Business - Page 9

Business / 8 Jul 2019

7 Ways to Create a Website on a Budget

A great website doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You can get a professional-looking design with a few pages – that’s enough to get started – with a small budget. Here’s how.

The good news is that you can create and design a website yourself using a tool such as an online site builder, or work with a professional while maximizing your budget. The key is to be realistic. A website is not free. Even if you do it yourself, you’ll need a domain, hosting, and other tools (many site builders have a monthly fee) depending on how you plan to create the website.

The best practice is to start with a little research, then set a budget. That way you know what you can afford and how to have conversations about planning the website design. Here’s how you do it!

PowerPoint Templates / 12 Jun 2019

How to Start and End a Presentation: 10 Unique Ideas

A good presentation leaves you wanting more. It engages your thirst for information. These presentations are a mix of killer content, striking visuals, a charismatic speaker and—crucially—a memorable start and end.

And with the right tools, almost anyone can give a great presentation. When every minute matters, how you start and end your presentation can have a huge impact on what people take away from the time you’re talking to them (and whether it makes a lasting impression!)

Today, we’re breaking from traditional visual design techniques to think about how to craft a dynamic presentation, with a memorable beginning and ending.

Business / 3 Jun 2019

Self-Care for Designers: Don’t Burn Out

In a world where work never seems to turn off, there’s a growing movement to prioritize self-care. It’s way too easy to neglect yourself when you have work and meetings and then all of the “life” things after work, from networking events to taking kids to soccer games.

The time to start practicing self-care is before you start to burn out. You’ll stay fresher and have greater mental capacity to tackle projects with creative spark.

But how do you do it? How (and where) can designers find time for self-care? We have a few ideas for you.

Business / 27 May 2019

10 Ways to Make Women More Welcome in Your Design Space

Take a look around. How many women work in your creative space? (If you are a freelancer, think about how many women are part of your referral network.) What does that ratio look like? The design industry is not known for equal numbers in the workplace.

A study late last year by Design Museum showed that only 1 in 5 designers in the UK are women. Another study by AIGA showed that women were just 36 percent of the “design leaders” to speak at the world’s biggest design conferences. (It was even tough to find stock images to represent women as designers for this article.)

These trends just aren’t acceptable. And change starts with you.

If you want to see more ideas, more creative concepts, and more diversity of design, everyone needs to be welcome in the same design space. It can be tough to be the only woman in the room (and it happens a lot).

Here are some ways you can make women more welcome in your design space.

Business / 1 Apr 2019

What Is a Company Profile? (And How to Write One)

Whether you’re creating content for an established business or a startup, a company profile should be part of your plan. In this post, we’ll discuss what a company profile is, and how to write one.

A company profile can be an effective way to highlight the business to customers or stakeholders. And you’ll quickly find that it is a vital part of business communication.

It’s a way to state what your business stands for, what your goals are, and where you place your focus. As well as featuring all the practical information that anyone might need to know about your company.

Business / 4 Feb 2019

7 Tips for Sending Better Email Newsletters

Email marketing is one of the top ways to communicate with an audience. You can inform users with stories and information, send discounts and coupons to encourage shopping, and help direct traffic back to your website.

But not every email newsletter is created equally. My inbox is just as full of poorly designed messages as ones that I’ll actually read. With so much inbox clutter, designing an email that will stand out—and is easy to read—increases your chances of success. (Open rates hover in the teens to 20 percent range for many industries, so you have to work hard.)

Starting with a well-designed email newsletter is the start. Here are seven tips for sending better emails, that more users (hopefully) will look forward to opening.

Business / 31 Oct 2018

How to Get Web Design Clients: 10 Ideas to Try Today

Who was it that said working as a freelance web designer was easy? While the work might not be a problem, the business of finding new web design clients is another issue. It can be tough to keep a steady number of clients coming through so that you stay busy and maintain the right income level.

It can be challenging for new and seasoned freelancers. (Everyone has experienced at least one dry spell.) So what can you do? We’re sharing ten tips for how you can get new web design clients. Today!

Business / 22 Oct 2018

How Much Does a Website Design Cost? (+ How to Think About Pricing)

It might be the most controversial question in the design business: how much does a website cost? I’ve had clients drop their jaws, balk and practically stomp their feet upon getting an estimate for website work. I’ve had other that couldn’t believe the deal they were getting. So what gives?

The price of a website design is a moving target and depends on a lot of factors. Here’s we’ll look at costs to think about if you are in the market for a new website design, and ways to think about pricing if you’ve been asked to quote a project.

Business / 20 Aug 2018

5 Tips for Making Better Video

Everywhere you look, there’s video. From social media sites to full-scale web projects, a video can be an integral part of today’s online user experience. We have five tips to help you make any web video better, and improve the quality of what you publish.

While some projects require the time commitment of a professional production, other uses are perfectly suitable for DIY. How can you create better video to use in web projects yourself, without a full crew or large investment?

Business / 23 Jul 2018

Graphic Design Internships: 5 Places to Begin Your Search

Most students know that the right internship can get them on a path to the right job after graduation. Internships provide valuable work experience that help you get an idea of what daily life as a graphic designer looks like—and what skills you need to be successful.

The main difference between an internship and a job is the temporary nature of an internship, which is limited to a specific time frame or a number of hours worked.

The challenge with internships is that not all of the “jobs” are posted in regular job search locations, although some companies do post internship listings on job search websites. So where do you begin your search for the perfect internship? You’re going to have to do some homework.

Instagram Templates / 18 Jun 2018

5 Tips to Use Instagram Creatively for Your Brand

It seems like every brand is on Instagram these days. So how do you create posts that generate engagement and help your images, video, and stories stand out from the pack?

The answer is to use your keen design eye. The same skills that you use as a designer—color balance, contrast, shape, and composition—can help you create Instagram posts that stand out. (It is a visual medium after all!)

Combine those skills with a little social media strategy and you’ll start building a loyal follower base in no time. Here are some tips to get you on the path to Instagram success.

Business / 14 May 2018

5 Signs You Need to Fire Your Client (And How to Do It)

Nothing can make your life miserable like a bad client. From scope-creep to those that never pay on time, sometimes you just have to let a client go. It’s a tough decision and you don’t want to burn any bridges, but often it’s best to dissolve the relationship and move on.

When do you know it is time? Today, we’ll look at five situations when it’s time to fire a client with some ideas on how to do it tactfully.