ThePissBiscuit.com » Premium Themes

The Ultimate Mimbo Pro Design!

admin — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:41:01 +0000

Alright ladies and gents, I’m a few days behind schedule on my Tweak A Week giveaway due to some errors setting up the theme, but regardless, I’m moving forward and as promised here is a sneak peak at what “Robin” of NOAFILM.be is getting!

The Re-Design of the Re-Design

As mentioned in an earlier post, MimboPro is a bit of a pain in the butt to set up. I was pretty stressed out about it for about a day and a half until Darren offered some help. I’ve got to give it to him, that’s one great way to earn the respect of your peers. So, Darren… good show.

There is a but… The image issue is still not fixed making it hard for me to properly code and test the css and background images the way I need to in order to make this one kick ass theme tweak! After a few days of back and forth with no prevail, I decided to go ahead and re-design, the re-design. So what you see is actually the second version which isn’t as in depth as I would have liked, but hell it got the job done and is looking pretty fricken awesome!

Bunches of changes!

I’ve moved a few elements around, changed some CSS, and of course… I went bonkers with the graphics to just set this MimboPro showcase over the top. I used a number of design stratagies when thinking of both of these re-designs and I’ll be going over those in a later post so don’t worry, I won’t leave you hangin’!

As for the screenshot, you’ll notice that those pesky thumbnails still aren’t showing, so once Darren gets it fixed for me, I’ll be able to get it all finished up with the final little touches.

Comparing apples to apples… I’d like to know.

Just to show you guys what some of the other proud MimboPro theme owners have done, I’m going through the task of putting a few of Darren’s showcase links in here for ya. Take a gander… compare notes… and let me know what you guys think of the ULTIMATE MimboPro re-design!

Like tips… great feedback is always welcome!

Now I’m sure that asking for feedback might be like asking for a hole in the head, but I’d like to know what you guys and gals think so far. You know… motivation! We all need it and with so many install headaches and two re-designs just to accommodate the silly error, I’d like to think I’m on the right path with things anyway.

Get your own theme tweak…

Remember that you have way to many chances to get yourself your own custom theme tweaks by yours truly by just checking out some recent posts where I’m selling my soul for some traffic.

A Tweak A Week Winner Number 1

admin — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:03:41 +0000

Well it’s the moment you all have been waiting for… Okay, so maybe not… but after some serious debate and a whole lot of thinking back and forth, I’ve finally decided who will be getting the totally awesome theme tweak for week one. Drum roll please… and the winner is… “Robin” of NOAFilm.be

What makes Robin this week’s winner?

Contests are a tough thing to hold, especially ones like this, where I have to make a personal decision. Unlike my random winner contest like “PB’s Premium Theme Giveaway“, I’ve made this weeks decision based on what I feel is best for my business.

I feel that while Robin’s site is not in English and making it more difficult to complete, it will truly have an impact on the Premium Theme community. Because he’s already using MimboPro I this makes the buzz factor all that much greater. That said, I chose this site based on nothing more than the potential for future business, traffic, publicity, and a well thought out e-mail explaining what he was looking for… oh wait, he did what I asked for… moral of the story… effort prevails every time.

Robin’s Well Thought Out E-Mail

The thing with my site is that I feel everything looks a bit full on the front page, based on the reactions my clients give me I know that they often just look at the top 2/3 of the site. On the other hand all the info on the front page has to be there. What I was thinking is to remove the vertical boundaries, much like this site: http://www.raproject.com/ and maybe change the color combination as well though I really like combinations with brown and blue.

He also used Mimbo Pro as a base and by removing the side boundaries but keeping the content within boundaries it looks like the site has more breathing space (hope i express myself right)

I also want the header which now contains my company logo and some wedding pictures which I threw together in Photoshop to be redesigned,Â f.i. I liked what http://www.queromedia.be/ did with their header, it also spreads itself horizontally over the site and their tree’s roots end were the tags begin, very simple yet elegant. Now i don’t want a tree on my site but something simple incorporating my Logo and some artsy fartsy video/photo related stuff.

Let the magic happen…

Robin has issued me complete design freedom on his site which I’ll take seriously. I’ve already got some mock up done and to be honest I’m pretty excited about it.As you can see in the picture above, he’s already made some tweaks on his own and I’m hoping take it to the next level for him.

