How to Put Together the Ultimate Online Swipe File

How to Put Together the Ultimate Online Swipe File

Jun 10, 2021 | Resources

Have you ever heard of an online swipe file? If you have, then you may be one of the few. But don’t worry – I’m about to tell you everything that there is to know about them! 

Essentially, an online swipe file is a resource for designers and web developers looking for inspiration. To put together the ultimate online swipe file with all of your favorite designs and resources in one place, follow these simple steps: 

Ultimate online swipe file
  • 1. Create a Google Docs spreadsheet or document with headers at the top such as "Title," "URL," etc.
  • 2. Add images from other websites (or photos from your computer) and paste URLs below each image.
  • 3. For each image or website, add a brief description of what you like about it.

Repeat this process until your spreadsheet or document is complete!

Start with a clean, uncluttered workspace:

Clear away all the stacks of paper on your desk. Arrange them neatly in piles (either alphabetically or by date). 

Clean off your desktop and remove any clutter from it. Put a fresh pad of blank sheets of paper there, with pens lined up next to it at the ready. This will be where you start writing whatever comes into your head without having to worry about looking like an unorganized mess while doing so.

“An organized desk. An organized mind. A neat desk. A neat mind! The world’s greatest thinker!”
Bill Watterson

Organize your files in folders and sub-folders by category:

Keep all your images in one folder. 

Create a new folder for each project you have.

Name the subfolders according to their content: web design, print design, logo concepts. This will help you find things quickly and easily later on when you need them!

Make sure that any image or file is clearly named with as much relevant information as possible (filename goes without saying), e.g., “logo_01” instead of simply “L.” You’ll save yourself time down the line.

Keep all your folders on your desktop and keep them labeled with the name of their respective subfolders. If you’re using a computer at work or in school, then use an external hard drive to store those files instead—you’ll be glad you did!

Put as much relevant information about each file as possible: what it is, where did you find it, when was it created? Remember that this can save you time down the line.

What does “down the line” mean? It means after some time has passed from now. For example, if I’m looking for logo concepts that I have saved onto my laptop’s desktop folder one year from now, knowing how many logos are there and which ones I have already looked at will save me time.

Save all your brainstorming and research into a folder labeled “Ideas.” You can use this as an easy starting point for inspiration when you’re feeling stuck on what to do next in your work.

Action Item

Create a unique swipe file of resources and templates, and use them to create a foundation.

Label each file clearly to avoid confusion later on:

  • client's name.
  • project type (i.e., logo).
  • date completed.

You can also add the URL to each file if it is a website page or PDF. Label your files clearly and in order of preference, with the most important one at the top. This will help you find what you’re looking for quickly when pulling together an email pitch or job application. 

Pro Tip

Books are useful to help understand writing techniques.

Create an organized folder for all the content you plan to swipe from other websites:

  • Create a folder on your hard drive or flash drive for your online swipe file.
  • Name that files something descriptive, like "my_online_swipefile."
  • Save all the content you want to keep in this one place so it can be easily retrieved when needed.
  • Put all this content in a folder on your computer or another device.
  • Keep both the files and originals to protect yourself from any legal issues.

Make sure that the images are high quality and not too small or blurry when you download them:

  • Make sure to include an appropriate and accurate title for each image.
  • Download the original file if possible, not a low res copy.
  • The images should be downloaded with their corresponding text content (if there is any) so that they can be easily found later on. Because of this, it may also make sense to store them in a folder labeled "Images" or something similar rather than just downloading them all into one big folder together with other documents you might have opened at the same time as your browser window will fill up quickly when doing this process.

Add captions if necessary so that people can understand what they're looking at without having to click through every image one by one:

  • Image one.
  • Caption for image one, which is a screenshot of the web browser on an iPhone.
  • Screenshot two.
  • Caption for image two, which is a screenshot of three tabs in Safari: Photos, Facebook and Twitter. (The tab that says "Photos" has not been clicked into.)
  • Image three.
  • Caption for image three, which is either eight or nine thumbnails at once from different social media apps like Instagram and Vine. It's hard to tell because there are so many! The caption below reads "Social Media Apps."

