The notorious "Computer Worm"

It has come to our attention that the Vivid Image website may have been infected with a “Computer Worm”. This particular worm is not malicious and will not affect other websites or infect your computer, however it may affect your browsing experience while on our web page. We have dispatched trained web professionals to locate and take care of the problem. We anticipate that we will be able to find and remove the worm sometime before tomorrow. We apologize for any inconvenience.

As a designer, part of my job is to use graphics and imagery to capture the essence of your business and convey your message, goals and values visually – through design. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so just how many words can I find that are symbolized by just one color? Green is powerful color that can represent a lot of very positive values. It’s probably not one of those things that you really ever stop to think about, but at the same time, once you do start thinking about it – it makes a lot of sense. So, lets take a moment to discuss some emotions, values and qualities associated with green.

“They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so just how many words can I find that are symbolized by just one color? Green is powerful color that can represent a lot of very positive values.”

When developing a Facebook landing page for TireZoo - I chose Green to highlight savings and value on their coupon graphic. Even though their brand colors are Blue and Yellow.

Green can signify money; Saving money, getting money, earning money. Green signifies value, economy and savings. When you think about what factors your customers are likely to consider when choosing products or services like yours, you almost always have to assume that saving some green is a top priority. After all, as consumers we work hard for our money and we want to make sure we’re getting the most bang for our buck when making a purchase decision.

If we see a green light, a green sign or a green flag it means we are free to go, clear to proceed or welcome to enter. Green is a lucky color. Green is the color of the right answer on the game show – it means you’ve made the correct choice. Today’s threat level: Green. Hearing that makes you feel safe, calm and comfortable. Doesn’t it? It can be important to set an emotional tone with your customers that makes them feel comfortable.

Organic by nature, the color green can represent life, vitality and growth. When we think of spring (just around the corner) we think of green as a symbol of freshness and rebirth. Green represents fun and youthfulness. Green is alive and it is healthy. If you offer products or services that are a healthy choice, green is almost certainly the color you would want to represent that.

Specifically green can represent plants, crops, nature and the environment. Over the past half-decade, being Eco-Friendly or Going Green has evolved from a trend in marketing to a core value and even a lifestyle in the minds of consumers. Today’s consumer does consider the environment and their impact on it. Products and services that are “green” have an advantage in a competitive market.

So, just how many of the words in this article can be associated with the products, services and values that your business offers? When you really pause to think about it – you might just be surprised. Think of how simple it can be to convey all of those positive words and symbols by using just one color. See what I mean? As subtle as it may be, green can really make a huge impact. I’m sure that after reading this, you’ll start to notice green a lot more. So have some fun and go green!

If I’ve got you seeing green, email us at info@vimm.com to schedule a consultation to discuss freshening up the design of your website, e-newsletter, Facebook landing page, print materials or whatever inspired idea you come up with!

Zuckerberg codes a website that allows users to rate and compare co-ed's. The site became so popular it crashed the Harvard university network in a matter of hours and served as the inspiration for what eventually becomes Facebook

I recently went and saw the movie, and I have to admit I found it both captivating and inspiring. Of course, that’s just my opinion. I won’t provide you with my own Siskel and Ebert review of the film, but I will say that if you haven’t seen it, it’s certainly worth checking out.

Don’t go into it expecting to see a film that simply chronicles the history of how Facebook was started – there’s much more to it indeed. Granted, Hollywood always has a knack for over-glamorizing characters and situations in anything that’s “based on a true story”. In particular, the Rock-Star lifestyle portrayed by the young, successful coders in the story – most notably lead by Napster creator Sean Parker (played by Justin Timberlake of all people). The animosity between Zuckerberg and Co-Founder Eduardo Saverin during their legal disputes seems to be over-dramatized as well, but it all makes for a good, engaging story. The depth and individuality of the characters and the pace of the story should keep your interest for the entire two hours.

“Don’t go into it expecting to see a film that simply chronicles the history of how Facebook was started – there’s much more to it indeed.”

It can be a bit exhausting trying to keep up with Zuckerberg’s dialogue at first, but as the film goes on, you begin to relate to his character – even if you don’t understand half the things he says. The film is full of legal and technical jargon but you don’t have to know anything about coding or lawsuits to keep up with the story. It balances a dark style of drama and conflict with fun and humor, so you’ll have moments that really draw you in and moments that simply make you laugh. When it was over I immediately wanted to know, “so what happened next?”

