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When potential clients tell me that they’re not sure how to choose a graphic designer I ask them to first think about the message that they want to convey with their graphics.

The logo you design has to be something that conveys your full message whether it’s small enough to fit on the pocket of a t-shirt the side of an athletic shoe or the side of your van. There’s a lot more to knowing how to choose a graphic designer than simply choosing a caricature that you want to be your company spokesperson.

Since before the time that Nike came on the scene with their famous ‘Swoosh’ business owners have understood the importance of branding. Nike doesn’t even have to put their name on their products anymore. Their ‘Swoosh’ says it all. Their logo tells you who they are and that they make shoes that help you compete.

Budweiser branded their company with the Clydesdale horses. A Clydesdale horse automatically brings to mind Budweiser Beer and a taste of the Old World. So how did Nike and Budweiser come up with these wonderful images for branding their companies? And a better question would be, how do you choose a graphic designer if you’re not a multi-million dollar company?

First, you need to look for a Birmingham graphic design firm that is experienced in creating corporate logos that will be able to make a connection with people. The FedEx logo is such a good choice for branding because the designer understood that psychological connection and applied his knowledge by altering the font so the arrow would appear between the E and the X. You need a designer who can also make that connection. Look for someone who not only understands you company’s mission statement but can also translate it into images. How to choose a graphic designer requires much more than basic knowledge of Photoshop. He also needs to know how to connect with people.

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Technorati Tags: branding, designer, graphic design, logo

Your business card should be more than just a piece of paper with your name on it. Always think of it as a marketing tool. A marketing tool that should be ready at any time to help ‘pitch’ your business or services.

If a person you’re speaking to asks for your business card, what would you want the card to say about you and your business?

Let’s start with the basics. The first thing you want to make sure of is that you have your name, relevant phone numbers, email, address and logo on your card. Make sure all of this information is clear and legible. You can print your card up in color or black and white, but remember color has more of impact.

If your company is offering a promotion or discounts on a certain product or service, you can print that up on the card as well, or even attach a note to the card.

Should your promotions change all the time or if you meet a prospective client and decided on the spot to offer them some type of special, consider printing your cards on a stock of paper, which will allow you to write on them.

A great way to get your name out there by using your business cards is to attend networking events. These types of events can expose you to many prospective clients or give you introductions to industry contacts. Be sure to bring a stack of cards and hand them out to as many people as possible.

In fact, no matter where you are, always keep some business cards with you. Put them in your wallet, or a business card holder. Keep some in your car, your home, your briefcase, your laptop case, or anyplace that will help you stay marketing ready.

Think about places you visit on a frequent basis, maybe your local dry cleaner or coffee shop has bulletin board where you could stick up your business.

If your favorite restaurant is holding one of those contests where your business card could win you free lunch, take advantage of it. If you win, you could use it to take prospective clients to lunch.

If you have friends or family members who have a lot of great contacts, consider giving them some of your cards to hand out to these clients. Ask them to write a note on the card to remind their contact of how they know you or got your card.

When you meet a new contact, don’t just hand them the card, write a quick note on it, if you have the chance. This is a great way to show them you are truly interested in their business and that the conversation you had made an impression. This can also help them always keep you top of mind should they run across your card a later time.

The most important thing to remember about business cards, is to hand them out, hand them out. We all have boxes full of business cards sitting on our desk collecting dust. You didn’t invest in business cards so they could act as a paperweight.

If your cards aren’t being launched on the world, you’re losing out on a valuable and simple marketing technique.

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Technorati Tags: business card design, business card software, business cards, Design, graphic design, graphics, small business, software

For those of you who are new to website design and need to know how to make a functioning website out of a Photoshop designed image file, this is the article for you. This is not a technical explanation which outlines each of the steps involved but instead just a quick & dirty explanation of the task at hand so as to get you pointed in the right direction so you’ll understand what needs to be done with your PSD image file.

