Yup, this is my messy home office taken as-is for this post. I raised the question today via Twitter asking how many computers a person needed and it turns out I’m not a rarity to own two computers accompanied by the backup of my trusty Blackberry. In fact, that seems to be the norm and many saw the need for multiple computers to be somewhat of a negative, but still, others were quite proud of their multi-computing selves.
How many computers do you need?
Social Media for Business
A lot of people are on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and more, but what a lot of people don’t know is that these can all be very valuable business tools. The point of social media is to be, well, social. You have to actively and regularly participate in the conversations and make sure to contribute your expertise as well. So what does that have to do with your business? Well, it’s building a network of relationships, and let’s face it, people tend to do business with people they know. Think of social media as a virtual game of golf with a potential client, business partner or someone who might even have something valuable to help YOU.
What’s in a name?
When starting a new business, the first thing to do is name the new baby. Like a first child, some business owners name their company after themselves such as Garcia Express and Craigslist. Others use a play on words like Curl up and Dye (salon) and Sharp Bodyz (auto detailing). It could be an everyday word like Target or Jack in the Box, or something totally made up like Kudzu or Liquis Design.
Beverly Kidd dishes about social media
I attended a Gangplank Brown Bag lunch presentation today given by Beverly Kidd discussing “social media through an old media lens.” She didn’t attempt to school us all on any groundbreaking social media topics, but rather gave us an inside perspective on how she has found incredible value with social media, mainly twitter.
A Million Mini Card Ideas
When I came across these mini cards I couldn’t stop thinking of cool ways Liquis and our clients could use them. The possibilities seemed endless! These mini cards come from Moo and what makes them universal is not only their size and surprising durability, but the capability to make each card unique with a different design.
Take-aways from my quotable internship at Liquis
Since I’ve started my internship here at Liquis Design, I’ve learned a few things:
“Things that upset a terrier may pass virtually unnoticed by a Great Dane.” – Smiley Blanton
In general, a Great Dane and a Chihuahua can get along quite harmoniously. However, a Great Dane and an office sometimes results in broken glass and horribly smelly farts.
Brand messaging that talks back
It used to be that when I ordered fast food, I received what I wanted (hopefully) in a rather plain paper bag with little more than the franchise’s logo. Today though, it seems the formerly quiet bag is talking back to us. Witty and humorous, the packaging lends itself to possessing its own unique personality.
Liquis is turning 1!
Last year, on 8/8/08, Brad took the drive home from his 9 to 5 for the last time and Liquis Design has been in full force ever since. We’ve hit our first big milestone and would like to take a walk down memory lane with you to recap some of our most memorable moments…
PM tools we love
As project manager here at Liquis, I have quite a task of ensuring every detail is paid proper attention, tasks are completed on time and client communication is maintained throughout the entirety of their project. At first, I used my whiteboard as a temporary resting place for project details and eventually moved everything into a spreadsheet. A spreadsheet is fine and dandy for a little while, but soon became overwhelming as it was hard to visually see what was going on with my projects at a glance. Then, I found an amazing project management tool that not only did everything I needed it to, but it was also free.
What makes a good newsletter?
Well, first it takes a good audience. I do not recommend purchasing a list and spamming the heck out of them. If you’re just starting out, ask current clients and contacts if they’d be interested in receiving your newsletter. If your newsletter has been around a while, let people sign up themselves via your Web site or other means.
Meetings Shmeetings
Company meetings… Are they good or bad? I personally think meetings are important for a company’s day-to-day and long term goals, but I also think it all depends on what you are getting out of it and what is being accomplished (if anything at all).
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!
This post is dedicated to Liquis Client, Andrea Noel, and her brand new $50 VISA gift card. Like many of our clients, Andrea referred us to a friend and took advantage of our referral program. Her referral gave us a call, we chatted, we built a kick butt Web site, we sent Andrea 50 bucks. Simple! Who’s next?
It’s called “constructive criticism”
Regal Seagul
If you have spent any amount of time in online forums then I’m sure you have run across individuals looking for feedback on their work. Forums are a great tool to communicate with others and obtain feedback, but almost every time I see someone posting their work for review, a good amount of the comments are grossly negative. I am sure that the individuals posting their projects are expecting and looking for honest and constructive criticism, but that’s not always what they get.
Are business cards still important?
Remarkablogger
When I get a business card, I generally jot down a few notes on the back about how I met the person, possibly their twitter name and even some characteristics that will help me remember them later or provide a conversation starter should we ever touch base again. Then I throw it away.
Thirsty for some sweet-tasting Web 2.0 Icons? Well then take a swig from a