November 7th
Free Downloads!
As a freelance graphic designer, one of my ‘jobs’ (or perks!) is that I have to keep my creative juices flowing, even if I’m not working on anything particularly inspiring at the moment. My latest personal project has been a series of hand-lettered illustrations featuring popular sayings. Below are some of my favorites, as well as links to download the wallpaper. Enjoy! Got a saying or something else you’d like to see turned into wallpaper? Leave it in the comments, and you might just see it featured here! READ MORE »
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October 20th
Why a well-designed website is a necessity
I’ve written before about why every business should have an online presence. I’ve talked about the benefits social media can have for your business. I’ve even talked about how you can take advantage of do-it-yourself email services to create targeted email campaigns. But Copyblogger.com has an excellent article on why it is absolutely essential that your business not rely on social media websites, like Facebook, as your only online presence. They call it digital sharecropping. Social media sites are still great support for small business marketing. But are you using your Facebook page as your sole website? After reading this article, you may think twice about that. Call your local web designer and get started on your website now!
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August 17th
Principal, Andrade Architecture
“Katy was spot on in identifying and translating graphically how our logo should represent us.”
Find out more about Andrade Architecture.
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August 1st
Why you should plan for, and be open about, your graphic design budget
Your budget matters. It is important to you, since neither you nor your business is made of money. You may not be aware of what your budget is, but you know that how much you spend on graphic design services and marketing efforts affects your bottom line. Your budget is also important to the graphic designer or local design firm you are looking to hire. Knowing your budget ahead of time will help the designer formulate a plan up front of how they will address all your marketing needs. Why would you expect to enter into any purchase—whether it’s material or service-oriented—without a predetermined budget? READ MORE »
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July 20th
Do-it-yourself tips from Mashable.com
YouTube is just one more way that you can market yourself online. Even if you already have a website, Facebook page, and Twitter stream, adding a YouTube page to your online presence can help your SEO (Search Engine Optimization). It’s a low-to-no-cost way to gain more customers/clients/followers. Any business can benefit from a YouTube page, and many businesses you’d never even think of are taking advantage of YouTube successfully. So why not give it a shot? I know I will, now that I’ve watched the videos and read the tips at Mashable.com on how to get started marketing on YouTube. You’ll learn how to create custom-designed YouTube pages and use YouTube tags to help your page and videos get found, among other useful tips. Still a little confused about how to plan and realize your own online marketing strategies? Get in touch with your local marketing expert, or contact me using this simple online form.
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July 15th
Don’t be a comic sans criminal!
Have you ever been tasked with designing a flyer or advertisement for your company, and you find yourself feeling lost? In most cases, I would suggest calling your local freelance graphic designer (why not try Katy Dwyer Design?). But we all recognize that sometimes the budget for the project is $0, so you are stuck creating your next promotional campaign using nothing but your desktop PC and Microsoft Word. My advice to you: Whatever you do, don’t fall into the trap of using the wrong font! Every font has a personality, and whether you believe in soulmates or not, your message or headline has it’s own true love in a font. Certain fonts are meant to convey certain messages, and Comic Sans (a widely overused font) is no exception. Check out this witty public service announcement about the appropriate (and more importantly inappropriate) uses of Comic Sans. And pledge to never become a Comic Sans Criminal!
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July 7th
Create targeted email campaigns free of spam
A recent report from Symantec indicated that the number of spam emails being sent worldwide is significantly down since 2008. Don’t get too excited! Spam still accounts for 73.7% of all emails sent in the United States. Email marketing is a low-cost and effective way to communicate with your customer base. But is your latest email marketing campaign considered spam? Make sure it’s not with these useful tips. READ MORE »
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June 18th
Horn Creative
“Katy Dwyer is one of the most gifted designers I’ve ever worked with—and I’ve worked with plenty. Whether the project at hand is a logo, print ad or website, Katy consistently brings smart, fresh creative thinking to everything she does. What’s more, she understands how to develop and build on sound marketing strategies. You can always rely on Katy to meet— if not surpass—your objectives. Plus, she’s great to work with!”
Find out more about Horn Creative.
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April 4th
Terms your designer is using,
but you don’t know what they mean
Every field has it’s own set of terms—words that when thrown around in conversation with people outside your expertise just sound like a foreign language. Graphic Design is no different. Below you’ll find a list of 10 words or abbreviations I use frequently, and their definition in layman’s terms. READ MORE »
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March 23rd
Promote yourself locally with this free printable pin-up business card display
With all the talk of social media and marketing yourself online, we sometimes forget that your marketing efforts truly begin in your own backyard. As a graphic designer living in Kingston, New York, I’m constantly thinking about ways to promote myself locally. When I started my business, the first thing I did when I got my business cards was distribute them. That meant giving them to friends and family in hopes that they’d pass them around, handing them out to people I met, and displaying them in local establishments where dozens of other local businesses were displaying their cards. Now I’ve developed a way to stand out among all the other business cards, and I’m sharing it with you. READ MORE »
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