It’s time for the last Magic Monday of the year!

I’m finally back home from vacation so expect Sentences to be updated a lot more often. I’ve also been fortunate enough to be in contact with a few interest people who will be submitting some guest articles. If you’re interested in that as well, make sure you check out the Jobs page and give me a shout. With that said, Happy New Year to everyone and I can’t wait to see what 2008 will have in store for us!

Most Original:

Ludo Escrime is an award winning site and is one of the most original designs I’ve ever seen. The artwork is completely unique and moving with intricate details and composition. I really like what Ludo has done here and if you haven’t visited their site yet, I suggest you do it. Even though the site is done completely in flash, it still functions pretty well and is user friendly. There is an alternative navigation at the bottom, but the real fun is interacting with the layout and watching the animations.

Tip: Flash isn’t dead! As much as I wish it was sometimes, flash still remains as one of the most impressive tools a designer can incorporate. However, if you do decide to go the flash route and build a flash heavy interface, you need to view it from all perspectives, especially the user end. All too often a full flash site is hard to navigate, read, and leaves little or no room for versatility.

Boldest Design:

Loic Sattler’s portfolio website delivers a bold statement. With hardly any navigational elements or other sub pages, it is simply his work and contact information. He’s saying one thing: My work speaks for itself. Either you like it, or you don’t.

Tip: Sometimes less is more. Don’t be afraid to let your work speak for itself. Sure a fancy portfolio will take you a long way, but if you have a significant amount of work that looks good, then perhaps you should consider letting your portfolio be the main piece - not the way its displayed.

Most Professional:

Green Street Development has a great looking site with fresh colors. It matches the site’s theme and reinforces the industry they are in. The site is clean and offers various ways to subscribe to their content. The layout is simple but very attractive. The only thing I do NOT like is the angle at which the “remodel” in the banner is at. I think it would’ve looked much better at a regular 90 degree angle, instead of slanting it. I’m not sure what that provides as it doesn’t lead me towards the content, but away from it.

Tip: Sometimes a small detail can either make or break a design, and it’s often that these small details are overlooked. Remember to keep your site’s theme and design aspects as consistent as possible so that it makes sense. It may not matter much to a majority of your audience, but it’ll enhance your overall image and appeal.

Site of the Week:

Sitemakers delivers a website that blends all aspects of design into one. It creates a professional image while maintaining a bold and confident image. There are a lot of small details that really make the design. The roll overs are crisp and logical, the color scheme exudes confidence and sleekness, and the icons maintain a bold image that answers the question all users ask when they arrive - what is this website? Continuing with the sleek design, the sub pages within the website are an excellent example of consistency and flow. The overall site is a great inspiration for designers who are searching for an original and simple layout to display their client’s products.

Tip: Remember what your design needs to accomplish. In this case, the main priority seemed to be the products, not the company. All to often I go to eCommerce websites where the main focus is the company. Although I care about who I am buying from, I want to know more about the product I’m seeking first, and if necessary, I can read about the company. Don’t lose your focus and make sure you accomplish the goals your design needs to set.

Artist of the Week:

Zero 7 is one of the BEST bands out there to listen to while you work. Their smooth instrumentals keep you calm and focused, while their unique and upbeat sounds keep you motivated and creative. There aren’t many words to distract you while you work, and their music gives off an inspirational vibe that I really enjoy. If you are hesitant to download ANY music I’ve recommended, now is the time to change that. Zero 7 is where it’s at.

It’s time for Monday Magic!

First of all, I wanted to wish everyone Happy Holidays! Sorry about the lack of updates, but I’ve been in California out of town visiting my sister for the holidays. I’ll be updating a few times over the week, but I won’t be able to do it daily until I get back home (hey, vacation is vacation right?)

Most Original:

MoshiMonsters is an awesome looking site with great original illustrations. The colors are great, and it’s geared directly towards its demographic. The colors are fun and inviting and really pop.

Tip: Don’t be afraid to borrow ideas and research from your competitors in regards to designing for your demographic. However, make sure that you improve where they lacked, and deliver a product that is original. People love originality and it’ll take you far in the long run.

