So what’s so special about vector-based graphic files? Simply put, they’re incredibly small, scalable and editable images. In absolute terms, a vector graphics file is your logo, broken down into a series of geometric shapes, consisting of outlines that are curved and joined at coordinates/points. These coordinates and shape outlines are stored as mathematical equations, creating small and portable file sizes that are infinitely editable.

Other file types like JPG, PNG, and GIF are pixel-based file formats and therefore can not be scaled. If you attempt to enlarge a pixel-based image, it will pixelate (the actual pixels that make up the image will become visible). In practical terms, this will lead to your logo appearing ‘blurry’, dirty or fuzzy.

Therefore, in order for a web or graphic designer to manipulate your logo into the correct size and quality on a project, it is necessary for you to give them a vector-based (typically and EPS) version of your logo.

If you are unaware of how to get a vector-based version, try contacting your logo designer or your printer as they should have these on file.

1) Website before Branding
Many companies feel like they aren’t “open for business” until their website is live. Therefore, they bypass the branding stage and put up a site that is not communicating their true marketing message. A website, like any other piece of marketing collateral, is just one part of your overall marketing strategy. It requires more than a logo to set up a site that is going to work for your new business. You’ll need to determine who your audience is and how this online audience differs from someone who is introduced to your company offline. You’ll also need a clear idea of what you want your audience to see, how you want them to feel, and most importantly, what you want them to do once they are on your site. Ask yourself, what is the measurement of success for your new site? It is fine to have a temporary homepage up while you take the time to carefully consider these items and organize your content and design elements accordingly.

2) Using a Graphic Designer rather than a Web Designer
This is an issue we see over and over again. Maybe it’s because our headquarters is located in Austin, a city thriving with creativity – where you can’t throw a color swatch without hitting a designer glued to a Macbook and a venti latte. We love that our town is full of so many creatives, but we urge small business to make sure that their designer knows the medium of the web. Designing a brochure, a business card, or a logo is much different than designing for an interactive marketing piece. The web has certain standards and rules and you can’t break these rules unless you know why they exist in the first place. An experienced web designer will be able to help you navigate the medium while communicating your message effectively.

3) Using outdated technology
Remember Flash? It used to be a staple of web design and development. Now it’s a staple of outdated websites. With Apple’s refusal to support Flash on mobile devices, the difficulty of on-the-fly content updates on Flash sites, and the new capabilities of HTML 5 and JQuery, the argument for using Flash has disappeared. Before beginning a web project, make sure you understand the trends. Don’t just seek inspiration from other sites in your industry. Take a look at some of the movers and shakers on the web and see what they are using. Your experienced web designer/developer can help give you some input.

4) Highlighting the wrong focal point
When designing a site, you need to know what it is that you want your users to do once they hit your home page and highlight that accordingly. Often, we’ll work with clients who tell us that the goal of their site is to evoke a certain feeling or action. We use graphics and callout to make this happen. Inevitably a client will say, “We like the design, but can you make our logo bigger?” or “This is great, but we want our tagline in the to take up the most often seen real estate”. These types of design changes will change the focus from the desired goal.

5) Hosting Ads for other sites
Your website is a prime marketing tool for your business’s products and services. Why would you put another company’s ad on your marketing materials? You wouldn’t advertise another company on your brochure, business card, or direct mailer would you? Sure, there is some revenue to be made from ads, but unless you are running a content-driven, highly trafficked site where ad revenue is your main source of revenue, then you should leave them off completely.

6) Ignoring the need for new content
There is a lot to do when starting a new business and creating new content for your site seems like an easy ball to drop. However, not creating updated content for your site diminishes the two best ways to market your site – SEO and Social Media. Without new content, neither of these can be adequately utilized and your traffic can become non-existent.

7) Not cultivating and online presence
These days, a website is only one piece of the puzzle. To really be engaged with your target audience you need to be present with them in other areas. Blogs, social media, and email marketing are crucial to not only bringing traffic to your site, but also in converting visitors to customers through engagement. Use the tools that work best with your business in order to interact with customers on your site and on other networks. For example, if you are a media company, it makes sense to create some videos to engage with your customers on YouTube. If you are a wedding planning company, use sites like Flickr to show photos of your events. Social media is a great way to interact with more customer and bring them to your site.

As reported by the Austin-American Statesman

Original Release | PDF Version

The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce today will debut an effort to highlight corporate philanthropy in Central Texas and to encourage more of it.

The initiative — called Austin Gives: Business Giving Back — is to be unveiled this morning by 2011 chamber board Chairman Bobby Jenkins and Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell.

The measure aims to encourage area companies of all sizes to pledge — via an online form at austingives.net — to give a portion of their pre-tax earnings to local nonprofit agencies.

Firms that agree to give at least 1 percent of pre-tax earnings will be honored at a “community celebration event,” where awards will be presented to businesses in three categories — small, midsize and large.

An annual volunteer impact award is also planned.

“Austin businesses have always been supportive of community-based organizations, and I’m pleased that this program will highlight business philanthropy in Austin,” Leffingwell said.

BuildASign.com is one of the inaugural Austin Gives participants.

“This is something a lot of companies want to do but don’t have the outlet,” CEO Dan Graham said.

Philanthropy has been a part of the culture at BuildASign.com since it opened for business in 2006, Graham said. Three of the company’s 180 employees focus solely on donated signage.

“I really see this snowballing,” he said. “It’s a great way to energize your team, help with recruiting and get your name out in the community.”

Other area companies that have already signed on, according to the chamber, include 3M, H-E-B, National Instruments, Southside Flying Pizza and the Steam Team.

