Color Branding and Corporate Identity

Color is a very important factor in design can be quite significant in defining the identity or branding of a company. Companies use colors to brand their products so that we are reminded of the product simply by recognizing a combination of colors. Not only these large companies but many designers and small companies use colors to identify themselves to stand out. Here are some examples of websites where the color contributes to the company’s identity:

Apple

Apple has always been known for their use of silver, both in their products and their advertising. The Apple website clearly displays this by the use of a silver gradient navigation, and light grays and white for the rest of the site. With their common use of silver computer casing, Apple has indeed branded themselves with the color silver. Apple also uses bright colors for some of their product lines, including the iMac and iPod shuffle/nano.

(For an interesting article documenting the change in Apple’s design between 1977 and 2008 click here) › Continue reading

Tags: apple, attractive websites, brand, color, corporate, Design, design success, ebay, enhance your site, Marketing, nintendo, sprint

Tips on what to Include in a Web Design Proposal

A website proposal contains many aspects different from other graphic design proposals, in that technical elements must be addressed along with creative ones. While print proposals do address items such as printing procedures, website proposals must specify web hosting, systems for maintaining content, programs or programming languages to be used and other technical specifications.

Outline of Content

A website proposal should clearly spell out what will be included on the site. This can be done in a standard outline format, or visually, to show what sections and features you intend to build for the client. An outline serves to both let the client know your ideas for the site (which should be based on meetings with them) and protect you from rounds of changes and additions not initially planned for. By including the outline in the proposal and eventually the contract, you are making it clear what is included for the price and therefore what additional services can be charged for.

Method of Building Site

It is important to decide at the start of a project what system or method will be used to build the website. Some sites are built in static HTML, meaning each page is created manually, and updates are done manually as well. Other sites are built in HTML but utilize a content management system (CMS) that stores the content in a database and allows for easier updating. Sites like WordPress and Blogger offer a simple CMS included for free with your site, while other CMS packages are installed on web servers and completely customized for the project, offering countless feature options. Another option for building the site is within Flash, allowing for a rich multimedia experience and a lot of development time. Regardless of the method chosen, it should be explained in the proposal so you and your client are in agreement as to the best way to build the website.

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Tags: web contracts and proposals, web tips, webdesign proposal

Guide to Success for Web Designers

If you are a free lance web designer or developer you will know just how difficult it can be to earn a dime in the world of web design. I have learned a lot of lessons, most of them the hard way. Being great at web design and being great with clients, are two very different requirements. By setting yourself these basic rules, and sticking to them you will save yourself becoming victim to a number of pitfalls. That’s why I have put together this guide to help maximize your projects success.

Price Projects Realistically

A classic mistake many freelancers make is to guesstimate a figure when costing a project. You need to be realistic when you work out the cost of a project, otherwise you are guaranteed to run at a loss, either in the time you spend, or the money you make. The best method is to work out a realistic hourly wage you want to be paid. Then take that number and multiply it by the number of hours you honestly believe it will take to complete the project. This will give you the magic number you should look to put forward in an invoice.

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Tags: design success, guide to succcess, Web Design

How to Find a Good Web Design Company

This article was published by: Johnny Flash and we thought it was a great article to publish it on our blog too.

There are so many web design companies that it can be difficult to find one that you feel confident in. Here are seven steps to take to find a good web design company.

Explore Consultations/Referrals

One of the best ways to find a quality web design company is to ask around. Do you know anyone that recently created a web site or other business owners that might have experience in this area? Ask them about the process and if they would recommend the web designer that created their site.

Evaluate the Company

Once you’ve found several possibilities, evaluate the company. Take a close look at their website. Is it thought out? Does it look professional? Can you find information that you’re looking for? Also examine their portfolio of other web sites they’ve completed. Do they look like web sites that reflect a style and size you are looking for? Before you move on, jot down their contact information and company location. You want to make sure they are located in the same country as you (if possible) and have an accessible email and phone number.

Evaluate their Communication

The next step is to communicate with them. Measuring email response time is usually a good test. How long does it take them to reply? Are they helpful? Can they answer your questions? If it takes them more than 24 hours to respond to you during weekdays, then that may be a sign to keep looking. You want to have a responsive design company.

Expect a Comprehensive Proposal

Once you’ve established communication, ask the web design company for a written proposal. It should be detailed and include specifics such as cost, terms, timeline for completion and require a signature. Don’t be surprised if they require a deposit upon contract signing–this is a common practice in the industry.

Email a Current Client

If the terms of the contact seem reasonable, ask if you can contact a current client. This will hopefully boost your confidence and give you access to an outside opinion. Make sure you thank them for taking the time to answer your questions.

Examine your Choices

Receive proposals from multiple companies and then compare your choices. Remember, lowest price doesn’t always translate to the best choice. Look through the terms of each contract and re-examine your confidence in each company.

Ensure you have the Ability to make Changes

Make sure when your new web site is all up and running and the web design company is done, that you will have an easy way to update your web site. Don’t be forced to learn HTML and the ins and outs of the web in order to keep your site effective. Talk about this before signing on the dotted line.

Tags: find good webdesign, web business, web design companies