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Web Design is Tricky Business – Adding Mobile Device Design

January 23rd, 2013 | Posted in art, Blog, Branding, Design, marketing, Smart Business Practices, Social Media, Website Design and Development | Comments Off
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First, I applaud all the great web designers out there. I know you don’t get enough credit for what you do.

Now to get down to why web design (lately) is tricky business.

I have been designing web sites for 15 yrs now and each time I begin a new project I need an assortment of details to do my job right.

The client has to be interviewed, answering some key questions, such as:

  • Can you tell me about your company, your goals and aspirations?
  • Who is your exact target audience? Let’s talk demographics…
  • Have you seen some direct competitors you’d like to share with me?
  • Are there websites out there you’ve seen that you like?
  • Do you have a brand identity and marketing materials already printed you can share?

Mobile vs Desktop - responsive web design
When I’m designing… I must wear three hats at once. I’m creating a website that I like, my client will like, and the exact target audience will like, but it goes much deeper than that. I’m also loading all the elements needed, such as their logo, testimonials from happy customers, opt-in for email marketing, social media icons, copylines and headlines, photos or artwork, video and more. Then I must work to make sure that each element needed is seen by the eye in exactly the order I want the visitor to view it. Leading them by the hand to go and click where I’ve directed them to, all while making sure the page loads instantly and catches their attention in 3-5 seconds flat.

So many times I’m looking at my layouts and moving items around, changing colors even if ever so slightly, always keeping in mind who the target visitor is and being sure my client is thrilled at the outcome.

Today, even if your a pro at this, our technology is changing constantly and now we must think “responsive web design.” This means we are designing not just for the web on a wide screen monitor or laptop, but for mobile devices. Are we to rethink everything we’ve learned or do we just design additional versions now for alternate devices?

Two weeks ago I attended a free seminar at Noble Desktop on “Responsive Web Design” which was very informative and I learned a lot about how to think iphone and ipad, but I’m not sure I could start a web design thinking simplistic elements and then build on that. I think instead I’d create an alternate more simplified version after the larger one.

So, I’m asking the web designers out there, how will you address mobile devices in addition to desktop versions as we move forward?

Brand Interview: David E. Carter

December 20th, 2012 | Posted in art, Blog, Brand-Interviews, Branding, Design, Great Business Books | Comments Off
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Brand Interview: David E. Carter

Caricature of David E. Carter by Hirschfeld

How long has your company been in business? Please tell us a bit about your company, its mission, goals…
I produced my first logo book in 1972 – this was a time when there were NO logo books.  NONE.  With much effort, I identified and collected nearly 1,000 logos that were outstanding. I put the book together the old fashioned way: I shot them in a darkroom with a big graphic arts camera. Made film, then made prints from the film. Next step was to paste them into a book layout.

I sent letters to 17 publishers, and all turned me down. One actually wrote something like, “there is no market for logo books, because there are no logo books.”  I saw just the reverse, and self-published the book.  I pre-sold enough copies in 5 weeks to hit break-even, and THEN I paid cash for the press run. Within a year, I sold 4,000 copies of the book – all with direct mail. That was the beginning of of something very big. Over the next 35 years, I produced 114 books, and became the best-selling producer of graphic design books. Ever.

Do you donate to charities? Tell us about that also and why.
I have one charity. Ohio University Southern is very near to my hometown of Ashland, Kentucky (just across the river).  It’s primarily a commuter school, and attracts many young people who are the first in their families to attend college.  They have a great Electronic Media program, and they are changing the lives of many young people.

I went to graduate school at the main campus of Ohio University (Athens, Ohio), and that was a life-changing experience for me.  When I moved from Kentucky to Florida, I was leaving behind my “dream office.”  It was like a museum. Seriously. The director of the Electronic Media program asked me what I was going to do with all my “stuff.”  I had no idea, but I really didn’t want to part with the memorabilia I had, but saw no options.  He said, “we would like to take the best of your office environment and make a David E. Carter Creativity Center and Museum on our campus.”  And they did.  (See www.creativitycenter.org)

David E. Carter Creativity Center and Museum - Office

Tell us about your brand.

For the books I produced, my name is my brand.  But my visual identity for my books is a caricature of me that was done by the legendary Al Hirschfeld.  Yes, the guy who has drawn everybody in show business from The Beatles to Elvis Presley to Johnny Carson and hundreds more.

