[Project Complete] Due Apr 14th - SellSaaS Homepage template and 1 internal - $500

[JSaaS]

Admin code added by Abby - 8UT297908H353361L , 02V561734J0403624

Hello all,

I know I am at just the minimum template price, BUT, I have prefabbed template budget with custom template taste, so I'm stretching it a bit and am going to do my best to inform the design with as much info as possible. I've even semi-constructed my own wire frame (by hand, scanning it in and will be including it tomorrow). Promise to continue to use the team here for the rest of this project, so the money will continue to support the community.

We are very excited about this project and thank everyone in advance for their participation.

Here is my questionaire:

1a) Name of Company – SellSaaS.com

1b)Company Tag Line or slogan: In progress. Playing with: "Enabling Results" or "Enabling Software to Serve".

1c) Do you have a company logo? Yes, attached. Also have final vector art if anyone needs it.

1d) Do you have a corporate visual identity (a customized (non stock) logo and color scheme carried out throughout your office, stationery, business cards, etc.)? Not formal, but easily derived from the logo and mark. I have made some reference to it in the wire frame I am submitting.

1e) What is the nature of your business?: Briefly describe your products or services: SellSaaS aggregates, develops and manages an independent sales Channel for Software as a Service companies by connecting, creating and coordinating sales tools/messages and communication between software publishers and independent sales individuals and organizations to produce sales results.

1f) Who is your target market? Who are you hoping to reach with your site? Software Developers/Publishers and Opportunistic Technology Sales Agents, Consultants, Brokers, Integrators and Resellers.
But don't let the standard business jargon fool you, we are a "think, look and act differently" type of company. We are not the standard sales portal people. We believe in the power of people connecting through conversation, cooperation and integrity to create value in people's lives and business's.

Website Details

1b) Do you have an existing website? If so, what is the URL? No existing. URL will be http://www.sellsaas.com

2b) IMPORTANT: Please list at least 3 URLs (web addresses) of high quality sites that you like the look of (these do not have to be sites who’s business is similar to yours. It aids us in determining what your design style is.) Please consider layout, colors, navigation, graphics, and typography.

I really like the Microsoft.com home page. The image is always fresh and is very clean, with visually appealing menu structure. I believe in imagery that captures the human element and emotion in the viewer, the core business is easily viewable whether in a statement that is front and center or a slogan or whatever. From there access to the meat or heart of the product or service is easy to get to and intuitive.

I also really liked Fabian's and Aliska's clean designs for e2Solutions in the template forum.

Freedom, exhilaration, crispness, fresh, speed, motion, slick.

3b) What colors or color schemes would you like?
Something that follows the logo color path. Obviously any creative license that the artist/developer can take to introduce compatible colors that contribute to “Freedom, exhilaration, crispness, fresh, speed, motion, slick”.


4b) List the Navigation links for your Site:

Main Menu:
About Us
Publisher Services and Resources
SellSaaS Partner Services and Resources
News / Events / Press
SaaS Industry Resources

In the body of the home page are two links that get to the heart of the services as noted in my wire frame:
"SaaS Companies"
"SellSaaS Partners"
Below each of these is a login area for the SaaS publisher or the SellSaaS Partner login’s.

Also: a single testimonial area with a quote from a customer with links to additional case studies and testimonials.

5b) What type of look are you trying to achieve? (e.g. clean, high-tech, conservative, warm, flashy, etc.) Clean, Fresh, Motivated, Trustworthy, Slightly techy, Salesy or something that grabs the viewer, Modern/hip.

6b) Please provide the addresses of competitors' sites, if possible: none.

7b) Do you have any images for use in the design of your site? If not, do you have images, can you offer suggestions of what you type of imagery you feel would be most suitable for your website: See above. Most likely a person (hip, not cheesy) or people, smiling, ready, capable, poised for action, friendly, approachable, confident. I am a fan of the "not commonly seen", when it comes to imagery.

Deadlines and Deliverables

1c) What is the deadline for the design of your project? As Soon As Possible please, hoping no more than a couple weeks.

2c) What is required breakdown of the files you require our designers to supply you with on finalization of your project? Not sure. I suppose the html coded templates. I will need assistance here. I do want to incorporate a CMS tool in the rest of the site if that matters. I will need guidance in construction after we get beyond the template. I would like to see a Home Page template/design and an internal page design as the final deliverable, how it is broken down in the deliverable is to be determined. Also not clear if it matters if the final site will be developed in php or ASP.

Are there any other comments/specific ideas we should keep in mind while designing your project? I'll have more I'm sure.

