creative-pod tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-1680098 2008-07-06T21:05:55+01:00 the official creative-pod blog, with all the up-to-date news and views concerning design, print, marketing, sales promtions, flipmatts and wider media fascinations and obsessions... TypePad Creative Pod - Client Resource tag:typepad.com,2003:post-52323436 2008-07-06T21:05:55+01:00 2008-07-06T21:05:55+01:00 Creative Pod Client Resource matt@creative-pod.com What is Graphic Design? Graphic design is the process of communicating visually using text, images and devices to present information. Graphic design practice embraces a range of cognitive skills, aesthetics and crafts, including typography, visual... Matt Turner <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Creative Pod Client Resource&nbsp; matt@creative-pod.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <p>What is Graphic Design?</p> <p>Graphic design is the process of communicating visually using text, images and devices to present information. Graphic design practice embraces a range of cognitive skills, aesthetics and crafts, including typography, visual arts and page layout. Like other forms of design, graphic design often refers to both the process (designing) by which the communication is created and the products (designs) which are generated. - From Willy, the free encyclopedia</p> <p>What are the benefits to my Company?</p> <p>Below are 10 facts from the Design Council showing the benefits of viewing design input as an investment and not just a cost!</p> <p>Nearly half (46%) of design alert businesses saw turnover increase by more than the amount they spent on design.</p> <p>Similarly, four out of five (79%) businesses that believe design is integral to their business think that design’s importance to competitiveness has risen over the past decade.</p> <p>Where design is integral, less than half of businesses compete mainly on price, compared to two thirds of those who don’t use design.</p> <p>Design Index - an index of 61 design-led businesses - has outperformed the FTSE 100 by more than 200% over the past decade period.</p> <p>Businesses where design is integral to operations are twice as likely to have developed new products and services. In the past three years, four fifths of them have, compared to a UK average of 40%.On average, design alert businesses increase their market share by 6.3% through using design.</p> <p>Those in the retail, wholesale and leisure services and manufacturing sectors saw the biggest increases – respectively 6.9% and 7.2%.</p> <p>Turnover growth is more likely for businesses that increase their investment in design. Conversely, those that decreased investment cut their chances of growth.</p> <p>Two thirds of UK businesses believe that design is integral to future economic performance.</p> <p>Rapidly growing businesses are three times more likely than the rest to consider design crucial to success.</p> <p>On average, 15% of UK businesses consider that design plays an integral role in their business. A further 22% think it plays a significant role.</p> <p>How to use us in the best way possible?</p> <p>Over the years we have found that most individuals or organisations may have never used professional design services before and therefore need some assistance and guidance. This resource is meant to not offend in anyway, but to assist in helping anyone that may need clarity. Design can become quite a costly and time consuming process if a few simple steps are not taken prior to hiring ‘live’ services! A thorough and well thought out internal round of meetings and discussions are needed before approaching the Design Agency in order to be best prepared to maximise time/budget and workflow!<br />Being a GOOD client has obvious benefits to both you and us and makes projects both smooth and more rewarding and are 100% always the best working practice and methodology!</p> <p>Ask your self the following questions:<br />- What do I really want to achieve, and is this 100% ready for NOW?<br />- Are my competitors effortlessly beating me to basic deals and why, what are they doing so well?<br />- Does my Brand or Logo and the visual aspects of my company need updating?<br />- Have I considered a reasonable timeframe to achieve my aims?<br />- Do I have a reasonable budget?<br />- Have I undertaken enough market research to implement my Design led marketing plan?<br />- If time = money then I need to save it and not waste others or my own?<br />- Do I have a solid idea of what I need and can this be improved upon with professional input?<br />- Can I be open minded enough and un-emotive enough to take good professional advice?<br />- Do I fully understand the Creative Process and how it will work for me?<br />- Once I have decided upon using Creative-Pod am I able to provide the following:</p> <p>A written creative brief clearly outlining all facets and objectives of the project?<br />The financial milestones and creative sign off and deposit attuned in the agreement?<br />Spell and grammar checked finished text (copy) in a word document that is Apple mac friendly?<br />Do I have an exiting image bank (these cannot be ‘stolen’ from the web willy-nilly) or have I made a realistic budget available for either stock images, illustrations or bespoke photography?<br />Are the images high enough in quality and resolution for printed and web mediums?<br />Will I be able to supply vector format Apple mac friendly version of any inclusive Logotypes or sponsors Logotypes and if not, you will have to budget for the re-origination of them?<br />Can I supply any specialist fonts or be willing to purchase them if need be?</p> <p>Can I respect that creative-pod have many projects ‘on the go’ and therefore prefer to use the BASECAMP on-line project management system to mange projects centrally?</p> <p>Pledge to try to maintain and indeed promote clear, reasonable communications and demands?</p> <p>Understand that we are here to ALSO make a profit? :)</p> <p>If your answers to the above questions is YES then you are a potential ‘ideal’ from our perspective, are grasp the ‘bigger picture’.