Stories - Design Design Communications

Choosing the Right Fonts for Your Website

2009-06-03T10:53:00.010-05:00

Common and Equivalent Fonts to all Versions of Windows and Macs

Here’s the list with the standard set of fonts common to all versions of Windows and their Mac substitutes, often referred to as "browser safe fonts".

Maybe you are thinking, “Why are we limited to these fonts?" It's because Web browsers can use only the fonts installed on the computer of the person viewing your site. Everyone who visits your web site needs to have all the same fonts you use installed in their computers or the site will not look right. The following list includes the fonts that most everyone has installed on their computer. Click on the link below to see the full list.

Sans-Serif Fonts

Arial

Arial Black

Helvetica

Gadget

Impact

Lucida Sans Unicode

Lucida Grande

Tahoma

Geneva

Trebuchet MS

Verdana

Geneva

Serif Fonts

Georgia

Palatino Linotype

Times New Roman

Times

Monospace Fonts

Courier New

Lucida Console

Other Safe Fonts

There are numerous other fonts that work well in most but not all situations but if you stick to the above fonts, you will not go wrong. The above fonts work equally well in normal weight and bold.

How Do I Accept Credit Cards on my Web Site?

2009-05-26T17:45:00.003-05:00

There are 3 basic steps necessary to set it up:

1. Establish a credit card merchant account with your bank.

2. Create a method by which to collect orders and credit card information using a shopping cart application on your Website.

3. Set-up a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Encryption on your server to provide your customers a secure method to transmit their credit card and ordering information.

What is a credit card merchant account?

A credit card merchant account allows your business to accept credit cards for payment of goods and services. A customer provides his or her credit card number when you make a sale. You submit the credit card number, expiration date and amount of the sale to your merchant account provider (typically a bank). Within 3-5 days the funds are electronically deposited into your business bank account.

How do I obtain a credit card merchant account?

Most banks and financial institutions offer merchant account services. Check with your current bank and ask for an application. There are also companies that specialize in providing merchant account services in addition to the lease and sale of credit card terminals, processing software, etc. These companies are listed in abundance in the phone book or via a search on the web for "merchant account providers". One such provider is Card Services International at http://www.cardservice.com. Fees can vary greatly amongst merchant account providers, so you will want to do some comparison shopping before choosing a merchant account provider.

What is 'real-time' credit card processing?

Real-time credit card processing allows your web order pages to immediately submit your customer's credit card information via the Internet to your merchant account bank for authorization. Real-time authorization is useful if you anticipate a large volume of online transactions or wish to provide your customer with immediate access to your product or service. Example: Selling a piece of software that a customer can download immediately after their credit card has been authorized in 'Real time'. Real-time credit card processing functionality can involve additional costs beyond standard processing which include: additional service fees from your merchant account provider bank, additional software requirements for real-time processing, customized ordering pages created for your web site and/or web server payment gateway software configuration and setup. Some careful research and planning is recommended before launching a Real-time payment system on your web site to determine the total costs and your expected return on investment.

How do I collect orders on my web site?

The most common methods are using a simple online order form, or a shopping cart system with an order form. Once your customer completes your online order form the order can be delivered to you via email, saved to a text file or saved to a database file on your web site for you to retrieve. Upon receipt of your customer's order you can submit their credit card and payment information to your merchant account provider and deliver your product or service.

Marketing Tip: Use Email Marketing to Collect Feedback

2009-05-18T10:00:00.006-05:00

Email marketing is an excellent way to get feedback from your customers, especially in a volatile economy.

Try incorporating a simple, one- or two-question survey into every email campaign you send out. People love responding to surveys. By getting ongoing information from your customers, you will have your finger on the pulse of their needs and be able to quickly respond to changing needs in these tough economic times.

To drive up your results you might offer a reward for responding, such as a coupon or discount on future purchases.

Email Campaign Subject Lines Critical

2009-03-19T13:02:00.009-05:00

The first few words can make or break the effectiveness.

