Once you’ve proofread you’ll need to clearly indicate the changes that need to be made, that much is obvious. Proofreading marks are devices that specify needed corrections on draft documents. We know what you’re likely to think, most of the work we do is now done digitally, so how is this relevant?

Well, if you’re like many of our clients, printing out documents in order to make notes is still a very common practice and for good reason. We shouldn’t rely completely on what we see on screen. Especially for materials that will be printed, seeing the draft documents printed out will give you a better idea of the visibility and clarity of the text so that you can make proper requests for edits.

For your free use, we’ve attached a proofreading mark cheat sheet. There’s no need to memorize dozens of marks used in proofreading. If you keep our sheet handy you’ll become quickly familiar with regularly used symbols.

Enjoy!

Click to Download the Proofreading Mark Cheat Sheet

Tips on designing for audiences

When considering designing for an audience, it is important not to get hung up on characterizations and stereotypes. While they can be considered, they usually are more offensive than helpful. For National Wildlife Federation, I choose to group audience types by passions and what motivates them. From that grouping, you start to see what commercial brands attempt to tap into those passions and makes decisions on whether you agree with those attempts (do all moms like picnics on a flower filled hill?).

Part of the research also requires looking at competitor sites and define what audience type they are trying to speak to. For NWF, we felt the audience we wanted to reach out to was not being considered by the competitors — outdoor types that enjoy their old Jeeps and ratty chinos. The audience that wants to feel nature on their face while they tend to their heirloom tomatoes in pouring rain. People that know the granduer of the outdoors cannot be contained in a web browser but appreciate a design that tries with big bold photos.

The website designs and the multiple subsite designs are completed but you’ll have to wait until October to explore the live experience. In the meantime, NWF needs our support to protect the threatened and disappearing wildlife – visit www.nwf.org for info.

The challenge was simple – no images of Easter lilies. Harder to avoid than one would think — people love those flowers. We thought the bunny could help out in a new way by helping play with the our concept of “hop(e) – What are you hunting for“. Fun, meaningful and … well cute. This maybe the first and last pastel colors used in a design by openbox9.

A full communication campaign was deployed as openbox9 produced mailers, invites, webpages, newspaper ads, outdoor banners, and a church bulletin design.

Do you have your Flag Day marketing campaign yet? Contact us today!

By Michael Schafer, Creative Director

Smell that? It’s a steamy savory saucy meatball sub heading your way on a plate of goodness and you’re running to it. Meatball subs—they symbolize the joy of eating. A disappointing sub however, one that taste like tennis balls and tarter sauce, will destroy one’s desire to have another. That’s my story, one meatball sub let me down in 1986 and I’ve haven’t had one since.

Thus is the life of a website produced by the many non-profits and good will organizations. These sites are meant to be good and tasty but far too often they are made with cheap ingredients and nuked in a microwave. We all remember the days where people spent loving time in the kitchen creating meatball masterpieces—seasoning the ground beef, brewing the sauce for hours, hand rolling the bread and letting the yeast rise. Rise yeast rise.

That’s the meatball sandwich people want and that’s the sandwich people will come back for again and again. Make a pledge with me today people; “I (state your name) will never make a meatball sub using bologna and ketchup again. My website will be an unforgettable experience.”

Web users are used to good eats.

The days of quick and amateur website designs are over. People are no longer patient with malfunctioning sites, confusing layouts, and distasteful designs. Today’s internet users are savvy and use to dining on multi-million dollar websites like bestbuy.com, cnn.com, or amazom.com. If you have a bologna website, unless a web users= has a strong stomach, they might loose their appetite when visiting.

We all should be good stewards of our resources and I know is is difficult to think about spending money on quality design. The numbers can be surprising. To design, develop and maintain a state-of-the-art website is a five figure deal and far too often organizations sacrifice the design due to a lack in funds. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not here today preaching about preparing a five course meal full of the fixings. I’m just simply talking about a meatball sub. A website that is prepared with thoughtfulness and a dash of creativity.

Let’s talk about where to begin. You’ll need a recipe (site map), with all the ingredients working towards the same goal. Think about why you’re online and what are you trying to achieve — everything from the navigational scheme to your messages should support this goal. Don’t try and do everything because it dilutes your purpose and confuses your audience.

Starting Recipe

Now the spicy ingredient. Your design is where you show the love you have for your audience. I’m talking L O V E. Be kind to them, show them that their eye sight is important to you. A quality website is essential for repeat visitors. Not sure you have a chef inside you? No worries here is a simple recipe to follow:

• Unify all your elements (photos, graphics, colors, and text)
• Create Neutral Space which will attract the eye and give some visual rest
• Hierarchy— bring order to your messages
• Balance, balance, balance, otherwise known as “equalized tension.”

In short my friends, your audience will know quickly whether your site was thrown together or carefully and lovingly assembled for them. Remember a website is for viewers to enjoy. Let them leave full and satisfied.

Last Month at-a-glance

• 20,846 Nights of Shelter
• 79,381 Meals served
• 214 Mental Health Clinic sessions
• 75 Legal Aid Clinic visits
• 444 Dental Clinic visits
• 325 Health Center visits
• 1,301 Volunteer visits
• 4,047 Hours Volunteers donated

It was a grand project that Alcoa and the Pew Center on Global Climate Change took on — build a calculator and resource site to equip the employees of Alcoa “To Make an Impact” and help save the Earth. What openbox9 provided was the strategy for the user-experience, the branding (logo created by 3rd party), and the interface design. Our hope is that the site does make an impact and our Earth reaps the rewards.