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Archive for the ‘Web Design’ Category

How To Profit From Flash Games Development

February 2, 2010 by Billy Deakin Comments Off

Over the past few years casual gaming hsa taken the Internet by storm. Browser games, an in particular Flash games are now more popular than ever, and with that increase in popularity comes an increase in demand. If you’re a Flash designer or developer, here are 7 ways in which you can cash in on this growth in the market.

Developing games for client might sound like a difficult market to break into, but in fact there are lots of companies out there looking for simple Flash games for their marketing campaigns. By starting with small, simple projects you can “earn while you learn” and slowly build up a portfolio as your skills develop.

If you don’t want the obligation and deadlines of working for clients, sponsorship mighht suit you better. This allows you to develop a game at your own pace, and once completed your sponsor pays you to embed their branding and links into the game. The amount you’ll earn will vary, depending on the company which is sponsoring you, and the quality of the game.

Taking it one step further, you can monetise your own games without needing a client or a sponsor. Networks such as Mochiads allow you to embed adverts into your games, and publish your games on their network which gets you both revenue and exposure at the same time.

Another way to monetise games yourself is to simply publish them on a website, and add banner adverts or Adsense to the site. In fact, this was how I accidentally got involved in the games industry back in 2003 when I put a few of my own games on a site with some banner adverts. Little did I know that would lead to a full time career in the games industry!

The most recent innovation in monetising Flash games is in game micro-payments. Several networks now offer facilities for this including Mochimedia and HeyZap. Facebook is believed to be developing a similar system, and this looks like it will be the model of choice in the future.

Finally, perhaps the most obvious, and certainly the most glamorous way to capitalize on the success of a good Flash game is to release a commercial version. Whether it’s a downloadable PC game or a port to an entirely new platform, such as the Nintendo DS, the Xbox Live network or the iPhone, a well designed unique game with the right marketing can be a real success, and open the doors into the mainstream gaming industry.

So as you can see, developing Flash games can be a great way of making a profit, either as a complete enterprise, or as part of an existing design or development business. If you’re new to game development then start by following game tutorials, or modifying existing game code and in time you could be writing the next blockbuster!

Find Flash games tutorials, articles, book reviews, game source code and more at FlashGamesClassroom.com or download Flash game source code to learn from, modify, edit, rebrand and create brand new games at ViralFlashGames.com

 

Investor Mind Control: Is It For Real?

February 1, 2010 by James Scott Comments Off

Discovering the ‘thumbscrews’ of investors is crucial to getting them to take action. In over a decade of dealing with global investors there are several elements that I’ve discovered to be universal truths about the mind of the private investor (angel investor, accredited investor).

When talking to an investor for the first time, it’s more important to listen than to speak. It’s more important to ask questions than answer them. It’s more important to discover their needs and wants than to exclaim your own. Your first conversation with an investor should be all about piercing the armor and finding the trigger points that prompt a reaction that gets to the center of their ‘childlike’ state.

What I mean by this is, investors, just like anyone else, has insecurities that are rooted in their childhood and what they are outwardly today, is typically a polar opposite of what they are on the inside. For example, an arrogant, chest beater seems proud and obnoxious on the outside but the reality is that they are over compensating for an insecurity that is rooted in an individual or collection of childhood incidents.

Maybe they were made fun of as a child, maybe they’re father was verbally abusive, maybe their teachers would single them out in class opening them up to playground mockery. When talking to these individuals it’s important to listen to their voice and intonation when the conversation topic changes. Take notes on their psychological adjustments to the conversation. After you feel you have discovered the triggers that induce the ‘pleasurable’ responses, end the call, and set your second phone appointment with them.

On that second call, you want to have your conversation ready to go using the triggers you found in the first conversation. Play off of those insecurities that you found, become their best friend without being chummy but it is your mission on this call to be the “guy that understand me” to the investor. You want the overall tone of this conversation to have the response from your target along the theme of, “wow, this guy gets me” , “I can see investing in this company”.

