Boutique By Design

Our Blog Has Moved - Join Us In Our New Location

2012-02-14T22:34:00.000-08:00

We've revamped our brand and have recreated a whole new blog. We invite you to pop by and begin following us on our new platform. Better feeds, articles and experiences. Promise!

http://boutiquebydesign.com/blog/

Love Coupons For Kids - Free Printable From Boutique By Design

2012-02-09T15:32:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is a celebration of adoration and its not just for adults. I love finding creative and new gift ideas to give my children's on this day of love.

This year I decided to design a series of Love Coupons especially tailored for children. From "movie night" to "create your own adventure" and everything in between. I'm so excited to see my kid's faces as they read through each thrilling license to rule.

If you'd like to do the same for your children, just click on this link and download the Love Coupon pdf. Once downloaded, open up the file, print it out and cut out the coupons. You can then slide them into an envelope, a gift card box, a Chinese take out box, or anything that would make the perfect gift.

Here's how the coupons look:

Here's how I will be presenting these fun coupons to my children....

Happy Valentine's Day!

Manageable Marketing Part 2 ~ Resources for Small Business & the Mompreneur

2012-02-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

Last week we introduced the first part in our series of “Manageable Marketing”. Where we offered resources and tips to maximize the time you spend marketing your business and brand.

You are: mother extraordinaire, a super wife, a fabulous friend and an indiepreneur. Finding time to self promote in your already compressed day, can be incredibly challenging. The secret is to make it manageable. The following resources will help …

Feedback will prevent heart attack.
Marketing…the one word that evokes stomach pain, a cold sweat and potential heart failure. But all good business owners know it must be done. Before you can market, you need to understand what your business offers and to who its offering. If you are a clever indiepreneur, you already have some form of social media followers, perhaps newsletter subscribers, or dedicated RSS followers. These people have agreed to commit to your business and receive all the gloriousness you can offer. So…USE these dedicated individuals and improve your marketing approach.

PopSurvey.com allows you to create an amazing online survey for your business. It is a paid service with a free 30 day trial. Create a survey that asks every question you should know about your target market and how you can better service them. Questions may include:

What would you like to see from our business this year?
Describe our business using three words
What was your most favorite thing about following out business in the last year?
What would you like to see from us this year?
Thank you for following our blog, what topics would you like us to cover?
Would you be interested in contributing an article to our blog for your own personal promotion?
What is your favorite means of connect with our business? Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Website, Blog, etc.

Use the survey to really begin to understand what methods of marketing work and who they are reaching. Keep the answers received and study them. Then begin to alter or tweak your strategies. Remember, knowledge is empowering and feedback prevents heart attack.

Is your website making the marketing grade?
What if I told you there was a magic little tool that could analyze your website and provide you with a performance report card. Wouldn’t you love to know what is working and what needs attention? If you are like me you have spent a considerable amount of time perfecting your online presence AND an even great amount of money ensuring its success. Now, lets see how well you’re doing…

Hubspot’s Marketing Grader is a FREE and fabulous resource for understanding how your site is performing. Learn how well you are doing in 3 critical areas.

Are you doing enough to bring visitors to your website and fill the top of your sales and marketing funnel? How are your content creation, optimization and website promotion skills?
How do you do when it comes to converting traffic into leads and leads into customers? Do your landing pages, conversion forms, email marketing and social media efforts compare?
Do you know what marketing activities are working (or aren't working)? Do you measure your successes and failures?

Join us next week as bring you part three in our Manageable Marketing series.

Manageable Marketing Part 1~ Resources for Small Business & the Mompreneur

2012-02-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

Take a look in the mirror and what do you see? Mother extraordinaire, super wife, self professed caffeine mistress and one heck of an awesome girlfriend. To top it all off you’ve decided to also pursue your passion and make a career out of it. You’re an entrepreneur and loving every minute of it!

So, in your already compressed day, how do you find time to market your business? We all know that marketing is critical for business success. But to what degree and at what cost?

Ditch the stress and discover the secret to making marketing manageable. The following resources will help you reach larger audiences in significantly less time and all with amazing results. Oh, and the best part, they are all free!

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn...Oh My! ~ Manage Your Social Media with One Tool

Social media has become THE way to market today. Never before have we been able to obtain this type of market reach, this quickly and this economically. If you are in business, you MUST be using some type of social media. SO now your saying, “duh! That’s not revolutionary”. You’re right. But Hootsuite is…

Hootsuite is a free online service that saves you time and your sanity. Monitor and post to multiple social networks, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more using the all in one dashboard. Create one message and reach all of your social media sites at once. Schedule messages, track your success, and take it anywhere you go as it also offers a mobile app. Reach a broader audience in a quarter of the time.

Get fired up… “RSS” defined
Google Feedburner provides you with a method of building and managing RSS feeds. If you just finished that statement with a “RSS huh?!?” comment, then we need to chat…

What if you could tell a website or blog to let you know every time that it updated? And what if you added that service to your own website or blog for your own viewers to subscribe to? Allowing each and every person who came to your site the option to sign up and commit to your business. In a sense, this is what RSS does for you. RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication." It is a technology that is being used by millions of web users around the world to keep track of their favorite websites much like we did in the old days when we would “bookmark” a website and return to it later. RSS eliminates this and instead delivers a website's new content right to our inbox.

I know you've seen the icon below everywhere and now you know what it means.

Now back to Google Feedburner… This service is 100% free and will allow you to track all your RSS subscriptions as well as build huge website or blog traffic. Visit the Google Feedburner site and get started.

Join us next week as bring you part two in our Manageable Marketing series. OR subscribe to our RSS feed and have the content delivered directly to your inbox!

I {Heart} Printables ~ Valentine's Day Freebies

2012-01-27T11:00:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is upon us and love is definitely in the air. But I'm not talking about the normal kind of love, I'm referring to MY love for all things gorgeous, creative, and inspirational currently surfacing to mark this celebration of adoration.

Click on the links below to access an amazing collection of fabulous and FREE Valentine's Day printable downloads...

Valentine's Candy Matchbook

by All Things Simple

Valentine's Heart Pancakes

By Jenni Price

Valentine Party Circles

By Anything But Perfect

Fun Fungi Valentines Cards

By A Fanciful Twist

Valentine's Treat Box

By Penny Candy Studios

Valentine's Goodie Bags

By Twig and Thistle

Heartbreaker Wrappers

By Made

So Fortunate To Have You - Teacher Gifts

By Eighteeen 25

Be Mine Cards

By The Rubber Punkin

Rock Candy

By Disney Family Fun

I hope you enjoy these fab freebies. Happy Valentine's Day!

Caution: 14 Signs Your Brand Needs Help

2012-01-25T05:30:00.000-08:00

You know that a strong and consistent brand is the key to business success. If success has not found you, then understanding how to make your brand fantastic just might be what’s holding you back.

The first step to fabulous is to identify the problem. Remember that if your business is in the public eye it already has a brand. Whether you intended it or not, your business has a look, a graphic system, a concept and a personality. But, is it one you are proud of and one that will bring you success?

Check out the list below and take note of your answers. The points you agree to are those that need attention – they might be the ones damaging your brand and preventing your success.

You don’t understand branding and have ignored the fact you need one for your business.
You think a logo and branding is the same thing.
You do not use the same logo consistently on your website, printed materials, social media sites or blog.
You do not use a consistent graphic system to represent your business – colours, fonts, graphics etc.
Like your graphics, your brand concept changes from project to project.
Your brand graphics and offering is the same as your competitions.
You hate the look of your website, blog or other brand elements.
You have not updated your online sites within the last year. (Does your copy right date still say 2009?)
You ask people to subscribe to your social media sites, blogs and newsletters, but then never offer anything of value in return.
No one understands what your business does or offers.
You are unable to describe your business using one sentence.
You do not use your online analytics or insights as a guide for branding.
You do not have a sales target. Or, if you do, you are not meeting it.
The people you are attracting are not the ones you define as your “target” market.

If you agreed to any of the points above please know that this is not a sign of failure. It’s a signal for change. The most important thing is knowing where to begin to adjust and tweak. Grow your brand by tackling each point one by one. Branding is a critical aspect of business, and knowing what it means for your business is very important. You’ve already begun to grow and strengthen your brand by recognizing the need for change. Just think of how fabulous your business will be once your finished!

Need help? No worries. We are branding “geeks” at Boutique By Design. Branding is our passion and our business. Just comment below with your concerns or contact us via email. We’d love to help!

The Best, Easiest & Cheapest Tip For Facebook Marketing.

2012-01-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

Are you missing one of the biggest marketing opportunities Facebook has to offer for business pages? Marketing on social media can be tough, but this little tip will bring you BIG results...

The profile image is the only image found in the top left corner of your Facebook business page. This area is considered a constant element and one that should be used to its full potential. Did you know that this image can be a size of 180 pixels wide by 540 pixels high? Here’s how that size looks…

That’s a serious amount of real estate if you ask me, so be sure to maximize this marketing opportunity. Here’s how:

Hire a designer (contact Boutique By Design, we’d love to help!) or use a photo editing program to create your own
Make sure to keep your branding consistent on your facebook page so that you remain memorable in within your target market. Do this by using your logo as well as your brand colours, graphics and business concept. For example, if you have a website, make sure your Facebook profile image matches it.
It a good idea to also include elements that quickly define your business within this image as well. This might be a list of services, popular products, a photograph, your tagline, your website URL, a mention of a special offer, etc. The idea is to grab and keep the attention of the viewer.
Remember to keep this image orderly and nicely balanced. Too much content will result in an ineffective profile image.

For inspiration, here are some of the designs I’ve created for our clients:

I hope that give you lots of inspiration! Please share your facebook link in the comments below. I'd love to see your revamped profile images.

Get paid anywhere. Its like having a money tree...

2012-01-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

If you are in business, you are going to love what I have discovered. It’s almost as good as a money tree… almost! A small device and app that magically allows you to accept all major credit card payments anywhere you go. If you have a mobile phone, tablet or other mobile device then get ready to change the way you do business.

