Century Purchases $11,450 Website, Marketing Plan

November 22, 2011

Century will soon have a website and an accompanying marketing plan with a total price tag of $11,450.

The Century Town Council voted 4-0, with council member Annie Savage absent, to purchase the package from Pensacola marketing company Ideawörks. The town accepted the proposal after an Ideawörks presentation Monday night without soliciting bids from any other company — contingent upon the town’s attorney approving the no-bid purchase.

The $11,450 package includes $4,200 for a “basic website design”, $1,750 for a content management system (CMS) to allow town employees to update the site, and $5,500 for a five-year comprehensive marketing strategy to include “grant identification, development, PR plan, five-year marketing plan and budget”. After the initial services are provided, an hourly rate of $75 to $95 will apply for additional services.

Caron Sjöberg, president of Ideawörks, told the council that her company has created over 200 websites, including the current site for the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority, the Three Rivers Resource Conservation & Development Council and the Perdido Key Chamber of Commerce.

Sjöberg said her company is ready to create a brand for Century with a goal of economic development on the website with a “simple” homepage, contact page, staff page, history, a photo album, business information, chamber information and town news.

To read the complete Ideawörks proposal accepted by the Town of Century, click here.

Pictured: Caron Sjöberg, president of Ideawörks, pitches her company’s website and marketing plan to the Century Town Council Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

19 Responses to “Century Purchases $11,450 Website, Marketing Plan”

  1. David Huie Green on November 24th, 2011 9:18 am

    REGARDING:
    “Uncle Percy said that if they bought a new chandelier there wouldn’t be anyone in the congregation who could play it, and besides is what the church really needed was lights.”

    I think it was Uncle Versie. I can’t look at a chandelier without remembering the three objections to the purchase of a chandelier:
    1. Where we gonna put it?
    2. Who’s gonna play it?
    3. What we really need is lights.

    (Remember the coon dog killed by a train while fighting a coon and Uncle Versie crying because the dog died thinking the coon beat him? Or Uncle Versie’s mule Jerry had to put down and the city slicker who thought he shot it out of spite so he shot a few of his cows? Or “Uncle Versie, I hope you get better,” followed by, “Jerry, I hope you do too.”? I had to pull off the road the first time I heard the tale of “Knock ‘im out, John.” Laughing too hard to drive.

    I miss Jerry Clower. At least I got to hear him in Flomaton that time.

    David for chandelierists
    and Century progress
    and good tales

  2. Front Street on November 23rd, 2011 12:03 pm

    I am with Laughing but not funny. If the town does nothing ya’ll complain. If all ya’ll want to change Century then why not go to the town meetings, run for the town council. Do something besides complain about what the town is trying to do: Building this town up, not tearing it apart. Does anybody think that the town can just pull a rabbit out of a hat and say “Oh look new jobs for Century?” Century is a small town yes, but that is it’s charm. If you really lived in Century or anywhere close by you would know Trains still have whistles/horns. (Same principle just a different package around the HOT AIR)!!!!

    Jobs are hard to find anywhere you go these days not just in Century.

  3. john on November 22nd, 2011 8:36 pm

    What is wrong with Century yall want a website but there is no jobs ? I will be so happy when I move out of Century because there is no jobs need to better myself for my family and yall can’t even pay yall bill’s but Century has the money for a website

  4. cygie on November 22nd, 2011 5:09 pm

    I had no idea trains still had whistles!

  5. sam on November 22nd, 2011 4:44 pm

    ha! if you act people complain, if you do nothing people complain. Let’s see………I think i go with action.

  6. OHMGEE on November 22nd, 2011 1:15 pm

    OH M GEEEEE
    I’m about to start a business and need a website, and I had NO idea it cost this much. Oh boy am I in T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

  7. Molino-Anon on November 22nd, 2011 12:40 pm

    I could have done it for half that price… Just saying… 20 years internet/web experience. The software used to “maintain” the site does NOT cost that much, it’s a simple .php script added to the coding of the site to allow counsel members to add/edit the site as they see fit. As for maintenance… there’s really not much maintenance needed to be done if the site is coded properly.

    Century counsel should have taken bids from other individuals on this instead of going with the first “good thing” to throw out a proposal.

