Finding Inspiration for New Web Project

One of the first questions I ask of a new client when we begin a web project is to send me links to websites they love.  I like to get an idea of what they are looking for for their new site and nothing’s better than seeing what others have done to light that inspiration fire!

My video blog goes into detail about design resource websites and why I encourage clients to look at them.  My favorite design website is cssbeauty.com.  It is a mecca of site that are both good looking and made well.  Check out the “Top 50: Resource for Design Inspiration” for a link to several of the industry’s leading inspiration sites.

Website Updates During Emergencies

If the smell of oil alone is any indicator, the Mississippi Gulf Coast may soon be home to millions of gallons of unwelcome oil showing up on waves from the Gulf of Mexico.  I don’t feel the need to educate anyone on the up-to-the-minute happenings of the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  All that matters at this point is that the potential for this accident to become a major catastrophe is high and the affects of the oil slick would affect us all on the Gulf Coast – our environment and our way of life.

Much like Hurricane Katrina not even 5 years ago, the oil slick is wide-reaching and is the type of event that engulfs people’s lives.  Having already experienced life before and during Katrina, I understand exactly what a major disaster does to a region in shock.  Having opened a web business nearly a year after the storm, I also know how such events can trigger woulda, coulda, shoulda regrets once the shock wears off and the rebuilding starts.

One of those regrets I have heard often in this line of work is that of updating one’s website.  I can’t tell you how many businesses and organizations told me how they regret not taking the time to maintain their websites during and after the hurricane to let people know what they were doing and how others could help.  These people always say that they missed out on a great opportunity to both raise awareness and money for their causes by not considering communication as a priority in the aftermath of such a major event.

So, here we are again, facing a slow-moving hurricane that may or may not hit us.  Chances are, this oil spill has or will affect your business or organization in some way if you are located on or near the Gulf Coast.  Chances are high too that you and your business are doing what you can to protect our area and will do your fair share to help clean up if it’s needed.  So, tell others about it!

If you helped put out booms or are learning how to handle the toxic oil for the potential clean up, post that on your website.  If your business or organization is directly impacted by the Gulf, let people know this and what they can do to help you.  Take pictures, write stories, and get the information out.

I realize the reason most businesses or organizations fail to do these things is because they are focusing their attention on the crisis at hand.  They don’t have the time or energy to worry about web updates and can’t afford to put one of their team members on it.  But now-a-days, people expect to get up-to-date information from your websites and times of emergency are definitely no exception.  Believe me, you won’t come across as being “too busy” to make updates.  You’ll come across as being out-of-touch and irrelevant.  So, updating is actually something you can’t afford NOT to do.

Email me if you have any questions about updating your content or re-designing your website to account for any changes the potential catastrophe could have on your business or organization.  I am always happy to help.

Techno-Savvy People: A New Client Base

The times they are a changin’…. in just a few short years I have witnessed a steady change in the types of people who contact Jaimee Designs for web design and development.  Once upon a time, my client base was made up of people with very little working knowledge of the standard web building language – HTML.  And now, just a short 4 years later, the bulk of my client have some experience publishing on the web.

I’m sure there’s a logical reason for this.  Maybe it’s the saturation of computers in the home?  Maybe it is the surge of social media that has made not just surfing the web, but adding to it a daily occurrence for a majority of the population.  Or maybe it’s the fact that the kids of my generation are now part of the working class adults.  Whatever it is, the result is obvious and as a web developer, I’m having to adjust my scope and services accordingly.

Most web designers cringe at the thought of their skill being something “everyone” can do.  They somehow feel it’s signaling the demise of the industry.  I don’t, however, because I see how this new basic knowledge is fueling even more needs for people with professional web building skills. And here’s why:

More Techno-Savvy Clients Increase the Need for Even More Technology

The put it simply, when you have a basic understanding of what can be done, you’ll find ways to need even more.  It’s always my web-building clients who contact me with more advanced ideas.  They are the ones who say, “I saw this on another website and want you to do it on mine.”

Just Because They Can Doesn’t Mean They Want To or Have Time To

I can change a flat tire, but I’d rather someone else do it.  And that’s the same way others feel about building a website.  Some people do enjoy taking control of things to save money, but by in the large, the bulk of my “can-do” client don’t WANT to do it.  They already have a job that they are good at and would rather hire someone who does design on a daily basis to give their website a professional look.

Web Design isn’t Just About Know-How; It’s About Talent and Skills

Much like a professional hairdresser or photographer, a good web designer is talented.  Not only do they know how to make a website work, they also know how to make it work well and look good.  So even if my sister knows how to cut my hair, I’d much rather keep my hairdresser’s planner filled up because she doesn’t just cut my hair, she makes me look stylish!  And as more and more businesses and organizations have websites, that professional look is what separates the good businesses from their amateur competition.

