Starting a business in a low cost way towards 2012!

How to start a business? How do you build a successful business from scratch? What's the secret to starting or building a business from scratch? How do you grow a business with limited resources? What's the business success secret of successful entrepreneurs and drop out millionaires?

Every entrepreneur aspires to become the next Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, Warren Buffett, Richard Branson, etc. But only a few know what it takes to get the level attained by these great entrepreneurs. 

We will be revealing the best small business startup ideas for entrepreneurs who wish to take the entrepreneurial status by next year. If you think it is still early to think about next year, we don't think it is if you want to get ahead of the competition.

As the global economic changes, technology progresses and people needs and wants shift, it is the perfect time to be looking at what business opportunities lie ahead in 2012. Due to the recent recession crisis, a lot of people want to start a business but do not have a lot money to invest in. So, you have decided you want to start a business but you don't have much cast to invest?

Below are some of the budget business ideas we put together to help you start a business inexpensively:

1. Second Hand Stores

People are less inclined to spend the money to buy new at the moment for products like baby clothes which are soon outgrown and need to be swapped frequently. Search and browse through second hand stores for inexpensive and bargain items such as furnitures. Refurnish and reuse is a great way to save cost. Besides, you have furnitures that stands out from the rest in an in creative way.

2. Social Media Consultants

With the rise of social media platforms like Facebook, Linkedln, Twitter, Blogspot and etc, many companies are making full use of the circulation to benefit their brand and services. You could save up by relying on the social media as your consultants to help market your brand to your audience worldwide. It is important for a company to identify the social outlet that is going to give you the best return on your time and investment.

3. Low Cost Logo Design

There is no need to spend thousands of dollars on a business logo design. The new way is through the internet-based logo design services. We found LogoDesignCreation.com as featured on Wall Street Journal article, offering Starter Logo Package at only $39. This package specifically targets startup businesses who are looking to have a business logo done affordably within a few days time. For only a few hundred dollars or less, you can own a well designed logo that fits your business image.

4. Build a website on your own

If you can't afford to have someone custom-design your website, put your site up for less than $100 using tools such as WordPress and Blogspot that provide templates and tools that makes it easy to create a basic website of your own.

5. Self-made videos
Put videos to present your product or service on YouTube or any other video-sharing sites to help promote and spread your brand. Create video tutorial to educate your customers, or show to potential buyers how your products work. Well produced web videos can drive a lot of traffic which in turn build customers, and awareness of your brand.

6. Networking

Learn how to cultivate relationships and give referrals to others. Master the art of networking. Network with others who are doing the same type of work with you. Let them know your existence.

7. Local Marketing

Even if you are trying to reach the global market, your local area offers opportunities to build a buzz about what you do. Use word of mouth in your local area. Your brand would be known in the form of recommendation from a friend or family members.

For a startup entrepreneur, getting the word out about your business is important. Looking for ways to market the business can be challenging if you have limited resources. The points above are only some of the ways you can startup and market your business in a budget manner. Instead of spending thousands of dollars to startup, add a bit more of creative thinking and imagination, you CAN put everything to work and watch your business roll! Good luck entrepreneurs!

Great Deals this coming Xmas!

Christmas is coming faster than you'd think! And we found great deals from LogoDesignCreation we love to share with you!

This year, LogoDesignCreation makes Christmas truly special, by adding a FREE Christmas Theme Logo Design and a $25 Gift Certificate if purchase either their Deluxe Logo Design Package or Presidential Logo Design Package before the 25th of December 2011.

Enhancing your corporate logo to a Christmas themed logo is a great way to engage with your potential customers and offer a fresh view of your brand during this holiday season.

You could also treat someone to a Gift Certificate! Make someone's wish come true with a $25 LogoDesignCreation Gift Certificate today!

Hurry up before the promotion ends! For more details or interested, go order now.

Merry Christmas in advance!!!

The Rise of Infographics

As the name suggests, infographics (otherwise known as information graphics) provide visual representation of information, data, facts and the likes in a concise manner. Basically, infographics are able to present vast amount of information within a confined space quickly and succinctly to a wide range of audience. A fine example would be a subway map as it is able to display a wealth of information in a graphical manner within a confined space like on a standard-sized poster. 

