CreativeTechs Tips

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In this short 8 minute video, Mark Monlux talks about his personal approach to using social networking tools for attract business as an independent professional illustrator. From a May 27, 2009 panel at the Seattle Graphic Artists Guild.

Last week I gave a talk for the Seattle Graphic Artists Guild about why designers should be using today’s online social media tools to attract work. I promised I’d post a video recording of that talk, and here it is.

I gave this talk twice. Once as a rough draft to a small webinar audience, and the next day at the luncheon to a live audience of creative small business owners.

After reviewing both recordings, I find I like the rough draft a bit better. It feels a little more casual, and I enjoy the side comments I found myself making as I was actively figuring out how to describe certain topics.

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If you are looking for a good way to get a handle on various online social marketing tools, there is no better place to start than with these short "Plain English" videos from Common Craft:

Video: LinkedIn

Video: Social Media

Video: Podcasting

Video: Twitter

Video: Blogging

Video: Social Bookmarking

Video: Social Networking Sites

Video: RSS

Full Archive: The Common Craft Show.

These videos are created by Lee LeFever in Seattle and provide some of the best, jargon-free explanations you are going to find for today’s various online marketing tools.

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There are three basic tools I need as a modern technical consultant: A flash drive to keep software utilities handy; a small screwdriver to open the occasional computer case; and (most importantly) a steady supply of business cards for referrals and introductions as I talk with people during the day.

I’ve spent more time than I can justify pulling together a basic toolkit that’s with me all the time. Here for your enjoyment, costing less than $100, is my keychain toolkit:

LaCie 8GB iamakey USB Flash Drive. ($35)

Swiss Tech Screwz-All Keyring Tool. ($4.75)

MOO MiniCards & MiniCard Holder. ($19.95 per 100 cards)

I looked at a lot of different products before settling on these three. If you are curious, read on for some alternate flash drives and keychain screwdrivers you might also consider. Read the Full Tip »

Next month, I’m giving a talk at Seattle’s Graphic Artists Guild about online social marketing. Want a sneak peak at some of the topics we’ll be discussing? Here are three short, manifestos to get you started:

The Care & Feeding of Your Network.

Build Your Brand in Bits and Bytes: Building Your Personal Brand Online.

Smart Networking: End the Resistance, Prepare for Success and Get 24/7 Results Without the 24/7 Effort.

I hand-picked these three from a terrific collection of manifestos at ChangeThis.com. They are all a quick read, and each has a couple nuggets of wisdom that I’m hoping to incorporate into next month’s talk. Read the Full Tip »

In December I published a tip on Frugal Ways to Spend Before Year End. Around that time, I asked a friend and colleague, Jason Knopp at Apple specialist The MacPac, to pull together a list of their used and refurbished Mac inventory as a resource we could point readers toward as part of saving money on computer purchases.

Well, he put in a fair bit of work, and under the pressure of deadlines, I never included it in my story. To make up for that, I’d like to correct the record now. If you are looking for good deal on new, previous generation, or used Apple products, check out the MacPac Clearance page:

Link - MacPac Clearance Page

Note: That link isn’t available for the general public. Jason pulled it together in December just for our readers. Sorry for letting it languish Jason! Read the Full Tip »

This 5-minute clip comes from the Q&A portion of the first week of Jason Hoppe’s 10-Week Photoshop Course. This clip includes an assortment of tips inspired by audience questions. Including how to quickly reset dialog boxes, a shortcut for moving type boxes, quickly scrolling through fonts, setting precise guides, and shortcuts for zooming.

Free Photoshop CS4 Course Enrollment.

Once you spend a little time reading and commenting on various blogs, you’ll notice that on certain blogs some people have branded icons next to their comments, while others have a generic anonymous graphic.

These icons are avatars — tiny online logos that represent you on blogs and other online forums. It’s a small detail that plays an important role in your studio’s online social networking.

They are easy to setup. Design a small square graphic in Photoshop; save it as a JPG, GIF, or PNG; and upload it to a free account at gravatar:

Gravatar — globally recognized avatars

The process takes about two minutes. Use a photo, or design a small square version of your studio’s logo. This free service works with all gravatar-enabled sites (including most Wordpress blogs, like ours). Test out your new avatar by leaving a comment here! Read the Full Tip »

The start of January is a good time to refocus on how to move your career forward over the upcoming year. 2009 presents a challenging landscape for today’s creative professional. Now is the time to focus on important tasks that will position yourself and your business for success over the coming year.

The Printable CEO series includes a marvelous collection of PDF forms that freelance designer David Seah developed several years ago to motivate and track his own business development activities. I highly recommend perusing the forms, and reading David’s excellent essays on the philosophy behind them.

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How should nervous, frugal, business owners and creative managers spend money over the next three weeks? This month I’ve found myself in a couple odd year-end planning conversations with clients.

One owner of a large design firm which did very well in 2008 told me her CPA is pressing them to spend some of their pre-tax profits before December ends. A manager of an in-house creative departments has remaining funds in his 2008 budget, and wants to know what purchases will have the greatest impact for their team over the coming year.

Both are justifiably wary about today’s economy, and nervous about what budgets are going to look like next year.

Here is our list of frugal ways you might spend end-of-year dollars, while preparing your company for potentially lean times ahead.

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