Gmail is Getting a New Look

Gmail is coming out with a new appearance and right now, I'm not a big fan. I'm curious to know what your opinion is! Please submit your answer in the poll to the right as well as leave any feedback/comments that you'd like to add by replying to this post. Give us YOUR opinion!

Understanding Design Prices

To start off my continuation of writing in this blog, I wanted to take the time to try and explain my opinion about design prices. Basically, to explain that some people understand and some don't when it comes to realizing how much design work actually can cost you depending on who you ask to get the work down.

There's no right and wrong in this posting. This is my opinion.

When it comes to people wanting work done, if you're starting your own business you need the basics like, most importantly, a logo. After that, things come in stages as you see fit but here's how I see an order:

1. Logo
2. Business Cards
3. Stationary (which includes Letterhead, Invoice, Quotes/Estimate, etc.)
4. Website

I mention getting a website done last simply because it is one of the two items on that list that would normally cost the most (logo being the other). Remember, this is not an order of "what's most to least expensive", it's a list of what I feel is an order of getting this kind of work done.

The Logo
The Logo is the most important image of a business. Whether it includes the business name or not, it is the visual that people come to relate to your business. Quick examples include IBM and Apple. Both are iconic where IBM includes it's name and Apple doesn't. You recognize them both instantly though. Saying all this though, should also mean that this is the one area of your business where you can expect to pay a decent amount to get done. This is the beginning of your branding that is than transferred on all other material that is later created. Don't get offended if a designer asks for over $50 to do just the logo... it could cost over $1000 depending on who you end up getting. Freelancers might be a bit cheaper than a larger firm due to hourly rates and the like but in the end, this is where it will all start.

Business Cards
This can be done cheap and quickly. Turn around times, those that I've experienced, can be from a few days to 2 weeks depending on who and where. I have continued to get mine done at a place in the states because they offer great deals on business cards all the time. Some places will say you can only order a minimum of 500 or 1000 cards at one time, this place brings it down to 250 and is VERY reasonably priced! I can't remember exact cost but my last batch of cards cost less than $50 for 250 coloured business cards. It's a great place to get them done if you're just starting out, but of course, I'm not going to give out who they are cause that would defeat the purpose of me offering you a good deal on business cards in case you need some! :)

Stationary
Another area that utilizes your logo. The type of stationary you decide to start with depends on the kind of company you are hoping to start. Typically, I'd recommend a letter head, invoice and possibly a quote/estimate sheet (but you could also consider using your letter head). Using my services, this area is fairly cheap as most of the work is already done (logo) and the rest comes from combining something artistic with the logo/branding colours.

Website
Websites take time. Time is money. The complexity of what kind of website you want will take time to design and build and so don't expect to get a good/decent running website for $250. I'm quite surprised to see ads that offer websites for such a low cost but understand that most of the designs are templates that they reuse. By spending more you're making sure that you get a design that was specific to your needs, company and that no one else is using. Now at this time and age it is getting harder to design 100% unique websites because there are aspects from one site that you might like and are implemented into the design of your own site, but make sure that the site is not a 100% copy of another. Budget for this site and let the designer know what you're able to spend so that he/she knows how far they can go with design and complexity.

Last but not least...
Understand that designing your business logo and other branding necessities is a job for us. Just as you have a business to run and need to have an income to keep it going, so do designers. We're not out to bankrupt you with what might seem to you as "high costs of service". We're here to help you advertise your business so that you have a greater ROI (Return on Investment).

What's Your Opinion?
Have you had an experience where you felt over-charged by a designer? What did you ask them to do and if you don't mind sharing what the cost was, did it look like what they charged you?

For reasonable prices for the items listed above, feel free to contact me! www.jansenmedia.ca!

It's been a while...

It's been over a year since my last blog post and I've come to realize that I should try to pick up where I left off. I am going to try and take the advice that I give others and get back into a consistent blog post. However, I haven't quite figured out what that pattern will be just yet.

We'll see how this goes and I look forward to your comments.

How's Your Social Media?

This topic will come up often in my blog for the reason that it's a form of marketing that I think many are over-looking. What some people don't realize is the power of what Social Media can do for you as a freelancer, small business or larger corporation. My focus of marketing and design is limited to freelancers and small businesses but anything can be applied to some degree to anything larger.

Social Media as a marketing tool as I said, is being over looked by many. What people don't realize is the power behind it and how you can easily and cheaply (free!) reach your target audience and more just be getting on this band wagon.

The Big Three

In my opinion, I would have to say the top three Social Media's (SM') include:

1. Facebook
Do you want to quickly reach an audience? Facebook is rapidly growing and many applications are being developed and created to advertise and promote businesses. Many companies are promoting themselves on TV with a visual link to hit up their Facebook page.

Often, they have numerous followers or "fans" and might offer discounts or some sort of promotion if you join their page. We also see many promotions that are being sent around via our "friends" who continually want to win gadgets, devices or money.

This media is an easy to use medium which should be taken granted of by companies as a whole.

2. Twitter
Many people mention that Twitter is a waste of time. I hear this from people who, not surprisingly, are not in the design industry in any way. Using Twitter in an appropriate way can quickly send more traffic to your site and make you more personable.

Twitter is a good way to allow your clients to know that you're a real person. I've read the question about whether or not you should keep your personal Twitter account separate from your business one (should you happen to have both). The simple answer that was given was "No". That's not to say that your personal comments or updates can be crude or the like. If you keep both together, you still need to watch your image and this also applies to if you have them separate. Interested future clients can easily find your personal accounts online and so can get a good idea who you are as a person even if you try to hide it.

IMPORTANT:It is imperative that you continue to keep your online image free of imagery and comments that may deter people from hiring you as a freelancer or using your services as a business. This relates to all types of social media's and should be taken seriously. Future employers are now looking at this kind of stuff and your job may depend on it.

3. Blogs
If you're a writer or even if you're not, Blogs are a great way to inform others about what you do and where your skills are.

This could mean that you write tutorials or explain processes that you use. Use your skills as topics and others will read what you have to offer. Keep in mind though, that it will take a while before you begin seeing an increase in readers.

I write this Blog as a means to inform others about technology and the industry as a whole. All that I write is "In My Opinion" and from me reading other articles and websites about our industry, I am able to give my input and thoughts on what's going on at the same time as instructing those who might not have the time to browse the web as often as I do. It's a central place to get a variety of information.

Remember, using Social Media properly and you will see results. This post was not to instruct you on how to do that, that may come shortly but even I am learning more and more and so have not quite figured out my opinion on what the best practices are in enough detail to post about it.

There are many other articles floating the web that you can read. A simple Google search and you'll find these.

Are you using Social Media?
If you are using Social Media as a freelancer or a business, how are you using it and are you seeing results? Please shed some light about your experiences with SM so that others can learn from what you are doing.

Death to IE6

A couple days late on this article, but alas, we are now beginning the long awaited push for browser support by eliminating that which was our enemy. :)

YouTube Puts Another Nail in the IE6 Coffin