Long are the days where graphic design needs to be accompanied by texts or written words. With infographics, both of these elements can be seamlessly merged into one, creating a comprehensive visual content that is both informative and appealing. In the past the more archaic varieties of infographics are prevalent and more commonly seen in informational advertisements or public service announcements. Although these types of infographics serve their purpose, they still lack the creative panache in terms of design. People usually considered them as boring and monotonous.

More recently, designers are making infographics more appealing visually by tweaking the color schemes, positioning of the content and so forth. I believe the fascination towards charts or graphs will continue to grow with the advent of more well-designed infographics. I have posted a variety of the most creative and visually appealing infographics on the web at the moment below. Enjoy the infographics-visual-fest!

The Facebook Issue: Your Professional & Personal Life Don't Mix

The rise of social media has brought about a change in the way how employees present themselves online. Any misappropriate conducts on the Internet, either through Facebook or Twitter can cause an employee to be in a lot of trouble if his or her employer finds out. Didn’t show up for work because of a hangover but you told your boss that you are sick? Or what about providing negative remarks aimed at your superior? These are some of the gaffes made by employees on social media sites that will bring about some significant negative consequences if employers do find out.

With more and more companies utilizing social media to make their presence known on the web, employees are more at risk of revealing too much online. Thinking of finding a new job without your bosses knowing? Better think twice about updating your Facebook status. The same goes with commenting derogatory remarks about your bosses. This is certainly something of concern if you have added your boss as your friend or your privacy status is inadequate from avoiding those prying eyes. So don’t blame your superiors for being too omnipresent on the web, you should take a step back and analyze on your presence on social media websites.

Let’s take the Ashley Payne’s case (read article here: Can Employers Fire Over Facebook Gaffes? - WSJ.com) for example. She was dismissed from her job after she was caught posting a picture of herself holding beer on Facebook. That is why it is important to limit your exposure online lest your career could be affected. Nowadays, companies are also resorting to perform a sort-of quick “background” check on individuals applying for positions in these companies through social media platforms. Facebook is just a click away after all. The picture of you with a beer pong? Or the one with you posing in an indecent manner? Better increase the privacy settings of those photos before your future employers find out which might reduce your chances for any career advancement.

What has an employee got to do to prevent any blunders from being overtly “active” on social media? Well, first thing you should not do is add your bosses as your friends. You need to separate your professional life and personal life. Do not mix both of them together. But what if a superior of yours wants to add you as his or her friend? Politely decline their request. You can say that you are not that active on those said social media sites or you only add family members and relative to stay in touch. Besides, you should also adjust your privacy settings. Ensure that the message or status you post is intended to a specific group of friends and not to your bosses. Google+ has that nifty option. The next time you post, edit the settings beforehand.

Above all else, be vigilant of what you say online as anything offensive can affect you in the end. Social media should be something fun and enjoyable and not the other way around.

Misconceptions in Designing by (Most) Novice Designers

For newbie designers, it is more often than not that they will have preconceived notions about designing for a huge project. The first thought to cross their mind is that having the opportunity of designing for a big design project will allow them to become famous or have their names associated with the design. That is not true, newbies! Here is the deal:

• #1 You are a novice designer.

As seen by your superiors, your limited experience alone will limit your involvement in the designing process itself. Contribution-wise, you might only have a small percentage in the finalized work. Unless you are really lucky to score a huge project all on your own, you will only be involved in menial tasks required in the project.

• #2 Your name will not be associated with the design.

If you are working for a design studio, chances are you will not be credited for the design. Your company will. So what if you designed the logo for Company XYZ which is a Fortune 500 company? You will not be credited for having creative involvement in the logo but your company will.

Basically, you will not gain any huge benefits from designing for huge projects except for the experience gained. Your résumé can be more colorful due to that as well. Usually huge projects will have more limitations as the company might want the logo to look a certain way or it needs to follow a color scheme or a font style. Besides, there will also be a clause stating the usual strict rules, regulations and terms to protect the intellectual property of the design and preventing you from telling anyone outside your company about it.

It is much better to design for smaller corporations or companies where you are the pioneer for that particular logo design. Better still, if the company attained fame, you will be forever known as the original creator for the company’s logo design. So, it is best to start small before heading for the big leagues.

How to be a good creative designer? The rules, tips and faux pas. [PART 2]

This is Part 2 on “How to be a good creative designer? The rules, tips and faux pas.”

