Island Graphics SOLUTIONS

QR Code? You’ll soon be seeing them EVERYWHERE!

IslandGraphics — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:22:33 +0000

A QR Code is a matrix code (or two-dimensional bar code) created by Japanese corporation Denso-Wave in 1994. The “QR” is derived from “Quick Response”, as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.

QR Codes are common in Japan, where they are currently the most popular type of two dimensional codes. Moreover, most current Japanese mobile phones can read this code with their camera.

Although initially used for tracking parts in vehicle manufacturing, QR Codes are now used in a much broader context, including both commercial tracking applications and convenience-oriented applications aimed at mobile phone users (known as mobile tagging).

QR Codes storing addresses and URLs may appear in magazines, on signs, buses, business cards or just about any object that users might need information about. Users with a camera phoneequipped with the correct reader software can scan the image of the QR Code causing the phone’s browser to launch and redirect to the programmed URL. This act of linking from physical world objects is known as a hardlink or physical world hyperlinks. Google’s mobile Android(OS) supports the use of QR codes by natively including the barcode scanner (ZXing) on some models and the browser supports URI redirection which allows QR Codes to send meta-data to existing applications on the device.

Users can also generate and print their own QR Code for others to scan and use by visiting one of several free QR Code generating sites.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION #1

IslandGraphics — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:21:23 +0000

Aaron Yeagle at www.transmutationsciences.com asked us:

What should a business expect to pay for quality logo design? Why do some designers charge different rates for different uses?”

FIRST OF ALL, WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR

There are a couple of online logo design services that offer logos at under $100. When you find one, hit the “Back” button.

You get what you pay for, and logos are no exception.

Of course, it depends on what your needs are. If you can find a pre-designed logo that you like for under $100, good for you. Just make sure that the logo company is willing to make alterations to the logo without charging extra for each round of revisions. Also make sure that the logo company you deal with does not resell logos.

LOGO PRICE RANGES

Pre-Designed Logos

Pre-designed logos are logos that are created beforehand. Typically these readymade logos are listed on the design firm’s web site and sold on a first-come-first-serve basis.

There is nothing wrong with pre-designed logos, provided that they are unique and that each logo is only sold once.

Price Range: $100 to $300

Custom Logos

With custom logos, an important consideration is the number of unique concept designs that the designer is willing to create. The higher the number of concept designs, the higher the price. Usually.

Price Range: $400 to $550

Cartoon Logos and Mascot Logos

Cartoon logos and mascot logos are generally far more time-consuming to create that regular custom logos and therefor they are more expensive. The critical thing here is to find a cartoonist, not a logo designer. Most logo designers offer cartoon logo design, but only a handful of them actually employ a professional cartoonist.

Price Range: $800 to $4,000

Logo Repair and Logo Redesign

If you already have a logo and just need it cleaned up and/or improved, you can potentially save a lot of money.

Price range: $50 to $250

HOPE THAT HELPS, Aaron and whomever else is reading this. As far as who owns the work, that’s a bit stickier. Technically and legally the designer owns the copyright to the material until it is released BY the designer to the client. Some charge, some don’t, there is really no set practice. This is why a good relationship with your designer should ALWAYS be important. For the same reason that you should NEVER PISS OFF THE BARTENDER! Cheers, All!

TEN (10!) Reasons You Should Be Using WordPress

IslandGraphics — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:51:44 +0000

Wordpress is free. Yep, you heard me right. Wordpress costs you nothing. All you need is a webhost and a domain name. Wordpress becomes your site. Originally designed for blogs, Wordpress has evolved into arguably the greatest content managment system available. And, it’s free. Beat that, expensive web designer from 1997.

IT’S SO EASY TO USE. Yeah, you used to have to have your web guy do all the updating for you. There are still some things you need a web guy for (otherwise I wouldn’t be around), but you don’t need one every time you want to add something to your site. If you can use Microsoft Word, you can use Wordpress.

