Website Content

A family company located in the Finger Lakes region spent considerable resources redeveloping two marinas associated with state parks on Seneca Lake, in a public-private partnership agreement with New York State. They operate the marinas adjacent to state parks, offering world-class amenities for boating, fishing, camping, RV life, and log cabin getaways. We spent considerable time in dialogue about what their target customer wants and needs, and how the SamSen properties offer a special experience. The result is a beautiful site poised to capture reservations for boat slips, RV parking, and cabin rentals. Here comes summer fun!

An independent benefits brokerage that had a solid record of referral business was ready to launch a website, but needed it to honor the brand that had been carefully cultivated over the years. First, we worked on a tagline, settling on one that encapsulates what it's like to work with Ortolani Services: Clarity - Choice - Connection. Next I developed a creative way to demonstrate how their services help people -- mini case studies. The final site is an effective mix of straightforward information and brand-based storytelling.

Miranda, a professional certified coach, was ready to refresh her website. The hard part? Writing about herself. She had drafted much of the content, but felt that she needed help refining her messaging about herself and her services. We collaborated to turn her draft into clear, engaging content.
Excerpt: Who benefits the most from Miranda’s coaching approach? Goal-oriented people who are committed to growth, are ready to be challenged, and who care about the quality of the coaching relationship.

An attorney with a mission for compassionate dispute resolution needed to portray how she approaches mediation for sensitive family issues. She knew that while the topics would be complicated, the content needed to be accessible and educational. And, most of all, potential clients needed to feel that their situation would be handled with empathy as well as skill.
Excerpt: Whether your situation involves dissolving a marriage or coping with the practical realities of aging for an elder relative, individualized guidance in dispute resolution and mediation with an experienced, compassionate professional can make all the difference.

Renée is a photographer who loves working on-location. Her website is, obviously, driven by imagery rather than text. We worked together to develop copy to tell her story and to introduce her menu of photography services. I used first-person POV to convey Renée’s enthusiastic personality, and her voice completely shines through. She really is this fun... fun enough to get an introverted writer to laugh in front of the lens.
Excerpt: What you do, what you sell, and who you are should be professionally represented across all platforms of customer engagement. Of course that’s all very important. But I want the challenge of making even the ordinary come alive! Even the most practical products and services don’t have to be boring. Orthodontic rubber bands and arc-welding can be just as dazzling as jewelry—it’s all exciting to me, and I have the pictures to prove it!

Lauren, a professional helper, found her business taking off, but was having trouble articulating her array of service possibilities for her website pricing page. We settled on short case studies that give potential clients an idea of the type of personalized service they could expect for her hourly rate.
Excerpt: Alice, age 95, ... is independent with personal needs, but benefits from being checked on, having light household tasks completed for her, and simple companionship. Plus, Alice’s family found that they also benefit from the peace of mind and respite time.

A Licensed Clinical Social Worker wanted to launch a website for his second business of conducting workplace training. His private practice focuses on couples counseling and gender communication, so he is a true relationship expert! His interview took place in one of his quiet, peaceful session rooms (yes, I sat on a big leather couch!) Our conversation not only provided me with foundational content to write his website, it also was the basis for the organization of his website design and instructed the descriptions of the workshops he offers.

A gift shop with a rich, four-decade-long local presence moved to a new location, so the owners decided to refresh their website to match the vibrancy of the new neighborhood. This ‘Gallery of Art and Craft’ offers five categories of gift items and the work of 250 American artists and craftspeople. Their website copy covers it all in a concierge-style detail that entices visitors to their brick-and-mortar store. Excerpt: When you are looking for a spiritual gift piece to convey your inner soul and outer gratitude, shop The Creator’s Hands collection of Christian and Judaic items, called by our customers “the best under one roof” in Western New York. … Enhance your natural beauty with one of a kind, handcrafted jewelry! We can assist you in selecting gift and keepsake jewelry pieces for every budget and taste. Browse displays throughout the store, or peruse our “jewelry drawers” to discover that special piece of jewelry that speaks to you.

You have to try the product to understand the project. But first I had to meet these fifth generation grape growers located in the hills above Keuka Lake. We spent a sunny morning in their tasting room, a fully renovated 19th century “crooked barn.” Theirs is a true family affair; brothers began working the acreage in the late 1950s, and the next generations now oversee the winery and vineyard operations. Excerpt: Stever Hill Vineyards, nestled among hundreds of acres of grapes in the heart of Keuka Lake wine country, welcomes visitors to the Crooked Barn Tasting Room, a beautifully renovated circa 1850s barn. Original hand-hewn beams and antique hardware, plus new construction from on-site harvested oak, hemlock, and walnut lumber set the mood of a casual rustic lodge. Completed in partnership with creative agency In House Graphic Design, Inc.