If you are like anybody else out there, you can understand when people talk about email and getting overloaded by the volume we receive on a daily basis. One solution to this problem is to start utilizing Gmail’s new 

If you are like anybody else out there, you can understand when people talk about email and getting overloaded by the volume we receive on a daily basis. One solution to this problem is to start utilizing Gmail’s new Priority Inbox email. With priority inbox, it gives you a better way to help manage and sort your email so that you are able to identify which emails are more important and need to be looked at right away. Iit also helps you sort the emails that are less important and can be put on hold. How it works is Gmail attempts to automatically process your email by factoring in some variables such as who the sender of the email is, how many people the email was sent to, and specific keywords in the subject and body of the email, etc.

Here is a list of some ways to that Mashable has identified as ways of helping you process and manage your email with Gmail’s new settings:

1. Prioritize Filters
   • Advanced filters helps Gmail to determine importance and how to process the emails.
2. Customize Sections
   • Next to each default section (i.e. Important and Unread, Starred, and Everything Else), there is an arrow to click on for more options, which allows you to customize the folder to your liking.
3. Start With a Clean Slate
   • Utilize the Starred email folder for emails that require action.  If you have existing emails in that folder that you would like to eliminate as “starred” emails, you can do so by going into the options for the folder and remove the star, so that you can start from a clean slate.  This will help you to identify which emails you need to follow up with.
4. Use Your “Inbox” for Folders
   • You can set up alternate panes that act as folders to appear above your inbox. Each of the panes can be for emails of varying significance, such as “unread” emails.
5. Test Priority with Multiple Inboxes
   • If you don’t want to jump right into Priority Inbox, you can start by just implementing small things that will help you to become more efficient and productive with your email. For example you can configure Priority Inbox to just display “Important” messages, by enabling a feature called Google Labs Multiple Inbox feature in the settings. This way, you can navigate directly to the important messages.

Can you think of other ideas that have helped you manage your email?

According to a report done by Pew Internet, between April 2009 and May 2010, social networking site usage grew 88% among Internet users aged 55-64, and the 65 and older group’s social networking presence 

According to a report done by Pew Internet, between April 2009 and May 2010, social networking site usage grew 88% among Internet users aged 55-64, and the 65 and older group’s social networking presence grew 100% in the same time frame.

What does that mean? This means that although teens and young adults still dominate the social media market, older adults are catching up. Whether they will be able to get close to the amount of teen and young adult users remains to be seen.

Even though the social media numbers have been increasing, the primary form of communication that older adults use online is email.

“E-mail is still the primary way that older users maintain contact with friends, families and colleagues, but many older users now rely on social-network platforms to help manage their daily communications,” explains Mary Madden, Senior Research Specialist and author of the report.

With the increase of older adult users, be careful what you say. Grandma could be watching!

7. Timed Race: Write a post telling people to perform a couple certain tasks (can be any/all of the ones listed in this and earlier posts) The first 10  (continued from Easy ways to Build your Facebook Fanbase part 2)

7. Timed Race: Write a post telling people to perform a couple certain tasks (can be any/all of the ones listed in this and earlier posts) The first 10 (can use any number) people to complete the required tasks win a specified prize. Click here to view Lion House Pantry’s facebook page

8. Giveaways: Anyone who becomes a fan during a certain time is entered into a drawing for a prize. It works well to create a custom contest tab for your page that contains an entry form to fill out that is connected with an Excell spreadsheet that keeps a running list of entrants. The entry form serves multiple purposes: it captures the fans’ basic information- first and last name, email address, phone number. This is useful to have so as to notify the winner(s), but then you can also save the Excell sheet that contains their emails addresses to distribute future promotional information if desired.

9. Facebook Pay-Per-Click ads: You have probably all noticed these displayed in the sidebar of your page while you are using Facebook, but possibly don’t know how they work. These ads allow you to set the target demographic which individual’s profiles must meet to be shown the ad. These demographic categories includes the area in which they live (in relation to a certain city), age, relationship status, education level, interests, etc.  Facebook ads allow you set your price limit you wish to pay per day. You are charged only when the ad gets clicked on. Once your daily budget allotment is used for that day the ad no longer appears until the next day. The price per click depends on how many other people are advertising to the same target demographic, but is usually under $1.00 per click.

Other Ideas:

• Target your recent customers that have Facebook profiles and invite them to become a fan of your company. If possible, have them get on a computer and become a fan right there in your store before they leave. This allows all of your future updates to appear in their newsfeed and increases the chances of return business.

• Create a survey for consumer research. The link to this survey can be hosted on Facebook in a custom tab and/or on your website. This survey can be used to measure how many of your customers are on Facebook, and what they would like to see about your brand on your profile.