Action Item

Search on the internet or YouTube for the best tools you can use to create your swipe file and study them.

After clicking through each photo individually with captions:

  • Image four.
  • Caption for image four, which is a screenshot of the desktop and tabs. The caption below reads "Desktop." A tab labeled Facebook has been clicked into.

After clicking through each photo individually with captions:

  • Image five.
  • Caption for image six, which is either eight or nine thumbnails at once from different social media apps like Instagram and Vine. It's hard to tell because there are so many! The caption below reads "Social Media Apps."

Leave it empty if necessary so that people can understand what they’re looking at without having to click on every thumbnail one by one. 

Create a Pinterest account:

  • Go to pinterest.com and click "Sign in" on the top right of the page.
  • Enter your email address or phone number, then click "Next." You'll be prompted for a password (if you don't have one yet). Follow any instructions after that are sent via text message or email.
  • Click "+Follow". Type in phrases related to your content area: think blog posts with keywords plus topics like food styling, sewing guides, flower arranging techniques, etc. These will help make sure that each time someone searches for something relevant to what you're writing about, they may find you! For example, if I'm writing a post on how to shoot great photos at an event using natural light, I would add: "photo tips, natural light photography" to my list of interests.
Create a Pinterest account

Subscribe to email newsletters from companies you admire:

Some companies offer a weekly newsletter, while others have monthly emails that you can sign up for. For example, Nike offers an email subscription which is sent out every week with the latest news on product releases and events happening in your area. Subscribe to at least one company’s newsletters to see what they’re doing now so you know how they might be changing their marketing strategy next year or soon after! 

Another way of collecting content from different websites is by following them on social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter. Many big brands are active on these sites and announce new products, sales, and other important details through posts here daily – this means if we keep tabs on our favorite retailers’ feeds, we’ll never miss anything they release.

It’s also worth checking out a company or two on LinkedIn too – as well as posts from the individual; companies often post articles and snippets of their latest research, which can be interesting to read through more thoroughly at your leisure.

Pro Tip

The best tools you can use to create your swipe file are Pinterest, Trello, Evernote, Pocket, and Gmail.

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Does Speaking at TEDx Improve Your Personal Brand?

Does Speaking at TEDx Improve Your Personal Brand?

Jun 8, 2021 | Personal Brand

For those who are looking to raise their profile in the community, the plan should be to build your personal brand. What was once reserved for celebrities and CEOs of corporations is now a vital part for anyone trying to expand their reach and profile within their community. That is why one popular method is to build you personal brand speaking at TEDx.

But before you take the first step, it is important to understand what is a personal brand and how TEDx fits into improving your personal profile. 

Does Speaking at TEDx Improve Your Personal Brand?

Building a Personal Brand

A personal brand is how the public perceives your persona. You should look at it in the light of when people see you, what do you want them to think? When you think of celebrities and business owners, there personal brand is the perception of being popular, informed on their subject, and a source of authority at least in their specialty.

You can do the same by becoming an authority in your particular field. A personal brand does not mean trying to be all things to all people, but rather a source of reliable information usually on a single topic. This may sound limiting at first, but it may be the most valuable thing you can create for yourself in terms of how the public perceives you. 

“Your brand is your public identity, what you’re trusted for. And for your brand to endure, it has to be tested, redefined, managed, and expanded as markets evolve. Brands either learn or disappear.”
Lisa Gansky

How to Create a Personal Brand

The first thing to keep in mind is that building your personal brand is a marathon, not a sprint. There are no overnight successes when it comes to creating authority in your field. Instead, you must take the long approach and build up your brand over time.

Create a Plan: The concept of creating a plan is simple enough. Where do you want to be in a year, three years, and five years? Now, write down what you will have to do to get there. Creating a personal brand takes time, so use that time wisely by planning out what needs to be done. This may mean creating your own website, expanding your responsibilities at work, or building relationships with others. But it all starts when you create a plan for success. 

Keep It Real: The brand you create should be you. It should not be some idealized version of you or worse, a persona that is fake. People can see right through fakery, so you will need to keep things real in your public interactions.

