Category Archives: All

Aha builds digital footprint for TBG

Posted on April 25, 2012 by admin

Founded in 1987 by Earl Broussard and Tom Afflerbach, TBG is the premier landscape architecture and planning firm in Texas. The firm’s dedication to innovative design has resulted in some of the most distinguished landscape projects in Texas and the nation but you might not have known that looking at their old website.

TBG partnered with Aha to commemorate the firm’s 25th anniversary and to create a more effective online sales and branding tool. Earl Broussard set the project objective when he said, “When Hyatt visits, what do we want them to see?” Aha’s job was to make sure that everyone sees fabulous, large-scale projects that were carefully planned and perfectly executed along with the kind of information that prospects need to evaluate landscape architecture service providers.

Beginning with our signature discovery process, Aha took a deep dive into the firm’s background to determine the true essence of the brand. Next we worked to create an impactful design that not only showcases the firm’s projects but reveals the firm’s personality and creative spirit. The site was then carefully organized to create a clear path for visitors to follow. Engaging images with roll-over reveals of information help draw visitors deeper into the site. Features such as single page loading and site optimization ensure that the image intensive site is lightening fast. Stand-alone mobile and tablet versions of the site allow mobile users to find just what they want while still getting the full TBG experience. The robust content management system allows TBG to keep the content up-to-the-minute fresh.

The site is already garnering rave reviews and incredible results. In just 6 weeks, site visits have doubled, pages per visit have increased from 1.16 to 5 and average time on site has increased from 38 seconds to 2 minutes, 41 seconds.

If you’re in the market for the best landscape architecture and planning firm in the nation give TBG a call.  If you in the market for a new website give us a call (512.448.4494).

Check the site out: tbg-inc.com

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Do Websites Still Matter?

Posted on April 25, 2012 by admin

As digital touchpoints become more extensive and increasingly elaborate, companies are changing tactics to increase customer retention. And, with all the hype about social media for business you may wonder if you even need your old website, much less a shiny new one.

The fact, at least for today, is that your website is still the hub of your digital presence. Even as social networks and mobile apps become valuable touchpoints, websites still have a major role in your digital marketing strategy. A Nielsen study conducted in Q1 2011 indicated that nearly as many consumers said they trusted brand websites (35%) as said they trusted opt-in email (40%). And in Q3 2011 the Nielsen data revealed that far more respondents said they trusted brand websites than any other form of either digital or TV advertising.

The explosion in social media and mobile technology actually makes the traditional website more important than ever. Here’s why:

1. Being Found - When people are trying to find you, your product or service they use search engines like Google, not social media sites like Facebook. If you don’t have a website or if you have a crummy one that is not SEO optimized you can’t be found and, therefore, you don’t exist in the minds of your customers and prospects. You website is still the primary way your customers and prospects find you.

2. Making Sales – people use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare for entertainment. Users who are engaged on social media sites are NOT researching products and services they need or companies they want to hire. This is true even for moms, the most lucrative purchasing group in the world. 55% of US moms and 42% of the general population told BabyCenter in August 2011 that when researching purchases, they looked to manufacturer websites. That’s more than those who turn to social media recommendations, TV or Facebook updates from brands they’ve liked. People use websites to make purchase decisions. Make sure your site helps them purchase from you.

3. Building your Brand – Unlike social media outlets you have complete control over your website. While sites like Facebook allow you to put up a website that is somewhat “customized”, it’s still inside Facebook’s shell. Your website is all about you. Companies have complete control over all aspects of design and content and can effectively manage their brand and messaging on their website. Plus your website can create a much more robust experience for visitors than most other platforms. This means that you can be more efficient at providing visitors the information that they’re looking for, as well as the opportunity to create web applications that provide more value to your visitors.

