It’s that time of year, when we look back at the year drawing to a close to see what piqued people’s interest. These are the top 5 posts viewed in 2011; interestingly, all but one of them had been written before 2011.
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year!
Today’s guest blogger is business attorney Jean Sifleet, and she writes concerning the misconceptions about, and the possible penalties for, using content “found” on-line. To learn more about Jean’s firm, visit www.smartfast.com
It’s a common misconception that if you found it on the Internet, it’s free and you can use it. While information on the Internet is “public,” it’s not all in the “public domain.” According to Wikipedia,
Public domain comprises the body of knowledge and innovation (especially creative works such as writing, art, music, and inventions) in relation to which no person or other legal entity can establish or maintain proprietary interests within a particular legal jurisdiction. This body of information and creativity is considered to be part of a common cultural and intellectual heritage, which, in general, anyone may use or exploit, whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes. Only about 15 percent of all books are in the public domain, and 10 percent of all books that are still in print.
Sometimes content on the Internet is in the public domain and free to use, but frequently it is not. Penalties for infringing a copyright can include payment of statutory damages (between $750 and $150,000 per infringement) and attorney fees. Before you use content you “found,” it’s smart to check out the rules: What’s In The Public Domain?
My husband and I recently returned from a wonderful trip to France! Neither of us is fluent in French, but as you can see from these photos, you hardly need to understand the language to comprehend the beautifully designed storefronts and displays. They show you all you need to know about what’s going on inside! However, there were times when reading and understanding French stumped us, which brings me to chicken dancing in Paris… (more…)
Is there a science as to why people respond favorably to something that is well-designed? While I would be more than happy to accept all the kudos for creating outstanding design, I can’t take ALL the credit (unless you insist…!).
Our brains have three distinct parts, each with specific functions. Susan Weinschenk (on Twitter @thebrainlady or read her blog) calls these the old, mid and new brains. The old brain is the part that is believed to have developed first in evolution to deal with issues like breathing and digestion. The mid brain controls our emotions, and the cortex, or new brain, is where our reasoning, logic and information processing happens. You are using your new brain right now to read this blog.
We like to think that we make decisions consciously even if we acknowledge we can be influenced by our emotions. But Weinschenk points out, “Most of our decision-making is governed by unconscious processing.”
I’ve been asked by clients if logo design ideas come to me in a “flash of inspiration.” I wish! But like most other jobs, design is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. The process of designing a logo requires logical steps of listening, research, development, feedback and refinement to achieve the best results.
Here’s where the 10% happens! Often, after fact-gathering, designers “let it be” for a few days. Brainstorming, changing environment, asking Why?, and What if? help look at the logo challenge in new and different ways. It’s hard to be creative and critical at the same time, so the good, bad, and ugly are all included. Only when many concepts have been worked up do we proceed to…
Once the final logo design has been agreed on, color palettes are developed for the logo. Again, it’s important to understand the client’s audience and industry in choosing appropriate colors for their identity. A client meeting is held to review the color concepts, and further color refinements are made if needed.
“Um, so what is it that you do?”
Yikes! This is not the question you expect visitors to ask you at your trade show – can’t they see you have a booth with displays and pictures and handouts and swag? What more can you do to get your message across in a way that will connect better with your audience? Consider the answers to these five questions before your next trade show:
Do you leave getting your booth graphics designed until the last minute? Effective graphics come from careful preparation. Last minute preparation doesn’t leave time for a thoughtful approach, can incur rush charges that add significantly to your bottom line, and leaves no time to correct any mistakes or avoid production delays that may crop up. Nevermind the stress for all involved. Two months before a show is not too soon to get graphics preparation underway.And for more insight on how NOT to follow up with prospects after your show is over, read “Stop Exhibiting at Trade Shows If…”
The Democrats have apparently spared no expense or resources to create a new logo and slogan. (Note to the literal-minded: I’m joking!) In this video, Real Times’ Bill Maher shows he’s not partisan as he takes the logo to task and offers some alternate slogans that the Democrats might want to consider.
And on another front, The Atlantic accuses the Democrats of plagiarizing the logo from a small Ohio-based pizza chain. Change that matters, indeed!
Feeling blue? Seeing red? Know someone who’s yellow? Colors evoke powerful emotions and have meaning far beyond simply being a decorative afterthought. Color is a very important tool in successfully delivering your message to your customers. Are the colors you’re using in your message helping or hurting the story you want to tell your audience?
