Goodsmiths

Now that you have your shop name, you will need to design a logo and shop banner with your name being the building blocks. (If you haven’t selected a shop name yet, have no fear, view my previous entry, Name that Store…) You might be thinking, I am a crafter, not a designer, however with these few easy steps hopefully you will realize you have a designer in you after all!

The same principals you utilized to find the perfect name for your business will help guide finding the right graphics to represent your online store. I also recommend doing some research. Find inspiration from other stores, blogs, greeting cards, interior design, anything really. Look for patterns, colors, fonts, textures, etc.

I recommend using a professional design software, such as Adobe Photoshop or InDesign or CorelDraw, however there are several free programs you can use. Read about your options here.  Adobe does offer 30-day trial periods for all of their products, visit the website for more information.

Ok, now it’s time to get your design on! I recommend taking these steps to help capture the character of your store.

Color Palette

Finding the right colors can often set the stage for creating your identity. When I was trying to find the perfect color combinations, I thought long and hard about what colors I like or wear for that matter. I used Pantone to help me find a color palette.  I knew I wanted rich colors that had a “sassy” vibrancy to them. The color palette I decided on is pictured below. Look at fashion trends, colors you love and colors from some of the stores (online or offline) that you really like to find inspiration for your own color palette.

Simply Sassy Color Palette

Remember that you want to work with RGB color values because you will be using your logo and banner online. The RGB color model is based on three colors (Red, Green, Blue) being added together in different intensities to create an array of colors and is primarily used on electronic systems (i.e. websites, television, etc.).

Here are two resources that can help you find your color palette: ColorLovers and Pantone.

Font

An easy way to add personality into your new logo is to find a font with voice. What does that mean right?! Well voice is best defined as a distinct, unique attribute that helps your audience identify you as well as the products/service you are selling. When I was determining the fontography I wanted to use, I knew I wanted to represent both sides of our name “simple” and “sassy”. After trying what seemed like hundreds of combinations, I found one that worked! The two fonts I selected were:

Simply Sassy Fonts

An important thing to keep in mind when selecting a font is readability. Make sure your font is legible and used at a large enough size to be read quickly and easily. The goal is for your customers to instantly be able to see your name and read it without squinting, having to re-read it or needing to call a translator (only joking – kind of)!

Here are some resources that you can use to find the perfect font for your store: Dafont,  1001 Free Fonts, and Font Squirrel.

Remember, each font has its own personality. Using too many fonts can be visually overwhelming. If you’re not sure about mixing different fonts, choose just one that is clean and easy to read. You want your customers to know who you are!

Imagery

This can be the most challenging part of the entire design process. Feel free to design your own graphics. For example, I used a combination of circles, ovals and curved lines to create the flowers in our logo as well as a whole mesh of shapes grouped together to create the yellow marquee. I have demonstrated the elements below to show how basic shapes can be grouped together to make images.

Simply Sassy Design Elements

However, there are fabulous options available using stock illustrations. I highly recommend purchasing these illustrations from iStockphoto or ShutterStock to ensure you get a high enough quality for a crisp appearance.

Browse the image libraries until you find something that strikes you. These images will cost you some money, however the cost is pretty minimal in most cases.

Logo and Banner Specifications

Your logo should be sized to 135 pixels by 135 pixels.

Simply Sassy Logo

Your banner should be sized to 887 pixels by 150 pixels.

Simply Sassy Store Banner

Use RGB color values and make sure your resolution is at least 72 dpi, although I recommend 96 dpi for a little more crispness.

Design is a trial and error process, so don’t get frustrated if it takes several (and I mean several) tries before you find the winner!

If you are thinking designing your own logo and banner seems like too much of an undertaking, there are plenty of vendors that will sell custom or premade design packages for online retailers.

Questions? Let me know and I’d be happy to help!

Kelli- Kelli@Goodsmiths.com

We all know how social media impacts our everyday lives. Most cruises around the World Wide Web these days consist of some Facebook stalking or adding a few pins to our Pinterest boards. Now you might not have realized this, but the power that drives you to use social media on a personal level can be just as effective for your business.

