If you’ve ever wondered how to make those fancy reflective looking design elements using Adobe Illustrator, we’ve created a simple tutorial to broaden your skill set. Follow these steps for making a web 2.0 button and you’ll be on your way to impressing those special people in your design life. Enjoy!

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How to make a web 2.0 button with Adobe Illustrator CS3

When I think about the most successful online videos, it is not usually the flashy ones that win out. Instead, it is the intelligent, simply designed videos that engage the audience and present a clear message. After watching, I walk away understanding what they were talking about.

Many complex products and services can be edited down to achieve simplicity. Some companies have even started using the good’ole “stick man” to tell their story. It is an image we all recognize, so why complicate things. Give me a word, image, or phrase that I can remember and I will tell everyone. At the same time, make sure the video makes sense. Sometimes I have to wonder what the big HOWDY Pepsi billboard near my apartment really has to do with the soft drink. Make the correlation as clear as the imagery you are utilizing.

CGI has designed a Flash video for Oracle in a simple and clean style. The outcome, a memorable solution overview that communicates Oracle’s CRM objectives.

What videos do you think work most effectively?

How can SlideShare be used as a business leads tool? Inspire others? Tell a story? I feel as though SlideShare is often overlooked as a community platform where people can connect about their interests and share information. Although it can be a great place to simply upload web content, doing so doesn’t allow SlideShare to fully flex its community muscles. Below are a few tips on how to optimize the platform as part of a larger marketing plan:

Create Dynamic Content:  Create presentations that are dynamic and include links to related sites within the presentation. This can help drive traffic to your website, other online content (such as Youtube videos), or give others credit if you use a quote or other content that can be linked to online.

Become Involved with SlideShare Community: Once you have set up your profile, search for other users with similar interests and “favorite” their presentations. Also, make comments on people’s work you like or have an opinion about. By doing this you can start conversations within the SlideShare community and strengthen your online network.

Spread the Love: Other social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook are very SlideShare friendly and have applications that allow you to share your work. Upload presentations onto other social networking platforms to reach your established community. In addition, other people who don’t use SlideShare can find your information there and find out a little bit more about who you are or what your company does.

Push the Boundaries: Recently I watched a  webinar by Hubspot on “How to Use Online Video for Inbound Marketing.” In the webinar the presenters, Karen Rubin and Mike Vlope, used their usual pod casting format, while users could flip through their SlideShare presentation. It was great! I was able to listen and flip at either my own pace or theirs and even stop the audio and go back later when it was convenient for me. The dynamic use of the platform made the information easily socialized and presentable online.

The point to remember is that SlideShare is more than just a place for content creation. With PowerPoint being such an easy way to share information with others,  the power of using SlideShare to create or expand a community presence increases your online marketing potential.

Are there any unique ways you use SlideShare that you have found useful in your marketing plans?

Clio logo

Every year CLIO releases its list of Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners for their awards in advertising, design, and interactive. These awards have been handed out for nearly five decades and is one of the most recognized global competitions. Not only are these awards meant to honor the winning designs, but also recognize the communication impact on modern culture. As interactive design becomes more advanced, CLIO has been keeping pace with the industry to recognize cutting edge work.

One of my favorites from the 2009 list of Gold Winners is GE’s “Plug Into the Smart Grid.” It combines clean logos, the newest in interactive technology, and promotes a message of environmental change.

Check out a full list of interactive winners here.

Is there anyone you think is missing?

When planning your next customer facing communication tool, be sure to ask yourself an important question – “How can I maximize my investment?”

Even though your initial project might have a targeted message, it doesn’t mean your visuals can’t reach beyond that one piece into a range of communications vehicles. When working with clients on a project, we often discover for them opportunities to re-use the “marketecture” graphics and solution diagrams we create. When the opportunity is identified, we create these visuals with the flexibility to be used in web sites, presentations, HTML emails, white papers — you get the idea.

This can save you budget dollars that are difficult to come by in today’s economy. One of our long-standing clients, Iron Mountain, has seen the value in this approach. Throughout the years they have seen CGI as a valuable online marketing resource – providing writing, design and development for over 244 Powerpoint presentations and 46 Flash product demonstrations

The takeaway — It’s easy to maximize on an investment if you spend a little time upfront to plan for it.