TEMPLATES, TEMPLATES. TEMPLATES! Not ready to pay big bucks for a custom design? No problem. There are literally thousands of Wordpress templates that are a cinch to install, with more being released all the time.

SEARCH ENGINES LOVE IT!. Your friends, the search engines, love Wordpress. Mostly because Wordpress sites are updated often, but you can add some powerful tweaks to Wordpress that make the search engines just eat it up.

YOU ARE IN CONTROL. As popular as they are, the multiple template-with-hosting combo sites that are springing up all over the web are not the best use of your time or money. You host on their server, using their template. And compared to what you pay for web hosting, these sites charge astronomical fees. Like 10x what you should pay for web hosting. And they really do nothing for you. Keep control with your own site on your own hosting account.

VIDEO AND AUDIO INTEGRATE BEAUTIFULLY. OK, what business doesn’t want to use audio and video on their site. With Wordpress, it can’t get any easier. Thanks to years of development and improvement, it’s as simple as clicking a button to add audio and video to your site. Just make sure that audio and video is going to drive some traffic where you want it!

SOCIAL TOOLS INTEGRATE EASILY. Want to add your site updates to Twitter? Or Facebook? Not a problem. Easy as pie.

RSS IS YOUR FRIEND. It’s still a mystery to most people, but having your site built on Wordpress gives you automatic RSS feed creation. Easy to syndicate your content to multiple sites, and drive that most important component, traffic.

EASY TO UPGRADE. Before, if you wanted to upgrade your site, you basically had to rebuild it from the ground up. With Wordpress, you’re just a few clicks away from having access to the latest developments and improvements.

LAST, BUT NOT LEAST… use Wordpress. For almost everything! Nearly every site that we build is based on Wordpress. That should be enough of a recommendation, don’t ya think?

See How Easy It Can Be?

IslandGraphics — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 02:27:23 +0000

For those of you who visit this site regularly, you will notice a huge difference in the design and layout. We are experimenting with a few new WordPress Themes and want to show you how easy and affordable it can be to change up the flavor and dynamics of your blog or website. With a few simple add-ons and some minor graphic upgrades, you can dazzle your potential new clients with content and design that says “I care about my success!” Please call or email to set up a FREE 30-minute consultation. Cheers!!

What You DON’T Say CAN Help You!

IslandGraphics — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 02:01:33 +0000

TRY REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY!

To think that you can “Think ahead” for every potential client that comes along is not only a recipe for disaster, but is also, at the very least, impossible. Trying being who you are as a business and not saying anything. Put ALL of your efforts toward making sure that when potential new clients approach you that you are damn prepared to be exactly who they have been looking for.

I just discovered REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY MARKETING, by Indrajit Sinha and Thomas Foscht. Here are some excerpts from the book. What an amazing modern philosophy:

DISCLAIMER- This book is not about engaging in the blame-and-praise game for the so-called winners and losers of the current business environment.

Traditional marketing is now being turned on its head… The ideas of marketing and branding strategy that passed for conventional wisdom before do not hold true today. A small but growing number of innovative firms have adopted radically new and differentiated approaches based upon reverse psychology marketing, reflecting a clear and unmistakable change in the global culture. In this era of globalization and the Internet the consumer is behaving in a radically different way and is no longer susceptible to the timeworn ploys of push marketing.

The present times call for a new game – one that strays from the prescriptions that traditional marketing theory holds dear, indeed that sometimes works in a way that is counter to it (what the authors call ‘anti-marketing’) and that lays focus on network-building and ‘pulling the customer’ above all else. Many experienced hands in corporate boardrooms are oblivious to these shifting sands and evolving trends, and are paying the price as a result.

This book, supplementing ideas and insights with numerous engaging and topical anecdotes, will show you how to understand and connect with this change.