Boldest Design:

What is the first thing you see when you visit the Legrand website? For me, it was their newest application, Mosaic. Congratulations to the designers for being bold and being able to bring the user’s eyes towards their client’s newest product. There is hardly any text on the front page - all images, and though that can be a negative in most cases, Legrand pulls it off nicely.

Tip: I’ve been advised to always include some sort of content on the front page, and in turn, I’ve also given the same advice. It’s more professional and inviting. However, Legrand is a great example of a website that uses almost all images to prove a point - and that is to bring full attention to their newest product. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box and rebel against the rules…just remember that the rules were set there for a reason.

Most Professional:

Kompakt delivers a really great design here. It’s clean, simple, and straight forward. Though the main image is a bit unnecessary, it does add to the flow of the site and fills in the negative space. The colors are very inviting and give off a very professional and energetic feel. The user isn’t overwhelmed with options from the main page and isn’t too distracted from the content.

Tip: Most times, less is more. Try not to distract your viewers with colorful backgrounds and unnecessary banner images. Use colors that pop and give off the right vibe. If you’re having trouble with colors, make sure you check out ColourLovers and find a pallette that works best for you and your client.

Site of the Week:

WiserGirls is such a wonderful looking website. The design is clean and simple and the content flows wonderfully. I absolutely love the roll over on the logo image that takes you back to the home page. Wiser delivers a sensitive and touching message that is relayed almost effortlessly thanks to the site’s well designed and reinforced theme.

Tip: Its not every day that designers are given a theme to work with. If you have the opportunity to give your design a theme and carry it all the way through, DO IT. It’ll reinforce the site’s brand and identity and will help relay its main message to the viewer. Don’t be afraid to work with your client up front and discuss ways you can do this. Often, clients will respect your creative input and will most likely trust your opinion - afterall, that is why they hired you.

Artist of the Week:

Carlos Santana is one of the best guitarist that our world has ever had the the pleasure of listening to. His work is almost flawless and every track he’s ever put out is nothing short of amazing. I love to sit back and design while his music is playing in the background. Trust me when I tell you his work will DEFINITELY get your creative juices flowing.

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One of the most frustrating things as a Freelancer is waiting around with no project to work on. Even more irritating is that while you aren’t working and getting paid, other people are getting all the jobs and it seems as if everyone loves them. How come you aren’t getting hired? The following list lists 5 common reasons that may, or may not be why you aren’t getting hired and what you can do to improve your chances.

5. You’re charging way too much

There have been countless times that I’ve seen the work an individual has done and wondered how on Earth they were able to charge thousands and thousands of dollars for it. I’ve been left scratching my head and thinking “what the heck did the client see in them?” However, just because someone else can charge that kind of price for half-assed work doesn’t mean that you can.

If you aren’t being hired, chances are your prices may be too high. Now, I don’t mean go crazy and lower your rates really low, but instead, play around with your rates until you find an equilibrium. Start high, then work your way down. If you get to the point where you’re at your absolute minimum, then you probably aren’t being rejected strictly based on price.

4. Insufficient Portfolio

A common mistake I see from Freelancers is that they have an insufficient portfolio. A good rule of thumb is that a portfolio should ideally have at least five pieces of work. Diversity is great, but it’s also good to show similar pieces that really have a feel for the style of work that you do. If you haven’t already, you need at least a temporary portfolio. Don’t work out of the folder/ftp view online. It’s tacky, unprofessional, and really looks like you don’t care enough to take the time to create a professional portfolio. Paying someone $100 bucks or so to code a 1 page portfolio will take you a long way.

Clients also love live work. They can gauge the amount of success you have with your projects if you have live URLs with your work on it. If you don’t have anything but screen shots, at least set up a mock html site so that your viewers can see it in full live preview. It’s all about how you present your work. A client is not stupid. They will notice how much work and effort you’ve put into your portfolio.

