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Archive for the ‘Small Business’ Category

A Satisfied Client Is Your Business’ Most Effective Marketing

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

A few months ago I was reading the paper when I saw an ad for my bank offering a free iPad to any new customer who opened a checking account with them. “Wait a minute!” I thought, “I’ve been a loyal customer of this bank for years!” I’ve dutifully upped my minimum balance or signed up for direct deposit whenever their parameters for “free” checking changed. I pay bills and transfer money on-line- I’m practically an unpaid employee of theirs, doing all of the work that in-real-life tellers used to routinely handle. For all of this, I’ve been rewarded by my bank with…nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Certainly never an iPad. (more…)

Tags: marketing
Posted in marketing, Small Business | Comments Off

Chicken Dancing in Paris

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

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…)

Tags: communications, France, marketing, Travel
Posted in design, marketing, Small Business | Comments Off

Business Cards-Tiny Marketing Pieces That Have A Big Impact

Monday, March 21st, 2011

In this world of increasing on-line business relationships, e-marketing, and v-cards, you could be forgiven if you think that business cards are passé. But a well-thought out and executed business card can have a big impact on your clients and prospects. I’ve had prospects call me years after they first received my card because they found my card interesting enough to save. That’s an impression that a v-card just can’t match!

Even though business cards are small in size, a surprising amount of information can fit in that space. The Small Business Blog lists nine “must-haves” for every business card. And, if you need inspiration to take your card to the next level, designmess.com offers these creative business cards to inspire you!

Tags: branding, business cards, Corporate Identity, design
Posted in Corporate Identity, marketing, Small Business | Comments Off

When to Hire a Professional Copywriter

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

Maybe you think it’s odd that I would be writing about hiring copywriters, but it’s not so out of my scope as a designer. I’ve worked on many projects that I’ve made look great, but the best design in the world isn’t going to sell if the copy isn’t clear, is written poorly with incorrect grammar and punctuation, or isn’t written with the intended target audience in mind.

Sonja Simone on copyblogger has written an excellent post on when it’s better to hire a professional writer. When you add carefully crafted copy to strategic design, it adds up to the best possible combination!

Tags: copywriter, writing for web sites
Posted in marketing, Small Business | Comments Off

Five Tips for a Better Trade Show Exhibit

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

“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:

Does your display clearly convey what your business is and how it benefits those who use your products or services? Clear messaging will bring you more- and more qualified- visitors.
Are you saying too much? Attendees walking the aisles only have time to look at graphics and read a few words before they move on to the next booth. Bold images and concise copy are more effective in capturing interest than paragraphs of copy and complicated graphics.
Are the graphics you are using for your booth legible? Most people will be looking at your display from a distance as they are walking, so make sure text is large enough, photos and graphics are big and sharp, and fonts are legible enough, with enough contrast, to be understood quickly.
Do your booth graphics reinforce the look and feel of your brand? Consistent marketing communications will help reinforce who you are and what you do and make your business more memorable.
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…”

Tags: branding, marketing, trade show
Posted in Advertising, design, marketing, Small Business | 1 Comment »

Ten Tips for Building A Better Web Site

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

Are you considering updating your business’ web site? What’s that you say…you still don’t HAVE a site for your business? Whether you’re planning a re-launch or a brand new site, here are some things to consider to create a better experience for visitors and a more successful web presence for your business.

Identify What Your Site Will Need

Structure and Appearance

Visit competitors’ sites and browse sites that visually appeal to you for ideas.

Functionality

Decide what functionality you would like your site to have. Forms, shopping carts, analytics, etc. ideally should be incorporated into your site at the outset.

Graphics

Will any graphics need to be specifically created for your site? Do you have files available for your logo and any other existing graphics you will need?

Keywords and Search Engines

Think about what keywords people might use to search for your product or service. Sites like wordtracker.com provide information for search engine optimization. Use their free trial for an idea of how appropriate keywords will work with search engines. These words should be incorporated into your content and your page titles.

Maintenance

With a Content Management System, you can make content changes to the site yourself rather than relying on the designer to make changes.

