marketing d.i.y.
because everyone loves a good tipAre You Ready for a Brand Evolution?
When was the last time you updated your hairstyle? How about your wardrobe? Unless you’re sporting a mullet, adjusting your leg warmers or slipping on a fanny pack for a quick jog around the mall, you’ve probably tailored your personal image along with the trends of the times. But what about your business? Does your brand image need a facelift?
A logo is the primary face of your brand identity. And just like clothes, shoes and hairstyles, logos need to keep up with the times. Corporations from automotive companies, to technology and communications, even world wide non-profits have seen the need for brand evolution. The older the company, the more often they have reinvented themselves. But why?
Because styles evolve, and so should your brand
The evolution of Shell Corporation
The Shell Corporation has one of the most recognizable logos in the world. It has changed, not dramatically, but stylistically, to follow the trends in graphic design. It’s a great example for those fearful of change, for it’s a slow evolution in this case. Quality design is refined and modernized to keep up with the society who buys their products. Makes sense, right?
Form Follows Function
In every business there is innovation that inspires us to improve. Fax machines revolutionized business to business communication. Computers, the internet and now smart-phones are changing the landscape once again. Can you imagine your workday without checking email or making a copy? Technology that improves business has to be well thought, built into the budget and for the good of the future of the company. Now apply the same approach to your branding. Drag that logo off the dusty shelf, where it shares space with the roll-a-dex and mimeograph machine, and give it a facelift.
dandelion as logo inspiration, LogoLounge
Looking for more inspiration?
Check out this link to other logo evolutions. For insight into the logo trends in 2009 I like the posts on LogoOrange, like this one which showcases the top 10 trends in logo design. You might also like the insights of Bill Gardner on LogoLounge where he categorizes some of the unexpected trends in logo design this year.
Bet you never thought designers could get inspiration from a weed…yes, that’s right, a weed, as in dandelion. The kind that sprouts from the ground and distroys your lawn. Who knew.
So, whether these logo trends inspire you to update your brand fashion, or just get you thinking, it’s important to remember one thing. You don’t want to be a bend with every trend that comes in vogue. But don’t let your brand get stuck in a rut by failing to modernize with the times.
Declare a Jargon-Free Zone
Are your marketing materials filled with complex terminology and industry jargon? Then it’s time to clean house. Clear the verbal clutter and declare a jargon-free zone.
What’s so wrong with a little tech talk? Nothing, if you’re sure your audience speaks the same language. If not, you stand to lose your customers before they make it through the front door. Here are a few simple tips to streamline your communications.
Speak to your audience, don’t speak at them. The other day I received a letter from my son’s school with information about a schedule change for the speech therapists. It was written by a very competent and dedicated individual… who completely lost my attention after the first paragraph. Why? Because she forgot she was speaking to a parent, not a colleague.
It’s easy to get used to the language that gets volleyed around the office among peers. But remember, your clients and customers are most often not your peers. You don’t need to speak down to them, just speak clearly and simply. If you need to explain that you’ll be in the office three weeks and out for one, then say that. Don’t lose them in describing the new “3:1 service delivery model employed by the district for greater efficiency”.
Keep it Simple Stupid. This is one of the guiding principles to good communication. You don’t always have to dress up your copy to make it appealing. Let’s face it, people are lazy. They don’t want to dig through pages of explanation to find one golden nugget of truth. Keep it simple, be honest and direct and your customers will thank you for it.
Educate don’t alienate. If your industry is technical, and customers are coming to you for advice or need your expertise, the greatest service you can give is enlightenment. Lawyers, accountants, engineers, computer technicians, they all work with very complicated systems. Help your clients understand what it is you do. Clarify and explain the technical jargon so they don’t get lost on the paperwork. A little free knowledge goes a long way toward building that client relationship.
There’s nothing inately wrong with jargon. It’s the product of professional industry. Without it we’d spend hours trying to communicate complex concepts amongst peers while losing valuable work time. But when we step outside the office and attempt to communicate with our customers it’s time to forget the jargon and get back to basics. I could spend hours extolling the virtues of proper kerning and tracking when pairing ascenders and decenders of slab serif fonts, especially when designing logos…but I know better than that. And now so do you.