3. Your self image or reputation sucks

Remember, in this business first impressions mean everything. Sometimes Freelancers won’t get hired simply because clients don’t like the person. This can be because a number of things, but the most common reasons I see are:

• The Freelancer seems too young or inexperienced
• The Freelancer seems unprofessional
• The Freelancer hasn’t built a reputation
• The Freelancer looks like they are trying TOO hard

If your prices are right, and your portfolio is ready, and you still aren’t being hired, it may be because of the image you give off. Remember, it isn’t just your posted Ad that clients will look at. A lot of clients will do their research and will check your previous posts and your user name at other forum boards. They want to know what they are getting into. I can’t stress enough how important it is for you to become a solid member at a community. By doing so, you will be able to gain the trust and loyalty of people around you. Networking is very important for you to get your name out there.

If you aren’t a member of any forums, I suggest you take a look at Talkfreelance. It’s a fairly friendly design community that I’m a part of, and there are some really great designers there who know their stuff. It’s got an active marketplace where you can post ads as well as selling some of your old work.

2. You aren’t being pro-active

Just because you’ve got your portfolio online doesn’t mean that people will start coming to you. This isn’t like fishing where you can have a piece of bait and hope you get a bite. You need to be proactive. Sometimes it may seem that some designers don’t have to do ANY work and STILL get plenty of projects. However, the opposite is quite true. Freelancers who are at that level continuously post ads, complete projects, update their portfolio, and write a blog (if they have one). All of this contributes to being proactive.

If you don’t update your portfolio consistently, people will stop visiting it, and you’ll stop being noticed. If you don’t post any ads, how do you expect to get found? You need to go ahead and look around forums and bid for jobs. There are plenty of programmers or entrepreneurs who are just dieing to find the right designer with the best prices. Don’t be afraid to answer an ad … writing a Private Message can take you about 5-10 minutes, but could mean hundreds of dollars in the end.

1. Your ad sucks

You may not get hired simply because your ad sucks. I’ve seen ads where it was simply:

“Hi, My name is John Smith and I design websites. My rate is $50/page and my portfolio is here. Please don’t PM me because I hardly check this forum. Instead, please email me!”

Don’t make it hard on your clients. They like to do less work. Point out the obvious. Make sure that your ad is neatly formatted and you provide all the necessary information. A link to your portfolio is great, but take it a step further and give direct links of your work as well. List your rates, but make sure you give them options. Be specific. One of the best methods that have worked for me is naming popular or trendy fads that are in effect, along with its respective pricing (i.e. Wordpress Blogs: $XXX (includes WP Integration!). Sometimes, by doing this, you can even get away with charging more for it then you usually would.

List some testimonials of previous clients. If you have none, now is the time to get some. If you can’t get any, then try to get recommendations from your fellow colleagues. Any sort of evidence that people support your work is best. If you’ve been featured on a CSS gallery, make sure you say it!

If you’re completely new at this, don’t be afraid to say so! Turn your weaknesses into a strength. Don’t be ashamed of saying you’re new, but experienced. Here’s an example of an ad where the Freelancer is new to the industry, but flips that weakness into a strength:

“…although I am new to the industry, I have the experience and skills necessary to complete a project that will surpass your expectations. Rather then working with the same people that everyone else works with and getting the same style as others, set yourself a part by tapping into a designer that has yet to be taken advantage of…”

It simply takes 30 seconds to re-read your ad and make sure it’s exactly how you want it to be. Don’t try to sound overly professional, and instead, try to connect to the reader. The truth will set you free. If you have no partners, don’t say “We” and pretend as if you were a design studio. If you offer any guarantees, say it! Your ad is your first impression, and first impressions are critical…it means the difference of being hired, and being ignored.

Although there are countless reasons why someone may not hire you, these are a few common ones that I see every day. See if you fall into any of these categories and try to fix it! If you haven’t already, you may want to read up on our list of essential tools for the freelancer, as well as simple and free ways to get leads.

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So you’ve strengthened your portfolio, you’ve got the essential tools that we’ve pointed out to you, and now you’re ready to get new clients and projects. But there’s the hard part - where do you find them? How do you get those high profile projects that you drool over? Well, here’s a few ways that have worked for me and my colleagues in the past.Facebook Marketplace

Believe it or not, the Facebook Marketplace is booming. I posted an ad immediately after the marketplace went up with a description of my expertise and a link to my portfolio. I tried to be as honest and upfront and made sure that the client knew that I handled every project efficiently and carefully. This ad gave me about 35 leads, with 6 or so solid projects (2 of them high profile) and 2 possible job recruitments (1 from Viget Labs).

