All the products that you want to sell online are ready.  You have already signed up with the Google Adsense program or with other affiliate marketing programs and you have already prepared the ad you want to post on your affiliate’s site.  Your mind is now set to being the next most successful online businessman.  But is there anything else that you might have forgotten to prepare?  Maybe none.  But how about your landing pages?  Are they all set for your business?

Landing pages are simply web pages where visitors are directed to whenever they click a result in a web search or whenever they click a web ad.  For affiliate marketing, landing pages would refer to the web page where you, as a merchant, would want your potential customer to be directed after clicking your ad on your affiliate’s website.  Landing pages are, at most times, nothing really different from other web pages in a particular website, especially if the said website is an e-commerce site.  Some online businessmen would even use the homepage of their websites as the landing page for their ads.  Are these businessmen making a big mistake?  Or should you follow their method in creating landing pages for their ads?

Well, you can always follow what most online retailers do, directing their potential customers to the homepages of their websites.  But if you want to achieve something more from your online business, and if you want to earn a lot of profits, you better create a special landing page for your web ads.  Why?  Here are a few reasons why you need to use landing pages for your web ads.  And take note, it would do you a lot better if you create a great landing page than a so-so one.

Reason no. 1: It is the only way you earn conversions in an affiliate marketing program.

There are a variety of affiliate marketing programs today, but most of these programs let the merchant pay the affiliate in a pay per click basis. Basically, all you have to do is sign up with the program and submit your ad. The program owner would then distribute your ad to various affiliates who would then place your ad on their websites. Whenever your ad is clicked, a visitor would be directed to your landing page and you would have to pay the affiliate for his service.

As a merchant, you earn in an affiliate program through conversions — that is whenever a visitor that is directed to your site actually buys a product on your site. Without these conversions, you actually earn nothing from the program. Also, the more visitors that your affiliates have directed to your site, the larger would your expense be. And the only way that you can recover from these expenses is through conversions.

Now, you sure won’t get any conversion if you have posted an ad on your affiliate’s site without an actual landing page for the potential customer to be redirected into. It’s just like advertising a product without actually having a store to sell your product. Your advertisement may be enticing enough to encourage people to purchase a product, but without the landing page, how will they know how to purchase the product.

It is therefore important to have landing pages for your ads because it is the only way for you to earn something in an affiliate program. Without landing pages, all you do is spend money paying your affiliates without actually getting anything in return.

Reason no. 2: Other web pages may just not be enough.

Many people make the mistake of making their website’s homepage as the landing page for their ads. The same is true for those who make use of other pages like a “contact us” page or a product page. Homepages are often designed to serve multiple users and contains a lot of links to other pages or to other websites. The same is with the other two pages mentioned. If you want to be successful in an affiliate program, we’re sure that you don’t want your landing page to cater to the needs of various people, most of which may not be really interested with your product.

When choosing a landing page, you must always have the customer directed into that page in mind. Therefore, your landing page must be relevant to the keywords and the contents you placed on your ad. It is also important that the landing page can induce your visitor to take action — that is to purchase your product or at least provide leads for potential customers.

Final Word

You probably entered into an affiliate marketing program with these things in mind: to save on advertising expenses and to gain more profit. But if you get into an affiliate marketing program without actually having a landing page, you’ll end up paying too much without getting anything in return. So if you still don’t have a landing page for your ads, you better start creating one now. And don’t get us wrong; it isn’t enough for you to have just a landing page — it should be a great landing page!

About the Author

Tony Mack is an award winning graphic/web designer and internet marketing expert that operates One Source Graphics, Inc. He works with small local businesses and large internet based companies to create dramatic marketing material that they use to get more sales and more clients. In addition, he has a highly successful internet business that publishes e-products, learning products, iPhone and windows software, and has helped thousands of people learn and improve their own internet marketing strategies.

800-974-5580
TonyMack@OneSourceGraphics.org

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A Quick 5 Point Checklist

When doing PPC advertising the landing page plays a significant role in your success. A bad landing page will “kill” even the most targeted visitor and he will leave your website. With more PPC ad networks putting a lot of emphasis on “Quality Score” and related pieces it becomes even more critical to have a great converting landing page. Here is a quick checklist that will help you to evaluate your landing pages and to make better ones if needed.

1) Call to Action

Are you telling your visitors what to do or do you let them decide what they should do (most likely leave your website using the wrong exit)? A clear call to action is necessary (!) in making a good landing page. The visitor needs to recognize immediately what the (landing) page is trying to sell him/her.. Use very clear readable text (extremely easy to understand). Use large generic fonts and eventually spice them up with unique graphics and icons. Be careful not do over-do it, because you do not want your sales pitch to be lost in the middle of a freakin’ “image war”.

2) Match the look and feel of the existing website

Under no circumstances a landing page should be totally different in design than the rest of the website. Maintain the same look and the same colors. You can play with the navigation bar a little bit and “hide” at the bottom of the landing page to reduce the leakage. You want your visitors to exit through the (cloaked) affiliate link. Make sure all links to other pages of your website open a new browser window so that the landing page stays open at all times.

3) Place the Sales content above the fold

It’s very important for your conversion rate to keep all of the important information and the SIGN UP button above the fold of the page. The fold of a webpage is the point where a visitor would have to scroll down inside the browser window to see the remaining content of the landing page. Landing pages should stick to a 800 x 600 resolution to meet 99% of all screen resolutions still out there. If somebody is browsing the web with a 640 x 480 resolution they would not see a forest because of all the trees anyway.

4) Content on Landing Pages

Since the implementation of the Quality Score by PPC advertising networks many advertisers have seen their minimum bid prices go through the roof, because their landing pages do not meet the quality standards required nowadays. Especially Google Adwords requires that people clicking on those links have a “quality experience” when hitting the landing page of an advertiser. The “bots” of the PPC networks scan the landing pages and the surrounding pieces of the website to determine if the requirements of the quality rules are met or not. If your landing page is mainly made from a sliced Photoshop image there is not much that helps to determine the quality of your landing page. Therefore it is highly critical to have actual text content on your landing pages to help Google and the other PPC networks to “read” your landing page properly and to assign a quality score.

5) Page Navigation

A landing page needs to be considered a part of a website. It therefore requires the ability for the visitor to visit the rest of the website. Certain navigation pieces need to be in place to help with achieving a great quality score. Two navigational links are the absolute minimum to have. A link to the “Homepage” and a link to the “Privacy Policy” are considered to be essential. The more links the better. Include a link to a “Sitemap” as well as an link to an “About us” page. Here is a neat little trick that helped me to achieve great quality scores. Add links to related products of the product you are trying to promote. This type of links apparently makes the impression that the landing page is really part of an overall website and not just an “add on”.

Need help creating a landing page? One Source Graphics is standing by to be of service. Fill out the form below and one of our Design Consultants will contact you!

About the Author

Tony Mack is an award winning graphic/web designer and internet marketing expert that operates One Source Graphics, Inc. He works with small local businesses and large internet based companies to create dramatic marketing material that they use to get more sales and more clients. In addition, he has a highly successful internet business that publishes e-products, learning products, iPhone and windows software, and has helped thousands of people learn and improve their own internet marketing strategies.

800-974-5580
TonyMack@OneSourceGraphics.org

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If you have ever tried to make good landing pages, know that you need to test and retest your pages to make sure they convert.  One of the best ways to make great landing pages is to look at what the internet marketers are doing online and follow them.  Also women’s magazines are a great place to look for what good copy writers write for good landing pages.  Some women’s magazines have the very best writers on staff so it’s a great place to look for ideas when you go to write headlines.  A smashing heading and some good copy and you’re on your way to making a great landing page that can convert your customers into buyers.  Nothing is more frustrating than having a lot of web traffic visiting a site but getting very few leads or sign-ups.  If you can put together a simple web page that customer will land on and fill it with some good pictures and have a good clean design you can make a great landing page.