I want to specifically focus on Facebook (let’s bite off one chunk at a time). I set up a Facebook account for my store {Simply Sassy}. Here is a quick tutorial on how to get your Facebook Page up and running using your personal Facebook account.

1. Log into Facebook using your personal account and navigate to the Create A Page link at the bottom of your screen.
   

   Step 1: "Create A Page" Link In Footer

2. Set-up your page as a “Brand/Product” or you could do “Local Business or Place” if you have a storefront or physical location your customers can find you. However, for most online only businesses the “Brand/Product” category makes most sense.
3. Next, follow the prompts to upload your Facebook Profile image. I suggest using your logo or product image to reinforce your brand and/or products.
4. Fill out the appropriate fields under the “Basic Information” tab. Remember to incorporate the voice of your shop – this is a chance for you customers to get to know you and your products.
   

   Step 4: Fill Out Your Basic Information

5. Start adding product images and filling your channel. Now you may be wondering what should I post!? Give me a second and I will talk about the basic types of posts businesses should use. (See “Types of Posts” section below.)
6. Now, here is the beautiful part – Invite your Facebook friends to “Like” your business’s Page and encourage them to find you on Goodsmiths!
   

   Step 6: Invite Your Friends to "Like" Your Page

Once you get your Goodsmiths store up and running, you will be able to share new products or featured products through the integrated social media buttons. This will make filling your channel that much easier. Below I have listed some basic “types” of posts that might work for your business:

News
New products, new color options, group buys, sales/discounts, etc. For example, let’s say I am launching a new product and want to build awareness for it, I would feature the product in a post and encourage subscribers to share the news, what a great way to get exposure for not only the product, but my store in the process.

Tips/Tools/Good-To-Know
People are on the quest to find information, so if you come across something interesting, share it with your customers. This doesn’t necessarily have to be product related, but that would just be a bonus if it was. For example, my online store will sell infinity scarves, so let’s say I am surfing the Internet and come across a celeb/model sporting and infinity scarf, I would share the article via Facebook and encourage subscribers to visit my store and buy theirs today!

Engage Your Audience
Ask questions or get subscriber feedback. For example, let’s say I had an idea for a new product, but wasn’t sure how well it would be received. You can use Facebook to ask your subscribers what they think and use that as a basis for going ahead with the product, modifying the idea or maybe squashing it completely.

Thank You’s and Testimonials
Show customer appreciation and get praise. For example, let’s say I want to thank my customers via Facebook for purchases they have made. I would tag them in my post and it would appear in their Facebook news feeds. Here is the beautiful part, you have just increased your reach, because now all your customer’s Friends will  see they made a purchase from your store! Also, ask customers how they are liking a certain product to get their feedback and potential product review. Keep in mind it could be a mediocre or “gasp” bad review at which point you want to react quickly and help find a remedy.

Pictures, Pictures and more Pictures
From product images to people using your products. A great example of this would be to have your customers submit photos of them wearing or using your product to feature on your page. They can do this by sending you the photos or simply tagging your business’s page when they upload their images to Facebook. Another under utilized avenue for marketing is the product caption. Tell people a little about the product and how it can be used. For examples, check out some of the captions I put together for our albums, although I’m sure you can be more creative!

Remember, it’s one thing to set-up a Facebook Page for your business, but it’s another to “have” a Facebook Page that is actively talking and engaging its audience. Be the voice of your business in real time and keep it interesting and fresh. There is nothing worse than going to a Page that hasn’t been updated in months or that has minimal information, so come up with a posting schedule that works for you. Typically a couple times a week makes for the best frequency.

If you want to see an example Page, please feel free to visit the {Simply Sassy} Facebook Page. Keep in mind we are in the process of filling the channel as well so check back often for updates!

Have questions? Contact me!

Kelli- Kelli@Goodsmiths.com