The best addiction - Blog and Blog again!

I will probably gamble there are a lot of you around with the same
lust for blogging. We don't need to have approval either. You can
express it loud and clear, be satisfied of your appreciation.
Don't get me completely wrong, consistant blogging is a challenging
road. So are a lot of other kinds of blogging. However, when you learn
the rules, it gets to be a lot easier, speedier and a ton more fun.
Consider this blog page for instance; I tend to screw around here,
while other blogs have got to be a lot more critical.
People can do whatever with a blog. The universe is ready for people
to blog. You desire to focus on Nascar…. go ahead. Local Businesses,
get on it. You want to be dismaying or crazy? It's your little slice
of the entire world so do it now.
The thing I often attempt to reveal to new bloggers is this approach;
don't take it so seriously. I mean, don't allow it to be more
difficult then it must be. YOU have command over your design and
style, written content, guest bloggers, advertisements, every little
thing. It's your baby and you can drive it as much or as close up as
you want.
I know, you were expecting a giant magic formula from me, but if you
have read my material for any span of time, you recognize I like stuff
to be simple. And that is by far one of the most satisfying and quick
jobs I have ever completed. I may blog anytime and exactly how I want.
I may misspell if I want.
I can swear, review, cuss folks out, applaud, entertain you all with
one click of a mouse. If you have not commenced blogging and are
already taking into account the idea…. I urge you to do it. Even if
you just really want to continue an online log, dump it out you new
blogger you.
Take motivation and expertise from other folks as well. Then find your
own methods and make it happen. Let's confront it, every one of us
prefer an effortless project. We do…. I guarantee. Why not possess
them for your self and write.
What's your blog confession?

Santa Cruz

nomBat Graphic Design and Brand Development has moved to Santa Cruz, CA.

You can find their portfolio here: Santa Cruz Graphic Design

One of the big things that nomBat will be doing with the local Santa Cruz community will be working with the Local Guide to Santa Cruz, a website dedicated to finding and highlighting the best that Santa Cruz has to offer.

Before moving to Santa Cruz nomBat was in San Diego and before that NYC, and in each of those places nomBat Graphic Design found ways to contribute to the local culture, communities and even economy.

We are looking forward to seeing the Local Guide to Santa Cruz grow and really be a positive force in Santa Cruz and Northern California.

Wordpress Site Design

Sometimes your wordpress site design needs more than just a theme.

This post is sort of a follow-up to our last post on logo design. the folks over at nomBat pointed out to us that Logo design is not just about designing a logo. Logo design is about understanding where a logo is going to be used, who the target audience for the logo and the product will be, as well as understanding what the intended outcome of the interaction is.

For instance, when an affiliate marketer turns to wordpress to develop a wordpress site that will be home to both their content and their affiliate links and ads, the page isn't just about the wordpress site, it is the whole content package.

Sometimes a company needs a logo because their clients want to show their pride in the company, or even display one of their underlying beliefs through the brand it's self. But sometimes, like in the case of affiliate site design, your ultimate goal is to get a user to leave your wordpress site through an add affiliate link. A well designed logo, that matches the wordpress site in color, font, mood positioning can accomplish the feat of giving your site enough credibility to keep them around just long enough to click those links, which as nomBat put it, can mean a significant amount of money in your pocket.

Choosing Logo Services and Logo Shops

What is the best site to use for a logo design?

If you need to get a logo for your pet sitting services, independent gas station, or accounting services, where do you turn? There are dozens of different logo service sites and it is more than a little confusing. If you need to submit a couple of ideas and have something designed for you, who can you trust. When you turn to a bidding or contest site is there enough incentive for the participants to even submit original work?

These questions are very common within the graphic design world, and they are something that us, as designers wrestle with every day. Probably the best answer to all of your logo questions is to hire a professional, like those at nomBat's Logo Shop. Logo shops like nomBat's can professionally look at your project and give real, well thought out, logical answers to what type of logo, or logo services you actually need. nomBat Graphic Design and Brand Development is one of the few design shops that really understands there are just as many different reasons for having a logo as there are people that need good logos!

Getting crazy with your local community

I recently hand picked and moved to a new community. I am still falling more and more in love with this place every day, but I do some very specific things to actively interact with my environment.

Th back of my front door is covered in maps, fliers, menus and newspaper clippings. I figured if having a wall of stuff works for crazy people in movies to stalk girls it could help me stalk a city!

I am always on adventure in my local community, I try and go somewhere new every day. One of the first processes I started here was to take trips down town and I methodically took a picture of every business sign. Crazy, right..? What it has done for me is not only let me know exactly what is where, but I have also met a lot of people in my local community, picked up a lot of business cards, and even picked up a handful of new local clients. Also, my girlfriend and I make a game of trying to identify other designers work, just based on the merit of the graphic design and branding it's self.

So I guess the point of this article is.. obsess like a crazy person!

What is the best local community in the entire world?

Here's a hint, its the one you want to live in.

No matter where it is that you want to be living, that is the best community in the world. This is a highly subjective question, and one with as many right answers as there are local communities. Where is your best local community? What makes it so great?

As you start to answer questions like these you will start to see that the very reason you love a community is the same reason why you should want to support it. If you love it because they are great bike paths, then the more you buy from local bike shops, the more you will see a healthy biking community and social activism, which leads to even more bike paths. This is called self-fulfilling prophecy, and it really works.

I currently live in Encinitas, CA. This is a highly competitive market for designers, and I love it because there are so many designers. We support each other, we encourage each other through the very act of seeing each others work. And some of us even have a competitive streak which leads to better and better work!

Where is your community, and have you made the decision to join it?

Relationship Marketing

Who would you rather buy a widget from?

www.randomwebsite.com

or

Your 12 year old child

The quality is identical, but your childs is $2 more expensive. Either place you buy your new widget, the person who sells it to you will make $3.