A: You can use a peer-to-peer (P2P) software service or a bit torrent software to download and/or capture an illegal version of Photoshop. I do not advocate this, because it is ILLEGAL and punishable, and I believe that good products are worth their purchasing prices. Photoshop is one of them: When you can make anywhere from $100 to $10,000 on a single design, the $700 price tag of Photoshop CS4 really isn’t bad at all.

It’s a steal!

Of course, you can also try Photoshop free for 30 days, opt for the less expensive Photoshop Elements, or even use basic Photoshop technology free at Photoshop.com, a software-as-a-service application that I believe is the foundation for the next generation of Photoshop software.

Don’t steal it. Buy it, use it and profit from it legitimately. It’s the American way.

Q: How much should I charge for design services?

A: Whatever you’re worth. If you’re asking this question, you’re a freelancer and probably a newbie at that. You need a portfolio under your belt before you’ll be taken seriously and so your stock is low. Do some jobs on the cheap to build a portfolio (I’ve discussed picking a niche and cranking out 100 designs in 100 days before – link to this), something you can actually do incredibly fast, and your stock goes up exponentially.

Ultimately, you have to consider where you want your business to go. Many, many freelance designers make the mistake of budgeting for their time as though an employee. If you want to work your whole life as an employee and not as a business owner, you can go ahead and make this mistake as well. But if you want to own a business, then you need to base your hourly rate on things such as the costs to hire an employee, the cost to market your services, your physical and digital overhead, your insurances and, last but not least, your profit margin.

Create a professionally researched business plan to see where your money will actually go, and you’ll likely find that $20 an hour isn’t going to get you anywhere (unless you can pay your employees $5). Chances are, you’ll need to charge between $100 and $200 an hour to take your business where you want it to go.

Q: What niche should I specialize in?

A: Something you love to design, something you can sell, something you can profit from as a business. If you can’t define a clear way to do all three, you can’t specialize in it. Some say you don’t have to love what you do. That’s true if you’re an investor, but if you’ll actually be operating your business (at least until you can afford to hire a manager), then you don’t want to get bored.

Also keep in mind that selling and profiting are two different things. I can SELL logo design for $20 a pop all day long, but I can’t PROFIT from it at that rate. Now, if I can sell logo design for $1,500, I can pay someone else to do the work and still profit. I could also add that you must be able to do it well, because you can’t profit from something you don’t do well – at least, not for long. Customer satisfaction is paramount.

Q: How can I get a job with a great design firm?

A: By any means necessary. Scour job listings all you want, but being bold and aggressive will often get you much farther much faster. If you want to work for a particular agency, petition that agency with your spec designs. Network in the industry to make key connections that will put you at the front of the line for career considerations. Market yourself extensively. Perception pays now, but waiting around for opportunity to knock can take an eternity.

Do you have any stupid questions? Ask me and I’ll try to offer a legitimate answer.

©2009 PsPrint Blog. All Rights Reserved.

I’ll give you a few throughout the next couple of posts and hopefully you will get a little something out of them.

Every penny you spend on Google AdWords, SEO, linking strategies, and social networking will be wasted if you do not keep these four marketing communication musts in mind: engage, enlighten, embed and reinforce. It is easy to see why they are important, but not always easy to incorporate them into a project.

The best way I can think of to demonstrate how all of these things together should make people feel is to tell a story.

Imagine you are in an ornate boardroom waiting for a client. In walks a well-dressed gentleman of obvious wealth. He walks over to the leather chair he is supposed to sit in, but stands beside it instead, then spits on the conference table.

You will remember what he did from then on. If your website can make people feel like that about your product, then you have successfully incorporated all four elements of website presentation.

In my next post I will go in depth about all four of the elements of website presentation. I hope you will join me. Who knows, maybe there will be more spitting.

©2009 PsPrint Blog. All Rights Reserved.

As you fall farther and farther behind, you start to feel the urge to slack in the quality department. Maybe rush through the proofreading, maybe only research from one source. In truth, what good will it do you? You might get away with it on occasion, but in general people want quality copy. Content is still king on the internet and people want theirs to be good. I charge more than other people do, so what I write needs to earn that money.