In order for you to be able to use this PSD image as one of your website pages it will first need to be converted into a web ready format. There are several different types of web formats that you can convert your PSD file into such as HTML, XHTML, Joomla, and others. The most commonly used web formatting language, however, is HTML and more recently XHTML. Converting your PSD file into a valid HTML or XHTML file (sometimes referred to as a “coded markup”) will allow it to function as an actual web page.

Ok, so how do you convert it? Well, you have 3 options. Convert it by hand coding yourself (this requires “slicing” the image up into sections while inside of Photoshop, then exporting those slices into separate files, and then hand coding an html and css file from scratch that will properly configure your slices and pages so that when finished it all looks exactly like the original image). If your head has just fallen into your hands (and I’m assuming if you’re still reading this it probably has) then this is not likely to be the option of choice for you. Your 2nd option is also not well suited for the faint hearted beginner, although a bit easier than the first, and that is… you can actually purchase software that will help you to convert the image. You’ll still have to do a fair amount of setup and configuring before the software will actually convert it but the steep learning curve can be handled easily enough as long as you have the time available and are already comfortable working with image files, layers and some light html or web page editing programs. While this type of software can be expensive and time consuming you may consider it being cost effective if you plan on having to do this more than once for more than just a single page or website.

Your other option is to just hire a PSD to HTML service to do the conversion for you. There are literally dozens of small companies and individuals you can easily find on the internet today who are well skilled at performing these types of conversions. Prices will be varied and are typically indicative of how technically difficult your particular project is (such as java or flash features being built in, etc.). Some will offer to code it by hand and others will use software, and some will use both depending upon the project. Average costs for taking this route will probably range from about $50 per page to more than $200 per page.

At least now, you have a better understanding of what needs to be done in this situation and where you might need to begin looking to get your project completed. While image based web designs can be a bit of a pain to deal with due to the conversion factor and other maintenance related challenges, they also tend to make some of the most visually attractive presentations and can help to make your site more popular.

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Technorati Tags: graphic design, HTML, Photoshop Design Tips, psd, psd to html, website design, Website Design Tips

Great graphic design is the key! Graphic design that creates sparkle and pizzaz and magnetizes your target clients to you is what you are looking for. When you begin to look for the right graphic designer, it can seem that there are way too many to choose from. Most will have a graphic design portfolio on line. This is the place to start.

Shout it out! Use visuals that make a lot of noise! The human brain is visual, so visuals are crucial to making graphic designs that have a built-in megaphone. The best visual megaphone is color. Wild vibrant color attracts the eye. Use visuals and color to make a statement that is loud and bold.

What is it that sets one other than another? How do you judge graphic design for yourself? It’s not a simple task, because it also involves preference, but he’re some basic design elements that will aid as you examine their portfolios.

Benefits. While benefits are a selling point and not really a part of the design itself, they are a very important part of what makes a piece sizzle and sparke, because it’s the benefits that magnetize clients to you. So be sure your designer has included benefits in their design pieces.

Use of White Space. Possibly the first and foremost consideration is the application of white space in the graphic design. Is the warning shown simply with lots of surrounding space, or is the space cluttered and you do not know where to look next. Examine a number of the graphic design pieces in the designer’s portfolio. Knowing how and when to use white space is a natural talent and an art. Does this designer have it?

Simple Easy to Understand Message. Identical to white space, the message should be simple and easy to comprehend. Competing messages don’t make for sparkle and notice in graphic design.

Meaningful Unique Bold Graphics. Our brains process visually, so the visual lesson is extremely important, often more serious than the language. How clear and bold are the graphics in the work of the purpose you are thinking about. Do you get the moral right away? Are the visuals different and unique or do you need the impression that you’ve seen them before.

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Technorati Tags: graphic design, internet, web design

Joomla design templates can save you time and money when creating a website. You don’t even need any design experience to change your website’s appearance. Professional web design template can help you a lot if you make right decision when choosing a template. There are thousands of web templates over the Internet and it sometimes it is very difficult to make your choice. Few simple advices can help you choose the best template for your site.

