Web Marketing Assocation Honors The Knowles Company For Website Designed by Embarc
09/13/2005
NEWTON UPPER FALLS, MA (September 13, 2005) - The Web Marketing Association ("WMA") today announced that it has awarded its Outstanding Website WebAward for 2005 to The Knowles Company – the premier luxury real estate sales and rental resource for properties on and around Maine's Mount Desert Island. The website was designed, implemented, and launched earlier this year by Embarc, Inc., an Internet solutions company based in Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts.
WMA, an organization devoted to establishing high standards for Internet marketing and corporate Web development, annually recognizes the individual and team achievement of Web professionals who create and maintain outstanding corporate websites. The Knowles Company Website was chosen out of the more than 2,100 sites from 33 countries that were reviewed during this year's competition. Entries were judged on design, copy writing, innovation, content, interactivity, navigation and use of technology. The competition was judged by a team of independent Internet professionals representing a variety of relevant disciplines of website development. Judges included members of the media, advertising executives, site designers, creative directors, corporate marketing executives, content providers and webmasters.
The Knowles Company website enables users to search through sales and rental listings using customized criteria and save favorite properties into private portfolios. Users can also subscribe to a property or specific search and receive email alerts when the status or price of their favorite properties changes. Based on an influx of new memberships to the site, these broadcasting and alert features have proven their ability to increase loyalty among potential customers.
"The response to our new web site has been over whelming", stated Keating Pepper, a partner at The Knowles Company. "Our clients like to be in control of when and how they get their information. Our new website achieves that at an A+ level."
"While elegant visuals and innovative features are what we strive to create every day, success in a Website engagement is best defined by a site's ability to generate measurable results for our clients" said, Myles Bristowe, a partner at Embarc.
Another innovative element within the Knowles website is the showcase presentation manager. Luxury properties require a much more elite presentation than a simple flat photo on a webpage. Embarc created an easy way for The Knowles Company staff to create and manage elegant Flash-based Showcase sites targeted at potential buyers of luxury properties. This media-rich experience features a slide show of high quality photographs set to classical music and accompanied by an array of downloadable resources concerning the property's designer, history, and specifications. Based on the number of new listings captured through the form on the site, it is clear that the quality of the showcase sites has had a tremendously positive impact on sellers who wish their properties to be well represented on the Web.
"We looked New England-wide for a company that had the experience and expertise to create a user-friendly marketing tool", continued Mr. Pepper. "Embarc has placed The Knowles Company well above our competitors by producing a website that exceeds the expectations of both buyers and sellers."
"The WebAward competition is one of the ways leading Web professionals demonstrate the effectiveness of their Web development," said William Rice, president, Web Marketing Association. "Winning a WebAward not only provides valuable feedback from expert judges, but gives companies a valuable marketing tool and shows company management that their Internet investments are on the right track."
For more information on Embarc, please visit:
www.embarcgroup.com
Myles Bristowe, Partner
mbristowe@embarcgroup.com
617-581-6238 x306
For more information on The Knowles Company, please visit:
www.knowlesco.com
Keating Pepper, Partner
keating@knowlesco.com
207-276-3322
For more information on the 2005 WebAward Competition, please visit:
www.webaward.org
William Rice, President
wrice@webaward.org
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About The Knowles Company
The Knowles Company is the premier real estate and vacation rental resource for quality properties and land on and around Maine's Mount Desert Island, with a reputation founded on 107 years of professional integrity, unparalleled client service, and longstanding relationships with the communities and families we serve.
About Web Marketing Association
Now in its ninth year, the WebAward Competition for website development is conducted by the Web Marketing Association, Inc. (WMA), an independent volunteer organization founded with the purpose of evaluating, recognizing and increasing the standard of excellence on the World Wide Web.
About Garfield Group Interactive
Founded in 1995, Garfield Group Interactive (GGI) is an interactive marketing firm that consistently delivers strategic planning, award-winning design, and leading-edge technical services in order to achieve measurable business results. Teamed with its sister agencies, Garfield Group Branding and Garfield Group Public Relatrions, GGI serves a variety of markets - including vertical expertise in Biotech, Medical Device, and Pharmaceutical industries. Our clients include a number of leading companies such as Biogen Idec, Sepracor, Philips Lifeline, Reebok, and National Grid Wireless.
