Element Fusion

8 comments (Add your own)

1. Colin Rowley wrote:

Tim, Love the shot of you working at your desk (standing). I saw the same 60 minutes episode. Trying to figure out an easy way I can work while standing. Great story! Super job with the PR!! GO ELEMENT FUSION!!! When does this give-away open up to TX clients?

Wed, September 3, 2008 @ 4:46 PM

2. Tim Wall wrote:

@Colin, thanks for noticing the iDesk, as I like to call it, since it is propped up by an iMac box. Standing while working is going well. I think I am on week four now. We may consider expanding the geography of the giveaway in future installments, but we'll have to see. Oklahoma is our home and we want to support it as much as possible.

Wed, September 3, 2008 @ 4:51 PM

3. EF Client wrote:

Providing a site to a needing and deserving organization is a great thing. Using it as your own PR tool isn't quite as cool in my book. Please remember, take credit on the work done, not the fact that it was philanthropic. Toot your own horn on paid jobs instead and leverage PR on those. The greatest givers give to give, not to receive in return, and walk away without being known to the public. I'd like to see you let the non-profit shine in your place and be great for the things you do - not for the things you say you do.

Wed, September 3, 2008 @ 11:27 PM

4. Passer Bye wrote:

For the most part, I agree with the knowledge dropped by EF Client. Helping non-profits where they need help is a noble thing, especially when you donate your time for the sheer pleasure of being involved in the success of an organization whose mission you believe in. And if you are indeed providing your expertise for that reason alone, is it really necessary to call attention to your good deeds? To me this Website Giveaway smacks of a "Let's make ourselves look good" mindset. It's really not all that different from saying, "We're going to feed one homeless person, so all you homeless people hurry up and tell us why you should get some food," and then getting publicity about how much you're helping homeless people. Now, it is good that you are doing something to help organizations that really benefit from a decent web presence but don't have the resources to establish one on their own. It's another thing when your motive is generating personal publicity. Why not just feed the homeless as often as you can just because you can, and without looking for something in return?

Thu, September 4, 2008 @ 12:00 AM

5. Tim Wall wrote:

@EF Client and @Passer Bye, thanks for your comments. It is obvious from your respectful tone that you have our best interest at heart and we appreciate you sharing your concerns in a supportive way. Certainly, there are many different ways to look at things and I realize that the media promotion surrounding this program leaves us open to the perceptions that you express. However, it is our goal with this program to involve the public in an effort to assist organizations. That way, the sphere of organizations we have the potential to assist can be widened beyond those organizations of which we have personal knowledge. A second benefit of this approach is that we hope to actually raise awareness of a few organizations when we select our finalists and present them to the public. These are just some of the reasons we chose to structure the program the way we did, and to utilize as much promotion as possible to help get the word out about the giveaway opportunity. Naturally, there is some potential benefit to our company from media exposure, but there is also some risk -- risk that the public may question our motives for the reasons you have expressed, among other things. We are willing to accept those risks because we do believe in the program and we do honestly have a desire to help. We hope to continue this program beyond a single installment and to give away as many websites as is feasible for us. I'm sure we will learn some things from this initial run and continue to tweak and change and improve the process as we go along. Thanks again for your comments and I hope this helps to let you in a little more on the motives and intentions behind the giveaway.

Thu, September 4, 2008 @ 9:06 AM

6. A Nonprofit wrote:

I love this! You guys do an great job and will be providing a needed site for someone who can use it. You all rock!

Fri, September 5, 2008 @ 7:39 AM

7. Passer Bye wrote:

@Tom, I do believe EF will find genuine reward in helping that one lucky organization achieve the online presence it desperately needs but probably can't afford. And I commend you for extending your hand. More businesses should do the same. What I don't believe is that the publicity you've received for the Giveaway is 100% organic. But there's really no fault in directing a little spotlight onto your own good deeds. That's what smart companies do, and EF is definitely that. My only complaint with the Giveaway is that, while it will give one organization the website it needs and a few organizations more attention than they normally receive, it actually comes at the expense of the non-profit... The ones that are struggling along, just as deserving, but have to wait until next year for opportunity to knock again. It's just that there is huge opportunity here in this market for more help. And when one business comes so close to doing something huge, but falls just short, it kind of makes me wonder what the real motives are. So, here is my proposition for next year's Giveaway (yes, let's do it again, but do it bigger and better and right): Have a Build-off + Giveaway. Gather together agencies and shops across town that have design and development capabilities (or pair up ones that only specialize in one or the other), and choose five, six, seven non-profits, or the same number as development/design businesses partaking in the action. Then, on mark, get set, go, all of the developers/designers take off and have a specified amount of time (2 weeks?, 1 month????) to build a site for the non-profit they drew out of the hat. When time's up, everybody makes a night of it and the work is revealed. Make sure the non-profits are the stars of the evening, though, since this is all about them. There will be drinks, toasts, cheers and even more awareness for the non-profits. And to cap it all off, reps from each business and organization will vote on the best website. The end. A bit extravagant? Maybe. But if you really want to help, that's the way to go. The good news is you're already on your way.

Fri, September 5, 2008 @ 9:26 AM

8. Tim Wall wrote:

@passer bye, those are some great ideas. We will definitely consider them for a future initiative. thanks for sharing them with us.

Fri, September 5, 2008 @ 9:36 AM

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