When was the last time you updated your small business website? This week? this month? this year? If it wasn’t this week, it’s been too long and it’s time to give your website a little attention.

Every small business website needs attention in five distinct areas:

1. Is your website working properly? Check to be sure that all your pages load and that your links send visitors to the pages you intended. If you link to Flickr images or YouTube videos, realize that these media may be removed at any time and without warning, leaving you with broken links.
2. How’s your website design? Does it need to be refreshed? Most websites begin to show their age after about two years. This doesn’t automatically mean that a complete redesign is necessary. Many times a simple change to one or two elements on your site is enough to give it a fresh, new look.
3. When was your last content update? By ‘content,’ I’m referring to high quality information shared through blog posts, articles, FAQ’s, video or audio messages. If you’re an artist, when was your last image shared with your viewers?
4. Frequent content updates are important for three reasons:
   • It gives your viewers a reason to return to and engage with you on your website.
   • Frequently updated content is indexed more often by Google, meaning that it helps you attain better placement on the search engine results page.
   • It makes it easier for your customers and other website visitors to refer you.
5. Can your updated content be easily shared? Links are the currency of today’s online marketplace. Make it easy for your viewers to share a link to your content with their friends and neighbors. This can be as simple as adding a ’share this’ plugin to your blog or a Facebook badge to any page of your website.
6. Is your site secure? Websites can be hacked and links inserted that will direct your viewers to unsavory sites. This topic deserves an entire post of its own, but for now, I’ll direct your attention to an excellent resource: the Securi blog, where you can learn more than you ever wanted to know about threats and solutions to your website’s security.

Related Off-Site Article: Google indexing and high quality content

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What exactly is the purpose of your brochure? Do you want a certain reaction from its readers?

Yes, you want more business. But for your brochure to be truly effective, you’ll have to break that down. More business is the the long-term goal. What steps will a reader have to make in the short-term for that to happen?

Look at it like this:

• They need to pick it up
• They need to read it
• They need to be interested
• They need to be affected
• They need to know what you want them to do. Call? E-mail? Visit your website? Fill out a return postcard?

Most brochures that are sitting in a stand on a counter or set out on an accent table don’t get read. They don’t. They’re still an incredible marketing method, but you only have a one in 10 chance that out of the brochures read, you’ll even get business from them. That means you need to grab and captivate your audience quickly, and then you very specifically need to guide them through the entire piece without making it feel like a chore.

Hint: Men and women process information differently. Most men scan – not read – full context information.

How will you make sure he understands that what you offer matters to him?

• Be precise
• Be bold
• Speak directly to him, and
• Use graphics

Most women, on the other hand, read emotionally. She is more likely to respond to humorous or insightful messages – messages that give her perspective validity.

• Address the circumstance
• Use sarcastic, cynical or endearing humor, and
• Provide a cure

When you provide products or services that don’t cater to a specific gender, the tone, content and graphics yield better results when they’re more personal, and speak to the need a consumer has that would cause them to require your offering.

Whether selling to men, women or both, make it clear what you expect them to do with their newly-acquired information. Don’t let a sale slip through your fingers because you thought your product or service was more important than the consumer. Then request a phone call or website view so they can get more information on solving their problems.

Do you take gender into account when drafting marketing materials for your company? What did I miss? Let me know in the comments below, and feel free to hit reply in our newsletter for a personal response.

The simple answer is, “No.” Still, you’ll get conflicting opinions when it comes to how you should be reading a barrel roll trifold brochure. Accordion-fold brochures are much easier to figure out, but when faced with two panels at the same time, like the barrel-fold allows, you’re left wondering what the brochure creator’s intention was. The first two panels are a no-brainer, right? Front cover, inside front cover … then what does a reader do? Open the flap to reveal the inside of the brochure to continue reading panels left to right? Or read inside the cover, then the folded flap, then the inside?

OH, brother …

When planning brochure designs, this is an important thing to consider. It can take far too much time to ponder when a deadline is hanging in the balance, so the thing to do when designing one is to decide how much of the information flows easily together on the two or three inside panels, depending on whether the business brochure is three or four panel. If you have enough information between images and text to populate the interior panels smoothly, then you can break down the rest as follows:

• Cover – Only one purpose, to entice the reader to pick it up and open it – that’s it. It should include color and image. I like text as well.
• Back center panel – 1/2 populated with text or image, 1/2 contact information including contact name, company name, phone, fax, email, and Website.