Tip: Your ad is your first impression. Would you show up to an interview in jeans and a T-shirt? Or, would you rather show up in a power suit? The same concept applies. Make sure your ad is professional, honest, and straight forward. Typos and bad structure will kill you in the long run.

Craigslist

Believe it or not, Craigslist works! Craigslist has landed me 2 projects with only 5 leads! That means that the people on Craigslist mean business. They aren’t going to contact you and waste your time unless they are genuinely interested. The posts are free, and you get tons of exposure.

Tip: Same rules apply as the Facebook ad. Your Craigslist posting is all you have to communicate wiht your potential clients. I have a prepared ad that I post every couple of weeks. I get a few replies per post. I’ve been using Craigslist for a couple weeks now and I’m definitely going to continue.

Jobster & LinkedIn

Jobster and LinkedIn are two great resources for job opportunities and networking. I’ve been able to network with a lot of important people and owners of local design firms. I’ve established a connection so that in the future if I’m looking for a job, my resume won’t be so alias. I’ve also received quite a few phone calls from interested firms who wanted to recruit me into freelance pools, which is the next thing I’ll be talking about.

Tip: Design your resume to suit the industry you’re looking for. If you’re going to be applying to a design or marketing firm, don’t gear your resume as if you were applying to a college or a restaurant. Make sure the one you have available for download is neat, professional, and enticing. You will also need a professional photo of yourself to post as your profile picture.

Forums, Communities, and Contests

If you aren’t a regular member of a forum or a community, I’d suggest you start doing so immediately. Networking on message boards is one of the easiest and satisfying methods. You get to make friends with like-minded colleagues, allowing you to find partners, potential outsource leads, and clients. Communities such as Sitepoint have an active contest market. High profile contests are posted everyday. Not only are you in the run for thousands of dollars in prizes, but you get to show off your work ethics and the way you treat your clients and handle feedback and revisions.

Tip: Handle these contests as if they really were your projects. Many of them have really comprehensive design specs that will point you in the right direction. Posting quality products not only increase your odds of winning, but will have an impact on the other people on the forum. I’m talking about hundreds of webmasters, business owners, and corporate firms looking for talented artists.

Find Local Design firms!

Search job postings and ads for local design firms or freelance pools. This is one method that I’ve used to land me high profile jobs. Signing up with a freelance pool gives you exposure to corporations around the world. How about getting a print job from Verizon and seeing it printed nation wide? How about working on the next website for National Geographic? These are all possibilities when you sign up with a freelance pool. You’ll be assigned an agent who will handle your portfolio and aim to get you jobs. I am currently listed with Engine Performance in Baltimore, Maryland and the decision to sign up with a pool was one of the best I’ve made. I can charge whatever rates I want, and I let my agent find jobs for me. Magic.

Tip: Don’t be frustrated if you don’t get accepted at first. Continue to build the strength of your portfolio and keep looking for positions and pools. They will most likely take you, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be guaranteed projects. Just continue to keep in touch with your agent and make sure that they know you’re really interested in getting started. Freelance Pools are plenty, so if you don’t find them from a simple Google search, keep looking because their around.

Be Confident!

Don’t be afraid to respond to a project offer on forums or job postings. What is a matter of 10 minutes writing a quick cover letter and submitting your resume and portfolio (both of which you should have prepared)? Many times freelancers are intimidated by job requirements or the client’s reputation. Don’t be scared! Submit your information, and let them decide whether or not you’re capable of doing the job. Don’t you think it’s worth the risk to submit your information for a chance at a great salary and a start at a career? Or how about establishing yourself with the corporate world?

Tip: Remember to present yourself as professional as possible. Although you should have confidence in the jobs that you apply to, that doesn’t mean go around and submit your information to everyone. Take time in your cover letters, and make sure you’re applying to jobs that you are genuinely interested in and feel that you’re the best for. You’ve got nothing to lose.

Try some of these tips, if not all of them, out and let us know how it goes in the forums. I’d love to hear your feedback on the article and the advice I’ve given. I’m always open to opinions and would really like to know what you thought.

