NEW 'Southey Creek' T-Shirts Launched on 14th December

Hi Everyone

I have some VERY exciting news i'd like to share with you...

My NEW T-Shirts are being printed as we speak and will be ready for their launch on Tuesday, 14th December at The Business Women's Network Christmas Party. 

Come along - 10am until 12 and stay on for lunch after.

Venue: Five Lakes Country Club, Spa, Golf & Hotel - Maldon Road, Tolleshunt Knights, Colchester CM9 8HG

For more information and to book visit http://bwnchristmasevent2010.eventbrite.com/. It's a fantastic chance to meet other wonderful business women too, take a look at www.thebusinesswomansnetwork.co.uk

If you cannot make 14th December, don't worry as i'll be selling them online soon and at various other events. I will keep you posted!

MY NEW EXCITING DESIGNS WILL BE REVEALED ON THE DAY!

Keep warm in the snow and see you on the 14th December!

Julie

Design questionnaire

I've also been busy and compiled a list of design questions to share with you that with the information, helps me to design something amazing for my clients.

Happy reading...

COMPANY INFORMATION

Contact name:                                                                                    

Company name:

Address:

Mobile:                                                                                                  

Work number:

Company tag line/slogan:

Briefly describe what your company does (products/services)

CORPORATE STATIONERY/BRANDING

1.         Deadline, timing or exact date of completion for your project.

2.         What are your goals for this project?

3.         Who is your target audience (age group, gender, specific media where it will be used etc)?

4.         What styles, colours, text, content, images and fonts would you like to use?

5.         If you have any examples you have seen that you like, please let me know (this WILL NOT be copied, it’s just to give me an idea of styles you like).

6.         What DON’T YOU WANT on your project (certain text, content, images, colours, fonts, style)?

7.         Who are your main competitors? How are you different? Please feel free to list sites or add any other info.

8.         Anything else I should know to complete this project?

9.         Do you require me to source a printer for this project? I have a list of local good quality printers that I trust to use that can provide me with a competitive quote.

10.     Would it be OK if I added your project to my portfolio on my website?

PRINTED MATERIAL

1.       Deadline, timing or exact date of completion for your project.

2.       What are your goals for this project/What is the purpose of your project?

3.       Who is your target audience (age group, gender, specific media where it will be used etc)?

4.       What styles, colours, text, content, images and fonts would you like to use?

5.       If you would like new images for your project, please take a look at www.sxc.hu, www.shutterstock.com and www.en.fotolia.com. By sending me a link to 3 or more pictures you like, this will give me an idea of what you are looking for. Please feel free to add more.

6.       Do you have a company logo and images that you would like to use or would you like me to source some images and/or design you a company logo?

7.       If you already have corporate branding in place, could you please email me your logo (high resolution) and detail your colours, fonts, styles etc that you use? (Pantone, CMYK, RGB breakdown if possible).

8.       If you have any examples you have seen that you like, please let me know (this WILL NOT be copied, it’s just to give me an idea of styles you like).

9.       What DON’T YOU WANT on your project (certain text, content, images, colours, fonts, style)?

10.   How many pages do you require?

11.   Is there a specific size you require for your project?

12.   Who are your main competitors? How are you different? Please feel free to list sites or add any other info.

13.   Anything else I should know to complete this project?

14.   Do you require me to source a printer for this project? I have a list of local good quality printers that I trust to use that can provide me with a competitive quote.

15.   Will your copy need to be modified/subbed or re-written? I can provide this service for you.

16.   Would it be OK if I added your project to my portfolio on my website?

Web design questions

I have compiled this list to help find out what my client would like for their new website. This also helps with offering potential ideas they may not have thought about. It then gives me a clear idea to start creating something wonderful for them...

I thought i'd share this with you all...

