Archive for the ‘Learning’ Category

After visiting this blog, I was actually surprised to see that a big company would consider purchasing stock art versus original art. What happens when they do? Your branding gets diluted and loses value. But don`t take my word for it. A picture in this case is worth a thousand words, and quite possibly a few thousand bucks.

Both multimillion dollar companies used the same graphics. This faux pas depreciates their brand.

Don`t get me wrong, from a designer`s perspective, it`s great to see your stuff in print. But mass producing illustrations depreciates your value as artist and even more so to their branding.

Crikey!!

Companies can grow overnight, becoming multimillion dollar giants and their tenure will be short lived when at least part of that sale depends on the branding already established. If a sale is commenced, the symbol that represents that company better be as valuable as the company itself.

This is a lot like the guy who goes out with dirty and ripped undies and he has an accident. I am almost sure that the nurses won`t laugh at the holes and stains- that much.

I wonder if any plastic surgeons have thought of using the McDonald`s logo for their breast enhancement practice. McDoctors! I thought of other ones and they were not proper.

Plastic surgery anyone??

Having your own web site can be pretty exciting. It`s your home on the web. If you are an e-tailer, then it becomes your virtual brick and mortar on the web. However, most web site owners don`t realize what owning a site entails. Specially if you are doing it ALL yourself.

So here are 8 things you need to be (or learn how to do) to maintain your website successfully. (Notice I didn`t say “hire.” You could, however these are things you can learn easily.)

1. e-Marketing Expert-More than just defining your market target and advertising campaigns, you will need to learn how to e-market to your audience that is already on the web.  An example of a great campaign was president elect`s Barack Obama. He used all venues of communication available to him, from Twitter to YouTube, to communicate his message. The result? A successful worldwide campaign that will forever be registered in history. Should you do it? Yes, the quicker the better!
2. Accountant-This one is SOOO easy. Well, software will do this for you! Bypassing your accountant is actually possible if you use software like Intuit`s Quickbooks to keep track of sales, expenses and even payroll. Of course, I would have an accountant double check it, but this is certainly doable.
3. Data Entry-Probably the one I hate most, without data entry, there will be nothing on your site. This encompasses product entry, site and blog content entry and upkeep. Besides being time consuming, it`s boring and tidious. Someone`s got to do it and it might as well be you.
4. Shipping Department-I absolute love that commercial where a new employee is taught how to ship online and his excuse not to do it is “Yeah, I have an M.B.” There are two things you have to worry about in this department. One, presentation. When the client opens that box are they going to say “WOW! I am ordering from them again!” or “What is that oil stain from?” Two, affordability. After seeing many stores adjust their shipping fees so people will purchase their items, you have to wonder how they are doing it. Hint: The bigger the company shipping your item, the likeliness they will treat your precious shipment like, well, it`s not so precious.
   

   Package your goods so well, that they could be photographed for a magazine.

5. Purchasing Manager/Trend Researcher-If you are offering a service, trend researcher would apply to you. Keeping up with the competition means keeping a sharp eye out for all of those things that may sway markets one way over the other, not just what the competition is selling. Even being eco conscious will mean that perhaps your luxurious imported wrapping paper will be not so popular. Another example,-studied a few years back when snow boarding suddenly grew in popularity (I always thought it was popular!):)-was that accessories for a particular sport would be hot selling items if the sport`s popularity grew. Once the niche reached its saturation point, the “extras” were no longer hot and sales dwindled.
6. Social Networker- It`s a little like marketing for Web 2.0. Whether you know what Web 2.0 is or not, this is a definite most do for anyone who wants to BRAND themselves to the masses or to a niche. Networking creates your presence on the web will deter anyone wishing to “soil your good name.” This is not just an extra step, and there are many virtual assistants that offer this service.
7. SEO Expert-Search engine optimization is very important. Getting creative when writing your keywords and keeping up with the search engine algorithms can be exhausting. It`s so important, many companies offering the same service, will step on MY TOES after I set up my clients. Their downfall? I have already warned my clients about THEM!! Their latest? My client tells me they said:”Your browser title tags has 72 characters when only 70 is the maximum.” Really??? Does “information age” mean anything to anyone? When it comes to this, I would pay for someone to teach me, not to do it for me. It`s so easy, my poodle can do it. Get the info right from the source and not from a company who calls you at work (or home).