Great colorful pictures and pretty borders are great at keeping a readers attention on a landing page and you have either paid traffic of free traffic.  You also want to keep your speech very simple so all readers can understand your copy.  Landing pages are not a good place to impress your readers with your extensive vocabulary.  You want to use simple words and simple sentence structure.  Making your heading lines bold so reader can scan the page quickly to find your offer.  Bullet points are a great way to list if you’re trying to explain some benefits or features of your offer.  They are easy to read and make your copy easy to scan.  The close of your copy should invoke a deep interest from your reader to ask for additional information or collect an email address or newsletter sign-up.

My system to make a landing page is like this:

• Bold Headline
• Some eye catching copy
• Bullet point of some benefits
• Closing copy
• Offer
• Test conversions and make changes
• Retest pages

About the Author

Tony Mack is an award winning graphic/web designer and internet marketing expert that operates One Source Graphics, Inc. He works with small local businesses and large internet based companies to create dramatic marketing material that they use to get more sales and more clients. In addition, he has a highly successful internet business that publishes e-products, learning products, iPhone and windows software, and has helped thousands of people learn and improve their own internet marketing strategies.

800-974-5580
TonyMack@OneSourceGraphics.org

Need help creating a landing page? One Source Graphics is standing by to be of service. Fill out the form below and one of our Design Consultants will contact you!

Lead Generation is essential to a profitable long term business. If you plan on having continued success with your business then it is a no brainier!  Read on for some of my favorite lead generation strategies.

Build a Landing Page

Using a landing page is the number one outlet for generating quality leads. You need a landing page to generate leads!

Your landing page should consist of a few things. Most importantly a form that will capture the visitors contact information so you can follow up with them. Next, you should have some kind of headline that leads in to some ad copy that outlines the benefits of what your offering.

Your headline needs to grab your visitors attention and keep them reading. Your ad copy should tease the reader enough to get them to fill out their information to continue. It’s always a good idea to have your landing page redirect to a relevant offer after they fill out their information.

Luring Visitors With Incentives

Incentives are a good way to grab effortless leads. Although your response rate will be lower you’ll get more leads to make up for it. Write a free report on the offer your generating leads for. There are many things you can offer for free. Get creative with it!

It’s important to note that some sponsors do not accept incentive leads. Make sure you read your sponsors terms and conditions before you use that technique.

Split Testing Is a Must

You should constantly be trying new things with your landing pages to see what converts and what doesn’t. You could be losing out on major profits if you don’t split test your landing page. Split testing can be done using special scripts or you can do it manually.

I always like to find ways to automate my business so I go the extra mile and install the scripts to track the split test.

Promote your landing page with Pay Per Click advertising

I use PPC Advertising as my main source of leads. I’ve generated thousands of leads for my sponsors or offers using various PPC Advertising programs. My personal favorite right now is MSN Ad Center. It’s still very inexpensive and very effective. Google Adwords has become crowded and is more competitive then ever. I am all for competition but I like easy profits to

If you are using Google Adwords to generate leads then you should definitely think about adding more to your landing pages. Google Adwords now implements a quality score algorithm that will make your ads more expensive.

Things you can do to improve your quality score.

One thing you can do is add a free web directory to your landing page. Add some relevant links and generate pages. You should aim for at least 20 pages. Try to add more over time.

You can also try adding related articles as home pages.

Make sure you pay close attention to all of your PPC campaigns as these can break your bank quick if left unattended. Always test and track your keywords to see what works.

Get help from an expert.

Our Inbound Marketing Team at One Source Graphics is ready to help you take your business to the next level. If you need any assistance with anything you read above, just pick up the phone! You can reach us at 1-800-974-5580. We are available from 8:30AM – 8:30PM EST.

Do you have questions? What kind of campaign do you need? SEO or Landing Pages? Are you getting enough traffic to your website? Do you know how much traffic you are getting? Get answers today. It’s time to get knowledgeable about your website. “Set it and forget it”, does not work when it comes to your website!

Don’t wait any longer. It’s time to get that website working and bringing some new targeted leads into you business. Call us today!

About the Author

Tony Mack is an award winning graphic/web designer and internet marketing expert that operates One Source Graphics, Inc. He works with small local businesses and large internet based companies to create dramatic marketing material that they use to get more sales and more clients. In addition, he has a highly successful internet business that publishes e-products, learning products, iPhone and windows software, and has helped thousands of people learn and improve their own internet marketing strategies.

800-974-5580
TonyMack@OneSourceGraphics.org

Need help creating a landing page? One Source Graphics is standing by to be of service. Fill out the form below and one of our Design Consultants will contact you!

Search Engine Optimization or (SEO) doesn’t rank entire pages but elements of them.  Each page is a team working together to produce an overall effect.  While each page can produce high rankings and spread to each other is one of the best strategies another is to use a landing page strategy.  In this case you can use various techniques to bring traffic to one particular page, usually the home page, and from there direct that pages high ranking to your website’s other pages.  When a page points to another page is does not diminish its page ranking.  It may not be able to give as high a boost if it points to too many pages but this can be compensated for by a good navigation structure. 

For the landing page to have its best effect use whatever techniques you can to drive traffic it.  Seeking out sites that will provide links to your landing page is a strong strategy.  If you can drive enough quality traffic to your landing page, and I stress quality, you can maximize that pages ranking.  A landing page with a high enough page ranking can nearly endow the rest of your website with increasing rankings.

This is where a strong navigation structure is vital.  You want the landing pages strong ranking to filter around your website and enhance your pages as much as possible.  By keeping the in sight navigation links to a minimum you will ensure maximum ranking increases throughout your site.

By using a combination of affiliates, links from other sites, possibly pay-per-click and awesome SEO skills you can drive your landing page’s rank sky high.  Get your site up with good content first and then put forth all of your efforts into the landing page.  The landing page will be your ambassador and it will seek out visitors and persuade them to come to your site.

If you need any help designing and/or installing landing pages on your site, One Source Graphics would be more than happy to be of assistance.

You can see some of our Landing Page Designs in our Web Design Portfolio

About the Author

Tony Mack is an award winning graphic/web designer and internet marketing expert that operates One Source Graphics, Inc. He works with small local businesses and large internet based companies to create dramatic marketing material that they use to get more sales and more clients. In addition, he has a highly successful internet business that publishes e-products, learning products, iPhone and windows software, and has helped thousands of people learn and improve their own internet marketing strategies.

800-974-5580
TonyMack@OneSourceGraphics.org

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Your corporate logo, banner ads, and other graphic design aspects are key parts to a marketing campaign. It is important for your corporate logo to be unique, recognizable, and to reflect your type of business. Your corporate logo will be representative of everything your company is, and will indicate your company by its presence on buildings, letterheads, advertisements, promotional items, as well as company vehicles or uniforms, if applicable to your company.

Corporate logos are separated into three groups – descriptive logos, abstract logos, and typographical logos. Descriptive logos are an image, web banner design or logo design that suggests the company name or line of work. Abstract logos have no clear association to the company and rely on uniqueness and exposure to link the company to the logo. Typographical logos are logos based specifically on the name of the company, and attempt to take a well-known name and add a graphical appeal.

When it’s time for a logo design, you may consider hiring a specialized firm to draft logos for your company. Many firms exist and so you should make sure to choose one with many years of experience, at least a handful of actual designers, and one whose previous work is appealing to you. A good firm has the knowledge and experience to help your company represent itself well graphically.

Banner ads are some of the most common advertising that is readily available today. A banner ad is a small advertisement usually found at the top of a web page. Nearly all free domain providers and networking sites rely on banner ad sales to make their profit, and certain studies suggest that banner ads with good web banner design at these sites provide more than 60% of hits to business sites. The success of a banner ad campaign relies in part on appropriate placement of the banner ads, but even more important is the design of the ads. Banner ads are so prevalent that all but the most innovative and eye-catching go unnoticed. The message must be clear, concise, professional, and backed up by eye-catching graphic design.

