Showing posts with label speider schneider. Show all posts
Showing posts with label speider schneider. Show all posts

Bribes of the Magi

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , , , , , , ,
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We use to have to wait for Thanksgiving to be over for at least twenty seconds for the Christmas commercials to hit with full force. It seems, according to these commercials, I should get the woman in my life a diamond something-or-another while she gets me a power tool. That certainly makes sense…in the bizarro universe!

Published - 11.22.2011 - Read more at The Huffington Post


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The New Business Acumen: America’s Death Twitch

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , , , , ,
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As I’m now over 23-years old, I have been deemed, “unemployable” by American companies. Drawing on my strengths and above-average IQ, I started seeking work overseas, hoping the shifting global economy would outsource to a new third world nation. I have found many differences in doing business with foreign nations. They modeled themselves from the American business model of the 1950s: work hard, be honest, uphold family values and workers are worth more then just the future ingredients in Soylent Green.

Published 10.24.2011 - Read more at The Huffington Post


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Peter Max: Peace, Love and Inspiration

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , , , , , ,
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One of my designer spotlights on noupe.com. To quote the subject, Peter Max:


Published 11.11.2011 - Read more at Noupe

Also read:

Paul Rand Will Change Your Life!

Josef Müller Brockman: Principal Of The Swiss School

Getting It Wrong: Edward Fella

Seeing The Negative In Everything: Charles Goslin


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Don’t Do TOO Good Of A Job!

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , ,
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Maybe this is happened to you. You’ve really nailed a project. You skip out of the client’s with a big smile because you’ve done the best work you have ever done. Months down the line, you haven’t heard a thing from the client and your emails are either not returned or they have cool salutations and don’t answer your question of when there might be another project. Either you’ve screwed something up or you’ve done such a stellar job that you’ve angered someone who hands out the freelance work. Believe it or not, it may be the latter. It’s not so odd… believe it or not!

Published 8.9.2011 - Read more at Instantshift


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Buy The Numbers...

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , , ,
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One of the things my clients enjoy is the numbers of reposts, tweets and Google returns my articles receive. Numbers are important in social media. The more people who see your message, the more hits, click-thrus and reposts means the most bang for your buck.

Buy my service as a writer for your publication, blog or ad and you get the numbers your want. You just don't buy the writing... you buy the numbers!


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Living With Words

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , ,
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A recent assignment was to write an introduction for a housing development just outside Toronto. It was a unique job as it didn't involve the usual humor for which I'm known. It called for a poetic synergy that would entice home buyers and drive interest from the web site to actual site visits. However, as the client had a sense of humor, I couldn't resist adding one last intro just for fun. I was told the boss "laughed his head off."

He also liked the serious stuff.


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Young And Brash: Don’t Become Old And Foolish

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , , , , ,
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I reconnected with a former art school teacher the other day. I’ve tried to keep in touch with all of my old teachers, at least the ones still living.

They were my mentors, and they cared about teaching students to enter the field as professionals and to succeed.

He was at the top of the field then, an art director for a hugely famous magazine, and I took his class so that I could get closer to him as a connection and possible employer.

He was creative, kind and caring. At the end of the semester, he signed a magazine for me, “It’s been a real pleasure having you in my class and watching you totally miss the message.”

I laughed at the time and thought it was a joke. But he was serious and he was right. When I connected with him recently, I reminded him of what he wrote and thanked him for trying to give me a swift kick to wake me up.

“It didn’t sink in for many years,” I wrote, “but when it did, I realized the lesson you were trying to teach me, and it’s one of the reasons I have had a successful career.”

Published 8.3.2011 - Read more at Webdesignerdepot


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Driving Sales With Humor

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , ,
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One of my favorite writing projects is humorous openings for sales pitches. These were for a car dealership. With all the exciting content of oil changes and tire pressure, a bit of humor sets the readers up for content that is less than instructional and informative... it's just not miles of laughs.


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Social Media is Nothing New – But Get On Board!

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , , ,
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Business is buzzing about this “new” social media. It’s sweeping the world and every firm has to have it but few understand where it came from and how it actually works. There’s infighting in large corporations for which department will own the social media outreach and people are hanging placards on their profiles that tout themselves as “social media experts," but their tweets are more like twits and the practice has yet to be defined in terms of how it’s effective and how it can be gauged as successful. The answer is to ask the creatives who have been doing it for many years.

Published 6.24.2011 - Read more at Onextrapixel


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The Secret To Freelancing – FOLLOW DIRECTIONS!

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , , , ,
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A young digital Illustrator e-mailed me after seeing a post of mine on a business networking site. He asked, “After reading your profile, I would love to hear anything else you have to offer regarding the inside of the industry!”

