Affordable and creative graphic design for all clients – that's the mission of Christie Graphic Design. And because deadlines are just as important as budgets, I'm proud to be able to deliver all of my services quickly – usually within 48 hours of receiving the project details. Call or email for a quote on your next project.
With the first quarter under way, I am looking forward to adding new services to Christie Graphic Design. My goal is to provide value with everything that I offer my clients. Therefore I am looking for input - can you take a moment to vote below?
Some companies make mistakes when designing their logo, because they want a "wow" factor. They choose logos that are too complex to print well (does it look great on a business card and a billboard?), or are hard for customers to interpret in the few short seconds you have to grab their attention.
So what is the function of your logo? It's to effectively brand your business, in a way that allows customers to instantly recognize it as yours, and associate it with positive feelings. Feelings? What does that have to do with business? Everything! Most buying decisions are made on the basis of feelings – positive and negative – consciously or not. Think of all the businesses you know of, and try to picture their logos in your mind. Which ones can you remember? Which ones are a little fuzzy? What comes to your mind when I say "peace" or "recycle"? What you want is when people hear the word "widget" they think of your widget business logo, and thus your business. The best logos (and brand identities) are simple, iconic, and easy to remember. It's OK to have fun with it, and add give it personality, but make sure it's deliberate and with purpose. Sometimes all you need is consistent use of color, or an unusual font.
Another mistake is not considering your target market. Often I hear "my product is for everyone", or "I provide service for everyone". Well, of course you want "everyone" to buy your product or service, but in reality it's better to zoom in and identify who your product or service is benefiting and cater to them. You'll end up with a more impactful message, and focusing on your true customers will make your business thrive.
Another year is coming to a close, and I hope that despite the economic woes in this country, that you all had a successful year in business. Because of the wonderful word of mouth my clients give, I have managed to weather this storm well. Now that we are entering the end of 2008, I am analyzing the past year and firming up my plans for 2009, especially first quarter.
I am a "glass half full" kind of thinker, so I look at the slower times as opportunities to reflect on the successes and failures of the past year. So many directions I would like to go! Here's my advice as you make plans for your business;
• Review your statement of purpose, business plan or other charter planning that you've done. Look at the steps you took to reach these goals and note what worked and what didn't. Base your plans for the next year on what you learned so far.
• Analyze your record keeping. Not just balance sheets, but client contact lists, advertising results and other information that is vital to growth. Gather as much information from your clients as possible; it will be essential to recognizing your target market and making advertising strategies.
• Continue your education. Go to a seminar, find a mentor, connect with peers. It will help you to stay inspired, and keep you from getting stuck in a rut.
Technology has changed the face of business in spectacular ways. It has enabled businesses to embrace a greater community, it has increased productivity, and simplified communication. There are so many positives that they would be hard to name here in this post. There is one aspect of technology that I find sad, and that [...]
There are a few good analytics services that can give you a good indication of how your web presence is doing. All are employing a generic approach appealing to the broad market.
There is one among them that stands out. It stands out because its focus is the health of your online brand.
This stand-out product is [...]
A Winner Brand is an enviable place to be. It ignites a favorable reaction to all who come in contact with it you. The Winner Brand can be a company, a product a person, or a place. The Winner Brand is hinged on strong brand values and a compelling message. It has outstanding characteristics. The
Winner [...]
This content from: Duct Tape Marketing
How to Get Great Photos for Your Blog Posts
I like to use to use images to help illustrate the theme or point of a blog post. It’s a proven “best practice” in blogging and I highly recommend that every blogger do it.
One trick for easily finding and properly using images [...]
This content from: Duct Tape Marketing
What Really Generates Referrals
So much of the literature on the subject of referrals focuses on the proper ways to network, ask for referrals, and create incentive programs for referral sources. While some of these more tactical things do indeed produce referrals for the organizations and salespeople that employ them, they [...]
This content from: Duct Tape Marketing
Yahoo Pipes a Smokin Radar Tool
Yahoo Pipes is a powerful composition tool to aggregate, manipulate, and mashup content from around the web. Frankly, it has been around for a couple of years now and while it’s advanced a bit, I don’t think it has ever really caught on in a [...]
Heather Christie • Graphic Design for Web & Print • Warsaw, NY • (585) 356-5422