So what goes on the right side folded flap? Since it will be seen the minute the brochure is opened, it could introduce the subject matter. It might, however, be the last thing read, so it can also be an exit. I think it should either be compatible with the information on the inside cover or contrast entirely with it. In that way you’ll be able to direct your reader’s attention to where you intend it to go. A contrasting folded panel causes the reader to want to open it up to see the inside and come back to the folded panel later. If the text on that folded panel is a continuing thought or theme to the inside cover panel, it will be natural to read it before opening it up to reveal the inside.

Scott Alberts says Shari and I are both wrong to refer to them as a three or four panel brochures, when they really have six to eight panels en totale …

We stand corrected Scott, thank you.

Is there a right or wrong way to read a brochure? Well, don’t read it upside down:p)

Your thoughts?

Recently we shared a client’s Web site makeover, and suggested you step back to look at your Web site with fresh eyes. If you did that and realized your site is looking a bit dated, what’s the first step toward a redesign?

It may surprise you to learn that the first steps to creating your new design have nothing to do with the look of your site. That’s right, although it’s the first thing we see, it’s actually a secondary consideration. So, what should we consider?

1. How’s your current site working for you? Is your information presented in a way that’s easy to find? What’s the purpose of your current site?
2. Which pages on your current site receive the most traffic? Why? Are these the pages that you want to receive the most traffic?
3. Are you happy with your search engine ranking?
4. What size browsers do most of your visitors use? (from Google Analytics)
5. What’s the purpose of your current site?

Now let’s begin talking about your new site:

1. What new information (content) will be added to your site? Do you need or anticipate needing e-commerce capabilities? Will your new site’s purpose remain the same? Describe your target customer / viewer.
2. How frequently do you plan to update your new site? Do you want to maintain your own Web site or have the developer perform all updates? Depending on the answer to these last questions, we’ll direct you toward either a static HTML Web site or a content management system (CMS). We use, love, and recommend WordPress for clients who want to update their sites themselves.
3. With those questions out of the way, we can now plan the basic architecture of your site – what content can be re-used from your old site, what needs to be added and where, and how the navigation should work.
4. Finally, we arrive at the starting point for the actual design (the look and feel) of your site. Describe any ideas you have for your site’s design. Think about colors, images, and text, but also consider how video might fit into the mix and what elements would help your site be more socially interactive.

Overall, take the time to fully evaluate your current site and to carefully think through your new site’s architecture before beginning the design process. The end result will be a well-planned site that clearly communicates your message in a logical, useful format. Then turn your attention to its design to bring your content to life.

Part of our service offering is affordable business Web site design and hosting. The screen shots below show our most recent Web site makeover for our client, GrassWay Organics. This site is built on the WordPress blog platform and uses a customized premium theme. This is a combination public / membership site, meaning that several pages are only accessible through membership in their association.

Grassway Organics Before

Grassway Organics After

In the market for a Web site makeover? Contact us today for a free, no obligation Web site review.

Here’s another example of the design process … Web site design, this time. We’ve just rolled out a new Web site home page design for Sprue Brothers Model LLC. Sprue Brothers is an online hobby retailer for scale model builders. The “sprue” in the business name is significant. All plastic scale modelling parts arrive on a frame called a sprue. The store’s logo reflects this and now so does the Web site.

Before and after screenshots are below:

Before Website Redesign

New Home Page Design

My husband (and team member), Gerald, came up with the idea of sprue borders. Our graphic artist, Scott, took the concept and ran with it. I put it together as a working Web site. Despite a few technical glitches, this was a fun project that came together quickly. It’s also one that will continue to improve over time. Gordon, we hope your new landing page serves you well.

Have you looked at your Web site lately?

Is your Web site in need of a face lift? Believe it or not, most Web sites would benefit from a makeover every couple of years. It’s not only the look of a site that can become quickly dated, but also the technology running the site. If you’re doing your own Web site coding in Dreamweaver or FrontPage, and you’re not a code geek, your site is also likely accumulating excess bits of code … stuff that doesn’t really seem to cause any problems now, but give it time … it will.

So take a few minutes this week to review your Web site from the eyes of a first time visitor. Does it portray your business the way you’d like it to? If you’re using a blog rather than a static Web site, is your blog installation up-to-date? Do your links all work? And if you know what you’re doing, take a look under the hood and check your HTML coding. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, ask me.

