The Value of Design. Just how much is your company image worth?

The design world has changed quite a bit since I began Creative Juices in 1981. Back then no one knew how to typeset except a small number of trained “experts”. Design was valued. You went to a professional for everything, from a logo design to a simple form. And you expected to pay hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for truly creative, unique artwork.

Creative talent took the time to develop unique logos, brochures, artwork, illustrations, you name it. A company brand was something important. It still is today, just not so much.

You can now go online and find a logo design for $149 or less. Website templates are available for less than $100 or free if you sign up for a hosting plan. Brochure templates are free with programs such as Word or Pages. If you’re a self employed graphic designer it’s a tough world to get work in.

The problem is design has become a commodity. Something generic you can easily purchase, place your name on and call it a day.

So how can you really stand out? By believing your company is worth investing in. By spending a little extra for a logo, or a website, a brochure, or even a business card.

In other words, saving money by purchasing a logo online may not be the best choice for your new business. You only have one chance to make a first impression on a potential client. Do you really want them to see that your entire business brand is only worth $149?

Think about it.

–This is a public service message hoping to teach the value of calling a professional graphic arts studio like Creative Juices when you want to develop a brand for your exciting new business venture.

5 Ways to Make Money Now!

Are you in business for yourself and need more income? Who doesn’t… There are many ways to increase your income. Here are a few.

1. Increase your prices. Sounds scary but it’s a good way to get more money. The trick is to add more value to your product or service at the same time. People are willing to pay more if they feel they are getting more value for their money.
2. Cut expenses. Find creative ways to cut your bills down to size. Do you really need 5 business lines? Try using call waiting. Recycle paper. Take that printing job your customer never picked up or paid for and use the blank side in your printer. But only print things that are necessary. Save paper, save a tree.
3. Advertising on your website. Try using AdSense from Google or sign up with affiliate programs. Then whenever someone clicks an ad on your site and makes a purchase, you make money. You can’t lose. Just make sure you’re not advertising for your competition.
4. Pay off your credit cards. Of course you have to have money to do this. But by not paying high interest each month you save lots of money. At least it’s a good goal to have.
5. Sell more. Easier said than done, these days. But if you’re creative and good at what you do and/or sell, then why not try to sell more. Send out e-mails (do not spam). Update your website. Advertise a special. Sign up with online directories. When all else fails, call Creative Juices.

15 Ways to Website Success

A lot of thought needs to go into designing your website before you put it online. Your website is who you are (or want to be). It’s often the first thing people see and learn about you and your business. It’s the first impression you give and you only have a few seconds to hook a potential client.

So here are some things to think about when setting up your website.

1. Choose a Domain Name that is easy to remember and has meaning. It should relate to your business.
2. Use your logo on your website. If you don’t have one, get one. Just typing your name shows very little thought went into your business and people will pick up on that right away.
3. Put your logo on every page to maintain your brand. It’s also helpful to link your logo back to your home page.
4. Find a reputable host. Preferably one that offers 24/7 phone service and tech support. Don’t trust those you can’t reach. Creative Juices Domains is one of thousands of places to choose from. I prefer it because it’s part of the Creative Juices creative factory of services.
5. Make sure your website looks unique and professional. The navigation should be easy and the color scheme should match your image. Don’t just use a template. If you’re on a budget (and who isn’t these days) call Creative Juices to find ways to stand out on the web.
6. Test your site to see if it looks good on all browsers and platforms. The main ones are Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and Chrome. There is also a difference between Windows and Mac.
7. Have something interesting to say on your website. It’s not enough to just have pretty pictures or fancy Flash effects. You want to include information that people will find helpful. If you are a plumber, include articles on how to fix things yourself or explain why it’s better to hire a plumber and not mess up your pipes.
8. Test all your links and make sure they work. People want to feel you’re on top of all this stuff.
9. Include title tags, keywords and meta tags. These are important for search engine optimization. Check out your competitors and see what they are doing. If you haven’t a clue about what these are, give us a call. We’re here to help.
10. Sign up with Google Analytics and see who’s searching for your site, what keywords they used to find you and where are they coming from.
11. Register with the main search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing and especially target local search engines. There’s less competition there.
12. Find directories in your field and sign up to be listed. It’s usually free and also provides links to your site which helps with your optimization.
13. Write a blog about what you know best, preferably related to your business, and link it back to your site.
14. Twitter about yourself, your business, helpful hints, specials and reach a whole tribe of followers who look to you for information.
15. Add new content on a regular basis. Search engines love this and it gives people a reason to come back to your site. That’s a good thing.

