This blog post is a shout-out to any designers out there, artistic or not.  One of the biggest issues for anyone working with anything that needs to be visually appealing (painting a home, making a flyer, designing a logo, editing a magazine, etc.) is finding the right color palette.  For some people, thinking of   a palette is a challenge akin to wrestling a crocodile.  But whether you’re trying to find a third or fourth color to fit the mix, or searching for that initial inspiration, Design Seeds provides hundreds of  drool-worthy, beautiful palette suggestions.

Pair Design Seeds with Color Picker, an app for  Google Chrome (or Mozilla, or any other internet browser) and you have a match made in heaven.  Color Picker allows you to point out any color on a web page and reference it in the color spectrum computers have in common.  So pick a palette you like, and easily re-create it in whatever program you are using.

Hapy Designing!

From the title of this post, you are probably expecting to read about some new app that writes term papers for you, or is able to translate “text-talk” into an intelligent conversation using the English language.  Now that you know it is really about Google Docs, you might be tempted to glaze over.  Think again.  What I had long-since written off as a useful tool to make sign-up sheets and store documents, Google Docs contains several features that truly do turn it into a wordsmith machine.

Chat/Comment Presence

You can actually create comments within comments using this feature, instead of having to toggle between screens or write on top of someone else.

Translate

The entire document can be easily translated into 40 different languages with a few clicks.

On-The-Go Editing

Need to make some last minute changes minutes before a presentation?  Google Docs easily switches to mobile editor mode.

Chart it up!

Google Docs now offers new features in chart-making, where the website practically makes the chart for you by matching headers and data, auto-selecting colors, and even putting it into motion.

Spy Mode

The new revision interface makes it easy to see who, when, and where contributions have been made.

If you’ve decided Google Docs is old news, think again.  This powerful tool can make your life much easier whether you are in a group project or on the go.

One of the most important ways a business can market itself and create differentiation is by telling its own unique story of creation. This idea not only applies to traditional, brick-and-mortar businesses, but also internet-based businesses or even companies with an online presence. There are many ways to present one’s story to customers online. Scott Steinberg posted a terrific article to Mashable.com’s business section about this very subject.

Steinberg says in the article a business can create customer loyalty and brand awareness by developing a compelling narrative about the brand. He lists eight different ways this can be accomplished:

1. “Rise above problems and offer meaningful solutions.” This first method simply means to chronicle exactly how the business solved a customer problem. Use various methods to convey this point, including video and customer testimonials.
2. “Take viewers behind the scenes.” Let the customers experience who exactly makes the business work. Let them see the individuals responsible for the company’s success. This tactic allows the customer to empathize and identify with the business, which engenders loyalty.
3. “Act as an industry insider.” Build original content on the website through employee-run blogs, etc. This original content should include tips and information about the specific industry in which the business is competing. Not only will customers appreciate the attempt to educate them, but it will also serve as a way to reinforce the expertise of the business and its employees in whatever industry it competes.
4. “Find unique ways to recount your origins.” Steinberg cites Facebook and Craigslist as two examples that use this tactic well. The way this can be accomplished is by revealing the personal struggles and tribulations that built the business’ foundation. From the customer’s perspective, this gives the company a “face.”
5. “Explore interactive solutions.” Use creative means to tell the brand’s story. Videos, visuals, apps, and games are just a few of the possibilities.
6. “Discuss your future.” Tell the customers your hopes and dreams, as well as the practical ways you plan on reaching them. Of course, this does not mean revealing potentially damaging information. Another interesting option here is to include the customers in this by giving them a voice for input and advice. This gives them a personal stake in the company’s future.
7. “Salute your community and your heroes.” Tell the customers who was integral to the success of the business. Who provided inspiration? Who did the founders admire and aspire to emulate?
8. “Speak about topics close to your heart.” Speak about social issues in which the business can be involved. Steinberg mentions TOMS and how their charitable element has made them a success.

The eight tactics above can increase customer loyalty and brand awareness by revealing the business’ brand narrative. Great advice from Steinberg for any e-business.

As an entrepreneur, you know that your website’s design communicates your company’s brand image  to the masses. The million dollar question: How do you design your site to grab your customers’ attention and pull them from your competitors?

One answer that is quickly rising to the top is image-based, super sleek web design. This visually arresting style evades the traditional by combining minimalist typefaces,  high resolution, rich contrast, single image backgrounds, and scrolling or roll-over navigation.

The nature of such aesthetically concerned websites makes this style  most beneficial to businesses that are trying to differentiate their services from competitors’ through brand image. Some examples are real estate brokers or law firms.

But don’t fear, such super sleek design is pliable. Other successful proponents include hard goods companies, personal websites, museums, architecture firms, and e-commerce websites.

The bottom line: If you want your website to stand out, learn from the best and use bold, sleek design.

Check out these examples of beautiful sites and see for yourself.

The Diehl Group - Architecture Firm

De Certeau & Associates – Legal Firm

CG Rendering – Design Firm

Shelley Sandzer – Real Estate Agency

Inzeit – Mobile Retail Firm              Warning: this site’s navigation is AWESOME

Grey Goose – Liquor Company

Salt Surf – Surf Lifestyle Brand

Grayden and Jenny – Wedding Website

Anna Safroncik – Personal Website

Rijksmuseum – Museum

Tommaso Nervegna – Personal Blog

Vanmoof – Bicycle Manufacturer

Twitter has long been recognized as a convenient and fast way for brands to get their message out to millions of consumers.  The accessibility of 140 characters combined with the speed that the platform provides for communication is beneficial to businesses just on those two attributes alone.

However, one of the greatest advantages that Twitter offers to businesses is the ability to quickly capitalize on trending topics.  A prime example of this was during the power outage during last Sunday’s Super Bowl.   Oreo brand did an especially good job at this.  During the power outage, they tweeted this:

The message was simple, clear,  and perfectly timed.  Other brands had their shot at fame as well.  Walgreen, Tide, and Audi all tweeted relevant messages during the black-out and received accolades in the press for their marketing team.

The secret?  Oreo had a “mission control” set up for their social media.  That way, when they saw an opportunity, the design, caption, and approval could be done in a matter of minutes.  With instantaneous internet comes immediate opportunities that will be gone just as quickly if you don’t take advantage of them.

However, just as trendy twitter posts can be the golden ticket for your branding, twitter can also go terribly wrong.  Anytime political jokes or national crises are used to promote your brand, be sure to expect backlash.   Maybe there is such a thing as bad publicity.

Moral of the story?  Timely and trendy alliterations work.

We’ve all run into error pages in our travels through the internet – some good, some bad. What made the good ones good and the bad ones bad? Many sites simply tell you the page your requested isn’t found and they’re sorry. Sure, that gets the point across, but what about being nice to users?

It’s easy to customize 404 error pages on your site, and you should! Here are some approaches to take and why they’re good:

• Humor: post a graphic or joke to keep the mistake lighthearted and turn a bad thing into a fun time
• Features: give the user a list of current features on the site, or other pages you think they should visit
• Search: with a little coding, you can get the title of the link that brought them to the page. Use that to search your site and try to provide them with links to relevant articles

There are countless other things you could do with them. Feel free to post ideas and screen shots below!