Cleveland graphic designer Rick Shaffer will attend the second annual CSP Entrepreneurs Club luncheon. The luncheon will be held at Blue Canyon in Twinsburg, Ohio. To learn more about this great restaurant and their locations (my wife's favorite) check out: http://www.bluecanyonrestaurant.com/

For the CSP Entrepreneurs Club member directory see: http://www.cspentclub.com/memberdirectory.html

CSP stands for Cuyahoga, Summit and Portage counties. These are three of the 88 counties located in Ohio.

Tip:
When joining networking organizations consider the types of members the organization attracts and whether or not the organization will compliment your company or business. Some networking organizations are business to consumer and others are business to business, so be selective when making the choice.

Rick Shaffer is the Principal and Creative Director of Shaffer Design Works with offices located in Streetsboro, Ohio.

Here's a shout out a to a pretty cool Blog: http://www.designers-who-blog.com/ (DWB)

This site features many designers and their blogs. The blog also features different blogs on a consistent basis. This is a cool concept.

DWB features blogs discussing graphic design, web design, illustration, marketing, photography, branding, writing and advertising.

Cleveland graphic design firm Shaffer Design Works is a knowledgeable source when it comes to anything creative. Stay tuned as http://www.clevelanddesigner.blogspot.com/ has high hopes of being listed on DWB.

Shaffer Design Works, Cleveland graphic design firm is a proud member of the Streetsboro Area Chamber of Commerce (SACC). Rick Shaffer serves as a board member for the SACC.

Today Shaffer Design Works assisted Kori Marsenik, Executive Director of the SACC with the set-up and guidance for the SACC Blog. The SACC blog is located at: http://www.streetsborochamber.blogspot.com/
The Blog will serve as a Mecca for Streetsboro news, information, current events, business tips and will work to help highlight the city of Streetsboro and other area Chambers of commerce.

Marketing Tip:
When setting up a Blog be sure to keep it updated regularly with useful information and tips for a broad audience. The more useful your tips are the more visitors will come back and visit your blog.

Shaffer Design Works specializes in assisting company's with the set-up of their Blogs.
Contact Shaffer Design Works for more information: http://www.shafferdesign.com/contactus.php

Traveling Tips for Small Business Owners

When you are a small graphic design firm or the owner of a small business it is imperative that you maintain the ability to travel. It is has become a necessity for Shaffer Design Works to stay mobile and have the ability to service our customers while traveling. I have listed a few considerations when traveling for business and keeping in contact with your customers:

1.) Purchase a cool product like this PodiumPad for your laptop. Review the product and customer reviews at: http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=AE31E1AD&nplm=T4233LL/A

2.) Consider the purchase of a smart phone. I have used both a Blackberry as well as the palm 700P and in my past experiences I have found great value in both smart phones. Whether traveling for the day or across the country you will agree that a smart phone is the best way to keep in touch with your customers. Shaffer Design Works outfits all of their employees with a smart phone. The Palm 700P is available at Verizon Wireless: http://search.vzw.com/?market=45850&q=Palm+700P

3.) Before traveling be sure to always back-up your laptop. It is a good practice to archive at least twice a week. Shaffer Design Works archives every design project we execute for our customers. Here is a link to a pretty good Blog on how to back up your computer: http://howto.dubbo.org/software/back-up-computer.html

For more design and marketing tips contact Shaffer Design Works, LLC at: http://www.shafferdesign.com/contactus.php.

Recently Cleveland Design Firm Shaffer Design Works created the corporate identity for a company called Eye Queue. The approved logo design is below.

DESIGN TIP (excerpt taken from the published book 49 Marketing Secrets (THAT WORK) to help Grow Sales):

Logo And Corporate Identity
Who are you? What can you do for me? Why should I care? Those fundamental questions are answered first by your corporate identity. Logos and symbols are far more than a visualization of the mission statement. They imply a customer experience so critical to 21st century marketing. If a customer views your logo and it doesn't visually compel them to look further, you have lost your sale.


Think of business cards as your professional attire. They might be a first and only impression. The choices of color, design, paper, and print leave a profound statement as to the currency, quality, and appropriateness of your brand. The same applies to your stationery, which may include, but is certainly not limited to, letterhead, envelopes, and shipping labels. Carefully think through how you will use them. Cards with tiny type, or letterhead with a format that restricts content, will prove impractical. Be certain to consider both digital and printed formats of your logo and letterhead. This will conserve time, energy, and your marketing budget whether you are a start up or an established company.

One of the most important attributes in developing a successful corporate identity is the consideration of color. Color is one of the keys to visual marketing. It can set tone or spirit, evoke emotional response, help create a lasting impression, and ultimately win a sale. Color theory as an element of design is just one consideration of the visual marketing that should be at the heart of your efforts. Your brand is the most valuable commodity of all. Just like everything else in business you get what you pay for, so choose wisely enlisting a creative firm to help with these tasks. Now extend this line of thinking to other elements of your company’s identity. These might include signage, uniforms, menus, interior design, and event marketing. Be relentless in your pursuit of a consistent and memorable brand image that differentiates you from your competition.

Shaffer Design Works can assist in all phases of brand development and/or logo design weather your company or organization is looking to execute a total re-brand or just enhance it's current brand or logo Shaffer Design Works can help and offer advice accordingly. Contact us today to see how we might be able to work together to improve your current marketing efforts. http://www.shafferdesign.com/

Cleveland graphic designer Rick Shaffer participated in the first ever 2007 Event Expo that was hosted by the Forum located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio on April 25th.

Marketing Tip:
When spending time as an exhibitor at a trade show function remember to bring more literature, product/service handouts and business cards than you will need. More times than not exhibitors are busier than they think they will be. You never know where your next big sale will come from.


The above photograph was taken by Hal Stata of Stata Productions.