Receive payments anywhere you go! Imagine the opportunities:

Craft fairs,
Tradeshows,
Markets,
Trunk shows.
Garage or yard sales,
School fairs,
The sky is the limit!

Select your country below and check out the details:

Canada – Kudos Payments

Functions on: Apple, Android, or BlackBerry
Payments Accepted: VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover
Card Reader Costs: $99.99
Transaction Fees: Only 2.9% + $0.20 per transaction. All cards, all the time.

This is Canada’s only credit card reader. Kudos allows you to turn your Apple, Android, or BlackBerry into a mobile payment terminal. Plug the Kudos card reader into the phone jack of your phone, download the free Kudos Mobile app, and begin accepting swiped credit cards on location in minutes. Kudos promises: no monthly fees, no minimums, no surcharges, and quick funding. You can’t beat that!

Australia - ICCPay

Functions on: iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.
Payments Accepted: All major credit cards can be accepted via payment gateways. The gateways include SecurePay • eWAY • DPS PaymentExpress
Card Reader Costs: No card reader is required. This is an Apple app instead.
App Cost: $9.49
Transaction Fees: Depend on the gateway you use.

This is the first iPhone app to specifically support Australian gateways and AUD currency. No other hardware is required, just your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.
You need an internet merchant account and a supported payment gateway listed below to process credit cards with iCCPay. There are no extra fees associated with using iCCPay, however internet merchant account and payment gateway fees will vary by bank and gateway chosen.

United States – Square Up

Functions on: Smart phone, iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.
Payments Accepted: VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover
Card Reader Costs: Free
Transaction Fees: Only 2.75% per swipe for all cards.

Square Up lets you accept credit cards quickly and easily, using what you already have in your pocket: your phone. When you want to know how much money you’ve made, a simple multiplication will do. No more scrambling with complex fees and hidden costs. All fess are taken per transaction so there are no bills later to worry about. Perfect and oh so easy!

I can not be more excited about these products. They are an extraordinary tool for any small business. Imagine the sales you will be conducting. Told ya we'd found something almost as good as a money tree...almost!

Have you used these products? I love to hear your review in the comments below.

6 Free & Festive Facebook Profile Pictures

2011-12-07T21:45:00.001-08:00

I have had a lot of requests for custom designed Facebook Profile Pictures lately. So I thought it would be fun to extend some Christmas cheer and offer some festive freebies. Each of the designs below can be downloaded for free (or copied/saved by right clicking your mouse on the images). Once on your computer simply upload to your Facebook Personal Profile or Business Page like you would any other image. Not sure how? Click here for a quick tutorial.

Use the blank space in the design above and below to add your own text.

Download a pdf with all 6 designs for free.

Please note: you will need to convert the pdf files to jpegs before importing to your Facebook pages. Here's a tutorial to show you how - click here.

I hope you have as much fun using these on your pages as I did creating them. Please post a link of your Facebook page in the comments below. I'd love to see these designs in action!

Happy Holidays!

Six Tips for Advertising Like the Pros

2011-11-30T01:00:00.000-08:00

Advertising is a critical part of your business. Without it, you won’t have a business. Creating the perfect ad layout and marketing campaign can be really tricky if you don’t understand the basic concepts. These 6 tips will have you advertising like the pros…

Audience:
It’s important to understand your audience (target market). Placing your ads on websites or newspapers that cater to your target market is one thing, but you must also design your ads to appeal to that audience too. If you are unsure of exactly who your audience is, try one of the following methods:

Take a look at your Facebook Insights. This valuable marketing data will tell you exactly who has visited your page, read your content and commented on your wall. This data is broken down into gender and age as well.
If you use Google Analytics, you can also understand who is visiting your website and what they are purchasing. This data is broken down into many valuable aspects all of which will help you determine your target or niche market.
Take a look at who is purchasing your products and services. How old are they, how much are they spending, what gender are they, who are they purchasing for? The answers will also help you to define your audience.

When you understand your audience, you will sell more. Promise!

Copy Writing:
Even if you have the most well designed ad, it’s the text that sells. Make sure your text is clear, concise, enticing and invokes a response with the viewer. For example, instead of saying “Sale on handmade baked goods!”, try this text instead “When was the last time you indulged yourself?”. When you engage and entice your audience, you will get results.

Call-to-Action:
Adding elements that require a reaction from your audience will get results. This may include “click here” text or a link that promises to “get your FREE sample”. If we use the sample text from the above point, we might add the following call-to-action: “When was the last time you indulged yourself? You deserve to click here” OR “When was the last time you indulged yourself? Click here and treat yourself”. The most important thing to remember is to follow up with the reward you promise. You do not want to disappoint your audience and develop a poor reputation full of false promises.

Use Words That Sell:
Avoid long wordy ads. Short, easy to understand concepts are the best. Phrases that are over used or cliché will be detrimental to your ad. One of the best words to use within your add is “FREE”. Statistics show that this word alone commands an impressive response. Again, be sure to follow up with an offer that doesn’t disappoint.

Be Concise and Limit Content:
You’ve heard the saying “less is more”. This concept should be at the forefront of your approach when designing your banner ad. Most of us fall into the trap of packing ad space with too many details, photos, and contact information. Most think that the more their audience is informed, the more sales will occur. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Do NOT over do the details. Make sure your ad contains enticing text, memorable graphics and a link to your website where they will find all the additional details they need.

Variety:
If you find a layout and concept that works, stick with it. But also remember to try a few new ideas too. Having a variety of adverting campaigns will help you to define the best method of selling your products and services. Some ideas for variety include:

Check out what your competition is doing. Do not copy them, but do find inspiration in their approach.
Have fun with different seasonal events. Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day etc. are all fabulous opportunities to mix up your advertising approach.
Offer discounts, competitions or contests.
Share awards or press releases that recognize your business. People like to buy into those who are doing well.

Advertising is a critical part of your business. Without it, there is no business. Following the above ideas will help you to define what works best for you. Above all, have fun, try new things and commit to those concepts that earn you success.

Do you have a campaign or advertising tip to share? We’d love to hear it.

5 Common Blog Posting Mistakes

2011-11-23T00:30:00.000-08:00

A guest post by TJ Philpott

Considering that it is your blog posting that attracts visitors to your site it only makes sense to keep readers in mind when creating content in the first place! It is not just the content quality that keeps people coming back but also the way in which it is presented. Although you always want to give people something of interest to view you can not overlook making it easy to read!

Here are 5 common errors bloggers tend to overlook when creating content for their platform insofar as making what they composed easy to read!

Lengthy Paragraphs
If you have something to say and it requires a little more space that's one thing but rambling on is what we're talking about here! When creating content for your blog try to avoid large blocks of text if you can help it being this contributes to eye strain. In addition when people simply glance at blocks of text like this upon landing on your site it can easily intimidate and discourage them resulting in their leaving the page!

Lack of Imagery
The use of images or even video is a nice compliment to any post since it can help readers better visualize the points you are making. Images also help to break up the text allowing a person 'rest' their eyes from the strain of reading. Used correctly and not overdone imagery can even help to contribute to the content quality therefore its use is recommended!

Offensive Fonts
Now the Times New Roman and the Georgia fonts may be the most boring looking fonts but they are the least offensive in terms of eye strain. Try to avoid the temptation of using some of the more unique or fancy looking fonts since they are not easy to read other than for use in headlines or titles! Be kind to your visitors eyes and they will have a more enjoyable experience when they land on your platform!

Rush to Post
When trying to maintain a frequent posting schedule or even if you are merely in a rush for whatever reason don't forget to proof read your work. Creating content takes time and effort so it would be a shame to allow simple grammatical or spelling errors to go undetected since this tends to tarnish your efforts!

Failure to Check Sources
Sharing opinions or insights is one thing but when making a 'declaration' of fact be sure to check your sources! You want to build and not destroy your credibility with readers so be sure to take that one 'extra' step if you are unsure of your facts! The internet can easily 'cough' up the answer and/or confirmation for you rather quickly!

Since it is your blog posting people land on your site to see you want to be mindful of not only the content quality but also make it easy to read! It is very common for bloggers to forget how stressful viewing something on a computer screen can be on the eyes! The most common oversights made when creating content for a blog are discussed above but as you can see they are very easy to correct. Simply remember when trying to please visitors with your content quality to keep in mind the stress and strain associated with reading off a computer screen!

This Guest post was written by TJ Philpott. An author and Internet entrepreneur based out of North Carolina. For more tips about improving your blog posting and to also receive a free instructional manual that teaches valuable niche research techniques for your online marketing needs simply visit his website

7 Ways to Deal With Difficult Clients

2011-11-16T00:30:00.000-08:00

I’ve been in this business a long time and have had the privilege of working with many different types of people – both great and not so great. They say “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” WELL, I’m thinking “they” never worked in the service industry. Here’s the BBD guide to ditching difficult clients and acquiring awesome customers…

#1 – A Happy You Means Happiness for Them Too.
No matter what you encounter, endure or experience always remember that life is short and should be full of positive experiences. While serving your clientele, do not forget to service yourself as well. If you feel compromised, disheartened, or negative in any way, chances are you are giving too much of yourself. I’ve always believed that if I am happy with all I do, then others will be too. I practice this concept daily with my own business.

#2 – The Client Relationship…It’s Kinda Like Dating.
In today’s world, the dealings you have with your clients are no different than any other relationship you may encounter in your life. To begin, both sides have expectations and standards with which they conduct themselves. These, of course, are not always similar. In order for a relationship to work it needs to be one of equality where each party feels mutually satisfied. So be sure to align yourself with fantastic customers and, just like any relationship, ask yourself whether you are getting what you want from them. Several bad clients will offer dysfunctional work satisfaction, hurt your business ethics and essentially suck the life out of you and your business. Drop the damaging clients and keep those that let you shine. You wouldn’t accept anything less when dating, why should your business be different?