Death of the Commercial Artist
Designer. Graphic artist. Graphic designer. Artist. Commercial artist. What’s the difference? To be honest they all seem like titles thrown around indiscriminately. Then I came across a simple, honest and unbelievably accurate way of determining which side of the fence you want to be on.
Consider this: A successful Designer likes to solve problems posed by other people. An Artist prefers to solve their own problems.
I think this is an important distinction to understand. If you are a Designer, your job is to make the client happy using the skills you have that your clients don’t: the ability to work with color, images, and words to speak on behalf of your client. Your skills and ideas are a means to their end product. That can be a bitter pill to swallow for some designers. That’s because the artist inside wants to take control.
The Artist is a creator. They generate the ideas, experience the emotions, and communicate through their work. The Artist works for himself and has no client to answer to. It’s the Artist’s style, their product that draws the clients, not the other way around. The Artist’s struggle is to find clients who appreciate their work…but don’t strive to change it.
So which side of the fence are you on? For the record I consider myself a Designer. I do enjoy solving the design dilemmas of others. But as a trained artist I hope my clients realize they came to me for a reason. Whether it’s an ability to convey their truth, or to create one for them.
The world needs Designers and Artists. But I say, the concept of a Commercial Artist is dead.
KISS Your Way to Better Advertising
You’ve heard it before, Keep It Simple, Stupid. But do you know how to apply the principle when it comes to your marketing strategy?
“It seems that perfection is reached not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away” – Antoine de Saint Exupéry
When faced with a small display ad, short TV spot, even a website, it’s easy to start filling every inch of space with information. Logos, address, phone, email, website, free offer, taglines…STOP. Even this list is boring to read.
So how do you apply the K.I.S.S. approach to your campaign?
Focus: One singular focus for each ad or promotional piece will ensure your reader gets the point without a lot of confusion. Just because you have a fax number and a twitter ID doesn’t mean it needs to appear on every piece you create.
Cut: Even with a focused concept you still need to edit. One great way to add clarity is to cut copy. If you need help, check out this article on How to Write with a Knife.
Be Clear: Don’t lose your customers with complex industry jargon or a lengthy description of your business philosophy. Get to the point. Simplify your campaign, simplify your life.
Check this out: Sketch-a-Day Blog
I love the idea of blogging something everyday. But the reality of it is quite a challenge. As a designer it’s hard keep your ideas fresh, develop new imagery and trend watch. So the thought of designing or creating everyday is both challenging and rewarding. Like a sport, creativity also takes practice.
But it’s not just a creative challenge to start a sketch-a-day blog. It’s a feat of endurance. If you think about it, how many things can you say you have done everyday, for a year, without interruption? I can’t even remember to take a vitamin every day! It takes a lot of commitment. And a lot of ingenuity.
So when I heard about another design blog with a daily post, I thought I’d share it. Because this one made me think. I love the concept: Learn Something Everyday. And I love the simplicity of the simple sketch. It’s fun, it’s funny and hey, you just might learn something new…everyday. So check it out here at http://www.learnsomethingeveryday.co.uk/ Here’s sample of their clever but simple posts.
Learn Something Everyday graphic
If you’ve never heard of these daily design projects, check out one of the first I discovered. The Skull-a-day Project. It’s on it’s third year and now features reader’s submissions and has a book in publication.
Have you seen a daily creative blog that’s inspired you to make the 365 commitment? If so, share it with me in the comments. I’d love to hear what inspires others to make that commitment. And if I ever get so enthusiastic that I start my own daily design, I’ll be sure to post it here first.
Font Resources
Font and image resources are key components every designers toolbox. One of the biggest mistakes a DIY marketer can make it to limit themselves to the fonts that automatically appear in their drop menus in Word. Why? Because EVERYONE has those fonts. If you want to create an ad that jumps off the page and screams, “Hey, I’m not-your-ordinary ad, I’m worth reading!” Do you think you can do that with Helvetica or Tekton? Give yourself an edge by mixing it up. Only rockstars, morticians and goth teens can get away with wearing all-black, all the time. The rest of us could use a little variety.