Why did he draw ME?  Because I discovered that Al Roker’s wife had commissioned him to do a caricature of Roker as a Christmas present.  Once I learned that Hirschfeld did commissions, I knew that I needed to have that image on ALL of my books.  I wrote a check, visited Hirschfeld in his brownstone, and he captured my image in art.  Best money I ever spent.

In what order did you present your company to the world? Did you start with marketing and products, or website, blog and social media?
Social media didn’t exist when I began producing books.  I started with direct mail, then I became a “shameless self promoter.”

How long after the launch of your company did you start pitching in social media?
I didn’t get into social media until just a few years ago.  I feel like an aging dinosaur.

Did you do research or study any software, take webinars, teleclasses, before approaching any area of your marketing or web presence?
I was an early adopter of Macintosh technology. My first Mac was a MacII cx in 1989.  It had a 40 MB hard drive, with 2 MB of RAM. I have never used anything other than a Mac.

David E. carter with his 114 Books

Do you advertise locally in newspapers and/or nationally in magazines? Are they effective?
My first 8 books that I self published were sold by direct mail. Very primitive by today’s standards, but very profitable. After those 8 books, I sold the business to Art Direction Book Company of New York City in 1977, and they became my publisher until 1996. Then, I switched to HarperCollins, the big buys (owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation.)  They were my publisher until I walked away from book publishing in 2008.

Did you know anything about different types of papers, when you wanted to print your marketing materials?
I knew quite a bit about paper, printing and advertising.  The book business was never my primary activity. I owned an advertising agency that was a member of the AAAA (American Association of Advertising Agencies,) and I won a couple of Clio Awards for my ad work.

From Printed books to eBooks
In 2010, when Steve Jobs introduced the iPad, I saw the future of eBooks for graphic design. By then, the Kindle was really making inroads in the traditional book world. I spent nearly 3 years building Bright Book, the first mover in eBooks for the graphic design world.  In the end, this was an idea that was ahead of its time.  In the end, I realized I had to fold the tent and move on to something else.

The changes in media today are causing huge disruptions in newspapers, music, and other areas.  I was a pioneer in a market that wasn’t ready for my innovations.  Will this market ever be ready for eBooks for the graphic designers? Maybe not.  Too many people are used to getting free information on the internet. Why pay a few dollars for an eBook when someone can do a google search and find design ideas there?  The down side of this is the major graphics books producers (printed books) are cutting down to almost NO new books. Where is the market headed? I don’t know.

David E. Carter Creativity Center and Museum - Yankees Memorabilia

Do you speak at events? If so tell us about that.
I used to do this extensively.  I conducted full-day seminars for Advertising Age beginning in 1977, and then became a frequent speaker on the topic.  I was on the program at conferences in Rio de Janeiro, Helsinki, Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, and other places.

What is coming up in the year or two we should watch for?
We shall see.

Is there anything you haven’t yet tackled, but will want to do soon?
During the 1980s, my ad agency started a TV production company, and I created programs that won 7 Emmy Awards. In addition, we produced a number of comedy sketches that appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.  After I walked away from book publishing in 2008, I re-discovered my love for producing TV. I immersed myself in the new digital video technology, and produced a couple of well-received documentaries. One was nominated for an Emmy Award, and the other, on baseball, was shown at the Baseball Hall of Fame Film Festival in 2010.

What will I tackle next?  Fun stuff. Whatever I do, it’ll be fun.
 
To learn more about David E. Carter, please visit the links below:

Biography at www.logobooks.com

Museum website at www.creativitycenter.org

Other website  links:

www.SanibelFilms.com

www.SanibelFilmSchool.com

www.brightbooks.com

Facebook Graphics and Custom Pages Must Be Done Right

December 14th, 2012 | Posted in art, Blog, Branding, Design, marketing, Social Media, Website Design and Development | Comments Off
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Posting graphics and pages when you aren’t a designer or developer and having them look bad is a poor reflection on your business. I understand wanting to change your custom pages and cover image in order to gain “likes.” But if you try to design Facebook graphics or web pages yourself, or are having your virtual assistant create them when they aren’t qualified and they are badly done and the pages are being called from your website and the sizes are too big, what do visitors think?