Three types of Graphic Designs are available Recently come web2.0 feel look graphics which is very neat and clean graphics. simple graphic design without any heavy colors in gradients just use of single colors.
3d graphic design – which is use of heavy colors with reflection of graphics part, and others way to make more 3d look. Graphic design for website is important key to make Success for business.

Once your banner ads have attracted potential customers to your web page, the site must continue to hold their attention. The site must be professional, informative, and easy to navigate, but must also have an appropriate graphical scheme. Your specific type of business and the image you want to portray will determine what type of graphical display you need for a logo design. Regardless of the feel that you desire for your website, it remains most important that the look be unique and appealing. Every page must be eye-catching, while having a theme and feel that will compliment your business and be appealing to the kind of persons who will most likely be potential customers for your business. When you have a graphic design that compliments your business, ties into your logo, and is part of a website that is easy to navigate, you will find an increase in sales, and greater success as a business.

Logo Design, Web Banner Design and Graphic Design are important
for our customers who are visiting our site, first impression from our customers should wow look and feel of website, which will make our visitors to our Clients. So for Online business, Local business and other way of money Making site we need to make Our Website clean, eye catching and Professional.

Easy way to make your all Website design work need hire a freelance
Designer or any graphic design firm which can help you to make
eye catching design for you, who can attract visitors.

About the Author

Tony Mack is an award winning graphic/web designer and internet marketing expert that operates One Source Graphics, Inc. He works with small local businesses and large internet based companies to create dramatic marketing material that they use to get more sales and more clients. In addition, he has a highly successful internet business that publishes e-products, learning products, iPhone and windows software, and has helped thousands of people learn and improve their own internet marketing strategies.

800-974-5580
TonyMack@OneSourceGraphics.org

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When we see colors, we connect with them instantly on a subliminal level. No one can be sure if our reactions are the result of our very human nature or if they are shaped by our socialization, but the reactions are very real. The human mind is hardwired to respond to color.

Marketing experts know about that powerful connection between consumers and color. They’ve done a great deal of research using carefully controlled experiments and have decided that color does have a big role in forming people’s perceptions of products and logos. That research is confirmed by real world actions, too. Companies have found that changing a logo’s color scheme even a little bit can have a giant impact on sales.

When we see colors, we react right away. It happens faster than we can read a single word. In fact, the mind makes color connections and forms opinions before the conscious mind even knows what we are looking at!

A logo is the most repeated and frequently displayed symbol of your business. It’s on your letterhead, your website, business cards, products and more. It’s your “brand” and it’s an inseparable part of your business.

When you think about how important your logo is and consider the power of colors, it’s pretty obvious that color psychology should be a big part of logo design. If you overlook the color choices in your logo, you might be “turning off” possible customers instead of attracting new buyers.

Using color psychology to your advantage isn’t easy. You can look at a simple chart that lists common colors and explains what they tend to represent–one is even included with this article just to give you some ideas. Doing that, however, really only scratches the surface of what color psychology is all about.

An effective logo designer will go beyond those simple color connections. He or she can take that information and combine it with knowledge of negative color connotations. A logo design specialist will also understand how people react to different combinations of colors and will be able to merge the messages of color psychology with great design skills. The result will be a logo that is both memorable and optimized for color use.

Today, many of us are in love with the “do it yourself” plan. We think that if we do a little research and work hard, we can do things just as effectively as can a professional. That might be true in some cases, but logo design is a perfect example of when we really need an expert’s help.

Logo experts understand design. They recognize the power of various forms and can create logos that communicate the nature of a company instantly. They have special skills and knowledge that helps them produce winning logos that look a lot better than our amateur creations.

The wise use of color psychology is a perfect example of how the talents and knowledge of a professional logo creator can make a lot of difference. A good designer will know how to choose colors to communicate a client’s message effectively without risking the mistakes “do it yourselfers” often commit.

If you are in the market for a logo, consult with a talented logo expert who can use the science of color psychology to your advantage!

Color Psychology Basics

Here are some of the most frequently used colors and the positive messages they communicate. As noted, this basic chart isn’t comprehensive. It doesn’t list negative associations and it doesn’t discuss the best ways to combine colors. However, it is an interesting introduction to color psychology

BLACK: Mystery, secrecy, tradition.
BLUE: Power, calmness, success, trustworthiness.
BROWN: Earth and nature, simplicity, seriousness.
GREEN: Harmony, health and healing, nature and animals, money.
ORANGE: Affordability, fun, youth, creativity, celebration.
PURPLE: Fantasy and dreams, justice, royalty.
RED:Excitement, action, adventure, love, passion, food.
WHITE: Simplicity, cleanliness, innocence.
YELLOW: Cheerfulness, playfulness, curiosity, amusement.

Tony Mack is an award winning graphic/web designer and internet marketing expert that operates One Source Graphics, Inc. He works with small local businesses and large internet based companies to create dramatic marketing material that they use to get more sales and more clients. In addition, he has a highly successful internet business that publishes e-products, learning products, iPhone and windows software, and has helped thousands of people learn and improve their own internet marketing strategies.

800-974-5580
TonyMack@OneSourceGraphics.org

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Have you ever wondered how multi-national companies like McDonalds, Coca-cola, Microsoft, Apple, Intel, Motorola, Sony and UPS came up with their names? Just think, if these companies have some lame or forgettable brand name, would they be as big as they are now? Every company starts out by thinking of a name. A law firm, for example, commonly uses the names of its associates, like Smith, Johnson and Brown Law Firm. The name of a woman’s specialty shop should be something sensual and exciting, like Victoria’s Secret or Bare Essentials. A clothing line should boast the popular designer’s name. Corporate branding does not just involve the company name. It also includes the corporate logo design and the overall company image. More importantly, it conveys your corporate identity. When you think of computers, Microsoft comes to mind. Instead of photocopier, you think of Xerox. Toothpaste equals Colgate. Coming up with the perfect brand name that will stick to the consumer’s mind is as important as coming up with the finances to start a company – be it big or small.

1. First Impressions Last

When you distribute a business card, see what dominates that small piece of paper. Brand names and logos. Bland brand names never work. When you think of a name, follow these rules:

- Be original.

- Do not be overly creative – business cards must be functional. Sure a uniquely sized/shaped card might generate interest but it’s very hard for a secretary to file in a business card rack.

- From your options, choose one that has a global appeal.

2. Branding

In today’s global marketplace, a brand is considered as a valuable corporate asset and a marketing tool for success. Thus, you should always give careful consideration to different cultures if you plan to conquer a worldwide market.

3. The Simpler The Better

When creating the company logo, it is much more advisable to be creative and distinctive. The more conservative designs apply to a target market of the same kind. If you apply the same concept to a company whose customers are supposed to be young and hip, they will fall asleep as soon as they hear your brand name and see your logo. With a younger clientele, it is best to be energetic and creative when thinking of corporate naming and branding.

4. Brand Name Equals Image

With the Internet being considered as the most powerful marketing tool, it is very important that your customers remember something distinctive about your company. Give out a clear picture of the message that you want to impart and the image that you want to project. Strong graphic design is the ace up your sleeve to leave a lasting impact of your company.

5. Be Consistent

Corporate branding takes time. It includes your company name, your logo, your customer service, the staff, the building location, the state of the offices, even your maintenance staff and the company vehicles. As years pass, your company develops a certain reputation. It is a good thing if, upon hearing the name of your company, people would immediately associate it with the service or product that you represent. Make sure that you stick to the corporate image that you want to project.

6. Create A Powerful, Branded Web Site

Marketing though the Internet is yet another aspect of corporate branding. You should develop a distinctive, informative and complete web site. This is so that customers would have a clear understanding of your company profile.

7. Research, Manage, Dominate!

Try visiting websites which offer corporate branding and advertising services. Better yet, look for the people behind the big companies and ask or research on how these establishments have gotten to where they are now. Check on their corporate structure and how they began. Make sure that the people who make up the corporate ladder have enough enthusiasm and confidence about the company which should rub off on the rest of the staff. It would never hurt your company if you have a good personnel attitude and an intense pride of work.

