On the
Brink The Monumental Journey
Websites In Control Running your business for you
TOP MPL Sites 2013 Monumental Patrners Limited Wesbites are Launched
What’s the Buzz MPL Monthly Review
Tech News
Long Live Java
6
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People like things consistent, and they like websites that are easy to use and understand. In a world where time is money, consistency helps to save plenty of time for users as they navigate the world-wide web
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DERRIMON TRADING
Monumental Websites 2013 01. Shell is now RUBiS Rubis Energy Jamaica, owners of 53 Shell Branded Service Stations across Jamaica recently launched their new face on www.rubisenergyjamaica. com the website was planned, designed and executed by the team at Monumental Partners to success. Since 2000, Rubis has expanded its presence across three continents and now operates in some 16 Caribbean markets, including Jamaica.
02. Sampars Cash & Carry Shopsampars.com the online super store owned and operated by Derrimon Trading Ltd., is one of few online grocery shopping stores in Jamaica. Sampars, is a selfservice wholesale which provides its customers with a variety of products and the shopping experience of a supermarket. They have virtually taken the shopping experience to a new level through its e-commerce website and is poised to become the market leader in web based sales of grocery items at wholesale prices; serving the needs of shop-owners, caterers, offices, institutions and households.
03. J.WRAY & NEPHEW A new parent company and a brand new website to go a long with it. Recently acquiring majority stake in the company, saw Campari take over ownership of J. Wray & Nephew. Monumental Partners was granted the opportunity to revamp their website with a fresh new look to go along with their new Italian owners. The transformation was a success and Monumental’s work was launched and met by rave reviews.
04. DERRIMON TRADING Successful in raising the fourth largest amount on the Junior Market to date and closing just three minutes after opening on December 02, Derrimon Trading’s initial public offering (IPO) was none short of commendatory. The invitation to buy shares was oversubscribed as investors responded positively and quickly with the offer opening and closing on the same day. The company raised $150.34m and added 254 new shareholders. Trading under the symbol, DTL, Derrimon had their ceremonial listing on the JSE on December 17th. Derrimon Trading has been a major distributor of consumer goods to the Jamaican market since 1998. And with the scope of its services including a vast range of commodities to supermarkets and wholesales, it has progressed into one of the largest distribution companies on the island. By attracting and concluding partnerships with global distribution and manufacturing companies, Derrimon has joined the ranks of the largest distribution and allied companies in Jamaica. The company also operates a wholesale (Sampars Cash & Carry), logistics support, warehouse storage rental, and cold storage facilities. With plans to expand, Derrimon’s recent offer of its shares on the market, is to be redirected with the returns set to be applied to the Sampars Cash & Carry business and to establish other wholesale and retail outlets across the island. A huge component of the Derrimon marketing platform for parent and its subsidiary companies centered around their website and Monumental ensured this effortlessly communicated the identity and meaning behind its goods and services through its launch and management. With the new success on the stock market, Monumental will be updating their website with a new channel known as the investor’s page that will present the stock market details for their new shareholders among others. With this addition, interested parties can monitor the performance of the stock and its value at the end of each trading day. Monumental Partners Ltd. congratulates Derrimon Trading Company Limited on their recent success and listing on the JSE and wishes them all the best going forward.
running the biz!
The MPL proven record has seen a number of clients benefiting from refreshing, traffic led and creatively designed websites. Today’s world is run by technology. More so, in the palm of your hand whilst you’re on the go no less; whether it’s your tablet or your smart phone there are no limits to what you can access from just about anywhere. At Monumental, the idea has always been to be on the lookout for new ways to enhance the appeal and effects of their websites. And for every website it is now an unspoken requirement to have a mobile app, simply by way of constant client accessibility. Monumental is committed to building the most resourceful apps that best suit your company and aids in process of gaining momentum from those who are now using the technology from phones, tablets and not just their computers.
Building a website? Or revamping the current One? With billions logged on, the internet has revolutionized how we find and share information. And the online world is moving at a rapid pace and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. More and more consumers are using the internet to search for the products or services they need. As such, for businesses a web presence has become a fundamental part of success. The advantages of having a website are endless. Credibility can easily be gained through a professionally designed website, the potential market reach is extremely high and unlimited, and it is a very cost effective way to promote your business and keep customers informed. Click www.monumentalpartners.com and you will immediately find information on a world class company that specializes in building interactive, professional and high class web designs, graphic designs, business development, marketing and public relations. The power of the web provides all the information both regular and potential customers may require right at their finger tips.