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Here I am sitting at my desk writing the next few articles that are to be posted for Sentences. It seems that I’ve been running this site for ages now as I continue to watch the stats and continue to write pieces of each article until they are completed and ready for publishing. However, the truth of the matter is that the site is only 72 hours young, and I’ve still got a long road ahead of me if I plan on making Sentences into what I think and hope it can become.

So far, there have been Five public articles published. Of the Five, two were submitted to Digg with only moderate success (meaning some Diggs, but not enough to get on the front page). This could simply be because Sentences doesn’t have the exposure or reader base needed yet to reach the front page. Hopefully in time we’ll get there.

Out of the five articles, there have been 22 comments made. That’s a great number (even though a majority of the comments are my responses). It definitely shows that the readers are interested in what Sentences has to say, and they are beginning to interact with the community. This is exactly the direction I wanted it headed in.

However, after the first 72 hours of launch, there has been only one additional sign up on the Forums. This is a bit disappointing, but is definitely because of me. I haven’t had much time to really spotlight the forums yet, so they are inactive and are bare. If you’d like to take a few minutes to sign up for it, I greatly encourage it so that when the Forums do become active, you’re set and ready to go.

There have been 5 RSS Feed Subscribers since the site has started. Not much, but definitely better then zero. I had only added Feedburner the second day I launched (since I’m an idiot, and in my over-eagerness to launch the site, I completely forgot to put in an RSS tab). If you haven’t done so already, I’d encourage you to subscribe to the RSS Feed to get up to date content whenever it’s posted.

Over the next 72 hours, I hope to get the following articles up and ready to go on Sentences:

• Getting Creative with Anthony Bullock (An interview with the man behind Fantasy Creative)
• 5 Surefire ways to build Buzz
• Tips for Building your Reputation
• 5 Simple Steps to Starting a Marketing Campaign
• 5 Common Marketing Mistakes

I’m really looking forward to releasing these articles. I’m still writing most of them, but a couple are done and are ready for publishing. I’m just waiting for the right time to do so, so check back later tonight and you should have a fresh, new article to read.

Now that I’ve got a small readership and some solid content, now is the time for me to start advertising Sentences and really get this ship sailing. I’ve got some guest blog posts lined up with Anthony Bullock’s WebMediaBlogger. I am also eying a few sites to start advertising on, though my budget is small (since Sentences isn’t intended for revenue).

I have a few tricks up my sleeve, but I’m still planning all of them to make sure they’ll work before I set myself up for some sort of failure. Either way, I do plan on outlining most of my plan for everyone to see since I do want everyone to learn from example.

Already, Sentences is pulling in some decent traffic simply by word of mouth, Digg, and just some forum advertising. The traffic is minimal, but I expected nothing less since I haven’t even really started advertising the site. However, I have gotten a few contact emails regarding advertising information, and I just wanted to reinerate that Sentences is NOT ready to accept advertising yet. It will be in the very near future, but right now I want to focus on building some sort of reputation before I start charging for advertising.

Things to Focus On:

• Strengthening the Sentences Brand
• Creating additional Exposure using Affordable Methods
• Bring more attention to the Community/Forums
• Encourage additional interaction between the community

Anyways, I just wanted to give everyone an update and to say Thank You for all the support that everyone has given me in the last 72 hours. It’s been really fun messing around with Sentences and I look forward to continuing the journey. If you haven’t done so already, please register for the Forums. It’ll only take you a couple minutes, but would mean the world to me.

Best regards,
Bryan

Jon Wheatley is one of those people who just wreaks success on every project he touches. He’s a young and aspiring entrepreneur with lots of experience and plenty of notches on his belt. From my time with Jon, I could tell that he was a very down to Earth kind of guy. He definitely enjoys his job and for the right reasons. There’s plenty of things that someone could learn from Jon, and this 20 year old United Kingdom native is definitely someone to keep an eye on as his success and reputation will only increase in the coming years.

Basic Information:

• First and Last Name: Jon Wheatley
• Location: United Kingdom
• Years in Industry: 10 Years
• Expertise: Marketing

Please note that my questions and comments are in Bold. Everything you read is exactly verbatim from my conversation with Jon.

