I often talk to business leaders whose businesses are doing well. They are doing so well that they "don't need a website." They say, "if we had a website we couldn't keep up with the work it would generate." I wonder if they would be willing to fill in that blank with any other business given. "If we had we couldn't keep up with the work it would generate." Would they say they don't need customer service, quality products, customer relationships, efficient billing, educated clientele, solid reputation or locatable offices? All of these things generate business. All of these things can be enhanced with a good website.
Up and coming designers often approach me asking for work. My response is always the same. "Why don't you send me your portfolio and when I have a project that will fit you, I'll reach out to you." It seems (to me anyway) like a simple and reasonable request. If I'm going to hire you for a job I need to know that a) you will follow through with what I've asked you to do and b) you have an eye for good design. The thing is these up and coming designers never bring me their portfolio. I think it's because they don't have one. Though you may not be a designer, here are a few tips on creating a good portfolio.
I'm not really a very sentimental guy, so I don't remember the date or even how many years ago it was that Kristen Stevens started working for me as an intern. Oh, wait, I made her blog about it! Hang one it was ... June 2011. We'll, here we are 5 years later, and Kristen has come a long way. She is absolutely the best person I could have working for me.
Many of our sites recently have incorporated Education pages as opposed to blogs. It's a pretty interesting move considering an Education page is usually "just a blog," but it's perception may amount to different outcomes. Let's take a look at typical Education pages and why it may be a good thing to incorporate into your site.
I took a meeting this morning with a guy who clearly had a hankering for some pastries. I am not one to turn down food, so I joined him at Dunkin' Donuts. While we were in line I was hit by inspiration. It came in the form of a shortbread cookie. Shortbread cookies are great because they make such a nice complement—tea, coffee, milk, you name it. However, Dunkin' Donuts clearly saw in the shortbread cookie potential that I had not yet seen. In fact, I would like to share two advertising tips that you can learn from the Dunkin' Donuts shortbread cookie.