I can tell you. They’ll think you’re going cheap by not having them created properly. Period.

The Facebook profile image, cover image, buttons and inside custom pages all have their exact sizes.

Why Facebook is an Economical Way To Lure Customers
Someone has put in a search query on Facebook for a coach, interior designer or a bakery and it will show the top Facebook and other results. If that company has a page and custom pages set up, the graphics/content can speak directly to this new visitor and tell them about their company and why they should “like” it. Once they like the company, they move on to read your posts & information, view your gallery pages or other special pages, or a store if you’ve loaded one.

You can also create a special landing page on your website or blog and set the custom page’s link to go to that page, however it must be the right width or it won’t display correctly. Set it up for Facebook users and offer them something special, that the general public doesn’t see on your website. So your page is speaking directly to them, and is offering them a discount or special download.

How to Attract People and Get Them Sharing
So you have created a company page, added your custom imagery for buttons, profile and cover image, and a custom page and now you want to attract new potential customers or clients. I suggest starting a Facebook ad campaign which is an inexpensive way to drive people to your new Facebook page. This ad or promoted post can be a modest budget of $5-10 a day or you can spend more. You can create a few different ads and review the stats after a few days or a week later to see which ads are working and which aren’t. You can pause an ad and start new ones.

Facebook Cover Images, Buttons and Profile Graphics Working Together
Most people have fun changing up their personal profile image and cover shot, like I do, but when we’re talking about your company page, there should be a specific approach. The profile image is usually your logo, but must be created on a perfect square to look right. In some cases you can still use your own headshot if your company is known by you. The cover image should be representative of your business goals so when someone arrives they get what you do right away. I’ve also seen some cover shots that show customers using the products. The goal is to accomplish what you set out wanting which is “likes” and followers. We also have the little buttons which can be designed and take visitors to your custom pages/apps.

Set it Up and then Leave It?
As a designer and an active social media small business owner, it’s very important to my “brand visibility” to be active on all social media websites. So, it pains me when a client hires me to set it all up, and then doesn’t do anything afterward. I monitor their pages and see no activity. This is so important to gaining new eyes on your business. You don’t have to commit as much time as me, but get in there and add new posts at least one time a day. If you want to grow your business, you MUST be active!

Below are a few examples of Facebook Cover images, profiles, buttons and a custom page. Visit my other site at Susan Newman Design to see more examples/links.

Also here’s a great guest article written by Louis Tanguay, managing director of Circle Marketing: Why Facebook “Doesn’t Work” for Your Business

Peter Balsam Associates Facebook Cover Image

Prospector's Run Facebook Cover and Profile Image Interact

Prospector's Run Freebies Custom Facebook Page

Brand Interview: France Garrido, Visionary Fine Artist

August 22nd, 2012 | Posted in art, Blog, Brand-Interviews, Branding, Musicians and Artists | 1 Comment
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Brand Interview: France Garrido, Visionary Fine Artist

France Garrido by Olga Spiegel

France Garrido by Olga Spiegel

How long has your company been in business? Please tell us a bit about your company, its mission, goals…
I have been an artist since childhood, tho I may not have declared it till a teenager.  The business end of being an artist that is the most challenging to myself and other artists.

As a goal I would love to be able to totally live off of my artwork.

Do you donate to charities? Tell us about that also and why.
I have donated artwork to local charities for example The Hudson School in Hoboken for their fundraiser this year.  I have donated artwork for fundraising for hob’art co-operative gallery based in Hoboken.  I have also donated my time for quite a few arts organizations in NY and NJ.  I have given, with great satisfaction, mini workshops, most recently at Lusscroft Farms in Sussex, NJ as part of their yearly Medicine Wheel festival.  Why?  I see art as a vital link between community at large and artists.  Since I particularly enjoy working with children, whose works are always stunning, I gain great satisfaction to engage in their joy!  It reminds me of playfulness and wonderment.

Tell us about your brand.

How did you know what typeface (font) would be right for your company wordmark or logo? If your logo has an illustration, describe why that art was the right thing, animal, place, object, etc…
I do not have a specific logo but I have used Zapfino quite a bit for my name.   I do sometimes use others.  I like the…

beauty of zapfino script font

How did you decide on the right color palette to fit your company look and feel?
For any documents that I produce whether it’s a resume or artists statement or cover letters I use black.  I thought it was the most appropriate because of its universality.