So, where do fonts come from? And how much is this going to cost? I’m going to share my favorite font resource, and a new one I just discovered. Think you’ll appreciate them both.
Favorite font resource: Myfonts.com
I love Myfonts.com because it always have everything I need. They source fonts from hundreds of font foundrys (font designers), so you get variety and quantity. Their search engine is fantastic. Let’s say you’re looking for a font for a beer company. Type in the term “beer” and you’ll get dozens of fonts that fit that tag. You can also search by more common font terms like san-serif, gothic or script, but be forewarned: you’ll get thousands of responses to sort through. If you don’t know quite what you’re looking for though, that can be great.
Cool feature: WhatTheFont. Have you ever seen a font in an advertisement an thought, “that’s exactly what I’m looking for…but how am I supposed to find it?” WhatTheFont is the answer. Scan in an image of the font and WhatTheFont will search their database and come up with matches based on the shapes of each letter. It’s amazing!
File formats: They support Mac and PC and offer Open Type, PostScript and Truetype fonts.
Cost: Like most font websites, the cost varies depending on the font. Their are packages available that may run several hundred dollars, and there are also fonts for under $10 or even free. This is a resource for professional, quality, commercial use fonts. That doesn’t always mean they’re expensive, but it generally means they are worth it.
New Font Resource: Font Squirrel
I just discovered this new font resource today. Normally I would test these out and see what’s so great, or not, but there’s one feature I think everyone will love: The fonts are free!
Free fonts are offered all over the internet and typically I’d say, you get what you pay for. Sometimes they’re knock-offs of original fonts, sometimes they’re pirated, and in many cases they’re just not licensed for commercial work. Font Squirrel is a website that has done the searching for you. They’ve found free fonts that are quality products and are licensed for commercial designs, like logos, ads and websites. Their selection is limited, but at least you can relax knowing there’s no scarlet letter around your neck for copyright infringment.
I’ve also had some luck with dafont.com. Their fonts are identified as either “personal” or “for commercial use” so you’ll know before you download. And they’re free as well.
So, next time you’re working on an ad, or thinking of changing up your packaging with some new fonts, check out these websites. They’re also a great resource for inspiration when you’ve hit a design roadblock and need a new direction.
Have you discovered some great online font resources? Share them with me. You know I’m always looking for a good tip.
Understanding File Formats: Bitmap vs. Vect
Just what the heck is image formatting, and why should you care?
Your printer wants 300dpi images in JPEG format, your webmaster needs a 72dpi GIF and the sign company needs your logo in an EPS vector format…sound familiar? If you’ve struggled to understand why you need sixteen versions of your logo when they all look the same, then read on.
Image file formatting is something every DIY marketer should know. Whether you’re creating your own graphics, or just trying to keep track of the corporate identity, a basic knowledge of computer file types is important.
When you save a digital image or graphic there are several formats available. The most commonly used in everyday business are JPEG, EPS, TIFF and GIF. Learn when, why and how, to use these file formats correctly and you will save time and hassle when working with designers, printers and other service providers.
Bitmap vs. Vector
File formats all fall into one of two categories Bitmap (also known as Raster) or Vector graphics. Understanding this simple difference will go a long way in knowing how to save your files correctly.
Bitmap files are made up of little squares called pixels, which when assembled in a certain order make up the final image. Think of it like a puzzle where each piece is a single color. When put together in the right order, those pieces make a picture. The number of pieces in that puzzle determines the size of the file, as well as the resolution. Which brings me to dpi.
What is so important about dpi? It determines the resolution of your image. A 72 dpi image has 72 dots per inch. Imagine that you have a finished puzzle that measures 8×10 and has 72 single colored pieces. Now imagine what would happen if that same 8×10 puzzle had 300 pieces. Your image would be sharper and possibly include more detail. When viewing at the same distance the colors would blend more seamlessly into one another thus giving you a clearer image. That’s the difference a few hundred dpi makes. That’s why resolution matters. If you want to avoid the jaggies or becoming pixelated, then leave the 72dpi images for web use only, and for print choose 300dpi or higher.
