We continually hear customers’ concerns about meeting crazy deadlines while hitting really tight budgets. In fact, that’s why they come to us in the first place! Digital Lizard totally gets it. We’re creative people ourselves, and we too are always on the lookout for ways to stretch our budgets.
With that in mind, we’ve pulled together some great free graphic design and marketing resources we think you may enjoy.
www.designfreebies.org – This fun, easily navigable site offers a depth and variety of design-friendly tools. Items are organized with short intros, so you don’t have to wade through tons of articles to get at what you want. Just look at the blue bars for categories. Check out free vector art, free fonts, free InDesign templates, free HTML and flash templates, and of course free floral swooshes (you can never get enough of those). Archives go back to 2009, and most items are still very practical. You can even pick up some free .eps files of major company logos, something that does indeed come up from time to time. (Just remember to follow any rules for legal attribution and cite all trademark ownership!)
www.pinterest.com/annakeith/graphic-design-freebies – We have such great respect for independent designers. This gal has compiled some really diverse finds, exclusive art, and electronic tools. From free patterns and overlays, to infographic creation, to Photoshop .psd mockups, to mobile project support, you can score some awesome stuff. Just glancing through these can be a good brainstorming exercise, even if you’re not looking to download anything!
Marketing & social media tools – In addition to devising exceptional creative, today’s designers need to prove their marketing savvy. Skills in marketing channels, venues, statistics, and analytics are key. Some great sites to scan include printintthemix.com (from RIT), trendwatching.com, and www.mikes-marketing-tools.com. You can also streamline your social media efforts with free dashboards from providers like Buffer and Hootsuite. (Some offerings do cost money, but you likely can get away with the free versions.) Finally, rev up your success by using measurement tools like SurveyMonkey and MailChimp, which is an excellent, easy-to-learn email marketing tool.
Postal regulations – No discussion about creative is complete without considering the USPS. If you mail a lot, it’s much easier if you stay up-to-date rather than run to the post office all the time. Sign up for USPS updates through www.postcom.org or visit pe.usps.com/text/dmm100/intro.htm. Or you can always ask one of the postal experts at Digital Lizard. Be wary of general Internet information, as postal regs change frequently and a mistake can cost lots of money – which is counterintuitive to your quest for freebies!
We’re also always happy to find you free samples of novel paper stocks, and set you up with helpful apps and other essentials. Give us a call at 866-494-6155 or shoot us an email any time at customerservice@digitallizard.com.