A Total Makeover for Canby Rental & Equipment!
I couldn't be more excited to launch a new online presence for my client Canby Rental & Equipment. CRE is a three-generation family owned business in my small hometown on Canby, Oregon. It's a business focused on sales, rentals and service of small equipment--everything from Stihl chainsaws to tractors to weed whackers. I've know the now-owner, Matt, for many years, thanks to high school English class and it was a blast taking their website in a brand new direction that you're unlikely to see from another small equipment company.Their previous site was functional, but didn't represent their growing business and wasn't mobile friendly (a common story). Also, because the business had grown, it didn't represent the breadth of sales/services/rentals the company offered, nor did it allow them to grow the site as needed (also a common issue). Using a simple content management system like Squarespace was a big step forward for CRE, and I'm excited to see where Matt takes his website and business in the coming years!
Before:
Not responsive/mobile-friendly
No search engine optimization
Difficult management (no CMS)
Design elements were not memorable
No searchable rental list
The Approach
Because this is a growing business, I wanted to make sure that was conveyed. Additionally, because the business serves a huge area spanning several counties and two metro areas (Portland and Salem, Oregon), it was important that I strike a balance in terms of who the site's visuals appealed to. Finally, and most importantly, I wanted to ensure that it was clear that Canby Rental & Equipment is a three-generation family owned independent business, an impressive and unusual feat in this industry.
The Result
I am beyond thrilled with the new site for CRE! Here's a rundown of some of the features:
Phenomenal photography that tells the CRE story--thanks to Erica of Candidly Erica Photography (if you're local and in need of a professional photographer who will make you feel comfortable and confident, hit her up).
A distinctive distressed background for the site's color-blocked backgrounds. This subtly echoes the distressed wood floors of CRE's 100 year old building.
Standalone mini-sites for each of the four CRE departments.
A searchable rental list organized by job type.
Fun zoomable icons for each rental department.
A new parts request form--this is one of those small things that can make a big difference to small businesses.
Vintage fonts from the Hamilton Wood Type foundry--a unique touch that adds a nod to CRE's history and longevity.
A site that's ready for new integrations as they come online.
Mobile-friendly design.
Additional Services Provided:
General consulting/strategy
Copyediting for tone and consistency
Graphic/art creation
Search engine optimization
This was an absolute blast to work on and it was fantastic to see all the pieces come together to really represent an awesome family-owned business from my hometown. Best of wishes to the CRE team!
