Energy Services Group: Billing, Transactions & More for Energy Companies

Last week flyte launched a new Web site for Energy Services Group, the retail energy industry's leading provider of transaction management (EDI), billing, and CIS, and wholesale energy services.

Which just goes to show you, we can build effective Web sites even when I have to ask the client to explain what they do every time we meet. Luckily, the folks over at ESG are extremely patient since they're used to working with everyone from the largest retail energy suppliers to entrepreneurs looking to break into the energy business.

ESG offers transaction management services, cash billing services, wholesale energy services and more. Besides having great, experience people working there, they also have unbeatable technology.

Flyte designed and built this site on WordPress, an easy-to-use content management system (CMS) that allows ESG to update their site, add new pages, upload images, embed video and more. Since WordPress was originally a blogging platform, adding an Energy Services Blog to ESG's Web marketing mix was simple. Flyte further helped increase ESG's online presence with search engine optimization including a keyword analysis and link building activities.

If you're interested in breaking into retail energy, or you're already in but want to build your business, be sure to check out Energy Services Group. If you'd like to build your own presence online, or increase your online visibility, be sure to check out flyte new media.

Southern Maine Community College Launches New Joomla Web Site

Flyte recently redesigned and rebuilt a Web site for SMCC: Southern Maine Community College.

Located on the edge of Casco Bay, SMCC is an excellent choice for high-quality, affordable education in Maine. It offers both career and technical programs as well as an associates degree in liberal studies.

In addition to information and resources for students (past, present and future) and faculty, visitors to the site can learn about the Business & Community partnerships and opportunities that the college offers.

Flyte built the site on Joomla, a powerful open-source content management system (CMS) so that the college could manage the site inhouse. Different departments can update and maintain their own sections of the site without having access to other departments. (You know, in case the math chair wants to prank the English chair for TP'ing his house.)

If you're looking for a stellar, affordable education in southern Maine, be sure to visit Southern Maine Community College. If you're looking for an attractive, professional Web site that you can maintain yourself, contact flyte new media.

Rich Brooks
Maine Joomla Web Design

English Immersion Courses on the Maine Coast of the USA

 If you've been looking for intensive English courses--learning English as a second language--then you should check out a Web site flyte just launched.

The site is for the Acadia Center for English Immersion, located in Camden on the beautiful Maine coast.

Adult students receive individual attention, a personalized learning program, private and small group classes, total English immersion, family style meals, comfortable accommodations, and more...in short, "everything you need to improve your English quickly and enjoy a memorable learning vacation."

As I was reviewing the site before posting this I was stuck by this memorable testimonial:

"I began to think in English. I paid attention to others and listened carefully. I have never seen such beautiful scenery or the night sky with so many stars."

- Tomoko, teacher, Japan

You can become a fan of the Acadia Center on Facebook or follow them on Twitter; both accounts are fairly new, but will continue to add content over time.

Flyte built the site on WordPress, an easy-to-use content management system (CMS) that makes updates a snap, whether you're adding content, uploading images, embedding video or creating new pages.

If you're looking to speak English like a native (or better), be sure to check out the Acadia Center for English Immersion. If you're looking to grow your business online, be sure to speak to flyte new media today.

Rich Brooks
Web Design for Small Business

New Author Website: James Hayman's The Cutting

Late last week flyte launched a Web site/blog for author James Hayman in support of his new novel, "The Cutting." This is actually the 3rd site we've done for Jim, although it's the first for his new job title of "crime fiction writer."

Jim's first novel is called "The Cutting" and takes place in our little hamlet of Portland, Maine. The early buzz is good:

“An extraordinary debut and an exceptional thriller, The Cutting is razor-sharp, heartfelt, and superbly written. James Hayman is a tremendous new voice in crime fiction, and this book flat-out smokes. Hayman writes characters you feel bone-deep and want to meet again and again.”

---Julia Spencer-Fleming, Edgar Award finalist and author of I Shall Not Want

“Big-city wicked invades the Pine Tree State in James Hayman’s The Cutting. This is a stunning debut that gripped me from first page to last. A thriller of a thriller!”

---Tess Gerritsen, author of The Keepsake

If you're a fan of thrillers or crime fiction you owe it to yourself to pick up Jim's book. It comes out June 23 at your local bookstore or at Amazon.

I enjoyed reading Jim's about page and his description of how he and his protagonist McCabe differ:

McCabe’s a lot braver than me. He’s a better shot. He likes boxing. He doesn’t throw up at autopsies. And he’s far more likely to take risks. McCabe’s favorite Portland bar, Tallulah’s, is, sadly, a figment of my imagination. My favorite Portland bars are all very real.

Sadly, no mentions of Jim's favorite haunts.

Flyte designed the Web site and built in on WordPress so that Jim could update the content himself, and enabled the blog for a two-way conversation that he could have with his readers and fans.

Rich Brooks
Maine Web Design for Maine Authors

Bicycle Tours of Maine, Canada & New Zealand (Now On WordPress!)

We just took the training wheels off my 4-year-old's bike this weekend. She's not quite ready for a bicycling vacation, but you just might be.

Whether you're looking for an "adrenaline-pulsing challenge" or a "leisurely day filled with stunning naturescapes" there's a new bicycle vacation blog for you.