What was your first website?

Haha, well my first real website was a site called http://phized.com/ (pronounced “fizzed”) it was a general entertainment website that was basically just full of miniclip flash games and little else. I was about 14 when i developed it and when I found out about google adsense and started making a massive $1 a day i was amazed and have been hooked on the internet and making money ever since.

Where is Phized now?

I sold it shortly after launching it for $2,000. At that age $2,000 was a hell of a lot of money for me.

I completely agree. At 14, How did you have the knowledge to develop a site?

My friends Dad was a “web developer” so he was quite into making websites and things like that. I remember my friend came round my house one day after school to start showing me how to make a website, i was so sure it would be a wasted journey because i didn’t have any software of any sort that would even remotely make a website but my friend assured me it would be fine. He then boots up notepad and i think its all been a massive joke until he busts some simple html code and opens it up in a browser.

I think there was a <marquee> tag in there somewhere, i thought it was the coolest thing i’d ever seen.

That’s awesome. So you were pretty much around people who were knowledgeable about the topic.

Well after that day i didn’t get much help apart from the odd html question… but from that point on i was totally hooked and wouldn’t talk about or do anything else.

And how many sites has this addiction lead to now? How many sites do you currently own?

Sites in total? I have absolutely no idea. Probably pushing at least 500. Some big, some small. Right now i own about 10.

That’s a hefty total. What’s your personal favorite site (both currently, and all time)?

You’re asking me some very tough questions here Bryan…

…The site that springs to mind is a site called shockarcade.com. This site was a concept i came up with and managed to punt out and get online within a few weeks. The coder i used was absolutely fantastic and the finished site was so solid with some many nice little features. Essentially all the site was is a social networking style site based around online games. I’ve since sold this site and the script has been raped and released to the public. Once upon a time it was a good site, honest.

My main project right now is probably one of my all time favorites. I won’t bore you with the details but the site is called dailybooth and it will be marketed as a social networking site with a new kind of blogging (pblogging) with some sexy widgets. (I made “pblogging” up just then but it sounds pretty good).

Lol, pblogging. that’s very interesting. can you tell us what the P in pblogging means?

pblogging stands for “Photo Booth Blogging”… although thinking about it “plogging” sounds even better than “pblogging”…

…Yeah, “plogging” has an awesome ring to it…

…plogging plogging plogging…

Haha, if you end up calling it plogging, I guess everyone just witnessed history in the making

oh yes!

What are you opinions on the industry now, and the direction its headed? How do you perceive the future?

I can only hope that people keep spending money online the way they are at the moment. The second people stop buying things online is the second publishers stop making money. I’m sure, as with everything, it wont last for ever but if all goes to plan i’ll have made my million and will be on a beach somewhere by then.

The second people stop buying things online is the second publishers stop making money.

Do you think we’re at the peak of internet marketing? or do you think its only just begun?

I would say we’re somewhere in the middle.

What is a typical work day?

Wake up around 11am, have a coffee and a cigarette, sit down at the computer, check and reply to any emails or blog comments, browse around the internet for a few hours, (i class this as working, i’ve made a lot of money just being in the right place at the right time), do any actual work i have to do (this normally consists of writing project briefs or talking to designers or developers) and sometimes, if i’m very lucky i’ll spend the evening with a bottle of wine or a create of beers throwing ideas around with a few trusted friends.

It’s the best job in the world…I would do it even if i didn’t make any money.

It seems that everyone knows who you are, and everyone knows about your projects. What can you credit to becoming well-known?

haha, I wouldn’t say i was “well known” by any sense of the means… although i’ve found running a blog with a decent sized reader base is a fantastic base to launch projects from. Although, it does have a massive down side, the more readers your blog gets the more likely people are to copy your ideas. It has happened to me so many times.