The biggest thing I took away from it all – and the main reason I would recommend it – is simply how inspired I was when I left the theater. Facebook is just such a naturally cool idea, and it’s popularity and addictiveness are almost self-explanatory. It made me want to come up with the next big thing. Now, I’m probably not going to come up with something that rivals Facebook, but it certainly made me want to take action and do something cool with the talents I have. Hopefully you will to.

You might know me as your friendly web designer, but I also take to the racetrack

Welcome to the world of Autocross Racing. If you’ve been to the McLeod County Fair in Hutchinson for the past several years, you may already know what Autocross is. To sum it all up, Autocross is a new and growing form of motorsports. The main goal is to keep the cost down and the action up. It is similar to motocross in the sense that there are jumps, bumps, dirt, mud and tight turns. The main difference obviously is that you race cars trucks and SUV’s instead of dirt bikes. It is also similar to a Demolition Derby in the sense of how the cars are prepared.

This was my 3rd year running in the Autocross at the Fair here in Hutch. My car for the past 2 years is a 1993 Toyota Wagon that would have otherwise been on its last leg and probably bound for a junk yard. With a little mechanical TLC I was able to get the car running and driving once again. The car is basically stock with a reinforced front bumper and skid plate. The car needs to be gutted of its interior, glass and plastic trim, and it must have a role cage for safety.

The Autocross at the McLeod County Fair currently runs 2 nights of racing, each night has 4 main classes; Full Size Trucks, Full Size Cars, Compact Trucks & SUV’s and Copact Cars – which is the class that I have been running. Several other County Fairs and racetracks have also been running Autocross Races with more and more popping up each summer. It has also been featured as a support series during select Monster Truck events at the Metrodome and was also featured as part of the show Lucas Oil: On The Edge on SPEED TV.

Marketing Opportunities with Motorsports

For the 2010 season, my car featured a unique sponsorship. The Vivid Image logos and vimm.com url were craftily painted on the sides of my wagon. Sponsoring local racing of any kind is not only a great way to promote your business, but also a great way to show your support for the sport of racing which is something that the drivers, fans, and other sponsors take note of. There really is a community around motorsports, whether it’s weekly racing at your local dirt track on a Saturday night or a Demolition Derby.

The Vivid Image car swept both nights of the Compact Car class. I was fortunate enough to win my heat race and the feature race both nights – although it wasn’t always easy. Not only was I racing the competition on the track, but also racing against the perils of the track itself and the mechanical endurance of the car. The car takes a tremendous amount of wear and tear from each night. There is no guarantee that the car will survive one night of racing, let alone two. Fortunately, and aside from a few dents and cosmetic damage, my car survived both nights and will be ready to run again. I plan on running at least one more race with it this September at Raceway Park in Shakopee, MN and will continue to run the McLeod County Fair each August.

Make sure to check out any form of local racing whenever you might get the chance. It’s fun for the entire family. To give you a taste of Autocross Racing, check out the video below!

“If you think your visitors are content to find your phone number, read some information about your company & see a few pictures – you’re selling yourself short. Your site is capable of so much more.”

Figuring out that your site needs a redesign is the easy part. But what steps should you take after that? At Vivid Image we can design and build amazing websites, but ultimately YOU are the one who knows your product/service/customer the best. We rely on you to help us get to know your business so that we can deliver the most appealing, effective site possible.

Take a look at competitor/industry sites. Who are the big, national names in your industry? Who are your local competitors? We like to take a look at their sites – good or bad – to evaluate what works and what doesn’t. Share your opinion on what you think looks good, because like I said, you know your industry the best and it’s likely that your customers will share a similar opinion. Have a list of URLs to quickly review when you meet with our team of experts.

Figure out who your core audience is. We like to know who you’re trying to appeal to. In many cases, there are several types of visitors that you’d like to attract. Let’s determine who they are and which groups they fall into. For example: Your primary audience might be potential customers. You’re trying to convince them that what you have to offer is the best. Your site should express that clearly and instantly to them. You may also have existing customers coming to your site as well. They already know you’re the best so they won’t need that initial “sell factor”. What can you offer them to build upon that existing customer relationship? You may also have a smaller groups of visitors such as potential employees. You don’t want to overlook them – you’ll want to make sure that they can easily find applications or current job openings.