‘Don’t run after customers, let them discover you instead…’

Shops without signs, brands with no advertising, tourist resorts that actively shun publicity, ’slow food’ restaurants, and plain-looking models are but a few of the present-day developments that can bemuse observers who learned their marketing from the MBA ‘bibles’. Today there are firms that don’t claim to satisfy their customers, adopt a ‘take it or leave it’ attitude, and still attract a following. Others act as ‘nanny marketers’ dictating what customers can or can’t have and still have buyers come in droves.

This book shows why these developments are taking place and why they are proving to be successful. It points out the flaws and fallacies of conventional marketing thinking and how that has led to the self-destructive practice of over-marketing. It highlights the present marketing zeitgeist and how brands like Coach, Samsung, BAPE, Tchibo, Red Bull, and Pout have understood it better. In many industries the middle market is hollowing out creating a ‘Wal-Mart and Ferrari’ type of situation. The book offers prescriptions and insights to cope with the changing business dynamics to establish authenticity and a dedicated customer network.

In keeping with the spirit of this book, the authors have not sought outside endorsements.

OK, So NOW What? 5 Great (NET)Working Resolutions.

IslandGraphics — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:16:09 +0000

1- Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
Remember when Facebook was just one of many niche communities popping up and competing for our attention? Sometime in 2010, Facebook will surpass 400 million registered users worldwide, though the notion of “Facebook fatigue” is being circulated (probably wishful thinking by some of their competitors). Yet there are still plenty of social networking sites and communities that cater to more focused targets that we, as marketers, cannot ignore. YOU NEED TO BE OUT THERE (NET)WORKING!

2- Be a Better Listener
Sometimes talking less and listening more can provide greater value to an overall marketing strategy. Whether you engage them or not, customers and potential customers are talking about your brand and products in online communities.

Understanding what they are saying and where will help you to make a more informed decision about how to interact. Involve community members in your process, be willing to put some control in their hands and listen to the feedback from your “virtual focus group.”

3- Think Global. Act Local.
Social communities dominated our computer screens in 2009. But 2010 could be the year that both new and existing technologies will take over our smartphone and PDA screens. Just a year ago, only a handful of early adopters were talking about the potential of Twitter as a marketing tool. Now look where we are!

4- Do Good for Your Fellow Man
As you plan for 2010, keeping your bottom line in mind is obviously important. But what if you can meet your objectives AND do some good in the community at the same time? Many companies and brands already have existing philanthropic programs, but tying it to social and partnering with your customers can amplify and maximize the measurable impact of your contribution. Step out.

5- Get Back to the Gym
Okay, so this one has nothing really to do with marketing, but if your holiday was anything like ours, the cookies, candy and other sweet treats were always around and, well, you’re a little rounder as a result. Next year, please just send virtual cookies and help us cut back on the calories.

Honorable Mention(s)- Lighten the Hell Up!!! and Be More Supportive of Others
‘Nuff said?

Good luck with these… and of course, if you have any trouble adhering to our resolutions, feel free to give us a call. Happy and healthy New Year to all!

Logos/Marketing With a Sense of Humor…Our New Years Resolution!

IslandGraphics — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:21:43 +0000

Do we always have to take everything about business identity and marketing so bloody seriously?? Don’t get me wrong here…I don’t aim to underestimate the value of logo designing. But, it seems like all the logo design topics available on the internetnet reveal it as an unexciting and boring industry. We ignore the multiple aspects of logo designing, including its fun part.

It is not important for a logo concept to be serious and somber to be successful. Skillful logo designers have the talent of conveying corporate messages through playful logos. They are capable of adding joy, fun and humor to their logo designs without making them look immature.

Today I bring you 25 logo designs, showing you how naughty and mischievous logo designers can get with their designs. Hopefully, these light-hearted logos highlight the joyous aspect of logo designing and fulfill your logo addiction.

Zoomania

Aquarius

Mr & Mrs

Ms. Behave & Mr. Lucky

Bee

Loud Beetle

Light Switch

Coffeenerd

Mister Cutts

The Loaded Daiper

Play

Unpugged

Milk Tooth

DogPaw

Hatapillar

FuoriSerie

Thoppai

Tickletweets

3 Rooms

Office Assistant

2 Boys In a bed

Run Rooster

Drop

Killed

Poop

Fully Editable Websites Under $500? No WAY!