A really good template that you should consider using to create your website is the Joomla template. Professionally designed Joomla templates are specifically created to be used with Joomla CMS platform. These custom Joomla templates make website management easy and effective. And of course the Joomla Templates are more than affordable when you get them from the right people. Premium Joomla Templates that are designed by professionals can help you build a powerful website.

Website templates determine a site’s structure, look and feel. Do you want to start a blog with mostly text content or some sort of photo gallery? Maybe you need a social network website? Don’t forget that your site design should be related to your site’s theme and reflect your site’s idea. Joomla music template will have a different feel and look than a sport website template, a web development company, or a muscle cars site. Website’s structure should meet your site’s needs. Do not forget that template is what determines a website’s feel and look and it should meet your stylistic requirements.

Paid Joomla Templates: There are professional design companies who offer custom designed Joomla Templates for a price. This includes installation, professional support and a look and feel matching your needs. That upside is that one can have highly customized templates, be able to tweak them as per requirements and get professional support. The downside is the cost for the template and support.

Most modern Joomla templates allow you to do necessary changes to make design unique and suitable to your idea. You can change colors, images and fonts and make your website user and SEO friendly. You should make sure that template supports all customization options you may need before buying it. Note to self – customization is a slight improvement but not a total redesign.

It is easy to setup a high quality, professional looking website with Joomla CMS due to the ease with which custom templates can be used.

Chosen properly a Joomla template can save you money and time. The perfect template for your website is one that will make your site look catchy and clean and will include all features you need.

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Technorati Tags: graphic design, internet, joomla, web design, web templates

One of the sunshine careers which are rapidly growing and slated to be one of the largest by 2014 is that of graphic design. Which would be the most sought after careers? The market would be highly competitive even when there are plenty of jobs available in computer graphic design. This is due to the fact that it is not only a popular area of study, but a pet hobby for many, while a career and freelancing opportunity for an equally high number of people. A four year college degree or a Bachelors Degree is sufficient to become a computer graphic designer. Some technical positions can be obtained with only a two year college degree, or Associates Degree. Remember however that this type of career does not move ahead, without adding further educational qualification. The criticality of formal education must be realized if you wish to pursue a career in this field.

About thirty percent of those in a computer graphic design career work independently as freelancers. Holding a regular job of a computer graphic designer or any other computer related profession is normal for nearly half of the freelancers. Freelancing is a viable option in this career as there is no dearth of demand for graphic designers from small firms who can not pay for the larger design firms.

There are many other careers in computer graphic design. You could choose a career in the print media like books and magazines, audio media like radio advertising or digital media like films and television. Not so much in terms of variety but you could expect a steady stream of work if you seek a career in a large or small specialist company. Or you may even decide to work as a freelancer in this profession.

If you wish to pursue this as a career, a college degree, desire, and knowing where you want to go is not enough. You must have pronounced skills in using computer graphic soft ware as well as other computer skills. A collection of your best work ought to be made called your portfolio. So the contents could come between your getting the job or not.

Once you have completed your education and you know where you are going, the next step in your pursuit of a career is to find that first, entry level job. Computer graphic design jobs can be found at various places. When you are on the look out for freelance job opportunities in this field, look for them through online job boards, classified ads as well as job for hire boards. The reason for this is that all people concerned know that this is an expensive proposition. Wish you good luck in your pursuit for a graphic design career.

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Technorati Tags: computer graphics design, graphic design

Whilst choosing a perfect website template to project the right image for your business could be a lot quicker and cheaper than hiring the services and skills of a web designer, it may not be the best way to create your online presence. So if you want a professional online presence generated quickly and cheaply, downloading a website template could be the right option for you.

Whilst this may be true not all templates are equal – some are designed and structured really well and look professional whilst others are downright nasty. But surely with all the website templates available online there must be some that are perfect for my requirements I hear you say.