9. Originality is overrated.
Creative designers would usually take the current designing trends with a pinch of salt. Instead, what separates the good designer from the bad is their knack in improving the design trends instead of copying it 100% and that my friend, as you may know, is called plagiarism. Originality not only stems from improving something already in existence but by taking it to another level that surprises people. In the wise words of Aaron Russel, “every designers’ dirty little secret is that they copy other designers’ work. They see work they like, and they imitate it. Rather cheekily, they call this inspiration.” So, is imitation the sincerest form of flattery? You be the judge.

10. For Sale: You.
Know how to sell yourself not only to your clients but to everyone as well. You need to know how to package yourself as first impression counts. The way you dress and the method in which carry yourself is an indication on your work ethics and design aesthetics. For sure, if you cannot make a good and lasting impression on others, you cannot design to impress. No matter how creative you are, if you cannot market yourself or your work, you will find it difficult to attain the success you so much desired.

11. Criticism will not kill you.
Most designers will be offended if their work process or their designs are criticized even though the criticism may be for the better. It is often that clients or your superiors will offer their opinions on your designs which only serve to better the quality of your designs. Improvement is crucial for any good creative designers. Sometimes, hard-headed designers can be difficult to work with as they would be completely adamant on their own opinions only and this can cause untold conflict at the workplace.

12. Research your way through.
Great designers are the ones who can come out with unique designs that fit the clients’ requirements. It does not necessarily need to be too loud or too quiet. As long as the designer reads the project briefs beforehand, he or she will have a better understanding on the type of design that the customer wants. As they say, knowledge is power.

13. Recycle, reuse and reduce… errrr… No!
Do not in any way recycle your designs even those that have been rejected by your superiors or clients. You need to be able to create something unique without relying on past designs. Moreover, design templates or free fonts should not be the integral tools in your designing process. A good creative designer is judged by his or her abilities in designing something at the drop of a hat.

14. Colors, fonts and everything in between.
You need to know industry standard fonts such as Helvetica, Century and Arial among others. These are fonts regularly requested by clients even though they are shunned in the design community. Colours are important as well. You do not need to know the CMYK or Pantone colour codes but you have to know what certain descriptions of colours actually refer to such as navy blue, salmon pink or lime green. This is because clients will usually describe the colours they want instead of the actual colour codes.

15. Your portfolio is your own brand.
A portfolio is important for every designer. Always start compiling your best work for your portfolio at the beginning of your career as this will show your growth as a designer. A good creative designer will have a portfolio that is both expansive and interesting. But you should never use work that you have created while under the employ of any organizations as this will mean that you have breached the company’s confidentiality rules and regulations.

16. Specialty equals strength.
A good designer should always choose their career path in which they can excel and be good at. Unfortunately, most designers will actually go for a new job because they want to learn new things but they should instead continue working on what they are already capable of and improve. Specialization is important. I am not saying that a designer should set boundaries on the design projects that he or she should handle. You can still take up on other design projects that are different from your specialty but try sticking to what you are skilled at. By doing so, your superiors or clients will know that you are competent in a particular field and will trust your expertise in handling those said projects, thus giving you a higher priority over others.

17. With passion, nothing can stand in your way.
Hard work alone is insufficient to give you the fulfilment you need in your career. Passion is what separates the cream of the crop from the mediocre. Breathe life into your designs by doing something different and new that you have never done before, this could be a textual effect or colour schemes used. In short, do not be a line worker at a factory and produce something that is the same day in and day out. Challenge yourself to be different.

18. Bringing your design into the real world.
This is important when you deal with designs that need to be translated into the real world such as packaging designs or business cards or even brochures. A digital sample of the design is inadequate. To be a good designer, you need to be able show the client the finished product in various media – no matter whether if you need to print or fold or mould or cut and paste your design proposal. Remember that not all clients are fantastic visualizers. A dummy artwork will serve as an important tool for the client to know how the design will look like in actuality. Just showing the design on a one-dimensional surface is simply insufficient.

So I hope that these 18 tips will help in explaining what characteristics constitute a good creative designer. Until next time at TheLogoBuzz!

How to be a good creative designer? The rules, tips and faux pas. [PART 1]

Being a good creative designer is not as difficult as some (hot-headed, I-know-it-all designers) pictured it to be. All it takes is hard work, perseverance, creativity, patience and all of those other qualities people associate with being a phenomenal creative designer. Here are some suggestions that you may find useful (or otherwise) based on personal experiences. There are two parts to this post and Part 1 will focus on eight tips while another eight will be highlighted in Part 2.