  8. Terri Sanders on November 22nd, 2011 11:03 am

    To ;just saying and all you other naysayers.When we had our bed and beakfast in Century we were full almost every weekend.Sometimes it was people from Pensacola who just wanted to sit on the front porch and listen to the train whistle.Century has potential,but it needs to be marketed and have people who beleive in it to back them.It may never be a destination place,but with 35k plus cars a day passing through, we can get them to stop for gas,ice cream,food,shop….way to go Century!

  9. noreally on November 22nd, 2011 8:24 am

    I for one am not complaining about the website or the company they chose. Ideaworks is an excellent firm that does good work.

    But where was the bid process? Where were the other quotes and presentations?

  10. Laughing but not funny on November 22nd, 2011 8:13 am

    You guys crack me up….if Century does nothing to attract people and business everybody complains…if they takes steps to get attention…..you still complain

    Be Thankful they are trying…….

  11. Just Sayin on November 22nd, 2011 8:06 am

    According to the proposal, it states “Currently, Century doesn’t have a website, and as a result is likely missing opportunities to reach potential businesses, professionals and travelers”

    People who live here don’t even want to be here. What makes you think people are going to just start pouring in because of a website. People travel through Century all the time, no one stops and says Oh, I love it here! then stays. I’m not saying that Century is an awful town, but as a single mother, it’s difficult finding a job in this area. There are limited number of activities for families, kids, and teens. And SO many drugs in this area. I guess it’s nice for the older population living on retirement, who don’t need to find a job and keep a family entertained. But the upcoming generations don’t have opportunities here to better their life and move forward.

    FIX CENTURY SO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE, WANT TO BE HERE. THEN PEOPLE WILL FOLLOW!!

    And please, spare me the “if you don’t like it then leave” lecture. I gladly would, so I can make a better life for myself and my children.. It’s difficult when you can’t even find a decent job.

  12. Practical on November 22nd, 2011 7:42 am

    You ever booked a hotel room because the hotel looked nice on the internet but when you arrived it was a dump? That will be case here. Century will look like a Southern Belle on the website, but you won’t fool anybody who lays eyes on our town. It is the sad little place that it is.

    So, when we put demographics on the website, are we going to mention crime stats? Century is neck and neck with Warrington and Montclair it seems for the most dangerour place in the county.

  13. Hecker Road on November 22nd, 2011 7:39 am

    There anohter article on here today about they got to get a $250000 credit at the bank to pay the bills. But they gots $11,000 to buy this? Y’all got your prioritys wrong.

    No wonder my gas bill is thru the roof!

  14. resident2 on November 22nd, 2011 7:06 am

    Typical Century. With something like a website, it’s so much better to get a few quotes first or bid it out. Not just give the business to the first company that shows up with a slick proposal.

  15. Willene Bryan on November 22nd, 2011 7:01 am

    I think it is a great idea for Century to have a Website. Way to go Century!!

  16. cygie on November 22nd, 2011 6:23 am

    I am not so certain that this is being a good steward of the citizen’s monies. No bid contracts rarely seem to pan out to well, and, given Century’s track record on past financial dealings, maybe they could have thought this one through.

    What exactly is the intention of the website? To attract new and legitimate (ahem) business?

  17. Oversight on November 22nd, 2011 5:51 am

    This is a good idea for Century being that there is probably nobody on the staff that has the technological expertise to do this work and $11k is a bargain over what a full time salary at say 10 bucks an hour would cost. Sort of reminds me of Jerry Clower and Uncle Percy when a new chandelier was being considered for the church… Uncle Percy said that if they bought a new chandelier there wouldn’t be anyone in the congregation who could play it, and besides is what the church really needed was lights. Kind of like Century, isn’t it?!

  18. huh on November 22nd, 2011 12:34 am

    What a ripoff, the people of century should be outraged. Tax money wasted! Why does the towns website need a marketing strategy? $11k is nuts

  19. Seriously on November 22nd, 2011 12:18 am

    Another stupid move by Century. They do need a website, and Idearworks is a good company (have a friend that uses them), but they should have got bids and/or taken time to study this without spending $11,000. There’s another article on here where Century is having trouble paying grant expenses and must get a line of credit (also without getting bids on interest rates and fees), but they have $11,000.