#3 – Your Time Is Worth It.
Have you ever had a client that expects superstar status without paying the celebrity price tag? Sometimes it’s difficult to see this type of customer coming (it could be the Dolce Gabbana sunglasses), but should you encounter a freebie demanding client remember to stand your ground. Make very precise agreements on what the scope of the project or order is and do not be embarrassed to charge for the extras. Your time is worth it!

#4 – Here Comes the Discount Diva.
Just like the client who wants everything for free, we cannot ignore the Discount Diva. This customer will not rest until she has scored the ultimate deal. Luckily there are a few things you can do. The first is to actually offer her a great deal, but make sure its one that is worth while to you as well. For example, you might throw in a “free gift” with her order. To the client she has received a wonderful freebie, but in reality it might be an item you can sacrifice from last year’s stock that really isn’t selling any way. Another solution may be to ask that she purchases the order at full price now and then offer 20% off her next order. Another approach is to stand your ground. I often will pitch this to my Discount Divas: “Thank you for your request for a discount. At this time I offer high quality service at the lowest possible price and, because I do, I cannot offer any further discounts on your order. I look forward to working with you and thank you so much for your understanding”. More often than not the invoice is paid in full the same day.

# 5 – Its OK to Say “No!”
Some clients love to be involved… not polite, helpful involved but more like meddling Mother-In-Law “involved”. Let’s just call them controlling, for lack of better words. This type of customer will slow your work process down, degrade your expertise (why’d she hire you anyway if she could do it better?), and increase the demands on the free time you just don’t have. You may have to tolerate the initial project/experience, but don’t be afraid to say “no!” for any additional orders she may place. Remember, its best to conduct business at the level you feel comfortable with. You might just be better off without her.

#6 – Commit Already!
Perhaps the most frustrating client is the one who refuses to commit. She’s nice, polite, professional, interested and so incredibly hard to turn away. Yet she consumes every last minute of your already insanely busy day. A commitment phobic will cost you time, money, sanity and potential clients. Decide how far you are willing to go to pursue a client and do not allow temptation to entice you across that line. A worthwhile customer is one that has proven their value.

#7 – The Deadbeat
There is nothing more insulting than the client who does not pay. You’ve work your butt off, delivered a quality product/service and poured your heart into superior customer service. In return you’ve received zero, zip, nada! While our first instinct is to get mad, and maybe a little even, please remember that no matter what others do your reputation, both as a person and a business, must always remain professional. You can threaten legal action, karma retribution, or a visit from bad Billy Bob but, unfortunately, not even these will force a deadbeat to pay. So chalk it up as a lesson learned and from that point on only accept payments in full before any service or product is released to the client. After all, you cannot leave a retail store without paying in full, nor can you shop online without first paying before your shopping transaction is complete. Today, this is the only way to shop AND the safest way to ensure you get paid every penny you've earned.

Remember that you created your business with hard work, passion and complete dedication. It’s yours to cherish and enjoy. With that thought do not let the negativity of others destroy what you have built. Take every negative experience as a learning opportunity and meet your business success head on.

Stop thief! Safeguard your images and protect your business.

2011-11-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

More than likely you’ve encountered a photograph on the webthat has been marked with a special symbol, logo or text. This technique ofprotecting an image from theft is called watermarking and its no longer onlyused for professional photographers. If you host your images on the Internet(especially on popular photo sharing sites like Photobucket, Flickr or Facebook)you are running the risk of having your images stolen. So grab a cup of coffeeand read on. After all, you’ve worked hard to create product images that sellyour business. Make sure the success earned is yours alone.

What is a watermark?

A watermark is a faint logo, symbol or word superimposedover the top of a digital photo.

What is the Purpose of a Watermark?

A watermark is used to show that a particular image iscopyrighted, and it may not be copied or used elsewhere without the permissionof the original owner. With anapproximate 78% of photos on the Internet being stolen, it’s a great idea to add one to yourbusiness images.

Watermark Examples:

Here is the Boutique By Design watermark

Here is the BBD watermark applied to a photo

Tips for Watermarking

1. Keep your watermark easy to read. Using a whiteor black only colour scheme will allow for a clear read without distractingfrom the image itself.

2. Include a copyright symbol in the watermark.That way there's no question that others cannot copy the image without yourpermission.

3. The watermark should be placed carefully so asnot to detract from the image too much, but you also don't want to place thewatermark in a area of solid color or a textured area where removal would beeasy to conceal.

4. A watermark can also be used as a form ofadvertising. Be sure to add your website address subtly to the watermark aswell. If the viewer loves your photo, it will also lead them to your onlinesite to view more of your products. Think of watermarking as an opportunity to increasetraffic to your website.

Free Watermarking Programs

The following programs are free and easy to use. Some aregreat for multiple image watermarking. Others allow for paid upgrades.

www.watermark.ws

www.uconomix.com

www.watermark-image.com

www.fotoflexer.com is also a free and amazing online imageediting program. While it will help you manually add your watermark to yourimages, this program will also allow you to add special effects, touch ups,fonts, shapes, doodling, distortions and layers.

Here’s how to add a watermark image to your photo usingFotoFlexer:

1. Load website in your browser

2. Look a top right corner and click “upload photo”button

3. Find the watermark file you want to use on yourcomputer – click upload

4. At top of menu hit the “layers” tab

5. Within the layers button at the top of yourwindow is a button that says “Add image”, click that button.

6. Then click “edit from my computer” OR on sideleft bar you can upload directly from photobucket and Flickr

7. Once your photo is loaded you will see both the watermarkand the photo, there are two button at the top menu that say “push back” or“pull forward”. Select the watermark image and “pull forward”

8. Using your mouse move the watermark over yourphoto (you can also use your mouse to click on the photo and scale it down ifneeded)

9. When everything looks good, using your mouseselect both images and then hit the “merge” button at the top

10. Atthe top navigation bar you will see the “save” button – save it to yourcomputer

11. Repeatfor each photo

You’ve worked hard to create product images that sell yourbusiness and enhance your brand. Now be sure to protect these fabulous sellingtools with a watermark. It is a simple and easy way to ensure that your photosremain your very own.

5 Business Secrets Revealed. Psst…Your Customers Hold the Key

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

“The customer is always right”, a term we are all aware of. But do you know how much the success of your business relies on this very fact? Customers are the sole reason businesses exist. Without them what would be the point? So it makes sense that the fundamental principles of marketing rely on our customers and their needs. The following 5 points will help you identify what your customers need, how you can meet those needs, and end up incredibly successful.

Target Your Market

People want to buy your products and services. As a business owner, it's your job to find those people. If you are marketing to those who do not want, nor will ever purchase your products and services you are wasting time and money as well as missing out on actual prospects. Here are some ways to define your target market:

Look at those who are buying your products and services. What is their: gender, age, dollar amount spent, and purchase? Create an excel spreadsheet, handwritten log or digital file that outlines your findings. Then review it every time you begin marketing. What are the common findings?
Ask for testimonials from clients. What are the common compliments, comments, or complaints? These also help to paint a picture of customer expectations.
Use data collected by various online platforms. Facebook provides a free service called “insights” for every business page. Review the findings in these “insights” to see just who is reviewing and interacting with your business.
Google Analytics is another free service that will offer valuable findings about your target market.

Understand Your Customers

Customers are the sole reason you have a business. Understanding their needs as it pertains to your business is critical. Many of us business owners spend hours studying and reviewing this very topic and truly do understand our clients. Problem is we’re not applying it to our marketing efforts. More often than not marketing materials become a laundry list of the services and products offered. What they should be is a solution for your customer. For example:

Studies have proven that today’s modern Mom desires quality, eco-friendly, non mass-produced products for their children. If you are a designer of children’s clothing and toys, instead of simply listing the products you sell on your marketing materials, feature what they really are. Your marketing materials should scream the glory of handmade, handcrafted, home grown or made personally with love. Titles for your marketing campaigns could be: “Are you tired of generic, mass produced products for your kids? Buy handmade!” OR “For products as unique as your children, buy handmade.”
If you are a massage therapist you may offer “hot stone” or “deep tissue” massage but to grab the attention of potential clients, your marketing materials should talk about how your services will help to relieve back pain or eliminate muscle strain.

Offer Value

Potential customers become actual customers when they believe in the value of your product or service. The best way to demonstrate value is within your marketing efforts. Printed flyers, websites, blogs, social media etc. are platforms on which to show the value of your business. Examples include:

If you sell clothing, it would be a great idea to display your creations on your website portfolio or Facebook photo albums. Or have your clients send in photos of themselves wearing your creations. Feature them on your website, social media or blog. Who doesn’t want to be featured? In doing so, you are also sending the message to potential clients that people value and love your products.
If you are a service-based business such as an interior designer, you may wish to start a blog that teaches tips and tricks. Offering helpful advice to your clients establishes your business as an expert or the “go-to” for value added services within your industry.
Adding testimonials from passed clients to your website also reaffirms the value you offer.

Get New Leads

Customer generation is the lifeblood of all business. Whether you need ten or thousands of new clients, having a marketing strategy in place with the sole purpose of generating new customers is essential. Examples include:

Add a “subscribe to my newsletter” box to your website or blog. Bravenet.com is an excellent and free service to use for all email marketing. Offering an incentive for those to sign up for your email newsletter is a good idea. If you sell products, why not raffle one off every month to those potential clients who have subscribed to your newsletter?
Contests are another great way to encourage potential clients to provide you with their information for future marketing.
You may want to create an e-book series that pertains to your business and offer it as a free ebook series to those who sign up to receive it.

Remember, the goal of lead generation is to gather client contact information to be used for more than one marketing event. This may be done as email subscribers, Facebook likers, Twitter followers, blog feeders or even as traditional digital data.