4. Measuring Effectiveness – There’s no point in investing in a digital presence if you don’t know what’s working and what’s not. Sure there are plenty of free tools that can help you monitor your social media activity but no one has found a silver bullet. The best, most accurate and most reliable data will come from you very own website analytics and a simple Google Analytics account will most likely tell you all you need to know. Plus, there are literally hundreds of tools that allow you to measure everything from page views to page load times to code to text ratios. Once you know how people are using your website you can make adjustments to make it even better.

It’s vital for companies to have a great website that can be found, that lead visitors through the sales funnel, that build the company’s brand and that provide useful feedback and information. If your own website isn’t up to snuff, give us a call, we’ll get you there faster than ever. Results guaranteed.

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Aha Adds Luxury to Architectural Hardware Company’s Website

Posted on March 27, 2012 by admin

In 1997, Susan Alexander and Laurie Marchant opened the doors of a small furniture restoration and repair shop. They quickly realized the demand for authentic and interesting hardware was too great to ignore and began working towards filling the unique void in the Austin market. By 2002, Alexander Marchant, a high end architectural hardware, lighting and fixture company, was working to build its reputation and market share.

Currently representing over 70 manufacturers and growing every year, Alexander Marchant realized that their web presence did not reflect the caliber and quality of their offering. Worst of all the company was not positioned to embrace the online shopping explosion.

Aha developed a two pronged strategy to address the company’s concerns.  First, create a product based website that offered customers and prospects the ability to peruse Alexander Marchant’s extensive product lines while positioning the company as a high-end luxury provider of the finest and most unique hardware and lighting in Austin. Second, convert the new product based website to an ecommerce site allowing Alexander Marchant to reach a national audience with select products.

We responded with a highly contemporary design with a rustic edge that beautifully showcases Alexander Marchants’ products. Because an ecommerce component would ultimately be added to the site we followed a traditional ecommerce navigation theme and organizational structure so that loyal customers, users and prospects could easily navigate through the products to make their selections. Custom sorting tools were created to allow users to dig deep into product categories. A custom content management system allows the company to keep the entire site up-to-date and a blog feature created an avenue for the company to share its wealth of knowledge and expertise.

The site has been met with rave reviews for its aesthetics but, best of all, the site is working to build business for Alexander Marchant. Site traffic, time spent on the site and walk-in traffic to their storefront have dramatically increased. Within the first 30 days of the new site being launched bounce rates were reduced by a whopping 75.5% going from a horrific bounce rate of 87.61% to an amazing 12.07%.  Time spent on the new site increased from a dismal 31 seconds to well over 4.5 MINUTES.  Aha’s site architecture and strategic design have also increased the number of pages visited from only 1.15 to 9.56.

Aha’s additional services included site planning, content strategy, user interface and experience design and Search Engine Optimization. When you’re ready for the most luxurious architectural hardware and lighting visit  www.alexandermarchant.com. When you’re ready for a website that builds your business give us a call at 512.448.4494.

Posted in All, IA, News + Press, Newsletter Articles, site planning, Social Media & SEO, UX, Web/Interactive Design | Leave a comment

Mobile Web Users to Reach 975 Million in 2012. Is your website ready?

Posted on March 27, 2012 by admin

With mobile web usage doubling every year and projections indicating that mobile will overtake fixed Internet access by 2013, now’s the time to evaluate your mobile web presence.

Mobile and tablet-friendly sites are in a different league than desktop sites but, according to Google, mobile users expect their experience to be just as good as their desktop experience.

  • 71% of users expect a mobile site to load as fast as a desktop site
  • 57% would not recommend a business with a bad mobile site
  • 40% have turned to a competitor’s site after a bad mobile experience
  • Mobile searches have grown by 400% since 2010
  • By 2013 more people will use mobile phones than PCs to get online

Designing for mobile isn’t as easy as turning your current site into a smaller version or just making sure that it looks okay on your iPhone. The mobile user’s needs are different from the desktop user and given that one half of all local searches are performed on mobile devices it’s essential that you have a mobile optimized site.