• Create a Facebook application around your brand. Suggestions for this depends on your industry and what products you are trying to promote. An application provides an additional way for your fans to engage with your company and interact with/purchase your brand.

We hope these tips help you and your business in your Facebook fanpage endeavors! Please contact Fluid Studio with any questions you may have or if you would like further assistance.

Note: These examples are case studies of promotions that companies have done in the past. We recommend you review Facebook’s terms and conditions before you commence a contest

Fluid Studio is now an official vendor for the State of Utah in the area of graphic design. We were recently awarded one of nine open positions to design for Utah state departments and divisions. In essence, we will 

Fluid Studio is now an official vendor for the State of Utah in the area of graphic design. We were recently awarded one of nine open positions to design for Utah state departments and divisions. In essence, we will be retained on the contract for another five years at which time the contract will be bid out once again.

Contract MC-1136 names graphic designers and studios that Utah state agencies are pre-approved to purchase and solicit bids from directly. Fluid was one of just a couple firms named to assist in the design of projects ranging from simple to complex.

What does this mean for state agencies? When Utah state departments want to utilize Fluid for graphic design, it will be much easier than jumping through a lot of purchasing hoops to create a purchase order and get needed graphic design services. The process is much more streamlined because Fluid is pre-approved.

In the past, Fluid Studio has designed projects for the the Gallivan Center and Utah Department of Environmental Quality, among others.

Click here to view the offical list (MC1136—GRAPHIC ARTIST DESIGN SERVICES).

Click here to see a list of Fluid Studio work and graphic design samples.

Google recently introduced “Voice Calls”  into its webmail service Gmail, essentially launching a Skype competitor. In the first 24 hours, over one million calls were placed.

Voice calling was initially launched in the United States, so Google 

Google recently introduced “Voice Calls”  into its webmail service Gmail, essentially launching a Skype competitor. In the first 24 hours, over one million calls were placed.

Voice calling was initially launched in the United States, so Google is anticipating an increase in number as it is introduced in different countries.

The key word here, however, is “free”: Calls to the U.S. and Canada are completely free (and will stay so for at least the rest of the year), while calls to other countries are billed at modest rates.

Google has already tried to conquer several markets through Gmail — its instant messaging counterpart is very successful, while Buzz, Google’s competitor to Twitter, was much less so. Voice calls seem like a natural addition to Gmail, and if this first figure is any indication, Skype will soon have a very formidable competitor.

Share and Enjoy:

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Wireless internet is now in Utah!

You may have seen the commercials on TV or radio, seen the large truck with transparent sides displaying a living room, or even heard of the new internet service being offered by local 

Wireless internet is now in Utah!

You may have seen the commercials on TV or radio, seen the large truck with transparent sides displaying a living room, or even heard of the new internet service being offered by local Utah resellers. But you may still be asking: what exactly is Clear wireless internet service? Clear is a company that offers high speed internet using 4G wireless technology. They are new to the Utah market. 4G is one of the fastest options for internet connectivity without wires. The company offers several different plans and options including mobile wireless internet, telephone services, and home internet access. You can have internet access for one device or multiple devices depending on the plan you choose. Mobile wireless is provided by using laptop air cards or USB wireless connections. Home internet service is made possible by a wireless access point, similar to a cable or DSL modem.

You plug a switch or router into the wireless modem to share the internet connection to multiple computers in your home or office. Telephone service uses VOIP technology (Voice Over Internet Protocol), the same technology many companies use today. The service is priced right (especially for a conservative Utah economy), and the download speeds can match traditional broadband in certain Utah areas.

Mobile internet is a great tool for businesses and home users; you can now use internet wherever you are, including on the I-15 up and down the Wasatch Front. If the 4G signal reaches you, you are guaranteed access (and it is pretty strong in much of Utah). However, you should know that some areas in Utah may not have the best coverage. 4G is a relatively new technology, and is still being tested in certain areas. VOIP, as a service, relies on a steady internet connection to be effective. If there is an issue with the connection, your phone will also be down. There is no doubt 4G is going to change the way you access the internet and digital services. Clear Wireless Internet is one of the first to exploit this technology.

Note that they do offer a trial period to test the service before getting locked into a contract, so try it out and let us know what you think in the comments below!

In a growing world of advancing technology where people are able to communicate through email and internet on their Smartphones, the most popular form of communication is still one of the easiest and most accessible forms, which is standard 

In a growing world of advancing technology where people are able to communicate through email and internet on their Smartphones, the most popular form of communication is still one of the easiest and most accessible forms, which is standard text messaging.

