Bay Area Graphic Designer - Josh Barton
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3 Step Case Study: How I EXPLODED my website traffic by 980% in 1 day via LinkedIn.

4/19/2014

4 Comments

 

This case study refers to a blog I wrote on creativity on April 12th, but first rule of order... "Pictures or it didn't happen!":

Here is a real live screenshot from my website statistic app I use on my iPhone. Now I know for some people, 1475 visitor per day may seem minuscule, but coming from an average of 150 per day, it's an insane gain of page views... 980% gain to be exact. In my industry as a designer who sells his services (instead of a product), I don't necessarily need millions of views per day :
Increase my web traffic
On April 13th, my visitors ROCKETED to 1475 by end of day. With an average of 150 visitors a day before hand, this was a 980% increase!

Step 1: Write Relevant and Entertaining Content

Barton Designs used a blog platform to share some interesting research about the 4 Stages of Creativity. This content is relevant to my business because, as a web design and graphic designer, I am always on the hunt to hone my creativity and grow. In addition to the basic step of sharing this research, I did my best to make it fun by including entertaining content... I'm not saying you need to upload a video to your blog of you blending iPhones, but do your best to make your content something that you would wanna read and not lame. Now, the critical thing to mention is that, not only was the blog relevant to my business... but also relevant to the people I decided to share it with! More on that in the next step:

Step 2: Write for Your Relevant Audience

This is a CRITICAL step to guarantee incoming traffic! These are the two things that MUST be considered when writing for an audience:
  • I am writing to gain traffic and raise awareness of my brand. In the last blog it was from the design community, and in this blog I am writing to gain traffic from the entrepreneur and online marketing community.
  • I am writing to become perceived as a authority in a certan topic. In the last blog it was about being an authority in creativity, and in this blog it's about web traffic and SEO.
These steps are not only relevant to my audience, but also relevant to my company, Barton Designs. We are a creative design agency, and we also bring web marketing to the table as a service. This is why I took the chance to toot my horn in the above mentioned topics.

Step 3: Share with Your Revelant Audience


Web Marketing and SEO Tip
Yes that's right! When you create awesome content, you want it to be seen by as many people as possible! Simply just sharing a blank text link on your Facebook page with 200 fans, or your Twitter account with 13 followers MIGHT  get you 1 or 2 hits. If you want to really make an impact and you don't already have a big following, LinkedIn is the best place to do so! Take advantage of their group search toolbar at the top and find which groups to post it in. When posting it, make sure you choose an attractive picture thumbnail that is designed well.  Since my article was on creativity, I shared it with 10 different groups made for graphic designers. Here is a screenshot of my posting in one of the 10 groups I shared it in:
Web Design Marketing and SEO
You can see here my simple posting title, and cool designs thumbnail I chose.
4 Comments

4 Stages of Creativity

4/12/2014

6 Comments

 
Physiologist have debated for years whether creativity is derived in a conscious state or in an subconscious state. Probably the best-written material on the subject comes from Gram Wallace book, The Art of Thought published way back in 1926. In this book Wallace theorizes that the creative process comes in four stages of creative thinking. The four stages are.
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  1. Preparation - Incubation - Illumination - Verification

Stage One: Preparation (the conscious state)


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Why you NEED to be doing Webinars!

3/17/2014

1 Comment

 
If you have a product or service that you offer online, then you need to be hosting webinars!

Webinars are great way to: 
  • educate customers
  • provide interactive Q & A 
  • and close a sale! 

If you’re offering an information product, say, an SEO Strategy Guide, the objective of the webinar would be to explain the core concepts in your product, while holding back the deeper details and some of the key “secrets” that you can offer in your full paid product. A webinar success story that you can follow is Lewis Howes, who used webinars to promote his LinkedIn Networking guide, making MILLIONS off of sales!
Remember valuable content is king, and you won’t get a penny back unless you develop a product that truly brings value to your clients.
More on that in the next post! In the mean time, here are two valueable links for to get you set up: anymeeting.com or fuzebox.com
1 Comment

What We Did to Brand "Katey Jo Make Up Artist"...

