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Artist who does Web Design

People often visit my website to view my fine art and then say, "Wow! I had no idea you created websites too!" They later ask how I can be both an artist AND do something so left-brained like web design and marketing? For me it is easy because they are two passions of mine: I absolutely love to push myself creatively AND I am passionate about finding ways to help people pursue their own business visions.

So what is it that I do for businesses?

When I am working on a business project, I wear many, many hats, including:

• project manager
• SEO and marketing consultant
• graphic artist
• illustrator
• html/css programmer
• UI/UX designer
• content editor
• business coach
• and confidant

Brand development and marketing require someone who can keep the vision in mind while overseeing and executing the daily tasks of the project. From owning a few different businesses and coaching several more, I have had regular practice on how to address the unique nuances of each industry. I work with business visions in mind as I get the realistic details in order and figure out what needs to happen on a daily basis to make a deadline. However, I understand the creative side too, so I get results that are eye-catching and memorable to your target market.

To understand the completeness of a project, the project manager needs to understand how each part works, what is most important for that component to work, and then blend the parts into a perfect marriage. That means someone who understands the visual, marketing, programming or printing, and clients needs.

Each project may sounds simple: "I need a website." "I need a poster." "I need a sign illustrated." But behind each project is a multitude of tasks that need to be done correctly to make your project worthwhile. Before choosing your web designer or graphic designer, look at their portfolio and see if they have the experience to help you with your project. Make sure their past works are something you may like for your business. And read their testimonials. And next time you'll get a better feel why so many people choose someone like me, an artist who does design.

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Laughing Sun Clothing has closed its virtual doors

Laughing Sun Clothing has closed its virtual doors. Thank you to all of our past supporters and team. If you would like to see artworks, designs, and websites from Laughing Sun artist, Sara Zimmerman, please explore Sara's site. Thanks!

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Best Wordpress Web Host

Choosing a host for your new website can be a daunting task since there are hundreds, if not thousands. I have worked with many and though I love to support local, small businesses, this is one area where the national brand is the better way to go. When you have a national company competing with others, you end up getting easy customer service 24/6, a great control panel, easy to understand tutorials, and usually money back guarantees. One of my favorite companies to work with is GoDaddy.com. They are great for general html sites and WordPress sites, as well as other options.

In building new sites and redesigning sites with hosts that clients currently work with, I have come across numerous different host and domain providers. The reason I prefer GoDaddy.com over many of the other large (and small hosts) is the following:

• Their control panels are very easy to navigate and work with, for both developer and client.
• They have a wide variety of tutorials for all of their products that are easy to access and understand
• I have had the least amount of problems with their hosting and transfers with them than any other host I have worked with.
• They have expedited transfers for me, allowing client websites to have minimal down times.
• Though I have seen some slower service for their Economy WordPress hosting, their Deluxe and Ultimate packages have produced faster load times for client websites.
• Customer service. I have had some problems with them with a couple clients (but less than with other hosts) and when that happened, they refunded the full amount.

All hosts boast that they do not have problems, even though all hosts have a problem here and there. That said, GoDaddy has provided more consistent service than any other host that I have used.

How to Purchase the Top wordpress website hosting

1. Go to GoDaddy.com and go to the menu HOSTING If you are getting a WordPress site, go to WORDPRESS hosting
2. If you will only have a few images and don't care about loading speeds, choose the Economy Plan. If you are going to have more than a handful of images and want faster loading times, choose Deluxe Plan (12 months is recommended for both). If you are going to have an eCommerce site with onsite payment processing, then choose the Ultimate Plan and you will get a SSL certificate for free for one year.
3. Don't add anything else on the next page and proceed to checkout.*
4. *If you do not have a domain name, go to DOMAINS and select a domain name. The .com and .net are preferred.

GoDaddy is my favorite website host because they take great care of you, have exceptional services and integrative options, as well as numerous tutorials that stay up to date. If you are planning on getting a website, I recommend GoDaddy for your hosting. However, be sure to talk to your web designer first to make sure that you are purchasing the correct plan for your site.