1. Be aware of the latest trends. Ignorance is not bliss.
Not only on trends appearing in the design world but everything else as well such as the design aesthetics in technology, fashion and architecture, just to name a few. Being conscious of the latest trends will definitely help you in knowing what actually works and what your potential customers want. Design is ingrained in practically everything, so do not take this for granted.

2. 24 hours is not enough? That is why time management is important…
You must be able to juggle a number of design projects effectively without affecting the quality of your work. Being a good creative designer is not only about churning quality designs but also following deadlines. For instance, if you postpone a project, it will affect the entire design cycle process, hence a longer turnaround time for clients. It is well-known in the advertising industry that designers need to work round the clock all day (even on weekends!). This is merely an urban legend as if you can manage your time properly and efficiently, you will not have to burn the midnight oil in completing your designs.

3. An emotional designer is a banal designer.
In times of stress or whatever the reason that affects your mood, do not in any way let your emotions get the better of you. You need to control your emotions as it can affect your designs. Reign in those feelings and try to focus on being a professional designer at the work place. I know it is easier said than done but hey, a little hard work goes a long way in becoming a good creative designer.

4. Breaking conformity is beneficial… but not all the time.
A good creative designer always think outside the box when designing but he or she needs to follow some rules as well particularly at the work place. In terms of business relationships, it is best that a designer play by the rules instead of being a rebel. You do not want to be the designer that is hard to work with. Listen to your clients or superiors and respect their comments, opinions or decisions in order to achieve a healthy professional relationship.

5. Ideas, ideas and more ideas.
To be a good creative designer, one has to be able to provide ideas and suggestions that can improve a design or how a business is carried out. Regular inputs will not only put you in a better place, career-wise but you will also get to learn the effective ways to generate new ideas. It is a good way to let your superiors know that you are a team player who is willing to contribute for the betterment of the company and also improve the quality of your designs.

6. Knowing something and being able to perform something are two entirely different things.
If you aspire to be a good creative designer, you need to be equipped with the relevant technical skills used in designing. Knowledge on how to use Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and other industry standard should be at the tips of your fingertips. You need to be able to manipulate and utilize the software according to your vision and not simply use the software as it is without any creative input. You do not want to be called a Desktop Publishing Artist – an individual who only makes changes or enhancements to a design following what the client says verbatim without any form of creative contribution whatsoever.

Basic designing skills such as sketching a logo design with a pencil is a definite must as well. You need to be able to pen your thoughts on paper before embarking on digitalizing it on your computer. However, it should be noted that simply knowing the functions or shortcut keys of a particular designing software is not enough in being termed as a good creative designer.

7. Turning an idea into reality.
Conceptualization is vital in churning out a good design. You need to be able to conceptualize an idea or a suggestion posed by your client in order to become a good creative designer. Allow your ideas to flow freely and do not confine yourself to follow a rigid thought process. A million dollar design is not entirely dependent on the type of software you use but how you use them to realize your vision which is why conceptualization is essential.

8. Owning a Mac does not make one a creative designer.
Enough said.

Motion Poster Design: The Future of Posters?

Recently Lionsgate released a motion poster design for The Hunger Games movie and the Internet was abuzz with many being amazed by the motion poster that managed to capture their attention. Is a motion poster design the next step for film distributors to market their movies instead of the conventional (static) poster design? It could possibly be the next step (similar to the potentials of 3D movies) in designing a poster. Certainly designers will find it a welcome challenge in designing a motion poster that not only helps in promoting a particular product or service but also captures the imagination of the target audience.

One of the main reasons why a motion poster is more popular is due to it being different as it is animated. It is not often that you come across a motion poster (unless you count those cliche web-banner advertising you stumble on a website) that is vivid and captivating. Not only does a good motion poster breathes life into the entire design, it can also catapult the commercial attractiveness of the product or service being marketed. In the case of The Hunger Games, it helps to generate interest in the movie. I have embedded the movie poster below for you enjoyment.



The widespread popularity of The Hunger Games motion poster is any indication, in the future we might be seeing more and more movie posters being marketed as motion posters. It would be interesting to see how the designers approach in terms of designing the motion posters as care would be taken not to make the motion poster design to be overtly complicated or even too simple as well. They have to strike a fine balance between something that is great yet understated. Looking forward to see more motion poster designs in the near future and you will be kept posted if I come across any!

How (Not) To Deal With Rude Customers?