3/14/2014

2 Comments

 
Here is a project we just completed for Katey Jo MUA (Make Up Artist). She is an up and coming makeup artist based out of San Francisco, CA. We developed her branding, logo and business cards and have them showcased as a featured project on Behance! We also worked with her to provide some key marketing tips to expand local awareness of her services. I wanted to share her new website, the flat art and some views of the print product here:
Double Sided Full Cardstock Color Semi-Matte/Gloss Business Cards
Contact Info For Cards
For her branding identity, she was looking to build a sleek/semi corporate/sexy design. We achieved that with very serious dark grey and black tones, while highlighting a thin sexy pink tone in her look. Finally, the geometric graphic that we incorporated into her logo represents the attention to fine detail and relflects the actual physical intricate blending of makeup product that is unique to her work... 

Katey has an active social media integration plan with her business in order to get new client leads, she is using Instagram to her advantage to gaining followers from all over the web, and will be using Pinterest as well in the future.

Live Website Design (Click to Visit: www.ktjomua.com)

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2 Comments

NHL Designs Wrap Up - 2014 Winter Classic and Stadium Series

3/7/2014

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I recently just finished my contract last week doing designs for NHL Stadium Series and Winter Classic, and man I must say... it's been an experience! Seeing your hard work on live TV, being exposed to tens of thousands of live attendees and millions on viewers at home just feels damn good! Here are some shots and a video showcasing the final game our team designed at Moss Sports. Video copyright belongs to NHL. If you are looking for a huge scale product like this, you would need to contact Moss Sports - I contracted as a production designer with their in house team... however I do have the capabilities, skills, and expertise to design work at this scale! Shout out to the team at Moss Sports - Berkeley!
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My art has been featured on NBC!

1/26/2014

5 Comments

 

NHL Stadium Series 2014 - Rangers Vs Devils

Everybody go watch NBC to see my graphics at Yankee Stadium! It's gonna be a good game! NHL Stadium Series, Rangers vs Devils. This was definitely a team effort, but as far as the design goes, I was on a team with just 2 other awesome designers. I apologize for the poor image quality... these are just images taken from my iPhone of my TV as the NHL doesn't allow original art to be released.
5 Comments

I love my clients.

7/24/2013

2 Comments

 
Dear Customers and Clients,

I love you! You are the ones who bring me inspiration for new designs… the lifeblood of this talent! Every day I think to myself, how can I deliver a better/more professional service? Well, for my clients who are getting websites from me... I have good news!

Good news is… my "How do I edit my website??" powerpoint lecture is now developed, and will be taught to all my clients! Save money on maintenance!


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Of course the keynote presentation comes with hands on instruction, but I've chiseled my lecture down to a simple 30 minute time block!

After the completion of every web design, my clients can now decide if they want a consultation/interactive lecture on how to edit their new website!

Of course, there is still the option to pay me for current website edits; however, now you have the chance to take it on yourself!

If you give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day.

If you teach a man to fish, he'll eat for his lifetime.


I'm happy to give back to my customers,

Sincerely,
Joshua Barton
Graphic Designer, Website Designer, Logo Designer, Brand Designer!
2 Comments

Ever wonder why startups have such weird names??

7/21/2013

1 Comment

 
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It started in the 1990's with “Google” and “Yahoo” (which, if you didn’t know, named themselves after a misspelling of the huge number “googol” and an acronym for “Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle”, respectively).

Next came Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Yelp and Bing. And now we’re meeting Spotify, Vine, Airbnb, Giphy and countless others with quirky names that don’t have much to do with the product or service the company sells. A quick scan of TechCrunch or Mashable (themselves sporting strange names) will turn up names like Rovio (which syncs games across various devices), Uber (a high-end car-share and driver service) and Umano (which reads articles aloud so users can listen to news while driving or working out).

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So what’s the deal, why the weird names?


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Business, Portfolio and Website Updates!

7/20/2013

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I've been a busy man, a busy website designer, and a busy entrepreneur! A lot of positive developments have been taking place!