Take Advantage of Opportunities: This is tricky because becoming an authority on a subject does not necessarily mean that you will be perceived as a leader. You may be seen as the “information person” that leaders rely on to find out more about a subject. To shape your personal brand, you will need to take advantage of opportunities that let you go into different areas.

Look at where you want to be in a few years and use the opportunities in your workplace and community to get there.

Go Public: Building a website, posting blogs or videos is an excellent way to reach outward. But arguably the most important is to speak at public events. This is because people seeing you in person is the best way to establish your personal brand. You can build up to that point by going online and improving yourself within the business that you work, but few things beat public speaking to establish your personal brand with others.

That is where speaking at events such as TEDx comes into play. This represents a substantial opportunity to push your personal brand to new heights.

Pro Tip

Don’t give everything away – just enough to intrigue the viewer.

What is TEDx?

Speaking at TEDx

You may have heard of TED, a live speaking event that is broadcast around the world in participating theaters. TEDx is a similar format, but it takes place in your community. This is a live event where a series of speakers just like yourself present valuable information. 

TEDx is fully planned and coordinated within your community and therefore will have some unique aspects that are not shared with any other community. The format itself is similar to the larger TED events. This is a program consisting of a series of speakers, performances, and demonstrations that are focused to teach and inspire. 

The goal is to create additional conversation on the ideas that are covered in the TEDx event. For building your personal brand, a TEDx event is the perfect format. Keep in mind that there is no selling or raising money. 

In fact, the purpose of TEDx is to provide a platform for non-professional speakers to reach an audience. The diverse number of topics means that it is the perfect place to build your personal brand even if you have little to no experience speaking in public.

Build Your Personal Brand Speaking at TEDx

The first step is knowing what area you want to talk about at your local TEDx event. The topic should be one that has value to your audience, even if the subject matter is seemingly limited. You should think about shaping your demonstration along the lines of providing value to your listeners.

Once you know what you want to say, the next step is getting on your local TEDx event. This means finding out when the next TEDx is scheduled, turning in the application, and following all the guidelines of your community TEDx event. There are no guarantees that you will be allowed to speak, but if the topic is relevant, you do stand a good chance.

Remember to build your personal brand at TEDx means connecting with the audience. You will want to practice your speech or demonstration and hone it towards providing value. There is no selling, not fundraising, only information that people will think about and discuss.

To build your personal brand is an ever-changing process. Speaking at TEDx is one way to reach a larger portion of your community in one session. While you can build your personal brand speaking at TEDx, it should be one part of a larger plan to expand your profile and build authority in your community.

Action Item

Post your videos onto a content-sharing platform that might be interested in the talk, like a subreddit on Reddit.com.

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Why You Can Self Publish a Bestseller on Your Own

Why You Can Self Publish a Bestseller on Your Own

Jun 4, 2021 | Book Publishing, Self-publishing

Traditional publishing is going the way of the dodo bird; there is a very clear reason why. It takes way too long to publish a book in the traditional manner and your readers do not want to wait that long. 

The traditional market requires about 1 year to 1.5 years and that means you have to deal with the marketing, planning, as well as the publishing of the book. In addition to this, you also need to know that the publisher will take a large percentage of the profit as well. 

Why You Can Self Publish a Bestseller on Your Own

Now you have the ability to take the destiny of your book into your own hands and you will be able to turn your book into a bestseller if you are willing to take different actions than people who fail again and again. The key to being successful is curating your content, it is not what you put into a blog, but it is instead creating quality content that is relevant and that shows that you are an expert in your field and will ensure that you are able to show your clients, customers, and colleagues that you are relevant now and that you have the expertise to help them. 

What that means for you is that you have to make sure that you are creating quality for your readers. The main distinction used to be between traditional and nontraditional publishing the main change now in the market is now professional and unprofessional publishing. The benefits of self-publishing are much higher profits. Here are the benefits. 