By using this method and not coming across as ‘fake’, you have become an investment opportunity and a shrink all rolled into one. You want to be the one person that this investor can lower his guard to because everything he says, you seem to be the one person who understands him at his deepest level. You seem to naturally be tuned into his insecurities, emotions, needs and wants. Sound strange? Try this out on the next investor you talk to, I guaranty you will be shocked with the results.

For Corporate Consulting or Investor Finder Services, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!

 

Great Ways To Raise Money Fast!

January 30, 2010 by James Scott Comments Off

Regulation D, Under Sections 4(2) and 3(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, the SEC adopted Regulation D to coordinate the various limited offering exemptions and to streamline the existing requirements applicable to private offers and sales of securities. The Regulation establishes three exemptions from registration in Rules 504, 505, and 506.

Rule 504, which provides an exemption for non-reporting companies unless they are “blank check” issuers or certain “shells”, stipulates that: The sale of up to $1,000,000 of securities in a 12-month period is permitted provided that there is no general solicitation, the securities sold are restricted securities and cannot be resold except pursuant to a registration statement or exemption, and a notice must be filed with the SEC within 15 days after the first sale. Rule 504 does not provide an exemption under any state laws. In certain limited circumstances where an offering is conducted under state accredited investor exemptions, securities offered under Rule 504 may be freely transferrable. Unlike Rules 505 and 506, Rule 504 does not mandate that specified disclosure be provided to purchasers. Nonetheless, the business person should take care that sufficient information is provided to meet the full disclosure obligations which exist under the antifraud provisions of the securities laws.

Rule 505 was adopted by the SEC to provide small businesses more flexibility in raising capital than under Rule 504 – but without the uncertainty of determining the quality of the purchasers that generally is involved in using Rule 506. Rule 505 provides issuers a limited offering exemption for sales of securities totaling up to $5 million in any 12-month period.

Rule 505 contains certain restrictions regarding “accredited investors” and non-accredited persons. The-term “accredited investor” includes:

Banks, insurance companies, registered investment companies, business development companies, or small business investment companies; Certain employee benefit plans for which investment decisions are made by a bank, insurance company, or registered investment adviser; Any employee benefit plan (Within the meaning of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act) with total assets in excess of $5 million; Charitable organizations, corporations or partnerships with assets in excess of $5 million; Directors, executive officers, and general partners of the issuer; Any entity in which all the equity owners are accredited investors; Natural persons with a net worth of at least $1 million; Any natural person with an income in excess of $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with a spouse in excess of $300,000 for those years and a reasonable expectation of the same income level in the current year; and Trusts with assets of at least $5 million, not formed to acquire the securities offered, and whose purchases are directed by a sophisticated person.

If the issuer sells any securities to non-accredited investors, it must furnish to all investors the same type of information as required by Regulation A. It must also furnish audited financial statements.

If an issuer other than a limited partnership cannot obtain audited financial statements without unreasonable effort or expense, only the issuer’s balance sheet (to be dated within 120 days of the start of the offering) must be audited.

Limited partnerships unable to obtain required financial statements without unreasonable effort or expense may furnish financial statements prepared on the basis of federal income tax requirements and examined and reported on by an independent public or certified accountant in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards; and The issuer must also be available to answer questions by prospective purchasers about the issuer or the offering.

Further restrictions under Rule 505 include:

The total offering price of each issue of securities may not exceed $5 million. The offering may not be made by means of general solicitation or general advertising. The issuer may sell the securities to an unlimited number of “accredited investors” and to 35 non-accredited persons. There are no requirements of “sophistication” or “wealth” for persons to whom the securities are sold. A company must take any necessary steps to ensure that the purchasers are acquiring securities for investment only, not for resale. The securities are thus “restricted” and investors must be informed that they may not be able to sell except pursuant to a registration statement or exemption from registration. The issuer is not required to file any offering materials with the Commission. Fifteen days after the first sale in the offering, the issuer must file a notice of sales on Form D. The notice also contains an undertaking under this Rule for the issuer to furnish the Commission, upon its staff s request, any information given to non-accredited purchasers in connection with the offering. Rule 505 does not provide an exemption from state securities laws.