The subject line is the most critical aspect of your message. Email recipients decide whether to open the email based on those few words. One study showed that 35 percent of email users open messages solely based on the subject line. Usually it takes three seconds or less to make this decision. If your subject line isn't compelling enough, your message could end up unread or in the trash folder.

With that in mind, here are a few tips to consider when considering your subject line.

Initiate. Much like a "Step 1". At some point they will be introduced to your business. Show them something or tell them something nice, sharp, clean, clear, impressive. So they say "Wow", that's nice". You need a good business name, great logo (or now, we refer to as brand, which is a bigger universe than a logo "bug"). You should also have a concise statement prepared for what you are offering. Hand them your nice business card and say, "I design advertising and marketing materials with a strong brand consistency through various delivery methods, such as Websites, print, and tradeshow materials. Okay, that's what I do. Maybe you deliver baked goods throughout the Chicago metro area in temperature controlled trucks.

Advertise. Also called marketing. You can run ads in publications or on Websites, called banners which link back to your Website. While we're here, let's talk about your Website.

Website. Have a designer with marketing abilities and experience design your site. Don't worry with the millions of things a Website can do yet. In the beginning, make sure your spiffy brand (logo; message; colors) are presented cleanly and professionally. And many small businesses want to save money and write their own copy (or content, as we call it), which is fine, but if this causes your site to be light on copy, your site will be more difficult for search engines to find. That's another topic of discussion so I'll stop there. Now, you should also establish a budget to "buy" sponsored links to direct people to your site. Most commonly used is Google Adwords. Also, for this article, too complicated to fully explain here, but important.

Electronic emails. Before you even think about that, think mailing list. Start compiling, exporting, importing, grabbing as many email addresses of customers, clients, friends, business associates and prepare them to be the starting point for your email marketing campaign. You'll need an online subscription to something like Constant Contact or Emma to make this work. I'll stop here, but get your emails together then call me. I'll explain the rest of the steps.

Print materials. Also called collateral. Most businesses except very strict online stores, need some. Meet someone, leave them something. Mail out something, especially if your business is regional. Make people call you, go to your Website, send you emails. So, brochures, price lists, direct mail, pocket folders, estimate sheets. And as always, clean, consistent with brand, well-designed extension of all your other pieces.

Electronic Presentation. You will need and should have a professional, clean, clear PowerPoint presentation on a laptop. You will need it and you will use it. And resist the temptation to design the template yourself. Some of the absolute worse presentations business I have ever seen are done by people who think PowerPoint is a design tool they can use. You can modify and add; revise; update; but don't try to design it yourself.

Tradeshows. Whether you exhibit or attend, very important. Find clients, research other similar businesses, see what's out there. And if you exhibit, have a nice, well designed exhibit booth at the ready. Each show, prepare well in advance what specific graphics and support materials you'll need. Each show usually is directed to a specific market, so even though you may sell to various markets, prepare to address the target audience at the show with marketing pieces and graphics specifically for them. And don't forget the pre-show buzz you'll need to create. Send out a save-the-date email blast, postcards, industry specific ads with your booth number. If you've spent all the money on the space, the travel, your time - - make sure you maximize your return.

Public relations. Whether you do it or someone you hire does it. Get the word out through business-to-business publications, newspapers, online social clubs like Facebook, or online business sites like LinkedIn.

I promised simple, so I'll stop there and close with a list of additional things to consider, depending on your business: Signage, merchandising, catalogs, displays, packaging, point-of-purchase, streaming video (Website); market research.

Now, I'll sit back and wait for marketing consultants and professionals to tell me I'm just a creative guy and over-simplified and omitted much, but I promised uncomplicated simplicity.

Small Business Branding and Marketing Basics

2009-01-09T09:32:00.001-06:00

I will attempt to present the basic steps of this subject as simply as I can. For the sake of uncomplicated simplicity, I will presume you have a product or service people want to pay you money to provide something in return. I will refer to these people as "they".

Advertise. Also called marketing. You can run ads in publications or on Websites, called banners which link back to your Website. While we're here, let's talk about your Website.