Once in a blue moon, you are bound to encounter a customer (or two) who are inexplicably rude. No matter how polite you seem to be, how accommodating you can be or even how generous you force yourself to be, you are bombarded with rude remarks coupled with unreasonable demands. So how do you go from there? Slap him or her in the face, point blank? Smile and try your best to handle the individual’s request through gritted teeth? Or simply ignore the person entirely? As some would say, ignorance is bliss, no?

Well, here are some tips based on personal experience:

1) Keep your cool.

I know it is hard to stay calm at times but it is imperative to do so especially if the customer’s remarks are uncalled for, vulgar, ridiculous, you name it. Sometimes, by staying calm you will be able to respond in a sound and matured manner. And that is probably a good way to start things off on a good note.

Real Case Scenario:

A Slovakian client complained:

“Unfortunately the designs you presented are unacceptable. Amateurish, conceptually wrong and completely useless to us. It seems like you have no clue how to grasp the essence of our business and no design skills. The ideas you presented are totally besides the pot.” 

Response:

- Hmmm… Isn’t that a tad harsh – “completely useless” and “no design skills”? Geez.

- And what did he mean by “besides the pot”? Are we Slovakian witches or something brewing something in a pot? Double, double, toil and trouble?

- When he said that the designers had “no clue” on “how to grasp the essence of our business”, who else to blame but he himself. The description given for the logo design was: “innovative, witty, fresh, jaw-dropping, great, awesome and cool”. Yeah… being abstract seals the deal.

- So the best thing to do is soldier on by responding appropriately and apologizing for not meeting his requirements. Also, ask for what he wants to avoid any future mishaps. And we hope that the complaining would end. But…

2) Respond politely.

Sometimes a customer will rant on and on about something that is not even relevant. The only way to counter this is to respond politely. Try sympathizing with the customer, he or she might be having a bad day. Use the best of your abilities to make the customer feels that he or she is right even though they are wrong. Customer is king? Probably. But they are not god.

Real Case Scenario:

A Slovakian client complained (yes, it is the same person and it is a tad long; what do you expect from an unreasonable complainant, right?):

“I had good belief and trust that this is a professional service with professional people at work and paid the money for the best package to get the best possible result. I did not expect some tryout service for blind idiots without an opinion who are happy with such amateur work as you presented so far. To your explanation "just so you know" of what the logos are supposed to mean. I am fully aware of all you said... I am not stupid or blind!

 I feel like a design teacher already but these are the qualities I expect to see in a professional logo. And it can be very simple. I gave you examples of great logos already and explain a bit. Why the Apple logo is great: its an icon that doesnt need explanation or logotype, it represents wisdom and innovation - Newton's apple, in christian culture the Adam and Eve's apple of wisdom, the concept of a center where stuff is happening - big apple = new york, the concept of education, progress...

I should charge you for teaching you how to make a logo great :-)))”

Response:

- “Blind idiots”? Really? Stooping that low? And we are well aware that you are not blind. How could you be blind if you can complain about a logo design that is good to begin with? About being stupid, we didn’t say you are. But I think it is implied from your choice of words.

- You are a design teacher now? Let’s see some of your “constructive criticism”:

“Forget about the letters N or C ! You are hooked on that concept and you are stuck with it. Its wrong! You are repeating it over and over... Even your own logo is done that way... which is not impressive at all for a design company. But that is your business.
For us try to create a dynamic modern icon that represents webcasting, videostreaming, delivery of video to individual internet users, the process of delivery of video information to many, data flow or anything you can come up with in this direction. This industry is full of symbols... so analyze what the common graphical elements are and extrapolate from that. Avoid plain stupid descriptivenes like globes, wires, tv screens or any other primitive and overused symbolism like that. Be original, fresh and new!
Font usage: it should be modern, bold, well legible, innovative, inspiring. Its not enough to just use a font. I have thousands of font in my computer and can find thousands others on the net. The trick is to use a certain visual characteristic quality of a font and build on it, emphasize the hidden aspect of the font by slight modification which supports or combines with the iconic element of the logo. Again this should be done in a very original and inspiring way!
The use of font: the arrangement of the words in the comany name should be very original, innovative, unseen, inspiring, witty, with a surprising twist, simply something that makes you go WOW!” 

I bet you are the best design teacher out there. Your choice of words and descriptions are of tremendous use. You truly made us go WOW.

- If the complaint had drag for this long, it is best to simply ask the customer what he or she wants from this complaint. It is a waste of time (yours and his/hers) as well as energy. You could have been doing something more productive than this. Even strangling the customer yields some instant gratification.