Once established, the art of marketing techniques have proved vital in promoting and sustaining a prolonged interest into the site. The Monumental approach for website constructions has been centered around one goal: to develop creative websites that utilize marketing strategies tailored for your company and that drives traffic to your website which increases your online marketing potential. Websites cannot just be built by a technical team, but in fusion with the marketing and business development teams. The involvement of all parties now ensures sites will have an innovative layout and design, quality content, and employs techniques that lets customers interact with the site, ensuring a strong and assertive presence that is sure to turn heads and entice customers to search further into the site thus learning more about the company. Growth must also continue to play a major role in the design process, and efforts should be continually geared towards this whether for creating websites from scratch or revamping current sites that may want a different
Mobile apps are more convenient for clients, websites are easier to load with fewer images to display, and also they are tailored to have simpler menu structures allowing for easier navigation fitting for the smaller screen. Essentially they provide easier access and more ways to connect with your clients; making Mobile Apps the new must have marketing approach. This has also led to the reemergence of e-commerce based websites in Jamaica. E-commerce has been around for some time though Jamaica has not taken full advantage of it. It’s not unusual for customers to travel long distances to reach their preferred physical store. E-commerce allows them to visit the same store virtually, with a few mouse clicks, hence eliminating travel time and costs. These are ‘virtual store fronts’ that accommodate the buying and selling of products and services conducted over electronic systems. E-commerce websites continue to be a major marketing tool for companies; it taps into a host of services that cater to the needs of
NEW JAVAWORLD
Tech News:
Websites
LONG LIVE JAVA -- & THE
look, to be updated or simply given a boost for a refreshing change.
by Eric Knorr
Java has survived many predictions of its imminent demise, from declarations of terminal unhipness to fears Oracle would mangle it to apocalyptic security alarms.
around Core Java, Enterpris Java, and Mobile Java. Plus, the sharp new mobile version of JavaWorld shows the power of the responsive Web design principles underlying the site.
of developers, while Open Source Java Projects showcases enterprise tools and frameworks culled from GitHub and SourceForge. Altogether, it’s an unbeatable package.
Despite all that, according to the latest Tiobe index, Java is in a virtual tie with C as the most popular programming language in the world, with the number of Java developers estimated to be between eight and nine million.
JavaWorld visitors will be happy to know that the core mission of the site –to deliver quality content authored by Java developers, for Java developers –has not changed.
For 17 years, JavaWorld has been the go-to website for Java developers, many of whom now play crucial roles in designing enterprise applications to support core business processes.
Visit the new JavaWorld and the first thing you’ll notice is the fresh, modern look and vastly improved navigation. You’ll also find new content areas, improved search, integrated social media, ad a new structure organized
You’ll find the same dedication to producing valuable technical articles, reviews, programming tips, and how-to articles that has characterized the site from the beginning. A revitalized Java 101 series unpacks Java programming concepts for a new generation
customers through its convenience, safety, presence and availability. E-commerce draws on technology such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, internet marketing and online transactions. Sampars and most recently executed e-commerce website from Monumental, shopsampars.com, has been reaping the benefits from having an e-commerce site. Through their implementation of an e-commerce website, Sampars
Enlivened by a dynamic new design, JavaWorld will be in an even better position to support Java pros as they maintain critical systems and develop new innovations.
managed to overcome some geographical limitations that cost them some customers while gaining new customers with search engine visibility. Sampars customers are able to locate the products quicker, which meant no more pushing of a shopping cart to the correct aisle and instead benefiting from a shopping website that remembers customer preferences and shopping lists to facilitate repeat purchases.
Customize Your facebook Pages Today!
5 Do’s & Don’t For
By Alice Shown
With the worldwide hype about the social networking site called Facebook, you surely have not missed hearing about it unless you already have an account on it. Launched in the year 2004 and with 500 million users by the year 2010, the story of its origin stems from a colloquial name of books that were distributed by the university administrations in US. Today, it is one of the largest social media networking sites. While it gives opportunities to individual for creating a virtual mesh of contacts, it helps the businesses to reach out to a huge number of potential customers. Since businesses have brought in their online presence, they have used this platform to propagate their business further. The companies create unique Facebook pages, which complements their profile. If you want to create a page for representing your company, you can either create a page by using the application Facebook markup language or can get your page designed with the applications that are provided by software companies to create custom Facebook pages. Rather than using the markup language, creating custom Facebook pages is beneficial for you as they are taken as the company’s face or identity. Therefore, you should be able to add certain applications that would make your page unique and distinct from the others. By creating custom pages a company can not only make their profile interesting and user-friendly but can also attract potential customers. Below are some of the benefits of creating custom pages: 1. Custom Facebook pages acts as a virtual store in a powerful platform. As Facebook accounts for about 35 percent of Internet traffic, you can imagine how many potential customers your page can bring you. 2. The links of your pages are active, which allows the page to appear in search engine results. So, visibility is ensured even if people are not logged in to the social networking site. 3. Custom Facebook pages are unique to your identity. You can attract customers to distinctly recognize you by your page anywhere on the Web. 4. This social networking site provides you with a multi-media portal for sharing information regarding your company. You can buy a suitable application from a software company that would enable you to upload videos and photos. Creating custom Facebook pages and promoting your business through this social networking site is a unique marketing strategy that you can take up for proliferation in your business. If you have ample ideas regarding customizing your Facebook pages, you can buy the applications at software stores like Involvesocial. com. While customizing your Facebook pages with applications from Involve Social you get loads of interesting features, and also get a 30 days money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied with their products.