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”
Louis L’Amour
  • 1. You Make More Money: This means that you will be able to make not only money on sales but also on your foreign rights for the book. You also will have and can control all of the rights to your book.
  • 2. You Have Content Control: One thing that is very important is that many of the traditional publishing houses do not recognize the content that you are creating is very important. Many editors and also interns who are working at the traditional publishing houses do also not understand that you have a niche and people want to have a part of it.
  • 3. You Are Able to Avoid Many Bad Things: When you are waiting for someone else, you will see that there are many issues that come from that. You are always waiting on another person to approve of something, sign off on something or handle something for you. You will now not have to worry about that anymore.

How to Publish Your Book Professionally

Here is what you need to do to professionally publish your book.

1. Work on Building Your Platform

When you want to work with a traditional publisher, they are going to expect you to be able to have a great following. That means that you are going to need to have a Twitter following, as well as a Facebook following. You are then bringing the customers to the publisher in hand when you are ready to sign a traditional deal. 

But the real question is why would you want to have a traditional publisher if you already have this? You really would not because you do not need one. You also should consider that publishers do not get you into bookstores. 

What this means is that bookstores only take a very few of the books that are published by the publishers. That means that if you get your book does get special placement it was usually paid for by a publisher, if it does not get that placement, it will not sell. 

2. How to Build Your Platform

You have to make sure that you have a very honest voice if you want for people to follow you and to be influenced by what you are doing. You need to be afraid to discuss things about you and your industry and you need to have a different perspective on things. 

You need to make sure that everything that you are sharing is entertaining, industry specific and related to your viewers. You also need to make sure that you are able to get more traffic; the way that you need to do this is by blogging, but also by spending time podcasting about something that you love and sharing a sincere different voice. 

Pro Tip

Ensure you take part in the proofing process as much as your editor does.

3. Why You Need to Write

You need to make sure not only to post about writing, but also on other things that are important to you. This means that you need to make sure that you are writing between 500 and 2,000 words per day so that you are able to write an excellent book. You need to make sure that you are able to write an amazing book and that means that you should be writing a bit at a time.

A great book will always be between 40,000 and 80,000 words, and then you need to plan on writing about 1,000 words a day for 1 week. That means that if you can write every day you can average anywhere from 4 to 8 books in a year. You have to make sure that you are able to have a great revised, edited and a professional tone. 

4. Why You Have to Know What You Want

When you are self-publishing, you can publish anything you want with no other effort. That means that you can upload your book and people can start selling in a few days. Everyone has different goals when it comes to getting a book done. 

For some it is speaking gigs, this is the best and the best way to get people to know about your book. However, if you are looking to make the most possible money, these are the steps you should follow. 

  • 1. Publish with a traditional publisher, this will allow you to have a lot of credibility and more respect from other authors.
  • 2. You will be able to publish by yourself quick and easily.
  • 3. Start earlier, as in right now, this means that you will be able to produce a better book that is more edited, more polished. Also hire a professional editor to help you along the way, the reason for this is that most of the hired guns that used to work for the publishing houses are now striking out on their own. This means that you will be able to find great talent at a reduced rate.
“You should write because you love the shape of stories and sentences and the creation of different words on a page. Writing comes from reading, and reading is the finest teacher of how to write.”
Annie Proulx

Why You Need to Edit

If you think that creating a book that is poorly edited is acceptable you are wrong, that means that you need to plan to hire and allow people to edit your book and they will look at the content as well as look at all of the information that is in it and decide what is you r best approach. Having a professional editor will set your book apart and ensure that you are able to have the best possible results when your readers are consuming it. 

Why Design is Key

When it comes to your book, it is very important that you like it. When you traditionally publish, you are usually at the mercy of other designers, publishing houses, and their concepts of what will sell. The problem with that is that you do not have the ability to control what your own book looks like; this means that often the concept gets lost. 

Even worse than this, you are treated like a number. Do you want to feel like a customer in a Walmart when you are trying to create something that is central to your brand and your career? I think it is safe to say no. You want something sleek and lovely and that represents your brand that means that you take the time to find the best designer to work with. 

Pro Tip

Make sure your book length fits within your category expectation.

Do You Need an Audiobook?