So, bring on the techno-savvy clientele.  I know you are out there and I welcome you to contact Jaimee Designs for your web connection needs.  Like me, you have grown up with the web and aren’t scared of it.  Instead you embrace progress and that continues to increase my job security!

Social Media Saves the Day for Boring Websites

So tonight I was doing a little bit of what I call “pre-shopping” shopping where I scope out what’s new at all of my favorite stores ONLINE the day before I go shopping so I already know what I’m interesting in seeing when i hit the stores the next day.  (Yeah, it’s a little shopping secret I picked up when time began to be a precious commodity.) And today’s pre-shopping led me to the Marshall’s website.

Now, for all of you shopaholics out there this won’t come as a surprise, but Marshall’s doesn’t actually post it’s clothing online because, like other overstock-type stores, inventory is dependent on boutique and department store mess-ups.  Knowing this ahead of time, I was visiting the site only to check store locations when the company’s new savvy online marketing campaign hit me square in the heart.

Instead of marketing products directly like most retailers, Marshall’s is now using their web site to market the Marshall’s shopping experience.  Clever, I thought, since their former website was nothing more than a  store directory.  So instead of staying on their website for 30 seconds to get the map for the D’Iberville store location, I actually poked around a bit longer, viewed a few “shopportunity” comments like “I just scored 1000 thread count sheets” and “Another Fabulous Michael Kors find” and thought about how social media has saved the day for a company that wouldn’t have otherwise had much of a web presence.

My favorite little tool is the twitter “tweet” box at the bottom on the right hand side of the screen.  Twitter boxes aren’t new (I’ve had one on my website for almost a year now), but the way the designer has it displayed permanently at the bottom no matter the size of the user’s monitor is what caught my eye.  It’s static-ness makes it almost impossible to miss and like your browser tool bar, it follows you no matter where you go on the web page and changes with each new tweet giving the user the unconscious feeling that they are part of some alive social network of equally excited shoppers!

Ok, so maybe that’s a little too much analyzing of a twitter tweet box, but I can’t help my utter fascination for new ways of displaying content online.  If you didn’t know this already, I love web design.  I’m passionate about layouts, placement, colors, lines, and font.  And through the inspiration of others….  Jaimee Designs continues to grow.

So stay tuned.  I just may turn my next brochure website with zero “stickiness” into a social media haven complete with it’s own stationary tweet box in the corner!

Am I inspiring you?  If you have a favorite website, tell me about it.  I love to get new ideas.

Save the Earth; Embrace the PDF – Cyber Storage

Ok, day three of my “Save the Earth; Embrace the PDF” series.  And today I want to share with you a little bit of knowledge about keeping records using the fantastic portable document format.

So far we’ve learned how to save files as PDFs and I’ve given you some ideas of what to send out as pdfs to save paper.  Now I’m going to impress upon you the need to keep records as pdfs instead of always printing out “hard copies” for your files.

Like most of you, I have a LOT of file folders in my office with information in them ranging from projects to purchases.  And while it’s good to know that if I ever NEED that information, it’s here in my space.  They sure do take up a lot of space in the mean time.

As much as we like to have our records with us, they are just that… RECORDS.  They are piece of past information.  And I’ve learned that if I’m not currently working on that project or with that client, it’s probably best to bundle it up the files, scan them in, and send them out.  Let them junk up someone else’s office.

Want to save space and resources?  Here’s what you do:

• BUNDLE – Gather up all of your old paper, documents and sketches and separate them into easily recalled bundles. You can categorize by client, project, month, type of document – or whatever works for you and your business.  Include with it files from past emails or online receipts.
• SCAN – Take time to scan in all of the data and save as pdfs.  If you have receipts, scan them in together.  And save all like files together in corresponding folders.

And I know what you are thinking.  I don’t want to chance my records to a computer that could crash or get stolen anytime. Not to worry.  I don’t want you to weigh your computer down with past records and your head down with worry.

• SEND – Upload your folders to a cyberspace storage unit.  Yes, the internet has these.  You pay roughly $50/yr to have an account (some accounts are even FREE) and upload however much stuff you want to this secure site.  You can access the data whenever you need it, which If you’re like me, is probably never.  My video blog is using the site box.net for an example.  Check out this article full of lots of storage site information.

Now.  I know this takes a lot of work to do, but I promise it’s worth the time and effort.  You can clear out some of your old file cabinets and get your space back!  Put a tree is that corner instead of that rusty old piece of metal.

The great thing about using the pdf and cyber storage to free up space around the office is that once you do it, you’ll find yourself printing less and saving files as pdfs to begin with… more. You’ll find yourself uploading information to your cyber unit daily… which will mean less paper waste and more office space for many years to come!

Follow the “Save the Earth; Embrace the PDF” series:

• Part 1 – How to Save File as PDF
• Part 2 – Finding Uses for the PDF
• Part 3 – Cyber Storage