facebook Custom Apps
By Mike Zupp & edited by Jermaine Thomas One necessary feature of a Facebook business page is custom apps. Custom tabs are represented by thumbnails found below your timeline, on the right side of your Facebook page. These tabs can further enhance your promotional efforts by serving to redirect fans directly to your offers after clicking on a custom tab. Custom tabs, which are also called “Facebook Apps” can enhance engagement with your followers, hence creating a potential pool of eventual buyers. Additionally, they can be used as landing pages to build a subscriber list while helping you build your brand at the same time. One clear advantage of building them is that they aid in keeping your fans inside Facebook, where they want to be. This increases the chances that visitors will become fans, and fans turn into clients, all because you didn’t take them outside their comfort zone. Facebook custom apps are like a secret weapon for your business page, as they create so many more chances to increase your fan base and ultimately, your profits. There are even more ways to engage with your fans that we haven’t even covered, like hosting contests and/or raffles via these custom tabs.
Web Design 01. DO - Know your audience & Design for their experience. It is important to know your audience. Design and develop your site and content with your users in mind, not just yourself. The users’ perspective may be very different from yours, this includes making your site user friendly. Users should be able to move quickly and efficiently through your site. When information is buried and not easily findable, users tend to give up and feel frustrated with a brand. 02. DO -Optimize your website for search. SEO is vital to longterm survival for most brands that use websites for for marketing. Search engine optimization is a discipline that helps to generate traffic through the natural (unpaid) listings in search engines. Search results are ranked based on what the search engine considers most relevant to the users search and their search intent. Use appropriate keywords in titles, header tags, links, & images on all optimized web pages. Ensure that you create content that is relevant to users–making them want to share your content socially with users. 03. Don’t Force People To Download Another Browser. Not all browsers translate your code in the same way. Using special features and plug-ins that are browser-specific will alienate many users from your site. There are plenty of features through HTML 5 & CSS3 that will give you a first- rate web experience and deliver features that won’t make your users jump through hoops. Don’t make your users frustrated and eventually give up and move on from your website–the twirly-thing isn’t worth it. launching your website is your content.
Lastly, in order to continue a high rate of fan and customer conversion, you must remember to keep your prospects inside your Facebook business page: building and using Facebook custom apps effectively is the best way to accomplish this.
01. DO - Know your audience & Design for their experience.
More and more businesses are incorporating facebook apps in the social media portfolio and reaping its benefits. With this being a more technical process, companies tend to seek out web developers to run their app program. The integration of these custom apps have proven to be profitable and the projections imply they will continue to be so, making them more valuable to building brand awareness.