JPEG and GIF are the most common bitmap formats. GIF is used primarily for the web. To be honest, my experience is print based, so I have little use for GIF. (Not that I’m slighting the GIF devotees out there, I just don’t use it much). In fact, bitmap images can be saved in many other formats, including TIFF and EPS. So you’re probably wondering, what’s the difference?
It’s all about compression. When I first started working on the computer to do graphic design and layout (as opposed to pre-computer hand-cut paste-up) I found a quick and easy way to understand the difference between JPEG and TIFF. JPEG is a lossy format. Not ‘lousy’ but ‘lossy’. This means that each time the file is saved, it is compressed. In order to do make the file smaller it selectively loses data. Whereas TIFF is a lossless format, meaning it is generally uncompressed and stores all the original data. TIFF can also preserve any layers for future editing, while JPEG images must first be flattened.
JPEG was created for photography, which explains why most digital cameras use this format. But as technology continues to improve other formats like RAW are also showing up as options.
So if photographs and detailed images are generally saved in bitmap formats, then what use do we have for vector formats? Plenty.
Vector images are made up of points, lines and shapes instead of pixels. While it would be extremely difficult to reproduce a photograph in vector format it is perfect for simple graphics, like logos. One of the best advantages of vector graphics is the limitless potential for manipulating the image without losing clarity. For example a logo created in a vector program, such as Adobe Illustrator, could be scaled from business card to billboard and remain just as sharp. And, believe it or not, the file size wouldn’t be much different.
It’s also important to note that not every program can OPEN every file type. You’ve probably discovered this on your own, but it bears noting. This is especially true of vector formats like EPS. Vector files are saved and read by the computer through a set of mathematical instructions. If you try to open an EPS in Microsoft Word it won’t work. That’s because Word doesn’t interpret those instructions. But don’t despair. If you need to view the graphic, but not edit it, you can often import or ‘place’ a vector file into a word processing program.
Hopefully understanding a few of these basic facts about image file formats will make your life a little easier next time someone asks for your logo or requests a photo of your latest product.
For a detailed description on the difference between bitmap and vector images check out this link.
Photo Quick Tip: Rule of Thirds
No matter what type of business you run there will probably come a time when you need to use photographs to promote yourself. Hotels need good images of their lobbies, rooms and amenities. Retail businesses want to showcase products. Realtors know that buyers will walk away from a house that doesn’t “show” well. Even corporate america wants to put their best face forward when translating their products and employees onto pages of an annual report. Good photography is a key element in good marketing.
So how does the Do It Yourself marketer give their photography a lift? One quick and easy solution is to practice the Rule of Thirds.
Rule of Thirds
This is one of the art school basics when it comes to composition. The primary theory is to divide your image into thirds, vertically and horizontally, then place the focal points of your shot along one of those lines, or where they cross. It sounds more complicated than it is.
The easiest way to test this theory is with a landscape shot. Take a look at these two examples. The first image is taken without the Rule of Thirds. The second employs it.
Sunset with no composition rules
Use the horizon on a landscape shot as a quick reminder to adjust your image for the Rule of Thirds. And remember not to center your focal point. Instead align your subject off-center both horizontally and vertically.
Sunset using Rule of Thirds
Practiced artists and photographers are able to visualize this grid in their head before they shoot. And with a little practice, you can too. Until then it’s easy to adjust the image with proper cropping.
While this is easy to see on a landscape image, you can also use this rule on portraits, product images and other photographic subjects.
Just remember, when it comes to art, most rules are there for a reason, but they’re also meant to be broken. Use the Rule of Thirds as a general guideline and you’ll see your photography improve without taking a course in aperture, shutter speed and ISO.
For additional examples and greater detail on the Rule of Thirds check out this link.
Design Quick Tip: Rich Black
Did you know there is more than one shade of Black in the print industry? To get a strong, dark black when printing in full color, also called 4-color process, you have to create a Rich Black.
