. The very talented and soon-to-be-Mrs-Batchelar made a beautiful plaque for Kate and Pete’s new home, drew some gorgeous Winnie-the-Pooh sketches for Jeremy and Celine’s nursery and created a lovely scene of Brighton Pier for Ben and Lucy.

Things really got into the swing when Ben got us some party poppers – we know how to party! And then came the food – mountains of rustic garlic bread and tomato and pesto bread, spicy calzones and succulent pasta dishes followed by sinful Tiramissu, tantalising chocolate torte and mouth-watering sorbet – Yummmy! The wine and beer was flowing and everyone was grinning, just like a seasonal celebration should be really.

There were many full tummies and we decided that once we had got some fresh air we would pile back to Kate and Pete’s flat for a festive drinkie – that’s the curse of now living in the Town Centre ! There we played the James Bond sound track loud and proud, discussed the back catalogue of 007 films and mulled over our favourite Bond (Roger Moore won, of course). Ben ended that particular joy fairly swiftly by striking up a conversation about what songs he would like played at his funeral – ahhh the festive spirit! Then, to reset the balance, the Burt Bacharach CD came out, Simon’s favourite – “Oooooh Burt!”

An interesting evening, to say the least, and that gives you a small insight into the wonderful world of the Chichester Design team – we’re a strange but loveable bunch, that’s for sure! Merry Christmas to you all, hope you have a god one and a happy and prosperous New Year. Don’t forget we can help you with that prosperity by recommending a great marketing proposal, contact us today for more info.

Monday morning when I arrived at work Ben said “Glory, glory the Christmas cards have arrived!” Naturally, I was overcome by Christmas cheer and seasonal enthusiasm until he said that I would have to write all 100 cards by hand. I know I’m a copywriter but that does not mean I am the only one qualified to write a Christmas card, does it? Mind you, in an office full of men whose handwriting is far from their strong point some things just have to be!

So, sitting surrounded by tinsel and snowflakes (in our corporate colours of course, unlike the design studio next door who have opted for a kitsch mish-mash of all things vaguely Christmassy) I got to work penning each of the Chichester Design Christmas cards.

We like to provide that personal touch and after going to the effort of having some jolly festive Christmas cards created by designer extraordinaire Mr Simon Hilton we thought “why not just get stuck in?”

I soon felt like Mary Christmas (that’s Santa’s missus) addressing each card and then passing them on to each of my little elves (Ben, Simon, Jeremy and Ashley) to autograph. After about half an hour the card signing was beginning to wear a bit thin and the mood dipped to far from festive. Suddenly, Ashley turned to the trusty Spotify and Noddy Holder was soon lifting our spirits by belting out that infamous seasonal din; it was the season to be jolly once more.

If you’re one of our existing customers and you haven’t received your Chichester Design Christmas card as yet, you can be sure that postie will be dropping it in your mat very soon, complete with Christmas cheer. And for those of you who aren’t on our mailing list – Have a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Kate, Ben, Simon, Jeremy and Ashley.

Don’t forget to make Chichester Design your first point of call for all your online marketing needs in the New Year, contact: info@chichesterdesign.co.uk.

Chichester Design has worked on many ecommerce sites and with Christmas coming up we will be soon seeing some of our masterpieces do their stuff. One such example is AtMarket, which will be re-launching with a new website in November, just in time for the Christmas rush.

Online retail spending increased by 14.2% in December last year and according to IMRG and Capegemini, UK consumers spent £4.67bn that month, that’s an average of £77 per person.

It’s good to know that there’s a bit of money to be made in cyberspace during the festive season and it’s important to understand when’s hot and when’s not when considering marketing strategies.  Knowing when people will be looking to buy indicates the best times to hit known customers with email campaigns and Tweets about promotional offers to get them double clicking their mouse and adding to basket all over the shop.

Chichester Design’s little gem

Some key online shopping dates for this year, and a good guide to plan your internet marketing around, include:

December’s almost upon us- 30^th November

The pre-Christmas peak in traffic to online retailers. Last year, there was a peak from Saturday 29^th November to Monday 8^th December as it dawned that Christmas was just around the corner and there are no presents to put under the tree.

Four working weeks to go- 7^th December

Traditionally the second Monday in December is the biggest online shopping day, with online sales of £320m on online sales. This way shoppers are not dicing to dangerously with the slow Christmas postal service and making sure their gifts are arriving in plenty of times to be adorned with bows, tags and alike.

Last minute stampede- 23^rd December

Pre-Christmas footfall peaks as people rush to buy last minute presents and hope to pick up some bargains at the start of the sales on the last full shopping day before Christmas. Although online sales are not as large as those made by high-street shoppers at this time of year, the sales in 2008 were markedly up on 2007 and earlier bargain hunting is predicted for this year too.

Bring on the bargains – 26^th December

This was the busiest online shopping day of the year for the last two years, with traffic starting to increase significantly on Christmas day after everyone’s got the turkey dinner and family niceties out the way.

So get planning your online marketing for the festive season and remember you can always contact us if you want a helping hand with your marketing strategies!