How did you decide which type of designer to work with, or did you design your own identity and web presence?
My website was designed by a fellow artist and mentor.

In what order did you present your company to the world? Did you start with marketing and products, or website, blog and social media?
I have always exhibited my work but a website was a way to reach out to more people.

France Garrido artwork titled: Finding Myself

France Garrido artwork titled: Finding Myself

How long after the launch of your company did you start pitching in social media?
When my website was developed, social media was not in the limelight like it is now.  I used email to announce its presence.  Now I have a page for my work on Facebook.

Did you do research or study any software, take webinars, teleclasses, before approaching any area of your marketing or web presence?
No.

Do you advertise locally in newspapers and/or nationally in magazines? Are they effective?
I do not advertise at all other than what might come from business cards, postcards (and I find postcards w/images very effective) or exhibitions and publications.

Do you advertise online using Google, Facebook or on other company sites? Are they effective?
I have a facebook page that is a personal page but I also have a page for my art.  I do advertise events, exhibitions as promotion on Facebook.  I have yet to study its effectiveness other than the presence of friends and colleagues at opening nights.

Which social media site to spend the most time on and how does it help marketing your business?
Facebook is the one I am connected to on a more regular basis.  So far, I don’t think that it has been a help other than to publicize upcoming Artists Opening nights.  I have not found it effective in the sale of my work.

When you printed your products, packaging, business cards and other print marketing did you choose an online printer or visit a local vendor?
I have used both throughout the years but recently I have used online printers for postcards and print business cards myself as needed.

Did you know anything about different types of papers, when you wanted to print your marketing materials?
I have learned as I pursued these avenues.  I recently had a catalogue produced for an exhibition that I co-curated and I was introduced to a world of new terminology regarding statistics and procedure.  I learned a lot but there is a lot to still learn about processes and papers.

 

Mosaic Night Table by France Garrido

Mosaic Night Table by France Garrido

Have you ever used “green” technology in printing, using FSC certified papers or recycled paper and if not, how likely are you at trying this on a next project?
I have not used ‘green’ technology yet but it is something that I feel is important to at the least investigate.

If you sell products, are they produced in the USA or abroad?
With my mosaic work I do have a ‘product’ so to speak but I produce it as well as my fine art that is all done by my hand.

Do you speak at events? If so tell us about that.
I have, tho we all know it’s the most feared thing that humans can do, speaking in front of large groups of people. Mostly in the curatorial presentation of artists.  I used to be very shy speaking in front of a group of people, it would send me into such a nervous frenzy that I avoided it at all costs.  I forced myself to get up in front of groups to overcome that fear.  Now, tho I still get nervous, I am happy to stand up in front of a group to share what I know or present artists.

What is coming up in the year or two we should watch for?
I have devoted much of my time in the assistance of other artists in their efforts to present their work on several levels.  I feel that it now has to be my time and I am working on setting that up so that I can devote more and more time to developing my personal artwork and spend much more time in my studio.  I would like to search for personal arts grants and search to find a way to get my work out into the world.  Exhibitions, Auctions etc.

Is there anything you haven’t yet tackled, but will want to do soon?
I would love to find the monies to go on a world wide tour interviewing artists and making a film of those interviews.  I also want to write a book about my experiences during the late 60’s.

To learn more about France Garrido and her work, click on the links below:

www.francegarrido.com

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/france-garrido/b/a99/719

https://www.facebook.com/france.garrido.1

https://www.facebook.com/pages/France-Garrido/203796099689600

https://twitter.com/France215

http://rockstars.mosaicrocks.com/artist.aspx?gallery=1&id=312b544e-66f7-45e1-8836-43134005a61b

http://mosaicatlas.com/atlassite.aspx?RegionID=33&LocationID=432

 

Professional Website Design: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

July 27th, 2012 | Posted in art, Blog, Branding, marketing, Smart Business Practices, Social Media, Website Design and Development | Comments Off
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It seems like an eternity ago that I first added website design to my repertoire. For 14 years I’ve designed and developed hundreds of websites. All shapes and sizes and quite the assortment of content management systems. Custom themes, galleries, e-commerce stores for products and for service-based businesses. Sites to view, buy, support, organize, perform and to educate.