</p> <p>We salute and admire the following aspects within this industry:<br />- Good clear prompt communicator<br />- Can supply everything that is required for the project to realistically unfold<br />- Suitable budgets for the project<br />- The desire not to cut corners that weaken the finished results<br />- Respect advice and creative direction wherever its felt necessary</p> <p>As an agency we are here to help, assist and advise on all elements of a project and the Business in hand, our goal is to maximise the end result of your project and to provide portfolio worthy work of the highest standards. We also have provided this resource as a method of avoiding the pitfalls of poor working practice and project shape and management. If you are potentially the kind of client that at present take the following outlook&quot;<br />- Poor communicator, never answers telephone or email<br />- Set un-realistic minimum budgets in stone<br />- Supply poorly written text and ’stolen’ images taken from the internet<br />- Constantly moving the goal posts without consideration<br />- Pleads constant poverty and under funds projects (we are not a registered charity?)<br />- Unorganised and always looking to cut corner to either save time or money<br />- Cannot provide sufficient clear feedback that is objective and well thought out<br />- Do not trust or respect our experience or skill set, want to undertake our role for us?</p> <p>Of course we understand that each project is individual in nature and every clients needs are different but by trying to be an “ideal” client, really will benefit you both long term as well as short term and it will also enable us to build and long term mutually beneficial working relationship. We want to undertake good design for good clients always trying to delivery a smile in the mind.</p> <p>Do I need Creative Design Direction or just simply an implementor?<br />It is important to know the difference between creative design and implementation as again this has an effect on the budget and timescale of a project. Be clear in your brief, give examples of what you have in mind and where your vision or idea has come from this is where we need to understand you, your business and your market place. If this is not clear then wires can become crossed and the end result will to be affected and potentially not what you have had in mind at all. This resource is here to help you bring out the best in your project and from our experience we feel that by following our “ideal” client profile the end result will be simply fantastic!</p> <p>FAQs<br />I have a low budget and no time what can we do?<br />Study this resource and then contact Matt Turner for a no obligation chat!</p> <p>I haven’t got any images, cant I just grab them off the Internet?<br />Study this resource and this type of question is answered! (A big no!)</p> <p>I want you to come up with the idea but I also want to art direct you?<br />Why pay for a Designer to blindly follow instructions?</p> <p>How much will it cost?<br />We can discuss all of your budgets needs on a project by project basis and formulate a payment plan that suits your situation!</p> <p>How long will it take?<br />The better the pre-production and supply of essentials the quicker the delivery of the end piece!</p> <p>I have YET to get everything signed off by my Boss how will this effect the project?<br />We simply CANNOT commence a project that isn’t validated by the person that pays for it!</p> <p>Why do I have to give you all the elements for the project at once?<br />This gives us all of the ‘known’ elements to play around with to help from solid ideas etc</p> <p>Can you write the design brief as I have never written one before?<br />Yes indeed, we can help develop the written strategy and a plan of action!</p> <p>Checklist<br />Here is a quick checklist to make sure you have everything you need to start your design project:<br />- Internal pre-project meeting in enough depth to decide basic direction or concept<br />- Signed off creative design brief<br />- Signed off flexible budget with provision for creative, production and full execution of the project<br />- Press ready text<br />- High res images<br />- A budget for the full scope and facets of the project or campaign<br />- Realistic timeframe for delivery<br />- Willingness to follow BASECAMP methodology if need be</p> <p>If you have any further questions or require any assistance regarding any of there above please contact Matt Turner.</p></div> http://podgroup.typepad.com/creativepod/2008/07/creative-pod--.html Selecting a Quality Domain Name? tag:typepad.com,2003:post-52005304 2008-06-28T19:04:28+01:00 2008-06-28T19:04:28+01:00 When you're ready to launch your web site and you're trying to select a good domain name, there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. Select a Domain Name that Reflects Your Web Site Above all else,... Matt Turner <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>When you're ready to launch your web site and you're trying to select a good domain name, there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p><strong>Select a Domain Name that Reflects Your Web Site</strong><br />Above all else, your domain name should reflect what your web site is all about. For example, if your web site is about grooming a dog, you certainly wouldn't want to select a domain name like 'mybusinessname.com,' as this would have nothing to do with your web site's focus. You would want to select a domain name that tells the world what your web site is all about - something like 'doggrooming.com.'&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; </p> <p><strong>Select a Domain Name that Contains Your Web Site's Keywords&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; </strong><br />Another consideration of great importance are your keywords. Try to select a domain name that contains your most relevant keyword phrase, as some Search Engines place relevancy on them. A keyword phrase is two or more words that best describe your web page. If your web page is focusing on grooming a dog, your best keyword phrase will be &quot;dog grooming.