The first aspect you have to consider is that the mobile experience is fundamentally different from that of the desktop. It is exceedingly task oriented and according to a Nielsen Norman Group study, users are 35% less successful completing tasks via their mobile phone than they are on a regular PC. Following some simple but key guidelines will help ensure that your mobile site keeps prospects engaged and coming back for more.

Quick and Simple

Simplify navigation elements and content to reduce load times and pay close attention to the order of your content. Reduce the amount of text and adopt graphical cues to help users navigate your site.

Make Conversions Easy

Users need to be able to easily achieve their goal – without a mouse and keyboard. Whether it be contacting you by phone or purchasing a product through a shopping cart, the steps to achieve this need to be reduced by using short forms, fewer fields, and easy data entry forms.

Keep Navigation Clear

Prioritization is vital. Finding information easily is key. Make sure users have a simple hierarchy of menus that are easy to navigate back, forward and home with. Minimize scrolling and use minimal links per page of navigation.

Size Matters

Your users come in all shapes and sizes and are using their fingers to navigate the mobile devices. Use large, centered buttons that allow for breathing room so no accidental clicks are made. Design buttons and boxes with padding to increase the clickable area. Mobile screens are less than 3” on average so make sure users don’t have to strain their eyes to read something. There should be enough contrast between background and text and buttons should be clear.

Accessibility is Key

A great mobile site should be accessible in a variety of orientations and devices. Some devices do not support Flash, so make sure you find good alternatives like HTML 5. Mobile sites need to work both horizontally and vertically and when users change orientations they should not be moved around on the site.

Keep the Feedback Loop Strong

Input from your users and audience is essential to the success of a good mobile site. Google Analytics should be constantly monitored to learn how users are visiting your site and improvements to user functionality should be an ongoing process.

Make Mobile SEO a Priority

Mobile users are not surfers – they just want to find what they need and get on with their lives – and they typically perform a search rather than typing in a website address because it’s quicker. Search engines play a huge role in the mobile market so mobile SEO should be a top priority.

Need help with your mobile presence? Give us a call today to get things moving – 512.448.4494.

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AG&M Embraces Growth with New Site

Posted on February 3, 2012 by admin

Our longtime client, Architectural Granite and Marble (AG&M) has experienced strong and steady growth since we were first engaged as their marketing partner back in 2007. Currently one of the leaders in natural stone supply, AG&M now has seven locations nationwide and big plans for the future.

As the company works to engage more markets and create more traffic to their showrooms, Aha jumped in to create a new website that works to replicate the showroom experience while converting visitors to in-store customers. AG&M’s new website leads visitors to the company’s extensive product line where they receive a mini in-store experience. The Product section is built around easy-to-navigate categories that allow users to sort and select the materials they are interested in and it includes a built-in a tool that suggests other slabs and products for investigation based on their behavior on the site.

An online store was added to give existing customers an easy and convenient way to order care and use products online.  Since the new site was launched in mid-December 2011, over 500 users have visited the online store.

The entire site is mobile and tablet friendly and provides a myriad of features and functionality designed to increase online product sales, inquiries and visits to AG&M’s luxurious showrooms including:

• Interactive slab gallery with user prompts
• Home page video that tells AG&M’s story
• Find a Store feature with the latest Google map technology
• Social Sharing
• Online store
• Global Social Bar

The results speak for themselves. In the short time since the new site was launched, monthly traffic has increased by nearly 1,000 visits and the time spent on the site has increased by 15%. Last month the new site had 3,155 visits which is an increase of 170% over January 2011. Best of all there were 1,875 visits to the Contact page where visitors go to Find a Store.

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10 Steps to a Great User Experience

Posted on February 3, 2012 by admin

If your current website isn’t engaging users from the get-go you might want to consider 10 things that will help create a simple interface that doesn’t distract visitors from their goals which are: finding something, making a purchase or an inquiry. How users engage or not with your website directly affects your bottom line one way or the other.