[JSaaS]

o.k. so don't laugh, this is just my free hand of what I potentially envisioned some of this looking like. You may have to save the image and rotate instead of cocking your head to the right all the time. Thanks to all who are thinking of jumping in! Great project and more to come. JSaaS

[Aliska]

Hello
I'm starting working on my concept

[JSaaS]

Hi all,

I have a presentation scheduled for the 18th of April and was hoping to have my template project completed by the 14th, so I thought I would throw a date on this just to be safe. Thanks to all who will be submitting.

[Aliska]

Hello
Idea from me. Let me know if you have any comments.

[Lori]

Hello JSaas,

I have updated your thread title to reflect your extended deadline :)

[JSaaS]

Thank you.

[JSaaS]

Aliska,

Wireframe - Informed by my crappy free hand drawing, is always interesting to see with real design on it. I think it looks o.k. I think overall I am really looking for something more crisp, contemporary and with colors that allow the logo to pop. The lines or bones of the site look very traditional and standard to me, which is what I would like to get away from.

Color - I think with all the color in the body, the logo gets lost. I think I really want the solo burnt orange color in the logo to live by itself with limited use in the rest of the color palette.

Overall - It looks nice. I just want to "hip" it up a bit with careful consideration to where the eye is drawn when you first get to the site. It would be nice to have an area for an intro paragraph where we could sum up the company positioning.

Thanks Aliska!

[Aliska]

Hello JSaaS

Do you have logo in any editable format?

[JSaaS]

Hi Aliska,
I do, but it's a zip file with all the final art and I can't even open it on my computer with the software I have. How would I get that to you?

[Aliska]

Hello
Could you please upload zip file to hosting and place a link there? Or email file to Abby so she will upload the it at the thread?

[abby]

Project Update: The project deposit has been raised to $500.

[Zoe]

Hello Sam,

I will be working on the design over the holiday weekend.

If you can get the zip file to Abby - that would be very handy. :) Or if you are using "Windows" and don't have a unzipper program installed you should be able to right click on the file and go to "Extract All" and just follow the steps in the pop up window.

Then you can upload the file that has an extension of .EPS which I am sure you would have received from the designer. :)

Thanks

Zoe

[JSaaS]

To everyone: Another web site that I find is well laid out is grassroots.com.

[JSaaS]

New Tag Line for SellSaaS: "Enabling Results"

[crimsondesigner]

I am working on a concept for you. I hope to have it posted later today.

[gypsimind]

i will work on a concept shortly... thanks

[JSaaS]

Thanks to all who are working on concepts. We look forward to them!

[gypsimind]

hi here's my concept:

http://www.netavantage.com/app/photos/Sites/sellSaas1.jpg

[Aliska]

Hello JSaaS

Thanks for the logo update :). I will provide you with changes to my concept today.

[JSaaS]

Gypsimind,

Thanks for the submission. Great start! My first take is very positive - good colors, lean etc. I will provide in depth feedback this weekend.

[JSaaS]

Gypsimind,

Thanks for the submission. Great start! My first take is very positive - good colors, lean etc. I will provide in depth feedback this weekend.

Gypsimind,

Thanks. I would like to see the Testimonials area to be shortened and have "Quick Links" with access to "testimonials", "blog" and "SaaS Resources" with room for a quick blurb below each. Take 1 paragraph out of the "about us" on the home page to free up some room. And where you have "more links", I would like to save that real estate for a Video intro. As far as the image goes, can we play around with some modern, friendly looking professionals that might bring some personality, color and energy to the home page. I would also like to see the "SaaS Companies" link and the "Tech Broker" etc. link more congruent in size, maybe we change the link title of "Tech Broker" to "SaaS Opportunities" and I can explain who it is for in the body of the text. Really a great start thanks!

[gypsimind]

here are come changes:

http://www.netavantage.com/app/photos/Sites/sellSAAS/sellSaas2.jpg

thanks, José.

[JSaaS]

Thanks for the changes Gypsimind. We like the video area.


We would like to see the Enabling Results in a different spot that might stand out a bit more, maybe a different font, not crazy about the zig zag "E".

The "A"'s in the SaaS links should be lower case "a"'s. As in "SaaS".

We are really struggling with the image. We want much more impact but can deal with that a bit later. This may be a bit over the top, and may take some touchups, but...Can you apply the SellSaaS "mark" to the sides of these rockets?? Is it too out there? We really are all about getting companies sales strategies "LAUNCHED" or to market, etc. http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup/when/settings/future/2803939_cartoon_rocket.php?id=2803939

We would like to see the left hand "quick links" area shrunk a bit, maybe a little less overlap to the image area. The page tends to show alot of text that runs together, we are very sensitive to where the eye goes first as you travel down the site, so we would really like to see everything separated out with clear direction to allow the viewer to quickly discern their direction on the site.

