Open Letter to Cornerstone Visitors

The Cornerstone International Group global presence gets a big lift with the launch of this upgraded website.

It is a major technical and design refresh with important content orientation to take through the next three years or so (the current site launched in September, 2013).  Blake Imeson’s tech team at LimeCuda has made sure that we remain at the forefront of our peer group.

Here is a brief highlight summary:

 

ORIENTATION

Overall focus adds Specialization to Globalization

Emphasis is shifted from geographic scope (global network) to quality of people

Service offering is more distinct by being presented in two “verticals” – Search and Leadership Development.

Search further upgraded with Practice Groups top highlight specialization

The USA and Canada regions are consolidated into North America

DESIGN

The Redesign is throughout and returns us to a position among the top sites in the industry.

Panorama visual look retained with large, engaging imagery

Brighter colours, more lively and vibrant.

The visual focus on the Home Page is on Members, creating the “trust out people” theme

  • Large feature image
  • Four members are profiled – one from each region
  • Both the feature and the profiles rotate automatically

Blog post authors more prominent

Members and their offices prominently posted as contact where appropriate (e.g. Practice Groups)

CONTENT

Reduced word counts, emphasis on “one-page” communication with links through to more content where appropriate. Easier to engage with content the way visitors “scan” websites.

New search feature for quick access to consultant, coach, office or region

Home Page call-to-action “Join Cornerstone” with PPT download

Blog content used aggressively in a strategic manner to support specific sections. E.g.

RETENTION (keeping what works)

Direct contact to member offices and consultants with high-visibility orange buttons

Global scope reinforced in the region and office pages

Clear hierarchy to make the site simple to use

…. And a special word on Practice Groups

The addition of Practice Groups may be the most important feature of the 2017 website.  Trends in the search business suggest that the combination of global scope and subject-specific expertise is what successful businesses will increasingly look for.

We now have 13 Practice Groups – seven specialised by industry type (Financial services, Technology) and six by functional role (CEO, Human Resources).

It will take time to build up the expertise in each group, and then build awareness of that expertise.  We are well advanced in both Life Sciences and Health and in Financial Services and it is a reasonable hope that we would be market-ready in perhaps 4 or 5 groups by year-end.