1. Start obsessing
Over your customers that is. Learn everything there is to know about them – their goals, behaviors, preferences, skills, wants and needs. Focus on your customers first and you’ll be able to create a website that lets them achieve their goals, which are, ultimately, your goals.

2. Flatter established brands
As the saying goes, imitation is the best form of flattery, so there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. There are tons of great user interfaces that your customers are most likely using on a daily basis – Facebook, MSN, Blogspot, Microsoft, Bing and Adobe are some that come to mind. Why not play off these familiar interfaces that your user is already accustomed to? By using familiar layouts and functionality your customer won’t have to spend time figuring out how to wade through your site and will spend more time buying.

3. Consistency is not boring
It’s best to stay consistent in all aspects of your web design and navigation. Once your users become comfortable on your site and have a good understanding of how things work, they will increase their efficiency as a user and feel in control. This is will ultimately lead to a more enjoyable experience without frustrations. A frustrated user is a “bounce” – meaning gone.

4. Design strategically
Use a visual hierarchy that clearly articulates to the user what the most important aspects are. This is especially important in sites that have large amounts of information. If your site doesn’t have a clear starting point and a clear path your visitors will leave. Good design and strategic placement of elements work to create simplicity. Customers like simple not complex sites. Take a look at Google’s main search page. It doesn’t get any simpler than that.

5. Plain and simple
Don’t add anything to your website design that is unnecessary – the best user interfaces (UI) are so streamlined that they are almost invisible. Before you add any design elements, ask why it is needed and what will it accomplish. If it doesn’t help the user do something or get somewhere on your site leave it off.

6. Feedback is important
Website visitors want to know where they are and what they’re doing. Your interface should include simple message boxes or visual cues that inform them of any action or result that has occurred – right or wrong. You need to let visitors know if their actions have led to the desired result Did they complete the purchase or not? Your interface should tell them.

7. To err is human, to forgive, divine
Every user is different – some extremely advanced and some virtually clueless. Although you may believe your website is as clear as day, your users will make mistakes and user error must always be accounted for. We’ve all filled out the wrong information on a form and when we mess up we want an easy way out. Make it easy for users to go back and fix things and undo actions. Make good use of your message boxes when an error has occurred.

8. Watch your language
Although we’re focusing on design, words can be an important part of interfaces as well. Text should be as simple and concise as possible with no question as to what something means or where something is leading the user. Don’t talk over their heads. A more conversational approach that the user relates to is more effective than pomposity and pontification.

9. Be easy to find
The best website in the world is useless if no one can find you. Pay attention to current Search Engine Optimization techniques and implement them.  If you’re not tweaking your SEO at least quarterly you’re probably falling behind and it won’t be long before your competition has a leg up on you.

10. Keep your eyes on the prize
The web is constantly changing, and it is important to keep moving forward right along with it. Mistakes will be made and lessons will be learned, but that is the best way to keep pushing the envelope with design. Embrace the fantastic forward progression of the world wide web.

Want to learn more about user interface design? Are you in need of a new or revamped website with your customers in mind? Call us today at 512.448.4494.

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Women More Cautious Sharing Personal Info on Social Media Sites

Posted on February 3, 2012 by admin

Women are significantly more cautious than men when it comes to sharing a variety of personal information on social media sites, according to a uSamp survey released in January 2012. Women are 33% more likely than men to say they are definitely not willing to share their physical address (78.8% vs. 59.1%), 39% more likely to definitely not share their location (52.4% vs. 37.7%), and 36% more likely to definitely not share their phone number (77.3% vs. 56.7%).

According to a National Cyber Security Alliance and McAfee study released in November 2011, 51% of Americans are not sharing more information on social media today than the previous year, and almost half have changed the way they use social networks because of safety and security concerns.

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Client Feedback: Albany EDC

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Meghan Sutherland

“First, let me tell you how much I love our new site: I LOVE IT THIS MUCH. We continue to receive many compliments; our site has been cited as a role model, if you will, for other sites in the community and region (in fact, our chamber has asked me to be on their internal web site advisory team). And, economic developers from throughout the state contact me about the process, the firm, the cost, etc. So, thank you.”

