Orange County Outdoors Ministry (OCOM), a small local nonprofit organization, is devoted to combating hunger in the community and bringing together outdoors enthusiasts in an environment that fosters spiritual growth and fellowship.
When founder Rob Gray needed a website to help the organization grow its outreach, I was honored that he called on me. I created a beautiful, user-friendly WordPress site that he is able to easily keep updated on his own. After the new site was completed, I trained him on how to use it.
In addition to designing the website, I also created a new logo for OCOM.
New logo
Rob previously had the OCOM site and domain name hosted with Squarespace, but found this platform limiting and sometimes difficult to use.
So the first thing we did is set up a hosting account on SiteGround (a hosting company I use and highly recommend, especially for self-hosted WordPress sites), and we transferred his domain name to to this new account. I have found SiteGround to be fast and highly reliable, and with excellent tech support. By hosting with SiteGround, Rob is also able to set up email accounts that use his domain name, at no additional charge.
Then, after meeting with him to learn what wanted in his new site, I got to work building it. The new website contains his wish list of features, including:
Mobile responsive design
Created and integrated an email list system, so people can easily subscribe on the website
Photo galleries
A new blog, to post news updates
Information on how to partner with the organization
A “Donate” button in the sidebar
Links to social media accounts
Testimonials
Attractive new graphics that draw the reader in, and help tell the OCOM story
Here is what Rob had to say about his new website and branding:
“I knew what I wanted in a website but I also had to accept the fact that I did not have the knowledge and time to make it happen. Doing this on my own would have taken energy away from the other work I needed to do and the results would not have been nearly as good. Working with Michelle was so easy. I provided a vision and a few examples, and in a few weeks I was presented with a website design that exceeded my expectations. I would trust Michelle with any of my marketing and communication needs.”
Features of the website include information on how to partner with the organization, a “Donate” button in the sidebar, and a form to subscribe to the mailing list.
A blog on the website enables Rob to post news updates regularly. These posts are then shared on social media and in the newsletter.
Could your organization benefit from a new, easy-to-use WordPress website or a branding makeover? Please contact me today and let’s talk!
I use and highly recommend SiteGround for web hosting.
With Jennifer Hambric, Digital Producer at ABC11, in the TV studio on Jan. 16 for our Facebook Live chat
I’m honored to be collaborating with ABC11 as the health and fitness contributor to abc11.com, as part of their new community influencers initiative called ABC11 Together.
I’ll be contributing articles and video content to their site. Here are my first two:
Recently, I did a 10-minute Facebook Live chat on ABC11’s Facebook page on the topic of fitness and weight loss. We did this in their TV studio in downtown Durham.
The Facebook chat was a lot of fun, and I appreciate ABC11 giving me the opportunity to spread a positive message of health, fitness, and living your best life at every age.
Postcard/handout promoting the Center’s new website
Powerpoint presentation using the Symposium template I created
Powerpoint presentation using the Symposium template I created
When Sarah Verbiest, DrPH, executive director of the UNC Center for Maternal and Infant Health, and her team were launching a new medical conference, they knew the value of branding a high-profile event like this. They also knew who to entrust with such an important, time-sensitive task — yours truly!
I created a special logo for the Symposium, an 8-page 8.5″x 11″ full-color program booklet, a banner, and a Powerpoint template that speakers could use for their individual presentations. The new branding was carried throughout all of the conference materials. I also designed a 5.5″ x 8.5″ full-color postcard promoting their new website, to be handed out at this event and others.
Dr. Verbiest said this of my work on the project:
“The team at the Center for Maternal and Infant Health highly recommends working with Michelle Rogers. Not only did Michelle quickly understand our message and what we were trying to achieve with our materials, she executed all the designs and edits quickly and professionally. We were under considerable pressure and tight timelines and Michelle’s quality work allowed us to meet all our conference design goals. It was also truly a pleasure to work with her. Her creative work was the icing on the cake for our Symposium! It is without question that hers will be the first number we dial the next time we need design and creative services!”
Logo created for the Symposium. The client requested that their existing circle icon be incorporated in a graphic of the state of North Carolina, so that they have the option of using the state/circle graphic without the symposium wording for other Center uses.Postcard/handout promoting the Center’s new website.Powerpoint presentation using the Symposium template I created.
I was so honored to be asked to be a featured speaker at the Greater Charlotte Health & Fitness Expo this year!
This is a fantastic and well-attended annual event, now in its third year. It is two days packed with activities, including fitness classes, cooking demonstrations, seminars and aisles of vendor booths.
My presentation was at the Seminar Stage on Sunday afternoon. I spoke on, “Five Simple Secrets for Starting–and Sticking to–a Workout Program,” revealing the five things I did differently that enabled me to finally succeed in my own weight loss and fitness journey after decades of failure. After my talk, I enjoyed answering questions and chatting with the audience.
I had such a great time, and really look forward to the opportunity to do something like this again!
The past year was filled with behind-the-scenes hard work, expanding on my current knowledge and building my online brand. Here are a few highlights from 2014.
1. Attending two blogging conferences. In October, I was invited to Fitness Magazine’s Blogger Meet and Tweet in New York City, and in May I went to Fitbloggin ’14 in Savannah. Both of these events offered excellent opportunities to learn at breakout sessions, to network with bloggers from around the country, and to connect with brands in person.
2. Explosive social media growth. I worked every day to grow my presence on social media, and was especially active on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. As a result, my followers on Twitter nearly tripled this year, Facebook doubled and Instagram quadrupled.
3. Developing a media kit and working with brands. The growth of my healthy living blog now attracts brands interested in partnering with me on promotions such as reviews, giveaways and advertising. This year I really delved into that aspect of professional blogging, and have enjoyed the experience. I also created a media kit with information about me and the website, such as how much traffic the site receives and the services I offer. I send this to brands who request information, and to those I’m pitching. Please contact me if you’d like to receive it, and I’ll send you one with my latest stats.
4. Welcoming new clients. I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Jennifer Swanberg of the University of Maryland, and created an outstanding website promoting her research. She was so pleased with my work that she referred me to a colleague at the University of Kentucky, and I’m currently working on a new site for their research project.
5. Presenting. I was asked twice this year to be a guest lecturer in classes at UNC, one of them an undergraduate public relations class and the other a master’s level class. I spoke on using social media and blogs strategically to promote your organization. I was also thrilled and honored to be asked to present at the upcoming Charlotte Fitness and Health Expo in January. I’ll be speaking on, “Five Simple Secrets for Starting–and Sticking to–a Workout Program,” a very timely topic for those whose New Year’s resolution is to lose weight and get in shape. I’m busy working on that presentation now, and am so excited about this opportunity!
2015 will no doubt be another busy year, and I’m excited about the new adventures to come.