Now, I'll sit back and wait for marketing consultants and professionals to tell me I'm just a creative guy and over-simplified and omitted much, but I promised uncomplicated simplicity.

Registering a Trademark: The Basics

2008-12-29T10:00:00.005-06:00

Clients ask about this all the time. Here’s the basic approach:

The first step is to make sure the mark you wish to register is not already registered. You may conduct a search online for free via the TESS (Trademark Electronic Search System definition) database. If your mark includes a design element, you will need to search it by using a design code after consulting the online Design Search Code Manual.

Once you have determined that the chosen trademark is not already taken, you will need to draft a description of goods and/or services with which the mark is used or will be used.

Another consideration is the depiction of your mark. Every application must include a clear representation of the mark definition you want to register. There are two possible mark formats: (1) standard character format definition; or (2) stylized definition or design format. The standard character format should be used to register word(s), letter(s), number(s) or any combination thereof, without claim to any particular font style, size, or color, and absent any design element. Registration of a mark in the standard character format will provide broad rights, namely use in any manner of presentation. The stylized or design format, on the other hand, is appropriate if you wish to register a mark with a design element or word(s) or letter(s) having a particular stylized appearance that you wish to protect. The two types of mark formats cannot be mixed in one mark; do not submit a representation of a mark that attempts to combine a standard character format and a stylized or design format.

Filing a Trademark Application

You may file your trademark application online using TEAS e Biz - the Trademark Electronic Application System. TEAS allows you to fill out an application form and check it for completeness, and then submit the application directly to the USPTO over the internet. You can pay by credit card, through an existing USPTO deposit account, or via electronic funds transfer.

You may also contact the Trademark Assistance Center at 1-800-786-9199 for a hard copy of the Basic Facts brochure, or a paper form. Paper forms are not processed as quickly as those submitted electronically, however.

And before you do all this, call Design Design to make sure your registering a good mark!

You can register your trademark online at http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm

What is D2 Bank?

2008-12-22T11:22:00.001-06:00

It started as a trickle. A small consulting project through a business party we work with with for Chase Bank. Then, the call came in that we were being considered for an ATM surround (the branded fixture that surrounds the machine itself) for LaSalle Bank. The major factor in determining the best firm available to handle this type of project came down to our ability to steadfastly insist on brand consistency throughout the design, fabrication, manufacturing and installation process. We created pages upon pages of design and manufacturing standards after the initial design renderings were submitted and approved. The project was not limited to new ATM surrounds, towers, toppers and drive-up kiosks. In involved an estimated 100 sites that needed retrofit environmental and physically manufactured design elements. And, it was in both the Chicago and Michigan markets. The standardization of branded elements led to our involvement in supervising the design and manufacturing of signage also. That was also a huge project spread out over a couple of years. The scope of the signage design responsibility included wall, monument, pedestal, wayfinding, directional, ATM, windows and doors. The banking industry is full of signs.

So, all of that work led to merchandising, print, POP, product promotions, and a number of projects that were submitted, some approved, of creative initiatives that lacked easily definable categories.

This client led to other clients which led to banks buying other banks, creating more work and as we further developed our knowledge of the financial industry, its clients, products, environment and culture. Which led me to think the expertise we gained went far beyond a passing knowledge of bank branding and marketing. And although we worked for a number of years for larger banking institutions, the talents we applied and lessons we learned were not only transferable to smaller banks, but essential. The banking industry products and services are rather similar to the bulk of the banking customers. Convenience and trust are often the deciding factors in both choosing a bank, say for your checking account needs, and further investing in additional banking services such as loans and investments. Trust = quality brand.

What's the next step if this is your industry? Visit http://www.d2bank.com and read through the site, view our portfolio samples and decide if your bank or financial institution can use a visual marketing and branding upgrade. It may not be a calculatable number that you may be comfortable with, but investing your banking image and brand can equate to big increases in the bottom line. That's what design can do in a number-laden industry. Believe.

