Think of it this way: You’ll get a FREE tutorial for something I would normally charge you to do for you. So make it good.

So leave a comment with your question. I’ll pick one of them and write a post on how to do it. Disclosure: I’ll only pick things I know how to do or can find out. Turning iron to gold will likely get ignored.

Honestly, I’m not sure if email newsletters do much to reach customers. (I shouldn’t say that because I want to offer it as a service.) But I wanted a way to get out some information about changes in the web hosting service or opportunities to enhance your website. I didn’t want it to be overwhelming so that people won’t read it but I wanted to communicate (what I think is) some important stuff.

I created a newsletter that anyone could skim or read in 30 seconds. There is one major informative section and 3 smaller announcement or opportunity sections below as well as a personal note and image. Quick and easy. To view the latest newsletter and see what I mean about how quickly one can read it click this link.

If you’d like to explore the possibility of getting an email newsletter or custom communications set up for your website let me know. Want to do it on your own? Sign up with MailChimp.

If you’d like to sign up for my monthly newsletter and sporadic communications just enter your email (first and last name) in the sign up box on the right and click subscribe. Don’t worry, you can always unsubscribe with a simple click at the bottom of each newsletter or communication.

I’m excited to announce that the redesigned website for Disciples Church has launched.

I wanted to share a couple of thoughts regarding the collaboration process:

1. It is a joy, as a designer, to work with people that trust you to make good design decisions.

Simply put: They trust you to make them look good (thanks Mary Jane!). For an example of what it is like to work for someone that doesn’t trust you please take some time to enjoy this comic by Oatmeal.

2. It is a joy to work with self-less people.

The temptation on designing something like a website is to create everything yourself. But the reality is that many elements of a good design require someone else’s input and/or work. On this site I had the pleasure of directly working with Adam Adams of Differ Designs and indirectly working with images from Vida Mia Photography. They were giving of their time and energy.

3. It is a joy to work with people who can give (and receive) constructive criticism.

Unfortunately we (read: me) can get a little touchy when it comes to things we’ve created. But it isn’t impossible to receive or give criticism if it is done with grace. The truth is that sometimes their idea IS better. And it makes what you are creating better. To be able to receive the input you have to remember that it isn’t about you. This doesn’t mean you can’t disagree with the criticism. Try to argue from a design perspective rather than from hurt feelings.

More often than not I work with great people – clients and collaborators. We tend to hear about the bad experiences more than the good ones. This project was a joy for me as a designer because of the people I worked with to make a great looking website.

Thanks Stu, Adam, and Mary Jane (and Disciples Church) for the opportunity to work on your website. You barely knew me and you trusted so much to me. I’m grateful.

I’m very excited about the launch of the redesign for Disciples Church of Folsom, California next Thursday around 10 a.m. PST. I’ll post some thoughts about the website and the collaboration process next week as well. If you’re looking for a church in the Sacramento area near Folsom you might just check out Disciples Church. It’s where our family has been worshipping the last couple of months. They really are about their tagline: Real God, Real People, Real Life.

The connection your visitor makes with your company/product/community has a lot to do the visual appeal of your site. If you want to communicate excellence you must use images that are high quality.

Where can I get great images for my website?

You have several options:

Professional Photographer

If you’re creating a website for your business or church or crossfit gym or music venture it might be worth it to hire a professional to take the images that you need. The benefit of a local photographer is they can take images that are specific to your needs. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Chelle Nicole Photography (credit for the photo of my son above walking in the field) and recommend hiring a local photographer for your needs. The best way to find a good photographer is usually to ask your network of friends for recommendations.

Stock Photography

When you don’t need local or specific images you can purchase high quality photography (and illustrations) from stock photography sites. I’ve personally purchased from two stock photography websites: iStockphoto and Shutterstock. My personal observation is that the quality of photos is higher on iStockphoto. Purchase includes a license to use the photo for personal or commercial use with normal limitations such as not reselling the image.

Flickr

You can find images on photo sharing sites like Flickr.com. Many images on Flickr are licensed under a Creative Common License. Flickr has a large selection of photos from photographers around the world. Be sure to know the differences in the different licenses under Creative Commons. Specifically, some don’t let businesses use their images.

Web Search

You can also get images from the web. You just need to be aware that you could run into licensing issues if you decide to just download someone else’s image and put it on your website. When in doubt always contact the owner of the image or website that is displaying the image to inquire about the rights to it.

Do It Yourself

Got a fancy camera? You can always take your own photos. There are plenty of resources online on how to improve your photography. You can also take a photography class or workshop at a community college. If you do take your own photos I suggest that you let a professional photographer or designer look at the pictures.

Conclusion

It’s not difficult to secure high quality images. Figure out how much you can spend. Determine what you need – specific or stock. Decide the best source and go.

Images make a difference in the overall value and perception of your website. Take care to choose wisely. Do you know of other resources for great images? Share in the comments.

I’m excited to announce that Crossfit Federal Way has been launched. Their Grand Opening will be Saturday April 30th from 10 am -2 pm. Everyone is welcome to come by to enjoy a workout and delicious food.

I would love to just give a number (a really high one!) to people and they blindly accept it without question. But most people are looking for a good deal and want the most value for their money. I think that is smart.

Instead of telling you how much your website is going to cost I’m going to help you get the most value for your dollar when trying to decide who to hire for your website design.

Know What You Want
Take some time to answer the following questions. It will go a long way to figuring out how to communicate what you want to the designer and ultimately to the person who visits your website.

1. What is the purpose of my site?
There is a big difference between the needs (and cost) of a website for sharing your personal thoughts with the world and a website for your business where you would like people to purchase your products. Are you offering information or interaction?

2. Who am I trying to attract?
Knowing your viewer/customer and their expectations is critical for the design of your website. Visual design and website interaction are just some of the elements this question will address.

3. What do I want them (viewer/customer) to do?
If you want your viewers to do something then you should focus on making that action as easy as possible. If you want your customer to purchase something from your website then you will need a shopping cart or equivalent for your website. If you want them to register for events then you will need some sort of event manager element as part of your website.

4. Who is going to maintain and update the website?
Do you have someone in-house (yourself or employee) who will be updating the website? Do you need the designer to be the one updating the website? How often will the website need to be updated?

Thinking through these questions will help you be more prepared to talk to a designer about your website needs.

If you would like to talk to me about your website needs I can be reached at 253.426.3760 or rob AT follycreative DOT com.