Creative Juices, graphic design tips, creative news | Creative Juices Graphic Design Studio

Using a free website template is a BIG mistake.

Keep in mind that your website is often the first impression people will have of you and your business or service. This is what potential clients will look at to get a sense of what they can expect when doing business with you.

While it’s true you can set up your own website using one of these free templates, keep in mind that everyone has access to those templates. Hundreds of other people could be using that same template. Your brand is what sets you apart from all the other businesses. By using a template you are erasing your brand recognition. This is not a good thing to do. Especially when today’s businesses need all the help they can get to stand out and survive.

It is far more important to have a unique brand image (including your logo on your website) than to save a few dollars. And unless you are a competent graphic designer, go to an expert. This is the only way to get a strong brand image that you can be proud of.

Business Practices Marketing 101

17 Nov

When NOT to Give Credit to a Customer

If you’re a small business with a limited cash flow, it’s almost never a good idea to give credit to a customer. Even if you know them. Sure, you can take credit cards, but to extend credit… not so much. I’ve been in business almost 28 years and you’d think after being burned many times, I would have learned. Not all people are truthful.

That is why I always get a 50% deposit with the balance due COD. Well almost always.

Beware of the following excuses:

I left my check book at home. Is it okay if I take the job now and mail you a check?
I really need to have this (ad, brochure, website) now for a trade show, conference, big job.
I have lots of business and if you can give me a few days to pay you I’ll be giving you lots of work.
I work for a big company and they never pay COD. (That’s because they pay 60, 90, 120 days or never pay at all. In fact they’ll soon be bankrupt.)

If you feel the least bit iffy, check your potential customer’s credit. Or else you might end of up with three boxes of printing and two bad checks. Who me?

Business Practices

14 Nov

Beware of Fake Google Scams

If you have a Google AdWords account and receive the following email, watch out:

“Google AdWords News Bulletin

Dear advertiser!
We are once again monitoring quarterly account activation and deleting the accounts of users who have been inactive for more than four months and have no funds in their accounts
This measure is due to the fact that there have recently been more frequent cases of Google AdWords accounts being hacked and funds added from stolen credit cards

We hereby notify you that your account has been inactive for more than four months and is liable to be deleted according to our activation programme. In order to activate your account, you just have to log in using your registration data.”

There was more to this missive but this is enough to warn you.

My Google AdWords account is in perfect order yet I constantly receive these emails. Whoever is sending them is obviously out to get some information from me to use for purposes not in my best interest.

So if you do receive this notice, or any other similar notice from a bank or savings institution, do not click on the link. You may regret it.

Advertising Business Practices Marketing 101

13 Nov

Help, my bank is dying!

These are scary times. I went to make a deposit in my neighborhood bank, the same bank I’ve been going to for over 40 years, since I was a kid. And there was a long line. Well, relatively long. Okay, 5 people. What were these people doing? Closing their accounts.

Not everyone was closing their accounts, but about half, so said the teller. My money is insured and safe, he smiled. But still, when you do all your bill payments online and count on your bank to always be there, it’s a bit disconcerting to realize there’s a good chance your bank will be gone or bought out by the end of the year.

With big name stores closing all over the place, how do you keep your small business solvent? Simply by getting your name out there. Well, maybe not simply. But it doesn’t hurt to have a web presence. Make your business a destination people will want to go to. When you offer a product or service of value at a reasonable price with friendly, efficient service, you may just weather the recession storm.

Keep a positive attitude and smile to your customers. It couldn’t hurt.

Advertising Business Practices Marketing 101

13 Nov

Pets at the workplace – great idea! Mostly.

There was never any question that I would be bringing my Chihuahua puppy to work with me sixteen years ago. When I got her I knew there was no way I would ever leave her at home alone every day. It just wasn’t going to happen. Lucky for me I am self employed. Although Tasha is gone now I am planning on acquiring a new little Chihuahua to supervise me.

Studies show that co-workers tend to get along better and some even work longer hours when there are pets at the office. There’s no need to rush home and walk your dog when he/she is right there with you.