04. DON’T - Keep it simple, keep it consistent.
02. DO - Optimize your website for search. 03. DON’T - Force people to download another browser
05. DO - Use Fonts Correctly.
04. Don’t Keep it Simple, Keep it Consistent. People like things consistent, and they like websites that are easy to use and understand. In a world where time is money, consistency helps to save plenty of time for users as they navigate the world-wide web. Simple design is about presenting all information and removing the unnecessary details to avoid information overload. Consistency from a web design perspective is about finding balance between your content and the negative space around it, to help highlight the relevant information. Consistency may get boring for designers (who may also be tired of looking at their screens) but a website is about the users experience in the end, NOT your experience while designing it. 05. Do - Use Fonts Correctly. Don’t use small serif fonts. Serif fonts are commonly used for print when used for body copy because then tend to become illegible on a computer screen at a smaller size. Over use of all caps, and italics is not recommended either. Using all caps takes longer to read, causing the user to spend more time with it. As well, in the computer world all caps is a form of shouting and that is rude. Like all caps, italics is a way to draw attention to your text but like small serif fonts, italics becomes difficult to read when used for a long sentence or paragraph. By: Katelyn Campbell
e h t s ’ t a h W
h t i w z z u B al Partners t n e m u n Mo
RUBiS – ULSD Launch – Lloyd Taylor, Ixes-Roy Thomas & Donald Gary
RUBiS Lounge – Dover Independence of Speed
RUBiS Lounge – Dover Independence of Speed Digicel & YVA Hunger Games Premiere – Monumental Interactive Screen with a Hunger Games Theme
RUBiS – ULSD Launch – (L) Don Gary (Speaker) (C) Christopher McFarlane -Sales & Marketing ManagerMitsubishi (R) Hon. Philip Paulwell - Minister of Science, Technology, Energy & Mining
Sampars 31st Anniversary ’31 Days of Celebration’ GRAND Sale day and Cake Cutting.
Sampars 31st Anniversary ’31 Days of Celebration’ Launch (L) Shanique Edwards -Wysnco (R)Ian Kelly
(L)Craig Robinson GM of Sampars Cash & Carry (C) Ian Kelly Finance Director of Derrimon Trading Ltd. (R) Sheldon Simpson Business Development Manager Derrimon Trading Ltd.
RUBiS – Annual Dealer Summit March 2013 –From the right- Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd Frazer Dealer of the Year Award Recipients presented by President of RUBiS Energy Jamaica Limited Donald Gary
RUBiS – AmCHAM Golf Classic –From the right- President of RUBiS Energy Jamaica Limited Donald Gary presenting an award.
Looking Back & Moving Forward
Though this is not the time to be dismayed, these are the times to provide the market with steady and reliable service. And this is what we try to achieve for our clients and partners. It has been eight years since our establishment and we’ve stayed true to our roots.
OU
Nowadays it seems there aren’t many things that are certain. Changes have proved themselves imminent over the years in Jamaica and we’ve become dizzy from a farce of fastmoving reconstruction moving in a downward direction in the economy. The marketplace is constantly shifting and economies around the world face uncertainty on a variety of fronts. Companies within the crumbling economy are facing challenges like never before, feeling the pressure to survive and properly allocate their resources all while providing the highest quality of service or goods.
As it has always been said, nothing works if no one works. And through the years we’ve built a team of dedicated professionals, committed to fulfilling our goals and driven to further position ourselves for success. Our team has really delivered, and this year has seen us receive positive reviews over the course of our 2013 calendar year of projects. This past year provided the avenue to launch bigger and better things such as the execution of the RUBiS Dealer summit, major websites amongst other notable endeavors.
Our company culture has always been centered around change and using technology to advance that change. Through the eleven core values we’ve created in our earlier years, we’ve continued to perform at very high standards. They have been reflected in everything we’ve done and have formed the framework that has continued to guide our decision making. This is where our influence has such an impact on our clients. We provide a voice on the direction of products and services not just from a marketing standpoint but more importantly from a business development standpoint. And this well rounded approach we take sees us educating our clients about the state of the economy, the market needs and the impact of timeliness in their specific industry. The direction of the state of our economy relies heavily on knowledge and the confidence of the government, businesses and consumers alike. Our function is to inspire this confidence through business strategies, unveiling marketing platforms and the awareness of new products, altogether in an effort to move the economy forward.
Keeping the Ball Rolling – In the Right Direction: Amidst all the new year resolutions, as a company our focus remains on the year ahead and those that follow, with a few transformations, strategic partnerships and technology advancements.
R
RE O C
VALU ES
01. Embrace and drive change.
02. Become our client’s most valuable marketing ............source.
03. Deliver greatness with value service. 04. Create an atmosphere that inspires the open exchange of ideas.
05. We should
always be available for our clients.
06. Focus on our clients and things will fall into place. 07. Build open and honest relationships with communication. 08. Build a positive family and family spirit. 09. Be passionate and determined. 10. You can be serious without being stiff. 11. Great just isn’t good enough.
On the Brink Credits Publisher: Monumental Partners Limited 9 McKenzie Close Kingston 8 St. Andrew Tel: 876-969-2646 info@monumentalpartners.com www.monumentalpartners.com Managing Editor: Kahlil Harris Christopher Goulbourne Brand Manager: Jheanelle Maturah Graphic Designer: Kristopher Kerr Contributors: Alice Shown Mike Zupp Katelyn Campbell Eric Knorr Subscription: info@monumentalpartners.com Sources: ezine.com The Jamaica Gleaner