I wrote back, “Yikes! That would take ten minutes, at least. Not much I can say without breaking non-disclosures with my clients. What did you have in mind?”

He replied back, “Well, being on the other side of the table as an Art Director, what did you look for in freelance creatives? Anything you can impart would be appreciated. Thanks!”

I thought about the answer. What really got me interested in using new talent?

Published 5.31.2011 - Read more at Freelanceswitch


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Another Reason To Watch Your Tweets!

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , , , , ,
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I usually just post my own articles but here's one that was written ABOUT me! In reaction to one of my tweets, Romanian web designer with global clients, Radu Chelariu (aka SICKDESIGNER), wrote a nice and thoughtful piece which garnered quite a reaction.

Read more HERE!


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Professional Practices They Don’t Teach You In Art School: Resumes – Why Yours Won’t Work!

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , , , , , ,
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One piece of business communication that hasn’t changed in a thousand years is the résumé. It’s the first contact you have with a prospective employer and your chance to sell yourself in 20 seconds. With such pressure, most people make huge mistakes with their résumé. Seasoned professionals struggle with issues such as the chronological vs. the functional, editing to keep a long career under two pages and how to truthfully show one’s life without broadcasting they are older, heavily experienced and most probably highly paid.

Published 4.20.2011 - Read more at Instantshift


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Dissecting Gilligan’s Island – A Three-Hour Tour-De-Farce

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , , ,
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Judging from shows like Survivor and Lost, life on an island is not a party to be envied. One could never tell from the happy-go-lucky castaways on Gilligan’s Island. Even spending years in the tropics, wearing the same clothes, and, as disgusting as the thought may be, the same underwear, things seemed a bit too everyday normal on the small, uncharted tropic isle.


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Are Art Schools Worth The Money?

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , , , , ,
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I LOVED my art school! I would not be where I am without it. I still keep in touch with my teachers…well, the ones who are still alive.

When I applied to go there, I had to present a portfolio, have an interview, have a second interview and generally, for many of the classes I enrolled for, had to meet with the teacher and present my portfolio in yet another interview. Although I had transferred in from another school, in an unrelated field, many of my credits were not accepted and I had to take a foundation year of a well-rounded assortment of those little things creatives need; painting, life drawing, color theory, design 101, sculpture and print production. It seemed silly at the time but I now realize the foundation is what made me a better creative.


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When You Freelance, How Do You Know You’ve Been Fired?

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , , , ,
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It’s easy to figure out you’ve been fired from a staff position. Either your boss or a human resources person has told you to your face, you are met at your desk and walked out, or security guards drag you out, one on each arm and leg. The hints are fairly obvious. When you freelance, it takes time to realize you have been fired and will no longer be working for that client. More often than not, there are no signs. Weeks turn into months and months turn into a year. Depending on how often you do work for that client, the realization that something is wrong can come quickly. Makes me yearn for the good ol’ method of the security guards on each limb!


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How Wanna-bes Burden The Profession

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , , ,
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Thanks to Facebook I get odd news and instant anxiety rather quickly. I’m sweating over my keyboard in an attempt to earn enough for my weekly meal and maybe one pill of my medication when I notice the Facebook window glowing with the news that a graphic designer friend has “spent the afternoon riding my fabulous palomino horse, Milton Glaser” or how the flier for the third grade play will “surely win a design award!”


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Prove It: Handling Tests and Spec Requests from Clients

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I was called recently about a freelance job for a local corporate entity and met to speak with the marketing director. After a few days, I received an e-mail informing me I was one of six “finalists” for the assignment. The message contained a list of several advertising campaigns, a rebranding of the logo, signage and billboards. It said all finalists were to do these for a presentation in two weeks. My first thought was…not fit to be printed here.


Published 3.8.2011 - Read more at Freelanceswitch


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Professional Web Design, Volume 2 (Smashing eBook #7)

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , ,
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Look for my chapter in this cool new book from Smashing Media (Gmbh)!



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Partnering with Other Creatives – Creating a Virtual Studio or a Reality Nightmare?

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I was asked to have drinks by someone I knew from a graphic design group. He seemed normal (excuse me while I shudder, as he turned out to be a stalking maniac) so we met for a couple of drinks, which turned into dinner, against my better judgment, and shortly into the meal, he announced we should “open a studio together!”
He had given it thought as he already had the name, “Two Guys Studio.”

I took a long drink to give me time to answer and, hopefully, time for him to die of a sudden heart attack. “No thanks,” I replied.
Published 2.9.2011 - Read more at WeGraphics


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Smashing Book #2 -- "The Lost Files"

Posted: by Speider Schneider in Labels: , , , , ,
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Free download. Chapter one by me! ;)



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