That is probably true but, as mentioned above, not all web templates are the same in terms of quality or as easy to work with. In fact while some are free, some guide you step by step through the process of editing and uploading the template files and others require a certain amount of web design competency to edit and manage them.

Once you figure out what high-level pages your web site needs, write them down. For each page, identify what kind of content you will need to include. Brainstorm out a list of things that you want included on each page. Do this in an outline format. You will need to refer to this outline when narrowing down your list of potential web templates.

Similarly, the same case is with your site. If your site is put together shabbily and looks like a 5 minute “quick fix”, you are literally shouting to your visitors that you are not professional and you do not care for quality.

Your first search should produce a list of five to ten potential templates. Send template links to people you trust and ask them for feedback. Listen to what they have to say, but don’t ignore your instincts. If your gut tells you a particular template isn’t right for your business, it probably isn’t. Whatever you do, do not rush this decision and try to pick a template in less than an hour. I suggest dedicating a few days to the decision so you have time to reflect on your choices. The template you select will reflect on you and your business. Choose wisely.

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Technorati Tags: business, graphic design, internet, web design, web templates

I’ve always had the ‘entrepreneurial’ spirit. I remember, being 9 years old, going down to the local pottery shop and buying a dozen un-kilned coffee mugs. I drew cartoons on them (I was a wanna-be cartoonist back in the day) and brought them back to the pottery shop to have them Kilned (baked).

I’d eventually take them into my local police department or church … and sell them. I did sell a few, But I never really made a profit. The price of the actual mugs, the kilning and paint all cost much more than what I made from sales. This is the same dilemma I have in the retail world. I’ve been selling my own logo design software product in retail stores such as Fry’s Electronics and Office Depot for a few years now.

The boxes each cost (roughly) $3.00 to design. This includes the cardboard, the CD and sleeve, as well as the burning of the disk …and putting in the ‘filler’ to make the box appear strong and sturdy on the shelf.

To design the box’s artwork, You can find a professional graphics person. If you’re brave, and don’t have to meet face to face, you can hire a designer from a company like eLance.com (eLance allows you to choose designers who “bid” on your project). A graphic designer may charge somewhere in the neighborhood of $2,500 to $7,500 to create the artwork for the box! Something to remember: it’ll cost, in the end, about $3,000 for 1000 boxes.

Most times, 1,000 is the smallest amount you’ll be able to print. This can really add up when a large chain (Office Depot for instance has 1200 stores nation wide). Each store may want a minimum of 5 boxes on the shelf. That’s 6,000 boxes. At $3 a pop!).

Once the boxes are manufactured, you have what they call “Shelf Space” to deal with.

Not all fo them, but most retail chains like you to buy this shelf space.

Often times, this shelf space gets as high as $4,000 for just one product! You really need to sell an armload of your software in order to make up this $5000. Oh, and then, the retail chain may take a 10% cut of your sales …It can all get crazy.

Why the internet is better

This is why the internet is so terrific. NO overhead other than your time. (I use external eCommerce companies to handle my shopping cart system. They take 20% of my monthly sales. …but it’s WELL worth it I must say).

This is why downloadable software is so profitable. Create it once and sell it multiple times. An eBook or homemade CD as an example. The Retail stores used to be king, but no longer. The Web rules!

It’s harder to market yourself on the net beign that there’s so much competition. However, that’s where your Search Engine Marketing comes in. But that’s a topic for a another article.

Marc Sylvester – CEO of Laughingbird Software. Home to the Logo Creator, logo design software for Mac and Windows. Visit http://www.thelogocreator.com for more details!

Technorati Tags: Design, design software, graphic design, graphics, logo design, logo design software, logos, software

If you are trying to build a website, it is important for you to know about the difference between web design and web development. Once you understand how the two processes work hand in hand, you can learn how to utilize both of these effectively to give you a solid and highly functional website which will help you promote your business.

