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 »
08.26.2009
This post is the first of its kind on the MHD blog. It’s a collection of links, articles, resources, Tweets, and photos I’ve seen throughout the past week. I keep a running list of the coolest stuff I come across, and want to share with my readers!
Today’s Candy consists of free stuff I’ve seen on various blogs this week. Keep in mind these may have been posted before this week, but I came across it this week. Thanks!
Free Leaf Textures from Naldz Graphics
Free Icons Roundup from BlueBlots
Free Fonts Roundup from InstantShift
Free RSS Icons List from Crazy Leaf
15 Free Design EZines List from Design Reviver
7 Free Vector Wings from Sharebrain
20 Tips on How to Write for the Web from Design Depot – not really a freebie, but still great!
40 Dual Screen Wallpapers from 10 Steps – I have the Mario one!
List of Free Stuff on Creattica – great resource!
Free Rusty Textures on Designer Daily
15 Free Fonts on DZine Blog
17 Outstanding Sources of Advertising Inspiration from DesignM.ag – again, not really free stuff, but inspiration is a good thing to have!
Abstract Curve Brushes on BrushKing
45 WordPress People you need to follow from WooCamp – good stuff!
Photo Gallery WordPress theme list from Best Design Options
Free Flash Catalyst training on Lynda.com from FlashEnabled
Useful and free Adobe Air Apps on Dream Css
That’s it! Enjoy!
Posted in Blog, Free Stuff, Freebies, Uncategorized, Web Design, Wednesday Web Candy | No Comments »
04.21.2009
Not sure about the colors of your new brand? Check out this nifty little tool: Color Scheme Designer
It can help you pick out various color schemes to show your designer. Remember, though, this is not for print colors – only web colors. Your designer will need to match the proper print color, and some blues and reds will not properly translate into print. Just keep in mind that you have to be flexible!
Have fun and happy coloring!
Tags: color, design
Posted in Branding, Cool Websites, Web Design | No Comments »
03.25.2009
Today’s crazy market means that many online business owners must adapt to change. The public’s taste is changing, and so are budgets. People who could once afford your highest-priced items or services may no longer be able to spend money on them. How do you answer to such a tough call without lowering your prices? Simple. Revamp your website to draw budget-minded people in.
Here’s how to do it:
- Place your lower-priced products directly on the front page. Doing this will draw attention to the “thrifty” products you carry without cheapening your brand.
- Create and implement a marketing campaign featuring your lower-priced items or services. Spend a little money to do this if you need to. Show the public that you aren’t afraid to provide them with something they need and/or want for a price they can afford.
- Increase your “bang for the buck.” Instead of lowering prices, offer additional services or a more features with a product or service you already have. Then feature these new offerings on your product pages. If you’re a service business, develop packages that have true value for your budgeting clients. Blog and Twitter about your new packages, and feature them on your website.
- Offer something for free. How many times have you downloaded a free eBook or business checklist? Find out where your strengths lie and then give it to your potential customers! People love free stuff, and if the free item is good, they’ll come back for more.
- Put your contact information (or contact form) in an easily accessible place. Sounds simple, right? Think about how often you try to find a phone number for a company but have to click through 8 pages to find it. Not fun. Your potential clients will go elsewhere. Help them find you! Bonus if you include your phone number.
- Be focused. If you offer several different products or services, make sure your home page focuses on a theme. The easier it is to find things, the more sales you will make!
- Review your site. Keep this important fact in mind – your site is not built for YOU. It is built for your customers. Have several friends or even your current customers review your website. Then (mostly importantly) act on that feedback!
- Optimize! Make sure your keywords are relevant and working. Utilize Google Analytics to make the most of your SEO. The last thing you want right now is for Google to pass you by. Hire a pro to revamp your content or do some advanced SEO for your site. You won’t be disappointed.
- Be prepared to take a hit. Your sales might be down this year, so recognize that this is okay. Remember it could be far worse. Do what you can to draw customers in, but don’t feel like a failure if you’re not performing as well as you did last year.
Need help getting your site recession-ready? Contact Mad Hatter Design Company for help with graphic design, SEO, and custom blog design.
Tags: Web Design
Posted in Business, Economy, General Stuff, Web Design | No Comments »