When you have an audiobook it makes your book much more credible to readers. In this mobile society more and more people are driving to work and are listening to books while they are in motion that means that you need to accommodate your audience and expect to see what you are able to do to ensure that you are bringing them back. 

In addition to being a bit expensive to create, an audiobook makes sure that you really hear what you are writing because you make a commitment to those words. When you are going to do an audiobook, you can read it yourself or you can hire a voice actor. However, you must always make sure that you have a professional voice over studio to edit your work. 

There is no way that you can produce quality on a laptop and expect it to be ready to go. You have the ability to make a great income with your books if you are willing to do the work that is required to put them out there, and you need to realize that also means that you have to do it as a professional, there is no wading here. You have to dive in. 

Creating a book

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How to Write a Bestseller in a Weekend

How to Write a Bestseller in a Weekend

Jun 3, 2021 | Book Writing

When it comes to writing the book of your dreams, a big part of that is making sure that you have a plan. That means that the bestselling book that you have been thinking about writing needs to be planned out. 

There are specific tricks to writing bestsellers and that means that you need to know what it is that your audience wants to see and be able to produce that kind of content in a way that is very meaningful to your audience and assured that you are creating content that is important to your audience. 

How to Write a Bestseller in a Weekend

How do I Decide on Fiction vs. Non Fiction?

You need to realize that there are specific kinds of content that are going to be important to your audience. You need to know that you are making the best choice for your genre and that means that you are able to create great content that will be meaningful to your audience. You need to make sure that you know which topic you are best at and that you have written in it before. 

Here are a few things you need to think about. If you are writing fiction you need to make sure that you have a plot line and a good idea of who your characters are that will mean that you are able to have a really great idea of what to expect in terms of the way that the story will unfold. In order to craft a bestseller you need to have characters that are relatable as well as events that are very clear. 

You need to make sure that there is a defined sequence in your book as well. In addition you need to realize that what will connect your story in a way that is truly powerful are the traits of your characters, your plot and the way you tell the story. 

If You Choose to Write in Nonfiction

You need to make sure that you have a topic that many people love as well as you are able to do your homework and know what people have written about. If something happens that someone has written about the topic you may need to change your approach to be something completely unique. 

Make sure as well that you do your homework and your research on the topic. Remember that a nonfiction book does not need to be a particular category; you can mix it up and be assured of good results. You can have your book be a combination of many different styles, that means you will be assured of having a style that is uniquely your own. 

Pro Tip

Try to come up with a unique or catchy title for your book.

When You Are Selecting a Topic

Make sure that you are truly passionate about the topic. You need to know that you will not get tired of writing about this matter. If you are writing about something that is very popular, you need to make sure that you are writing in a completely new and different angle to be sure that no one has covered it in any other way.

If you have decided to write fiction, here are a few other things you need to consider. Make sure that you are writing about your characters in a way that is as if they are your best friends. That will mean that you know their addictions thoughts, their fascinations and all of those little details that make them very believable. 

Writing Your Book in a Weekend

If you have information as well that is complex as well as little problems that you can throw into their lives you will be assured to have a fascinated audience. If you are crafting a nonfiction book make sure you are writing about something that you are an expert in that means that you will be able to speak about the topic comfortably. 

Also it is better for your credentials as well if you have a degree in the topic as it will allow you to have a great sense of credibility and proof with your audience. In addition to that you want to make sure you are ready to do as much research as is required on a topic. You will not run out of enthusiasm, nor will you run out of content to love. 

Writing Your Book in a Weekend

Some authors are very prolific and depending on the passion that he or she has about the topic they can easily cover a draft in a weekend. What that means though is that you need to find something you are passionate about, have completed your character development or your research, and have an outline. When you want to create a great book you need to have an outline. 

That will mean that you are able to develop your content of your book and plan the way that your story will unfold. You may not know all of the directions and the twists and turns that your story will go, or the way that you may want to make some of the changes to your research. But you need to create an outline that will show the way that your book is going to unfold from the beginning. 

When you have an outline, you are assured to have a structure that will ensure that you are successful as well in the planning and the development of your plot or story. You also want to make sure that when you are ready to write you find a place that is quiet, free of distractions, and a place that you can really focus on the task at hand. When you have found this location, you should sit down and focus on the task at hand.