XXV - 25 Years in Business

2008-12-22T11:20:00.002-06:00

Here’s my story. In the winter of 1980, I left the world of the paycheck kingdom and, with a partner and against parental advice, rented a small office on Main Street in Evanston and named my new business Stripes Visual Communications. We took our life savings and plopped down a month’s rent, bought a couple of drawing boards and a stat camera, and opened our doors in January of 1981 with (almost) no clients. Alas, after about a year, we still had (almost) no clients. Things changes shortly after that (whew!), and things took off. This small taste of success led to striking out on my own, sans partner, and renaming the firm Design Design Communications in 1984. I moved into a warehouse on Chicago’s near west side (691 N. Sangamon St.) because it was near a photographer I knew and I had gone to a punk rock party there before. Very analytical choice.

Working primarily for PR firms and Rockwell International, we again moved when the building went condo in the winter of 1987. This time, to another eerily big loft space with strange art (mine), green walls and no individual offices, except a couple of half walls for myself and the “computer room”.

We enjoyed ten years at 311 North Des Plaines before moving to the big time in a real office, complete with a custom build-out and room for about a dozen employees at 1333 North Kingsbury St. Still pretty much River West, and never too far from the Matchbox Tavern at the corner of Milwaukee and Chicago Avenues.

Now, eight years later we find Design Design in the shadows of Wrigley Field, with our logo on the awning of a vintage brownstone.

There has always been great clients, great employees, tough deadlines and hard work. But there has always been fun and passion, also. So, here I am, 25 years later, depending on how you count the years, still doing what I was meant to do with enthusiasm and pride. Thank you.

What to Look For When Hiring a Designer

2008-12-22T08:22:00.002-06:00

Most business owners and sales managers aren’t often in a position of hiring creative talent. They often attempt to fall back on a set of traditional hiring criteria, which pairs experience against competitive pricing combined with a cursory look at a portfolio whose talents he may find it difficult to judge. When interviewing or searching for a designer or design firm, consider the following suggestions.

Graphic design is a professional career choice. Like other arts, many designers have a natural ability to create work that is impressive on many levels. Good graphic design, including print and Web, depend on this natural talent to be honed and refined in a well-respected design school to prepare them for a competitive and rewarding career. Review the educational background, work history, references and experience of the designer as well as samples of their work before making your decision. In other words, don’t choose the cousin of your neighbor because they just bought a cool Mac and once did a flyer for a local rock band.

The rates charged by designers vary greatly. The discrepancy is usually in the talent of the designer. The great design work you see by major retailers such as Starbucks and Nike are a result of hiring the superstar professionals and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars for many of the projects. Don’t expect to pay a few hundred dollars for top talent. Weigh the potential impact of the design’s campaign to determine a budget. If you expect your sales to increase 15% based on a new image, print materials and a Website overhaul, then establish your budget based on the potential upside of the success. Having consistent, clean, professional materials as part of your sales and brand arsenal can make a huge difference in the customers and clients perception of the quality of service or product you provide.

Be wary of any talent you find on the Web based on price. There’s a whole industry out there that have streamlined the process of generating cookie cutter Websites, logos, and postcards that depend on you spending hours of your own time doing much of the work yourself. And when the going gets tough, the designer you barely know gets going. He has no vested interest in your success and is likely not interested in a long-term investment of their time to understand your business. You can search the Web, but use the results wisely.

Look for designers with a broad array of creative skills that apply well across many platforms and disciplines, especially if you’re a small or mid-sized firm. Your sales and marketing materials will maintain a consistent look and feel, and you’ll spend less of your own time educating different professionals about your business. The flip side formula, which can work for larger business, is the combination of an ad agency, graphic design firm, internet marketing firm and public relations firm working in tandem to cost a tremendous amount of money and time management. Good for a select few Fortune 500, not a good choice for most.

Finally, choose a designer you like. It sounds simple, but when discussing and trading ideas back and forth, you need a healthy respect of what each person brings to the table, sometimes resulting in ego clashing. Having an argument about whether blue or green is a better choice for the cover may not seem like a deal breaker, but it’s helpful to be working with a designer whose skill set may be different from a CEO, but with whom you’ll still be able to have a smile and a chat.