SEC Rule 506 offers and sales of securities by an issuer that satisfy the conditions stated below are deemed transactions not involving any public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. For an offering to be considered exempt from the registration requirements, Rule 506 stipulates: There is no ceiling on the amount of money which may be raised. No general solicitation or general advertising is permitted. The issuer may sell its securities to an unlimited number of accredited investors and 35 non accredited purchasers. Unlike Rule 505, all non-accredited purchasers (either alone or with a purchaser representative) must be sophisticated – that is, have sufficient knowledge and experience in financial and business matters to render them capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment. The term “accredited investor” is defined under Rule 505.

If the issuer sells any securities to non-accredited investors, it must furnish to all investors the same type of information as required by Regulation A. It must also furnish the same financial information as would be required by registration on Form S-1.

If the issuer cannot obtain audited financial statements without unreasonable effort or expense, then financial statements may be provided in accordance with the special treatment described under Rule 505.

The securities sold are “restricted” under the same stipulations in Rule 505.

A company is required to file a notice of the offering on Form D at SEC headquarters within 15 days after the first sale in the offering. All states except New York provide an exemption from state securities laws for offerings under Rule 506 but the company must file a copy of the Form D and pay a filing fee in each state. New York has a distinctive law which makes a Rule 506 offering within that state impractical.

Accredited Investor Exemption

The Small Business Investment Incentive Act of 1980 created a new statutory exemption from registration under the Securities Act for transactions involving offers and sales of securities by any issuer solely to one or more “accredited investors.” Under Section 4(6):

The total offering price of each issue of securities under the exemption may not exceed the limit on small offerings set by Section 3(b) the Securities Act, which currently is $5 million per issue. The offering may not be made by means of any form of advertising or public solicitation.

The term “accredited investor” is defined to include the same individuals and entities as included for purposes of Rules 505 and 506. The issuer is required to file a notice of sales on Form D with the Commission 15 days after the initial sale is made in reliance on the exemption.

Want To Go Public With Your Company, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!

 

The Perfect Solution To All Your Business Capital Needs: A Must Read For All Business Owners!

January 29, 2010 by James Scott Comments Off

How To Find All The Angel Investors And Venture Capital Financing You’ll Ever Need! The once definitive line that would separate hard money and private/angel financing has merged into a hybrid of sorts in the past few years. As the economy has taken a dive and structured private lending firms have felt the crunch we are finding many of these lending solutions closing its doors and re-opening as privately owned and managed funding options with an interest in both lending and seed investment.

Approval decisions that were once made by a group are not being made by an individual or duo with an eye toward optimal capitalization with both short term and long term agendas. As investors are, now more than ever, trying to get as much bang out of their buck, entrepreneurs are in the precarious position of accepting funding from virtually any and every enterprise that is making an offering. That said, it is more important now than ever to swing open your mind to the possibilities of mass exposure of your opportunity to the investment world.

The best way to do this is to simply put your business in constant and automated ‘introduction’ mode so that you can be found by the moneymen. The best way to do this is to heavily investigate the venture capital industry for executives who have created offshoot programs that have deviated their process from the traditional path of simply approving or declining a transaction.

There are many VC professionals who want to capitalize off of the projects that their firm cannot accept due to underwriting criteria and industrial genre specialization so they are starting these small but well managed financial source databases where members can place their transaction directly in front of thousands upon thousands of angel investors, private investors, hard money lenders, venture capital firms, private equity firms and other alternative finance solutions.

These websites are now the hottest thing in the capital markets and will continue to grow because of the high success rate of individual executives and entrepreneurs who are able to find multiple streams of financing options with the click of a button.

Do You Need Financing For Your Business? Do You Need Angel Investors, Private Investors or Venture Capital, then visit Angel Funding Project’s site and find the best Business Funding Sources In The Industry.

 

Website Design What To Do First

January 28, 2010 by Larry Edwards Comments Off

In the matter of website design what to do first, a person who is contemplating starting a website or some sort of blog and who thinks that he or she might like to take a crack at designing it needs to keep a few things in mind. First of all, anyone interested in designing a website should sit down and come up with a plan or a concept for what it should look like.

