We all know the saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words." In today's world, we're progressing past pictures and entering the video era. One company, Say It Visually!, uses video production to create stories that explain complex subjects. Their latest video breaks down the meaning of social media, a subject that I am constantly finding myself trying to explain with words. Their detailed images and voice over do a great job of spreading education on a very current topic.

Marianne Bernstein asked us to develop an identity for her "Shelter" show at the Painted Bride in Philadelphia. The show asked the question - What does shelter mean to you? 17 Philadelphia artists collaborated with ten Philadelphia households, whose homes were restored by volunteers from Rebuilding Together Philadelphia. Shelter raises questions about what we really need, and what we discover when we reach through our own comfort zone into the lives of others.

Email marketing campaigns are an easy, budget-friendly and efficient method of communication. We recommend that every business and organization utilitize this way to connect with your community. That being said; there are a few things to consider when strategizing your campaign:

1. Be personal. "Dear Stephanie," is a good start. If you don't have your recipient's name; then, please don't send an empty field in your email. Don't make this faux pas (see image).

2. Target your list. Take personal to the next level. Speak to your audience and find out what their needs are. Show them that you are paying attention.

3....

Harvest Local Foods had to change the name of their business and used the opportunity to create a new identity. We worked with them to define who they are and want to be perceived as in the community. Their business delivers fresh, locally-grown food and artisan food products. Also, they have a brick and mortar store front just outside of Philly. They wanted something earthy, yet classy. We went with an illustrated truck with an eggplant, tomato and corn in the same treatment. The simplicity of the color palette and font...

On Tuesday, I attended the Fifth Annual Small Business Summit in New York City. Over 500 people attended the full day conference eager to learn tactics to grow their businesses. All of the presenters and conference organizers shared knowledge on important facets of business such as technology, email marketing, social media, community and networking as well as how not to design a business card (contact BAJ Design if you need help in this department).

The main event was Seth Godin's talk which, deservedly so, received a double standing ovation. Godin's use of power...

One random Saturday, I woke up and checked my UberTwitter to see what was happening in the world. I noticed a tweet from @ducttape (John Jantsch) that asked followers to reply to him if interested in free admission to a small business conference. Naturally, I looked up the conference; then, replied. Within a few minutes, I got a direct message and registered for the Fifth Annual Small Business Summit 2010 in New York City scheduled for March 16.

The theme this year is Business & Technology: Strategies for the New Economy. (My favorite) marketing author...

Philadelphia is one of 149 cities included in Google’s new bicycle feature of its mapping function. A route is generated by choosing “bicycling” in the transit option drop down menu. The map displays bike paths in green, with different shades or dashes alerting users to dedicated bike-only paths, roads with bike lanes, and preferred biking roads that do not have designated bike lanes.

To learn more about the new feature, see Google’s blog.

We just updated our Twitter background so I thought it would be useful to share this process. Opening a Twitter account and implementing a social media strategy for your organization is an exciting step towards connecting with your audience. Since you've probably spent money on the design of your brand. (If you haven't, contact us). Now, it is time to extend your identity through this social media application.

First, upload your picture. Click then, click to upload an image. This image appears next to your tweets as well as on your profile page. Make...

Last night in a filled-room at Johnny Brendas, Ignite Philly took stage and exceeded expectations once again. The program is part of a worldwide network, Ignite, that spreads across 65 cities, 6 continents, 500 speakers over 5 days. Each presenter is given 5 minutes to present 20 slides conveying whatever topic or point they choose. They idea is to spread a message while inspiring, entertaining and engaging without trying to sell anything.

The spark began with City Councilman Bill Green and Philadelphia CTO Allan Frank describing their need to recruit ideas to implement Google’s new...

We are excited to announce the newest section to our website where you can download our white papers, selected portfolio, press releases and (soon) case studies. Check back regularly as we'll be continuously adding to this section.

Our first BAJ Design white paper is on social media. Businesses are leveraging the Internet in new ways. Here, you'll understand how Twitter and Google Reader can help you.