Commit To A Relationship
Let’s face it, attracting new customers takes a lot of time and energy. But selling to an existing customer does not. People buy from those they know and trust, so it only makes sense that the secret to successful sales lay in the hands of those who have experienced your business first hand. Remember to never overlook the repeat customer. Examples of rewarding loyalty include:

Offer discounts on purchases for return customers
Offer a “sneak peak” of upcoming services and products – for “VIP” customers only.
Be sure to assign an existing client to a VIP emailing list. Design a campaign tailored especially for those customers.
If you are using social media, offer a value packed stream of tips, information, offers and valuable content that is worth of their commitment to you.

We need customers in order to have business. Generating, securing and maintaining a loyal customer is truly the secret of business success.

Website Do’s & Don’ts ~ How does your website measure up?

2011-10-26T08:02:00.000-07:00

As a brand designer, I have the privilege of designing manywebsites. Whether starting from scratch or revamping an existing one, there aremany important aspects to consider. Below are some of the “do’s” and “don’ts”of website design. How does your website measure up?

Don’t use a Flash animated landing page (or splash page). Afew years ago this kind of website introduction pages were all the rage. Todaythey represent dated technology and increase download time. Both of which havebeen statistically proven to frustrate website viewers.

Do use imagery that is optimized for an easy and quick loadtime. Imagery should also be full of impact and be relevant to your websitecontent.

Don’t have an under construction page that does not addvalue to your viewers experience. An image of a hammer and nail with the words“under construction” are not acceptable.

Do have a “coming soon” page that states the launch date ofyour site, your contact information (email address, phone number and mailingaddress), your logo, your brand graphics and a link to another onlineexperience you may be offering such as Facebook or a blog. All of theseelements will provide a professional and reputable image.

Don’t force a viewer to download special programs, pluginsor browsers to view your website. Chances are they just wont go through thatmany hoops to view your site.

Do have your website designed using the most current,efficient and well received technologies. Today, proper use of CSS and HTMLwill result in amazing websites.

Don’t add page counters. Page counters were only everintended for backend use. The information provided was meant to aid the pageowner with statistics such as page or website traffic. Page counters used todaymake a site look amateur and cluttered.

Do use Google analytics. This backend website tool providesfar more extensive and valuable backend data and statistics to aid you inoptimizing your website offering. To get Google analytics click here

Don't use background music on your website. For a detailedoutline of all of the drawbacks of background music, please refer to ourarticle “5 Reasons Why Website Music Is A Bad Idea”. Overall music adds longerdownload times, unpleasant surprise to the viewer and conflict with taste inmusic.

Do consider an opt-in playlist. If you insist on usingbackground music on our site, at the very least do not have it automaticallyload when someone visits your sites. Instead have a playlist set up in yourside bar where the viewer can opt to “play” the music if they wish.

Don’t create a different page layout for every page of yourwebsite. This will challenge your viewer and complicate your website resultingin increased load time and viewer frustration.

Do design a single template for each and every page of yourwebsite. Of course the text, title and images will change from page to page,but by using a template your viewer will instantly identify with your site andbegin to quickly understand it. Keep your page elements consistent – navigationmenus, images, title and header placement, text etc. Keep it in the samelocation from page to page….your viewers will thank you.

Don’t use complex navigation system. Fancy shapes, hard toread text, loud colours will only serve to challenge your viewer. If yournavigation systems are hard to read or difficult to understand, they will notbe used and your website will not be read.

Do keep your navigation system simple. Use consistentcolour, font style and size as well as easy to read text. Make your navigation categorieseasy to understand. Most important of all, learn from those companies who spendmillions on focus groups to understand how people use websites. Corporationslike Mac do just that. One simple thing they have learned with regards tonavigation is that most people prefer left side, top navigation menus within awebsite.

Don’t use blinking, flashing or animated text. Text shouldbe clear and easy to read. Adding movement will challenge the reader resultingin unread text.

Do use consistent size, colour and font treatments. Textwill be welcomed and read by your viewer if you use a static and consistentapplication of size, fonts and colours. Studies have proven that less isdefinitely more when it comes to text.

Don’t size your website too large. Remember that not allpeople possess the same sized computer monitors. If you design a website thatis too large in size, chances are that not everyone will be able to read itwithout constant scrolling. Remember, vertical scrolling is just fine, buthorizontal scrolling is just plain annoying.

Do size your website to a predetermined universal size. Thetwo most accepted are 800 x 600 pixels (at 72 dpi) or a little larger at 1024 x768 pixels.

Don’t use large images to create your website. Large imagesor images that are not optimized will bog down your website’s loading time. Tokeep the interest of your viewers websites must load quickly and efficiently.Using images that are too large or not properly optimized for web viewing willresult in slow loading sites. You have seconds to impress your viewer. If yoursite takes too long to load, these viewers will simply move on to yourcompetition.

Do make sure that your images are a resolution of 72 dpi at100% size. Images should be saved as RGB jpegs, png or gifs for optimal webuse.

Don’t use large, busy or cluttered background images withinyour site. Background images should be just that – kept in the background.Complex, colourful and busy background images will challenge the content ofyour website. If your background image is drawing too much attention, not muchelse about your website will be seen or read. Background images that are alsotoo large in size will also require more time to load.

Do keep your background images subtle. They should be smallin file size so that they load quickly and efficiently. They should alsocomplement all other graphics used with in the website.

Don’t use all CAPS in all of your text. Using all caps exclusivelywithin your text creates a negative feeling for the reader. Not only is itdifficult to read in large amounts, over time using all CAPS has come torepresent digital yelling.

Do use all caps to emphasis certain points within a headingor text. Be sure to keep the all caps to one through four connecting words inone sentence. The same is true for italics and bolding. Be sure to keep it to aminimum to enhance the featured text instead of dismissing it all together.

Don’t use photos for navigating buttons. If you want yourwebsite navigation to be used it must first be clear. People are accustom tophotographs being decorative accents to a website and not the navigationitself. So unless your photos are made to look exactly like linking buttons, donot risk it.

Do use graphics for buttons that look like buttons. They maybe circles, beveled boxes, coloured rectangles or other simple iconic graphics.If your viewer reads your buttons as a means to navigate your site, then theywill.

Don't use too many colors in your web site. While colour isan excellent way to draw attention to your website, too much colour canactually be a deterrent. Loud, bright or obnoxious colour combinations willproduce a visually offensive website.

Do keep brand consistency in mind. Take a look at thecolours used within your logo. Pick three from that palette and use themconsistently through your website layout.

Overall the most important thing to remember when creating,editing or adding to your website is to keep things simple and to keep themconsistent. Some of the most well design and renowned websites use consistenttemplates, unified font treatment, powerful imagery, templated pages and easynavigation.

Think you have an awesome website? Share your link below,we’d love to feature it!

8 More Resources to Boost Your Brand

2011-10-19T08:06:00.000-07:00

In September 2011 I launched the article “12 Resources toBoost Your Brand”, which introduced many of my favorite resources for running asmall business. Since then I have received overwhelming requests for a repeatperformance. So if you are a big believer in the D.I.Y. approach to business,I’m sure you are going to love these resource beauties just as much as I do. Sogo ahead, boost your brand, magnify your marketing and seize your success…again!

1. Get Brave with Your Email Newsletters

Email marketing should be an essential component of yourmarketing plan. A lot of email list services are expensive. Bravenet.com is afabulous service that comes with several ways to build andsend your email newsletter. The intuitive Email Theme Wizard even allows you tostyle your newsletter around your own brand. Or if you want a truly customapproach, you can HTML code your very own newsletter as well. On top of thatyou can have up to 500 subscribers for the free service (more will require apaid service) and all of your mailings are tracked with their amazingstatistics tracker.

If your not already sold this mayconvince you. Your free service also includes: web forms, contact forms, webtemplates, website counters, web polls, classifieds, password protect and somuch more!

http://www.bravenet.com/

2. Picture This!

You’ve heard that a picture is worth a 1000 words, butimagery can also make your business look like a million bucks. Images canenhance your brand message and make your ideas resonate. These amazing free androyalty-free image sites will deliver instant “wow” and making a lastingimpression:

3. While We’re on the Topic of Incredible Images…

If you sell products online then you MUST have qualityimages. Poor quality, low lite, small and inadequate photography will paint asimilar view of your business. Don’t scare your customers off to shop your competitors!Be sure your images are the best they can possibly be. Here are some greatsites that will help you out:

Photography Tips & Tricks:

Cool Photo Effects, Borders & Masks:

4. Party Tables Need Printables

Printables are a great inexpensive wayto dress up any event you are throwing – for both your business and yourpersonal celebrations. Printables are premade party elements that you candownload, print and assemble yourself. I think you’ll love these sites as muchas I do:

5. You Can Favicon…

Have you ever noticed the cool little picturesyou see beside some URLs in your browser’s address bar? That image is a faviconand it stands for "Favorites Icon". Favicons require a special fileformat that not everyone is able to produce, until now. The following sitesoffer free Favicon generators:

Now that you have your favicon created, here’s how toimplement it:

Method 1

This is the easiest to do and it will show your icon nomatter what page your visitor adds to their favorites. Simply upload your newicon to the main directory of your site, ie. www.example.com/favicon.ico.

