Posts Tagged Connection Graphics

Graphic Designer with Graphic Design Solutions- the 'Wiz" of Everything

graphic design solutions - graphic designer at computer with pantone chartThis summer I renewed my subscription to Print magazine for the first time in quite a few years. Each year a higher percentage of Connection Graphic’s customer graphic design solutions are digital or web based. Our focus and research is keeping current with electronic solutions and techniques.  A Print Magazine direct mail piece convinced me I deserved to indulge my love of print design.
While luxuriating in the recent issue an article by Rick Poynor resonated with my thoughts on the evolution of graphic design. How has my role as a graphic designer evolved? Even though graphic designers have been creating since the 1930s, I remember a mere decade ago having to explain to people what I did as a graphic designer.
My work designations were visual communication director, publication specialist, marketing director, graphic artist, graphic designer. Under all guises, my tasks in each position were virtually the same – a rose by any other name.
Graphic design solutions  for the masses
Viewers are influenced by strategic and creative graphic design solutions in every media throughout the world. From website design, to packaging, print literature, billboards and video, graphic design is in the heart of all brand development and communications.
In this digital world a graphic designer can’t just excel in logo design. Designers must have a strong grasp of website design and digital graphic design solutions.
A graphic designer has always been a problem solver and visual magician. Artistic expression, interdisciplinary skills and reasoning come together to create graphic design solutions. We are called to be product developers, typesetters, coders, writers and more. The beauty is, we can, we will — we are. Successful graphic designers welcome every challenge. As a result, Graphic designers understand future generations will be even more discerning in their product and service choices. Customers will continue to challenge our ability to balance creative visuals with clear messages. We will continue to deliver graphic design solutions that hit the mark.
A rose by any other name…
Rick Poyner and others may argue that the evolution of the industry may require a new title and graphic design is now an outmoded term. As a seasoned graphic designer I am grateful for the new discerning and savvy clientele. Finally, I appreciate not having to explain what a graphic designer does. I will  answer to whatever name or tasks evolve.  In response, I will continue to deliver creative graphic design solutions that communicate clearly and effectively.

Do you have any magic marketing beans?


I would love to purchase some and plant them for some customers. When their businesses grow as the result of our magic bean planting I would occasionally submit a small report – maybe just a page or two with pretty graphs showing the astronomical growth Connection Group has nurtured in such a short amount of time.
What a great way to live! We would have infinite love and gratitude from hundreds of clients – because once those magic beans are planted for one customer the word will spread and we’d have a full crop of growing companies under our care. What company doesn’t want instant growth through their marketing efforts?
As graphic designers and brand marketers we combine our love of the visual with the experiential and psychological aspects of a brand. As much excitement as a new logo or website design can instill, the often time consuming press releases, consumer research,  blog submissions, and database development required to build a strong foundation for awareness of the brand is like watching a seed take root in the dark. This phase is boring to customers who are only interested in seeing increased sales results.
Sometimes, to our horror, while we are developing roots and studying patterns, some clients will ask us to dig up the seed, maybe try new soil, or plant an entirely new seed to see if it will grow faster. This of course only results in losing ground and burning more daylight. Some marketing companies actually shovel in more fertilizer which appears to increase the yield faster but it doesn’t reap the sweet fruit that buyers return to again and again and tell all their family and friends about.
So for those customers who haven’t allowed time to prepare the soil before seeding and  still expect a bountiful harvest in the first season, the most practical solution I can think of is finding these magic marketing beans. We could celebrate Thanksgiving everyday and bask in the cornucopia of satisfied customers. My bet is though that these magic marketing beans other marketing firms are pushing are loss leaders for them and their top sales product is really the bull fertilizer that’s packaged with them.
Stay connected,
connectiongraphics.com