Web Site Dos and Don’ts

The most effective web design is one that utilizes quality content as a foundation. A beautiful-looking web site can only do so much if the content is not relevant or well-written.
DO provide an intuitive and consistent interface. Visitors shouldn’t have to guess how to navigate through the pages of a website. If you doubt it, check out this site for Sprint.
DO make your information easily accessible. Organize content into logical pages that are easily identifiable. Many visitors will get discouraged and leave if they can’t find specific information for which they are looking. Visit this site for Dell Laptops and see how long it takes to find useful information.
DO Minimize Clicks. Create a chain between the user and the information on your website in as few clicks as possible. See Bow-WowBooks as an example of what not to do.
DON’T use an “Enter Site” link or a Flash intro page that makes a visitor work to get to the heart of your site. Many viewers won’t even bother clicking the link, instead navigating to another site. And, aside for user experience, Flash does not play well with search engines! To get a flavor of this type of frustration, visit jones, partners: architecture.
DON’T use distracting animation, graphics or sound. Excessive Flash animations, animated GIFs, blinking text, music, etc. contribute to an unprofessional look. If you don’t believe it, check out this extreme example at Fabric Land.

Tags: design, marketing, web sites
Posted in marketing, Small Business, Web Design | 4 Comments »

Cookie Cutters are for Baking, NOT for Web Sites

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

cookie-cutters

Recently I was asked to review the existing web site of a potential client. It was built using a free site template from a major business software provider, and it had all the tell-tale signs…generic graphics and an unsophisticated layout, a restrictive and bland content area…in other words, it could have been any site for any company and was completely unmemorable.

Worst of all, the site had no search engine visibility! Because of the numerous search engine optimization faux pas I discovered in the coding, I was not at all surprised by the business owner’s complaint that no one could find them on the web. Web site templates can be based on outdated code and standards and not built for web accessibility, W3C compliance or cross-browser compatibility.

Further investigation into the “free” website service revealed that users are locked into hosting on the software company’s servers only, e-mail is extra, and should a site grow to more than 5 pages, then additional costs begin to add up dramatically. The bottom line is, the benefits of the free website were skewed toward the software company and not the small business.

In contrast, a custom-designed web site is designed and built around a business’ particular brand and it’s personality, taking into account the purpose and audience of the site. It provides a company with the unique visual appeal that their customers want to see and will respond to. A custom site offers flexibility to incorporate the functionality that the business will need to keep their site growing, useful and productive for years to come. When site issues arise, a client can call their web designer for support. How responsive do you think support for a free site will be, and what are the chances you will speak to the same person every time you call?

Recently, this software company has been running TV ads touting the benefits of using their free site design tools over hiring a professional, alluding that web site designers are unreliable, over-priced and slow. I imagine there are such designers out there, the same as in every industry, but I know there are many more who will do a wonderful job for you at a fair price and in a timely manner. My blog entry on “How To Hire the Right Designer for You” will give you tips on how to hire wisely.

Even for small sites, custom web site design is really the best option. A cookie-cutter site will never make a business stand out from its competitors. If a site looks generic and cheap, then so does the business it represents.

Tags: budgets, design, designers, marketing, web sites
Posted in Corporate Identity, Creativity, design, SEO, Small Business, Web Design | 1 Comment »

KISSing for Good Logo Design?

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

You’re probably familiar with the K.I.S.S. Principle…Keep It Simple Stupid. Simplicity is an important design consideration when it comes to logos, too. The most successful logos are simple, memorable, timeless, versatile and appropriate.

Simple. When a logo is simple, it is an “easy read” and adaptable. Think of the Nike swoosh or McDonald’s. Besides the fact that there are millions of marketing dollars promoting their identity, the logos are still unique and effective.

Memorable. An effective logo needs to be memorable. Simple logos are highly memorable as well as very efficient in conveying the message that the client wants to get across. No one wants to work hard at deciphering what a logo is trying to say!

Timeless. Leave fashion trends to your wardrobe. A logo should be timeless—just as effective in 10 or 20 years as it is the day it was conceived. This is the public face of your business and if it looks dated in a few years…well, then, so will your company.

Versatile. One reason I design all logos first in black-and-white is because it needs to be just as effective in it’s simplest form as it does in a full-color brochure. Very complicated logos, or logos overly dependent on color to make them work, lose clarity when they are reproduced in one-color. A logo also should look just as good on a business card as it would on a billboard.

Appropriate. A logo should be appropriate for its intended purposes, i.e.; an undertaker’s logo wouldn’t use neon colors or a casual or childish font. It is also not critical that the logo actually show what a business does or sells. Apple Computer’s logo doesn’t show a computer…Toyota’s logo doesn’t show a car. A logo is for identification and when used consistently will become shorthand for the business.

Paul Rand, the iconic logo designer, said that, “It is only by association with a product, a service, a business, or a corporation that a logo takes on any real meaning. A logo derives its meaning and usefulness from the quality of that which it symbolizes. If a company is second rate, the logo will eventually be perceived as second rate.”

Are there other principles of good logo design that you think are important?

Tags: branding, design, Logos
Posted in Corporate Identity, design, Logos, Small Business | Comments Off