Template Instructions

Getting Started on Your Website

Welcome aboard!  My name is Taft Tucker, and I am the graphic designer in charge of customizing the appearance of your new website.  I am excited that you’ve chosen to work with us on a website solution for your store, and I’m eager to get you started.  The information below will explain the website creation process, and it will assist you in providing the materials necessary to fill your site with engaging content for your customers.  Let’s get started…

A.  Web Templates…How Do They Work?

All client websites are created using pre-configured website templates.  Our templates are separated into two categories:  Gold Series and Platinum Series.  Gold Series templates are $1500.00 and are designed to require only a small amount of graphic design and customization.    Platinum Series templates cost $2000.00 and require more “hands on” client involvement/direction, customized graphic design elements, and very high image quality. 

Templates should be viewed as “frameworks” for design and layout.  Within the framework of each template, a client is able to customize the color scheme, texturing, images and logos.  The template examples provided on our preview site are designed to show you the general layout, as well as concepts for where and how to incorporate images of your store, your logo, your jewelry, etc.  Before choosing a template, consider the appearance of you store logo, as well as the images you have available for use on the website.  If, for example, you wish to feature your storefront or a picture of your showroom on the home page, you should consider the template(s) that offer a large, prominent area for that image.  And if you have a tall logo, choose a template that offers ample room for the placement of your logo.  (Shrinking a tall logo to fit in a small space will compromise its visibility, leaving your visitors without a true focal point).

Most of the templates are presented on our preview site using dark, rich colors (blacks, rouges, greens).  However, remember that each design can easily convert to attractive, lighter tones w/ soft shades and textures.  It is up to each client to select the color palette and direct the overall appearance of the site.  Generally, it is wise to keep your website colors consistent with the tones and colors used in your store.

B.  Selecting a Template and Notifying the Web Designer

Each template is numbered.  When you’ve made a selection, email the template number, as well as a general color scheme, to the web designer.  Email is the preferred method of communication because it provides a virtual paper trail.  Send your email to tafttucker@adelphia.net and make sure it contains the following:

1. Your store name in the subject line of your email

2. Template number

3. Preferred color scheme (or indication of)

4. A scanned black & white store logo (preferably .jpg, .tiff, or .eps format)

5. Photos of your storefront, showroom or special jewelry items to be featured in the site

   1. NOTE:  If the images you wish to send exceed a total file size of 2MB, then please break them into separate emails.  And if you have many large files to transfer, please contact Abbott Jewelry Systems at 866-580-3343 to arrange for FTP access to your client web folder.

* If you have any questions about these instructions, email the designer for direction.

C.  Website Content

The pages listed in the chart below are content suggestions.  The pages in bold type are considered “sections,” which means they will have sublinks or subpages under them.  These section links will appear on the main menu bar on every page of your website.  It is important to note that the main menu bar has limited space available for these links.  This is intentional, as too many links crowd the menu bar and become overwhelming to a visitor.  Your goal should be to organize your intended content into no more than 10 or 12 main sections.  This will ensure clean, crisp site navigation.  As an example, most clients choose to categorize their pages using the following sections:

Home, About Us, Our Jewelry, Our Services, Galleries, Repairs, Latest News, Information, Contact Us

The chart below gives a brief description of these links.  Consider each one to be a “section” of your site.  The chart should help you to understand these sections and the component pages we recommend for each.  As you begin the process of compiling information for your website, consider these sections and subsections, and decide on those you wish to incorporate into your site  (Note:  These are merely recommendations…you are free to add or subtract from this list as you see fit.):

E.  Finalizing Your Content

After reviewing the information above, determining the content for your site and organizng it into sections, you are now ready to draft that content.  You are welcome to type your information into the table above and then email this document back to the designer, or you may simply send an email with the content for each section.  To further assist you in composing the content for each section, additional suggestions follow:

1. Home Page:    

   1. Compose a brief paragraph welcoming visitors to your site.

   2. Provide an image that best suits the front page of your site (ex, storefront, special designer piece, etc)

   3. Identify 3 sections of the site for which you would like to have a special graphical link on the home page.  For instance, a picture that, when clicked, will take you to the merchandise gallery or repairs page.  Provide an image for each of these graphical links.

2. About Us:        

   1. Use this section to inform visitors about your store, its history, etc.  Compose the text for your desired sections.  It can be as long as you like.

   2. OPTIONAL:  Provide 3 or 4 images to accompany the text for this section.

3. Our Jewelry:   

   1. Compose a brief paragraph describing your overall merchandise.

4. Our Services:  

   1. Compose a brief paragraph introducing the services your store offers (ex, Appraisals, Jewelry Repair, etc. 

   2. Compose text to describe each service in detail.  This detailed description may be as long as you like.

   3. Provide representative images for each of the services described.

5. Galleries:

   1. You will create your own galleries after the web design process is complete.  You are not required to provide input on this during the design phase.

6. Repairs:

   1. This page allows customers to search for and determine the status of repair jobs.  The layout does not require client input.

7. Information/Education:

   1. This area contains a number of stock pages common to all Edge websites, such as:  The 4Cs of Diamonds, Jewelry Care, Anniversary Traditions, Birthstones, Jewelry Dictionary and more…  You are welcome to provide additional educational materials.

8. News & Events:

   1. Use this section to discuss interesting news about your store (human interest stories, announcements, etc).  Each page or section can be as long as you like.

9. Contact Us:

   1. Provide address, phone and fax numbers for the store.

   2. Provide email address(es) for the store or key contacts/deptartments

   3. Provide driving directions from nearby highways or main roads.

   4. If possible, we will provide a Mapquest maplink to your site based on your address.
       

F.  Explanation of Price(s):

Gold Series Templates..................................................................................... Base Price:  $1,500.00
Includes 4 hours of web design time for site layout, image and text incorporation, and correspondence

Platinum Series Templates.............................................................................. Base Price:  $2,000.00
Includes 4 hours of web design time for site layout, image and text incorporation, correspondence,
image editing, and enhanced graphical texturing/layering

Customized Template/Site Design:................................................ Quoted on Individual Client Basis

Customized Internal Pages for Unique Section Appearance/Content...................... $125.00 per page

The standard template utilizes a single, consistent page layout and color scheme as the framework
for all internal pages and sections (see Example F-1 below).  Clients, however, may wish to customize the
appearance of certain pages or sections in order to heighten the importance or appeal of that page’s
content.  (Many commercial/retail websites use color variations or images to distinguish sections within
their websites.)  The listed price assumes no more than one hour of design time for each unique page.

Hourly Design Rate................................................................................................... $125.00 per hour
If the design, configuration or customization of your website requires more than 4 hours of time, then the
additional time will be billed at this rate.  The designer will keep you apprised of the time investment
throughout the process

Example F-1:

Good luck!  We look forward to working with you soon. 

Regards,
Taft Tucker