3) Remember of your other kind and polite customers.

Do not let one rotten apple spoil it all. In the service industry, you are bound to come across a few difficult customers to work with but you are more likely to encounter more who are friendly and polite. Think back on the many nice customers you have served and erase the bad ones. When erasing the bad ones, it is still recommended to end things on a positive note (with or without sarcasm).

Real Case Scenario:

A Slovakian client complained (who else? He is having a really bad hair week. We think):

“I regret very much to have to say that all of the work you presented is disappointing and unacceptable for me! I went through all 65 pages of your portfolio to get a good overview of your other work. Some of the logos are OK, I'd rate them as average and standard, but none is truly classy or brilliant. Surprising is that the work you did for us is substandard even for your standards. Most of your logos in the portfolio are better than ours. That is strange! It could be a matter of first impression. I know nothing about the businesses and was evaluating the visual side of the logos only.”

Response:

- If he has already a preconceived judgment on the logo designs (based on the portfolio) why then does he want to engage with the company? I find that this does not make any sense. At all.

- Substandard? There he goes again with the low blow.

- But the best part was when he wrote these words:

“I'd like to request that you please refund my payment. Thank You!”

Phew… Glad that was over. And he ended with a “thank you”. So it is best to end with a thank you as well. “Thank you for considering choosing us and we hope you will be successful on your quest on getting the perfect logo design. We wish you all the best.” Hope we don’t meet again? Please?

Coping with rude customers is not easy. It takes a lot of work. But with a bit of wit and patience, an encounter with a rude customer can be turned into a learning experience. Service with a smile. An emoticon will do just fine at times. :)

The Doodles by Google

In light of Google’s recent prolific development in dishing out creative doodles on special celebratory occasions, this post will be exclusively dedicated to that particular topic. Over the years, Google has been rather active in integrating their logo design with anything deemed celebratory under the sun from commemorating Les Paul’s birthday to Valentine’s Day. What makes those doodles interesting is the integration of various design elements into the already iconic Google insignia without losing the integrity of the original logo. Even though the manipulations carried out on the original logo seemed fanciful at times, the identity of the brand remains uncompromised.

Let's take a look at the doodle the designing team at Google (what a mouthful!) had made to celebrate the Fourth of July celebrations. They managed to put together little design elements that represent America at its best from the cowboy hat-wearing horse to the Sears Tower and even the Florida orange. And the color gradient from light blue to deep purple symbolizes the different time zones for the East Coast and the West Coast. All of these finer design details truly elevate the doodle into something extraordinary and particularly memorable.

Takashi Murakami's take on illustrating the doodles for both the summer and winter solstice is truly remarkable. The colors used and the characters drawn for the doodle celebrating the summer solstice are simply perfect as they definitely captured what summer or winter is about. The subtleties in the design from the colorful chirpy flower characters to the anime inspired take on the sun are wonderful in capturing the essence of summer. For the winter solstice doodle on the other hand, the snowflakes coupled with the icy-blue tinge on the flower characters managed to bring out the winter theme in the doodle as well. I am particularly fond of the two cartoon characters on each side that really anchor the doodle together as a cohesive piece. The doodle truly is a winter wonderland masterpiece.

The doodle which Google designed to celebrate Les Paul's 96th birthday was definitely the talk of town. Everyone worldwide who managed to log on to Google that day were surprised to find an interactive doodle that enables the user to record the sound of the strumming doodle guitar. The feature of letting users record and share the clip/song produced via strumming the chords truly made it an interactive doodle unlike any other. It became an addictive one as well with many users reported being fixated at strumming the guitar all day long. The popularity of the Les Paul doodle is similar to the doodle Google made to celebrate Pac-Man's 30th anniversary!

This particular Pac-Man doodle which was playable until the very end (with the reported bug as well) truly celebrates what Pac-Man was all about. And Google was clever enough to integrate their brand into the maze design as well. The entire doodle truly brought back the feeling of how computer games in the 80s look like - pixelated, simple and crazily addictive. Ahh... the good old days.

There are many more doodles that are simply captivating and inspiring design-wise. Here are some of my favorites:

 

 

 

 

Source: All Google doodle images are copyright of Google (http://www.google.com)

All of the doodles seen in this post are obtained courtesy from http://www.google.com/logos. You can check out more of the doodles there. I have to say that Google's design philosophy is astounding especially since they are willing to have the Google logo tweaked and manipulated to celebrate a particular event. I definitely cannot wait for the next Google doodle. Doodle away!