How would you like it if you sent your brochures or business cards out to the printer and got back a sloppy job that you could tell had been rushed? It would go right back for a reprint wouldn’t it. So, did the printer save time in the long run? No, he actually doubled his time on the project thereby lowering his profit

Quality is king in any industry. Spec out jobs with a little fluff time to insure that you are able to get them done with quality in mind. What do you think?

©2009 PsPrint Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Testimonials are a vital tool for any business coming out with any print campaign. Brochures are not the same without at least one testimonial.

Whether you are marketing a new product or selling an old one, customers feel more relaxed knowing that someone else has had a positive experience with your company and your product.

Testimonials are significant in that they can make your target audience feel at ease with what you have to offer. They certainly add to the attractiveness of your products. There are a few things that must be included in a testimonial:

1. Always use real people. Do not make up a testimonial.

2. Highlight common issues for you target audience.

3. Focus the testimonials towards the target audience.

4. Place your testimonials all over your printed materials.

Following these simple rules will keep your testimonials more believable and real for your customers. Believable and real are selling points that customers have to feel instead of read.

What are your thought on testimonials?

©2009 PsPrint Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for brain function and development. These healthy fats have amazing brain power. Higher dietary Omega 3 fatty acids are linked to lower dementia and stroke risks, slower mental decline and may play a vital role in enhancing memory.

Here are the top foods that are high in Omega 3 fatty acids:

• Flaxseed
• Walnuts
• Fish (salmon, halibut and snapper — it is recommended to eat two servings of fish weekly)
• Cooked soybeans
• Steamed/boiled shrimp
• Raw tofu
• Baked/broiled scallops
• Baked winter squash

Nuts and seeds are good sources of the antioxidant vitamin E, which is associated with less cognitive decline as you age. Dark chocolate also has powerful antioxidant properties and contains natural stimulants such as caffeine, which can enhance focus and concentration. You can enjoy up to an ounce a day of nuts and dark chocolate to provide all the benefits you need without excess calories fat, or sugar.

The heart and brain heavily depend on blood flow to function efficiently. Eating whole grains and fruits such as avocados can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and enhance blood flow, offering a simple, tasty way to fire up brain cells.

Whole grains such as popcorn and whole wheat also contribute to dietary fiber and vitamin E, while avocados have a good monounsaturated fat that contributes to healthy blood flow.

Research in animals shows that blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Studies also show that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills of aging rats, making them mentally equivalent to much younger rats.

Carbohydrates — especially when eaten with no protein or fat — have been proven to be mentally soothing. Here are some foods high in carbohydrates:

• Baked potato
• Waffles
• Gatorade
• Grape-Nuts
• Whole wheat bread
• Bagels
• Stuffing
• Gram crackers
• Shredded wheat
• Cream of Wheat

What types of food do you consider brain food?

©2009 PsPrint Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Starting your own business can be quite a headache. So many things need your immediate attention.

The main driving factor right now is that most people are losing their jobs and looking for a way to maintain that old income level. Hundreds of them are trying to start their own business, but do not really know what steps to take to do it. Well, here are seven steps to help you get started.

Talent and Skills

Everyone was born with some kind of talent and has acquired some sort of skill during their life. Stick to what you know and be sure to know what you are in business to do.

Know Your Competition

You have to know if there is a market for you business or if you have a chance to succeed against the level of competition that you will face.

Make a List

Write out a list of all of the things you will need to start your business. Be professional about it and thorough. The more things that you anticipate the better.

Know the Legalities

Research the zoning laws and protect yourself. Form a relevant business platform like a limited liability company.

What Are Your Startup Costs

You will need to write a business plan before you do anything. Especially if you intend to seek funding in any way. Grants will require this as much as a lender will. It will also help you to be extremely realistic about how much cash you will need at startup.

Support

You are going to need the support of family and friends if you are ever going to be successful. This isn’t just financial, but emotional and physical support. Physical in that you will need to be treated as if you are at work and not disturbed during business hours.

Advertise

This one is self explanatory. You have to make use of flyers, postcards, business cards. Whatever printed material you can afford has to be used to advertise your new business.

These are only seven steps that you will need to follow to start a new business from your home. There are many more, but if you consider these you will be well on your way to success.

What other steps would you suggest?

©2009 PsPrint Blog. All Rights Reserved.