Lightning Round:

• Age: 20
• Favorite Movie: Pulp Fiction
• Current Inspiration (can be related to the industry or not): kevin rose
• Dream website (can be something you can make, or not): jon.com … i’ve tried so many times to get that domain, the guy wants over $100,000 for it though…what an asshole! (I know!)
• Blondes or Brunettes: brunettes
• Favorite hobby outside of webmastering: pool
• Advice: any money you make, reinvest it… don’t spend it on xbox games and ipods…BEST ADVICE EVER…HONESTLY
• Shoutouts: josh is rubbish, david… i got this, JULIAN U … I CAN’T BELIEVE

(3 personal jokes)
sorry

hahaha, gotta keep your friends close

[end]

Jon is currently overseeing operations of his very own network called YesThat. He currently operates a very popular personal blog in addition to the sites and projects listed above in the interview.

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Let’s be real. It’s already hard enough for us designers to meet deadlines, create original designs (each with goal of being a masterpiece, but we all know how that ends up), keep up with time spent and such. That’s why it’s so important for us to utilize all the tools developers are pumping out. It seems like every day a new app is coming out that’s aimed towards us…The following is a list of tools that I think are essential for freelancers. These apps have proven themselves in the field and are definitely worthy of taking a look if you haven’t tried them out yet.

Basecamp:

Basecamp is the absolute essential tool for any Freelancer. I can’t put into words how important it is for someone in the industry to take advantage of this tool. The prices are fair, and producer 37 Signals is one of the most respectable and well known names in the market. Sure there are free alternatives, but none look at good as or function as smoothly as this.

Reinvigorate:

Reinvigorate is a fairly entrant new to the stat/traffic market, but it’s definitely made an impact. I personally use Reinvigorate over all of the other counters such as Google Analytics, AWStats, and even Mint. The great thing bout Reinvigorate is the ease of use (you simply copy and paste one line of code, or install a WP-Plugin), and price (it’s absolutely free). It provides the most in-depth traffic details you could imagine and delivers it in an appealing manner.

Blinksale:

Blinksale is a powerful and free way to send clean and simple invoices to your clients. This is an absolute must for Freelancers who deal with clients who require multiple ways to pay (Blinksale can support 2CO, Google, PayPal, and Credit Card). It can also integrate into Basecamp which is a nifty feature that I use to bill all of my clients. You can set up nice looking templates so that in the end, you look as professional as possible while eliminating any basic questions about payment your client may have.

Pingdom:

If you’re clients require that you take care of them from beginning to end, including keeping track of their website and uptime, I would suggest you use Pingdom. It’s an affordable alternative to having nothing to monitor the uptime of your clients websites.

Magento:

Magento is a new and powerful open source eCommerce platform. If you’re clients need to be able to open an online store and sell products, I would suggest you look into implementing Magento. It’s fairly new, but looks fresh and intuitive. It’s a great alternative to existing platforms that are less user friendly, and more of a pain to integrate (yes, I’m talking about you ZenCart!)

Porchlight:

Porchlight is a great way for designers and programmers to track bugs which may be in their applications. This is a powerful tool to help beta test the application before you launch it and give it to your client (or while it’s in beta mode with your client).

Harvest:

Harvest is a wonderful time tracking tool for the freelancer who charges by the hour. You’ll be able to send invoices, track time for your projects, and list everything so your client can verify and approve times. I’ve been using Harvest for ages now and I wouldn’t suggest anything else. It’s an absolute must if you charge by time.

BigFileBox:

BigFilebox is a great way to send files to your clients or team. There’s been plenty of times when I’ve worked on projects that end up having about 20-30 different .PSD files, and each one is too big and tedious to upload onto a FTP server. So, I use BFB and it helps streamline everything while looking professional and inviting. My clients love it.

Xero:

Xero is an extremely powerful accounting tool that allows people to watch their businesses and keep track of it. You can view how much money your business is making, you can put out company expenses, and even reconcile bank statements. Unfortunately, it is unavailable to people in the United States.

Mailbuild:

Mailbuild is a great and easy way for freelancers and marketers to allow their clients to really control their email marketing campaign. It makes them feel like they are in control, but yet, you look good doing it. It’s very simple, and I’ve used it with a couple of my clients and they absolutely love it. It’s affordable, simple, and extremely professional.

You:

You should always make the smartest decisions when your client/organization is on the line. Make sure that their satisfaction comes before yours. It’s not about what YOU want to do, instead, it’s about finding out the most efficient way to do what THEY want.

This doesn’t mean that the client is always right, it just means that you have to find a way so you aren’t wrong.

