Thursday, November 3, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Oscar Bones - An Indie Film
I received this via email from a friend. I was the viewer on facebook number 101.
It is a very creative and well written piece. Keep up the good work TLTusher. Oscar Bones was definitely worth the watch.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Stand & Deliver - The Imagination Corporation.
From time to time, I run across articles about companies that I just have to know more about. I found a company who won an award from a Sign Company Magazine. So I googled the company and I have fallen in love....and must introduce everyone to Dan Sawatzky from Canada, and his company The Imagination Corporation. What a fantastic company...and full of imagination. No wonder they are award winners. They are awesome. Way to Go Dan...Makes me want to visit Canada...LOL.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Gone Fishin'-Client Success Story
I was able to design a website for a local, and not so local client last year. Duane and Mona Chari Doty, these kids are awesome fishing guides in both Branson, Missouri and Alaska. And they walk the talk, I will be the first to attest to that. They are both hard core fishermen. Check out their website at www.ozarktroutrunners.com. And they have a brand new pod cast that just came out on Live2FlyFish Radio...if you are a fishing fan, you don't want to miss this. www.liv2flyfish.com/id24.htm
So, if you need a little vacation and want a great guide service...think www.ozarktroutrunners.com And congratulations guys on the podcast score...you deserve it.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Big Business in Smaller Packages
This week I was reading an article in Tarket Marketing Magazine called 'When Small Is Big' written by Ralph Drybrough & Dan Harding. They give references to "four imperatives for smart marketing to small and medium business". From the title, I was expecing an article promoting small business. Much to my dismay, I soon discovered a point that I took issue with. They stated that while 75% of the Small to Medium Business segment is in the micro business category of the SMB universe, they "sometimes advise (their) clients to avoid marketing to micro businesses altogether". What? Is that really what they meant? Yes, it is. The reasons given by Drybrough and Harding is that '(micro businesses) are low lifetime value prospects because their appetites for products and services are small and their life expectancies are short." Okay, now 'them are fightin' words boys'...
As a micro business owner (1-4 employees by article definition), it is true that I am always looking for ways to grow my business without breaking my budget. I am very particular with my purchases. But, not marketing to me (and others like me) is a huge mistake. while we may be small, I will tell you I have been in business over 5 years...and am completely business debt free. While others have closed their doors during the economic hardships. I was able to make my business model work. I am in complete control of my business, and my spending. I buy products, I have dreams, and with customers willing, I expect to be around another 5 or more.
And 'the boys' aren't going to market to me. How nuts is that! But I see it all of the time, in our local Chamber of Commerce...it costs me exactly the same to join the Chamber, as it does for Wal-Mart to join. How is that right? How many more businesses could they serve in the community if their fees and marketing schedules were pro-rated for size of companies? Doesn't it somehow make sense that rather than have no marketing to micro business, that they should tailor their marketing to the largest percentage of the SMB market. Wouldn't everyone win!
In the national market place, I have an account at a national bank...a large national bank. But when I asked them about an E-commerce option for my business. You would have thought I was talking to chimps. They had no idea what their online market was, let alone how to make their product work for their cusotmers. I'm sure some high executives are sitting around the Big Bank kingdom saying...'that Paypal thing just isn't going to catch on'.
Within the article they s
traight up say that most successful SMB marketers use 3 proactive channels to market to their prospects. By using a 60/20/20 split, they see a successful sampling of their marketing ROI. One thing that they did fail to mention in the article was that by marketing to the micro business owner, they have a huge chance of actually reaching the decision maker the first time around either by direct mail, telemarketing, or email. I think that is a potentially very successful strategic marketing plan. So, perhaps the little guy can make a difference afterall.
The traditional business model is changing and I think that if you are going to succeed where others fail, you are going to have to change with it. Marketing is marketing regardless of the size of the company. And it might just be time to figure out a new strategy for marketing to the largest segment of the SMB universe. We may not be large...but we are certainly IN CHARGE!
As a micro business owner (1-4 employees by article definition), it is true that I am always looking for ways to grow my business without breaking my budget. I am very particular with my purchases. But, not marketing to me (and others like me) is a huge mistake. while we may be small, I will tell you I have been in business over 5 years...and am completely business debt free. While others have closed their doors during the economic hardships. I was able to make my business model work. I am in complete control of my business, and my spending. I buy products, I have dreams, and with customers willing, I expect to be around another 5 or more.
And 'the boys' aren't going to market to me. How nuts is that! But I see it all of the time, in our local Chamber of Commerce...it costs me exactly the same to join the Chamber, as it does for Wal-Mart to join. How is that right? How many more businesses could they serve in the community if their fees and marketing schedules were pro-rated for size of companies? Doesn't it somehow make sense that rather than have no marketing to micro business, that they should tailor their marketing to the largest percentage of the SMB market. Wouldn't everyone win!
In the national market place, I have an account at a national bank...a large national bank. But when I asked them about an E-commerce option for my business. You would have thought I was talking to chimps. They had no idea what their online market was, let alone how to make their product work for their cusotmers. I'm sure some high executives are sitting around the Big Bank kingdom saying...'that Paypal thing just isn't going to catch on'.