Join the Michigan EcoSystem at Entrepreneur Connect

The Lansing Economic Area Partnership (Leap, Inc.) has combined with Great Lakes Entrepreneurial Quest  (GLEQ) to bring aspiring  entrepreneurs two days of inspring presentations, Angel funding session, points on securing government contracts, tips on marketing, notes on protecting intellectual property and many more critical topics of value to entrepreneurs.
On Thursday, June 9, enjoy a day of presentations and breakout sessions and virtual tours of Michigan’s business incubators and the GLEQ Business Plan Competition Awards Banquet that evening. On Friday, you’ll have the option of participating in numerous networking and educational activities and exploring the displays in the exhibit hall (please stop by Connection Group table and let us know you read this post to receive a special gift!).
The agenda on both days encourages meeting and learning from other entrepreneurs, investors, business professionals and resource experts. Contact LEAP to secure small conference rooms that are available at no additional cost on a first-come, first-served basis for small meetings and private conversations. Visit Entrepreneur Connect to read more about the session available and reserve your place. Participate in the events and activities as best fits your schedule and interests.
I hope to see you there and look forward to this great opportunity to meet and support business in Michigan. Even though Connection Group opened our doors over 14 years ago, business continues to evolve because we keep learning. If all we offered were the graphic design services for print marketing that was our base  in 1997 we could not have sustained the business. Because we paid attention to trends and consulted experts, we have continually expanded our product offerings to meet the market. Internet marketing, website design and consulting quickly became a larger segment of client sales, even in those early days.
The ability to learn and excel is a critical component to business success. Because we have stayed in touch with customer needs and honed our skills, Connection Group has become recognized as a brand marketing resource. When our customers need to engage in social media we develop social media strategies for them, custom designed Facebook fan pages, landing pages, and custom website design and development as part of the marketing services mix. We don’t know what the future will bring, but we will be one of the first to learn about it as we continue to attend great events such as Entrepreneur Connect.
Entrepreneur Connect will be held at the Henry Center in Lansing, Michigan.   Take a look at these breakout sessions and register to attend!
As Miche Suboski shared, “Summer is usually a sleepy time for business, but not for Entrepreneurs!  At least the one’s that are out making stuff happen….Entrepreneur Connect has many… excellent opportunities (all in one event!) for you to get out there and continue to build your brand or make connections that will help you take the next step with your venture.”
 

Do You Know What Your Real Job Is? Graphic Design Job Duties Sure Have Changed!

Illustration of Connie Sweet electronic design illustration‘When you were a kid, could you, your teachers, or your parents imagine your current job? … ‘
My job has changed profoundly over my  20+ years in graphic design. In addition, new industries and jobs have developed that didn’t exist in the field when I chose graphic design as my career. In art school we had to sketch out concepts and handwrite text. My first real graphic designer job, I had to determine character count by hand then spec it for a typesetter – heaven forbid if there was a change in the copy after this step. Now, as owner of a graphic design and marketing firm specializing in brand marketing and website design, the occupation I enjoy as a graphic designer is a far cry from the description from the Kendall College of Art Design catalog back then.
Is your job title one that was included in a compiled Occupation List from Middle School? Is the title the same with vastly different tasks and techniques? Or has the original job you started fresh out of school been eliminated and you have reinvented yourself along the way?
While considering the industries I have been fortunate to work with through Connection Group, brick and mortar retail, real estate brokerages, marketing firms, I have seen and felt the tremendous changes each has implemented to continually evolve to meet todays business climate. How much has your ‘occupation type’ changed since you started your career path? I would love to hear where you started and where you are now, how vastly your tasks have changed since you entered the job market and set your career path.
Stay connected!

Take Back Control of the Photos on Your Facebook Page.

Customize the photo stream at the top of your Facebook Fan Page or Facebook Personal Page.
Since Facebook updated their page platform the photos that came up in the stream at the top of the Connection Group fan page were not optimal in my opinion. Facebook’s default is to select photos from your wall posts images to display in the top photo ribbon, or ones you have been tagged in by yourself or others. On the Connection Group Facebook fan page some of the photos were infographics that weren’t clear when reduced to the size to fit the stream. As a marketing firm specializing in graphic design and website design the best way to utilize this stream is to highlight some of our custom work.
Even if you or your company doesn’t offer design or art services you can customize your photo stream to feature photos of your products, pictures of you that you like (not the ones others have tagged you in where your head is cut off or your back’s to the camera.)
You can choose photos you have taken and that you have access to on your computer. You can also go to stock photography sites and purchase inexpensive images. Just choose the small web resolution options – this will help keep their cost low. You can even call Connection Group, we can create custom images applicable to your company product or service too! Please be cautious about using any photos you do not own of do not have permission to use – this is a breech in copyright law.
Facebook’s default is to select photos from your wall posts images to display in the top photo ribbon. Once you have images you would like to feature, log into your page and begin posting them from your wall.
Click on a photo and choose Upload a Photo. Don’t choose ‘Create an Album’, this will not work. Find where the photo is located on your computer and select it.
Screen capture of where to click on your wall to upload a photo by your status entry.
When you post them as photos to your page, you can add information about the photo and then click share.
Screen capture of dialog box where you can choose your file name, add a cation and click share to upload to your Facebook wall.
Facebook doesn’t allow you to upload them all at once but that’s okay. By adding them separately you will get more exposure for them by them on your wall! Once you have posted all the photos you want to add hit the reload button in your browser and wa-la! you will see the photos you just posted in your photo stream. If you are reading the post shortly after it was posted you can visit the Connection graphics Facebook fan page and see the order in which I posted updated images. Click on the like us button on the welcome page and it will take you to the wall. Scroll to see the step by step entries and note the photo ribbon at the top.
BTW, If you don’t want a photo or graphic  to appear in the photo stream, roll over the photo and click the “x” in the top-right corner. This won’t delete your photo it just keeps it from being in the feed. (You can open your photo album and delete it from there if you want to completely remove it.)
Good luck! Let us know if you have any questions. Stay connected!

