Cross Roads House is not just a place to sleep for the night. The team at Cross Roads is truly committed to breaking the cycle of homelessness by helping each resident move with dignity and purpose to stable and decent housing. Cross Roads House collaborates with many local agencies to deliver supportive services such as  tutoring and GED preparation, mental health counseling, job search and vocational training and many other services that are essential to helping residents eventually leave the shelter and become independent.

The Benefit by the Sea is a black tie event that gathers friends and sponsors of Cross Roads House, along with their guests, for a night of cocktails, dinner and dancing. Attendees received an update on Cross Roads’ progress throughout the year, and recognized both the 30th anniversary of Cross Roads House and the 10th anniversary of the Benefit
by the Sea. Vital Design sponsored the event by providing all of the marketing collateral for the event, including invitations, save the dates, programs and sponsorship opportunity forms.

We love when we can use our talents to give back to the community, especially to a cause as worthy as Cross Roads House. Take a look at the Cross Roads House website,  and check out their volunteer and donation information. The shelter relies on contributions to fund 2/3 of its annual operating budget so every donation it important. On the donations page you can also view Cross Roads’ Amazon wishlist, where you can view and purchase items that the shelter needs most. There is a way for everyone to pitch in!

Getting Started

Twitter is a “microblogging” service. You get 140 characters to post an update, no more. When you create an account, you will create a username. If you are creating a personal Twitter account, create a name that uses part or all of your name. We don’t recommend using numbers if you can help it–fake Twitter accounts often use numbers and you don’t want to look like a fake account. If you are creating a business account, ideally you should use your whole business name for your Twitter name. If your business name is very long or contains several words, choose something that will still be recognizable, and avoid using numbers or unfamiliar abbreviations. Be sure to upload a profile picture, too. It’s a fact that users who have a picture instead of the default egg images get more followers.

Talk the Talk

@ Reply: If you see an @ followed by a username, that’s an @ reply. These are used to hold a public conversation with a user. The user you send the tweet to will see this message in their “Activity” tab, and users who follow you and the message recipient will see the tweet in their newsfeed. If you want all your followers to see your tweet, type something before the @ reply. For example, write “Hey, @Vital_Design, great blog post!” instead of “@Vital_Design Great blog post!”  All of your @ replies will be visible on your profile page.

DM: DM stands for direct message, which is a private conversation with another Twitter user. You can only send DMs to Twitter users who follow you. These are good for more specialized or personal messages–if you have a specific question or request for another Twitter user, it’s best to send a DM.  (Seriously, learn the difference. Just ask Anthony Weiner)

RT: RT stands for retweet. If you like what someone says on Twitter, you can retweet it to spread the message to your followers as well.

Hashtag (#): If you see the pound symbol (#) before a word or phrase, that’s a hashtag–basically a keyword tag for the tweet so that other Twitter users can click on it and find other tweets on the topic. Hashtags can be used to help people search for your tweet (like #socialmedia or #blogging), or you can just use them for fun (like #OverheardAtVital). Not every tweet needs hashtags. Basically, it’s a way to follow the stream of everyone talking about a specific subject.

Good Twitiquette

1. Do be helpful

Twitter is at its best when people are using it to ask and answer questions, find solutions and talk to people they might not be able to reach otherwise (someday I will tell you about the glorious day Bruce Springsteen replied to one of my tweets). Don’t be afraid to reach out to people you respect or are interested in, and be generous in sharing your own expertise.

2. Do be polite

This one should go without saying, but we’ll say it anyway: be nice. Please and thank you goes a long way in life and it goes a long way on social media, too.

3. Don’t automate

Stay away from automating your Twitter account. For example, there are services that allow you to send auto DM someone when they follow you – most people DM with something like, “Thanks for the follow. Check out my blog www.vtldesign.com/vital-blog.” People aren’t going to want to follow you if you start your Twitter relationship by spamming them. Welcoming new followers is a great way to connect, but make sure it’s personal and welcoming.