Tony Mack is an award winning graphic/web designer and internet marketing expert that operates One Source Graphics, Inc. He works with small local businesses and large internet based companies to create dramatic marketing material that they use to get more sales and more clients. In addition, he has a highly successful internet business that publishes e-products, learning products, iPhone and windows software, and has helped thousands of people learn and improve their own internet marketing strategies.

800-974-5580
TonyMack@OneSourceGraphics.org

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We all know, that in actual fact designers not only create images that are designed to catch the eye of the consumer, but to make a business appear professional also and indeed the core purpose of their work is to help convert potential customers into actual customers via brand/image and marketing materials linked in with this.

Is that all?

I’m sure a lot of business owners think that really is all there is to the design industry that serves them and the many designers that populate it.

In some cases (for some designers) that really is all there is to it – they don’t operate on many other levels other than to make their designs professional, pretty, and eye catching.

However there really are other aspects that must be considered when you commission a designer to develop the brand image for your business, a couple of these are explored in more detail now;

1. Target Market

Recently I was approached by a company interested in brand design; their product and service was one that should be targeting both men and women, and yet when I was shown the design they had received already for another designer I immediately noted some glaring issues with it.

The design itself was eye pleasing and on the surface of it a less experienced person may observe that it was a professional effort; but the designer had produced something which featured a stylised woman as the central figure within the logo and not only that despite the stylised nature of the image, she was clearly of oriental heritage.

I quickly pointed out to the customer that when one’s target market is male and females and not women only, that to gender bias one’s logo design is counter productive, and even worse to possibly alienate even more people by making the character a particular ethnicity when your product is targeted at all nationalities.

A creative must think, think, think, and then and think some more about the target market when they are designing. To enable that before they start designing, they absolutely have to ask the business owner about the business; who are the customers, how will the product or service be sold to them, and so on.

2. Colors & Tones

A long time ago now I wrote a very popular article entitled the ‘The Relationship Between Colors & Sales’ – I’ve long since populated the piece across the internet and you can thus read it on many websites.

Although as creatives we don’t need to enslave ourselves completely to the rules of color psychology, any designer working on a project should always keep this in mind.

In addition to considering the psychological effect certain colors have on mood and behaviour, which is well documented by the marketing industry, one needs to consider the socio-economic dynamic of the target market as this has some bearing on the tone of the color scheme chosen.

For instance it’s not uncommon for my clients to ask for a bright color scheme for their brand design, but this doesn’t always suit their target market; it’s known that low income groups are attracted to bright colors and thus if you don’t wish to attract low income groups a bright color scheme isn’t right for your brand design regardless of what you like as an individual.

When your designer goes to work and you review concepts it’s vital to appreciate the design isn’t supposed to necessarily appeal to what you like, it’s supposed to appeal to your target market and this may not necessarily be the same thing as your own favourite colors.

These are just a couple of important areas that must be considered by your designer before they start work on your brand development, some of the other areas include;

- Ensuring the design will work well whether printed billboard sized or business card sized.

- Making sure the company name is easily readable.

- Ensuring the design is neither too tall in height, or too wide horizontally; disproportionate designs can be more difficult to incorporate into layouts for print such as flyers, stationery, brochures and so on; this means these items may not look as good as they should.

Much of this advice can also be applied even when you already have your brand design established and have moved on to developing this further with your marketing materials.

It’s important that the designer working on your printed stationery and marketing materials appreciates the need to be sympathetic to the brand theme already established, and also has sufficient skill and experience to bear in mind that designs created must appeal to the target market.

Tony Mack is an award winning graphic/web designer and internet marketing expert that operates One Source Graphics, Inc. He works with small local businesses and large internet based companies to create dramatic marketing material that they use to get more sales and more clients. In addition, he has a highly successful internet business that publishes e-products, learning products, iPhone and windows software, and has helped thousands of people learn and improve their own internet marketing strategies.

800-974-5580
TonyMack@OneSourceGraphics.org

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Graphic designers frequently play a prominent role in launching or repositioning a company. When they create a look (or new look) for a company’s stationery, brochure, ads and web site, this often goes by the name of an “identity package.” Don’t let this convenient term mislead you into believing that a company’s identity consists of merely the logo and look. No, every company has an identity or image in the minds of its customers comprised of at least nine other factors besides the graphic look.

How your market perceives your company should be deliberate, calculated and coherent rather than accidental and confused. Think about how you’d like your company to be perceived along these dimensions. Then investigate whether or not actual perceptions match your intent – and adjust your marketing to reinforce the qualities you want your customers to associate with you.

Components of Company Identity

1. Values.

Do you stand for stability, like Prudential insurance? Innovation, like 3M? Educational curiosity, like the Discovery Channel? Social consciousness, like Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream? Child-friendliness, like McDonald’s? Rugged individualism, like Marlboro cigarettes? Personal freedom, like Harley-Davidson motorcycles? Serendipity and tradition, like the local hardware store whose owner knows where everything is and has parts and tools dating back to the previous century?

2. Personality.

If the company were a vegetable, which one would it be? If it were a cartoon character, would it be Bugs Bunny, Wonder Woman, Road Runner or Dick Tracy? If it were someone in a high school yearbook, would it be Most Likely to Succeed, the Homecoming Queen, the Nerd or the Class Clown? From the company’s personality can flow ad campaigns, kinds of special events to sponsor, company colors and typefaces, corporate gift selection, even the talent chosen to record company voice mail messages.

3. Behavior.

Your company’s image includes not only how you promote yourselves but also how you act toward customers and the public. Things like how you answer the phone, how you greet shoppers, how cheerfully you correct mistakes or accept returns, how aggressively you negotiate contracts all become bound up in one composite image.

4. Price.

How much you cost in comparison to competitors often becomes part of your image. If you’re tempted to keep price out of the equation until someone expresses a desire to buy, think twice. When you’re candid about pricing, you cut down on the number of “tire-kickers” you need to deal with. Above all, make sure your pricing fits with the other components of your image.

5. Range.

Customers should understand the spectrum of products and services that you sell. If you handle only, say, commercial cleaning accounts and not residential, or only, say, bookings of locally based and not nationally prominent speakers, make sure your specialty becomes part of your company image. If it’s not part of your company name or company slogan, include your focus in your ads, brochures, sales letters and other promotional pieces.

6. Geographical roots.

Where did your company come from? If you’re a locally owned family business competing with multinational giants, make sure people know that. If you’re selling nationally but rooted in a picturesque corner of the country, make hay out of that. The state of Vermont determined that companies linked to it were able to charge more for their products than companies headquartered elsewhere, and it took steps to make sure outsiders don’t try to horn in on its brand equity.

7. Longevity.

Moody and Regan, a printing company in Waltham, Massachusetts, wisely and impressively uses as its tag line, “Established 1898.” Whenever you’ve been around much longer than competitors, you can profitably incorporate that into your image.

8. Slogan.

Which brand “tastes good like a cigarette should”? Which car is “the ultimate driving machine”? What product are you not supposed to “leave home without it”? Even local or specialized companies can achieve this kind of awareness with their clientele.

9. Benefits.

What do buyers get when they purchase from you? Most companies provide intangible, emotional benefits (Volvo cars: safety; Hallmark cards: friendship; Victoria’s Secret: sensuality) as well as tangible, practical ones (Burger King: inexpensive, satisfying meal; Boston Pops: a fun night out; Kodak: photos with true-to-life colors).

When both you and those who buy from you know clearly what these benefits are, and when those benefits match the other dimensions listed above, you undoubtedly have a comprehensive, effective company image. Congratulations!

Tony Mack is an award winning graphic/web designer and internet marketing expert that operates One Source Graphics, Inc. He works with small local businesses and large internet based companies to create dramatic marketing material that they use to get more sales and more clients. In addition, he has a highly successful internet business that publishes e-products, learning products, iPhone and windows software, and has helped thousands of people learn and improve their own internet marketing strategies.