Method 2

If you don't have access to your root directory (if your ona free server for example) or it you want a different favicon for certainpages, add this to the <head> of your html. (You can name your faviconwhatever you'd like with this method)

Or if you prefer to use the full URL:

6. Show Your True Colours:

Colour makes a visible difference toyour business communications. Color adds impact and creates a lastingimpression. Effective use of colour can help your business communicate andachieve results successfully. So whether you’re looking for RGB, CMYK,Pantone or just a fresh palette, these websites pass the test with flyingcolours…

7. Let’s Talk {Facebook} Shop:

Facebook is an amazing platform that allows a business toreach target markets of unbelievable volumes…for FREE! Take advantage of thisreach by implementing a retail shop right on your business page. VendorShopis a free e-commerce shopping cart designed especially for Facebook. It takesminutes to set up and is really easy to use.

http://www.facebook.com/Vendorshop

8. Other Must Have Facebook Apps:

NetworkedBlogs: Bring your blog toFacebook, and Facebook to your blog. Supports multiple blogs, RSS and ATOMfeeds, and fan/business pages. The best to import your feed. Get your blognetworked with the largest blogger community on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/networkedblogs?ref=appd

RSS Graffiti: Allows you to publishmultiple RSS/ATOM feeds on your Facebook profile’s & pages’ walls andautomatically pushes them to the news-feeds (Facebook homepage) of yourFacebook friends & fans.

http://www.facebook.com/RSS.Graffiti?ref=appd

Contact Tab: An application for FacebookFan Pages. You can easily show your contact information and business locationthrough Bing or Google Maps.

http://www.facebook.com/ContactTab?ref=appd

Say More With Nothing…Why White Space Speaks Volumes

2011-10-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

There are a number ofelements that make up a great design, but white space is probably one of themost underutilized. Every layout contains white space, but not every design hasenough. Proper use of white space within your website, advertising or otherbrand marketing materials will increase the success of your efforts. Guaranteed.

What Is White Space?

White space doesn’t actually have to be white. Its name originatesfrom the early days of graphic design where most printing was executed using whitepaper. White space is the negative space between different elements within adesign layout. Specifically the space between text, images, columns, graphics,and other content found within a layout.

Why White SpaceMatters?

A good use of whitespace will lead to a cleaner and moreprofessional design. Allowing the elements of your design to rest withinadequate space will make it easier for visitors to read, absorb and retain yourcontent without distraction.

Lets use a website for example. If all of your site elementscrowd each other it’s hard for a viewer to find their way through them. Toomany elements and zero white space will result in visual chaos and negate anyefforts you are trying to achieve with your website. The same is true for allof your marketing materials. White space allows the eye to “breathe” andcontinue navigating through the design.

Takea look at the following examples. Which is the most effective? Why?

How To Use White Space:

Line Spacing: increasing the space between lines oftext can make it easier to read and scan. Paragraphs that are pushed closetogether with tight line spacing become a visual block that is difficult toread. Light weight and airy text is far more inviting.

Margins: A margin is the white space around aparticular element within a design including text, headers, footers, images,columns etc. Be sure to keep thesespaces consistent to achieve overall balance within the over all layout.

Headings: Headings are the elements that command a viewer’sattention within your layouts. Be sure that adequate space is assigned to themargins that surround them. Also be sure that you use enough headings to guideyour readers through the bulk of your text. As a rule, assign two to three paragraphsper heading.

Images: Another element that will help define andorganize your design’s content is images. “A picture is worth a thousand words”is incredibly pertinent. Be sure to create or source images that truly reflectthe content of your design. Limit images so that they reflect an orderlyplacement with enough white space surrounding them to add impact of the image.

Simplicity and claritylead to good design. Like so many aspects of design, there is no set guidelinefor estimating the correct amount of white space. The best way to learn is to experimentand study the work of other designs that have achieved success. By practicingyou will develop an eye and feel for what is the right amount of white space.And hey! If you really are not sure, contact Boutique By Design. We’d love tohelp!

October 2011 Blog Contest

2011-10-11T23:41:00.001-07:00

Follow Boutique By Design’s blog, the Design Daily, and be entered to win either a custom logo design OR a custom Facebook welcome page and profile image – the choice is yours!

Enter 1 of 3 different ways:

“Follow this blog by email” - add your email address in the box to the right and “submit” OR
“Join this blog site” by signing in and following the traditional way. See the right sidebar of this blog. OR
Click on this link and “follow” our blog via Network Blogs (Facebook). Just click on the green “follow” button.

Bonus Entry:
Tag Boutique By Design on your Facebook wall and be entered a second time.

**Important** – Entry Process:
In order to be considered for the draw you must:

Sign up to follow this blog via as outlined above,
Comment to this post below with your name and valid email address,
If you are tagging Boutique By Design for a second entry please let us know by providing your name and facebook business page link in a second comment below.

Deadline:
Contest ends October 31, 2011, Midnight (PST). The winner will be announced on November 1st 2011. The winner will be chosen by random.org

The Prizes - Winner chooses ONE of the following:

Custom Logo Design – Valued at $125.00US
To begin the design process a logo questionnaire will be emailed to you. Your answers will help me to understand your brand vision and needs. The development process begins once your form is received. After approximately seven business days you will receive up to three logo concepts. You then select the design you like most and we tweak it until you are satisfied. Two revisions are included in this prize. Upon finalization of the design, I will then email you three final files – a high-resolution jpeg for your print needs, a web optimized jpeg for web usage, and one vector eps converted to a pdf for all usage.

Custom Facebook Welcome Page and Profile Image – Valued at $120.00US
Your basic welcome page will include: your business name, your current logo (or a new one that I can design for you at an additional cost), custom designed graphics, introduction text (provided by you), product imagery (if necessary) and up to three links to externals sites (such as your website, your etsy/ebay/madeit store, your blog). A custom design for both your welcome page and your profile image will be created and presented to you via email, two revisions are included in your win. Once the design is finalized, I will then code the page and implement it into your Facebook business page.

Please note: You must have a business page for the above to be implemented. Facebook does not allow backend coding at this time on personal profiles. In order for me to implement the functions listed above, I will need limited access to your Facebook page. This can be done by making me an administrator when the time comes. Once the design and coding are in place, you can cancel my status and access.

Good luck to all!

Say What? Design, Printing & Web Jargon Explained

2011-10-05T09:02:00.000-07:00

Have you ever workedwith a designer, printer or web designer and just couldn't understand theessence of your project? The misunderstanding had nothing to do with theproject itself but, instead, the terms that were used to describe it left youconfused. Don't worry this is a common occurrence. "Industry speak"happens in all professions, but as professionals it is our job to make sure ourclients understand everything. So here goes...design, printing & web jargonexplained:

GRAPHIC DESIGN JARGON

Text & Copy:the wording found within a layout.

Layout: is theprocess of planning and arranging in detail something such as a brochure,business card or book to be reproduced. The final arrangement of material is tobe reproduced, typically by printing.

Logo: is agraphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizationsand even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition.

Brand: is the terminology for a unique"alphabet" of design elements - such as shape, color, materials,finish, typography and composition - which directly and subliminallycommunicate a company's values and personality through compelling imagery anddesign style. This "alphabet", properly designed, results in anemotional connection between the brand and the consumer.

Corporate identity: the visual means by which organizations,businesses, and manufacturers are recognized and distinguished from each other.It is also a means of conveying the ways in which they carry out, and valuesinherent in, their activities.

Wordmark: is a standardized text logo or graphicrepresentation of the name of a company, institution, or product name used forpurposes of identification and branding. A wordmark is usually a distincttext-only typographic treatment

Tagline: the lineof text under a logo’s icon or business name. It is the business’smission statement

Icon: the main image of a logo.

Mock-up/dummy:prototype model of a design.

Deadline: lastpossible time to get your design to the media or printing facility forinclusion in the slot you booked.

Artwork: Finishedcomposition of typography, graphics and photographs which is used to producethe hard copy print.

Font: Letters,numbers and symbols that are a defined by size and style. e.g. Times is atypeface, whilst Times Bold 12pt is a font.

Typography: Thevisual look of text in a layout.

Proof: A sampleof work that is sent to the client to be checked for errors. This can be sentin either paper form, or emailed as a PDF.

Vector Graphics:Vector graphics are mathematically defined shapes, which can be rescaled to anysize without any loss of quality.

Raster Graphics:A raster image made up of pixels, for example a photograph. You can tell animage is raster if you stretch it bigger, and it begins to distort.

Kerning:Horizontal spacing between letters of a word or sentence.

Leading: Verticalspacing between lines of text in a paragraph/list.

FILE FORMATS

EPS (EncapsulatedPostscript File): A file format that isused predominantly in the printing industry. EPS is now being used less andless within the print industry, with PDF becoming the preferred file format.

JPEG (JointPhotographic Experts Group): Acompressed file format that is most commonly used for images on the Internet ortransferring files via email. This file format is not usually used in printingas the compression applied to the image reduces the quality of the image.

PDF (PortableDocument Format): A file format used tocombine a layout of images and text into one file. PDF’s arevery versatile and are used for transferring artwork over the internet, and arenow becoming the printing industry standard file format, to deliver finishedartwork to printers.

TIFF (TaggedImage File Format): A bitmap file formatthat which stores images using lossless compression.

GIF (GraphicInterchange Format): A type of picture file usually with a small file size. GIFfiles can be animated or stationary, transparent or opaque. GIF files derivetheir size from the number of colors in the picture rather than PPI.

BMP(Bitmap): Bitmaps or raster graphics asthey are also known, are resolution dependent image files. When the dimensionsof a bitmap/raster graphic are increased they quality of the image decreases.

PRINTING JARGON

Stock: the paperor cardboard used for printing.

Press: thegeneral term for any machine used for printing.

Process Colors: The four colors that are combined to producefull color printing. See CMYK.

CMYK : Theacronym for full color printing, also referred to as four color processprinting. CYMK refers to the four colors of ink used: Cyan, Yellow, Magenta andBlack.

Pantone MachineSystem (PMS): The international system of defining colors for printing.

Spot Color (SpecialColor): Colors that can’t be made up using the four process colors.Companies to ensure their branding often use spot colors and marketingmaterials are consistent. Spot colors are picked from a pantone swatch book,which contain exact examples of the colors.

Saddle Stitched:Printed papers that are stapled together.

Bleed: The partof the artwork that extends beyond the crop marks, which is trimmed of afterthe job is printed. This is to ensure that all required artwork is printed tothe very edge of the paper/stock.

Crop Marks: Theseare small lines that indicate where the job should be cut. These are used tohelp printers register the job (ensure all 4 plates are positioned correctly)and show where bleeds needs to be trimmed off.

Registration: Thealignment of different colored inks applied to paper.

Resolution - The quality of an image and how well itreproduces when printed.

