Being choosy in a declining market can be tough, this just doesn't go for the design field but really any market. When you first build your business you take on any work you can to get the ball rolling, to get the clients in the door and do what you can to establish community rapport.

As your business builds, you start to release "C & D" clients so you can focus on your "A & B" clients. In this market however, just getting people to commit to a project can take ... Continue Reading

Twitter is all the rage, everyone is doing it, if you're not why aren't you? From big companies to people living in their basement are inviting you into their lives, their culture and meeting new people that share like interests is what Twitter is about. The down side of Twitter though are some of the people that do follow you.

We've put together a list of reasons we just will never consider following you back:

• You have not, will not or don't know how to change the default avatar (We'll also unfollow ... Continue Reading

The times we're faced with are a lot like the trials and tribulations of Mickey Rourke. Success and fame all came to a crashing halt and what was once taken for granted became far and few between.

Love, pain and glory it's all part of owning a business. Giving up on your marketing shouldn't be an option to make it through the tough times. Sure there are necessary cut-backs across the board in order to keep your business successful, but keeping your image out there, reminding your clients who you are and ... Continue Reading

Though more and more businesses realize they need a website in today’s at your finger tips online information age, there is still a lot of misconception that surrounds having one. A major misconception is that “once I have a website, the money’s just going to start rolling in.” That’s just not the case in most instances. If you do nothing to promote the website, it ends up being like home gym equipment: It’s there, but nobody’s using it. What we tell people is that you ... Continue Reading

We couldn't be more excited. Today we were contacted again by LogoLounge with some great news. Apparently LogoLounge is going to be publishing a series of niched Logo Master Library books in addition to their annual book of logo designs and their inaugural book is coming out Fall 2009. Two of our logos made the cut one for a custom jeans manufacturer called iD™ and the other called Cole Cober a luxury brand. You can view both winning logos below. You can also view our entire logo portfolio here.

There's ... Continue Reading

It’s fitting that this blog entry comes in December, the month when stores and homes are decorated with extra lights, garlands, and all kinds of shiny decorative objects. It’s a time when we put more glitter into our surroundings. Adding glitter in the form of great design is what Effusion Creative Solutions is all about. We call it making things look pretty with a purpose, and it’s a philosophy that started at an early age for our founder, Robert Pfeifer.

Apparently, when he was young he was in a boys group ... Continue Reading

If you knew me, you would know I’m a Food Network junkie. I also tend to collect cookbooks, which I often read like novels. My latest one is The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, one of Ina Garten’s from the late 1990’s. In it, she repeatedly advises to use the best ingredients you possibly can.

At Effusion we decided that the best way to provide the best services to our clients was to specialize in design (which is all done in-house) and partner with “specialists” in other areas on an as ... Continue Reading

This type of thinking applies not only to graphic design, marketing, and brand strategy but really any profession ranging from landscaping to interior decorating — you name it.

If you search the web there are plenty of companies that will design your logo identity for $100 and your website for under $500, you absolutely don't want to go this route. These types of solutions are typically sweat shop off-shore design companies that turn and burn out work throwing quality to the wind.

We can't tell you how many companies we have estimated projects ... Continue Reading

In the design profession there are two distinctive types of clients. Clients that appreciate your work, customer service as well as take your pricing at face value AND there are others that take the dangling carrot approach to entice a better price.

Simmilar to spec work "carrot danglers" typically are new prospects that love your work, respect your process, and don't want to work with any other firm — but they are looking for a discount on your proposal as they are resistant to paying market value for your knowledge, ... Continue Reading

When creativity and whitespace has become no longer important.