800-974-5580
TonyMack@OneSourceGraphics.org

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Color is an instant communicator with which we connect instantly and subliminally. Whether our emotional and psychological responses to color are shaped by socialization or completely inborn, they are very real and very powerful. It is almost as if the human mind is hardwired to respond to color.

Marketing researchers have noticed the powerful connection between color and consumer/client reactions. Reams of academic research using carefully controlled experiments backs the conclusion that color makes a difference in how people perceive a product or logo. Work outside the “ivory tower” confirms the validity of that research. Companies have discovered that adding a color to a product or its logo, or changing a color palette outright can have a massive impact on sales.

The reaction of the human mind to color happens in an instant. It happens faster than one can read. In fact, the mind makes connections and forms opinions based upon color before the conscious mind even determines at what one is really looking.

The logo is a constantly repeated and consistently displayed symbol of your business. It appears on letterhead, websites, business cards, products and more. It is your “brand” and is inseparable from your overall business plan.

When one considers the importance of color psychology and the unrivaled position of the logo, it is clear that an understanding of how the subconscious interprets color should be at the heart of logo design. Overlooking the role of color in one’s logo risks significant underperformance.

Harnessing the power of color psychology in logo design is not a simple proposition. One can look up a simple chart listing common colors and a brief assessment of what they tend to represent for others. That, however, only scratches the surface of what is necessary for logo design that makes optimal use of color psychology research.

An effective logo designer will go beyond simple statements such as “brown means credibility and stability” or “red shows heat or passion.” He or she will temper those simplifications with an understanding of distinct cultural perspectives on certain colors. He or she will also consider the negative emotions linked with specific colors. A talented logo design specialist will understand how people react to certain color combinations and will be aware of how to merge the messages of color psychology with a keen sense of aesthetics to create a truly memorable and appealing color palette.

Today, many of use are enamored with the “do it yourself” ideal. We believe that, with a bit of research and effort, we can create things for ourselves just as effectively as can someone else. That may be true in some cases, but logo design is a perfect example of where an expert is necessary.

Logo experts understand design. They recognize the power of various forms and can devise logos that will communicate the nature of a company at a glance. They have specialized skills and knowledge that allows them to produce winning logos with which amateur creations cannot compete.

The effective use of color psychology is a perfect example of how the specialized talents and knowledge of a professional logo creator can make a great deal of difference. A good design specialist will know how to choose colors to effectively communicate a client’s message without risking interpretive errors and other pitfalls often experienced by “do it yourselfers.”

If you are in the market for a logo, consult with a talented logo expert who can use the science of color psychology to your advantage.

Tony Mack is an award winning graphic/web designer and internet marketing expert that operates One Source Graphics, Inc. He works with small local businesses and large internet based companies to create dramatic marketing material that they use to get more sales and more clients. In addition, he has a highly successful internet business that publishes e-products, learning products, iPhone and windows software, and has helped thousands of people learn and improve their own internet marketing strategies.

800-974-5580
TonyMack@OneSourceGraphics.org

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If you are starting a new business, there are many things you can do without. You don’t necessarily need the prettiest office furniture, a location in the best possible neighborhood, a twelve-line phone system or framed inspirational prints for your walls. Smart new business owners know when and why to cut corners and to post cost-savings for a start up. They also know that some purchases are completely necessary.

One essential investment for every company is the design of an effective logo. The logo is at the core of every successful company’s branding efforts. It is the company’s symbol and will adorn everything from free giveaway coffee mugs to the cover of critical reports. It will appear on websites, in advertisements, on business cards, letterheads and anything else related to the company.

The logo is the most important part of any branding effort. When one mentions Coca Cola, your mind immediately provides you with a visual cue-the white script, perhaps on a red can. One need only see the bright and bold logo of Federal Express with its “hidden arrow” to recognize a delivery truck and to understand its business.

If you want to distinguish your company and separate it from the pack, you will need a logo. By wisely choosing a well-designed logo, you can immediately begin to publicize and market the business in earnest. You can also begin to cultivate the idea of your company’s “personality” with clients and prospects alike.

Those who fail to secure a good logo do so at their own peril. In many ways, the logo becomes the face of your company. You want to convey the right message and the right outlook from first contact. Operating without a logo can render a company virtually invisible. The human mind’s attraction to color and shape provides one with a unique opportunity to capture attention and to leave a lasting mark on the psyche of observers with a logo.

Some cost-conscious business owners may try to function without a logo. Those who go this route lose money in the long run. By not creating an easily identifiable “brand” (and even a first year marketing student will recognize just how essential that is), the business owner will hamstring his efforts and decrease profit potential by a margin far exceeding the price of a professionally designed logo.

If you are starting a new business, or have been limping along in your current endeavor without a logo, it is time to create a business identity with what will become your ongoing symbol. Find a logo design pro who can combine real world experience with a solid understanding of logo design principles to create the perfect logo that will someday be successfully and inextricably tied to your business.

You may not be able to afford a brand new leather sectional or fifty magazine subscriptions for your lobby. Adding a fully appointed executive washroom may not be in the budget. There are places to cut corners and ways to save money. However, skipping the development of a perfect logo is not among them. A good logo is a must for every business that should not be overlooked.

Tony Mack is an award winning graphic/web designer and internet marketing expert that operates One Source Graphics, Inc. He works with small local businesses and large internet based companies to create dramatic marketing material that they use to get more sales and more clients. In addition, he has a highly successful internet business that publishes e-products, learning products, iPhone and windows software, and has helped thousands of people learn and improve their own internet marketing strategies.

800-974-5580
TonyMack@OneSourceGraphics.org

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When it comes to logo design, you ultimately want it to convey your brand in the best possible manner. At the same time you don’t want it to take up too much space. That is the greatest challenge – to be able to create a winning impact within the space constraints. Here are the 7 factors you need to consider to have a logo that spells success!

1. Research always helps in effective logo design

Never make the mistake of rushing into creating a logo design. It will only make matters bad. You need to do a fair bit of research to understand the company, its objectives and mission as well as its business goals – both short and long term. You also need to know the demographics of the target audience.

2. Attractive and unique: two elements of great logo design

You would obviously want your logo design to catch the attention of the customer. At the same time it should not be screaming for attention. It should test the intellect of the customer; make him or her think a few minutes after seeing the logo. If you notice some of the top logo designs each of them have a unique aspect to it that depicts something about the company.

3. Simple and memorable logo design

One of things you need to really focus on is to make sure your logo design is not too cluttered or too fancy. This will just confuse the customer. Ultimately you want the customer to remember your brand. That will only happen if the logo is easy to remember. Also be sure that the logo sends out positive signals to the customer.

4. Flexibility is a major issue in logo design

There are so many companies who invest a fortune on their logo design only to realize later that their logo doesn’t work on a product wrapper! What a waste of time and money! Your logo needs to be flexible enough to work and create a lasting impact on any medium whether it is a product wrapper, your company website or even any promotional materials you send out! That means you need to consider the size of the logo and the usage of appropriate colors. The colors used need to match well with any background while also helping the brand to stand out.

5. Never clutter your logo in logo design

One critical mistake people make is to cram in too much information in their logo design. This makes your logo look cluttered not to mention the fact that customers will fail to remember your brand!

6. Use fonts that promote readability in your logo design

You might select a font that looks great on paper but when you use it in the logo it hampers readability. There is absolutely no point using classy fonts in logo design if they are going to prevent customers from remembering you. Make sure fonts are easy on the eye.

7. Usage of color in logo design

Great logo design will always focus on using complementary colors that looks good against a black or white background.

Tony Mack is an award winning graphic/web designer and internet marketing expert that operates One Source Graphics, Inc. He works with small local businesses and large internet based companies to create dramatic marketing material that they use to get more sales and more clients. In addition, he has a highly successful internet business that publishes e-products, learning products, iPhone and windows software, and has helped thousands of people learn and improve their own internet marketing strategies.