We’ve gone from clients not wanting to know anything about anything, to clients wanting to manage it all themselves, back to many not wanting to. After all, who has the time!

If I’m going to manage the sites for them, it doesn’t matter if it’s html or a WordPress or Concrete5 CMS site. However, when I design those WordPress and Concrete5 sites and hand them over to clients to manage, this is when it can turn out really good or turn bad or ugly.

Many take the time to learn how their site’s CMS work, yeah! For others, I’m not sure if it’s because they don’t take the time, even when many of us create tutorials like my 10 video tutorial series on WordPress. Sometimes they just insert things where they don’t belong, add graphics or text in colors that clearly do not match their branding (like a photo in a shocking, clashing color) or adding a video that’s to large and doesn’t fit.

I’ve seen so many things go wrong and needed to write this post because I want all those clients who feel they are not web-savvy out there to realize it does make a big difference what you do.

What’s a brand visibility designer to do? Explain!

My mission is to give clients exceptional professionalism and hope they consider this before they go and do some of the things that can ruin a great site. Their visitors clearly will notice and their site was created to welcome and entice those visitors.

Your professionalism counts in bringing back to you the caliber of client you wish for. When you lower your standards and show you don’t care as you should, slapping things this way and that without thinking it through, it will come back to you in the clients you attract.

If you plan on populating the pages and content on your site, adding plugins and expanding your site, yourself… respect the art of professional web design. The Good, the Bad and YES, especially the Ugly is a reflection of you and your business.

Professional Web Design: The Good, The Bad and the UGLY!

Brand Interview: Kim Dow, Kalico Design

July 18th, 2012 | Posted in art, Blog, Brand-Interviews, Branding, green, Musicians and Artists, Website Design and Development | Comments Off
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Brand Interview: Kim Dow, Kalico Design

Kim Dow of Kalico design with dog

How long has your company been in business? Please tell us a bit about your company, its mission, goals…
Kalico has been in business for 4.5 years now. We are a graphic design studio that specializes in print design (although we do offer web/interactive design services as well). While we work with a variety of businesses, our passion is to work with those promoting healthy lifestyles—those in the health/wellness, organize, holistic and women-oriented industries. We are also a Certified Green Business through Green America and try to weave sustainability practices into our everyday business routine.

Do you donate to charities? Tell us about that also and why.
We don’t typically donate monetarily to charities, however we do offer pro bono design services to several local non-profits in our area including: all design and marketing for Equinox Dance Company (an arts nonprofit), design services for the local Frederick, MD Greek Festival (put on by the local Greek Orthodox Church), design services to the AAF Greater Frederick (the local chapter of the American Advertising Federation), as well as a handful of other local organizations.

Tell us about your brand.

Kalico design on Facebook

How did you decide on the right color palette to fit your company look and feel?
My favorite color has always been green, even since I was a little girl. So, I knew I wanted my brand to include green, based on my own personal likes, but also because the color resonated with my target market. From the green came the other earth tones to make up the Kalico color palette.

How did you decide which type of designer to work with, or did you design your own identity and web presence?
Obviously in my case, I designed my own identity! : )

In what order did you present your company to the world? Did you start with marketing and products, or website, blog and social media?
I started slow. First, I had my logo, business cards and website created, and then I went out and did (and still do) a lot of in-person marketing and networking. This is how I got my feet off the ground, basically through word-of-mouth and referrals. From there, I also added on a blog, an eNewsletter (which has been on hold for the past year, but will be making a come back this fall), and then I explored the social media worlds of Facebook pages and Twitter, as well as some online networking sites.

Kalico Design website screenshot

How long after the launch of your company did you start pitching in social media?
I’d say maybe about 6 months to a year before creating a Facebook business page, and probably 2 years before I jumped on the Twitter bandwagon. I wanted to introduce my social media outlets slowly, to make sure I could actually keep up with all of my accounts.

Do you advertise locally in newspapers and/or nationally in magazines? Are they effective?
I typically do not advertise in local newspapers as it doesn’t really cater to my market. I have advertised in a few local/regional magazines that seemed to work well with my target audience. And, I’m lucky in that we work on several regional magazines that often offer up ad space.