DPI (Dots Per Inch):Indicates the resolution (quality) of bitmap images/graphics. The higher theDPI, the better quality the image/graphic. The standard resolution used forprint is 300dpi. 72dpi is used for graphics/images displayed on the internet.

Digital Printing:A form of printing that does not require the use of printing plates. This is anideal solution for short print runs.

Offset Printing:The most widely used commercial printing method. Ink is offset from a printingplate to a rubber roller and then to the paper/stock.

WEB DESIGN JARGON

RGB (Red, Green,and Blue): are the colors used by computer monitors to display color images onscreen. Normally used to display web images, RGB images are not used in theprint process.

HTML: Hypertext Markup Language, a standardizedsystem for tagging text files to achieve font, color, graphic, and hyperlinkeffects on World Wide Web pages.

CSS: Stands forCascading Style Sheets; the styles define how to display HTML elements. Theycan be used to define fonts, colors, sizes and other aspects that create auniform look across all pages of a website. It also allows the web content tobe separated from the presentation, so one can be changed without affecting theother, improving the flexibility and control of the site. The style sheets arereferred to as cascading as they are separated from one another in sections andcan cascade or lay on top of each other.

CMS: A contentmanagement system (CMS) is a piece of software which allows the user to changeand update their website, without needing any technical knowledge such as HTMLcoding language. Having a content management system allows you to update yoursite when and where you like, giving you more control over the content of yourwebsite, without having to pay out for a web designers to make the changes foryou.

WYSIWYG: is an acronym for What You See Is What YouGet. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which content (textand graphics) displayed onscreen during editing appears in a form exactlycorresponding to its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished productwhich might be a printed document, web page, or slide presentation.

Hosting: Allwebsites need hosting in order for them to be viewed on the Internet 24/7. Your website and all its data will be held onyour hosting provider’s server. There are plenty of hosting companies who offerfree hosting, however you do get what you pay for, and often the services arevery limited. However with paid hosting the features can be extensive and theservice as well as ‘up-time’ willbe a lot more reliable.

URL: Uniform Resource Locator. The address of a webpageor file. Starts with 'http://' (hypertext transfer protocol) and usually, butnot always has 'www' (world wide web) followed by a domain name and or foldername and or page name, and ends with an extension like '.co.za' (South Africa)'.co.uk' (Britain) '.com' (commerce) '.net' (network) '.biz' (business) '.org'(organization, usually non-profit) etc.

Domain Name: Theaddress of your website (e.g. yourbusinessname.com)

Bandwidth: Theamount of data that can be sent over a connection in a fixed amount of time.Bandwidth is measured in bits per second (bps), kilobits per second (kbps), ormegabits per second (mps).

Browser: Thewindow that you view the website in. Can be powered by Internet Explorer,Netscape Navigator, Opera, and many more.

FTP: FileTransfer Protocol. Downloading or uploading files from or to computers using anFTP program or your Internet browser in folder view. Usually you will need alog in and password for the particular computer you want to upload to ordownload from in order to this.

Home Page: It is a first page (also referred as anopening page, start page or main page) of a Web site. This would technically beyour index page or default page of your directory.

Hyperlink: Animage (referred to as a hotspots) or text that link to another page or withinthe same page (referred to as bookmarks)

Meta Tag: A special HTML tag that provides informationabout a Web page. Unlike normal HTML tags, meta tags do not affect how the pageis displayed.

Meta Keywords: List of keywords used to indicate what yourweb page is about. Used in SEO but nolonger being used by Google to categorize web page content.

SEO: is theprocess of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in searchengines via the "natural" or un-paid ("organic" or"algorithmic") search results. In general, the earlier (or higherranked on the search results page), and more frequently a site appears in thesearch results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine'susers. SEO may target different kinds of search, including image search, localsearch, video search, academic search,[1] news search and industry-specificvertical search engines.

Web Analytics: Itis extremely important for any web master to be able to track and monitor webtraffic. There are a variety of software tools out there that can enable you todo this, Google Analytics being the most popular as it is free andcomprehensive. Good web analytic software should allow you to track your usersover time. It can tell you the number of visits, average time spent on thesite, how they found your site and where in the world your visitors are. Somedesign agencies may include this as part of their service, and can monitor thisdata for you whilst suggesting ways to improve traffic to your site and convertthose users into customers.

Increase Your Facebook Fan Base with Like-Gating.

2011-09-28T10:08:00.000-07:00

Like-Gating is not a new idea, but it is certainly making acome back in our never-ending quest for innovative Facebook marketing ideas andnew likers.

What Is Like-Gating?

Like-Gating is when you entice a Facebook user who has notalready “liked” your Business Page to “like” your Page before they can seecontent on a particular custom Facebook tab. It is defined as a positiveexchange between user and business, i.e. for their “like” you will offersomething of irresistible value.

Isn’t a Like-Gate just another term for Welcome Page orLanding Page?

No. A Like-Gate Page is the first page a non-liker will begreeted with when they visit your page and is specifically designed to enticethe viewer to physically click that “like” button on your page. Once they do,the Like-Gate is then coded to reveal the full details of the special offer youpromised the viewer. Welcome or landing pages are traditionally an informationpage introducing your business and all it has to offer – much like the home pageof a website does.

What Is The Purpose of Like-Gating?

The purpose of a Like-Gate is to increase the number oflikers of your Facebook page. To do so, the like gate page will generallycontain an incentive to encourage the viewer to like you. Your incentive may bea coupon, give-away, discount, video tutorial, free downloads or othertantalizing offer that your viewers will find of value.

Examples of Like Gating:

Here is the Like-Gate for my Facebook page. The first image is my Like-Gate and the second image is the custom page seen once the "like" button has been clicked...

Other examples of Like-Gates include:

Taylor Swift
Red Bull
Micheals

How Do I Like-Gate my Facebook Page?

First you must think of your business, what it offers as awhole and what incentive you wish to provide for your future “likers”. If youchoose to design your like gate page around a contest or promotion, please besure it complies with the Facebook Promotions Policy.

While there are many free like gate page generators toimplement your page into your Facebook business page, you must first design thepage itself. In most cases you will need to have basic coding knowledge OR hirea designer (such as myself) who specializes in this very type of design.

Successful marketing on Facebook relies on the delivery ofvalue add content. Like-Gating is asimple and effective way of achieving a growth in your fan base. If you areinterested in having a Like-Gate implemented into your Facebook page, pleasecontact us for a quote. We’d love to help increase the success of your Facebookpage.

5 Reasons Why Website Music Is A Bad Idea

2011-09-21T09:45:00.000-07:00

I love music. It’s the soundtrack of our lives. The storiedlyrics, the emotions evoked, the good times had while listening…they all play arole in people’s love affair with melody. But music has a time and it definitelyhas a place…and that place, my friends, is NOT as background harmonies on yourbusiness website or blog. Here’s why:

1. Public Surfing

Did you know that 72%* of internet users in the USA, UK,Canada, France, Australia and Italy combined spend more time surfing theinternet at work than they do at home? Of these people, 67%* are retailshopping. That is a staggering amount of work time sneakiness. As businessowners, do we want these individuals to stop shopping our websites? Heck no!But they will if they come across a website that’s belting out a gloriousrendition of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” on load up. Even if the site offersthe option to “turn off” the specially made soundtrack, the viewer won’t evengive it a chance. Why? Because that vocal website is threatening their employment.

The same idea stands for any public computer usage – schools,libraries, cyber cafes, etc. Lets behonest, no one ever expects music to start streaming when they visit a website.So when a site loads and music starts pumping through the airwaves of yourlocal Starbucks it can be more than a little alarming. The first reaction is toMAKE IT STOP! Many people will immediately close the website window and move onto a competitors website.

*Statistics from www.vault.com

2. Preferences

Even if you’re up on your website analytics and havemastered your demographic stats there is no easy or cost effective manner inwhich to really define your public’s preference in music. One thing is for sure,someone will detest the songs you have chosen so don’t even try to guess. Justomit the music altogether.

3. The Scene IsAlready Set

We’ve determined that people love music and they also lovetheir computers. So chances are they are already listening to their favoritetunes while surfing the Internet. MP3’s and Internet radios are today’s popularchoice for music, both of which require the computer and its speakers to beheard. How annoying would it be to visit a website who’s music plays over or drownsout your own? The quick fix would be to leave the offending website.

4. Browsers & Bandwidth

Streaming music can consume a lot of bandwidth. While this is not much of an issuetoday, but if your site has high traffic having music may run the risk ofputting it over its traffic limit and costing extra money. There are also a lot of older browsers out there on the internetthat might not support multimedia. If you had a choice between a user beingable to hear music and having their browser crash OR having everyone view yourwebsite, which would you choose?

5. Criminal Offense

If you do not have legal permission from the singer, songwriteror recording studio you are not allowed to publish music on your website. Ifyou are caught litigation, fines, and lawsuits may be in your future. Criminalsaren’t cool. So please don’t risk it.

Of course there areexceptions to the above points. You may be a musician with a website, own anestablishment that promotes music, have a personal website in which to expressyourself through music, or perhaps you are itunes.

BUT, if you are not, Iask that you ditch the ditties, terminate the tunes and cease the songsimmediately. Your business will thank you!

Everything You Need To Know About Your Logo {Includes Freebies!}

2011-09-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

Getting noticed in today’s market is tough. Having a strong, consistent and memorable brand is the key. A good place to start in developing your brand is with the design of your logo.

Huh? Isn’t a “Brand” & a “Logo” the same thing?

No, they are not...

Logo: A logo is a specially design graphic. It’s a mark, a visual and essentially the “face” of a product, service or business. The graphic should be used on all elements that your business distributes. From business cards, to marketing materials, to websites and social media, your logo should be the first graphic seen. “McDonald’s Restaurant” and “Nike” – you instantly thought about the Golden Arches and the “swoosh” didn’t you?

Brand: If your logo is the “face” of your business, then your brand is the “personality”. It is a complex overall summery of your business’ offering and the essence or promise of what will be delivered or experienced.