COMPANY INFORMATION

Contact name:                                                                                   

Company name:

Address:

Mobile:                                                                                                  

Work number:

Company tag line/slogan:

Briefly describe what your company does (products/services)

DOMAIN NAME & HOSTING

1.         Do you have a website? If so, what is the URL?

                                                                                                       

2.         Do you have web hosting, if so who?

3.         If yes to the above, what is the FTP and host login information?

4.         If no, would you like me to source a domain name and hosting for you? Please let me know your requirements.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

1.         How many pages do you need (approx)?  Please list subjects

2.         Deadline, timing or exact date of completion of your site.

3.         Who is your target audience (i.e. Age, Average Visitor etc)?

4.         What are your goals for this website/What is the purpose of your website?

5.         What styles, colours (i.e. existing branding colours), text, content, images, fonts would you like to use?

6.         Do you have a company logo and images that you would like to use or would you like me to source some images and/or design you a company logo?

7.         If you would like new images for your site, please take a look at www.sxc.hu, www.shutterstock.com and www.en.fotolia.com. By sending me a link to 3 or more pictures you like, this will give me an idea of what you are looking for. Please feel free to add more.

8.         What features would you like your website to include (calendar, forum, contact form, blog etc)? Please state goal of required feature.

9.         Please name 5 or more existing websites that appeal to you and why. Please include URLs.

10.     Who are your main competitors? How are you different? Please feel free to list sites or add any other info.

11.     What DON’T YOU WANT on your site (flash, certain text, content, images, colours, fonts, style). Please add links if you wish to sites or add any other info.

12.     Do you need to be able to update the website on your own?

13.     Do you need a copywriter? Will your copy need to be modified or re-written?

14.     If you were using a search engine, what words and phrases would you use to find your site?

15.     Will you need any SEO help (registering with search engines, adding your business to Google Business Centre, site statistics etc)?

16.     Anything else I should know to complete the project?

17.     Would you mind if I place a link on the site to mine?

18.     Would it be OK if I added your project to my portfolio on my website?

New website now online!

Hi there

I'm very excited as I have some fantastic news for you...my new WEBSITE IS NOW ONLINE!! - www.jbinderdesign.co.uk

I will keep adding more to it, so please do keep checking back.

Happy surfing!

Julie

Useful contact details - Directories, Forums and Networking

Directories to add your business in:

·       The Phone Book - http://thephonebook.bt.com

·       Thomson Local - http://www.thomsonlocal.com/free-listing.aspx

·       Yell.com - FREE listing - http://www.yell.com/

·       Maldon District Business Directory and Forum: http://maldondistrict.biz/directory.cfm. Click on local paper then on 'Add business for FREE' button on right hand side. You can add basic details of your company for free though to add more info you have to pay.

·       Best of UK - http://www.thebestof.co.uk/national/uk/business-guide

·       Kelly Search - add business for FREE - http://www.kellysearch.co.uk/ 

·       http://www.thebestof.co.uk/national/uk 

·       www.hotfrog.co.uk

·       http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Essex/Maldon/CM9 - Can add a free listing for your company. Contact Stella on 07860 718845 to let her know about events happening (FREE). Can also do a search to find out what is going on in the area and get a newsletter sent to you. You can advertise on the site too. Stella deals with CM9 area. There are sections for each area.

·       Free Index - http://www.freeindex.co.uk/
 

Networking/Forums for useful info and advice:

·       http://www.linkedin.com/ - Great for networking and finding new contacts. 

·       People for Business - http://www.people4business.com/ 

·       UK Business Forums - this is really useful for advice and networking etc. People do take time to answer your questions - http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/ 

·       http://www.businessuncovered.com/latest-news.php - for networking

·       Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) - Contact Ivor Guthrie 07932 000680, ivorguthrie@aol.com, www.initforyou.fsb.org.uk. They have an events page too where you can network (whether you are a member or not).

·       The Athena Network - Women's networking group. You’ll find me at the Chelmsford group. There are many groups around the UK. http://theathenanetwork.com/, Suki Fusi suki.fusi@theathenanetwork.com, Tel: 07962 014746, Tel: 01206 364738 (Essex)

·       The Business Woman's Network – Mandie Holgate. Tel: 01206 381482 or 07989 935556, http://www.thebusinesswomansnetwork.co.uk/. There are many groups around Essex and new ones starting up in other areas.