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; </p> <p><strong>Select a Domain Name that will be Easily Remembered&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; </strong><br />With millions of web sites accessible on the Internet, it is also very important to select a domain name that will be easily remembered. As in the 'doggrooming.com' example above, 'doggrooming.com' is very easily remembered, contains the most relevant keyword phrase and describes the web site in explicit detail. It is the 'perfect' domain name for this particular web site.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; </p> <p><strong>Select the Best Domain Extension&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; </strong><br />Another consideration of importance is the domain name extension. Although there are many new domain extensions available, dotcom is still the best choice. When typing in a web address, Internet users automatically want to type in a .com extension, as this is the extension that has been embedded into our brains from the start.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p><strong>Avoid Using Numbers in Your Domain Name&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; </strong><br />Although you may be tempted to do so, avoid using numbers within your domain name. Including a number within your domain name can cause problems, as when you tell someone your web address, you will continually have to tell them it's a number and not the word. For example, if you selected a domain name like number1host.com, if you were to tell someone your web address, they may try to type it as 'numberonehost.com' instead of 'number1host.com.' This type of domain name would cause confusion.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; </p> <p><strong>Avoid using Dashes and Underscores in Your Domain Name <span style="color: #33ccff;">(whoops guilty as charged:)</span></strong><br />Although many people do it, don't make the same mistake I made when I first started out. Avoid using dashes, underscores or any other characters within your domain name that may cause confusion. When I registered my domain name, Web-Source.net, I actually wanted websource.com; however, it had already been registered. So, I settled for Web-Source.net. Now, when I tell someone my domain name, I have to say it like this: web dash source dot net.<br />Don't get me wrong, www.Web-Source.net is now a high traffic web site, but I can only imagine how much traffic I've lost over the years due to my domain name. I have received many emails over the years from visitors who had a hard time finding my site. They said they couldn't remember the domain name and kept wanting to type in websource.com.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p><strong>Avoid using Abbreviations within Your Domain Name&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; </strong><br />Although well-known companies, such as IBM, can get away with using abbreviations within their domain name, most companies can't. As a rule, try to avoid using abbreviations or anything that will be difficult for your visitors to remember. Not only will this cause confusion, but it can also cause your potential visitors to make spelling mistakes when trying to type in your web address.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; </p> <p><strong>Avoid using Long Domain Names&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; </strong><br />Although you may now register long domain names, it's really not a good idea. I learned this lesson the hard way. I registered 'www.workfromhomebusinessguide.com' and the sad thing is ... I can't remember the domain name half the time. How can I expect my potential visitors to remember it? Try to keep your domain name as short as possible. The longer the domain name the harder it is to remember and the more apt your potential visitors are to make a typo when typing it into their browser.</p> <p><strong>Ensure Your Domain Name is Not a Trademark Infringement&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; </strong><br />Prior to registering a domain name, you may want to consider searching the Trademark Electronic Search System, http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm to ensure your potential domain name isn't infringing on any trademarks.<br />Please don't take this point lightly, as trademark infringement could cost you your entire business. It is your responsibility to ensure that your potential domain name doesn't infringe on any registered trademarks, as the trademark aws that apply in the hard copy world also apply on the Internet. Any company that registers a trademark has the right to protect their trademark and has the right to notify you that your domain name is infringing upon their trademark.</p> <p>When you're ready to begin, create a list of a dozen or more potential domain names, as chances are, your first choice will already be taken. With any luck, one of the domain names on your list will be available.</p> <p>Take your time and select a quality domain name that will grow with your business. It will be well-worth your time and effort in the long run.</p> <p>Copyright © <span style="color: #33ccff;">Shelley Lowery</span><br />About the Author: Shelley Lowery is a successful well-known Internet Marketer and the owner of several successful sites, including www.Web-Source.net.</p></div> http://podgroup.typepad.com/creativepod/2008/06/selecting-a-qua.html Welcome To The Creative-Pod Blog! tag:typepad.com,2003:post-52002540 2008-06-28T16:56:35+01:00 2008-06-28T16:56:35+01:00 Hello, we hope that you kind folks that may be following this blog, find the content both stimulating and useful! The aim is to try and keep the quality to a high standard and at the same time keeping a... Matt Turner

Passion_5

Hello, we hope that you kind folks that may be following this blog, find the content both stimulating and useful! The aim is to try and keep the quality to a high standard and at the same time keeping a light-hearted and fun overview, in what at times can be a slightly po-faced, and over-the-top section of the media industry!

 http://podgroup.typepad.com/creativepod/2008/06/welcome-to-the.html