- Barbara Holmes, Albany EDC

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What to Watch For This Month: November 2011

Posted on November 15, 2011 by admin

Protect Your Company’s Reputation From The .XXX Domain Extension

Recently, The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) approved the .xxx domain extension for use by the adult entertainment industry. So, why should you be concerned? What if you discovered that a porn site has registered your company’s name with the .xxx extension? It’s possible and it could easily and quickly damage your brand’s reputation.

Securing a domain name on a first-come, first-served basis with no restrictions in place means that any trademark violation would have to be settled after finding out that another party has used your trademark as part of a their .xxx domain name.

The best thing you can do right now, rather than get into a trademark fight with the party that’s purchased your company’s name in the .xxx extension, is to prevent it from happening by going through a process called “Sunrise B.” This procedure – and it’s only offered for a limited period of time – allows you to block others from using your brand in the .xxx domain – much like blocking telemarketers from calling you.

The other procedure is to simply purchase the domain name yourself to protect others from securing it. For more information on your options, we suggest you contact your domain provider immediately for complete information.

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Key Strategies: Is Mobile Marketing Right For Your Company?


Posted on November 15, 2011 by admin

With mobile marketing being hyped as “the next big thing,” for every business category, the question remains, “Is it for real, is it for you and how deeply should you participate?”
The answer comes in knowing if your customers will seek out information about your company using their smartphones – much like fifteen years ago, wondering if anyone would seek out your company on the Internet. If so, you want to have a mobile presence.

With that determination, there are some specific mobile strategies you will want to integrate into your sales-building plan. From a customer-driven point of view, they include:

Searching for your company’s name, location and driving directions – go to Google Maps on your smartphone and type your business name. Is your complete company information found?

Searching within your business category – download the Google App and using your voice, ask for your business category. Is your company listed in the results?

Using a smartphone to get to your website – type your company’s web address into your smartphone’s browser. What does your web site look like when “mobilized?” Do you need your website reformatted for the mobile platform?

Giving incentives to visit or purchase your product or service – download “foursquare,” one of the most popular location-based platforms.

Offering your complete services and customer engagement in one package – consider the development of an app.

Being able to make a purchase immediately from a smartphone – make sure your have e-commerce purchasing capabilities so you won’t miss a sale.

Offering more detailed information or product knowledge – at various customer touch points, provide QR codes linked to product videos and demos.

Communicating to your customers on a regular basis with product announcements, special events and promotions – develop a text messaging program, utilizing an in-store sign-up incentive program.

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The Secret To Successfully Using Facebook And Twitter

Posted on November 15, 2011 by admin

Crafting a message is the most important element of any advertising campaign. The copy has to be original, creative, memorable and engaging –with a call to action. Without those key elements, delivered to your target audience on a frequent basis, don’t expect the register to ring.

Crafting content for your Facebook and Twitter postings should be no different. It also has to be original, creative, memorable and engaging.

While everyone uses social media platforms because they’re easy to use, the ability to write interesting content that converts fans into paying customers is extremely challenging and can make or break your social media campaign.

The real secret to success using Facebook and Twitter is not the number of fans or followers you have, but the number of people interested enough to become your company’s evangelists and eventually purchasing your product or service. The starting point for that success is always going to be strong content.

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Affair Recovery Website Launch

Posted on October 21, 2011 by admin

Let the Recovery Begin.
According to the Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy, approximately 50 percent of married women and 60 percent of married men will have an extramarital affair at some time in their marriage. That’s a huge number of people who need help and guidance to heal from the pain of betrayal.  Affair Recovery, founded by Rick Reynolds in Austin, was designed with that cause in mind.

Affair Recovery is an online-based counseling and educational program for individuals and couples who are dealing with infidelity.  Their inspiring programs are research based, combining a solid curriculum with the strength of collaborative support to provide solace and recovery for both couples and individuals. As the program began to garner national media attention Aha was engaged to develop an equally inspiring brand and marketing website.