Social media marketing is one of the things we do best! If you’re interested in learning more about how you can put Twitter, Facebook and more to work for your business, get in touch with us today. (And you can use that shiny new Twitter account to follow the entire Vital team on Twitter).

1. Keep Your Passions

You used to have hobbies, remember? Understandably, the first months of your baby’s life will consume every one of your waking hours and many of your (previously) non-waking hours. After the haze has lifted, try reconnecting with people on the topics that brought you together in the first place. Maybe you’re not going to concerts as often as you used to (or ever), but you can ask for new music recommendations or share playlists – once you finally get around to creating that Spotify account.

2. Read STFU, Parents and Take Notes

This blog is so popular for a reason: it’s true. You might not agree that everything posted here is over-sharing, and while you will likely be offended by the generalized insults hurled at “breeders” and “mombies” by some commenters, I still believe it’s an excellent guide for what new parents should refrain from posting. Oh, and it’s insanely entertaining.

3. Know Your Audience

I’ve found that I tend to use different social networks for different purposes. I like Twitter for sharing design resources and bantering with my coworkers. On Instagram, I’ve connected with other moms with similar interests, so I tend to share more pictures of my daughter there. Don’t forget to take advantage of built-in filters to tailor your posts. Let’s say that Grandma just joined Facebook and has an insatiable appetite for hearing about how little Alexis is (most likely) a genius. Spare the rest of your friends by creating a Facebook friends list that includes only the most tolerant family members. You’ll undoubtedly want to use Pinterest to plan the nursery décor or next year’s party theme, but try to keep your boards organized into kid-friendly and kid-free so your fans can decide which boards they’d like to follow.

4. Don’t Forget Your Childless Friends

Your friends have not changed, you have. They still have the same boss to complain about, they still take vacation photos to share with you, and they still want you to ask how they’re doing. I’ve also heard that they don’t want to be pressured into having kids of their own. So stop recruiting for #teammom and start dishing on last night’s #teenmom.

5. Find Other Proud Mamas

I’m not suggesting for a second that you should hide your Stroller Brigade status from the Internet. I get that it’s a life-altering, yet terrifying responsibility and that comparing stories with other moms can alleviate some of those fears. One of my favorite places to lurk is the BabyCenter Community forum. This is where you can really get into the nitty gritty of parenting and discuss all those topics you’ve been stressing about, like, how many ounces of sweet potatoes is too many for your 9-month-old. (Hint: when they start turning Vital orange).

As I’ve made my journey into motherhood, I’ve watched some of my favorite design bloggers make the same transition and found great new reads along the way. Here are a few designers & moms to check out while you enjoy your breakfast in bed this Sunday:

Oh Joy!

Swissmiss

Design Mom

Happy Mother’s Day!

Wacom Bamboo Pen

I made this discovery on the bottom shelf of the accessories aisle at BestBuy. It’s the Wacom Bamboo Pen–at $40 it’s a bit pricey, but it’s a huge upgrade from drawing with your finger.

SketchBook Pro for iPad

Once brought it home I tried out three or four different drawing apps, mostly free, just to test out the pen. None of the apps did much of anything dynamic with the brushes and I was pretty disappointed at first. That is until I did a little consumer research and found that the general consensus was to download this app called SketchBook Pro for iPad. It was $2 that day, a sale, since today it’s back to $5. Either way it’s amazing.

I got to sketching and was baffled by the variety of brushes this thing offered. Plus, it allows for multiple layers and the ability to set those layers blending options. I finally felt like I had something comparable to Photoshop on my iPad.

The interface is clean and easy to use, leaving multiple tool options for you to optimize your workspace. It took probably 3 hours to really get into my groove on this first painting but it was smooth sailing from there.