Establish consistency in your brand. If you have ads and print materials circulating around that all have a similar theme, we’ll want to make sure that theme is continued in your new site. Bring them along when you’re ready to discuss your new site. If you’ve got print materials that have an out-of-date look, consider enhancing those as well. In addition to web design, print design is one of our specialties.

Set goals. If you think your visitors are content to find your phone number, read some information about your company and see a few pictures – you’re selling yourself short. Your site is capable of so much more and we have the technology to make it happen. Let your customers write product reviews. Submit photos of your products in their home. Build a blog and write about who you are and what you do. Blogs let customers get to know and interact with the people behind the business. This is a great way to build trust, reputation and strong business partnerships. Allow your visitors to share articles with friends on Facebook. Word of mouth exists ten-fold online.

Keep it simple. Remember, I said today’s internet is all about getting across the BIG ideas, quickly. You don’t need to go into a lot of detail right away. A simple headline, tagline, graphic or combination of those things will be 100 times more effective than a paragraph describing it. You’ll want that paragraph-style information, but don’t overwhelm visitors with it all right away. Get them to click on a button or promo graphic to read more. I know, it can be difficult coming up with the right thing to say, but if you help us get to know your business and audience, we can help you develop an effective call to action for any of your products or services.

Like music, good design is somewhat subjective – what one person or audience likes, may not appeal to someone else – there are certainly some general rules of thumb that can help ensure that your site isn’t just a one hit wonder.

In this post, I will focus mainly on the copy and content that you write for your site. Its a simple (and often overlooked) aspect of your site that can make a big difference in its appearance if you take into consideration these easy tips.

If you emphasize everything, then you emphasize nothing.
What is the most important message? What’s the first thing you want your visitors to know/read/click on? If a visitor comes to your homepage, they should know right away what you do and what can offer them. They should also have a clear call to action to get them to do something. Buy a product, learn more, sign up for your newsletter… whatever you decide is most important, get them to do it without having to explain it. Dumb it down if you have to. Use simple and short phrases like “Learn More”, “Buy Now”, “Sign Up Today” or “Click Here to Get Started”. Use bigger fonts,
buttons or  graphics to help drive this point home.

Good graphics and headlines make all the difference in the world.
Even the most well written, exciting piece of content or post won’t stand out on its own. Use a clever headline or catchy graphic to get your visitors to read that wonderful content. Now, don’t just grab graphics from Google Images, be a bit more creative. iStockphoto.com (we use them all the time here at VI) offers an amazing selection of royalty free stock photos and graphics for as little as $1 or $2 per image. For blog posts and websites, you don’t need expensive high-res images – just go with whatever is cheapest. Better yet, dig out the camera and take some photos. Don’t be afraid to get creative.

Block quotes are under-rated.
Block quotes are used all the time by professional news agencies when covering a large, copy-heavy article. A blockquote reinforces a powerful message or statement from the article and draws the reader in to want to read more. These are just as powerful as graphics and headlines. So when writing content for your site, if you want to emphasize a point, don’t just make it Bold or Underline it. It looks messy and breaks up the visual appeal of your writing. Use a block quote instead. It should also be said that not every site easily allows you the option to create a block quote – and if it does, the styling and appearance of it might not be quite what you want. Get in touch with us to learn more and help get your site set up to use them.

“If You Want to Emphasize a Point, Don’t Just Make it Bold or Underline it…”

When it comes to text, keep it light & clean.
As unoriginal as this may sound, dark text on white or near-white background is the most readable way to present your content. Having said that, you don’t always need to have text that is 100% black… having dark grey or mid-tone grey text often provides a softer contrast and a cleaner look and feel. Try writing posts and content using #666666 or #333333 color font. Both of these are fairly standard in the hexadecimal (web) color pallet. Whatever you do, don’t force your visitors to read tiny white text on a dark background… It will kill their eyes after only a few paragraphs.

That’s it for now… now take these tips and run with them. Look for more posts from me with design-related tips and trends that you can take action on to help make your site look that much better.