Do you advertise online using Google, Facebook or on other company sites? Are they effective?
No, we do not currently advertise online.

Which social media site to spend the most time on and how does it help marketing your business?
I use Facebook and Twitter equally, but for different reasons. Facebook I use to kind of focus on our work, our clients, and use it for more visual posts (office shots, photos of work, images of client work, etc). And then I use Twitter to post about more industry-related articles, respond and comment with those I follow with a few self-marketing posts thrown in.

When you printed your products, packaging, business cards and other print marketing did you choose an online printer or visit a local vendor?
I actually did both. Depending on the project, I select a printer who I feel fits the job best as well has offers cost-effective pricing. For instance, for my business cards, I’ve gone with an online, green certified printer. But for a more detailed self promotional piece (with custom folds), I’d go to a local printer who I’ve established a relationship with.

Kalico Design- work samples of print marketing, packaging

Did you know anything about different types of papers, when you wanted to print your marketing materials?
Yes. I’ve been in the print design industry for over 12 years now, so I am very familiar with the different types of papers.

Have you ever used “green” technology in printing, using FSC certified papers or recycled paper and if not, how likely are you at trying this on a next project?
Yes, we try to use recycled and/or FSC certified papers on the majority of our printing.

Do you speak at events? If so tell us about that.
I would say Not Yet. I’ve had to give very brief speeches on a local basis, but have not really moved on to the world of event speaking. I have a small fear about speaking in front of large crowds!

What is coming up in the year or two we should watch for?
Since the summer months are typically a slower time for us and because we just recently moved to a new office space, we’ve been working on revamping our own marketing. This will include a redesign of our website (switching to a WordPress platform to allow for easier updates and posts), new business cards, a new self promo, as well as the re-launch of our eNewsletter. We are also going to work on developing a client satisfaction survey as well as some type of referral program. All of these are slated to be completed by January, 2013, just in time for our 5-year anniversary!

Is there anything you haven’t yet tackled, but will want to do soon?
See above! Also, I’ve been tinkering with the idea of creating a business-related Pinterest page. I have a personal account, but have thought about doing one strictly for Kalico Design. Since we are in such a visual field, it could be potentially be very effective. I’m just not sure if I’m sold on the idea yet, and I, of course, want to be sure that I could handle an additional social media platform. If anyone has a suggestion regarding Pinterest for business, I’m totally open to hearing your feedback/suggestions!

To learn more about Kim Dow and Kalico Design visit the links below:
Kalico Website: http://www.kalicodesign.com/
Current Blog: http://kalicodesign.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kalicodesign
Twitter: @kalicodesign
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kalicodesign

Brand Interview: Mark Schwartz, High Heeled Art

June 4th, 2012 | Posted in art, Blog, Brand-Interviews, Branding, marketing | 10 Comments
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Brand Interview: Mark Schwartz, High Heeled Art

Mark Schwartz poses with his High Heeled Art

How long has your company been in business? Please tell us a bit about your company, its mission, goals …

I started out my career as a shoe designer, working for the legendary Roger Vivier, and also designing for other luminaries in the fashion industry such as Hermès and Christian LaCroix. My artwork, painted in watercolor and inks, developed alongside my design career, and I went out on my own in 1995. Along the way, I had been fortunate enough to be mentored by Andy Warhol (a fashion illustrator in his own early career) and developed my signature style, my focus, and my brand.

My mission? To sell art and share with the world my love and celebration of high heeled shoes, which is the theme and subject of all of my artwork. High heels are fashion icons in their own right, loved by women and men. They convey style, sex, and glamour in a way that few other things can.

Tell us about your brand.

Before I launched into just creating art for a living, I designed shoes for different labels, including my own, “Mark Schwartz.” Now my brand is a whimsical, fun and colorful collection of art that all pays homage to the iconic high heel. It’s an extension of my previous career in a way, but stands on it’s own as a recognizable signature style of watercolor and ink paintings.

Do you donate to charities? Tell us about that also and why.

Yes, I have donated art to be auctioned or sold for charity many times. It’s my way to give back and support the community, and I’m honored to do so. Here in Tampa, Florida where I live, my art has been donated lately to several schools for fundraising. I also send art to cities like New York, Los Angeles and Miami to support all types of causes, such as the American Cancer Society, in an effort to fight breast cancer.