My First Sketch

The same night I came home with my new Wacom pen I also sat down to watch Lars Von Trier’s “Melancholia.” The imagery throughout the movie was striking, and I thought what better way to get started with my new app? So I sat down and sketched out a surrealist shot of our un-hinged blonde (Kirsten Dunst) and the planet Melancholia. (“Melancholia” is available on Netflix Instant if you’re intrigued). Check out the finished piece here - NSFW.

Do you use your iPad for design projects? Tell us your favorite apps or techniques in the comments!

The Vital Design design team can help bring your digital and print design projects to life. Contact us today, and don’t forget to follow the entire Vital crew on Twitter.

1. This is not a coffee-making internship

From day one, Vital interns get their hands dirty. We’re going to work with you to find out what you know and what you need to learn, but we’re looking for interns who are talented, eager to learn and not afraid to dive into big projects.

2. You’re part of a team

We’re a small company, and that means that when you work here, you’re not “the intern”–you’re part of the team. In a normal day, you’ll work with graphic designers, web developers, copywriters, social media strategists and–of course–our awesome project managers who make sure we’re all on track. Vital interns need to be good communicators and enjoy working as part of a team.

3.Your ideas matter

We hope you’ll learn a lot here, but we’re also open to learning from you. We’re all about finding the right solution for each client’s individual needs and challenges. If you know a better way to do something, we want to hear about it. Everyone’s skills and experience inform the work we do.

4. Working in Portsmouth rocks

We’re located right in downtown Portsmouth–within walking distance of amazing restaurants and bars, funky shopping, one-of-a-kind music venues and beautiful Portsmouth harbor. We work with many of these local businesses, and we’re part of amazing Portsmouth community events like the New Hampshire Film Festival.

5. There’s perks

This is a paid opportunity. Plus, we provide free parking, coffee and occasionally birthday cake.

Still interested? Here’s the brass tacks.

Primary Responsibilities

• Domain management and migration

• Server side programming using CMS (we're huge fans of WordPress) and other databases

• Use of Apache server systems

• Perform all necessary checks and balances during site launch, ie; SEO optimization, analytics tracking, link assurance, etc

• Pixel perfect HTML/CSS/PHP development with some Java/jquery thrown in

• Working understanding of mobile technology - to ensure cross browser compatibility (Android and iOS pretty much count as browsers now)

The creative team at Vital is using modern technology to push our design and development beyond templates and cookie cutter functionality. If HTML5/CSS3/jQuery excite you then we should talk. The team is eager to bring in someone that wants to have fun while learning and actually getting their hands dirty (metaphorically - this place is pretty clean).  This is a part-time internship position. We are looking for applicants with an availability of 15-25 hours a week. Compensation is negotiable.  Please forward your resume and web portfolio here: http://www.vtldesign.com/form_intern_contact.html

Please contact Vital Design Creative Director Jesse Rand at jrand@vtldesign.com if you have any questions. And get to know us by following the whole Vital team on Twitter!

Right away, it’s clear that Tom Holbrook is one busy bookseller. As we’re talking, an 11 or 12 year old boy comes up to the counter holding a sci fi book.

“Is this by an American author?” he asks, “I need to read a book that’s not by an American for a project.”

Tom quickly skims the inside flap of the book and answers that yes, the author is American. He recommends H.G. Wells and directs the young reader towards copies of “The Time Machine” and “Journey to the Center of the Earth.” He turns around and fields questions about an order of Karen Russell’s “Swamplandia!”–they’re out because of her brush with a Pulitzer–and retrieves special orders for two customers.

Almost everyone who comes into the store greets him by name, and no one leaves without something to read.

It’s this same kind of tireless, passionate and personal customer service that makes RiverRun’s social media presence work so well.

RiverRun tends to use Twitter more than Facebook, and Tom finds that it is both a great place to ask and answer questions. He calls Twitter the “communication of choice”  among booksellers.

“My first job in bookselling was at the original Border’s in Ann Arbor [Michigan],” he said. “There were over a hundred employees and when we had a question about a book, we’d get on the intercom and ask all the booksellers in the store if they could help–I find that Twitter allows me to do kind of the same thing. I can get on and say, ‘I’m looking for a book about bees that has an orange cover…does anyone know the title I’m thinking of?’ and I’ll have an answer within seconds.”

