Project reports unraveling production track record
GEORGE'S

Hello. I'm Tatsuta, the head of the marketing department.

This is the first in a series of project reports that delve into projects that Monosus has worked on to date. Using actual examples, we will introduce the way we think about and the specific steps we take when working on a project.
"What would happen if we went ahead with the project with Monosas?"
I will continue writing in the hope that it will give you a similar simulated experience.

Now, let's get to the main topic.

Creating a brand site for an interior shop.

This time we will be looking at the brand site of GEORGE'S, an interior design shop operated by Welcome Co., Ltd. With stores in the Kanto, Chubu, and Kansai areas, with Tokyo at the center, some of you may have shopped at GEORGE'S before.

When we first contacted them, they were primarily operating an e-commerce site and did not have a brand site.

"In the interior design industry, where the market is diversifying due to the entry of the apparel industry and other factors, by carefully communicating the stories behind the selected products through the brand site, we can provide a wonderful lifestyle to even more people. People who view the site and relate to it will return to GEORGE'S stores." This was one of the goals of creating the brand site.

The first thing we did was collect "real voices."　

The first thing we did when creating this brand site was to gather information.

1. Member Survey
2. Interview customers
3. Interview the developer of the property you will be a tenant in

For each subject, we conducted questionnaires and interviews with around 10 people.

We then held a workshop bringing together all project members and sharing the honest feedback we gained from the discussion.

"We will gather real feedback and hold workshops. Then, based on the knowledge, insight and thoughts gained there, we will move on to the overall design, content planning and design of the website."

This is a technique that Monosus often uses.

Did they take this approach this time because it's a brand site?
No, this technique works for all kinds of websites.
There are many reasons for creating a website, such as "I want to increase the number of brand fans," "I want to increase the number of inquiries by phone," or "I want to receive applications from talented people."
but,

"Who do you want to tell?"
"What is the intrinsic value of the information subject (company, product, etc.)?"
How can I express that so that it gets across to the person I want to reach?

This line of thought is the same regardless of the type of website.

Therefore, at the start of a project, Monosus

"know"
"Understand"
"Sharing our thoughts"

This is something we place great importance on.

I can confidently say that stakeholder interviews, especially customer interviews, are an effective way to do this.

Without fundamental understanding, there will be no results.

Do you know why consumers and business partners buy your products?

I'm sure there are few people who can answer this question accurately and immediately without relying on their imagination.

If you understand this correctly, it will change all of your marketing strategies, including your subsequent planning and creativity, as well as your sales activities and customer follow-up measures.

The answer lies not in a conference room, nor in the head of a great marketer. It lies only in your customers. To find it, you need to interview customers.

We believe that when planning a website, it is essential to understand the company.

We believe that unless we, the planners, can speak for our clients more eloquently than the clients, they will not be able to achieve the results they are aiming for with the website.

For web production companies, there are various information sources to get to know their clients.
Interviews with the president and staff, existing websites and company guides, mid-term business plans, industry research books, etc.
While these are all important sources of information, they alone do not provide a fundamental understanding of the company.

Through customer interviews, participants will learn what customers value about their clients and products, and then in the workshop they will share the efforts they are making to achieve this and the thoughts behind it.
This process allows us to truly understand our clients.
There are many cases where a feeling of respect emerges that goes beyond a basic understanding. It may be a childish way of putting it, but I "fall in love."

The GEORGE'S brand site also went through this process, progressing through planning, design and coding before being launched.

GEORGE'S brand site as of November 2015.

It starts from "knowing".

In this way, Monosus places great importance on the initial process of "knowing."
The method introduced here is not used for all projects, as the circumstances surrounding each client's website vary, and there are inevitably issues regarding cost and production time.

However, this stance has not changed, no matter what the case may be.

"About the company," "About the industry," "About the product," "About the customer," "About the competition"...
Monosus' projects begin with "knowing."


Now, one last thing.

"If you know your opponent and know yourself, you will not be in danger in a hundred battles."