The Austin American-Statesman is the campaign’s media partner in the initiative.

“The Austin business community really wants to contribute to the overall well-being of the community,” said Jenkins, CEO of ABC Home and Commercial Services, another one of the inaugural Austin Gives participants. “That’s how we do business in Central Texas — we give back.”

Austin Gives is modeled after the Minnesota Keystone Program, founded by the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce. A Central Texas delegation visited Minneapolis in 2010 to learn more about the 35-year-old campaign.

The Keystone Program recognizes businesses that give at least 2 percent of pre-tax earnings annually.

“It works very well for us, and it has become a great model for others,” said Minneapolis chamber spokeswoman Linda Sue Anderson. “We get calls all the time from all over the country. There are a lot of people who look to us.”

After the Minnesota trip, Austin Gives was born through collaboration between the chamber, Entrepreneurs Foundation, Austin Community Foundation, United Way Capital Area, Successful Giving and I Live Here, I Give Here.

“There’s a lot of need out there, and I know a lot of businesses will be willing to step up,” Jenkins said.

gdinges@statesman.com; 912-5987

Founding Austin Gives partners

• ABC Home and Commercial Services
• BuildASign.com
• Convio
• PayPal
• Ticket City
• Wells Fargo
• Workplace Resource
• Yellow Cab
• Austin Gives participants
• 3M
• ABC Home and Commercial Services
• Alt Creative
• BBVA Compass
• BuildASign.com
• DPR Construction
• eBay
• Farmers Insurance Group
• Flynn Construction
• GenerousArt.org
• Give As You Get
• Give Realty
• Harden Healthcare
• H-E-B
• Heldenfels Enterprises
• Heritage Title
• Hotels for Hope
• K Friese & Associates
• Maxwell Locke & Ritter LLP
• National Instruments
• Southside Flying Pizza
• Successful Giving
• Texas Gas Service
• The Steam Team
• Truluck’s
• Wells Fargo Bank
• Workplace Resource

It basically works like this: Visit http://join.me, click the share button to grab a copy of the software, run the software, and share the link. Your friends or coworkers visit the link and they’re instantly connected through their web browser into the sharing session. There they can chat with you, share your mouse (if you allow it), call into a free conference call number so you can all voice chat while watching the demonstration on the shared screen, and even share files with each other.

The software helps everyone get on the same page, when they’re not in the same room, instantly. Review documents and designs. Train staff. Demo products or just show off. join.me is a ridiculously simple screen sharing tool for meetings on the fly.

At Alt Creative, we use Join.me for collaborating with clients and contractors on design projects. We like it’s ease of use and the fact that it gives us the ability to visually present designs to clients.

Join.me has the following features:

• Screen sharing
• 250 viewers
• Share control
• Multi-monitor
• Chat
• File Sharing
• Apps for iPad/iPhone or Android

Join.me also has a pro version for $19/mo which has all the same features plus:

• Presenter swap
• Pro desktop app
• Personal link & background
• Meeting scheduler
• Meeting lock
• User management
• International conference lines

Stormtrooper

American Pop

Rainforest

LD Walt

A Short Directory of Businesses Giving Back

January, 2012

Original Article | PDF Version

Must Haves:
Must be in South or West Austin
Must have a conference room (either in the office or shared with other tenants)
Must have at least one lockable office with window
Must have either 1-2 add’l offices or a large room that can accommodate multiple desks.
Must look nice and professional (no nasty carpet, orange walls, etc)

Preferred but not a must:
Full service lease (not NNN)
Storage closet
Opportunity for Signage

Below are some great ideas on how to celebrate this time of year with clients, partners, and staff:

1. Send cards: Holiday cards are a great way to remind your clients about your business and services as well as acknowledge them for being a client. A card is a great way to say “thank you” for their business and their support throughout the year.

Tip: Celebrate the right holiday for your company. Some business owners shy away from acknowledging the holidays with a card for fear of offending those who do not celebrate the religious holidays. If that is the case for your business, consider celebrating one of the non-religious holidays such as Thanksgiving or the New Year. For example, consider sending a card at Thanksgiving to remind your clients how thankful you are for their business.

2. Give a Gift: A gift, like a card, can be a great method for acknowledging the client or partner and thanking them for their business and support. But it can also help you be remembered throughout the year, especially if it is something branded with your company name. For example, each year Alt Creative sends our clients a calendar magnet with the upcoming year’s calendar. It is something they can use all year, yet it reminds them of us whenever it’s used.

Gifts can also go along way to foster productivity and team culture within your organization. Sure, employees would rather have a bonus, but if that is not possible then gifts can show an employee exactly how much you care and appreciate them.

Tip: Be careful to give appropriate gifts when giving to clients and employees. For example, giving a bottle of wine to someone who abstains can work against you. Be thoughtful with your gifts so that it is accepted as a gesture of caring.

3. Throw a party. Throwing a party can not only be fun, but it’s a great way to connect face-to-face with clients and colleagues. An light-hearted and festive environment can help you learn more about the people you do business with. When a client feels like they know you and your team, it builds trust, credibility and a stronger connection. It is also a chance for you to learn more about your clients so you can better anticipate their successes and challenges.

Tip: Ditch the sales pitch. Let your event be a casual, fun way to connect with clients. A sales pitch is not a celebration. Keep the tone casual and fun in order to wrap up the season on a celebratory note.

These celebration ideas can really help your company network and cultivate relationships with those you work with year round. These relationships are crucial for business growth, but they are also the fun part of owning a business. Take a moment for yourself and those around to you reflect on the passing year and look forward to what is to come. A little effort with help you strengthen relationships and add some joy to the season!

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