800-974-5580
TonyMack@OneSourceGraphics.org

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Graphic designers, photographers, publishers and computer users at large: they all rely on their digital equipment being capable of rendering colors right. But the sad truth is your colors will differ depending on the output device. A monitor’s red is not the same as an inkjet printer’s red. Besides, what is “red”?

Here are 11 things you can do to make sure red is red, no matter which device has to render it.

1. Buy a good monitor.

OK, this is an open door, but by “good” I mean a monitor that you can calibrate. That rules out all the office monitors, the Apple Cinemas and leaves you with LaCie 300 range and Eizo ColorEdge products.

2. Buy a good calibration and profiling application.

Even if you can’t afford an Eizo ColorEdge, buy Color Solutions’ basICColor Display. This software comes with a high-quality GretagMacbeth Display 2 colorimeter (called the “Squid 2″ by Color Solutions), and has a feature called “software calibration”. The latter calibrates any monitor by storing the calibration data (the Tone Response Curve) in the video card’s lookup tables. The only requirement: your video card should support it. ATI’s Radeon range supports this.

3. Calibrate and create a color profile for your monitor once a month.

Calibration is different from profiling. Calibration means the colour lookup tables in the monitor are put into a known state, while a profile merely describes the monitor’s perception of colors. With calibration you tell the monitor that it must render “pure red” by setting its color channels in a certain manner. The profile you create will tell your image editing software, or graphic design application that pure red for this monitor means a specific mixture of its color channels.

4. Buy an inkjet printer which has non-clogging printheads.

Ideally, printheads should never clog. If they do, you can rest assured your colors will come out awful. If they don’t, you can still have bad colors, but now at least you can do something about it. Good printers are a bit more expensive than the bottom-price inkjet printers you can buy these days. Think of paying something like $200 at a minimum. For top-notch printers like the HP Photosmart Pro B9180, expect to pay $700.

5. Drive your inkjet through a Raster Image Processor.

Many high-end printers support a RIP, but not all RIPs are created equal. EFI makes good RIPs, as do the vendors that develop more expensive RIPs for large format printers. EFI has a decent RIP, with support for ink limiting, black start setting, etc, for a very decent price. It’s the EFI Designer Edition.

6. Profile your printer and use that profile with your RIP to get accurate colours, and save money on ink consumption.

Through the profile settings, you can actually determine how much ink gets sprayed onto the page. For some paper types, you can save a lot of money by setting ink limiting optimally for your printer.

7. Use established equipment such as X-Rite/GretagMacbeth or Barbieri to generate your CMYK printer profile.

You should create a profile for every paper not supported by your printer manufacturer. If you must use your printer in RGB mode, you can do with less expensive profiling systems. The best way to ensure a good quality profile is made when you don’t have the budget to buy a system that costs a few thousand dollars, is to appeal to a remote service such as Thinck.com’s.

8. Use an image editing application such as Photoshop, which has a “softproof” feature.

To softproof means that you’ll be able to visually determine an image‘s colors on-screen with enough accuracy to be confident the colors will match the printed output. Softproofing is never one-on-one, but can come very close, and is another way of saving money by saving on both wasted paper and ink.

9. When editing your image, set the grey balance first.

Select a neutral grey area in your image (if you took a photo, you’ll remember what was grey, and if you don’t, there are almost always objects that must be grey) and set this area as your neutral grey tone. In Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, you do this by selecting the Levels or Curves tool, selecting the grey eyedropper in the dialogue window, and clicking with this tool in the neutral area of your image.

10. If your image has a warm tone to it, e.g. because it was shot at dusk or with tungsten light and no flash, you can neutralize color casts somewhat by choosing an area that is not exactly neutral but more towards the warm tone of the image.

As long as the area is greyish by nature, the image will adjust accordingly.

11. Be careful with setting Saturation levels too high.

If you boost saturation, you’re also bossting color inaccuracies. You can boost the saturation of your image when you’re sure it is color-accurate.

These and many more tips, tricks, and tutorials, but also product reviews and in-depth technology and methodology background information is available on IT-Enquirer.com. IT-Enquirer is an online magazine aimed at creative professionals. It contains articles for beginners all the way up to experts in the field.

[info_box]About the Author

Tony Mack is an award winning graphic/web designer and internet marketing expert that operates One Source Graphics, Inc. He works with small local businesses and large internet based companies to create dramatic marketing material that they use to get more sales and more clients. In addition, he has a highly successful internet business that publishes e-products, learning products, iPhone and windows software, and has helped thousands of people learn and improve their own internet marketing strategies.

800-974-5580
TonyMack@OneSourceGraphics.org
[/info_box]

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When it comes to your website, extra attention should be paid to every minute detail to make sure it performs optimally to serve its purpose. Here are six important rules of thumb to observe to make sure your website performs well.

1) Do not use splash pages

Splash pages are the first pages you see when you arrive at a website. They normally have a very beautiful image with words like “welcome” or “click here to enter”. In fact, they are just that — pretty vases with no real purpose. Do not let your visitors have a reason to click on the “back” button! Give them the value of your site up front without the splash page.

2) Do not use excessive banner advertisements

Even the least net savvy people have trained themselves to ignore banner advertisements so you will be wasting valuable website real estate. Instead, provide more valueable content and weave relevant affiliate links into your content, and let your visitors feel that they want to buy instead of being pushed to buy.

3) Have a simple and clear navigation

You have to provide a simple and very straightforward navigation menu so that even a young child will know how to use it. Stay away from complicated Flash based menus or multi-tiered dropdown menus. If your visitors don’t know how to navigate, they will leave your site.

4) Have a clear indication of where the user is

When visitors are deeply engrossed in browsing your site, you will want to make sure they know which part of the site they are in at that moment. That way, they will be able to browse relevant information or navigate to any section of the site easily. Don’t confuse your visitors because confusion means “abandon ship”!

5) Avoid using audio on your site

If your visitor is going to stay a long time at your site, reading your content, you will want to make sure they’re not annoyed by some audio looping on and on on your website. If you insist on adding audio, make sure they have some control over it — volume or muting controls would work fine.

6) The most important – Host only with a Reliable Hosting Provider.

Before Chosing a Web Hosting provider, read its reviews and always check the top 10 hosting providers. A good resource to research hosting providers is at Top10DedicatedHosting.com

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Huge Mistake #1:
Creating a Website with Flash

— Did you know in a recent study, top internet marketers discovered that having a website created with Flash, actually decreased the response from prospects and customers by as much as 370 percent?

Here’s why: Your prospects and customers are most likely visiting your website using all types of different computers, connection speeds and internet configuration settings…

What may look great to one visitor may not even appear for another! You could very easily have shelled out hundreds or even thousands of dollars to have a website created using the Flash technology, only to find out that some of your visitors will never see it! (Not to mention the loading times can cause your visitor to close your site, never to return again.)

Huge Mistake #2:
The “Internet Catalog” Approach

— You see this everywhere. Good, honest and hardworking businessmen and women get online to sell their products or services, and have a site created for them that contains a link to just about everything they offer on one page. Their thinking goes along the lines of, “…well, I don’t want to leave anyone out. If they come to my site, I want to make sure I have what they’re looking for…” — This way of thinking could not be further from the truth.

Here’s why: There’s an ancient rule that goes back to the very beginning of direct-marketing on the internet, taught by the richest, most legendary and well-respected internet marketers of all time…

“When you give your prospects too many choices, they become confused and aren’t sure what to do next. Confused people never buy anything.”

Huge Mistake #3:
Optimizing Your Sales Site for the Search Engines

— You’ll see this taught in nearly every “internet marketing” course, manual or eBook out there… “You must optimize every page of your website for the search engines!” — In fact, this false teaching is accepted as ‘gospel truth’ so often that most web designers will offer to do this for you at no, or little extra cost…

What they don’t understand is that certain words and phrases must be either re-worded (to make it “keyword rich”) or taken out completely, just to be looked upon highly by the mighty search engines — and this could kill your sales, literally overnight.