Browser Title Tags Guidelines as of Nov. 2008 Cited from Planet Ocean. "DUH!!! Your title tags are awful long! Like by two characters!"

8. Copywriter-This would be beneficial, if you can`t write to hire someone to do that for you. But if you can, copywriting is the life of your site. Content is king and you need this as much as you need oxygen. Just keep in mind that if you do decide to hire a copywriter, give her your keywords.

Honorary Mention-Photographer. If window shopping could be done on the web, it would be through your photographs. Buying a light box and being able to retouch them will allow you to have gorgeous pics without a photographer.

After the site, logo and blog is all made to match, you`d think that would be enough to solidify your identity on the web. Not really. Now that you have a logo to brand you, it should be short of tattooed on everyone and decreed that it is committed to memory by everyone who has working eyes.

But because obviously that is not realistic, here are 10 tips to “spread the word” on your logo,

1. Iconize that- Yep everywhere you go, you are asked to upload a picture or an icon to your profile. So why not a mini version of your logo? It`s the simplest way to go when telling people your brand rocks.
2. Be your own avatar- A little different than an icon, an avatar is a mini YOU. So if you had an illustration made to your likeness, you may want to grace the pages of your facebook with you,  illustrated.
   

   Ruta Fox, owner of Divine Diamonds NY makes an illustrated appearance with her sexy and sassy avatar

3. Master (or mistress) of your MySpace-Regardless of the social network you have chosen to deck out in your “business attire”, business pages always look better branded with your logo and graphics that match your site. When consistency is key, make sure ALL of your graphics at least have the same theme.
   

   My MySpace page all decked out.

4. Email me pretty-Yes, even your email can have all the wrappings of your site and more. Why send a plain email? You could be sending links to your store, blog and even social network pages inviting them to further interact with you. The very action of emailing your identity within your email, establishes rapport with your receiver, thus creating branding and clearing the way for a possible sale!
5. Show me your badge!- Have you ever gotten a glittery badge wishing you a happy day? Why not have one with your LOGO? This is just another way in which you can send someone a nice sentiment, branded with your logo.
6. Adorn your Sign up box-That`s right! if you`ve got the right designer, he or she will know how to make your sign up more that pretty, but so cute everyone will want to sign up.
   

   Please enter your name- You know you want to!!

7. You are my Fave!- Favicons are another way to make that branding stick. They come in a variety of styles from animated to scrolling with text. Pick a style and brand!
8. Background graphics- That background may not be the same one in your site, but it surely can carry your message. I love Old Navy`s background repetition of their initials. It`s a bit subliminal, yet effective at delivering what they intended, their branding into your head.
9. Your e-John Hancock please-Okay besides what you may be thinking, I really mean your signature. Forums and networks allow users to create sigs, an image with your information and hyperlinked to your site. Do I have to say what you could be doing with it??? I think you get the idea.:D
10. A different kind of Icon- From RSS feeds to email me graphics, these can all have a little something that makes it feel like they belong to your site. They are easily recognizable and maintain that much needed continuity.

I apologize for being repetitious, but if there is something you must do when creating branding, is trying to keep as much consistency within all the pages that have your name. Happy branding!

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… C: wait… SD: wait…

Any one with 10 fingers and a decent computer can create a graphic. (Have you seen the guy that can create the Mona Lisa in MS Paint?) Logos, however, are a bit more complicated. Even some of the most skilled designers will hit a dud. But more than skilled, they have vision, able to transcend the indecisiveness and confusion of the client.

Your Logo will represent YOUR perceived value and quality of your product or service and persuading the masses to buy, thus creating branding, a by-product of your logo. If a logo is not well designed, the opposite happens.