 As you might know already, when I am not designing awesome websites and logos, I am working as an EMT saving the world! (Well.. maybe I'm being a bit dramatic) Nevertheless, working as an EMT on the night shift takes a toll on the body and mind, and really has limited the amount of design work I am able to do effectively and creatively. Luckily, I had the fortune some time ago to lift a patient that was over 300 pounds, which resulted in me getting a gnarly double hernia. Yes, I said luckily! Due to this injury, I have been able to free my schedule, and open up to new clients for design jobs. I haven't worked an EMT shift all summer, instead I've been doing graphic work for old and new clients along with my ambulance company. While I just underwent surgery last week, and feeling awesomely loopy due to prescription narcotics… I'm truly stoked because I've had time to update my business plan and develop more ways to provide excellent customer service!

I have made some great changes to my website,
 and general business procedures.

Changes I've made on my website!

Google Analytics has given me thorough analysis of my customer's movements through my website. I have looked at what pages you visitors read, and what pages you visitors skip out on. I have seen which countries view my website, along with specific zip codes in the USA. By weeding through this information, I've decided to update a couple pages.
  • Under skills, I have listed website design, logo design, and print design.
  • Website Design Page: This page now includes a step by step process explaining how I design your website, what services I can include in your website development, what coding and technical knowledge I have at my disposal. The website page also has a link to my website design portfolio.
  • Logo Design Page: Now clearly explains the logo design process, and what you receive as a customer for the end result. It explains that the process starts with drafts, and through constant customer feedback, the logos are developed further. I also included a link from this page to my logo and print portfolio.
  • Print Design Page: This page now lists all the print designs I have ability to create.. from booklets to flyers! It has a step by step list explaining my process for design. I also included a link from this page to my logo and print portfolio.
  • Under portfolio pages, I have split the website design and logo/print design section. Now there are uploads from my 2013 designs, and this page will also be updated after EVERY design is completed with a current client!

Changes I've made to my business!

  • We are ZOHO INTEGRATED! Working with other clients who prefer ZOHO project management, has opened my eyes to this awesome platform for streamlining your business. Now Barton Designs uses ZOHO invoicing and timekeeping for all of it's design projects! With this, clients are able to finally get legitimate invoices to refer for the books at the end of their fiscal year. Before this, my clients unfortunately did not have a consistent billing method. This is a step towards professionalism that we are excited about taking.
  • Also, you'll notice I'm typing "we" a bit more… Yes, it's not my bad english skillz.. It just means I'm brining on partners from time to time to help out with certain projects. While I'm a boss at SEO, I've got some colleagues who do nothing but that, and I refer out and collaborate work with them at times.
  • Customer Feedback Surveys, Yelp, and Angie's List! In effort to constantly be improving, after every project, I submit a customer feedback survey to get every clients honest input. I then take all those answer, meditate and pray on them until I can apply them and become a better designer to you! Help me out on YELP: http://www.yelp.com/biz/barton-designs-hayward-2 I've only got 2 measly reviews!
  • I'm getting cultured! The graphic design community is growing and beautiful. I'm listening to new podcasts every week from other designers. Wes McDowel, Graphic River and Design Cast are programs that I follow weekly! I'm reading the latest .NET and web design magazines so I can stay ahead of the game and bring my clients the best websites possible! I"m all about staying fresh and up to date… Nothing irks me more to see someone claiming to be an awesome freelance designer, but they hold the same 3 designs from 1995 in the portfolio. Currently I'm reading "Just my Type", a book on typefaces and awesomeness.
  • Also, I'm doing all my wire framing and UI design through www.thedesignapp.com… A wonderful free resource for project development along with a team.
  • We are using www.hightail.com to send large files!
  • I can take payments on PayPal.. kinda late on that train!
  • Also, I am updating my facebook page and keeping it loaded with all my new content! www.facebook.com/bartondesigns
  • I offer the same fair design rate for all customers! Also, now customers all have to sign a contract no matter what!
  • And lastly… I'm a paid member and student of www.codeschool.com…. the coolest, best, funnest, more efficient way to become a better coder! I'm learning the in's and outs of HTML5, CSS3, JAVA, RUBY, PYTHON, C++, iOS, ANDROID SDK, CoCOA.. YEAH!!! [~Im almost to the point where I can see you in 1's and 0's… and you look pretty :) ~}]
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What is the Psychology of colors for your logo?

