Thesis Theme Design

7 Tips for Inspiring Trust In Your Brand

Tamal — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 10:01:10 +0000

We all want our brands to be trusted, and not just because we want our readers to keep reading and our customers to keep buying. Our brand is an extension of ourselves and the desire to be trusted is deeply personal with us. Inspiring trust in your brand takes the development of the same kinds of characteristics that give others reason to trust us as people. Trust is earned. Even if a potential customer grants our brand their initial trust because it has a good reputation, only an ongoing demonstration of its trustworthiness will keep our brand in good standing with them. Here’s an annotated list of 7 tips for inspiring continued trust in your brand.

1. Be true to your word

If you are in business you’ll have to make some promises regarding your goods and services. Those promises must be inviting enough to move people to give you a try, as you know. Saying “we may or may not get your printing done on time” won’t have them lining up with orders. But saying “we’ll have your order completed on time or your next order is 50% off” will get attention. Consistently delivering on time is the key…and granting that 50% off (with a smile!) when you don’t come through is just as important. In an odd way, failing and then making up to customers can actually inspire greater loyalty, as long as you don’t have to do it very often. As a bonus, giving our word and then living up to it keeps us motivated and inspired to continue producing excellence. Celebrate every day you meet and exceed expectations by living up to your word.

2. Exaggerate your delivery, not your promises

Years ago enterprising bakers would toss an extra roll or donut in your box as a way to add value to your order and build loyalty. Find little ways to produce your own version of a baker’s dozen in your business. Add unexpected value to your services while being careful not to build expectations you cannot meet. Exaggerating your services beyond what you can produce will get you some one-time-only customers, but then your reputation, the foundation of trust, will be destroyed. That’s the beginning of the end. The adage “under-promise and over-deliver” never goes out of style when you are seeking to inspire trust.

3. Feature testimonials

Testimonials are gold. Cultivate them creatively and they will work for you. Of course, underlying this principle must be the deeper reality that you are conducting your business in a way that will cause clients to want to vouch for how great it is. When you know you’ve got a truly satisfied customer be straightforward and ask them if they would consider writing a brief paragraph about their experience doing business with you. Most will do it gladly. Be sure to include their full name, city and state when publishing them. That will add credibility to their words.

4. Build a community and express your personality

Trust is essentially relational, as we all know. If you are trustworthy, then the better your customers know you the deeper their trust will be. Using social networking sites and other community-building means will give you the opportunity to be the “face” of your company. Share the great plans you have for the business. Include links to helpful information related to your industry. Offer discounts and specials. Blog about the ups and downs of owing a business like yours. Build the relationship and fulfill your promises. Trust will naturally follow.

5. Admit your faults and demonstrate solutions

Every business has warts. Downtown shops suffer from a dearth of parking, for example. If you have this or a related problem offer solutions to your customers. On your website give suggestions for where to find adequate parking. Offer a 10% off coupon to any customer who leaves your shop only to find they’ve received a parking ticket for an expired meter. Be creative. Point out obvious negatives before your customers have to and that will build respect and trust. Do it with humor and it also lends perspective. Say, “Even though grandma walked 5 miles to school each day, uphill both ways, I can’t stand having to walk two blocks to get to my own shop…” Then work extra hard to overcome those negatives.

6. Be accessible, especially when things go wrong

When the chef is available to take your compliments after an incredible meal, that’s nice. But if he’ll also come out to personally apologize when you send back limp broccoli almondine, it will build trust, especially if he exhibits a real desire to satisfy you. It’s the same way in your business.

7. Inspire trust in your employees and it will spread to customers

If your employees know that they can trust you, they will naturally exhibit a positive vibe about the company and about you personally. Show them that you care about their needs. Be fair and flexible where you can. There’s a direct correlation between your employees trusting you and your customers trusting you. Your customers will pick up the trust your employees reflect. Live up to that trust and you’ll never lack for solid, repeat customers.

Trustworthiness is a commodity in short supply, it seems, though the demand remains high. In that environment there lies great opportunity for those who will do business in a way that demonstrates they can be trusted. Grow your brand and grow your ongoing success by adopting best practices for inspiring trust.

James works for a leading print cartridge supplier based in the north of England where he analyses, reviews and writes about products like HP 300XL ink as well as updating their design blog with new posts about art and technology.

6 Tips for Outsourcing Website Design Work

How to add another navigation menu without using custom css

Tamal — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 06:25:32 +0000

Here I have explained how to add a second, third or even a fourth navigation menu and without even touching or modifying the custom css code.

6 Tips for Outsourcing Website Design Work

Tamal — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:58:04 +0000

Outsourcing work can be a scary and ominous task. It does not have to be if you take the time to plan out your course of action. Here are some factors to consider when outsourcing your design work.

Where can workers be found?

Workers can be found all over the world, from the Philippines to India. Most countries which have internet access also have freelance workers who are more than happy to do your job for the price that you are willing to pay.

Choose a country which speaks the language of the audience that you’re catering to.
Choose a country which generally charges lower prices.
Remember that good work can be produced from anywhere.

What are some good sites to find these workers?

There is a shortage of freelance websites and marketplaces where workers submit competing bids for your project. When choosing a supplier, you should pay attention to how the sites themselves get paid, the availability of escrow accounts and the availability of project management on the site itself, which is particularly useful when you don’t already have a hosted project management tool that’s set up for collaborative work.

