PulseCreativePartners.com

Our New Website Is Coming Along Nicely, Is Yours?

As we mentioned last week, we are redesigning our own website after 3 great years. While we work on our own site, many other clients are taking advantage of our web development services and either redesigning their own site or starting from scratch to promote a new brand. In both scenarios, clients are understanding the value a great looking and functioning site brings to promoting their product or service. SEO has also been a major topic of discussion, which we are completely comfortable tackling. A great site isn't worth much if it can't be found. We use all the latest SEO techniques to give your site better search rankings. While there is an art to this, it's not fool proof and time, as well as how well you manage your site, can also affect your SEO rankings. We do our best to educate all of our clients about the ways in which they can positively affect their rankings with just a little effort.

Interested in learning more about our web development services or how we can help you with your SEO? Contact Us and we would be glad to sit and chat.

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An Ongoing Problem for Business

No, it's not that web developers are becoming harder to find, quite the opposite is probably true. Seems like everyone with a computer is now a web developer. The issue is starting a project with a developer then, in the middle or just before it's all done, they vanish. And usually they vanish with your hard earned cash.

I don't know how many people I have talked to recently that have that story or a slight variation of that story to tell me. The fact is, it's hard to find someone to do web work for your company who has staying power. On top of that, "web developer" or "web designer" can mean so many things to so many people. It seems that the definition of the term is in a constant state of flux, and for the guy who is planning to vanish, the definition is "whatever it takes to get you to write them a check."

Here's what Wikipedia defines "web developer": A web developer is a software developer or software engineer who is specifically engaged in the development of World Wide Web applications, or distributed network applications that are run over the HTTP protocol from a web server to a web browser.

Wikipedia also says this - which may be more important:"There are no formal educational or licensure requirements to become a web developer."

So what does that mean for you?

Really, it simply means that you need to do your homework before you write that first check. Here are a few simple items to put on your checklist:

• Check and see how long they have been around...1 month or 20 years.
• Check for references. Don't just look at the sites they send you to, call a former customer and get a real reference.
• ASK if they are sourcing code from overseas. This isn't always bad, but I have some horror stories...
• Look for a developer who will stick with you when the site is done. Websites are dynamic and should reflect the very latest from your business, so get a developer who wants to stay with you.
• Don't write too big a check up front. Expect to pay something to get the project started and then arrange pay in scheduled increments along the way. Web developers have to eat, and the set schedule allows for accountability for you and the developer.

I read this article too late, now what?

Unfortunately, many people have to start over because the "vanished" developer simply didn't do things right. Just remember the checklist above or, and this is a purely shameless plug, call Pulse Creative Partners.

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Fix Outlook 2010: Designers and Developers Unite

Dear Microsoft,

I think I speak for most, if not all of the designers and developers out there who have been desperately trying to keep moving forward with technology, not backwards. With html email newsletters trending upwards, you seem to have missed the memo about how designers and developers are creating those emails so they work well and look great on all platforms. For some reason, you have decided that taking things back to the stone age is actually a good marketing strategy and will surely win over all of those hip youngsters who love Apple and all the ways they are actually succeeding at taking over your rapidly dwindling market share. Because of course, we don't like things becoming new and exciting, rather we like to see technology change dramatically for the worst. I don't know if you have heard about this technology out there called "CSS"? But it's a pretty cool "new" way that actually simplifies the way we style html emails and websites. Apparently with all the trending towards retro fashion, table layouts are coming back too, because for some reason, you felt the need to start testing your new Outlook 2010 software to only render html emails well if they are table based.

But let's get real and speak frankly. Do you really think it's good for Microsoft as a whole to take one of it's only existing technologies that might be the only success it really has and downgrade it to within an inch of it's life? Surely with all the Vista debacles and Windows glitches you'd like to try to win us over with at least one glimpse of hope for Microsoft?

So please, take this one bit of advice from all of us out here hoping to not have to make things more complicated, FIX OUTLOOK 2010!!! We'll all think you are really swell.

Sincerely,

The Pulse Creative Partners Team

P.S. If you are a developer and feel the same sentiments, visit fixoutlook.org and show your support. Who knows Microsoft may just listen and take action.

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Did You Get Your Free Copy Of The New Coldplay Album?

So, I just got this email from a friend of mine to download the free Coldplay album from their website. I am super thrilled and had to tell you all about this. I am waiting for it to download as we speak. Thanks Coldplay!!! Enjoy!

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See Why We Chose Grasshopper As Our Virtual Phone Service

I am really impressed with Grasshopper and how they have embraced the entrepreneur. Their virtual phone service has provided us with the flexibility we need in a virtual phone service at a great price. Now wherever we are, we know our clients can reach us and they won't know if we are at work or working at home. We're on the road or working virtually a lot and we couldn't have found a better solution.

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The Target Aesthetic: Today At The IMA

So, I am taking our intern, Marcus, to see Jeff Carter, Senior Designer for Target Stores, discuss the retail giant’s democratic design-for-all philosophy and collaborations with designers such as Michael Graves and Isaac Mizrahi. The talk is co-presented by AIA Indianapolis and AIGA Indianapolis tonight at the IMA at 7:00pm. Get more information about this talk at http://www.imamuseum.org/calendar/targettalk

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One Of The Most Creative Wedding Invites I Have Ever Seen!

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The Baaa-Studs - An Amazing Use of Sheep and LED

This is what you get when you combine LEDs, elapsed-time photography, sheep, and a bunch of guys with no girlfriends.

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The Vendor Client Relationship

This is a funny video about something we creatives deal with on a daily basis. We quite enjoyed this video and think it hits home, especially today.

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