When in doubt, consult a web professional. I recommend the folks at the Creative Juices factory, primarily because that’s me. And advice is always free.

5 Easy Steps to Email Marketing

The hard part of email marketing is deciding to do it and then sticking with it. Here’s an easy plan to help you get started.

1. Create a website. (Chances are you already have one, but if not, check out Creative Juices for a custom site or you can opt for a template driven site.)
2. Sign up with an email company such as Express Email Marketing or Constant Contact.
3. Add a sign-up form to your website to collect e-mail addresses. Offer something free.
4. Add your current client database to your new e-mail marketing account. Remember though, spamming your clients is a big no no. Don’t Spam. And always give an opt out.
5. Pick a template, customize it, and write exciting and helpful copy for your first e-mail campaign. Be sure to tell a bit about yourself and include your phone number, link to website and call for action.

Or you could just hire someone like Creative Juices to do all this for you. How easy is that?!

8 Tips on Getting Paid for your Work

Times are tough. And everyone is out to get a good deal. But it’s really hard to pay your bills when you work for free. So here’s some tips on getting paid for your work in the service industry.

1. Agree on a price and get a deposit. I prefer 50%.

2. Make sure the deposit goes through. Sometimes those pesky checks have a way of bouncing out of your bank account. And this incurs an ugly fee.

3. Do the job on time and do it well. Who wants to pay for a crummy job. Great work means happy customers.

4. Get paid in advance for services you sub out. Sometimes clients have a way of disappearing, even if they give a deposit.

5. Get paid for the job upon completion.

Beware of these excuses:

6. I’ll pay you next week. I need the job now. (That’s what credit cards are for. Otherwise no deal.)

7. I have lots more work to give you. I will keep you so busy. Please just let me have this now. (That work will never come. If it does, good luck getting paid for it too.)

8. How about a trade? (Usually the trade is for something you don’t want or need, if you ever get it.)

Remember, your time is worth money. Check out this link:

Time is Money

How Terrific is Twitter?

I’m just starting to delve into Twitter so that means something newer is about to take it’s place. Well maybe not really. But sometimes it takes a while for new ideas to take hold of my consciousness.

Twitter has become THE place to go to market your business. There are scores of books on just how to do this as well as tons of info online. Twitter is the latest in micro-blogging. What are you doing now in 140 words or less. Of course you can keep adding 140 word entries until you run out of things to say.

As far as a business marketing tool, from what I’ve learned so far, Twitter is used as a form of socializing. People getting to know each other, cyberly speaking. Not so much as a place to sell products or services directly. You can direct people to your website, offer specials, contests, tips, links to articles, websites and more.

It seems everybody is following someone. Or thousands of someones. And it could be overwhelming. Just how much information do you need to know in a day? I personally am suffering from information overload.

I admit I’m addicted to my iPhone. I now follow people I don’t know on Twitter. I’ve set up a page on Facebook, MySpace, Linked In, Merchant Circle, Plaxo, Ning, Xing, and others I have forgotten about and have no time to add content to. I’ve got this blog using WordPress and have set up one on Google’s Blogger too.

I follow all the news I need to know on my iPhone too. There’s AP Mobile News, USA Today, Yahoo, NY Times, CNN, Easy News, and of course a ton of RSS feeds including the LA Times, E! Online, CBS, KFWB and many, many tech news feeds.

I’m also reading Twitter Revolution on my iPhone Kindle App, Twilight from Iceburg, Murder List on my Stanza App and real hardcover books Twitter Power and a Doris Day biography.