We also feel like the text is kind of washed out, no clear definition or impact. Maybe the "Topic" areas can be bolded a bit, the message to the left of the logo also bolded a bit. It might be that we continue to compartmentalize the "about us", "SaaS Companies" and "SaaS Opportunities" areas, so their clearly defined.

Thanks Gypsimind!

[JSaaS]

I also like this image from Corbis. 42-15323898 (RM)

And this one from Corbis. 42-16481092 (RM)

Thanks!

[JSaaS]

And this one from Corbis:

42-15968084| RM|

[Fabian]

JSaaS,

Corbis images are of the highest quality and with that in mind generally
have a very high price tag, sometimes in the thousands. A designer can only supply you with stockimages (cheaper $1-$5) from firms such as Istockphoto’s or Bigphotos.etc.

Hope this has been helpful
Fabian
Design Outpost Moderator

[Zoe]

I am working on a design :)

[Zoe]

Here is my idea...

[Aliska]

Hello
Please check revisions from me.

[gypsimind]

Hi, here are more changes.

http://www.netavantage.com/app/photos/Sites/sellSAAS/sellSaas3.jpg

[Fabian]

Hi,

Hope you like this take on your Homepage. My aim was to create a dynamic and exciting design to capture the viewers attention.

[JSaaS]

We like the concept.
Logo needs to pop a bit more, although on the darker color it looks good, we fear that on some monitors it may be too dark.
We are not digging the gradient to the real light bottom part of the page.
Also don't like the big watermark in the background, don't think it works well with the different colors. It looks like there are too many colors going on. I would like to err on the side of simple, crisp and modern whe it comes to color. Please add a spot for blog in the left hand Nav to include Testimonials, News and Blog and maybe raise it up just a bit.
I know you said COrbis images are expensive, but can we use the one I am including here (42-15968084), I think this is the "businessmen climbing wall" image. It's cool, modern, shows action and readiness and you could use some of the color palette in the image to use on the rest of the page. In terms of eye catching color, we like the upper left quadrant or quarter of the home page. The brown's, grey/blue's, steel blue's to silver kind of thing. Can you also include a video intro area. I like the area below the link's to reinforce the driving statement and maybe a bit more "about us" stuff. All in all, we think you are on the right track. Thanks very much for the effort, great start. J.

[gypsimind]

here are some changes:

http://www.netavantage.com/app/photos/Sites/sellSAAS/sellSaas4.jpg

[Fabian]

Hello J,

Made a few changes based on your feedback,please let me know what you think.

[JSaaS]

Hello J,

Made a few changes based on your feedback,please let me know what you think.

All,

Gypsimind, I like the site as it is stands today. Looks nice. Although it lacks two things. First a bit of a modern edge, to make it more eye appealing, which maybe, we could do by reshaping the banner image to make it square or rectangular or something to make it less "standard" or "template" looking (we will also want to alter the image in the final revision). As well, I think if we applied a bolder palette of color it could really pop the whole site! I think the "organge-ish" color is hard to match up with other colors that work, maybe we don't use it. Can you work on something for me there? Thanks in advance.

Fabian, great start, very modern etc. However, the images aren't "popping" for us, they are just not engaging enough and the color behind the logo is always dark which doesn't allow it to pop. We liked your first color palette better, but of course you have to use the darker colors sparingly or the whole site looks too dark. On the good side, we really liked how you created special boxes or areas to drive visitors to one of the two areas "SaaS Companies" or "Sales Agents". Can you experiment with some watermarked images and less colors if that makes sense. I really liked your color palette in Message #28 for e2Solutions project. It just seemed more straight forward, yet clean and modern. Maybe, and I'm just throwing this out there, but maybe the "orange-ish" color is not working in either design. Can we experiment without it?

Thanks everyone! I am confident we are just a couple rev's from a decision. Thank you thank you.

[Zoe]

Here are some changes to my design. I have toned down the colours a ittle. :)

[Fabian]

Thanks,I'll post a revised version later tonight:)

[JSaaS]

Fabian or Gypsimind,
Any more revisions? Zoe, thanks. Nice deep colors. Can we try something without the orange? Also, we need a space for a quick intro. Thanks everyone!

[gypsimind]

http://www.netavantage.com/app/photos/Sites/sellSAAS/sellSaas5.jpg

[Fabian]

Sorry,Im a bit short on time.I'll try to post a revision in a day or two.