This means, of course, that no small amount of research is going to need to be done beforehand. What is meant by research is the fact that a person will need to correctly identify the market or niche that the website is going to be targeted at. Eventually designing a site that gives the viewer or reader the impression that it is about bicycles when it is really about motorcycles is just one example of intelligent website design.

Along with deciding or determining the kind of niche that the website will be targeted at should be a realization that the site must, above all else, be usable and logical to any visitor or reader who happens to land there. This can create a bit of tension between the desire to make the website look space-age or really relevant, graphics wise, and the need to also be functional and easy to maneuver around.

Those who fail to realize this simple requirement (usability) tend to have websites designed that require multiple plug-ins or that end up taking a really long time to load on a user’s computer because they are extremely heavy with graphics that cause images to load very slowly. Studies show that most viewers of a website will quickly move on if they have any sort of issue viewing that site.

This is why it is important to do the research, identify the market or niche, and then — first of all — design the site so that it is extremely usable. Most experts recommend that websites should try to make use of black text on white backgrounds if possible. If a background is desired, designers should also try to use a plain-color background or go with something that is very subtle.

This is why it will be vital to make sure that the text itself is in a printable color, meaning that while white text on a black background looks good, if it doesn’t print in some other color other than white they’re going to be many user complaints or visits to the website will quickly drop off.

In the end, the matters of website design what to do first come down to research and then usability. Conduct your research to make sure that you are coming up with a thoughtful and relevant website and then make that website extremely easy to use when visitors arrive there.

Before you start a search engine marketing campaign, go to The Brilliant Assistant’s site for information on website design and graphic design services.

 

Things To Keep In Mind When Creating Your Logo Design

January 27, 2010 by Eliza Khan Comments Off

Whether it is an international company or a small business, every company has to get a smart logo designed which would represent its philosophy. The logo must be visually appealing to the customer and must trigger fast brand recall, and thus it is always recommended to get it designed by a specialist logo designer.

As the brand identity of a company would rest on logo design, the credentials and expertise of the logo designer should be examined thoroughly. He must be imaginative and should have successfully executed complex tasks in the past. Moreover, he should be capable of meeting deadlines and incorporate your own ideas in the design.

A good logo must have a few key features. There must be an ideal blend of photos, colours and text so that it appears both appealing and soothing to the viewers. It must be unique so that it can set the company apart from the clutter of other brands in the market.

The logo design should be meaningful and in accordance with the nature of the business, so that the customers can immediately identify what it represents. In addition, it must be appealing enough to survive for several years and even longer so that you don’t feel the need to substitute it with a new one.

It is normally not simple to measure the effectiveness of logo design. The real influence of a logo could take months to trickle down to increasing sales as the new logo will take some time to create a connection with the customers.

But this does not mean that you can never tell how the new logo will perform in the market. You can find out the consumers’ likely response to the new logo design by conducting market research. A popular and very effective method of doing this is to make use of a test market.

A test market is a relatively small segment of the whole market, where you can launch the new logo design, and then do a study to comprehend how people are responding to it. You would not have to wait for long for customers to start connecting with your new logo if you publicize and promote it aggressively in the test market.

With this you can evaluate if there has been an increase in sales of your product in the test market, and if the perceptions of people about your company have altered since you began promoting your new logo. If all the results are favourable, you know that your logo design exercise has been successful.

Find out more about Logo Design principles and how it can help boost your product sales with highly experience Web Design Company consultants.

 

Design Features That You Should Consider In Paper Bag Printing

January 23, 2010 by Xander Green Comments Off

Keeping in sync with increased awareness of conservation of environment, most companies nowadays use paper bags to sell their products at retail stores. These bags are not only eco friendly but also lesser expensive than other products for manufacturing and printing.

Paper bag printing can be seen as an expertise that has been mastered by several printing services companies across the globe who are constantly surprising clients with the superior standard of their work. Traditionally, paper bags used to be simple brown bags without any design of any sort and were used in grocery stores. But modern versions of these bags are stronger and more elegant in features and looks.