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Websites without a marketing plan are lost in space

Ok- so you spent a lot of money and time developing the PERFECT website that visually epitomizes everything you and your business is about. You had some help with the messaging and implemented search engine optimized techniques. You were trained how to use your WordPress or Joomla site, you added one blog post and ta-da: now the site is done. So now what? This is where many people get lazy and just stop. They think that because the SEO I implemented on their site got them on page one of Google rankings that they no longer have to worry about doing anything to their site, or marketing it, for that matter: "It will just bring new clients to me on its own, right?" MAYBE, BUT NOT GUARANTEED.

One of my favorite quotes I saw from a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) company rings so true:

Launching a website without an ongoing marketing plan is like spending the money and time on a tv commercial and never buying air time to show it.

So what can you do? The beauty of content management sites (CMS) like WordPress and Joomla are not only are they easy to navigate and update (once trained) but there are thousands of tips on how to make changes and how to get a better client base by installing pre-programmed widgets (like newsletter sign up forms) all over the internet. I personally give my clients techniques on how to write search engine optimized posts and content, as well as how to drive content back to your site through the use of eNewsletters and social media. But despite how easy and how CHEAP it is to do your own marketing, the excuses still take hold: "I don't have time."

My retort: "So you have time to complain about the economy, have time to worry about money, but don't have time to put 1/2 an hour a week into free marketing ideas?" Crazy. I am all about taking the bulls by the horns and that is what it takes. Now it doesn't mean you have to dedicate your life to marketing all the time, but 1/2 an hour to 2 hours a week can really do wonders.

If you don't know where to start, just start with some goals. Make a list of how many new clients you want per month and how much time and money you have to spend to acquire those clients. The work backwards. If you want 5 new clients a month, then you need to get about 20 hot leads, which means you need to get the word out to about 75+ people (these are totally rough numbers just to give you an idea). Anyways, if you get lost or confused, you can always hire a marketing consultant. But if not, you can start with that and then make a plan of action.

If you are worried about money but have time on your hands, the first thing you can do is start researching eNewsletter options, such as Constant Contact, MailChimp, Vertical Response, as well as thousands of others. It is a great way to get people who are already interested in you to take action.

The next thing you can do is start setting up your social networks as well as your free business listings in Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Relevant links back to you always help the validity of your site as well as help people who are interested be able to connect with you.

Tags: Marketing, SEO, Truckee, Web Design, web designer, web marketing, web marketing tips, website seo, websites

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Feeling Abundant

I am working on a series of new artworks called "Healing." It is taking me to new places in not only my art technique and process, but inside of myself, especially in how I look at my thoughts. Funny how thoughts have a way of dictating our lives whether we know it or not. These mysterious, invisible things come and go into our mind sometimes with announcement and sometimes sneaking up on us, hiding in the shadows.

I decided I wasn't happy with what I was thinking in the last week so I consciously chose to change my thoughts a few days ago- I noticed I was getting glum- probably a byproduct of the returning snow and dark skies- or maybe something else all together. I spoke to a few friends and returned to a favorite book, Louse Hay's You Can Heal Your Life. I love this book. Louise herself changed her thoughts enough to heal herself from cancer. You don't have to be a believer to read it though. In her prosperity section she provides some mantras as a replacement for those other thoughts we are familiar with... you know the ones I am talking about: "There's not enough", "I want money,"... you know the song. Anyways, she replaces them with positive affirmations about abundance and goodness.

So after my daughter went to bed I took it upon myself to practice a few of these new affirmations. That was two days ago. I must have repeated it about 10 times each day. So today my day began and the abundance already started rolling in. First, I had an amazing meeting with my BNI group (Business Networking International) which is the most positive group of entrepreneurs I have ever met. I felt abundance just radiating from the room during that hour and a half. After, I received the most amazing acupuncture treatment from the incredible Michelle Turley, who is responsible for me being able to drink milk again- I cannot recommend highly enough (Michelle, thank you!).

