A Beginner’s Guide to Website Feedback

The term “feedback” is coming close to finding itself in clichéd business word category (along with personal favorites “synergy” and “paradigm”). Even if for you the word itself isn’t necessarily something that you expect to see in a Dilbert cartoon, the thought of what feedback entails can be unpleasant. For many it conjures up visions of clueless coworkers asking you to add animated .gifs and flashing purple buttons to a page, or of a client submitting a list of 82 new items to create on their site even though you are on the ninth round of changes. If nothing else, getting feedback stinks because it’s more (usually boring) work for you, and let’s face it, you’d rather be doing something else.

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How to Promote Your Design Business on the Cheap

Ah … the life of a freelancer. It’s not enough that you’re creative and technically savvy. No, you have to be a clever businessperson as well. No matter how talented you are, when starting out you probably won’t get clients unless you pound the pavement for them. But you likely don’t have the time or money to engage in any sophisticated advertising campaign. Fortunately, these days there are plenty of ways to market your business for little to no cash. (more…)

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A Beginner’s Guide To Website Copywriting

When writing for the Web, writers should always keep one analogy in mind: the Internet is a jungle and Web users are information foragers within it. Usability expert Jakob Nielsen championed this comparison based on his studies that found that the majority of Internet users only scan websites in their quest to find useful information as quick as possible. According to Nielsen, the success of website writing depends primarily on conciseness, scan-ability and objectivity. But these aren’t the only guidelines to follow to make your writing successful on the web. (more…)

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How to Get More Web Design Sales by Painting Your Nose Red

Walk into the next prospect meeting with your nose painted red and you are sure to attract a lot of attention. And why wouldn’t you? How many web designers do you think the prospect will consider that have red noses? Chances are – only one. You will certainly be memorable when its time to decide who wins the project. Ah, but painting your nose red is probably not practical, and it would have no impact on the prospect at all if the interview takes place online. So, the question is: how can you stand out from the crowd of website designers who are competing against you? (more…)

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How to Find Local Clients for Your Freelance Business

Finding clients is one of the toughest things for most small businesses. Many people are looking for projects online these days with the widespread use of Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites that allow you to connect and chat about business opportunities. These are great ways to find new business across the country and even in different countries, however finding business locally is equally important. Staying local is becoming a big thing today with “being green” becoming increasingly popular. (more…)

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Personal Branding for Web Designers

“It doesn’t matter how good you are. What matters is how good you are at showing it!” This statement represents the ABCs of personal branding, self marketing or whatever you prefer to name it. As a designer, you are so fortunate that your work is pure creativity. As a result, your self- branding strategies should be equally creative. Let’s discuss some of them. (more…)

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Top 8 Dreaded Favors Asked of Web Designers

Long before you officially take the profession of graphic or web designer, your friends and family will support your ambitions by developing your talent. At first, your loved ones inspect your work and if they like what they see, you’ll get flooded with their requests for one page flyers, t-shirt designs, logos, and company websites. When you are just starting out, you welcome their requests because it gives you a chance to grow your skill set as a designer. After all, it’s almost like dealing with real clients, right?

The drama comes when you actually become a full time designer. The friends and family who drew upon your talent during your newbie years are still standing around with their hands out, and now you also must contend with two more groups of favor askers: clients and anonymous foreigners who contact you through Twitter.

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The Most Common HTML and CSS Mistakes to Avoid

Beginners through advanced coders make mistakes in their HTML and CSS files, either through carelessness or lack of experience. Clean code is very important though and will help further your skills as a developer, as well as save you time in editing later on! It never hurts to review if you’re a skilled developer, many mistakes are caused by going too quickly and not practicing good coding skills from the beginning. Here’s a helpful list of common mistakes and missteps that I’ve encountered through my own work, as well as working with others. (more…)

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13 Useful Code Snippets for WordPress Development

WordPress has grown to be commonly defined as the core solution for your blogging needs. It is the most recognized and sought after Content Management System by writers and designers. Consequently, over the past few years there has been a voluble increase in WordPress blogs, this has caused the “need” for useful tips, tricks, and hacks, all made to allow the customizing of your WordPress powered site. Here are 13 code snippets or hacks that will help you extend the capabilities of your WordPress site. (more…)

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