Beginning with a deep dive into the minds and behaviors of their target audience, which proved to be a more unique audience than the average online consumer, our insight revealed that the branding platform had to be both sensitive and direct, calming and professional. A new logo and positioning strategy formed the cornerstone of the brand expression and were developed to convey key brand attributes.

The new website was designed to generate leads and convert visitors into customers. The website’s search-engine friendly design and performance-tested webpages gently but effectively walk prospects through a qualification process that has boosted conversion rates and increased program applications. Aha’s services included branding, positioning and messaging strategy, visual design, and application development Aha is pleased to have helped Affair Recovery on its journey to help couples and marriages on a global level.

Check out the site at affairrecovery.com

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Albany EDC: Website Launch

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Meghan Sutherland

Established in 1856 as a center of cotton trade, Albany, Georgia, has grown into a regional commercial, educational and cultural hub in Southwest Georgia with a diverse economy that includes tourism, manufacturing, health care, defense and corporate and professional services.

The team at the Albany Economic Development Corporation knew that they needed to elevate their web presence in order to compete in the now global economic development arena, so they enlisted Aha to give their website a complete overhaul that accurately depicts the growing community and allows potential site selection consultants, corporations and developers to interact with Albany online.

Some of the great features that Aha incorporated on the site include: customized reporting that allows users to download data that is pertinent to their needs; GIS mapping system with a continuously updated property search; completely customized content management system that allows Albany staff to modify and edit content, pages, photos, news stories, events and navigation; social media integration; custom charts and graphs and more. But most importantly, the aesthetics and organization of the new site position Albany, Georgia, as a viable player for quality businesses to locate, expand, or relocate.

Check out the new site at: www.choosealbany.com

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Four Things To Watch This Month

Posted on October 19, 2011 by admin
  1. Twitter is introducing “Twitter Web Analytics” that will measure the traffic Twitter sends to your website. Visit https://dev.twitter.com/blog/introducing-twitter-web-analytics for more details.
  2. Facebook’s fan pages – also called individual profile pages – have experienced extensive changes, some of which aren’t yet fully visible. These changes affect how messages sent from your company’s Facebook Page get seen by those who “like” you. One of the most critical changes is that even without “un-liking” you, a fan can now easily unsubscribe from getting your company’s message. In other words, although you may feel great about having thousands of fans, how many have unsubscribed and are not getting your message streams?
  3. Google+ is now open to the public. Although not yet accepting businesses, it would be prudent to start your individual Google+ account now so you’re familiar with the concept and ready to go when they open the gates for businesses.
  4. Watch for an explosive increase in online sales during the holiday season as reports from Ebay indicate that tablet users are more willing to shop online and spend at least 50% more than their counterparts using a laptop or desktop PC.

 

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Now’s The Time For You To Take It Up A Notch

Posted on October 19, 2011 by admin

With just a month away from the critical holiday shopping season, now is the time to move ahead of your competitors by providing a higher level of service and a better value.

In light of the country’s economic debt crisis and attempts to resolve it, the journey into 2012 will feel like a roller coaster ride. What do you do? Go back to basics and provide a great customer experience.

If you’re ready to turn the heat on and take your marketing experience up a notch, then call us. We can help you get there … now faster than ever.

 

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The Experience Is The Marketing: Southwest Airlines Turns It Up

Posted on October 19, 2011 by admin

It’s no secret that the airline industry is in turmoil and they’re passing the pain on to passengers by adding extra fees and cutbacks in service. While airlines have a right to make a profit, is downgrading service the right tactic for achieving long-term customer loyalty?

Despite this industry turbulence, Southwest Airlines continues to succeed in this economy by doing what it does best – providing a great value and a fun flying experience for passengers. While other airlines are tacking on extra luggage fees, Southwest pokes fun at them, boasting that on their planes, “Bags fly free.”