Simply put, the components of a logo look like this…

Icon: In terms of logo design, an icon is a graphic symbol or visual representation of a product, service or business.

Wordmark: A wordmark, also sometimes word mark or logotype, is a stylized text-only treatment of the name of a product, service, business or institution and is used for purposes of identification and branding.

Tagline: A tagline is a memorable phrase that sums up the tone and premise of a brand (product, service or business) to reinforce the audience's memory of its mission statement or offering.

Now, lets have some fun…Design a logo!

Below is a selection of pre-made icons for you to have. These are all original BBD designs and completely free for download. Each icon is a vector drawn design and can be used in most image editing programs. All I ask is that credit is given where needed AND that you do not sell these icons for personal financial gain.

Step One: Select Your Icon
Click here to download a pdf containing all of the icons below.

Step Two: Create Your Wordmark
Visit my favorite free fonts site and select a font for your logo. Be sure that the font:

Expresses your brand personality,
Complements your chosen icon,
Is clear and easy to read,
Is colored using a clear and strong color such as black or chocolate brown.

Step Three: Conceptualize Your Tagline
Remember, your tagline is a short and concise summery of your business’ mission statement or offering. For example, if your business offers photography for families then your tagline might be “Capturing Life’s Precious Moments” OR “I’m gonna shoot ya!” depending on the overall brand message you wish to portray.

Now that you have your tagline created, visit the free fonts site and select your font. Please remember to:

Select a font that complements the font selected for your wordmark.
Choose a font that is clear and easy to read not only at a normal view size, but when scaled small as well.
Choose a color that is complementary to both the wordmark and the icon.

Step Four: Admire Your Design

I hope this article has not only helped to define the logo, its structure and components, but that it has brought you a little fun too.

Please remember that hiring a professional is always recommended (see my article on “How To Choose A Logo Designer”). When you do, you are purchasing their education and their expertise. Logos are not just pretty pictures; they are well-planned, conceptual visuals that will become the face of your business. They deserve to be created by someone who understands all that this entails. And, hey! If you need help, I just happen to know of a designer more than willing {wink, wink}. Contact me any time for a custom logo designed especially for your brand!

How to Get Fabulous Photos

2011-09-14T08:12:00.000-07:00

If you use photos for your business you need to know aboutPhotoshop actions. Not only are these actions incredible time savers, they willtransform your mediocre images into magnificent phantasmagorias. OK, maybethat’s going too far but you get the point…your photos are going to rock!

If you do a quick search on the net for “Photoshop Actions”you will gain access into a community of photographers and photoshop gurus who have spent hoursdeveloping these actions for all of us to use. If you add “free” to your searchterms you are going to find treasures that are easy on the business budget too.

Just to save you a bit of time I’ve gathered a few of myfavorites to share…

Summer Sun

Vintage Photo

How to Install Photoshop Actions

Before you can even begin to install a Photoshop action, youneed the program. Click here to get it.

There are many ways to install Photoshop actions. To begin,you can drag the downloaded actions into the “Actions” folder contained withinthe “Presets” folder in your Photoshop application folder. If you find thatthey don’t load instantly, you may need to restart your program to refresh theactions menu.

Another method is found within the Photoshop “Actions”window or palette.

Simply click the small menu button in the top right cornerof the window, then select “LoadActions” option. This allows you access to any actions on your computer andload them instantly into Photoshop.

See below:

I can't wait to see your creations!

12 Resources to Boost Your Brand

2011-09-08T14:07:00.000-07:00

Having a small business can be challenging at times. Mostoften we business owners find ourselves playing the role of many. Our dreamsare big, but our time is limited and our budgets are, well, even more limited. I’ma huge believer in D.I.Y. and penny pinching is often the name of the game. Ifyou find yourself in the same position, you are going to love these resources. Sogo ahead, boost your brand, magnify your marketing and seize your success…

1. Get Some Google in Your Sites

If you’re not signed up to GoogleAnalytics yet, you must be living under a rock. If you have a website,you MUST have Google Analytics. This analytics solution gives you rich insightsinto your website traffic and marketing effectiveness. Powerful, flexible andeasy-to-use features now let you see and analyze your traffic data in anentirely new way. With Google Analytics, you're more prepared to writebetter-targeted ads, strengthen your marketing initiatives and create higherconverting websites.

http://www.google.com/analytics

2. You’re So Vain!

Well, maybe not but your Facebook Business Page should be.Help your potential and existing customers find you easily on Facebook bycreating a vanity URL. By default, your Facebook page will get a randomlyassigned number and URL (facebook.com/pages/yourbusiness/123456789), but now,Facebook made it possible to customize your Facebook page URL(facebook.com/yourbusiness). Don't hesitate - you want to ensure that you getyour business names before some else does.

http://www.facebook.com/username

3. Facebook Chatter Box

Has your status ever been too complicated to describe inless than 420 characters? The maximum length of a status update on Facebook is420 characters. Sometimes you may have a lot to say but you don’t want to postit in a note or blog post. Here’s a cool little loophole describe by FacebookFlow that allows you to post as many characters as you want.

http://facebookflow.com/post-status-longer-420-characters/

4. Free Publicity. Become a Celebrity Biz.

No matter who you are, if you are in business, you needpublicity. Period. While there are many ways to become a celebrity biz, thebest way to start is to do it yourself. All it takes is a little time,aspiration and these resources:

www.helpareporter.com -From The New York Times, to ABC News, to HuffingtonPost.com and everyone inbetween, nearly 30,000 members of the media have quoted HARO sources in theirstories. Everyone’s an expert at something. Sharing your expertise may land youthat big media opportunity you’ve been looking for.

http://entreprenette.com/instantly-famous - A free service giving you access to film-makers and TV shows.

http://www.pr.com - Notonly will they distribute your press releases, but you can also set up a fullcompany profile.

You can even start here by writing a guest post for The Design Daily. You're great at what you do so share your expertise with us and our followers. Your knowledge needs recognition, so check out our guest post guidelines and get started.

5. Your Business in Print

Boost your brand with affordable, quality printed products.Nothing says “successful” like a well put together business package. Theseonline printing resources are fantastic.

http://gotprint.net
http://www.vistaprint.com

http://www.vistaprint.ca
http://www.vistaprint.com.au

6. Fancy Animated Banners

Have you seen those fancy animated banners ads of blogs andwebsite? Or maybe you have amazing product shots that are screaming out to befeatured. Check out this resource that will take your static images and makethem into an animated masterpiece. Note: The page looks a bit dated, but theservice is perfect. Just scroll down a bit and fill in your details. LimitedHTML coding knowledge is needed.

http://www.htmlbasix.com/banner.shtml

7. Bitchin’ Blogs

Make your blog the go-to of all blogs with these fantastictips and tricks by Tricks For New Bloggers. Just peruse the main page for thetrick you want to master.

http://tricks-for-new-bloggers.blogspot.com/2007/09/add-navigation-bar-in-header-image.html

8. Cute Fonts for Blogs

Have you ever wanted to use fonts to add a cute,personalized look to your blog? Have you seen blogs with cute fonts for theirtitles, dates, or sidebar headers and thought, “I want that!”? Have you’vealready tried to do it, only to discover if someone else doesn’t have the fontinstalled, they won’t see it? If you answered yes to any of those questions, thenI have good news for you my friend! This is a tutorial on how to use your own,custom fonts on your Blogger/Blogspot blogs.

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/whatsnew/tutorials/how-to-use-a-cute-font-for-your-blogger-post-titles.html#ixzz1XOJ5HNWB

9. While We’re on the Topic of Fonts…

These fantastic resources for fonts are not only incrediblylarge but they’re free too…

http://www.dafont.comhttp://www.1001freefonts.com
http://www.urbanfonts.com

10. An HTML Vision

You have a website, a blog, or a custom Facebook app and arenow venturing into the realm of HTML to better polish your online presence.What? You don’t want to invest thousands into professional coding programs?Good thing, cause here’s one that’s free. Practice board allows you to plug inyour HTML code and “see” the graphic results.

http://www.practiceboard.com/

11. A Picture is Worth a Thousand Dollars! Huh?

If you’ve ever tried to design a brochure or website youwould have quickly realized that visuals with impact were necessary. But findinga quality image can be a bit of a challenge and, if you're not careful, a costly endeavor. Here aresome resources for quality and affordable imagery:

http://compfight.com -mainly free photography provided by talented amateurs and budding pros. Paymentis acknowledged by credit in most cases.

http://www.vectorjunky.com - amazing vector illustrations that are free and contributed by an outstandingcommunity of designers…including myself! LOL.

http://www.istockphoto.com - amazing stock photos, illustrations, videos, audio and flash at amazingprices.

12. Edit Photos like the Pros

This amazing online photo editing resource allows you tostore, manipulate and enhance your photos like the pros.

http://fotoflexer.com/

How to Switch Your Facebook User Identity

2011-09-07T12:12:00.000-07:00

If you have a business page (in addition to your personal profile page) remember to switch your user account whenever you are posting or interacting with other business pages. That way your post or comment will always look like its your business posting. The bonus is that by doing so, you are providing a link and more advertising for your business.

Here's How:

Go to "account" in top right corner of your Facebook page
click "use facebook as a page"
pick your business
viola! Now you are using as your business.
You can always switch back to your personal profile by using the same steps above.

Make the Most Out of Your Facebook Business Page

2011-09-07T11:55:00.000-07:00

Facebook business pages are one of the greatest marketing tools. If you are not using yours as such, then you are really missing out.

The concept is simple. With a business page you meet your customers where they are – on Facebook – and you engage with them in hopes of making them a lifetime customer. Sometimes, it isn’t that easy. Just as any other marketing campaign, you need to make sure that your Facebook page is aligned with your priorities and strategy.

The design of your Facebook page is a great place to start. Your page speaks volumes about your commitment to your online presence, so make sure it’s what you want to portray.