Here’s why: When you or a hired web designer optimize your sales page (i.e. any web page designed to sell your products and services) to get a higher listing in the search engines, you’re going to have to sacrifice the pulling-power of your sales copy (i.e. written sales material) just to get those higher listings. Sure, this can bring you more traffic — but what good is all the traffic in the world, if your visitors arrive at your website and aren’t compelled enough to read why they should order your product?

For years, it has been taught that you should always try to find a “balance” of SEO (Search-Engine-Optimization) mixed with promotional copy designed to sell your products and services…

Wrong Again! — The truth is that you should never optimize your sales page for the Search Engines. Instead, you should create tiny “entry pages” for each keyword related to your product or service, (highly optimized for the Search Engines) and have them link to your main sales site! (We can show you exactly how to do this quickly and easily and get *massive* targeted traffic from the Search Engines – without ever *touching* your sales site!)

Huge Mistake #4:
Having a “Graphics-Based” Website

— Sure, graphics can certainly help us to visualize a particular situation or circumstance, product or service… But did you know that having a graphically-driven website can actually distract your visitor away from your sales message?

After all, your sales message (or “web copy”) is The #-1 most important factor in a website that makes money. If your visitors are paying more attention to your “professional graphics” than your sales message… you’ve just lost another sale.

Here’s why: You’ve got approximately seven seconds from the time your visitor arrives at your site, to the time they decide whether to buy your product, get more information or leave. If you’ve got a graphically-intensive website, your website will most likely still be loading past your seven-second time limit.

That’s a “customer-killer” in and of itself – however, the real reason lies within the fact that the bigger, brighter and more beautiful your graphics are, the more they will distract your visitor from your sales message. And if your visitor is distracted even for one second, it could mean the difference between getting a sale, and losing a customer.

Huge Mistake #5:
Designing a Website with Zero Marketing Experience

— Most web designers have no idea how to make money on the internet, with anything other than their design services. It’s not their fault – they simply have no or very little marketing and sales experience. After all, they’re just website designers…

However, having your website designed by someone with Zero internet marketing experience is like buying a street-car without an engine… it won’t go anywhere, and it’ll just waste your time and money!

For help on website design please give us a call at 800-974-5580

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Just when you thought all you needed was a really good Internet website, along comes Facebook. With growth that exceeded even the creators expectations, a major motion picture about its inception and a lot of media attention (some good and some not), Facebook represents a new age in worldwide communication and a new way to market your business. But just like a website, you need to create a Facebook page so people can follow you, “like” you and eventually become regular customers who can spread the word on this social outlet and get you more business than you could have ever imagined.

All Facebook page designs involve a small picture known as a profile picture. This is very important as it will represent your business through the Facebook network. So you would be wise to use your logo which includes your company’s name so people know who you are right away upon seeing your profile picture. If you have an emblem or logo, you can use that but you want to include your name somewhere with it. Everyone knows the Nike logo, for example, so they can get away with using just their swoosh design. But most companies do not have that kind of global logo recognition so be sure to have your name somewhere in your Facebook profile picture.

The next thing you need on your Facebook page is information about your company. You want to mention your location, your address, phone number, website, hours of operation, etc. All the essential information should be part of your Facebook page. You may even want to include the names and e-mail addresses of people within your company that visitors might want to contact if they have questions or want further information. Unlike a website, your Facebook page is not going to list details about your products and services. However, by including a link on your Facebook page with your web address, people can easily access your website if they are interested in learning more about what you and your business have to offer.

Pictures are a definite must when it comes to Facebook page design. Words are good, but images are better—especially on Facebook where people do not want to sift through mounds of text. In the photo section of your page, you can add pictures of whatever reflects the nature of your business. If you are a landscaper, highlight pictures of some of your best work. You can even create albums of pictures so you can have one album of just basic landscaping photos and another featuring more sophisticated work, for example. Also include a picture or two of your actual place of business so people know that you do in fact exist. You would be surprised how many people misrepresent themselves on Facebook.

Finally, keep in mind that Facebook is basically a word-of-mouth operation. To get the ball rolling, either you or your friends and family who are already Facebook members should start making comments about your business and then have them share it with their friends and family. Word spreads fast in the world of Facebook. Another good way to speed up the process is by having stories, tips or information relevant to your business that you can link from your Facebook page to your website. And be sure to always update your page so it does not get stale and always offers visitors something new.

Creating a Facebook page design takes some careful planning. The expert graphic designers at One Source Graphics, Inc. know what it takes to develop a Facebook presence that is creative, effective and bound to spread the word effortlessly through the Facebook network. Do not underestimate the power of social media. Whether you are a start-up business or one that has been around for a while, your marketing plan should include social media outlets like Facebook. One Source Graphics, Inc. has the knowledge and know-how to make the most of this powerful marketing tool. Call 1-800-974-5580 to schedule an appointment and see how Facebook can be more than just catching up with old friends.

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Pinterest: Summing it All Up

By now, you have probably come to realize the importance of using Pinterest as part of your business’s marketing strategy. Social networking is the new word-of-mouth and, if you learn how to use it correctly, it can bring traffic to your website and business to your company.

Pinterest is more than a social network, it is a network about lifestyles where people share common interests. You need to find a way to make your company’s products or services fit into the lifestyles of Pinterest users. Finding new and creative ways that people can use your goods and services is the best way to get attention to your pinboards and your company. It is not simply about showing what you sell, it is about showing how what you sell can make their lives better in ways they did not realize.

If you are not already set up on Facebook and Twitter, you need to do that as well and be sure to cross-promote your company on all social networking channels. You need your company’s identity and activities to be consistent across all your marketing efforts. The truth is, not every Facebook user is on Pinterest or Twitter and not every Pinterest user is on Twitter or Facebook so you have to cover all of your bases.

When creating your pinboards, simplicity, creativity and organization is the name of the game. You do not want to overwhelm with too much on your pinboard that your message gets lost. At the same time, you want enough on there to pique the interest of users and have them look further—hopefully going to your company’s website. Make sure to also organize and title your pinboards so people know what they are looking at. If you are creating more abstract looking pinboards, you run the risk of people not understanding what they are looking at so a title would be helpful.

Finally, do not be a passive user on Pinterest. That is a surefire way to be overlooked. Pinterest users actively pin images and videos to their pinboards, comment on other user’s pins as well as sharing and repinning those pins. You need to become a part of the Pinterest community. By taking an active role and scoping out other user’s pinboards and commenting on them, you open the door for them to reciprocate and check out your pinboards and your company.

Joining Pinterest is free so you have nothing to lose by joining and seeing what kind of traffic and leads you can generate from it. Many big companies are already gaining tremendous traffic simply by having a presence on Pinterest. There is no reason in the world why you should not be able to reap the same benefits.

Tony Mack and his team of graphic experts at One Source Graphics, Inc., have already created some exciting pinboards that they would love to share with you. Go to http://pinterest.com/TonyMackGD and view their unique graphic design concepts. Follow their pinboards so you can see their creativity at work. You can also call them at 1-800-974-5580 to see first hand how their graphic design work can help your business and your bottom line.

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How Popular Companies are Using Pinterest

If you think that Pinterest is just for bored housewives or busy bodies, than you have not looked in to how this new social networking site can give your business a boost when it comes to leads and sales. Many of today’s top brands are using Pinterest as part of their marketing strategy and it is showing tremendous success. Consider this—five specialty apparel retailers had their referral traffic from Pinterest jump 389% from July to December of last year.

In order to have that kind of success, however, you have to be more than a presence on Pinterest. Unlike a traditional website where you simply post your company information with your “About Us” pages and descriptions of your products and services, Pinterest users are active members who do not just read and look. They are sharing images, ideas and information by pinning things of interest and sharing them with others who have the same interests. And that is what you need to do when you join Pinterest for marketing purposes—you need to actively engage in the pinning process creating pinboards that people can identify with and will want to follow as well as doing some pinning and repinning of your own.