Facebook – Seeking Groupies or Official Fans??

There is much confusion expressed by clients and friends of Connection Group who are just immersing themselves in social media. Since Facebook Groups and Facebook Pages look so similar, and indeed have many similar features, some companies have created a Facebook Group instead of a Facebook Page which would serve their goals better. The two essentially serve different purposes on Facebook and it is important to know the features of each before jumping in.
The purpose of a Group is to encourage interaction of members.
They are typically built around a particular topic or cause. Members can brainstorm ideas, group chat, post new information, photos, videos and links, etc. Whenever a new entry is made by a member the entire group is notified via email (unless a group member has specified to opt out of emails) and it will be added under the notifications tab. This is one of the best features of the Group option. Another is the ability to restrict access and create an invite only group. This keeps the correspondence in the group directed to group members online – not posted to the public News feed. Keep in mind however messages are restricted once a group reaches 5000 members.
Create a Page when you want to build an official company, public entity or brand page.
The Facebook Pages or company fan pages are tools for companies and public figures to connect with their customers and followers. Customers on Facebook can ‘like’ and then interact with a brand by posting Page updates that are fed to your News feed. By liking the page users will then receive the Facebook company fan page posts directly into their News feed which will also then be viewable by that users friend. Facebook Pages have stronger SEO capabilities and the biggest is their ability to include applications. For instance the static FBMI application that allows people to create graphics, custom tabs and code that essentially simulates a website within their company page. Facebook Pages also provide administrators with post insights which are essentially tracking devices to count hits, etc. Official Pages can not be restricted or hidden like the invite only group mentioned above, there is no option to make them private. The whole idea with the business Pages is to increase publicity and draw interested friends. Page administrators can also access a widget that can be posted on their corporate website to promote their fan pages, this is another feature groups do not have currently.
When creating your Facebook custom business page it is wise to get a vanity URL for the page name. Please see my previous blog entry for details.
I tend to use the features of the Facebook business fan pages and use them even with my non-profit businesses and groups. I don’t implement any member restrictions and I have other tools to mass message and send event notices outside of Facebook. The ability to utilize applications and Page Insights out weight using the Group choice for me.
If you have other questions please let me know, I am happy to help. Facebook covers this information very thoroughly also. Otherwise, if you are ready to create a fan page go to facebook.com/pages/create.php.
Stay connected!

Loving Lansing

As a marketing and design firm specializing in branding solutions we work with customers across the United States and Canada. We are located in the Lansing, Michigan area and much of our clientele are in Lansing and Grand Rapids. In the over twelve years of launching Connection Group, I have been pleased to see the growth and improvements both of these cities have made. Since I attended Kendall College of Art and Design in the, dare I say it – 80s’, Grand Rapids skyline and downtown offerings have improved dramatically. Areas where once I was tentative to ride my bike have now become revitalized, thriving neighborhoods.  With the diverse corporations and big donor names such as VanAndel and DeVos, Grand Rapids has been blessed with a stream of  financial gifts and investments.
Lansing, on the other hand, with its deep roots in the auto industry, has seen challenges and limited financial support. Even though it is the state capital of Michigan, the challenges the State has encountered has limited  state investment  and growth for the city. Fortunately, with a new diverse group of industries moving to the city, including many large insurance corporations, biotech companies, and of course the continued growth at MSU, Cooley Law School, and the many other higher education institutions, Lansing is growing and attracting a dynamic group of young residents. Downtown Lansing has expanded its offerings for nightlife and entertainment and Oldtown has continued to be a destination for celebrating the arts with its many festivals and locally owned boutique shops.
Local online newspaper, Capital Gains has dedicated a lot of ink to share the many wonderful events, happenings and growth Lansing is experiencing. Recently they featured a couple of articles on one of our favorite clients, Lambs’ Gate Antiques. Lambs’ Gate is locally owned by Carol Lamb. The first store in Grand Ledge has enjoyed much success throughout the years and Carol boldly chose to expand this Spring and opened Lambs’ Gate Antiques in OldTown. Managed by her daughter-in-law Ashley, the new store is the epitome of what is OldTown, eclectic, unique and colorful.
To learn more about the shops please view the Capital Gains article about Lambs’ Gate and the Lambs’ Gate Web site. To read more about the young talent Lansing is attracting and get a glimpse of why Lambs’ Gate Oldtown is experiencing such a welcoming response, read the Capital Gains article on Dan and Ashley Lamb.
Be sure to friend the Lambs’ Gate Antiques facebook site and join the newsletter to receive monthly coupons!