IslandGraphics — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:35:07 +0000

Uhhh…Way? With the advent and successive evolution of WordPress and the Open Source revolution that is really only just beginning, NOW is the perfect time for you to catch the wave and upgrade your web presence to include a fully user-end-editable website starting under $500.00. We can help you incorporate your existing logo/identity into a fully configured internet marketing presence, including maintaining the integrity and/or evolving the look and feel of your existing design, focusing your messages, and ensuring that you are always saying the right thing to the right folks ALL OF THE TIME! And, what’s more, we can help you learn how to update your content and imagery as well as completely changing your entire site theme based on the seasons, the holiday and whatever whim you might have. It’s fun, it’s easy, and now it has become quite affordable. CALL US TODAY!!!

5 Tips to Clarify Your Marketing Message

IslandGraphics — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:53:39 +0000

It seems that every time you look around, you find more complex solutions to the most simple marketing problems.. reaching your audience, effectively communicating, and helping customers advance their business forward. Let’s see if I can simplify it for you.

From my perspective, the basic principles of “listen to your customer” and “think value” still reign true. Here are some tips for staying on top of your marketing game:

1. Always be reading and seeking knowledge. Whether you’re reading an expert blog post, news, or the latest marketing book to hit the shelves, never assume that you know-it-all.

2. Listen to your customers. The have an uncanny ability to tell you how it is. Are they happy? What do they like about your products, services, communications, etc.? Are they unhappy? Why? What can you do about it.

3. It’s about message points. Are you controlling all of the touch points that communicate something about your brand? When someone calls your office or sees your brochure, are they receiving a consistent user experience that embodies your brand and what you stand for? Think about your key messages and how and where they are communicated.

4. Keep it simple. People do not have more than a couple of minutes to read about your product. Show them how it works, what it does, and how it’s going to make their life easier. Simple.

5. Create a dialog. Whether interacting with your internal marketing team, the salesforce, or your customers, remember that communication is a two-way street!

Give consideration to each of these aspects of marketing. Always be learning, asking yourself questions, and challenging the status quo. Even when things are going great, they can be better!

The Power of Positive Thinking

IslandGraphics — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:52:36 +0000

Image is such an important part of the human decision-making process, that there are those out there that might even say “Image is EVERYTHING!.” (Actually, Andre Agassi said that for Canon, but let’s not go there!) Well, it’s certainly not everything, but never underestimate the power of a good image to get you that second interview or to close that fickle client’s business. Also, never forget how quickly a bad image can undermine the business that you have worked so hard to attain.

There are more than just a few factors that go into a client’s decision to commit and remain loyal to your product or services. The ones that are the easiest for you to control are the visual and content cues that convey to your client or potential client that you are not only capable of and committed to providing them with the services that they are seeking, but that you also have an enthusiastic and optimistic view of YOUR profession and business. You want them to know that it is as important to you to succeed with YOUR business as it is to help THEM succeed with theirs.

Nobody likes a Negative Nellie. Nobody listens too much to Eeyore. Negativity begets pessimism and pessimism can’t never do nuthin’. Instead, try to be the sunshine in your clients’ day, the simple smile walking down the street, the word of encouragement, of assistance and of integrity. Your marketing materials should do the same while you are not present. It’s not complicated, it just takes time to learn how and when to do it correctly!

If you can effectively utilize positive, effective imagery and (as often as humanly possible) maintain an optimistic presence in your clients’ eyes, they will be more willing to approach you for business, services and advice as their trusted confidante in your profession.

A great quote comes from Al Reis who said, “A brand should strive to own a word in the mind of the consumer.” We choose “Positive.” Join us.

If you need a nudge in the right direction, please give us a call at 503.238.4024 to schedule a FREE 60 minute consultation. YES, FREE!!