RiverRun uses Twitter and their popular Constant Contact email blast to stay in touch with the community, build relationships with authors and grow their audience from across the U.S.. Booksellers who are engaged and active in the social media sphere mean a lot to the authors who visit their stores, says Holbrook. Tom picks up a copy of “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”  by Rebecca Skloot. “When this was first published, the publisher really gave her no help at all with a tour,” he says. “So she set up her own tour, and because we were Twitter friends, we got in touch with her and she made a stop here–and by the time she visited, her book had gotten a ton of press and went number one on the New York Times bestsellers list.”

As a small business owner, Tom finds that social media allows him to push out an update quickly across many different channels–leaving him free to run the store. “I like to put out an event or press release over Constant Contact, Twitter and traditional news outlets quickly and easily. If I were constantly updating all of these channels with different content all the time I’d never get to anything else.”

RiverRun also has a blog that they update with news, sales and staff picks. “I try to get the staff posting, but I usually have to pester them,” Tom says. “But we love to get people on there just talking about the books they care about.”

Reaching out to both authors and customers is essential in the changing world of bookselling. In the age of Amazon, real booksellers provide experiences that the Internet simply can’t touch. RiverRun has just launched its own small press, Piscataqua Press, that will allow local authors to self-publish their books. “We have over 200 self published books in the store right now,” says Tom. “And so often, authors just go online and pick one of these self-publishing companies at random. But we’re real, we exist–we want to help writers on the Seacoast not get screwed.”

From the full schedule of author readings and special events to RiverRun’s exceptional customer service and relationships with the community, the bookstore goes above and beyond. “With this kind of business, you can’t just open the doors and expect people to come to you,” Tom says. “We need to find these ways to work outside the four walls of the store, and social media is one of the many ways we do that. It’s all about getting your personality out there, keeping yourself in front of people all the time.”

The result is more than a great retail experience–it’s a real community for the readers, writers and book lovers of the Seacoast.

Visit RiverRun at 142 Fleet St., or shop online. You can also follow them on Twitter or subscribe to their email blast.

To learn more about how you can use social media for your small business, get in touch with us today. Our social media team is here to help.

Quick and easy – Spotify Only

Spotify’s Private Session is the fastest way to control your sharing settings. Turning on Private Session will turn off your sharing with Spotify Social and Facebook. This means that you’ll be able to DJ your niece’s birthday party without spamming your friends with Disney Princess music. If you’d like to share your activity within just Spotify you can manually turn on/off your sharing with Spotify Social and Facebook in Spotify’s Preferences.

More permanent option – All Facebook Apps

I prefer muting all my Facebook Apps right from the start. Throughout the day, I consume a ton of content, most of which no one wants to know about. I choose to mute all my apps and manually share only the top content that I feel my friends would enjoy. It’s not right or wrong, it’s just an approach.

To begin you’ll want to log into Facebook and click on the down arrow on the top right corner. Select Account Settings then click on Apps in the left hand column. This will display a list of all the apps you’ve given permission to. (Take a moment to spring clean this list and remove any apps you no longer use.) From this list you can click on an app and change the Posts on my behalf setting to Only Me. You’ll still be able to use these apps, but any activity updates will be only visible to you.

Sharing is good, but there are times when you want to be more selective about what you share. These two options should give you the control that you’re looking for, without compromising the usefulness of Facebook’s different apps.

We can’t talk about Spotify and not share a few of our favorite playlists. We think you’ll enjoy - Scott Holt’s This Must be the Place, Bill Lord’s Starred Music, and Jesse Rand’s Hillbilly Huckster.

So what are you listening to today? Talk with us in the comments, or talk with our entire team on Twitter – @Vital_Design. If you’re not on Twitter,  then connect with us on Facebook.