But before you fork out any cash to any designer, here are some things to keep in mind and questions to ask your chosen designer;

1. Font sample anyone?- Just like the cheese sampler plate at the supermarket gets everyone`s hands in it, so will a free font. Whether you are paying $35 or $2500, if the font used was free, you might as well get that logo free too. Fonts alone can make the logo! They communicate feeling just like a picture can. Make sure that if anyone else wants to “borrow” inspiration from your branding, your designer has, at least made it hard enough for them to try. I have been known to splurge on fonts, but even before I spring the cash for fonts, I make sure no one is giving the chosen font away free.


A gorgeous logo achieved through simplicity.

2. You got PMS?-Although most printing companies have accommodated digital printing, specialized type printing still go CMYK. Even more than CMYK, PMS, the Pantone Matching System is the leading color system for the printing industry. What does this mean to you? As long as your graphic designer used the proper software, this should not be a problem. Other wise, be prepared to pay someone else to decipher the colors.
3. Vector, Pixels and you- The way your logo (or illustration) is made really does matter. Just like the difference between whole wheat and white bread, there is a difference between vector and pixel based graphics. Vector graphics can be resized without loss of resolution, whereas pixel(bitmap) base graphics will not resize as gracefully. 300 dpi is the norm for printing, 350 is better. Web resolution is best between 72 to 92 dpi. Once again, as long as your graphic designer used the proper software, this should not be a problem. If your logo is in bitmap format, it will have to be rasterized.
4. License to what?- This one can be tricky, specially with illustrations. I rarely place restrictions on logos, and only do so if they have an elaborate graphic. Regardless of restrictions, the client must always be free to brand themselves with the logo. If your designer used a graphic from a stock company, you`ve got more than a trick to deal with. Most stock companies place costly printing and distribution restrictions on their graphics to be able to resell them. Branding yourself with them will be near impossible, not to mention your new look will be shared with a few hundred thousand people. So ALWAYS ask the designers, Do you draw your own graphics or use stock companies??
5. Something borrowed, something stolen?-Michael de Meng has the following to say about creativity: “In my view, creativity is a rampant thievery mixed with reinterpretation . . . I see the act [of creativity] as being like a martini shaker, in which you add all those ingredients that you like or admire.  Three parts Picasso, two parts Joseph Cornell, seven parts Mexican Folk Art, a splash of abstract expressionism, and garnish with a twist of Daidism.”[C1] I couldn`t agree more, and would like to add the following, “If you are not creative enough to reinterpret someone`s idea and make it your own, then perhaps you are in the wrong business.” Many have been the times I have found my designs mangled into someone`s idea of a site. Taking a bunch of ideas and creating your own design is a gift. Photoshopping someone else`s work and selling it as your own, it`s plagiarism in the new millennium.


Asking someone to respect your copyright is one thing, telling them not to be "inspired" by your work is ridiculous. There is a right and a wrong way to interpret ideas.

6. Research for Dummies- Before you go to a tattoo parlor, you know exactly what you want on your skin. After all tattoos are a lifetime commitment. Well, so it`s a logo. Very few companies change their logo radically, for fear they will lose their already established branding. So before you go to the designer, research what your target market is and start from there. Oh, and for those who after giving the designer all the information, still research more and hand that to the designer after they started drawing, that is equivalent to you saying, “hey wait, I think I want a red heart instead of a green dragon” after the tattoo guy has started inking you green.
7. Will you Jump off the bridge, if everyone else does?- When following a trend, always ask yourself, is everyone doing it? If so, to what extent? I know that to some degree, in order to attract the masses you may have to accommodate a less-than-appealing-to-you design. Compromising your style for the sake of maintaining yourself in the competition, may mean you will be vying for attention in a already saturated market. What to do? If girly is what you like and it`s your style, go for it. If contemporary is more like it, knock yourself out. Make sure you are doing this and giving it your own flavor and communicating that to your designer. Being yourself may mean the difference between getting a beautiful logo or getting a copy of a better logo.
8. Speak now or forever hold your peace- Always let the designer know whether they are on the right track or not. It`s a little like playing hot potato with the vision in your head. If you are not able to speak the picture, draw it, collage it, do anything you need to do to get the design out of your head and to your designer.
9. Keep it simple- I love frill just as much as the next girl, but a logo that is more like an illustration will go out of style faster than one that is simple. Usually the rule is, if it can be sized up or down and still be identified and if it looks good in grayscale. I also like to see if taking out all color and just leaving it black and white will make it change in any way for me. It just my little quirk, I`m sure other designers have theirs.