Within the article they s
traight up say that most successful SMB marketers use 3 proactive channels to market to their prospects. By using a 60/20/20 split, they see a successful sampling of their marketing ROI. One thing that they did fail to mention in the article was that by marketing to the micro business owner, they have a huge chance of actually reaching the decision maker the first time around either by direct mail, telemarketing, or email. I think that is a potentially very successful strategic marketing plan. So, perhaps the little guy can make a difference afterall.The traditional business model is changing and I think that if you are going to succeed where others fail, you are going to have to change with it. Marketing is marketing regardless of the size of the company. And it might just be time to figure out a new strategy for marketing to the largest segment of the SMB universe. We may not be large...but we are certainly IN CHARGE!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The EPS Error Message...No More!
From time to time I have clients provide me with an Encapsulated Post Script file (.eps) of their logo usually. This is a vector based file which allows their logo to be scalable to whatever size we need it to be without loosing clarity of the image. It is truly a beautiful thing, however, the newer Adobe Illustrator opts to save the .eps file in such a way that if you try to open the file with an older version of Illustrator you get the estranged error message "Can't Open the illustration. The file was generated by a newer version of Illustrator and can not be opened. Please resave it in a format compatible with your version of Illustrator." Now, is it just me, or does that completely make no sense. If I could 'resave' it...wouldn't that mean that I could open it in the first place?
Up until today, I have always had to waste time back tracking the logo to see if either...one, the client could resave it for me...(how embarrassing) or two, remember what networking design buddies I know who have newer versions of Illustrator. That, my friend, was until today...today I drew the proverbial line in the sand, and the EPS error message stops here and now.
Through some research, and trial and error I have discovered the 'way round' the EPS nightmare. It is relatively simple. It does require a professional version of Acrobat, but it doesn't need to be the most current. (Mine is 6.0.2). Open Acrobat under the Advanced tab you will find Acrobat Distiller. Open Distiller, and then open the misbehaving .eps file...select the high resoultion pdf option. Distiller will save the file in the same folder as the original with a .pdf extension. You will then be able to open the file in Illustrator. Eureka! We have discovered the undiscovered country...okay, well probably not. But it is a wonderful little trick that might just save you some time and aggravation. And we could all use a little of that in our lives I am sure.
Up until today, I have always had to waste time back tracking the logo to see if either...one, the client could resave it for me...(how embarrassing) or two, remember what networking design buddies I know who have newer versions of Illustrator. That, my friend, was until today...today I drew the proverbial line in the sand, and the EPS error message stops here and now.
Through some research, and trial and error I have discovered the 'way round' the EPS nightmare. It is relatively simple. It does require a professional version of Acrobat, but it doesn't need to be the most current. (Mine is 6.0.2). Open Acrobat under the Advanced tab you will find Acrobat Distiller. Open Distiller, and then open the misbehaving .eps file...select the high resoultion pdf option. Distiller will save the file in the same folder as the original with a .pdf extension. You will then be able to open the file in Illustrator. Eureka! We have discovered the undiscovered country...okay, well probably not. But it is a wonderful little trick that might just save you some time and aggravation. And we could all use a little of that in our lives I am sure.
Monday, February 15, 2010
What is a PNG? and what can it do for you?
Occasionally you will run across a Portable Network Graphic (or .png) file. Which by definition, according to Wiki, it is a bitmapped image format that employs lossless data compression. For those of us who don't speak geek, this simply means that the image won't lose it's clarity when you attempt to make the file size smaller. The image will maintain its integrity.
The .png file is a web based file extension that was designed to replace the .gif file extension. I'm sure there are very extensive explanations as to why and wherefore the .png is the best thing since sliced bread. I use the .png extension if I am saving an image that either I need to have a transparent background on the web, or if I need a smaller filesize than the .jpg extension allows me, also in web applications. That in a nutshell is what it does for me. And as a side note, I rarely even look at a .gif unless I am planning an animation of some sort.
The .png file does come with some warnings. Very much like it's older cousin the .gif file, the .png file doesn't like to play well with others. I learned a while back that while trying to move layers from one file to another, that if you try to drag a .png file layer into a .psd or a .jpg file, it has a fit. The .png file layer appears to be locked, thus unallowing you to move the layer over. It does have a simple fix however, just select all (Mac Apple A - PC control A) then copy and paste it into the new document layer. Presto, you will have overcome the bad attitude of the .png file.
The .png file is a web based file extension that was designed to replace the .gif file extension. I'm sure there are very extensive explanations as to why and wherefore the .png is the best thing since sliced bread. I use the .png extension if I am saving an image that either I need to have a transparent background on the web, or if I need a smaller filesize than the .jpg extension allows me, also in web applications. That in a nutshell is what it does for me. And as a side note, I rarely even look at a .gif unless I am planning an animation of some sort.
The .png file does come with some warnings. Very much like it's older cousin the .gif file, the .png file doesn't like to play well with others. I learned a while back that while trying to move layers from one file to another, that if you try to drag a .png file layer into a .psd or a .jpg file, it has a fit. The .png file layer appears to be locked, thus unallowing you to move the layer over. It does have a simple fix however, just select all (Mac Apple A - PC control A) then copy and paste it into the new document layer. Presto, you will have overcome the bad attitude of the .png file.
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