After, I visited my client, Jessica Hall from Bluebird Designs, to see her jewelry studio and workspace. After gazing at her jewelry masterpieces, she gave me a stunning necklace made from recycled metals with the word WOW stamped on it. So incredible! With my new bling bouncing around my neck, I picked up my daughter from daycare- she yelling "Mommy Mommy! I love you!" (heartwarming!). We returned home to the nicest notes pf praise from clients and friends who had received my newsletter earlier that morning. Later, I received a wonderful testimonial from an illustration client. After that, my husband made Indian food from scratch (the house smelled like heaven).

That was just one day! I felt compelled to write this all down as a note of inspiration (to you and myself!) and as a record of where the inspiration for my new painting are coming from when you start seeing artworks titled "Abundance" and "prosperity". Thank you everyone!

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I'm an official Green Business

When I was in UCSC, I received my bachelor's in Environmental Studies- a degree which was known then as the most depressing one around. I learned a lot about the theory of making change and reducing our carbon footprint. But then I got married, had a baby... and we all know how it goes from there. It takes a concerted effort to reduce, reuse and recycle and I am doing my best to incorporate these ideas into my art and design business. To lessen my impact, I recently switched over to biodegradable bags for my prints and 100% post-consumer waste backings for my greeting cards. I use reclaimed cabinet doors as canvases when possible, and do as much as I can electronically to cut down my paper waste. I am happy to announce that my efforts in my business have been recognized by Keep the Sierra Green as a Green Business Leader! I have a long way to go- there are so many ways to change. What simple things can you do to make your business green?

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Create Web Content that Engages

With the development of content management sites, many of us web designers and developers are now leaving the content up to the client. This can be both good a bad. The right content can have customers making instant sales where the wrong content can not only discourage purchases, but can prevent search engines from organically finding your site. So what's the key? Below The Social Media Examiner and myself outline 10 major steps to creating effective content for websites and social media platforms, which include:

1. Show, don’t just tell
2. Stoke the campfire
3. Play to your strengths
4. Speak human
5. Reimagine

The other key points that I tell my clients are:

1. Instead of using "he", "she", "it", etc., use actual nouns and words that both pertain to your content AND would be keywords people are searching for
2. Write relevant content for your blog or website
3. Don't expect people to know what the acronyms or business-specific jargon means- describe what you are saying if you want it to reach a broader audience.
4. Always remember to answer the basic who, what, when, why, where and how's.
5. If you want a reader to take action, write out the action you want them to take very clearly with very clear instructions of how to take that action

These are just a few tips to improve your site's or social media platform's content to make your readers more interested and willing to take action.

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"Fall to Winter" art show at Dragonfly Restaurant

My newest series of works will be on display in a show called "Fall to Winter" from December 2 through March 2011 at Dragonfly Restaurant in Truckee. An opening reception with appetizers will be on Thursday, December 16th from 4:30 to 6 pm. Artworks and prints will be available for sale during the exhibit. The opening reception is free and open to the public. This series of artworks depicts the seasonal change in the Sierras from a unique perspective. The colors in these newest works reflect a "tropical" take on the traditional Sierran landscape. I LOVE tropical colors and was always seeking a new way to express the beauty of the mountain landscape surrounding us. This series is the marriage of my affinity for this palette and the mountain environment. Furthermore, many of these works on created on recycled cabinet doors from local cabinet shops with recycled papers used for texture.

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Out of the Office 9/12-18

Hi Folks- I'm in need of some fall-colored inspiration so am heading out Sept 12-18. If you need anything ahead of time, please shoot me a line. Thanks!

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April projects

Hi Everyone! I'm currently taking reservations for projects in April. If you have an existing project and have already spoken with me about it (and have all of your components for the project submitted), then I already have time for you reserved. If you are interested in a new look for a logo, identity, illustration or website, let me know and I can get you scheduled. I'm going to be away from my desk for a week and then will be back on April 5th. Please email me or leave a message and I will get back to you then. In the meantime, if you are trying to prep for your project, here's some info on helping you get your project components together, especially if you are on a budget. Thanks and looking forward to working with you!