Here is a look at some companies that have found a way to use Pinterest to their benefit:

Chobani

The Greek yogurt company may offer a simple and healthy product, but it is the way they are presenting that product on Pinterest that is interesting. Rather than just showing pictures of their many varieties of yogurt, they have pinboards with recipes that you can make using their product. In addition, they also have a pinboard that has nothing to do with their products at all. It is titled “Nothing But Good’ and it shows funny images that will bring a smile to your face. Here is an example of a brand using this new media to promote more than a product, but also a lifestyle surrounding their product.

Oreck

Vacuum cleaners may not hold much interest to people other than cleaning up messes, but Oreck has found a way to make this household appliance worth following. Their pinboards show beautifully laid out flooring (the cleanliness of the floors implies that their product produced that look without ever having to show their vacuums). They also have a “Furry Friend” pinboard showing images of pets which most people know is a reason to have a vacuum in the first place. Oreck has taken their product out of the image, but has created images that speak for the product.

Etsy

As a popular online shopping website with more than 50,000 followers, Etsy has definitely found a way of promoting its products through Pinterest. Their specialty is vintage and homemade goods and they show you through their pinboards how to apply these goods to your everyday life. They also make a point of showing you how to make your own products. Many of their pinboards feature ideas for the holidays and how their products can make great gifts. For them, it is all about thinking outside of the box.

Drake University

Who would have thought that a university needs a Pinterest presence? Well, Drake University did and they are proving to be doing a great job with it. Their pinboards are geared towards their student population complete with dorm room decorating ideas, school color-inspired clothing and study inspirations. They even devote an entire pinboard to their bulldog mascot. Drake University has found a way to connect with their students as well as attracting future students.

Peapod

As the largest grocery delivery service in the United States, Peapod has definitely found a way to tap into the Pinterest movement. Their pinboards feature images of how the food is delivered to you and which produce is currently in season. They also highlight their delivery trucks in one pinboard showing the many cities the trucks travel to on their routes. You can even see the green bins being loaded onto the trucks prior to delivery. This behind-the-scenes look gives people a chance to watch a company at work which people do not often get to do. By doing this, Peapod has found a way to make something that seems boring and mundane now interesting.

As you can see, it does not matter what type of business you are or what type of product or service you offer. If you think creatively and apply it to your Pinterest account, you can entice people to become instant followers. The important thing to remember is to keep creating and updating your pinboards and to follow others as well. If Pinterest users notice that you are recognizing them, they are sure to start recognizing and following you.

At One Source Graphics, Inc., Tony Mack and his team of graphic experts have already created some awe-inspiring pinboards that they would love for you to see. Go to http://pinterest.com/TonyMackGD and view their unique graphic design concepts. Follow their pinboards so you can see their creativity at work. You can also call them at 1-800-974-5580 to see first hand how their graphic design work can help your business and your bottom line.

In tomorrow’s post—final thoughts on using Pinterest in your marketing strategy.

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Pinterest and Marketing: A Winning Combination

Now that you have set up a Pinterest account and profile, you need to use it to drive people to your website in hopes that they become customers. You cannot simply wait for people to find you. You need to initiate activity that keeps people “pinterested” in what you have to say and, in this case, what you pin.

Here are a few ideas on how to get Pinterest users to become followers of your pinboards and, hopefully, future customers.

Create Pinboards that are Visually Appealing

After all, Pinterest is based on visual concepts so the more eye appeal your boards have, the more likely they are to get noticed and followed. So how do you create pinboards that attract followers?

• Design a pinboard that depicts the culture or mood of your business. There is nothing wrong with showcasing your staff during lighter moments or just doing their job and enjoying it. This sends a message that people at your company like their job, take pride in their work and, because of that, produce a high quality product or service.
• Combine your site’s blog content and visuals with your pinboards. You need to start making connections between all your social marketing tools so that your company’s message is coherent and consistent.
• Charts and infographics may sound boring, but if done correctly, they can relay some important information that Pinterest users may not know. For example, if your company sells exercise equipment, you can show a graph how the number of people exercising these days has skyrocketed or which types of machines benefit what parts of the body. There are many ways to creatively disperse information without having it appear like a business presentation.
• If you or any of your staff have published articles, books, e-books, etc., create a pinboard highlighting these points with a visual of the publication. You and your employees will come across as hard-working and driven people who are passionate about what you do.
• Your customers are your biggest marketers. After all, they continue to do business with you because they are satisfied with what they are getting. Use them to your advantage and show pins of them using your product or service. You can even use some of your best customer’s pins and create a pinboard specific to them.

Host a Contest

Everyone loves a contest even if there is no real prize. The mere joy of just winning is enough for people. So why not hold a Pinterest contest asking people to design a pinboard using some of your company’s visuals? You can even offer a special discount to the winner if they are interested in purchasing your products or services. You can also invite other users to comment and help determine the winner.

Include the “Pin It” Button on Your Website

Not everyone is on Pinterest so for visitors who go directly to your site through search engines, include the Pinterest button as you would a Facebook or Twitter button so that people can access you through here as well. Who knows—they may decide to become Pinterest users after seeing what the social networking site is all about.

Get Customer Profiles

What better way to see what you customers’ interests are than by following their pinboards and seeing what they like to follow? This will give you a good idea as to what they like and what their needs might be. You can install tracking software to see which customers find you through Pinterest. You can also keep track of any offers that they take advantage of and then use that information to send them more personalized e-mails or messages when you want to try selling them something else that fits in with their profile or past purchases.

Be an Expert

You want to be the go-to person when it comes to information in your industry. What better way to do that than by creating pinboards that show unique ways to use your products or services. By doing this, you will inspire others to think of your company in a different way than other companies in the same industry. You will stand out as an innovator who thinks outside of the box.

Link Your Pins

This may sound obvious, but make sure you provide your website link in any pin descriptions you have on your pinboards. This is important because if anyone wants to take one of your pins or share it with someone else, your website will be a permanent part of the pin so curious users can automatically click on the link and go directly to your site. The best way to do this is to have the link go to the original web page that has the pinned image. Doing this will allow visitors to go directly where they want to without searching high and low. You want them to find things easily rather than get frustrated and quickly leave your site.

Make Your Visuals Move

Still images are not the only pins you can use on your pinboards. Video images have their place on your boards as well. There is a separate tab for videos on the Pinterest homepage which means you will be featured here and potentially gain more followers.

When pinning a video, make sure it is something that people would enjoy. If the president of your company gave an important speech, you may want to include a part of that or show how one of your products is made. If you have that homemade chocolate shop, who would not want to watch chocolates being made? It is a great way to connect with people by getting them involved in your process and enticing them to look further.

Use Hashtags

Pinterest supports hashtag use so be sure to use them when tagging your pins to make the content easier during searches. You also want to tie them in to any special event or new product or service you would like to promote and link it with your Twitter account. This will tie all your social media together through cross-promotion.

Think Offline as well as Online

Not everything you pin has to be tied directly to your goods and services. If you sponsor a charitable event each year, for example, you can create a pinboard showing images (and video) of the event and begin the process of talking about the next one you are planning to sponsor. People will get excited to see what you have planned next.

Give Your Business a Personality

At the end of the day, it is your employees that help make your business work. So why not pay homage to them by creating a pinboard devoted entirely to them? This can give your company a personality. Show funny moments, celebratory events or special occasions. You can even include images of them hard at work. People will relate better to your company if they see the real people that they will hopefully be dealing with when they decide to do business with you.

At One Source Graphics, Inc., Tony Mack and company have already begun creating interesting pinboards on Pinterest. Go to http://pinterest.com/TonyMackGD to see their unique graphic design concepts. And do not forget to follow his boards so you can keep up with the many inspiring designs he and his staff have created. You can also call them at 1-800-974-5580 to see first hand how their graphic design work can help your business and your bottom line.

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