 For people ages 12 – 17 in the U.S., texting stands to be the main communication medium, exceeding email, phone, and face-to-face conversation. Of that, boys ages 14 – 17 send an average of 30 text messages per day, where girls, ages 14 – 17, send an average of 100 text messages per day. Comparatively, adults from 18 plus years of age send an average of 10 text messages per day. Each of these daily text messages being sent has totaled up to be over 5 trillion text messages sent worldwide by the end of 2009.

 Text messaging has been one of a kind in its short messaging form, until the launch of Twitter. Even with Twitter’s growing popularity, text messaging still surpasses it in popularity and also in communication. Do you think that texting will hold its ground as the most popular form of communication?

A Pretty Little Package
When it comes to consumers, it’s what’s on the outside that counts.

by Elise Oberliesen, UTAH CEO

Overwhelmed by  Our own Kevin Perry, creative director at Fluid, was quoted in this article!

A Pretty Little Package
When it comes to consumers, it’s what’s on the outside that counts.

by Elise Oberliesen, UTAH CEO

Overwhelmed by the plethora of retail products on store shelves today, consumers scan quickly and hope for a good find. Creative packaging with compelling design and strategic messaging can quickly draw consumers in. Done correctly, the package excites consumers enough to pick it up and drop it in their shopping carts. Soon they will be fervently ripping it open to try it out.

Want to grab attention? Then your product packaging had better stand out, tickle the senses and evoke emotion, says Rushford Lee, owner of RED, a Salt Lake City graphic design firm. “We test our own packages to make sure they are working well. By doing this, we can decide what packaging speaks best to the customer,” Lee says.

Clever packaging means products must encapsulate motivating messages that inspire buyers to pull out their wallets. “Packaging gets people to try it once,” Lee says. Too fancy a package on a ho-hum ice cream may not bring the consumer back, and that sets up product manufacturers for the proverbial consumer one-night stand. Gone tomorrow.

Tahitian Noni International is a Salt Lake City-based company that produces a wide variety of products, including bioactive drinks made from noni fruit. When the company redesigned its packaging in February 2010, the bioactive drink bottles underwent a makeover from glass to sleek aluminum. Another packaging change included the Quad, a package for pouring drinks from four-liter boxes, similar to the boxed wine concept.

Since the packaging shift, the company reports an 18 percent sales spike, according to Jeff Wasden, Tahitian Noni’s vice president of global marketing. He says these numbers are a strong indicator that the company will see continued growth across markets worldwide. He attributes sales growth to several factors, packaging included. “We have enhanced the customer experience with new formulations, more convenient packaging and more consumer-friendly design on packaging, our website and catalog,” Wasden says.

Packaging the right message with precision

Want the best-looking packages? Consider working with a specialist. AIGA is the largest national professional association for designers; President Kevin Perry runs the Salt Lake City chapter and works as a creative director at Fluid Studio. Creating classy brochures is not the same thing as working on a four-sided orange juice container. “Packaging design presents different challenges, because of the 3-D nature of the work,” Perry says. “There are many good designers out there — both in print and packaging — but to actually create a successful product, there is value to someone who can think three-dimensionally, while using sustainable thinking to solve problems that protect the environment and provide economic value to the product.”

Message clarity on the package captures the buyers’ attention and gets them thinking. But package space is limited. Consumers make split-second decisions about whether a bathroom cleaner really fights “tough grime” or if twig-like cereals taste better simply because they are pictured amongst beautifully ripened strawberries. “Keep the front of the package simple. You have to be a good designer to bring out key information without having it feel cluttered,” Lee says.

Because Tahitian Noni drinks are widely marketed across divergent audiences, each formula must set itself apart. That’s one reason the bioactive drink bottle packaging is color-coded. “Colors differentiate the different formulas,” Wasden says.

Whether a consumer seeks increased energy or better joint health, Wasden says consumers can quickly identify which formula fits their needs based on details like ingredients listed and the science behind it. He says customers respond well to information sharing. “Today we are sharing more of our science than ever before. Our newly designed packaging helps convey some key scientific information — like the amount of iridoids in each of our bioactive beverages,” Wasden says.

Know the customer well

Before products or their snazzy packaging find buyers, the company must start at square one: homework. Before Lee sends his graphic designers and illustrators out to make pretty packages, he first gets inside the buyer’s mind. Then he listens closely to consumer whisperings to understand their packaging preferences. “A good package has details. You must know the consumer’s top questions,” Lee says. And, he adds, answer them.

Lee gathers about 200 consumer online surveys. Survey data guides the package design process. “We analyze things internally and from a design perspective. Our goal is to understand what they [consumers] think and how that would apply to the design problem we are trying to solve,” Lee says.