There are many fundamental design aspects that need to be focused on when going for paper bag printing. You have to take into account what purpose the paper bag will serve and then choose an appropriate type of paper that will be able to successfully fulfil that aim.

After choosing the right type of paper, the colour of the graphic that will be printed on the bag will have to be selected. Many colours do not go with each other and if you are planning on making use of the paper bag for marketing purposes, then it is absolutely necessary that the colours are just right so that the end result appeals to the users.

The third important element of design is to ensure both the attractiveness and functionality of the bag. The nature of the product that will be carried in the bag and the kind of people who will be using it will decide what shape, size, or other design elements the paper bag must have. For example, cheap yet appealing rope handles can be attached to bags meant for carrying a box of shoes, as that will help in easy carriage of the bag and its contents by the user.

As paper bags are very inexpensive, the design on the bag must not cost you a princely amount either, but it must be sophisticated at the same time. Besides, the whole process of printing should in no way harm the ecology at any step, so that the eco-friendly image of the bags can be preserved.

Finally, while going for paper bag printing, it is important to ponder over the message that will be displayed on the bag. Good suggestions in this respect will always be available for you as most printing services companies will have people who can come up with catchy taglines. But you must make sure that the message is in harmony with your company’s brand identity and is always printed with the logo of your business.

Learn more about Printing Services and Paper Bag Printing from a trusted printing company.

 

Key Pamphlet Creation Tips

January 22, 2010 by Bill Wong Comments Off

Have you ever considered that a booklet can be one of the most important of all your marketing materials?

It is a simple piece of paper but the original impact that your brochure produces is important. If it’s shabby and off-putting your prospect is left with the same opinion. This will weaken your business development.

Having a leaflet professionally designed and published is a key to success in a jam-packed market. Taking the time to make sure that your booklet delivers all the key data in a way that is easily figured is something that only a professional can do.

If you are just getting started in business you may be tempted to do your brochure yourself. When I first started in business I did everything myself – not a excellent choice. That is why it took me 12 years before I was even comparatively successful. Heed my warning – go professional from day one on your marketing materials. They are an investment and not an expense. Professionally created materials will deliver you customers and the cash flow to follow – the reason why you are in business.

A leaflet has to use eye-catching design. It has to be brief in terms of the content and last but not the least, it must be successful in enticing people to make that call of action.

Here are three key design rules to follow when making a booklet. Use them and you will see your results flow.

1. The cover:

The cover is your salesperson. Booklets are quite passive creatures and you are not often able to ‘walk’ individuals through your pamphlet. So you need to excite people to read further. The cover is the beginning point so must be inviting and sharing the KEY values of WHY someone should read further. It should answer the WIFM question – What’s in it for me.

A great design company will show you at least three to four cover designs for your booklet. Analyse these designs to examine which energizes you the most. Ask your supporters their opinion. Does the cover answer the question WIFM? If it doesn’t energize and answer the WIFM question, then skip to another design that works or get it redesigned. Taking the time here to get it right will pay premiums later.

2. The Content:

Once they are past the cover then the message has to become the sales rep. So once again, the pressure is on to be good. Do not opt for cheap uneffective content writers or ask the designer to write the content or worst still do it yourself. Instead make sure that a professional copywriter is doing the work. If your design company does not have a copywriter then employ one yourself.

Check Out that all the main questions that a prospective client will have about your merchandise are answered in a way that gets them to call you for more information. Do not go into ‘overkill mode’ and flood them with too much data at this point in time. Remember the brochure’s job is to energize and get people to call you.

3. The call for action:

If your likely client has read the leaflet then you have done a good job. All you need to do now is give them a compelling reason to contact you NOW.

Having things like a free call 0800 or’00 number distinctly shown (in big letters) can make a fundamental difference. Having an email address is a clear bonus. Make sure these two are distinctly placed in large clear type.

Even give your customers a special coupon on the brochure or reference code can help. But above all, make sure that you add a clear call to action. One way to do this is to readdress the KEY value of your service to your prospect in a way that will get them to take action. Remember value is everything. Individuals only buy something that is of value to THEM.

