Continuing in my series of free web buttons, I’ve created Big Blue Glossy, as I’m calling it. It has a royal blue glossy look that really shines. I’m providing you with a layered PhotoShop file so you can easily replace the email icon. The finish size of the button is 75 pixels. If you need a smaller version, it should scale easily. You are welcome to download and adapt this work freely. Please do not redistribute. Continue Reading…
Like most church volunteers and leaders, when marketing news and events, you want to cast the broadest net possible. Unfortunately many are not familiar with the rules of the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003. This ruling keeps you and your friends from being inundated by unwanted email. If your church is sending a weekly email to your congregation, there are seven things you need to know to comply with CAN-SPAM. The Federal Trade Commission does a great job outlining the seven rules in the following video. Continue Reading…
As I shared yesterday, a solid user experience is pivotal to the success of your website. Needless to say, I was pretty excited to read today how a group of Swiss user experience labs had married two of my favorite subjects, user-experience design and LEGOs. Based on LEGO’s experiential process, Serious Play, URL or User Requirements with LEGO allows groups and organizations to gather web-based requirements using LEGO blocks. The URL methodology allows a project lead to break the ice with the use of LEGOs and bring a sense of fun to the discovery process. Continue Reading…
It’s an epidemic! Nearly every church or non-profit that seeks my help to develop or redesign a website is frustrated with their vendor or content management system. In some cases, it’s a matter of steep service fees, most clients feel trapped by the technology that is supporting their website. At the core of their frustration, they know that technology is driving the ship, not ministry.
So how do you flip the script? Here are five points that you or your communications committee need to consider when you feel technology has taken the reigns: Continue Reading…
If you’ve ever flown on Southwest Airlines you are well aware that their open seating policy is very different than any other airline. While it may feel like a cattle call from time-to-time, you may not be aware that the study of ant colonies played a significant role in changes to Southwest’s method of seating.
In 2007, a surge of complaints from Southwest customers concerning their seating method spurred the company to assess the situation and consider assigning seats. In Peter Miller’s book “The Smart Swarm” he profiles the work of Doug Lawson, Southwest’s manager of financial analysis. According to Lawson, “the best way to determine whether assigned seating would be faster was to create a computer simulation of passengers boarding a plane, and then try out one pattern after the other. Other airlines had done more or less the same thing over the years. But Lawson’s plan had a difference — it was based on the behavior of ants.” Continue Reading…
Best described as a tech-toting evangelist for web and social media, Matt Carlisle consults with non-profits and faith groups to make the necessary changes to fully embrace new media.