There are many times that people will use the two terms when they are discussing the progress of their website. They may talk about design when they mean development. It will probably not hurt the overall site building process if you use design when you mean development but it is always good if you understand the difference so that you can speak about the process properly. It can also help you to outline where any issues or problems have occurred since the issues surrounding design can be very different than those surrounding development.

The main thing you need to remember about web design is that it deals with how the site looks. It involves the positioning of the navigational buttons, the positioning of photographs and any other graphic elements, and the look of any borders or background textures for the different portions of the website.

You may think that a website that is simple may look plain but often it can look quite professional. When you are undergoing the web design portion of your site building, you should be able to give the designer an idea of what you like and what you do not. Often, a designer will give you mock-ups or samples of what your site will look like. You can then approve a design or refine what the designer is trying to do so that you get a site that you can be truly happy with.

Web development has more to do with the code and programming that makes the site function. It may include items such as analytics programs that allow you to monitor the flow of traffic to your area. It may also include content management systems that give you control over the text elements of your website.

This can mean that some images will not appear or it may not load at all. This can be devastating for a business that is relying on its website to sell products or services. If a website takes too long to load, customers with a slow Internet speed may take too long to load and possible customers may go elsewhere for their goods and services.

Working with an experienced web design and web development firm is important. Your website speaks for your company and is often the first contact that a potential client will have. You want to make sure that your website is professional and put together well. They can also give you guidance about how to make sure your website will appear high on any internet search and provide you with analytical tools that can help you decide which areas of your website are the most popular.

The right company can mean the difference between a site which attracts customers and a site which can actually drive them away. By understanding the importance of both web design and web development you stand a better chance of getting that seamless and visually beautiful website you have always wanted.

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Technorati Tags: career, computers, graphic design, hosting, internet, marketing, sales, Technology, web, web design, web development, web hosting

A beautiful website design can never compensate slow performance in any website design. Most amateurs and professional webmasters belief that the more visual and audio aids they use on their website, which means slower loading time, the better it is for the visitor, when it isn’t so.

There are five website design rules you can follow to help you build that optimal performance website that rocks.

1) Leave the splash pages for movies and advertisements. Splash pages makes up the first impression people have of a website. Made up of pretty designs, they are usually lavish images and graphics with accompanying words such as “welcome to our site” or “click here to enter”. They are merely fancy additions without any real functions at all. This page serves a good purpose to entertain but if website conversion is your goal, it can be a big barrier for you to achieve your goals.

2) Do not use excessive banner advertisements these are usually large adverts placed at the top of the web page but can also be at the bottom too. Banner ad tends to be ignored by most web surfers so it is a total majority of the web surfers so they would a total waste of your website space. Instead, provide more valuable content and weave relevant affiliate links into your content, and let your visitors feel that they want to buy instead of being coerced.

3) Always use an easy navigational system Navigation should be made very simple so that even a young child can understand. Do stay away from any form of Flash based menu or even multi-tiered menu as they only serve to add more complication to the layout. If you make it difficult for them, they will leave your site. Have a sitemap added to the website design to help them find what they are looking for.

4) Have a clear indication of where the user is. When you have successfully captured their attention and enjoying the whole experience perusing your website, you will want to make them know where they are at the moment without feeling lost. That way, they will be able to browse relevant information or navigate to any section of the site easily. This can easily be achieved by ensuring each page has a title and a textual ‘breadcrumb trail’ that clearly shows the links they have made to get where they are now. Any type of confusion drives your visitors away.

5) Audios are a bad idea. If you wish for your visitors to stay long enough to read the contents, do not loop your music file in a way that irritates. The sounds when added can enhance an experience, but when played over and over gain it can start to be irritating. Using audios may not always be a good idea, if you have to include them be sure to allow for some form of user control such as volume or muting ability. By applying all these website design tips we share, you can expect to reap long term benefits from continuous traffic from returning visitors to your website.

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Technorati Tags: graphic design, web design, website design