How did you know what typeface (font) would be right for your company workmark or logo? If you logo has an illustration, describe why that art was the right thing, animal, place, objects, etc…

My business is all about the visual art that I create.  The logo had to be readable (I chose Times New Roman for clarity) but also include elements that reflected my whimsical, colorful and somewhat eccentric style. I started with the font, and created a banner around it, complete with soft watercolors and a little splotchiness from the ink that I use.

My signature has become a more integral part of my art in recent years. I sign each original piece in a rather large, scrawling hand. That is part of my branding, but is not readable enough to use as a logo. Hence the combination of traditional typeface with the contrast of my loose and fun style of painting.

High Heeled Art - Branding logo - Mark Schwartz

How did you decide on the right color palette to fit your company look and feel?

As an artist, I play with color all the time. Trial and error many times determines the direction that I take. On my website itself, you see a lot of white space. Just like white gallery walls, this allows my artwork to stand out and take the stage. An uncluttered design provides visual relief that doesn’t interfere with the work itself.

How did you decide which type of designer to work with, or did you design your own identity and web presence?

I created my entire website. It’s a reflection of my vision to have a site that is a gallery for my work.

In what order did you present your company to the world? Did you start with marketing and products, or website, blog and social media?

As I have been selling my art since the mid-1980’s, my work did predate the online presence. Once my artwork really took off in the 1990’s, I’ve sold it mostly by referral, from clients whom I knew in the shoe business, and others. For example, I had designed shoes for Oprah Winfrey a few years back, and someone from her office came to pick them up at my studio. They saw my artwork, and told her about it. That led to a sale of four paintings which she gave as gifts.

I had some gallery shows in New York City also, but mostly my work has been selling from word of mouth, and more recently selling online. My original website was a blog on Blogger which I started around 2003. Just recently, I upgraded to my own domain and website, which reflects my brand better and how I want to present my art to the world.

Adoration - Watercolor on Paper by Mark Schwartz

Adoration - Watercolor on Paper by Mark Schwartz

How long after the launch of your company did you start pitching in social media?

I’ve been on Facebook and Twitter for the last few years. In 2012, I started also posting on Google+, and I frequently use Pinterest to post my art. Of course, since Pinterest is so highly visual, it’s a perfect place to promote my unique style and it fits perfectly with the interest in fashion on that site.

Which social media site do you spend the most time on and how does it help marketing your business?

Probably Pinterest. It’s easy to post, and with my visual art, Pinterest is a perfect match. I’m still analyzing how much it is “helping,” but it does create traffic to my website, and gives me more exposure.

Do you belong to any community sharing websites?

I belong to Daily Painters, which posts my work on a regular basis on their front page. This probably drives more website traffic than any other source, and has been a good move for my business. I like the fact that they are always changing their site to feature art. They have something new to offer all the time.

Did you do research or study any software, take webinars, teleclasses, before approaching any area of your marketing or webs presence?

No. I learned about how to work online at the School of Hard Knocks. I screwed up a lot in the beginning and had to start over, while I was learning the process. At first I had no idea what I was doing, but now I sell from twelve to fifteen pieces of art online every month.

I have noticed that sales of my work are emotionally based. My art, in both style and subject, makes an instant connection with many people who love high heels, shoes in general, and what they represent. It’s that connection that goes beyond simple marketing and pitching your work. I believe I have developed a body of work that speaks to potential collectors on many levels.

Do you advertise locally in newspapers and/or nationally in magazines? Are they effective?

No, I do not advertise. Instead, I get interviewed. In a typical year, about a dozen articles on my work are published in magazines, blogs and videos. I love the opportunity to tell my story and share how my art is created.

Higher by Mark Schwartz

Higher by Mark Schwartz

Do you advertise online using Google, Facebook or on other company sites? Are they effective?

No, I don’t use online advertising.

When you printed your products, packaging, business cards and other print marketing, did you choose an online printer or visit a local vendor?

Years ago, I did do some direct mail advertising (mostly postcards) and of course, I have business cards printed. I have always used local vendors.

Did you know anything about different types of papers when you wanted to print your marketing materials?