[JSaaS]

Sorry,Im a bit short on time.I'll try to post a revision in a day or two.

o.k. thanks Fabian, we need to move this project forward asap. So after Fabian's revision we'll have some sort of decision. Thanks everyone.

[Fabian]

a revised design:)

[JSaaS]

O.k., here's a weird one for you guys. Any chance that Fabian you can provide some art direction/PST work for the home page to Gypsimind and we can work out an equitable split for the work. I like the design elements of Fabian's and the structure and "bones" of Gypsi mind. In my perfect scenario, I would take the cool elements of Fabian's and lay it over Gypsimind's. For example: I like Gypsimind's menu's and such, but I also like the way the logo pops in Fabian's with the surrounding colors around it. I like Fabian's "boxes" for SaaS Companies and SaaS Brokers sections, I would like to pull those over to Gypsimind's revision, and I would like to use the "mark" that Gypsimind is using for the different areas inside those "boxes" somehow. I don't like the smaller image of the guy with the pen on the ladder, but I do like the color palette of the rest of Fabian's banner or image area. I like the color and boldness of Fabian's "quick link Section" on the words "news", "testimonial" and "recent blog". Can we use those same colors on the title areas in Gypsimind's? If this is possible, I say lets do it and move on. I propose $200 bucks to Fabian for the design elements provided to Gypsimind and $300 to Gypsimind for the finishing and coding? I'm open to anything, but I think if we could do this we could be all set. Comments or suggestions guys? Thanks!

[JSaaS]

One last thing, I would also like to bold up the defining statement at the top of Gypsiminds that reads: "The leader in sales channel aggregation, development, and management for Software as a Service companies". And let's delete "enabling results".

[abby]

Client,
You will have to announce a winner for this project and then contact the other Designer who you would like to purchase their elements. Then you will supply the purchased elements to your winning Designer to apply them to your template. If you have any questions please contact me. Thank you

[JSaaS]

So, are you saying I can't allocate a portion of the (already deposited) prize to one designer and then allocate another portion of the money to the other?

[abby]

Correct

[JSaaS]

o.k., somethings wrong here. Earlier I saw Gypsimind's revision and now it's gone? Any ideas here?

Fabian as one last ditch effort can you please revise yours based on my earlier feedback (message #44 and 45) and the project as a whole. I need to announce a winner and move on. I may not be explaining myself as well as I could and I am unfortunately out of time. Fabian, I'll look at your final and then make a decision.

Abby, any idea how Gypsimind, could have replied earlier with revisions and now I can't see them? Thanks!

[Fabian]

I propose $200 bucks to Fabian for the design elements provided to Gypsimind and $300 to Gypsimind for the finishing and coding?

What happened with this idea?

[JSaaS]

Abby didn't like it. I like it! Abby?

[Fabian]

Client,

Abby will be in contact with you shortly in regards to this project.

Thanks
Fabian
Design Outpost Moderator

[JSaaS]

Gypsimind is the winner. Please advise as to how we move forward.

[gypsimind]

Great!! thanks. what should we do now?

[BlueCherryGraphics]

PROJECT UPDATE: This project has been moved to the Revisions Forum.

[JSaaS]

Gypsimind,

A couple questions: The project is for a home page and internal page coded.
First, Gypsimind, will you just code in HTML or PHP?
Second, I want to review the internal page look and feel before coding.
Third, for the home page revision I would like to work from what you submitted in Message #40. The only changes I would like to see are the following:
Get rid of the "Enabling Results".
Please BOLD all "topic areas" on the home page (Testimonials, Blog, SaaS Resources, About Us, SaaS Companies, SaaS Opportunities) AND the statement next to the logo at the very top that reads: "The leader in sales channel aggregation, development, and management for Software as a Service companies". Please use the dark color blue found in the logo when bolding these items.

Thanks!!

[gypsimind]

Hi JSaas,

Here are some changes, please notice that "testimonials, blog and saas resources" are allready in bold. I've put bold on "about us... etc"

for the code , i can do that in php if you want, it will be some php includes, of menu and left content includes.

here are the revisions.

http://www.netavantage.com/app/photos/Sites/sellSAAS/sellSaas8.jpg

[JSaaS]

Thanks. I really don't care if it's PHP or HTML.

As for the "bolds": I guess, I didn't mean to "bold" it, just make it that different color to make it stick out more. Sorry having a hard time articulating exactly what I need.

On the left hand Nav where it says "SAAS Resources", can you use lower case "a's", so it reads "SaaS Resources".