Public perception often sways packaging decisions. But remember the goal: compelling packages that sink their hooks into buyers. “Know what the public perceives the product to be and what the [product] benefits are,” Perry says. “Does the public think the product is expensive or generic or something they don’t need?” he says.

It’s also a good idea to be sensitive to change. One example is the recent shift toward double-concentrated detergents undertaken by much of the laundry soap industry. Lee says consumers were initially wary of the change — “Were they really getting more [product] in a smaller container?” The solution was clever use of graphics and skillful copywriting. Finite amounts of packaging space forces designers to consider the impact of each tagline, symbol or logo placement, he says.

Sustainable packaging — when the world demands it — factors into costs

To some, packaging is nothing more than solid waste headed for the landfill or recycling center. According to Freedonia Group Inc., an international industry market research company based in Cleveland, demand for sustainable packaging is growing. “U.S. demand for green packaging — comprised of recycled content, biodegradable and reusable packaging — is projected to increase 3.4 percent annually to $43.9 billion in 2013, using 59 billion pounds of material,” says a Freedonia Group Inc. spokeswoman.

The higher costs associated with sustainable packaging sparks debate no matter how we slice the topic, from excess water and energy consumption during recycling to paper use that slashes pristine forest. “Our new aluminum bottle costs two times more than our glass bottle, but is twice as likely to be recycled, and has a carbon footprint that is over 80 percent smaller than glass,” Wasden says.

Helge Tennø, a design strategist and planner at Scandinavian Design Group in Norway, reminds that change is a slow process. “Mass markets need time to move, and we are just seeing the beginning when it comes to mass market interest in paying more for eco-friendly products,” Tennø says. “Because customers have shown that when it comes to talking, they are all about sustainability, but when it comes to buying, they are all about personal comfort.”

Asking the package to sell the product may be asking a lot. Whether a package boasts about high quality or downplays its simplicity through its design, both create emotion. While the package itself cannot do all the work of making the consumer fall in love with it, the package gets the consumer’s wheels turning. Knowing what consumers want and crafting messages that speak their language can move packages or products into their hands. Next time a new package grabs your attention and you find it on your desk the next day, ask yourself how that clever little package roped you in and motivated the sale.

4 – Tag yourself a picture: Post pictures on your wall or in a photo album on your page and require people to tag themselves in one  (Continued from “Easy ways to Build your Facebook Fanbase part 1)

4 – Tag yourself a picture: Post pictures on your wall or in a photo album on your page and require people to tag themselves in one of your pictures to be entered into a giveaway or drawing.

5 – Post the picture that receives the most likes or comments: After people have posted a picture on your wall, tell them the picture with the most likes and comments by a set deadline will win a certain prize. This requires them to tell all their friends to get on your page and comment/like their picture. See the example below from The Garden Restaurant’s Fanpage

Picture Scavenger hunt: This could be structured several ways. You can require fans to take pictures of a set number of certain objects/in certain places and post them to your wall. Winners can be chosen a couple ways. You can choose the best/unique pictures to win, or you can do a drawing of all entries and choose a winner that way. See the example below from the Nauvoo Cafe’s Fanpage

Another option is  to hide an object in your building or neighborhood and give out clues through your Facebook page to help them find it. The first person to find and return the object wins a prize.

Strategy behind these tactics: a person must be a fan of a page to do any of these required tasks (commenting, liking, posting a picture, etc.) If the prize is a good enough incentive, they will become a fan to enter and/or support a friend who has entered.

Also, anytime a person does anything on a fan page (write on their wall, comment, post a picture) it publishes in their news feed for all their 100+ friends to see. This can spark their friend’s interest to check out your fanpage as well.

Note: These examples are case studies of promotions that companies have done in the past. We recommend you review Facebook’s terms and conditions before you commence a contest

OK, here’s a fun site for you dog lovers (and those that just want to have one online to play with).

Click HERE and type in a command and see what happens … sit, sneeze, roll over, down, stand, 

OK, here’s a fun site for you dog lovers (and those that just want to have one online to play with).

Click HERE and type in a command and see what happens … sit, sneeze, roll over, down, stand, jump, sing, shake, fetch, play dead, kiss, etc.

And, it’s also fun if you type in a command that’s not recognized.

This site is a great example of a microsite that gets a lot of attention virally from the online community, and promotes a good cause backed by a company. The portal is the fun site, but it garners attention for the company behind it.

Do you have a fun idea that can be tied to your company that can demand attention and may get you some attention on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, or other social media portals? Please give us your thoughts below in the comments section!