Not really, although I would always choose to use recycled paper if possible. The paper that I mainly use is, of course, for artwork. It is archival, made specifically for watercolors. I don’t use a lot of printed material because most of my presence is online.

Have you ever used “green” technology in printing, using FSC certified papers or recycled paper, and if not, how likely are you at trying tis on a next project?

No, I have not, but of course I am open to using recycled or sustainable materials and practices in any business printing.

Crystal by Mark Schwartz

Crystal by Mark Schwartz

If you sell products, are they produced in the USA or abroad?

Not only is all of my work made in the USA, but most is original art. I also have limited edition prints made of several of my paintings. These are printed in America.

Is there anything you haven’t yet tackled, but will want to do soon?

Actually, I have a lot of very exciting things coming up. I recently licensed my art to manufacturers, and my images are now being printed on clothing. Fashion knit tops, and scarves. Plans are also underway with manufacturers to create dinnerware using my shoe art, as well as luggage, handbags, shower curtains, and other products. I’m really thrilled to have these opportunities and look forward to working more in the licensing realm with my business.

 

Contact Info:

Mark Schwartz — High Heeled Art

Website and Blog: http://www.HighHeeledArt.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/highheeledart

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/MarkSchwartz

YouTube: http://youtu.be/ECkZ1VCxZ8M

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/111195208762572538464/posts

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/highheeledart/

Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/12477561

 

When Building Your Website: Good, Fast, or Cheap, Pick Any Two

April 6th, 2012 | Posted in art, Blog, Branding, marketing, Social Media, Website Design and Development | Comments Off
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In the Broadcast Louder webinar called “Secrets to PPC advertising and Ultimate Marketing Tips” with my guest speaker Louis Tanguay of Circle Marketing, he brought to my attention a phrase I hadn’t actually heard before, “Good, Fast, or Cheap, pick any two!

Building Websites and Marketing Webinar - good fast or cheap graphic

Basically it means you can combine any of these but cannot have all three. If you want something good and fast, you’ll pay more. If you want something cheap and fast, it’ll probably be a design nightmare.

The reason I am writing about this is because it has come to my attention that so many just don’t know what’s involved in designing and building a website or what the costs would be.  So, here is an outline.

1- Research: Before I begin designing any project I must understand both my client and my client’s industry better. I’ll ask my client a bunch of questions and also ask them to show me by example, other websites they like or dislike and why. By building the groundwork and seeing the color palettes, functionality and structure preferences, I am better able to give my client exactly what they are seeking.

2- Designs: Designing a client’s website is going to be different each time, because they each have different goals. Some may want to build a following, some way want to sell a product. Using the content, my marketing concepts of what will work and designing everything to achieve the client’s goals is crafted with hours of thought, layouts and development. In showing those first drafts, my goal is for the client to say, “Exactly!”

Then I build out a few or several other page designs, depending on the complexity of the site (blog or e-commerce store).

3- Initial theme or custom page development: Once the page designs are ready the high resolution Photoshop designs are given over to the team developer who builds out the custom design into ready to go pages. We work together to tweak and customize that css styling to perfection.

4- Pages, posts, plugins: Once the theme is ready, the content is loaded. The images added, the SEO tagging and plugins are added. I have a list of 20+ plugins I love and will start to load many social media and SEO plugins, plus lots of other fabulous and functional ones.

5- The site is all completed and is either taken live, or was set live (with coming soon on pages till filled).

As you can see there are many parts that must be designed, created and developed and something that is the face of YOUR BRAND shouldn’t be slapped together.

Costs: Be prepared for the starting rate of most custom websites/blogs to begin at $1,800-2,500.E-commerce sites start at $5,000 and go up depending on the types of e-commerce and the bells and whistles. Usually there is a down payment or installment plan.

The ROI: Here’s a case study to show you how a well developed website can make a big difference in your wallet. A local business in my Jersey City Heights neighborhood didn’t even have a website before 2008. We designed and built a lovely, tasteful e-commerce website and after launching the orders were coming in locally, internationally and after 6 months – 1 year it increased his business by 25-30%. If you’re business takes in a million a year in sales, imagine what 25-30% can do! Now it’s 2012 and if the client continues to add new products, and actively engage on social media, the sales will continue to go up!

Here’s another article you might like: Tips on Building the Most Effective Website for Your Business

 

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