r1cky } design right } 503.784.4520

Kinderbloggin

r1cky — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:39:01 +0000

I think that before you ever write your first post, you need to have the right foundation and best practices in place. The most intriguing post in the world may never be read if your visitors can't follow your text, see your images or even access your post.

Here are the 8 slides I used in my Blogging 101 class today. Make sense? Now blog!

When wants trump needs

r1cky — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:10:48 +0000

I'm not a graphic designer, web designer, photographer, videographer, powerpoint-er or illustrator
BUT I can design a business card, build a website, take a photo, produce a video, create a powerpoint and draw a picture.

If you are trying to help John
by giving him what he wants
because he thinks its what he needs
then you aren't truly helping John!

But, If you try to tell John
what he needs
and he still requests what he wants
then maybe
he should not
be helped
by someone other than you.

Because down the road
when Jane asks John,
"who didn't help you?",
you wont have to worry
about John saying it was you.

So now if Jane asks you why
you didn't help John
you can say,
"I helped John by not helping him!".

Sometimes it's better to make $0 than $1000.

New but Old

r1cky — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 09:32:09 +0000

I don't think anyone who is looking to get a new website should look for one like they do a car. Why? When you go shopping for a car, it's for you. When you go shopping for a website, it's for your customers or clients. Almost every day I see people throwing down money for a website and not truly knowing what they are buying but solely making a decision based on how it looks.

It's much like having a spouse and three kids and purchasing a Porsche Boxter just because it's impressive and pretty. I'm not saying that your website can't be "pretty" but it's not the "pretty" that converts or even makes it user-friendly. Craigslist is one of the ugliest sites around yet it's still in the top 10 of most visited sites.

Next time you visit a website for the first time, ask yourself this question the moment you land on that site ... "What Do They Want Me To Do?". The great companies get this right. The other companies just look "pretty".

4 Great Examples of "I Know What They Want Me to Do"

3 Great Examples of "Uhhhhhhhh ..."

DJ Voicemail

r1cky — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 07:00:14 +0000

It's rare that I leave a message for someone when their voicemail message kicks in. Why? Because I don't like sitting through the same old monotone robotic female voice instructing me on how to leave a message. It doesn't have to be this way. So, I thought why not have a professional with style, creativity and flavor create one for me?!

Check it out:

My Voicemail

My Disclaimer: I accept no liability for the content of this voicemail, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the sounds provided, unless the sound is subsequently confirmed audibly. Any views or opinions presented in this voicemail are solely those of the DJ and do not necessarily represent me. WARNING: Phone viruses can be transmitted via voicemail. The listener should check his phone and any ear pieces for the presence of viruses. I accept no liability for any ear damage caused by any virus transmitted by this voicemail

iCreate

r1cky — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:37:22 +0000

A smart man once told me that anyone can learn to use a software program or a camera but no one can learn creativity. I truly believe this and love it when a creative person demonstrates it with sub-par equipment. For example, so many people think that you have to have a professional camcorder and top-notch gear/software to create great videos. These guys shot their entire music video with an iPhone!

The problem isn't the device but the user. So, good news, if you are creative, you win!

Pictures & Words

r1cky — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:28:38 +0000

We all know that a picture says a thousands words, but your choice of words can paint a pretty picture as well. I've split test different words in marketing campaigns (AdWords too) and have learned much from it. Because I'm so tuned to it now, I see it everywhere and the most popular and profitable companies do a great job when choosing their words.

I was reminded of this just the other day when a warning light in my car came on. The majority of cars display either an orange or red icon that represents your engine with a message that read something like, "Maintenance Required". To me, that's scary! However, the warning light in my car simply read, "Visit Workshop". That's a soothing message to me ... and I believe it was by design!

The Tetris Terabyte

r1cky — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:00:41 +0000

It seems like there are only so many new ideas we can come up with these days, thanks to technology. I think that's why so many people are digging into the past for more ideas. I'm not a hater of this angle though. I actually like it because I get to see things I liked as a kid now blended in with the things I like today. This opens so many possibilities for new ideas. Like below. Someone decided to turn an old Nintendo Tetris cartridge into a 1TB hard drive!

ideas around ideas

r1cky — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:33:35 +0000

Everyone tries to reinvent the wheel or make a crappy product better but the smart ones build around other ideas that are solid! I love this concept. Everything about this product makes sense. This is one of those things where you say, "Why didn't I think of that?" Love it! Oh ... you can get the iAlarm over at AreaWare.

Marketing is Key

r1cky — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 23:18:26 +0000

We all know first impressions are Key! There are times when your business card can set you apart from the start. If I were a Realtor, I'd duplicate this business card but have the tags be in the shape of Keys! Then when you hand one to a possible new client, you can tell them you'll be handing them the real keys soon! Just a thought.

Let Photoshop Sell Your Home

r1cky — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:09:37 +0000

Sometimes people will ask me if I can do a "quick touch up photo favor" for them. I have no problem doing so as long as snapping a new photo is no longer an option for them. Below is a tutorial on how to sell your home with Photoshop since first impressions are everything.

One time I was trying to sell my ONLY camera on Craigslist and I provided a photo link so people could see the camera on the manufacurer's site. A lady replied and said the link was nice but she wanted to see the condition my camera was in. I replied and told her it was my only camera. She replied back and asked me if I could take a picture of it!!! I'm an Artist, not a magician.

[See post to watch Flash video]