Tammy brings considerable marketing experience to Vital. During her seven years at the IAPP, Tammy developed the brand identities for the organization and all programs and services. She launched multiple websites and led all marketing project management efforts. She also formulated, directed and implemented strategic and operational plans and policies relating to marketing communications, and helped grow the organization to nearly 10,000 members worldwide.

“We’re thrilled to welcome a marketing professional of Tammy’s caliber,” said Vital managing partner and owner Zac Gregg. “Her experience managing marketing projects on both the agency side as well as with a major organization like the IAPP is a unique asset for our team.”

Prior to her role with IAPP, Tammy held marketing positions at Digitas, a global strategic marketing agency based in Boston, and Robert Half International, the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm. Tammy holds a B.S. in public relations with a concentration in marketing from the University of Florida and is certified by the DMA in social media.

Tammy is responsible for managing client relations and marketing projects such as brand identity, website design, and printed collateral work at Vital Design.

“Tammy’s business and life experience brings a nice stability to our client-facing operations,” said Vital Design’s director of branding and managing partner, Julia Ahumada who co-founded Vital in 2002 with Gregg.

We are excited to welcome Tammy to the team! (Be sure to follow Tammy and the entire Vital team on Twitter).

Dylan George graduated from UNH in 2011, and since then he has been working as the marketing manager of an upscale salon in Portsmouth, working on both design and social media. He will be working on a variety of digital design projects. He is a design and social media specialist, and we’re happy to be adding his new media savvy to our team. Dylan has already dived right into updating Facebook Timeline cover images for many Vital clients.

Vital is lucky to have these talented new members on our creative team, and we’re all looking forward to working with them. Be sure to follow Amanda, Dylan, and the entire Vital team on Twitter.

Twitter has over 500 million users, sending a collective 340 million tweets a day. It gets loud sometimes, sometimes Twitter can’t even keep up, but you can learn to tune out the noise. (You could cut down on the number of people you follow, but that’s no fun.) Here are some ways to cut through the jabber and make sure you don’t miss those important tweets.

Use Slipstream to Filter Tweets

If you use Twitter’s web interface in Chrome, you can install Slipstream, an app that filters tweets by user and topic. After installation, the Slipstream app will show up to the left of your main Twitter stream.

You can hide tweets by hashtag or topic–all you have to do is tell Slipstream who, what and where. If you change your mind and decide you do want to see tweets about a hidden topic, you just open Slipstream and then edit or delete the individual item. Tweets on that topic will now appear in your feed.

A lot of people use Tweetdeck, Hootsuite or another platform for reading Twitter, but in my mind this feature is a big check mark in the “pro” column for Twitter’s web interface.

Create Lists

By using Twitter’s lists function, you can sort users into public or private lists whether you follow them or not. If someone you think is interesting tweets too frequently, add them to a list–you’ll be able to see their tweets all in one easy place, rather than having them clog your main feed. NPR senior strategist Andy Carvin is doing amazing things with Twitter in covering the Arab Spring uprisings and the conflicts in the Middle East, but he quite literally tweets every two minutes. Way too much to have on a home feed.

Add someone to a list in two easy steps:

1. When viewing their profile choose “Add or remove to lists…” from the profile drop down menu.

2. Select or create a list for the user in question.

You can click over to that list anytime you want to see what those Twitter users are saying, without having to follow them directly.

Hand out gold stars

If you’re following a well-curated assortment of Twitter users, you’re probably seeing more content on Twitter than you have time to read right away. During peak tweeting times, Twitter can be cranking out articles, pictures, videos and music at a rate that you just can’t keep up with. To gather all that cool content for later viewing, use the Favorites function to store it in your Favorites section (located in the box in the upper right of your profile). You can come back anytime you want to.

How do you max out your Twitter feed to get the information you want and skip the rest? Tell us in the comments.

Want to learn more about how you can use social media to promote your brand and grow your business? We can help with that. Contact us today.