You also have a great excuse to exercise by walking your dog on your breaks and lunch hour.

A recent survey showed that nearly one in five companies allow pets at work. Those surveyed believed that having pets at the office reduces stress and causes happiness. That’s a win-win situation.

It’s best if your pet is people friendly. My little girl tended to be a bit overprotective. She liked to chase people as they were leaving. I guess she wanted to make sure they paid their bill and then left her along to nap. So make sure if you do bring your pet to work that they don’t bite your customers. That is never a good business practice and may lead to an unwanted lawsuit.

Business Practices

11 Nov

Beware of Yellow Page Solicitations

Have you been receiving phone calls from a telemarketing call center in India asking you to renew your yellow page ad? Watch out. I have been getting these calls consistently for weeks.

Chances are you do not have an ad in the book being solicited and if you’re not careful you will end up with a bill for $500 or more. If you have not advertised in any yellow page book, you know this is a bogus call. Run. Or just hang up after politely saying “I’m not interested.”

If you do have a yellow book ad, make sure you are speaking to your actual rep. It would be kind of rude to hang up on a genuine yellow pages ad rep.

Also be aware of those direct mail yellow envelopes asking you to renew your yellow book ads. Even though it says it is not a bill, some people may not realize that it’s a solicitation and send in the money to renew their ad.

When in doubt, check it out. With so many marketing scams out there, this is just another way to get your money. There might actually be a yellow page book, but probably not one people would actually use.

Advertising Marketing 101

07 Nov

Blogging for Business

If you’re reading this blog then you know that blogging is one of the most popular parts of Web 2.0. Using the format of blogging to help promote your business is a powerful way to reach new clients. The whole purpose of writing a blog is to constantly create new content. All search engines, such as Google, Yahoo and MSN, love blogs because they constantly look for new content. And if your content is optimized correctly, the search engines will find it. This is a great way for your blog to be listed high up in search results.

How does this relate to your business and it’s success? Just follow these simple steps:

Create content that people want to read. You want to be a useful resource, so make sure whatever you’re writing about is something people will learn from.
Include keywords, but make sure the copy is easy to read, short, to the point and useful.
Bulleted items and lists are very helpful and precise.
Make sure to include a link to your website. Don’t include too may links as search engines may interpret that as spam and reject your site.

If you do link to your website, it’s best to link to a specific “landing page” that covers the topic of your blog.

Blogging to promote business. Marketing 101 Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

06 Nov

Is Yellow Pages Advertising Dead?

Maybe not yet. But perhaps in the next 20 years. Have you noticed that there are fewer and fewer ads in the books? Do you ever look at a Yellow Page book? Do you have a stack of outdated books taking up space on your bookshelf?

If you are still advertising in the Yellow Pages, you want your ad to look better than your competition. Make your ad stand out with unique graphics and above all, outstanding copy.

If the Yellow Pages is the only place you are advertising, now is the time to discover the internet. Online advertising is the future as well as the present. And there are so many ways to get your business noticed.

Google Adwords
National Online Directories
Local Online Directories
Your own unique website.

It’s never too late to get your name out there. You can be sure your competition is. Can you really afford not to?

Advertising Marketing 101

28 Sep

Two virus protection programs are NOT better than one.

If you’re running Windows XP and want to protect your computer from those nasty viruses, it’s advisable to run a virus protection program. I have a MacBook and I’m running Windows XP in my Parallels desktop. I installed and subscribed to Kaspersky Internet Security. Then I decided to add the free version of AVG for even more security.

Over time I noticed my computer ran slower and slower, especially when using QuickBooks. Suddenly QuickBooks would no longer open. Online research told me nothing. QuickBooks wanted about $60 for help. I opted not to call them. Out of desperation I paid $30 to Parallels only to find out that this was a Windows problem. After an hour of trying many things we discovered that running more than one virus protection program at the same time was not a good idea.

Now I only run Kaspersky and my computer is zippy once again. Lesson learned.

Computer Tech Support

24 Feb