Another Reason to Subscribe by Email to Inside Line

We’ll have a free gift for email subscribers to Inside Line this week. Mum’s the word … can’t tell you what it is until it’s ready to go, but I will say that it’s NOT some bonus offer for buying some guru’s Internet marketing course. In fact, it’s not even educational … just something to use and enjoy, and the only string attached is that you must be a current email subscriber to Inside Line. Are you an email subscriber yet?

When I was first contracted to create a logo design for Via-Cell, their idea was a genie, possibly emerging from a lamp, holding coffee, food, and other goodies that can be ordered “via” their “cell-” phone and web-based system. I went to work sketching what I hoped would become the next Chester Cheetah, Tony Tiger or Michelin Man.

Unfortunately, a lot of the logo design process consists of sketching out what DOESN’T work. In this case, the primary use of the Via-Cell mark would be tiny, used on app button-sized and even smaller icons, including bookmark icons and buttons within their own application.  We had to whittle away the details and – despite my Illustration-loving ways – to arrive at a simple, recognizable Icon that would still embody their brand: a Magic Lamp that brings your wishes with a touch. (Their marketing tag-line at the start was even, “Your Mobile Bazaar.”)

Their web site went online recently, and they hope to expand rapidly beyond their Woodside, CA neighborhood. The system utilizes no special software or dedicated equipment and works entirely through the internet.

A recent article in Website Magazine cautions e-commerce entrepreneurs: “Keep Your Graphic Designer on a Short Leash.” Ouch! It wasn’t a case of reigning in their renegade Artist, it was an experience we shared as we zeroed in on the brand and its end-use. Note that the Via-Cell Site is also designed to communicate the process at a glance, without reliance on text or even English-language proficiency). Point-of-sales pieces for merchant use are being developed with the same quick, visual message.

Stages Of Logo Development

Well, at least Via-Cell has plenty of  ideas ready at hand should they decide to develop a Mascot or “The Animated Series.”  K.I.S.S.: Keep It Simple, Scott!

If you’re interested in more articles like the one referenced above, consider signing up for your own copy at Website Magazine, and see what industry professionals are talking about.

You can make your own business cards. There. I said it. It CAN be done. They can be made using most programs already on your computer and they can be printed out using perforated card paper right from your printer for a very small amount of money.

In years past, the older perforated card stock looked perforated. You could see the little bumps along the side. The new micro-perf stuff is better, but the stock is too lightweight and results in a flimsy card, but worse than that, you can actually damage your printer using the heavier card stocks.  You want an eye-catching card that has a professional weight to it. The type of printing matters also. A home printed card on an inkjet printer will bleed if it comes in contact with moisture, a dead giveaway. Digital printing, on the other hand, offers good color options which allow a professional to really give it pizzazz!

Brand new baby businesses may print off a handful of cards in a pinch while they wait for the printer, it’s not the end of the world. People usually take this route to save money, but a small run of cards printed digitally at a print shop can be quite affordable. Most print shops let you download right from your computer and then they run them and cut them for you. All you do is pick them up!

Most people who design their own cards want to use clip art, but clip art straight out of the box shouts, “amateur!” While these methods are inexpensive, you never want to appear cheap.

What DOES It Mean To Design Business Cards?

Many things factor into a great business card, and design is definitely one of them. Your content is important, of course, but what does that card say about your ability to do what it is you do? Your card may be the first anyone’s heard of you.

7 Characteristics of Great Business Card Design

• Color selection
• Logo placement
• Contact placement
• Tag line
• What gets placed on the front of the card, and
• What gets placed on the back, if anything
• Overall message, overall appearance

Your logo placement is important to the design elements of your business cards. Our Graphic Designer, Scott Alberts, includes the price of business card design in his logo design rate because when he doesn’t, customers attempt to place his professionally designed logo onto a business card and the transfer is a very poor rendition of his ability. He would rather include business card design and preserve his excellent reputation! His cards are set up with the printer in mind, so many times “prep” or “plate charges” can be avoided.

Concerning contact placement and tag line, what you do has a lot to do with where you decide to place your information. Does your contact need to be the first thing seen? Or your message? Where exactly is that? If you don’t want to have that all thought out for you, try this little exercise:

Take a card out and role play, handing the card to a neighbor and mimic a real life situation.  Where do their eyes go first? Where do they linger? What information do they ask for that already exists on your card?

