Blog
11.06.2010
For those of your branching out to try something new in this recession, you know you’re going to need a website. A new venture requires an online presence, and it’s not that hard to get it done at a price you can afford.
Let me start off by saying that I’m a firm believer in shelling out the dough for a professional to design your logo and website – not because I’m a professional and I want you to give me your money (hehe), but because a professional designer is trained in the art of designing for business.
The key thing a designer can give you (that you can’t do on your own, unless you have design experience) is a true vector logo. A vector logo is created in such a way that you can use it for all kinds of applications, large or small. It can be scaled to any size without losing quality. A pro designer knows the computer programs to create this type of logo for you. If you’re thinking of throwing together a text logo in Photoshop, think again.
Your pro designer is experienced (hopefully!) and can guide you in creating something unique for your business. It takes time, and logos do not come cheap, but the money is well spent. Your designer should do research to make sure your design is unlike anything else out there, and should also make sure you aren’t violating any copyrights. Your logo is the face of your business and will be with you for many years. Don’t skimp.
Another thing your designer can give you is a professionally designed website with good search engine optimization built right in. Sure, lots of people can build a quick site in Dreamweaver, but it takes a pro to get the search engine particulars just right. A pro web designer can coach you on the proper way to write content for your site, how to structure pages so they make sense to the user, how to choose the proper keywords (It’s not as simple as you might think!) and a million other things that non-professionals don’t think about (because they aren’t aware!). Again, don’t skimp.
I said all that to say this – you want to start out on the right foot. Set yourself up for success. Hire a pro, save yourself a headache, and get it done right the first time around.
Posted in Blogging, Business, Products We Love, Web Design, Wordpress | No Comments »
04.12.2010
It’s true, Adobe Ideas 1.0 is much more than a sketch pad for the iPad. This little jewel of an app is free and it makes a big splash!
Think of this – you’re at a client meeting outside your office. Your client expresses some ideas about their new branding. You whip out your iPad, open up Adobe Ideas 1.0, and start sketching out your client’s ideas. In vector format. With your finger. That’s right. Every motion you make with your finger renders into a smooth line with editable vector points. Drawing and photo layers are separate, like in Photoshop, and you can even sketch on top of photos from your photo library! Sketches can be duplicated easily so you can create multiple versions of the same idea.
But, you may ask, what shall I do with a vector graphic file on my iPad? Well, email it to yourself in PDF format, of course, so you can edit the file on your iMac in Illustrator or Photoshop when you get back to the office.
“Holy moly, are you serious?” you may ask. Yes. Yes I am. When I opened Adobe Ideas 1.0 on my iPad, I almost had a heart attack. I couldn’t believe how incredibly feature packed this little app is. This is what designers have been waiting for.
I couldn’t manage to get the color schemes working properly, but I have to say – for free, Adobe Ideas 1.0 is worth it. With a few more features, like a properly working color scheme generator, and the ability to import the swatches into CS4 on my iMac, I would pay good money for an app like this.
Good work, Adobe! You have a winning idea here!
Tags: Adobe, Adobe Ideas 1.0, iPad
Posted in Adobe, Adobe Ideas 1.0, Apple, Products We Love, iPad | No Comments »
09.29.2009
Instant gratification for less than the typcial in-store Venti beverage.
People are calling Starbucks new Via Instant Coffee a “down-market” drink. I think the drink and its rollout embody all that a company should in a time of recession – change and development. It may not be the same as a freshly brewed cup of Breakfast Blend, but it’s most certainly a step up from home- (or office-)brewed Folgers!
Those of you who know me, know that I preach renewal, change, adaptation, and perseverance during these hard times. Starbucks closed around 600 stores in 2008. They had to make changes to stay afloat. Tapping into a market that desires fast services for a smaller fee may help pull them through the recession.
The company hopes to tap into the huge market of instant coffee, while simultaneously boosting the not-so-popular beverage’s image. Their new product boasts a delicious cup of Joe for less than the cost of buying a brewed cup in-store. Buyers have been reportedly using the powder to bake with (I’d like to try this, as coffee greatly enhances the flavor of chocolate), as well as using it for its intended purpose – a fast cup of coffee during a busy work day.
I think they have a real shot at boosting sales and grabbing their share of the market. They’re providing a quality product that people can afford. I can’t wait to taste it!
Think they can pull this one off? I do. After all, they are the ‘Bucks!
Please share your thoughts on this!
Tags: Branding, Business, Economy, Funny Products, Starbucks
Posted in Blog, Branding, Economy, Launches, Products We Love | No Comments »
03.24.2009
I just love this Mad Tea Party glass! And for only 5 bucks, it would make a nice vessel for my morning iced tea! Delightful!
Check it out here!
Posted in Product Design, Products We Love, Uncategorized | No Comments »
01.15.2009
I purchased the Rockable Press How to be a Rockstar WordPress Designer this morning and let me tell you, it is awesome!! You need to have a good grasp of HTML and CSS before taking this course, but other than that, it’s a great way to get started designing your own themes! You get demo files and themes to work with when you purchase the book! It doesn’t get much better than that!
Too cool!
Click here to check out Rockable’s awesome products!
Oh, and you can click the Rockable Banner in the sidebar to purchase it directly!
Posted in Products We Love, Wordpress | No Comments »