The big lesson for companies is simply this: Fly Southwest and you’ll understand that the “experience is the marketing.” A great experience will overcome any issue about pricing.

What experience do your customers and clients get from your company that makes them want to talk about you? Is it bland or is it fun and memorable?

 

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How To Demonstrate Stability And Trust In A Volatile Economy

Posted on October 19, 2011 by admin

Much like what you’re reading now, a monthly newsletter emailed or mailed to your customers is one of the best and most cost-effective ways to remind them of the great products and services you offer.

In these tough economic times, your company newsletter demonstrates stability and trust. Customers and clients prefer to align themselves with those who will be around for the long haul.

Here are eight tips for developing your own company newsletter and sending it to your email or mail list:

  1. Keep the content generic, yet industry-relevant.
  2. Keep the articles brief and in bullet point form.
  3. Start with a table of contents, so readers can choose their articles of interest.
  4. Provide a link in case the recipient wishes additional information on a topic.
  5. Maintain a consistent delivery schedule and creative format.
  6. Include your contact information and a link to your Web site, if the recipient desires to e-mail or phone you.
  7. After the fifth issue, develop a readers’ survey to determine what readers like and don’t like about the newsletter. Ask them if there are topics they would like to see included in future issues.

Bottom line: A consistent newsletter is all about “rememberability.” It keeps your company’s name in front of your prospective customers and clients, so when they’re ready to make a purchase, your name will be well-remembered.

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The Big Question: Why Should Your Customers Like You Or Follow You?

Posted on October 19, 2011 by admin

Companies in every business category are putting social media logos on their advertising materials requesting that their customers follow them on Twitter or like them on Facebook, all without giving them a specific convincing reason to do so.

Other than for the purpose of giving away a discount, most companies don’t know why their customers should connect with them. And if you don’t know why, then your social media strategy needs to be redefined.

We recommend you have a stable of at least five to ten reasons within your social media strategy why your customers should connect with you online and remain interested enough in staying connected with your company for years to come.

 

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Aha Announces Partnership with Truth Be Told

Posted on September 7, 2011 by admin

Aha is delighted to be working with Truth Be Told, a 501(c)(3) non-profit service organization providing transformational tools for incarcerated women. Truth Be Told’s programs help women face the truth of their pasts and embrace the hope of their futures. Aha’s full-service capabilities will help the organization through a rebranding process that will ultimately lead to increased awareness and fundraising so that they can help even more women, their children and families.

Truth Be Told’s ground-breaking work and commitment to this under-served and under-valued population of women pulled at our heart-strings. They will be our primary pro-bono client well into 2012. Watch this site for news and developments.

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Austin Trailer Crawling – Grill Haven

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Meghan Sutherland

Or maybe more appropriately titled Grill “Heaven”. The next stop on our trailer crawl brought us to a small non-descript sandwich trailer at the corner of South 1st and Liveoak in the South First Food Court. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but don’t judge a book by its cover – this gem knocked it out of the park. We tried four different sandwiches – all completely unique and delicious in their own way – Tomato & Brie, French Dip, Turkey with Avocado and the Salmon & Tuna Melt. How someone can perfect four sandwiches with such different ingredients is beyond belief, but Grill Haven has done it. From the wide variety of breads and super fresh ingredients to the care the owner takes in crafting and grilling each sandwich, we were truly impressed.

Although all of the sandwiches deserve an A+, the Tomato and Brie was particularly outstanding – fresh tomatoes, olives, spinach and olive oil with slices of brie perfectly melted on rye bread to make this sandwich completely delicious. We paired of all the sandwiches with some yummy sweet potato fries that were accompanied by a great chipotle mayo dipping sauce. The biggest shock came from the prices – $4 – $5 – a true bargain – especially in the trailer world where most sandwiches run around $10. Another bonus is the owner who happens to be a super nice guy even though he keeps his home A/C at 87° – nice and a conservationist at the same time. Grill Haven will definitely be a staple in the Aha lunch hour.

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