When you are good at removing all of the distractions, you will find that you are able to take down the words and craft an amazing work without the noise and issues around you. When you are writing you also want to make sure that you are able to let yourself go so that you do not have to worry about all of the process pieces. When you are being creative, do not shut yourself down and judge your work in the moment. 

By instead focusing on the task at hand, you will be assured of creating something that is meaningful and unfiltered. Many of the best authors in the world allow themselves to be completely unfiltered when they are writing so that they are able to create something truly unique. Realize that during the weekend you are trying to simply get all of your ideas down and that means that you are going to be coming back and making changes as well so that you will not have to worry about everything being perfect now. 

Your goal is simply to create a first draft that will allow you to have something that really means the world to your audience. At the end of the day, you need to understand that it is your audience that is going to bring your success or failure in your enterprise, for that reason you want to make sure that you are producing something that is tailored to your audience. 

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
Benjamin Franklin

You need to make sure as well that you have a firm deadline in place for the content that you are creating; the deadline will ensure that you have tough milestones for all of the content that you are creating as well as the content that you are seeking to create. When you have the ability to work on content that is meaningful, you will lose track of the time and not realize how much time you have spent writing. 

What this translates to is success in your project as well as meaningful content for your work. When you want to write a best seller your passion to the project is the key to your success as well as the work that you have put in that will ensure that you are ready to really create something that is very important to your audience. 

Quality as well as passion is the keys to the best content that you will ever create and it is in those two things that you need to focus when you are putting yourself to work to create a draft. Your work is quite simple, plan on what you want to craft, find a quiet location and write until you cannot write anymore.

You will have a first draft of a book that you may have been meaning to write your entire life very soon. That also means that you are going to be ready to create the content that will transform your life as well as the lives of all of your readers. Incredible content is something that you already have within you. 

The key to getting that book you have been working on crafted is simply sitting down and doing the work. You will be surprised at how much you can get done when you simply sit down and write.  

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What is Publicity Design?

What is Publicity Design?

Jun 2, 2021 | Publicity

There are many freelancers out there that are working in publicity demand and that can command a lot of money for their services. If you are interested in getting into publicity, you must be a designer. If you are looking to move into the space of publicity design here is what you need to know:

  • 1. You must familiarize yourself with all the conventions of selling promotional activities as well as:
  • 2. Have a basic and clear understanding of all the needs of the goals of your marketing.
What is Publicity Design?

These are practical pieces of advice to ensure that you are going to know what you need to know when you are making your brief. You need to think about all these moving details so that you are going to know the general goals. 

How to Create Direct Selling Promotional Material?

When you are creating promotional content, you need to realize that every part of it has to sell. That means that you need to think of every word as a piece of the process. That means that you need to look at all the material and find new ways to make it as attractive as possible to the audience. 

That must happen by making all the services look as good as they can. You are going to need to sell the product as much as the copywriter is. You need to ensure that you are working with the client to increase their sales.

 What should you be asking yourself as you are designing the content? 

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
Albert Einstein
  • 1. Who is Your Customer? You need to think about who it is that will want the product and who you will have that is reading all the publicity. The reason for this is that you are going to be able to ensure that people are aware of what it is that you have. They will be able to ensure that their ideas are correct as well as that you are on the same page.
  • 2. What Are You Sharing? It is especially important to also think about what you are sharing with the team. You need to ensure that there are noticeably clear specifics and that you have the entire team on the same page. That means that all the copies should be clear and that you have read the copy carefully.
  • 3. What Can You Do to Reinforce the Message of the Copy? You need to ensure that the design structure you have is the same with the message you are sharing in the copy. You need to know that you have the best approach as well. That means that you want to ensure that you are being clear and that you have a lot of freedom with what you are designing as well. That also means you want to know that you are not going to have too much white space and you are going to ensure that you know what it is that you need to share.
  • 4. Can You Show All the Benefits? It is important to make sure that you are also sharing all the benefits of your product as much as possible when you share the information. That means how can you show the difference that the product will make in people’s daily lives.

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