The art of outsourcing

Doutzen Brooks — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 06:08:09 -0500

Outsourcing design, development and marketing projects or parts of projects has become a very commonplace process in the world of ecommerce - and you really don't need to be a Fortune 500 company with masses of cash to utilize and benefit from outsourcing.

Scenario: A client comes to you wanting a quote on a web site and it's the perfect job - apart from one element in the project - you aren't skilled in this particular web technology. This component is a crucial element in winning the contract, there's no way of getting around it. What do you do? You don't want to lose the contract, but you definitely can't afford to hire a new employee for this project - there are too many risks and associated headaches. Or what about a situation with your own site where you need some programming done and simply don't have time to do it, or the headspace to learn how to do it? Isn't your time better spent on your core competencies, the skills that generate cash for you? Another scenario is where you have so much work on at the time that you really don't have the resources for taking on and developing a full project. In these cases, small companies tend to refer the entire job on to others. But then you lose the client forever to the other company. Wouldn't it make more sense to secure the contract, outsource everything and oversee the development? That way if one of your current projects falls through, you will still have work and you will also more than likely gain future work from that client.

Most small web design and development companies naturally achieve great expertise in specific areas many of the projects are outsourced to web design company India - these project areas are the ones that they are not only particularly good at, but also the fastest in generating. We all build up our repertoire of "tricks of the trade" over time, and these are the elements of any contract that it makes the most sense to keep. Where are the bottlenecks in your development processes? If developing graphical elements for web sites is one of your challenges, then it only makes sense to outsource that work. You may feel that paying $80 an hour to an expert graphic artist is too steep considering your standard rate is only $50 an hour, but consider this example: A client wants a Flash element created and Flash isn't one of your stronger areas, so the length of time it will take you to create that element is a bit of an unknown - and you have already set the entire project price, which the client has agreed on. You end up spending 6 hours on designing the Flash animation to the clients’ satisfaction.

Posted to: The art of outsourcing

Find the Right Balance in Logo Creation

christo yordanov — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:46:10 -0500

In a business, logo creation is as crucial as setting up a business plan. It is not as easy as going to a designer and having him create a cool, modern symbol with a ripped off tagline. Unfortunately, it goes beyond "cool". It goes beyond what you think is the hype. Instead, it requires a deeper understanding of your business, how it can be best represented, the overall impression it leaves on its viewers and if it is sticky enough to be retained in the minds of your market.

Your logo's every curve and color must exist for a reason. All elements should come together to contribute to an overall powerful and clear message easily conveyed to anyone who sees it.

Color Selection

Let us start with color. Colors mean something. Some colors make you mad, some make you calm and some make you agitated and so on. Every color has a psychological impact on people and a good mastery of such knowledge will prove to be very useful in creating your logo.

Composition of Elements

Selecting the right images shapes for your logo and arranging them also requires a good amount of thought. Overdone logos with a lot of curves and circles might leave you confused and overwhelmed. At the same time, some are too simple that it leaves you unimpressed with no clear idea what the business behind that logo wants to say. Investing time and effort on trial-and-error tests on your logo might seem a tedious task, but once overcome, you will reap the rewards with more response and more results from your viewers.

Getting It All Together

Before we think of what color or shape, at the base of our minds is what your logo should symbolize. The "what" comes first before the "how". From the base sketch, to the colors, to the shapes, always check if every addition gives more value to your logo in association with your brand. In addition to the value of the parts of your logo, another thing you should keep a keen eye out for is the overall balance of your design. You must think about how to balance your logo design well enough that each stroke is where it should be and everything taken in its totality equates to a clear message so that people can understand:

- What your business does and what it believes in
- The products and services you provide
- The advantage of choosing your products and services over others

Going over some popular logos very familiar to us, we notice the use of small fonts, use of the color red and arches. Let us dissect these elements for a minute.

Big companies use small fonts to convey that despite the enormous size and spread of their organization, people from all walks of life, even the less prestigious, can still make business with them. A small type makes people less daunted and rather more at ease in approaching the company.

The color red, not only grabs our attention, but it also communicates a sense of professionalism, passion and stability. That's why it's no surprise that several financial or banking companies make use of this shade like Mastercard, WellsFargo, and HSBC.

Now let us go to the use of arches. Arches can be used in a variety of ways and in conjunction other elements or letters in your logo. When used overhead, the arch can represent an umbrella to convey protection. Alternatively, in the same sense, when used under the text, an arch can convey reliability like a net catches circus acrobats when they fall. With lines arched in different directions, it is very possible that you can communicate a sense of protection, confidence and trust.

It goes to show that there is no need for too much incorporation of lines and shapes to convey a message to the people. Going overboard with symbols and colors in a logo can create too many elements that people will only add fuss instead of value.

Double check your designs and before you have your professional color printing company work on your logo, make sure that you have created it properly and have thought it out well. You must achieved the proper balance of using symbols that mean something akin to your company and keep them as simple and neat enough as possible. Balanced and uncluttered, remember that.

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About the Author: Kaye Z. Marks is an avid writer and follower of developments in commercial color printing industry and how these improvements can benefit small to medium-scale business.

Posted to: Find the Right Balance in Logo Creation

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The art of outsourcing

Find the Right Balance in Logo Creation