Profile Picture:

Your profile picture is the MOST important item to consider when designing your page. It is one of the most critical aspects because it is what draws users to your business, no matter your purpose.

Make sure it carries your business brand. For example, If I am searching “Betty's Bowtique” or “Cathy's Couture” the only way I will know that I have found the correct company is by looking at the images associated with the name in the search result. If your logo or brand isn’t prominent and easily recognizable, I’m not going to find you.

Potential customers will not spend hours finding you. If you do not make it easy, they will move on to your competition.

Profile images can be 150 pixel wide x 540 pixels high. That is a large amount of real estate for one constant image. So make that visual count! In an orderly and visually appealing manner you could include your: logo, brand graphics, product images, business mission statement, website URL, discount coupon, etc.

Text Box Blurb

Facebook gives you a small section of retail space below your profile picture to put something about yourself or your business. Most people underestimate the great value of this space. In essence, this is your 30-second pitch to anyone visiting your page for the first time.

Make your words count and allow them to authentically tell what you’re all about. If you’re about gaining more customers, talk about your wonderful food, catering, or roofing work. If you take pride in supplying your customers with sweet deals on your stuff, say so in this box.

Use this box to amplify your business and to alert customers of your purpose for having a business page.

Tabs and Applications

Facebook and developers have provided a boat load of content that can be added to your fan page to boost your image and the page’s functionality. The applications you have enabled will tell users exactly what your intent is on Facebook, so make sure you are using only relevant applications & tabs.

By default, you are given the option to include various applications, such as media sharing and customer reviews. Depending on your choice of add-ins, viewers can tell the main purpose of the fan page. If you are including the Reviews application, you want to give customers or clients a place to brag about your company or product. In the customer’s mind, you’re focused on customer service. No matter your enabled applications, your viewers will be able to tell your goals and focuses.

It’s also important to note that if you want to give off the image that you’re more than just a once-a-week-page-administrator, include applications that ARE NOT automatically enabled when you sign up for your fan page. This shows initiative and customers love it.

Your business page is a critical marketing tool to manage. If you don’t advertise and present it appropriately, you and your reputation will suffer. In today’s world, it’s critical to ensure that your online presence is saying the right things about you.

Not sure if you are on the right track? Boutique By Design specializes in branding including graphic design & marketing. Contact us, we'd love to help.

Facebook Tagging is Good For Business

2011-09-07T11:48:00.000-07:00

Referrals are one of the best sources of business networking and Facebook has recognized this by providing a system where you can refer other people, their pages or groups to your friends and business followers.

What's the purpose?

Rather than praising yourself and hard selling your products and services, it often feels better if it comes from another person, client or friend of yours - Don't rave about yourself, but go ahead and rave about others and yes, in doing so you come out ahead.

What is tagging in a post?

By tagging you mention someone, write something about their product, idea, send them a public compliment or simply make a reference to someone or something.

Step-by-step guide:

1. First, you need to be connected to or "like" the person or business you are intending to tag. You are allowed to tag multiple different items in a single post, six at the most.

2. Write in your status box whatever you want to say about the person or thing you want to mention. When you come to mentioning their name, page or group, simply type the @ symbol, directly followed by their name, the page's or group's name. Make sure you do leave a space before the @ but no space between the @ symbol and the name.

3. A drop-down menu will appear with any matching entries. You can either finish writing the name yourself or chose from the menu.

4. The name you have tagged will appear with a light blue highlight and will then turn to a dark blue once posted so that people who look at your post can click on the link and directly visit the page or person mentioned.

If you've been tagged you will see the post appear on your own wall. This way you can follow when someone mentions you and what comments people add to it.

Whether You Like It or Not Your Business Has a Brand

2011-09-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

Your business has a brand. Period. Even if you don’t have a logo, your business still has a brand. Few small businesses really understand what a brand is and why it is important to their overall marketing strategy.

A brand is the image or perception the world has of your business. It communicates your personality and influences your buyers’ opinion of who you are and whether they want to do business with you. A brand:

Is every image you project and needs to consistently reflect the personality of your business.
Reflects your business’s promise, message and values.
Helps the audience differentiate you from your competitors, positively influencing their decision to hire you.

A good brand communicates clearly, consistently and creates credibility. It enables you to provide customers with an image that can evoke feelings about your business, having a powerful impact on whether someone wants to do business with you.

Do you have a strong brand?

When someone looks at your business card, website or marketing piece, what does your image project? Is it well designed, consistent on all marketing materials and over all memorable? Does this image reflect your business’s personality and values? Is your brand consistent in every aspect of your company – from your materials, to your online presence, to the way you answer the phone, to the way you conduct yourself in public or social media?

Help! I need a new brand...

If you have never thought about your brand and just let it happen, it would be beneficial to take some time to determine what your brand projects. Ask customers the first words or images that come to their mind when your business is mentioned - even post the question on your facebook wall! If they consistently respond with adjectives that fit your business such as reliable, committed to excellence, or delivers quality on time and within budget, then your brand has been developed and you can now take it to the next level. When responses are inconsistent, ambiguous, or refer to attributes such as cost, it is an indicator of a weak brand image.

And, of course, seeking professional help never hurts. Boutique by Design specializes in branding, and has done so for over 15 years. If you want an honest and professional analysis of your current brand please contact us. We'd love to help.

How to Choose a Logo Designer...

2011-09-02T22:39:00.000-07:00

We all understand the importance of having a logo for our business. A professionally designed logo will build professionalism and credibility within your target market. A well-designed logo will also show the class, strength and uniqueness of what your business represents. But how does one get a professional and well-designed logo?

Finding a great logo designer can be a really frustrating experience. While there seems to be an endless amount of designers to choose from, finding a quality designer can be a real challenge, especially if you don’t know what to look out for.

Here are some key aspects to help in your decision:

A Strong Portfolio:

The best way to decide on a designer is to view their portfolio. Most designers display their portfolios within their websites making them easily accessible. An experienced designer will show a portfolio that offers variety, consistency and strength of work. It is also important to understand that many designers specialize, or have preference to, a certain design style. If you do not see the style you desire within the designers portfolio, chances are, they are not the best pick for you.

Testimonials:

Whenever possible, check out a designer’s reviews or testimonials online. Positive testimonials can be a good indicator of past client satisfaction. Please also keep in mind the legitimacy of these comments. A solid review should be backed by a link to the original creator. If testimonials are not easily found, ask the designer directly. Great designers will not hesitate to offer references.

Communication:

Communication is the single most important element in the design process. It is a skill that cannot be overlooked. You can get a good sense of the designer’s character by reviewing their website, Facebook page, Twitter page or blog. Be sure that their communication style is compatible to yours. Email communication is also a good way to judge how a designer communicates. How quickly does the designer respond to your initial inquiry? Do they answer your questions with clear and concise explanations? Have they provided quotes and outlined their design process readily and simply? These are all signs of how well the design process will go. If your initial request goes unnoticed or there is a significant delay in their response, you can bet that the same will be true throughout the entire design process.

Passion:

Exceptional designers love their job. They eat, sleep and breathe design. They are invested in each and every project and client they have the privilege of working for. Passion is what separates mediocre designers from exceptional designers. Period. A passionate designer goes the extra mile, exceeds your expectations, and aspires for perfection in all they do.

Problem Solving & Creative Process:

Designing a logo is not about making a pretty picture. A good designer will take the time to understand your business’ goals, vision, history and will then define these concepts in an effective visual manner. The end result will be a logo that will stand the test of time and bring your brand much success.

For someone outside of the design industry, this is probably the most difficult aspect to define in a designer. While education and experience is often an indicator, the creative process is most often the telltale.

During the creative process a designer should consider you not only a client, but also a partner in the development of your logo. A terrific designer will rely on the information you provide and consider your input the key element in creating the perfect logo. The creative process MUST include a questionnaire that highlights your business’ history, goals, specialties, vision, preferences for visuals and references to styles. If the designer does not understand your business, the logo will fail.

This will also explain why premade logos cannot possibly offer your business the success it deserves. Premade logos are created with zero consideration of your business and its needs.

Timelines:

Good design takes time. While different designers work at different speeds, a solid design does not happen over night. The initial stage is usually the most time consuming with an average turnaround time of 7 days. Revisions to the initial concept will typically take 2 to 3 additional days. That said, other designers offer a 4 to 6 week turnaround, which is equally acceptable. Simply ask up front and be sure their timeline works with yours.

Price:

Good design costs money. The reason being is that good design takes time. As not every business is the same, I do recommend requesting a quote from at least three different designers before making your choice. Please do make sure that all three designers meet all the above criteria as well. You want to make sure you are comparing apples to apples. The average cost a small business will pay for a custom logo will be between $500 to $1000. That said, there are a few businesses out there (myself included) who offer their experience at a discounted price to WAHPs and start ups.

What Does the Price Include?

Designers are different in their offering so be sure to confirm what the price includes before you pay. Typically a designer will offer the following:

1. A fully outlined creative process including questionnaire, brainstorming, rendering, project scheduling, and prompt delivery dates.

2. Original presentation of 2 to 3 different logo concepts. These can be in the form of black and white pencil sketches through to full color digitally executed files.

3. Once a single concept is defined, you will most likely have two rounds of revisions to work with the designer to perfect its every element – color, composition, font selection, tagline etc.

4. Once the final design is approved, a designer will then prep the final files for you. If you are an ongoing contract, the designer will keep all files and handle all of your design needs for you. If you have only contracted the designer to create your logo, then final files will be delivered to you for your own archives. These files can include one or a combination of the following: A vector, raster, eps, AI, pdf, jpg, gif, tiff, png, pantone, CMYK and/or RGB version. Please remember that the creation of these files take time. If your original contract included one final file, ordering additional files should require additional payment.

Overall attention to detail, credibility, strong communication skills, effective problem solving, and passion are all vital and go hand in hand with an exceptional designer. If you have found someone who meets (or exceeds) the criteria listed above, then you can guarantee that you have found the perfect designer for your business needs.