The objective of this redesign was to provide a viewer with an easy to navigate, easy to read website.

So what exactly did we do?

• We added a navigation bar near the top of the page. The old design’s nav bar was at the very bottom of the page.
• We added a banner that sums up the purpose of the site with descriptive adjectives and short to the point sentences.
• We added structure by dividing the main content into 2 sections, primary (left column) and secondary (right column). The primary section has darker text in order to draw the viewer’s attention and it contains important information about how the site works. The secondary section contains information to further persuade a viewer to use AskExpertsNow.com.
• We updated the logo with softer, yet similar colors to the original. Then we took those colors are repeated them throughout the style of the website.

Enough talk. See the difference for yourself!

Before View

After View

Here an interesting situation: photographer A is informed that some of his work has been posted on Flickr by photographer B who claims credit for it. Photographer B’s account is soon removed from Flickr, photographer A has no evidence showing the offense. Six months pass. Photographer B retains legal counsel who demands that A remove the post recounting all this.

In the old world, it seems like this might help improve an ugly situation of your own making (maybe; better not to have gotten yourself into it; too late). But in the new, online world, it’s sure to backfire. Why? Links.

Most users identify with the photographer whose images were plagerized. People are sure to link to the story and the image of the letter which will do nothing but make the problem worse.

Better to let sleeping dogs lie. If you screw up and do something stupid and rude, admit it quickly, apologize just as quickly and move on. Come up with some hairbrained excuse if you must. Whatever. Fess up. Deliver the inevitable mea culpa.

Even as a last resort, having a lawyer fire off a letter does nothing but prolong the issue. Even if you get the original content removed, the links to the content and 3rd party reports will persist. You (probably) won’t have enough money to litigate your way entirely out of the problem.

I’ve posted before about the wonder that is the Honest Cow-O-Matic. Today it was picked up by AdWeek’s AdFreak. Nice.

Update 1: AdRants has it, too.

The funny part about this site is that it isn’t nearly as high-tech as many other user customizable websites. It doesn’t do video. It doesn’t do flash. All it is is a cow talking. And people from all over the world post stuff to it. Well, all over the world might be a bit ambitious, I know we’ve got at least some Romanians and Italians.

Denver’s TDA Advertising in Boulder came up with original offline concept. I created the Honest Cow-O-Matic one morning. Why? I have never been able to explain my obsession with the ads.

Traffic so far: about 1800 posts.

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet.” – Shakespeare

You’re starting a new company.  Great!  What are you going to name it?  I recommend against using your own name.  Why?

Using your name has some good sides.  Chances are your first customers will be people you know and the brand they’re interested in is you.  That makes a natural connection to the business.  But what comes next?

If you’re successful, you’ll probably hire an assistant or two.  If you start to build a good team, at least one of those assistants will start doing things independently of you.  That’s one issue where the name gets sticky.

Someone who starts as your assistant probably doesn’t want to stay that way.   They want and need to be recognized as an individual contributor.  In a small organization, that’s difficult when the name on the door is yours.  They will always be working for you.  You will always be the higher authority.  And the business name reminds them of this day in and day out, which can stifle your team and lead to premature employee departure.

Of the costs you will face as you grow your business, nothing will be as important or expensive as finding, training and keeping good people.  Although you are necessarily the boss, the one who is taking the risk, it’s not in your own best interest to remind your team of that day in and day out.  Team members will come and go from time to time.  One of your primary responsibilities is making your company a place they feel comfortable staying.

And, yes, I agree that the business name isn’t the secret key to keeping employees. People need to be happy and growing and making money to stay at their job.  Not naming the business after yourself is one way to keep your mindset in check and to help others know that not having your name isn’t a barrier to success.
For more ideas about employee retention, talk to this guy or visit his other site.

5:30p.  Yes, the AC is cranking.  Such is the downside to having windows across the entire west side of the office.  Glad this is over tomorrow.