Also, in the lines next to the logo at the very top can you make it read exactly like the below, with the commas and the capitalization of the Software as a Service - so it should read: "The leader in sales channel aggregation, development, and management for Software as a Service companies".

In this process do we decide on font and all of that or is that something I do later?

Also will you be working on an internal page?

Thanks for your patience in this Gypsimind, we just want to make sure it is exactly how we envision it before we go to code.

[gypsimind]

No problem, i really prefer to finish all changes before going into code... do you want me to change the font on : "The leader in sales channel aggregation, development, and management for Software as a Service companies"

yes i will work on the internal page as well

[JSaaS]

As for the font. Lets leave it. I think it looks cool. If someone tells me later it doesn't fit, I'll change it then. Thanks.

[gypsimind]

Here are the changes upon your last post:

http://www.netavantage.com/app/photos/Sites/sellSAAS/sellSaas81.jpg

[JSaaS]

On the blurb next to the logo the "S's" on "Software as a Service" should be capitalized.

There are some blue pixels next to the "About Us" section in the middle of the page - they need to be deleted.

The topic headers, Blog, About Us, etc. etc. look really pixelated. Is that because the image isn't in high res or something?

On the top nav, please delete the 's' at the end of "Publisher" in "Publisher Services".

And then I think were done. Thanks!

[gypsimind]

On the blurb next to the logo the "S's" on "Software as a Service" should be capitalized.

There are some blue pixels next to the "About Us" section in the middle of the page - they need to be deleted.

The topic headers, Blog, About Us, etc. etc. look really pixelated. Is that because the image isn't in high res or something?

On the top nav, please delete the 's' at the end of "Publisher" in "Publisher Services".

And then I think were done. Thanks!

i'll changes the "S's"

the blue pixels will be deleted

the topic headers, look pixelated because it is representing html characters, and not images, would you like have those as images?

the s on "Publisher Services", will be removed.

i'll upload changes later today.

regards.

[JSaaS]

"the topic headers, look pixelated because it is representing html characters, and not images, would you like have those as images?"

I'm not sure Gypsimind. Thats a bit over my head. They will be links and probably should be images, but Let me ask one of my developers tomorrow and I'll get back to you on that. Thanks, j.

[gypsimind]

Here are the last changes:

http://www.netavantage.com/app/photos/Sites/sellSAAS/sellSaas82.jpg

[JSaaS]

Looks good to me. After it is coded I am assuming the topic headers won't look pixelated. Internal page? Thanks Gypsimind.

[gypsimind]

ok, how do you want your internal page, do you want to keep the left zone? do you want to keep the image ( the rocket image) for the internal page? do you have a text as an example for one internal page?

[JSaaS]

The header and logo with top nav. Quick links on the left, but not taking as much real estate as on the home page. And a thinner area for a "band" of color that might be related to the home page image, but not as large if that makes sense.

[JSaaS]

Also, the topic headers are good just in Text, I want to be able to edit easily.

[JSaaS]

Gypsimind, how far away do you think we are? Thanks!

[gypsimind]

here's a concept:

http://www.netavantage.com/app/photos/Sites/sellSAAS/sellSaas2internal.jpg

[JSaaS]

Looks good to me.

[gypsimind]

ok, what else do you need?

[JSaaS]

There seems to be a faint line underneath "SaaS Resources" on the left hand nav. Can that go away?

Then, I just need the coded files completed and delivered. I am assuming you do some real slick stuff with menuing etc. Thanks Gypsimind!

[gypsimind]

I'm working on the coded files.

regards

[JSaaS]

Do you know when you might have them complete? thanks, J

[gypsimind]

Hi, i'm working on it now, hope to get all by the end of the day, or tomorrow.

regards.

[gypsimind]

here's the link to files for the homepage:

homepage files (http://www.netavantage.com/sites/SellSaaS/sellSaaS.zip)

the internal page files will follow.

Regards.

[JSaaS]

Gypsimind, a couple things. The home page file template.html doesn't have the "Saas Companies" link or SaaS Opportunities link on them or the "image" for the video file as a place holder for the future video. Is this correct?

Also, just checking in on the internal page. Please advise on time frame, I am up against a wall here for production. Thanks. J

[gypsimind]

Hi Jsaas, i'm sending you all the files you needed, i'm sorry i didn't give them to you before but i didn't have any news from you.

so here are the files plus the internal page, and the missing images.

regards.

all filesall files (http://www.netavantage.com/sites/SellSaaS/sellSaaSinternal.zip)

[gypsimind]

do you need something more?

[BlueCherryGraphics]

PROJECT UPDATE: This thread has been moved to Template Archives.