All colors printed in 4-color process use a percentage of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black inks to create every hue in the printable spectrum. But the question is, what’s the best way to make a Rich Black. Let’s see if you can answer this question correctly:
To create Black in a CMYK format I would:
A. Use 100% Black
B. Use 50% of each CMYK
C. Use 100% of each CMYK
D. Use 100% Black, and graduated % of each CMY
You might assume that to get a good solid black all you need to do is select 100% Black. That will give you standard black, not rich black. The answer is D. What you want is a percentage of each ink, as well as 100% Black. This layering of inks is what creates a dark, intense, Rich Black.
So how do you know the best percentage to use? Some industries use a special formula, so if this is something you face on a regular basis, i.e. lots of print ads with large areas of black, then ask your printer for their formula for Rich Black. Otherwise try this:
Cyan 60%, Magenta 40%, Yellow 30%, Black 100%
Final notes: Only use rich black on large solid areas of black. Fine lines like type should be set in standard black. And never spec rich black when you’re printing in grayscale only. You could be charged for full-color.
Are you marketing like a three-year-old?
Something mysterious seems to happen when a child turns three. Their communication skills are developing quickly, which meets their desire for independence, and a new mindset is born. From now on, all you hear is, “I can do it myself!” But the truth is, sometimes they can’t.
There’s nothing wrong with a little freedom, the sense of accomplishment and pure willpower to tackle projects large and small with the do-it-yourself commitment of a three-year-old. But if you want to avoid the temper tantrums, frustration and…well…less-than-perfect results that go along with it, you may want to consider one thing. Sometimes we all need a little help.
So how do you know when to say ‘uncle’? There’s no one answer for that. But I’ve put together a few tips to help sort out the D.I.Y. projects from the C.F.H. (Call For Help) jobs.
Starting a New Venture – When launching a new product it’s easy to feel that you alone have the information to get the job done right. You’ve figured it all out in your mind and now you have to take on the world all by yourself. Don’t get caught in this ego trap. It’s vital to begin communicating your ideas with other people. Your product won’t sell any other way. Sometimes we just need to know when to get out of our own way.
Try this test. Describe your product in sixty seconds so a complete stranger could understand it. It’s called an elevator pitch. If you found that challenging, imagine communicating those same concepts in one word, or an image alone? That’s what graphic designers try to do when they approach your brand identity. Which leads up to my next tip.
Branding is not for Beginners – Not every business or product needs a complex and dynamic brand. Just the ones that want to build brand loyalty. Creating brand identity involves research, knowledge of type, imagery and color. To put it simply, it’s harder than it looks. In my opinion it’s that brilliant simplicity that’s actually the sign of a good brand. Take a look at these logos and see what I mean.
Beyond General Expertise – If you have the D.I.Y. mentality then you’re probably pretty comfortable tackling a variety of tasks from creating an ad to blogging to promoting events. But we all have limits. I needed to redesign the website for my primary business, www.mealtickets.com, and I knew there were limitations to my capabilities so I hired help. (HTML is not my friend.) When it comes to legal issues, like patents and trademarks, it helps to consult a professional. Other business specialities such as accounting, you could handle, but do you want to? I figure, in cases of taxation or representation I prefer to defer to the experts.
More Eyes and Ears – If you’re self-employed you know that one of the disadvantages of working alone is…well…working alone. Sometimes you just need a sounding board for new ideas, or an extra pair of eyes for proof-reading. This is the perfect time to ask for help, because it’s usually offered openly and won’t cost a dime. Friends and family, former co-workers and industry mentors are great people to call upon. Next time you get stuck, don’t twiddle your thumbs, Twitter your friends!
I started this blog for the D.I.Y marketing mavericks out there. And there will be plenty of opportunities for you to get in the design groove and strut your stuff. But when you’re channeling that inner three-year-old remember one thing. You didn’t choose to grow up, but you can decide when to bring on a consultant, get some advice or hire a professional. So, are you marketing like a three-year-old, or can you act your age?
