Perhaps the most immediate impression we get from websites, documents or other materials is the colour scheme. This isn’t just about looking pretty. There’s a field called colour psychology that says different colours give us particular messages. The choices you make here can strengthen your message or create a jarring effect that makes it harder […]
branding
What is branding? It’s not ink and cardboard
A lot of people think branding is logos and business cards. But those are just channels and products that reflect your branding. The oft-repeated quote when people talk about personal branding for small businesses comes, ironically, from Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.” […]
You can’t find the perfect title for a mystery project
Every so often I see a post: “Can you guys help me choose the best blog name/post title/domain name/book title/book cover?” Because I’m a helpful sort of person, and my skills often enable me to unlock this sort of thing, I sometimes try to engage with these. And often I end up frustrated because the […]
Why web designers suck (and how to spot good ones)
When I talk to people about their websites, it’s surprising how often they have a story of a poor experience with their web designer. Some of them feel unsatisfied with the results, or bruised by the process, but powerless to do anything about it. Granted, those stories may have another side that I don’t hear. But […]
The real reason spelling and grammar matter – video blog
To a wordnerd like me, spelling and grammar mistakes jump out and make my brain itch to fix them. And I want to do the best job I can with language. Most people aren’t wired up like that. If you’re not, is there a real practical reason why you should worry about that stuff? Yes […]
The election 2015 communication circus
One of the main criticisms levelled at politicians has been that they are ‘out of touch’. The traditional parties have certainly borne that out in their campaigning and communication for this year’s general election. Their bubbles have drifted so far from reality that they don’t seem to know how to connect with and appeal to […]