Here are some companies which are great for getting outsourced design work:

99 Designs: An extremely active marketplace where freelancer designers submit their interpretation of your design. You decide who wins and they get the payment.
Odesk: A massive community of overseas freelancers and companies. Unique software means you can get snapshots of your supplier’s work.
Freelance Switch: Best known as a blog, Freelance Switch is also home to a community of passionate and talented designers.

How do I place my first order with a freelance site?

Clearly define your project: Spend time to specify exactly what you want giving examples and detailed instructions.
Start small: Test the waters to make sure that the company or individual that you’ve chosen is the perfect fit.
Check their track record: Most of these sites will show feedback from customers, which can give you an idea of any supplier’s strengths and weaknesses.
Be ruthless: Picking your supplier isn’t something personal. Don’t be scared of ditching a freelancer early on if they aren’t up to scratch.

How do I choose the best workers?

Here are some questions to think about when choosing your subcontractor.

Read the bid request, did they follow instructions?
Look at their portfolio, is this the type of work you need?
Do they offer quick feedback for what you need?
Do they understand the order that you have?
Can they operate within my budget?

How do I communicate with my team?

Skype is a great program to have set up because it allows you to communicate by voice.
Emails and IMs are both effective means of communication.
Choose a team lead who is the most proficient at the language you speak.
Use a project management tool to collaborate and give feedback on tasks in one central location.

How do I manage the whole project?

Each large design project can be broken down into smaller tasks. You need to have a visual representation of all of the tasks, as well as timelines for completion otherwise the whole process becomes a train wreck. You also want to have the ability to check on the status of each individual order. Some freelance sites offer this service built in, but if you need something more, try out Basecamp or Assembla for a dedicated remote collaborative project management tool.

How do I pay my team?

One of your obligations as a client is to pay your workers on time.

PayPal: Probably the most commonly accepted form of payment for small invoices.
Escrow: An escrow account can be used to set the money for the project aside and protect both parties. Some freelancing sites will offer an escrow account service.

Outsourcing design work can save time, money and headaches. By outsourcing your work, you are letting yourself focus on your core business. Start by outsourcing one of your jobs and notice the difference.

James Adams is a tech writer and analyst at an online ink cartridges store. Get more of his writing about media and marketing on their blog.

If you are looking for a web designer to work on your website/ project, then you can check out the page to Request a Project Quote.

Video – WordPress Thesis Theme 1.7 backgrounds – Tips and tricks for better design

Tamal — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:47:30 +0000

This is a tutorial for thesis theme 1.7 background designs. CSS that goes to “custom file editor”:

body.custom { background-color: #FFFFFF !important; background: url('http://www.dorlingkindersley-uk.co.uk/static/cs/uk/11/clipart/football/img/image_football006.jpg') left top repeat fixed; }

Video – Tamal shares: Do you really have to use Thesis Theme?

Tamal — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:38:22 +0000

In this video I shared a few points on why we use thesis theme and how it is different than other premium themes.

Video Part 2 – The newbie guide to Thesis Theme Customizations

Tamal — Wed, 26 May 2010 23:00:46 +0000

Learn thesis theme 1.7, do it yourself and start customizing it from the basic. Lets build this site awesome from scratch!

Video Part 1 – The newbie guide to Thesis Theme Customizations

Tamal — Wed, 26 May 2010 16:05:59 +0000

Learn thesis theme 1.7, do it yourself and start customizing it from the basic. Lets build this site awesome from scratch!

Video Woo Themes VS Thesis Theme -WordPress Premium Themes

Tamal — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:03:24 +0000

This is a comparison between woo themes and thesis theme. Enjoy this video and make your choice in buying the correct premium theme that you need.

Expert Thesis Theme Designer “Tamal Anwar” Open for business!

Tamal — Sun, 09 May 2010 17:04:45 +0000

Are you looking for an Expert Thesis Theme Designers for customizing your website? Then meet “Tamal Anwar”

Tamal Anwar is a thesis theme designer, customizer and a good connector from Bangladesh. Tamal is an internet marketer from Dhaka, Bangladesh (near India) from his friends and clients: he has done some great things at a young age (age: 22)

He is an experienced internet marketer (founder of the successful website BlogKori) and the founder of Thesis Theme Design. Tamal’s work in thesis theme are stylish, professional and elegant. Tamal has 7 years of experience in HTML, CSS and 3 years of experience in wordpress CMS and internet marketing.

Tamal offers a range of services such as,

Website theme design/ styling with Thesis Theme
Standard logo design
Themed brand identity design (twitter, youtube)
Aweber opt in form design
Landing/ sales/ squeeze page design

Tamal is more than a designer when you work with him,

“Tamal was not just a highly professional web-designer, he is also very good in his relationship with his clients” ~Sanjida Hasnin

“He is very attentive to your needs and makes every effort to give you more than you ask for. He is the best.” ~Coach Craig

Get in touch with Tamal

Email: email@tamal.me
Skype: tamalanwar
MSN: tamalanwar
Yahoo: tamalanwar

Hire Tamal

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Video – Tamal shares: Do you really have to use Thesis Theme?

Video – How to remove the “EDIT” link from posts and pages of thesis theme 1.7

Tamal — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:41:18 +0000

On this tutorial, I have shown how to remove the “EDIT” link from your posts, pages using the thesis theme 1.7 version.