Plus I read the antiquated LA Times and local Daily Breeze on real newsprint.

Yikes. It’s a wonder I can’t sleep at night. There’s just too much information to process.

As I grow with Twitter and other social networking sites I will keep you informed. And if you are looking for something to fill up your time, why not follow me on Twitter! @cjuices

Is your website color friendly?

Web 2.0, Web 3.0, iPhone 3.0, Social Media, Java, Drupal, Ajax, Joomla, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

So much is constantly changing online. It’s tough to keep up. But one thing remains the same: color choices on your website are important.

We all know that color affects people in different ways. Studies have proven that certain colors create certain feelings. So it is vital that your website use the right colors to invoke the feelings you want your viewers to have.

While feelings about individual colors and color combinations vary from culture to culture, as well as individuals, certain colors generally create similar feelings in most people. Good and evil, black and white, red for urgency, blue for calm. You can easily find tons of information online. More than you care to know, perhaps.

But my point is when you or your favorite web designer are creating or updating your website, the color palate you choose is almost as important as the content you place on your website.

Just saying.

The Power of Positive Thinking in this Recession

There’s no escape from the bad economic news, so try to ignore it for a few minutes. Here are some ways to clear your head and end the recession:

1. Spend money. If you’re employed and have some money to spend, why not treat yourself to something small. Then you’ll be helping the economy and keeping someone employed. And they will have money to spend, etc.

2. If you don’t have money, spend some time not worrying about it. Take a walk and exercise. Stop and smell the roses. Okay, so they’re not in bloom yet. But there are pretty flowers around. Smell them.

3. Take a few deep breaths and think how lucky you are to live in a relatively peaceful country.

4. Go to the library and read about something new. Get a few ideas on how you can improve your future. Explore the internet. People watch.

5. Start a new online business and become an entrepreneur. Call Creative Juices and get a logo design and website. By spending money at Creative Juices you will help Chuck earn a living and then he will spend money and the economy will recover. Amazing but true.

Why is my company image so important?

Like it or not, your company has an image or “brand”. It’s what people visualize when they think of your business. Your image consists of your logo, your place of business, your service, product(s) and of course the people working at your business, including you.

It takes time to build an image. First impressions are extremely important. Especially today when all businesses are desperate to get and maintain their customers. If you don’t stand out and project an image of success potential clients might skip by you and head over to your competition.

Don’t let that happen to you. It is vital to the future of your business to have a strong, positive image. And the good news is you’re completely in charge of creating that image.

Your Logo is a big part of your image “brand”. It’s what people associate with your complete business entity. This includes any printed materials, web presence, physical presence and most importantly your actual product or service. Everything you do or communicate about your business should be consistent with your brand or image. It helps build customer loyalty.

Take the time to think about what you want to project to the general public. It is really hard to change your image once it takes hold so please, don’t rush it or skimp on it. Find your niche, what sets you apart. You’ll be glad you took to time to do it right.

Just like Creative Juices. There are many graphic design companies, but only one with a twisted pencil.

Don’t Panic… Market. Now.

Unemployment may be at 7%, but that just means a greater majority of people who want to work, are working.

Anyway, the point is that there are still employed people spending money. Sure a lot of people have cut back. But the best way for you to increase your sales is to let more people know what you do. What is your service? Where are you located? What do you do that’s better than anyone else? How can you help them?

If you don’t advertise or market your business in some way, no one will know you exist. Or worse, they’ll think you’ve gone out of business. And these days there’s a lot of that happening.

Update your website and let people know what is going on with you and how you can help them. Promote your brand. Keep your image at the top of people’s minds.

If you don’t already have a website, you’re missing out on one of the most cost effective ways to showcase your business or service.

If you do have a website and it’s out of date, you need to update. And fast. A tired, out of date website show’s you are not on top of your game. You may be perceived as irrelevant.

Remember, when you cut your marketing and advertising, you are essentially giving your competition a clear advantage. Is that really what you want to do?

Don’t forget to call Creative Juices if you need marketing and advertising advice. 310-791-5803. Did you know weekend appointments are now available?