Cathey.com Interactive

The first and most important truth of identity development is that, to your markets, you are what they see and hear of you -- nothing more or less.

Your greatest influence over what you are and what you will become is derived from the planning, programming, and controlling of what you show and tell.

Though they may not have fully articulated it, most business leaders are aware of this basic truth. They wisely invest thought, energy, and money into corporate identity modes, such as interior design, dress codes, business cards, stationery, and fleet signage.

Yet, strangely, many of these same business leaders treat the World Wide Web as if it were some techno-utility with a value that is to be measured in ratios of cost to immediate cash returns.

The fact is that, unless you are actively involved in national or international prime-time broadcast advertising, the Web is simply the most potentially visible, powerful, and influential medium ever to bear your marketing messages and your identity.

Scores or even hundreds of customers and prospects may be impressed by the polished brass logo and slogan mounted above the corporate headquarters reception desk. A few thousand may react favorably to the full page ad in the trade journal or to the eight-color annual report.

Now, picture the possibility that hundreds of thousands, even millions, of people may encounter the web site and what it shows and tells.

This is no place for cute Web "flashies."

The first and most important truth of marketing is that its success is almost never accidental.

Your greatest influence over your marketing success is highly dependent upon your development and implementation of a good marketing plan, clearly defining your markets, your messages, and your media.

Each medium should be assigned its own role in your overall plan and its own goals for measurable results.

While the Web is only one of the media to be employed, its position of importance to the overall marketing efforts of many companies is rising now and will continue to rise for the foreseeable future. Already, some very large corporations are actually Web-based.

When we at Cathey.com Interactive first began designing web sites, we anticipated that we would be introducing the Web to companies with little or no experience with electronic media. What we have found, instead, is that most of our site design business has come from clients who already had web sites that were actually hurting their businesses.

Most of these existing sites were technically functional. They simply functioned as if little or no thought were ever given to how the Web should fit within any marketing plan, to what the primary message should be, or to how important visual image may be to identity.

One new prospect said to us, "I want to tell someone, 'Just visit our web site, and you'll get the picture of what I'm talking about,' but I can't do that -- it's embarrasing!"

Technical expertise is, indeed, very important in this inherently technical medium, and we have that technical expertise. Very few firms have been working in this medium longer than Cathey.com Interactive. Our principals teach classes to other professionals in the field and speak at professional seminars and events.

But our unique strength comes from our even longer-rooted expertise in identity development and marketing consulting. We are the experts at looking good.

Our web sites have been honored with a Lantern Award, a Matrix Award, and a Web Award. We are pleased that other professionals recognize the quality of our work, but we are even more pleased that our clients realize the real value of their web sites.

Call us at (214) 300-8430 or email us now: info@cathey.com.