·      Witham Business Network - Contact Ian Cass. ian@divadani.com or just turn up. Meet every 2 weeks on Fridays from 4.30pm - 6.30pm at Monnis Lounge Bar, Newland Street, Witham. It's FREE just bring your business cards and a smile! http://withambusinessnetworking.blogspot.com

·      Essex Business Network - http://www.essexbusinessnetwork.co.uk/

·       BNI - http://www.bni.eu/uk/

·       http://www.findnetworkingevents.com/in/essex

·       Twitter - www.twitter.com 

·       Facebook -  www.facebook.com/

Hopefully see you at Chelmsford Athena or a BWN meeting in Essex. 

Happy networking!

Julie

UK Paper Sizes

I have listed some of the most common paper sizes used on most printed material.

The best way to remember the sizes is ‘the higher the number the smaller the paper’. The ‘A’ sizes mentioned below are used to define the finished paper size in commercial printing. Every ‘A’ size is double the previous size. For example: folding A4 paper in half becomes A5 size, A5 folded in half becomes A6 etc...

You will find that the usual measurements for UK paper sizes are in millimetres (mm).

Sizes are width x height.

A3 (which is the most common size for posters)

PORTRAIT:          297mm x 420mm

LANDSCAPE:      420mm x 297mm

A4 (which is the usual size for letterheads)

PORTRAIT:          210mm x 297mm

LANDSCAPE:      297mm x 210mm

A5 (which is the usual size for folded cards)

PORTRAIT:          148mm x 210mm

LANDSCAPE:      210mm x 148mm

A6 (which is the usual size for postcards or smaller folded cards)

PORTRAIT:          105mm x 148mm

LANDSCAPE:      148mm x 105mm

DL (1/3 of A4) (which is the usual size for compliment slips)

PORTRAIT:          99mm x 210mm (Portrait is the best for leaflets)

LANDSCAPE:      210mm x 99mm (Landscape is the best for compliment slips)

OTHER:

Business Cards

These can be a mixture of sizes from 85mm x 54mm to 88mm x 55mm, portrait or landscape and come in a variety of different shapes and folds. Some printers have a preferred size they like to use.

EssexWebDevs

I'm looking forward to another meeting of the 'Essex Web Developers' (EssexWebDevs) this Thursday. It's all taking place at Baroosh in Chelmsford at 11am with generally lots of networking and cake!
http://essexwebdevs.org.uk/

At the first meeting last month it was so nice to actually meet the people I have only emailed or spoken to. I even bumped into an old friend from a previous company I worked at.

First meeting of the Essex Web Devs - Thurs, 24th June
Clare, Wendy, David, Philippa, Robert, Me (in Pink),
Caroline, Sue, Rob & Guillaume

See you Thursday...

Julie

Designing a project...

Just a little one minute thought for the day... (this one is more for my female readers this time!)

Design can mean different things to different people. Every company has their own unique image, or branding. To get to the final result takes time. You may not know what you want first of all, only what you don’t; and quite often that’s a good place to start. The rest will come together with the help of someone like myself who can look at things in a different way and help you get to your final image.

When designing a project there are many things to take into consideration, the design process if you like. Let’s say our product is.... a man.

Firstly, what kind of design do you want? ...or it may even be easier to start with what you don’t want! A useless one will never work...literally !!

What do we want from the end product? Will you be proud to show him off wherever you take him to, and most importantly will he not let you down? Just like your branding, it’s the first point of call for any business, whether your logo is on your website, stationery or any other product. The whole company branding has to work for you – the colours, fonts, image and most importantly, the message you want to portray to your potential clients.

By spending time getting your project right a perfect man can be created who is gorgeous and interesting which makes the perfect partner, and therefore creating a perfect design and image for your company!

By making your product...this man, as useful and amazing as possible ... everyone will want one... and we do!!.

I may not be able to find you the perfect man but I certainly can create you the perfect design.

Julie

First post

Hi there

Welcome to my new blog.

Keep checking back as I will add new posts soon.

Till then...

Julie