Designed by flyte and powered by WordPress, the Bicycle Vacation Blog by Summerfeet Cycling Adventures has travel tips, bike buying advice, and lists of the five best places for a lobster roll. And they're just getting started.

Be sure to sign up for for the blog posts via email or RSS to inspire you for your next bicycle tour vacation.

Rich Brooks
Now Where'd I Leave My Panniers?

Association for Maritime Preservation - A WordPress Powered Web Site

Yesterday flyte launched a Web site for the Association for Maritime Preservation, a non-profit created for learning about and preserving living history of sailing vessels.

AMP runs a wide variety of projects, and their current project is an unrestricted grant to the National Historic Landmark, J. & E. Riggin.

Visitors to the site can get involved through volunteerism, spreading the word, or by making a donation.

Flyte built the site on WordPress, a content management system (CMS) that allows AMP to add pages, update content, upload images and embed videos with no HTML knowledge. In short, AMP has a publishing platform which can grow with their organization, helping support their mission.

If you'd like to learn more or support the cause of maritime history, visit the AMP Web site. If you'd like to upgrade your site to a CMS platform and pilot your own destiny, talk to flyte today.

Rich Brooks
Ship Shape

Boston Plastic Surgery - The Adams Center

Flyte recently launched a Web site for The Adams Center, offering cosmetic surgery in Boston and Peabody.

Visitors to the site will see that besides cosmetic surgery The Adams Center also offers non-surgical procedures and an online cosmetics store that sells a wide variety of lines such as Obagi, Environ and The Adams Center Exclusive Product Line.

Dr. Adams was my first non-family client, and we've been working together since 1997. For this 3rd iteration of his Web site flyte developed an elegant, embedded Flash movie that shows a wide variety of women and men juxtaposed with interestingly beautiful flowers. It includes the quote "beauty is subjective / define it yourself" that I find very appropriate and on target. I've always appreciated Dr. Adams non-pushy approach to health and beauty.

Flyte built in a number of administration tools so that the staff at the Adams Center could easily update the site. That includes adding new content, uploading before and after photos associated with specific procedures, and a cosmetic surgery FAQs that offer both surgical, non-surgical and cosmetic solutions as appropriate.

If you're looking for a Greater Boston plastic surgeon be sure to check out Dr. Adams and The Adams Center.

If you're looking for a beautiful Web site and an Internet marketing campaign to generate more qualified leads, talk to flyte new media today.

Rich Brooks
Subjectively Beautiful

Portland, Maine Plastic Surgery at Plastic & Hand (WordPress Web Site)

This week flyte launched a revamped Web site for Plastic & Hand Surgical Associates, a plastic surgery group located in South Portland, Maine.

P&H offers cosmetic surgery, reconstructive surgery and skin solutions for both men and women in the greater Portland region. People who have questions about cosmetic surgery, Botox, or Juvéderm can "Ask Karen", the manager of patient services, for a timely and helpful response.

For this project flyte developed layouts from local graphic designer Mark Smith into a WordPress theme to build a Web site that Plastic & Hand can update inhouse, and without any HTML knowledge.

Although many people think of WordPress as a blogging platform, it's evolved into a full fledged content management system. In fact, most of the Web sites that flyte has developed this year have been built on the WordPress platform.

If you're interested in Portland, Maine cosmetic surgery or skin solutions be sure to contact the physicians at Plastic & Hand Surgical Associates.

If you're looking to upgrade your Web site to a publishing platform that will grow with your business, be sure to contact flyte today.

Rich Brooks
WordPress for Small Business

Natural Front Yards - California Lawn Replacement Services

We may have grown up believing that a lush, green lawn was expected of us as home owners, but as we become more aware of the environmental impact that lawn has, many people are switching to more Earth-friendly alternatives.

Last week flyte launched a Web site for Natural Front Yards, a lawn replacement service of California-based EarthCare. Natural Front Yards will replace water-hungry lawns with native California plants for an attractive, environmentally-friendly front yard.

Currently the Santa Clara Water Valley District is offering up to $1,000 in rebates to home owners who replace their lawns.

Flyte built the Web site on WordPress, an easy-to-use content management system that allows Natural Front Yards to add, edit and delete content and pages on their site. That makes it easy for them to add new case studies and before and after photos of the lawn conversions.

Rich Brooks
WordPress Design and Development

Artful Assessment - Resources for Art Teachers

Flyte recently designed a new Web site for Artful Assessment, a project of the Portland Museum of Art. The site is a teacher resource about arts-integration and arts assessment in the classroom.

The site shows how visual arts can be integrated into the classroom in a variety of different content areas.

There are 9 works of art (some coming soon), each featuring two lesson plans: one visual arts lesson and one lesson in another content area: language arts, science, or social studies. Here's an example: Albert Bierstadt's Royal Arches.

The site also features an Artful Assessment blog, where teachers can weigh in on best practices using the tools and plans featured on the site.

The Web site, along with its integrated blog, were built on the WordPress platform. This open-source platform allows an easy way for Artful Assessment to add, edit, and delete content, pages, lesson plans and artwork from the site without any HTML knowledge or expensive software.

If you're a teacher who's looking for ways of integrating visual arts into the classroom, be sure to swing by Artful Assessment's new site for lesson plans and beautiful visuals.

If you're looking for a Web site that you can update and manage yourself, be sure to talk to flyte.

Rich Brooks
Maine Web Design