Best regards,
Bryan

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It’s time for Monday Magic!

What? You don’t know what Monday Magic is? Well get used to it, because very Monday I will select four of the best designs I’ve seen all week in specific categories. These are to be used to inspire designers and help you get a start on your slow Monday. I know how hard it is to party all weekend, only to return to work on Monday without a hint of inspiration or motivation to work. Check out each Monday’s featured artist and download their music. I guarantee that you’ll be satisfied!

Most Original:

Wufoo delivers an awesome comical style that is starting to gain popularity int he industry. The layout is extremely unique and applies very well to the site’s content. The flow is simple and intuitive and the user immediately knows what to do on the site.

Moral: Make sure your designs are simplistic and intuitive. Users don’t want to get lost and want to know exactly what to do when they get to your site. Don’t be afraid to use common sense.

Boldest Design:

VirtualMemories gets straight to the point. After visiting and reading the site, the user knows exactly why they are there and what the site is offering. VM has taken an extremely bold path by getting rid of the non-essentials, and breaking it down to the bare bones.

Moral: VirtualMemories has incorporated an idea that though isn’t entirely original, is very bold for an eCommerce site. If your site has one purpose, one-goal, don’t be afraid to get rid of the mumbo-jumbo and display only the essentials.

Most Professional:

Zend has an amazing site that focuses entirely on the user experience. A user can virtually find everything they need to know about the company by simply staying on the front page. The design is crisp and modern enough to appeal to designers, while remaining simple and not intimidating to their potential customers.

Moral: It’s important to understand that clients don’t want to do too much surfing. Give all the information they want at their fingertips. Don’t be afraid to take risks in terms of design, but make sure it’s within reason.

Site of the Week:

Design Yourself is one of the most beautifully designed sites that I’ve seen. The information architecture is top notch making sure that the reader’s eyes will easily scan the entire site. The colors are powerful and calm at the same time, making an impression, but not intimidating. The designer obviously paid close attention to flow and the site connects, transitions, and flows perfectly.

Moral: Flow is one of the most important aspects of content. If you can’t come up with a creative way to make your content flow and you create breaks within your work, the viewer’s eyes will simply stop reading and scanning, and may even just close the site.

Artist of the Week:

Amos Lee

Listen to Amos Lee Now!

It’s been several months since I had the idea to start Sentences. But, being your average college student, I was tied down with other priorities and never really got around to launching it. Fast forward to today, and it’s with great pleasure that I announce the launch of Sentences, a site which focuses on internet marketing. From the get go, I want to explain that this site was NOT created to be flipped. I have no intentions on selling this. I plan on dedicating a significant amount of my time into turning this into something real. With that being said, Sentences isn’t about making me any money…it’s about making you rich instead.

I want everyone to realize that this site will in itself be a case study. I will be using the strategies and tactics that I write about to improve this site. After all, what good is the advice if the author doesn’t follow it?

The internet is becoming an increasingly popular avenue to make money. Thousands of businesses launch, thousands more fail. It’s without question that only the strong will survive and to be among the elite you must think like them. Hopefully, we will all succeed together. I have big plans for Sentences and I’d like your help. Give me honest feedback. Interact with other members. Submit your own articles. Sentences will be about sharing knowledge and building a community, as opposed to reading what you need and not contributing.

You’ll definitely be back to visit if you’re interested in:

• Learning how to strengthen a brand
• How to interact with clients
• How to annihilate the competition
• Improving your self reputation
• Entering and and dominating an industry
• Making money online
• How to generate buzz
• Analyzing business models and marketing campaigns
• Learning from industry leaders through interviews and articles
• And more (the obligatory phrase)

I have high hopes for Sentences. However, at the end of the day, it’s up to you to help me with that. If you don’t know me, you should read a little bit about me. You’ll realize that my passion for business is virtually unmatched. I live, eat, and breathe it. If you’d like to help, please get in contact with me. I’m not ready to open advertising on this site yet, but if you are interested in reserving a spot in the future, also get in contact with me.

Thanks to everyone who has helped me launch Sentences - which includes you, because you’re here, reading the grand opening post, and supporting me by visiting.