4. The part that got forgotten:

I did this on purpose and only said there were 3 points. Well the last point is the one that can get neglected. It is the ‘dummy’ one. Have you checked that you have these on your pamphlet:

Phone number | Fax number | Email address | Web address | Country of operation | City / area of operation | Company name | And have you proof read for typo and grammar errors?

Discover how creative catalog designs can accelerate your business growth using qualified graphic design professionals.

 

Corporate Brochure Design – Seek The Help Of A Professional Brochure Designer

January 21, 2010 by Abram Lee Comments Off

When you have a great offering but you are still not making money, it is time to re-evaluate your go to market strategy. A good way of doing this is through a corporate brochure, which communicates the customer about the good points of your products and services and differentiates them from the competition.

A brochure will not have a good impact if it is boring, and use of graphic designs can go a long way in making sure that you have a striking and at the same time professional looking brochure. It will engage the customers and will assist in conveying the information much more forcefully. This entails the need for an expert brochure designer.

It is possible that you can design a brochure yourself if you are technologically equipped, but it will require a lot of time for a beginner to come up with an appealing corporate brochure with graphic design. It will not take long to understand that it will be wise to invest more time on your main commercial activity instead of creating a brochure.

Even if you do not have deep pockets, you can hire an expert to do brochure design for you, as the cost is affordable. A pro designer would ensure that the material of the brochure is interesting and appropriate to help the client comprehend the benefits of your offerings. The variety of graphic designs and layouts that an expert brochure designer will have access to would be a lot more than what an amateur would be able to provide. In addition to this, he would be able to get the brochures printed at economical prices, which would significantly reduce your headache.

In the same way as you are better aware of your trade than most other people, a pro designer has much more knowledge about designing a brochure than you would. Hence, the best way to get the job done is to make use of the services of a professional. This is what businesses called outsourcing for higher quality and much dedicated expertise but assured to be on a lower cost.

Discover how creative catalog designs can accelerate your business growth using qualified graphic design professionals.

 

Things To Deal With In Designing A Paper Bag

January 20, 2010 by Arah Sho Comments Off

Following the trend of increased awareness of conservation of environment, most companies these days use paper bags to sell their items at retail stores. Besides being environment friendly, these bags are also very cheap to produce and print.

Paper bag printing is an art by itself, and a lot of printing services firms across the world have gained proficiency in it and are now surpassing customers’ expectations. Traditionally, paper bags used to be plain brown bags without any design whatsoever and were used in grocery stores. But their modern variants are both elegant in form and sturdy, and they are suitable for reuse.

When going for paper bag printing one has to consider several design related features of the bag. You have to first consider the objective for which the bag will be used and then choose the type of paper which will be able to do justice to the purpose.

After the paper quality has been picked, you have to concentrate on the graphics and particularly the colours that will be put in the graphic. You have to get the correct colour combination for the paper bag so that it attracts the customers and aids in effective brand promotion. If the colours are disturbing to the eye then the users could react unfavourably.

The third factor in design of paper bag is to make it both elegant in looks and useful in functions. Every design feature of a paper bag, from size to shape, must be based on two important factors – the type of customers who will be making use of the bag and kind of products that will be put in it. For instance, if the bag is supposed to carry a box of shoes, then you can add rope handles that are both appealing and cheap, and will help the user in carrying the bag with ease.

Numerous designs are also available in the net. Valuable tips in creating beautiful and effective paper bags can be learned as well as important infos regarding the materials to be used. Then, apply your creativity to make the most effective design for the paper bag.

As the bags themselves are quite cheap, their designs must also be inexpensive, but you should ensure quality at the same time. Moreover, to have that environment friendly appeal, the paper bag should undergo a process of production that is in agreement with environmental standards.

Finally, while going for paper bag printing, it is necessary to decide on the message that will be displayed on the bag. Most printing services companies understand its significance and so they will be able to offer valuable advice in this connection. But you must make sure that the message is in sync with your company’s brand identity and is always accompanied with the logo of your company.

Discover more about Printing Services and Paper Bag Printing from a trusted printing company.