A professional design takes into consideration what goes on to the front of your business card, and what goes on the back. Your overall message and presentation should be short, sweet, and sticky. The right business card design is your handshake, and a reference to your business possibly for years to come. Check out our Small Business Accelerator Packages for package pricing that is affordable, and still very professional. Our logo and business card design packages begin with our Kick Starter Package and grow from there. Our a la carte options are listed on our services page, and you can learn more about Scott Alberts Illustration And Design on our Meet The Team page.  Call us today for your personal, professional design!

When it comes to traditional print media, you really have some great choices in business brochures. So much to choose from means flexibility and options, so you should take a little time now and again to refresh your memory.

Types of Business Brochures

Flyer Brochure: Usually a one sided, 8.5 x 11 inch brochure designed on the front for inexpensive rendering. These can be produced from sell sheets or direct mail letters that typically sell your idea or promotion strongly through copy, print design, or both. These can be set out in bulk for viewers to grab or they can be handed out, but if folded, sealed, and addressed can be part of your bulk mailing campaign. Smaller fliers are often inserts or hand outs with a dynamic message and contact information.

Two Panel Brochure: Available in sizes 8 x 9 to 11 x 17, these are simple, allow four pages of text and design, and can offer larger text space in the page area than three panel or accordion style brochures. Professional design consideration is a must. With so much space to cover in full glossy, and the expense involved in creating these well, it simply isn’t worth it to self-manufacture when you want professional results.

TriFold Brochure Z-Fold (accordion style): These have style and an interesting manner of information disbursement. Usually a hand out or insert, these are done on a heavier brochure paper and include all pertinent information, relying on short bursts of copy and images.

TriFold Barrel Style Brochure: These are similar to the Z-fold, but fold in thirds toward the center with the left side over the right. Traditional and convincing, these can be direct mailed, handed out, or stacked for bulk disbursement. Once again, deciding what goes where and how makes this a professional endeavor.

Four Panel Brochure: These are sized anywhere from 8.5 x 14 to 11 x 25.5. Larger and dynamic, these are no cheap date. Full glossy paper and professional design are a must to get this right.

Gate Fold: A gate fold is something you might see at an assisted living facility, or possibly a sales vehicle for an expensive exercise machine. Larger backside folds in from both sides to resembling a hug. These are printed vertically or horizontally, always heavy paper, always full glossy.

Remaining are the Double Parallel Fold, Parallel Map Fold, and the French Fold. All are larger and vary only in their viewing and folding sequence. These also require full glossy, heavy paper and professional scoring. After that expense, you wouldn’t want your beautiful brochures to come up flat due to poor copy or graphic design.

Make sure that everything leaving your company represents you in the best possible light. Sometimes you only get one opportunity to invite your customer into a conversational situation where you can influence the sale of your product or service. The right brochure with the right message and graphics can be the difference between that conversation happening, or not. Sales media should be carefully considered. If you have decided how you want to proceed or would like additional consultation about your professional brochure options, contact us today!

I love my job! I was commissioned to create 11 large-scale illustrations featuring Winged Monkeys for the Performing Arts Center’s “Wonderfully Wicked” Gala on Feb. 6, 2009. The Wizard of Oz-themed musical “Wicked” ran in Appleton, Wisconsin through Feb. 28th. Steve Quinn, the Tour’s Company Manager, actually asked to meet the Artist, and later offered this generous endorsement:

“Scott – After three years on the road of attending Wicked themed parties across the country, nothing quite caught my eye like your flying monkey pieces did at the Appleton gala of Wicked.  The images captured a nice playfulness about our show, and immediately struck my eye as being reminiscent of some of the characters Maurice Sendak created in “Where the Wild Things Are.”  Our entire company loved them!  Keep up the good work!” – Steve Quinn, Company Manager, Wicked Tour

While the displays were only up for the single-evening event, much like the Lion statues from 2007’s Lion King events, the Monkeys are being “adopted” by businesses and institutions around Appleton. Most of the pieces are 8 feet wide or larger, created at “normal” size (18-inches wide) and printed to canvas banners at Exhibit Resource of De Pere.

It was a privilege and a great opportunity to be included in the project along with some of the best artists in the area.

- Scott Alberts

This post was originally published on Scott Albert’s Freelance Artist blog with a follow-up post “Wicked” continued: The Two Glindas