10. Hire a surgeon for surgery- Designers go to school and learn the art of communicating with graphics, just like any professional in their field. Better than education, experience based on that education will show in the quality of the work. So when choosing a designer, a) See how many companies are still in business and using their graphics, (here is one of my first logos) b)Who do they prefer to work with, sole proprietors, small businesses or corporations. This will give you an idea on how to create rapport with the designer. c)How accessible are they? Phone? Email? d) Above all, make sure you are given a contract you can understand. If you can`t understand it, ask for their short version! I have one!

C1-The Abundance Blog

Regardless of what business you are in, giving your graphics that girly flavor brings a different spin to an old and tired concept. Girly design is always trendy and can revive your business.

Whether you are starting out from scratch, redesigning or creating your stationery, girly design lends itself to many options. You don`t have to paint everything Pink, color is just one of the many choices you have.

From elegant patterns to fun, colorful backgrounds, putting your girly design together can be your opportunity create something truly special.

Here is a “to do” list before you hire a designer.

1. After selecting your business name you should buy a domain. The best place to go is godaddy.com. However if you have purchased your domain else where you do not have to transfer it.
   
2. Do not buy .net or .biz! Buy a .com. Example www.mybusinessname.com
3. Hosting is your next step. Keep in mind that just because you may be paying 2 or 3 dollars for hosting, they will not have the scripts and databases to run your site.You may consider gatorhost.com or hostmonster, or bluehost.
4. How are you accepting payment? Do you have paypal? 2checkout.com? Propay? Talk with your designer to help you select a provider that is compatible.
5. When you think of your logo, if you are saying to yourself “I will know when I see it,” you are not ready for a designer. Comeback when you have a clear idea of the concept you are after.
   
6. eBay can offer a place for exposure, it`s like paid advertising. You can use the traffic that comes to eBay by redirecting it to your site. DO NOT OPEN A STORE! Just have auctions one every 10 days to start out with and add more as you may need more. Also host your images on your own server-or site, you save money that way. Also having a template with an animation keeps your customer longer on your page rather than browsing and leaving.

Logos

A girly logo is a simple mark, monogram or design that is made to be recognized quickly, thus creating a brand for you.

The Benefits?

Many! Girly logos create your identity! A simple graphic can create a brand that is not just unforgettable but always recognized. It always be associated with you and your product or service. Print your girly logo everywhere! From postcards to t-shirts, it is yours to brand as you wish!

Girly Characters

A girly character can be equally as important as your logo. It can be used alone, or along with a logo and illustration. The best part about it, is that the character is you on the web. Your boutique rep selling to customers when you are not there. They can be made to resemble you or in the likeness of whoever you want.

The Benefits?

Just as a logo, a hip character is easily recognizable. Branding is the name of the game here and a trendy girl character will make you a winner. It creates a quick association to you and your product or service! Adding simple text will make it a girly logo. The best part is that she is yours to brand, brand, brand! Use her on your promotional items, store signage and girly stationery.

Hip and Girly Boutique Illustration

La creme de la creme! These hip and girly boutique illustrations can set you apart and the only limit is your imagination. These include patterns, furniture, rugs, wall decor, curtains… Everything you could possibly need inside your boutique on the web! I love these because you can go crazy showing off the style you love best. You can add a few girly characters and show of your family or business partner.

The Benefits?

There are no limits to the benefits! These make gorgeous postcards that only YOU have. The elements inside can decorate your website, further branding you and reiterating your identity, not just on the web, but in the real world. These hip and girly boutique illustrations are so custom, that every detail is a luxury.  It adds value to your project and sets you apart from the competition.