According to Leatrice Eiseman, consultant to the color industry leader Pantone, eighty percent of human experience is visual. People respond first to color, then shape, numbers, and finally words. Additionally, response to color can differ depending on the viewer’s age, gender, cultural background-even educational level. So you can see the importance of knowing who your target audience will be when you choose colors to use for your message!
Did you know that red is the first color identified in every culture after black and white? Red stimulates the appetite (making it a good color for restaurant decor) but while it is seen as enticing and sensual in our culture, it is the color of mourning in South Africa.
Children 3 to 6 years old prefer orange to any other color, while their parents respond more favorably to subdued colors. Your color choices in this case would depend on whether your target market was kids or their parents.
If you are trying to appeal to an older audience, you need to know that cool colors such as blues and greens are perceived differently by people over 50 due to changes in their eyes.
The list goes on and on…every color has associations and emotion attached to it. Proper color selection is much more than choosing colors that are your personal favorites…they need to resonate with your audience in a meaningful way.
Have you ever sent a logo file or other image file to a designer or printer only to be told it can’t be used because it’s “bit-mapped”? A “vector” file is needed instead. What are they talking about?
All digital images are either bit-mapped or vector files. What is the difference? Think of bit-mapped (or raster) graphics as an image where each pixel of the image is equal to a tile in a mosaic or an embroidered cross-stitch. If you stand back or squint your eyes, the individual elements come together to form a picture. But as you move closer, you begin to notice the pieces that make up the whole.
On the other hand, vector (or object-oriented) graphics are based on mathematical equations of points and paths to represent them in computer files. Since the art is created using lines and curves, it will reproduce as crisply on a business card as it will on a billboard. Think of an ink drawing-no matter how close you get, the lines are still crisp and smooth.
Now that we’ve defined the difference between bit-mapped and vector graphics, here are a few tips to tell which file is which!
1. Files with a TIFF, JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP or PSD suffix are raster-graphics. All photo files are raster images, which is why it is important to provide a designer or printer with the highest resolution file that you have. A low resolution 11″ x 17″ image will only be 2.5″ x 4″ at high resolution. All scanned images are also raster graphics, as are any images imbedded in a Word document.
2. Files with an EPS, AI or SVG suffix are vector graphic files. These graphics have been created by special programs such as Adobe Illustrator and various CAD programs. It’s especially advantageous for logo files, or any graphics that needs to be crisp and clear, to have been created in this format.
3. Why does a low-resolution image look fine on a computer screen or printed from a desktop printer? Computer screens are configured to show low-resolution images clearly. The same is true for most office printers. For professional printing, however, images need to be high-resolution (300dpi). So what looks OK on-screen won’t necessarily look good when printed.
How important do you think it is to have a logo for your business? Sure, mega-international companies like Nike and Apple have instantly recognizable identities, but what are the benefits of a custom designed logo for a small to medium-sized organization with a much smaller budget?
In fact, a well-designed logo may be even more important for them! It gives a competitive advantage to a smaller business seeking to make a favorable first impression in a crowded marketplace. An effective, consistently used logo identifies the business’ core competency and personality. It reflects the organization’s professionalism, quality and pride. It says who they are when they’re not physically in front of their customers. It makes a favorable first impression on new customers and reinforces the organization’s qualities for existing customers.
Studies show that most people remember visuals better than things they read or hear. If someone forgets the name of a business, their memory can be jogged by the graphic representation of the organization-it’s logo! You can think of a logo as a unique abbreviation representing a business.
But what about the cost of a custom-designed logo? An identity designed by a professional designer can cost what seems like a lot of money, but when all the other expenses of starting up and running a business are considered, the money spent on a well-designed logo is a wise long-term investment. A logo is a once-in-a-business-lifetime expense. Amortized over the life of your business, you can see what a reasonable cost it really is, especially for the return you get on having a unique and memorable business identity.
A professionally-designed logo will work in more practical ways as well, such as being legible across a variety of reproduction like business cards, merchandise, web site, display graphics, etc. A logo designer should provide a Style Guide for the logo’s proper use, as well as a variety of appropriate logo file formats.
Imagine the impact a compelling and powerful visual brand has on your customers. Now picture it used with your marketing collateral and your web site—all created specifically to attract and motivate your ideal clients.
I help professional service firms like yours (insurance agencies, law, accounting and engineering) bring your brand and message to life. Looking beyond the obvious for the custom solutions your business needs, I work with you to create marketing communications that resonate with your clients, prospects and partners, and support you in achieving your marketing goals.