Customer Service Comparison Test (Cheap vs Expensive Logos)

Source: dalecarnegieway.com

Anyone who is starting a new enterprise can attest the value involving owning a powerful and effective logo. Logos communicate who you are and let you get connected to your customers with an easily familiar symbol that is truly you own. But for most people, turning design suggestions into a fact can be difficult and expensive.

When you are in the process of starting a new business, most entrepreneurs find it difficult to decide whether to go for cheap or expensive logo design companies. The price is a huge decision-maker here.  Just because a logo is expensive does not mean it is effective.

We have done some research on a few expensive logo design websites. Check out the live chat and details below, before you begin your purchases.

All the above websites confirmed that they can certainly promise their clients good outcome on the final logo artwork. They assure clients that their designers can surely design something closer to the concept they have in mind. All designs will be made according to their custom specifications. Cheap logo companies offer the same services and treatment too. All logos are designed as per their client's instructions in providing the utmost satisfaction for each one of them. If cheap logo design companies can provide the same kind of treatment to each and every client as well, then what difference does it make?

LOGO MOJO - EMAIL REPLY

 LOGO DESIGN PROS - LIVE CHAT

Logo Mojo and Logo Design Pros offer more concepts hence they are very highly priced. The designer may give you a lot of logos that look great but probably just aren't right for your business. Moreover, at the end of the process, only one logo will be selected. So, why pay such a high price for so many options? 3 unique options is sufficient enough to choose from. Logo Mojo do not provide 24/7 live chat service on their web, but they did get back to us, moments after we've emailed them. They do admit that their package is a little bit pricey only because there will be 2 designers involved in each of the project, which means more designs being provided. They can deliver their logos in 48 hours time, where a lot of cheap logo design companies can perform too with much cheaper rates.

Representative from Logo Design Pros claimed that cheap logo design companies uses ready made designs instead of customizing them according to clients' preference and needs. They can only differentiate themselves from those companies in terms of customization. A lot of logo design companies out there be it cheap or expensive promotes themselves in delivering designs tailor made just for their customers. We don't see anything special about this considering how every other companies can offer the same services and guarantee policy.

Both companies do not have any reviews or awards to their name. All they can show us are just testimonials from their own client on their website.

LOGO INN - LIVE CHAT 

LOGO DESIGN CONSULTANT - LIVE CHAT 

As for Logo Design Consultant and Logo Inn, they only provide ONE concept which does not give clients any other choices at all but settle for the only one that has been designed for them. Client should not be limited to only one logo, they should be given at least 3 options. Options that are all well-designed.

When conducting the live chat with Logo Inn and Logo Design Consultant, both representatives do not seem too friendly when asked to explain more of their services. Logo Inn representative actually refer us as a “sir” which is obvious that the name Dawn is a clearly a female's name. The representative did not give a lot of answers as well to all the questions being asked. We suspect they might have outsourced their services to people from other parts of the world, judging from the lack of proper explanation and grammar mistakes.

As for Logo Design Consultant, the representatives does not seemed too happy when probe for explanations and more answers.  He basically dissed the services of cheap logo companies, claiming that the reason their designs are cheap are most probably stolen ideas or ready made designs done by lousy designers, hence such a low price rate. Great designers would never sell their designs this cheap. Does that mean that we can only find great designers in expensive logo design companies? There are many great designers out there who has yet to get recognized for their talent and they CAN create designs equally as good with the fraction of the cost.

Before consulting a logo company, make sure to check out some of the work samples they have done, and testimonials as well as reviews from their clients. All these websites listed below have no awards or recognitions and their prices are expensive. As mentioned before, they all provide the same kind of services, but what makes them so special to a point where they can overcharge their clients? Only award winning logo sites and designers have the rights to charge high fees. For instances, Logo Bee and Logo Factory.

When asked why the high fee, the answers are that every logo design is tailored made specifically for every each of their clients. Their designs are not templates or copy ideas of someone else logo. Not all cheap logo design sites use templates or steal other designer's idea to create their work. They use the same tactic and process: understanding their clients' to create an effective logo. All logos are designed according to clients' specific wants and needs. Examples of famous cheap logo companies out there are Logo Design Creation and Logo Design Guru. In fact, these sites has won numerous awards and recognition from well-known publications. They can produce logos as good as any other expensive sites out there.  Why not opt for a more credible and trusted logo sites like these?

