Here is a preview of what is inside your download as well as a link to the fonts I used:

Fonts: Moderna, Quicksand

Fonts: Nevis, Dustismo

Fonts: Miama, Dustismo

Fonts: Coolvetica

Please, do not sell these! But feel free to use them and share them, as long as you link here and not to the download page. Enjoy!

Business Cards PSD files

What should you do? You should have a landing page! One that lets people know that you are getting ready, and if you know a tentative launch date. You have probably purchased your domain name well in advance of your site, and having some information on the site will probably be handy if it comes up in a search.And with a launch page in place, you don’t need to be afraid of passing out your card with your yet to be unveiled site on it.

Things that you should include on your page:

• A way to contact you (e-mail, phone, etc. for those looking for your services or information quickly)
• An e-mail sign-up list. E-mail marketing is critical, and a MailChimp account is free for up to 500 subscribers there is a pre-built subscribe form that you can style to your heart’s content.
• Information about who you are and what you do. This is kind of basic, but a paragraph or two will do.
• Social media links. Your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. profiles (if you have them) should all be hooked up here. It is time to find yourself some fans.
• A look and feel that is similar to what you are going for on the final site. It doesn’t have to be exact, but it shouldn’t go from web 2.0 to grunge.

There are a couple of free WordPress themes out there that do this (such as LaunchPad and Changing Room) to get you started.

To all you designers, this should be something you consider adding to your standard offering. Up your price by a couple hundred dollars, but add this to your package and explain the SEO benefits and marketing benefits to your clients, and they will appreciate your knowledge! And the extra hour it will take will pay off!

(header image credit : Dennis Wong)

Is this effective? Does it accomplish its goal?

When one considers that the original names were not overly long or hard to remember, doubt starts to cloud the discussion.

Of  the three, I would consider Radio Shack to be the most in need of a re-branding enterprise. The radio is a fairly archaic invention by today standards, and the sheer mention of the word in the brand name might ward off tech savvy consumers who are more interested in click face blackberries than they are transistors and resistors.

When one considers that Radio Shack sells cell phones, digital cameras and other modern devices, one can understand wanting to stress that. They need to modernize, and they need to distance themselves from what Radio Shack used to be. Ok. We have established that. However, calling themselves The Shack is simply not the answer. It is too pedestrian, and has a fairly undesirable mental image associated with the word. Overall, it is not effective, and I am predicting a switch in the near future. Their heart is in the right place, but their brain is not.

So how does the Hut stack up? Poorly, that is how. I feel this move was done purely to make a move. A lot of other companies have undergone sweeping brand changes (Pepsi, Holiday inn, Healthy Choice), and I feel that the Pizza Hut marketing people are trying to justify their own salaries. Change for the sake of it is a poor idea. Pizza Hut is a short, memorable (if not exciting)  name that informs the consumer that they do indeed sell pizza. It is not glamorous, but it serves its function. When considering naming and branding, effectiveness always trumps a new logo or slogan.

SyFy.Really? The previous name was already abbreviated! Sci-Fi was too long? Was it lost in the shuffle of other science fiction channels? This is a niche network which a specific demographic, one that I am sure was fine with the previous name. This once again takes the focus away from the service provided (science fiction programming), all in the name of some silly, spelling based posturing.

Overall, I feel this technique is employed by companies that can not promise any degree of dynamism in the marketplace. They can not improve their actual product, nor can they improve their customer service. So instead of focusing on the real consumer game changers, they dither around with focus groups and marketing nitwits and birth a silly bumper sticker worthy company makeover. This is not to say that re-branding is a futile and unnecessary enterprise. It can actually be very effective, and can energize a company and their consumer base (ie Pepsi, Holiday Inn, Healthy Choice etc). However, a name change is not the way to go, as this infers you are running away from your previous brand identity, which surely soured due to poor services.

So if you are seeking a new direction, strengthen you identity, and forge a bright  new look in your marketing and advertising materials. Focus on better design, and always improve your product.

Posted by: Matt Paulson