Don’t Pay for a Bad Sign
How much does it cost to have a sign built and installed? Could be hundreds. Could be thousands. Don’t spend a dime having anything printed or constructed or installed that isn’t designed by a professional. Oh sure, you could have
Sherwin Williams…What the Hell?!
This may be my least favorite logo of all time. Seriously, a giant can of paint is dumped over the entire planet? Do we want to paint our oceans and forests?! This is terrifying! Ok, fine, the logo was designed
Do Not Remove Your Card…No, Remove Your Card
I make this simple mistake all the time. I’m at the grocery store paying with my debit card using the chip reader. The person helping me asks me if I found everything ok, there is beeping and other noises, another
Stop Putting Twitter Icons Everywhere!
Companies put Twitter icons, Facebook icons, Instagram icons, Google icons, and other icons on their front doors, on their packaging, on broadcast ads, and in their ads…It has to stop! No Shit Your company has a Facebook account? Wow. Impressive. The
Slam Dunk. Big Deal. How Long did that Take?
When we see an NBA star crush a slam dunk we are amazed. We jump to our feet and cheer. We recognize the dunk as an amazing feat…We don’t point out that it only took a fraction of a second. When people see
The Chargers Fumble their Rebrand
The San Diego Chargers announced that they are moving the NFL franchise to Los Angeles. They designed a new logo emphasizing the new city. I was interviewed for my opinion on the logo. The first thing I said was that
The 1st Page of Google Myth
I get emails every day that promise to put my website on the first page of Google. THIS IS A SCAM. Give me a freaking break. I’m sure my clients get these offers as well. This is a real problem. It creates false
Anatomy of a Website Redesign
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”1951″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We’re thrilled to have launched our updated website. This site showcases some of the elements of modern website design. Good web design is built around the user’s experience. Today’s standards are in response to the way people currently
The Miracle of the Honeypot
If you have a website, you should have a contact form. You want visitors to contact you as easily as possible. That bad part that everyone with a website knows, is that you will be flooded with SPAM from
The SpaghettiOs of Design
Go to any graphic design discussion on the Internet and you will find designers decrying the emergence of crowd-sourcing websites like 99designs or website template sites like Squarespace. Doesn’t the pubic understand the value of what we bring? Don’t they know that
Warning: Do not respond to "hearing impaired" prospects!
We are suddenly inundated with requests for quotes from new clients. None of them will talk on the phone. Many of them claim to be hearing impaired. This initially bugged me because I prefer to actually speak to a client
Designer Death Match!
Grab your color swatches, fonts, and stock photos…It’s time to do battle. It’s time for a Designer Death Match. On some projects, you just assign one designer to work on it. They take full responsibility to learn about the client and
Update your site by April 21st or Google will Punish you!
Google announced that they are updating their search algorithm to promote “mobile-friendly” sites above others on mobile searches. You can test your site here: https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/ It may just take a few tweaks to get your site fixed or it
Are you a Hoarder?
Some clients act like hoarders. They need a website or an ad, but end up with a mess. They want to add a special offer, add an event (visit us at the convention in booth 2039895), add a testimonial, add
I Hate Tri-Fold Brochures
I have clients call me all the time and ask for a tri-fold brochure. I hate tri-fold brochures. I guess I’m just sick of them. I think clients ask for them because tri-folds are cheap? Every crappy dental office or Super
Never Market At Someone
I was sending out some marketing that I’d targeted to a particular industry. I wanted to show them that I understand their needs. I also was trying to put to rest some of the traditional resistance to a marketing
When Is the Bus Gonna be Here?
I was waiting with my kids at the bus stop the other day and the bus was late. I hesitated to call the bus company because they always lie to me and tell me the bus will be there
Happy New Year 2015
I love January. It’s the time of year we make a fresh start. What are your goals? What are your company’s goals? These are all doable: start a new company launch a new product get more clients open a
Simple Logos are Not Simple Projects
If you see a simple logo, you may think to yourself, it wouldn’t take much time to come up with something like that. It’s true that if I wanted to draw that current Apple logo or the Nike Swoosh from
What is the Standard Type Size
12 point is not the standard type size for anything that is actually printed or designed. 12 point is the default size in digital word processing. Yes, when you create your document in Word and print it on your ink
We get business from our reputation. Nobody is going to hire us just because of our website.
Let’s Pretend that this is True: Ok, nobody would hire you just because of your nice looking suit either. Would you hire a lawyer who just wears old, dirty t-shirts? No. The truth is that your website is part of your
I love Deadlines!
Deadlines are stressful and scary. People hate working under deadlines. I love deadlines. I often tell clients “Give me a deadline, please.” A deadline means that there is a set schedule. It means that a project is moving forward
Behind the Logo
We designed a logo for a business consulting firm. It’s a nice looking, professional logo. You could leave it at that, but there is more behind the logo. A little background iMonlouis specializes in managing positive change for clients. The
We Root for Our Clients!
We want our clients to kick ass. We want their companies to grow and soar. We try to partner with companies to focus on their success. Why not… If they are a success, that may mean more work down the
What’s a Call to Action
A basic definition of a call to action is simple. What do you want a customer to do when they encounter a piece of your marketing. Whether it’s a website, an ad, or a brochure, you should ask yourself what’s the one
Getting Clients is Easy
I was on a marketing forum yesterday and a fellow marketer/designer posted a question. He wanted to know how to get customers. I was shocked by the question and kinda went nuts on the guy. If you are in the
Don’t Wait. You’ll be Glad you Called.
I know what it’s like…You’re busy running your business, doing what you know, and trying to make money. You don’t want to contact some design firm, waste a pile of money, and get nothing in return. But on the other
Logo Process Explained
Every company needs a great logo, but how much do they cost? How long will it take to get one? How big will it be? How many colors will it have? What will it look like? A logo is not
I Hate the Term "Ambulance Chaser"
One the worst things you can call an attorney is an ambulance chaser. That’s the sleazy lawyer that shows up at the hospital to get a patient to file lawsuits. This is a portrait of a selfish, opportunist with little
Don’t Follow the Leader
If there is a successful company in your field and you need a website, why not just make yours like theirs? They are successful, so wouldn’t you be successful as well by following their design? Aren’t you trying to appeal