1/28/2013

 
Color is a meaningful constant for sighted people and it's a powerful psychological tool. By using color psychology, you can send a positive or negative message, encourage sales, calm a crowd, or make an athlete pump iron harder.

Below is a quick overview of the meaning of basic colors in the Western Hemisphere. This information will help you decided what colors to use in your marketing projects. The psychology of color changes with lighter or darker shades of the colors below are often associated with much different meanings. And remember for the World Wide Web, and different cultures have differing views on the meaning of color.
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Top 5 Online Small Business Payment Services

9/11/2012

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The success of a business often depends on how easy the shopping mechanism is for the end user. Whether you are selling goods online, or in a conventional store, at the end of it all the payment system has to be hassle-free and easy to use, otherwise you may end up losing customers in no time.

Particularly if you are into e-Commerce, there are certain things that you needn’t (or perhaps can’t) run through your staff support desk — electronic payments top that list.

Whether you’re selling your products in online marketplaces or on your own website, you need a mechanism to receive funds. This is where a good payment system comes in handy.
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Square
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Paypal
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Dwolla
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Google Checkout
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Samurai

CLICK READ MORE 
TO SEE MORE INFO


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How do designers price?

8/3/2012

30 Comments

 
Dear Clients, Other Designers, and Generally Curious People,

Pricing is a task a lot of designers struggle with, and I’m regularly asked how I work it out. Of course, with Barton Designs I stick within my boundaries for the most part!

 This design pricing formula explains how we designers can come up with price quotes: 
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No-one knows better than you how much talent you have, and every project specification is different. If your client is asking for a rush-job, they’ll expect to pay a higher rate. And finally, the physical location of my clients doesn’t change what I charge, but it could alter what the client is willing to spend...

Hope this helps!

Josh Barton

Bay Area Graphic Designer
30 Comments

Facebook Fan Box for your Site!

7/20/2012

1 Comment

 
Here is a custom widget code to place a Facebook fan box on your site!









…as a side note, I like how so many people "like" "imnotrightinthehead.com"
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How to make your blog stand out...

7/20/2012

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Welcome to the blogosphere! You have now become one of the 450 million English language blogs out there! Now what?

We’ve all been there, right below zero, a place where nobody knows you exist (except for grandma and grandpa who are your number one fans and make sure to mention your blog to every single one of their friends at least once in every single conversation). Expanding your audience and making your blog stand out is not that hard. I have to warn you, though, it does take time, patience and hard work, but it is an achievable goal.
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Following are a few pointers.

  • Choose a niche. Go for a topic you know and are passionate about. If you love fashion, make it a fashion blog. If you love to travel, make it a blog about your travels.
  • Blog design. First impressions matter. Make them count! You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on a premium theme. Start with a simple design, many like Thesis or Genesis, and make it yours by changing the color scheme, changing the background, adding your blog’s logo.
  • Be original. Don’t try to be the new “it” blog. Be you. Share what you love and not what other blogs in your niche do.
  • Don’t be afraid to be heard. If you have something to say, say it. Don’t be afraid of what others might think of it. Don’t hold back on what really moves you. Haters are gonna hate, so what!? Not every single person that stumbles upon your blog is going to love it, this is perfectly fine. Make it their problem, not yours. Remember that people love controversy!
  • Add media. Whether you are an avid photographer or not, use your own photos! Your photographic skills will get better with time. Maybe add videos. Vlog every now and then. Images and videos catch people’s attention so use them for your advantage.
  • Acknowledge your readers. Make your readers feel like they are an important part of your blog. Interact with them. Build a network around them. You might find a new blogger friend! Let them be part of your blogging journey.

Little by little you will discover what works best for your blog. Take your time. You might try things that won’t work for you, but don’t be discouraged. Explore. Enjoy the journey.



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Thinking outside of the box

7/18/2012

0 Comments

 
...

Here is a simple little image I made to encourage creativity in others.
I think I'm going to end of getting this printed on a shirt eventually…

"Think Outside the Box."
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  • Case Studies
    • Print >
      • Times Square
      • NHL Stadium Series
      • Additional Prints
    • Branding >
      • UltraPure Enterprises
      • Additional Branding
    • Web >
      • Aesthetic / Medical
      • Videography