You can find superior logos running at $39, while there will be horrendously designed ones at $300. There is no promise in a high cost. Just because a person has a laptop and some software does not mean they are capable of designing a great logo, just as someone with a typewriter may not produce a great book. Always make sure expensive logo design sites can promise you extra better services if they are going to charge a high fee. Or else, you can always go for cheap logo design sites which offers the same service but with a much greater deal!

New Age Spam – An Internet Marketing Tool

Source: leeanntownsend.com

Comment spam has been a longstanding problem for blogs of all kinds. In search of quick and easy links to their site, some people engage in it themselves, others hire blog commenter’s, but the nature of this tactic doesn't change. According to blog or website owners, it still has the word SPAM written across it. We recently discovered that anyone can accuse anyone of being a spammer. Even comments as simple as “Nice post” followed by a link that would point to their website where they would attempt to sell their products are indicated as SPAMs.

Besides, some genuine loyal and regular clients love placing testimonials or comments to help advertise that particular brand of that product or service they previously used. This type of comments should not be categorized as SPAM. It is just a way of expressing their satisfaction of using that specific brand. In this age, most clients have a tendency to share it with others, be it a bad or good comment. How does one determine if a comment is a SPAM or NOT?

Robert Soloway, the SPAM KING (Source: Wired.com)

Robert Soloway, the SPAM KING, became an instant millionaire with his email spamming methods. Imagine the millionaires it did make for spamming alone during the hay days. Solomon's business grew from sending out e-mails to strangers to distributing spam package software online. These were all before the advanced of spam filters and various spam policies existed on the internet.

The SPAM KING was recently allowed back online after his 3 year sentence in prison. He recently quoted after his release: “I’ve never logged onto Facebook before but I hear it’s nice. In terms of e-mail, Facebook has it built in,” he says. In today's era, Facebook has been a new source for marketing. Nowadays, even small and big companies add hundreds of people whom they do not know on Facebook page, just to promote their product and services. Is this the NEW AGE SPAMMING? How reliable is this Internet Marketing tool? How long before Facebook will block it's users from spamming/ tagging their products online?

There should be specifications in the SPAMMING categorization. What should be considered as SPAM is when society sends out emails or comments, promoting negative products for instance, sexual enhancement products and so forth. We believe unsolicited commercial emails shall not be considered as SPAM. It is a legitimate idea if you get permission from someone before sending it to them.

We believe marketing is a positive thing in society. It lets people know about the products or services that they need or may help them. It helps companies be profitable and successful. It is just spreading of words on what is good. So if the comments are genuine and if companies do target their products to the right consumers, this should be accepted as a form of online marketing instead of SPAMMING.

Recycle, Reuse, Reduce? Errr... Probably not.

There has been talks online of complaints regarding being duped into paying insurmountable amounts for a logo design which when discovered later was recycled from some old designs or even blatantly plagiarized from existing logos. This concern is not baseless as seen in the past from the scandal of LogoWorks.com. To read more regarding this issue, please visit: http://logoworkssucks.blogspot.com/.

Moreover, it is wise to tread carefully on certain crowdsourcing design sites where a minority of those individuals who are providing designing services are simply amateur designers who want to make a quick buck by editing established logo designs and propose them to you as “newly” created ones. Always look for recommendations, comments or even reviews online to check the reliability. Hey, Google is just a click away.

Browsing through a portfolio is also important as you can gauge the quality of past designs. Take your time as you are using your hard earned money for these type of designing services. It is better to be always safe than sorry. You might be able to spot some logo designs which you feel is under par or even relatively similar to an existing logo through a designer's portfolio. Note: LogoWorks's plagiarism scandal was discovered this way. The sad thing is that this essential step is more often than not overlooked by customers

Source: biz-logo.com

On the flip side, there are sites like TemplateDesignWorkshop.com, PixelLogo.com, biz-logo.com and etc which are offering logo design templates which are actually pre-designed logos where you can choose one and customize it to suit your preference. Definitely, this type of service will be much more affordable in terms of pricing. Take note that it is best to buy the rights of the logo once you have chosen it as you would not want another business using a spin-off of your logo. The risk of buying plagiarized logo designs is still there but you will be able to see the logo beforehand prior to making the purchase. Above all, remember to do your research. As always.