I’ve take some design cues from the most popular styles of 2008 and mixed them in with a seductive, sensual, classic feel that is sure to lend a real focus to his business. Robin does some wonderful work in both photography and video so showcasing his awesome talent is something that this theme tweak will aim to do.

Robin mentioned in his e-mail that his readers tend to be interested in the top two-thirds of his site. In the deign world, regardless of the medium, is called “Above the Fold”. I reviewed a little bit about the importance of this area of a site in my article about “Building a Better Blog“.

The nuts and bolts…

I’ve already received the original theme file from Robin and so I guess you could say that the work has officially begun. I’ll make one brief mention though, that I’m not all that impressed as of yet with MimboPro’s image and thumb-nailing system. It’s very cumbersome to implement and even for a seasoned WordPress fanatic, it’s not user friendly in the setup.

Usage is pretty straight forward using “Custom Fields” but wow, I’ve fiddled with it for about four hours and just can’t manage to get the imaging system to work properly. Inevitably, I’ll be writing a review on the Mimbo Pro theme when this is all done so you can fully understand what to expect should you purchase this premium theme in the future so be on the look out for it.

In the meantime, I’ll be finishing up my mock ups and hopefully posting my progress tomorrow. with some totally awesome screen shots. if I can get the darn imaging system to act right, I might even have a live demo for you guys and galls too.

Three weeks to go!

Just remember that you all have three more weeks, with three more winners. I’m hoping that some of you will start to fully appreciate the time and energy involved in doing this stuff… so help me out and spread the word! Until tomorrow…

Getting down to business

admin — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:06:45 +0000

Well, rumor has it that some of the natives have been a bit restless around these parts because I had to take the weekend off from posting to clear my schedule, get caught up at work, and deal with a number of issues outside of my office, that required my full devoted attention. That said, I’ve had quite a bit of time to do some serious thinking about taking my business to a whole new level. At the suggestion of some I’ve decided to toss the idea around more seriously.

Making my talents profitable!

It’s been suggested on more that one occasion that I take my talents, write a little bit about them, put up a portfolio of sorts, and start offering some design services to people like you. Yep… premium WordPress theme design! It is after all, part of what I do for a living so it wouldn’t be hard would it?… Okay, so “I think I’m ready to start selling myself”… but, I’m not totally sold on it being a good idea. You all know by now that this blog is a no hold barred look at life on the web, so I have no problem writing from the heart and voicing my concerns (Thanks Zania!). to see what my online friends think.

Sometimes I wonder about things like “Fear of Rejection”, “Emotional Attachments”, “Dumb Questions”, and “Time”.

The Fear of Rejection.

I fear rejection! I’m completely afraid that my themes won’t be needed or wanted, and that adding a “product” to my blog is only negating what it is that I promise to do here… Keep it real! I’m afraid that I’ll be opening doors to critiques and criticisms even though it may not be asked for. I’m afraid of being stuck playing 100 questions everyday from inexperienced people who shouldn’t even be blogging yet, much less buying a premium theme. I fear the unknown and I’m not quite sure why I’m so skiddish to pull the trigger. Hell, back in the day, I’d be all over this like white on rice sow what’s my problem?

I hate dumb questions

No matter the number of FAQs or knowledge base material I could possibly put together, can make up for the fact that hundreds of people will be asking the same time draining questions over and over again. I’ve read on a handful of blogs by premium theme designers, how draining and even aggravating their customer can be. Haha… Nick can attest to this one! He can be found on one site in particular where the same dumb questions are asked over and over again and he’s always trying to help newbies learn. It’s hard on readers, and it’s hard on the theme designers… I know it’s profitable but is it all worth it?

The Emotional Stuff

I’ve personally designed a few hundred websites, blogs, and logos over the years and each one is something that I’m very proud of in their own right. I did it as a freelance designer, and now I do it as a professional. The problem is that as a professional designer, your relationship somewhat ends once the final product is delivered. In fact, many times, it’s like going to a funeral, or reading my post about having the “Blogger’s Blues“. After weeks of daily interaction, you’re left with a feeling of relief that it’s finally over, and a bit of despair that you’re no longer needed. Funny how that works huh! Regardless, it’s the nature of the beast and just a part of the business that as designers we’ve all got to deal with. I think my “idea” takes the emotional roller-coaster out of the equation. I think it’s sort of like having attachment anxiety. One day you’re hot, the next day you’re not.

Time

Time is really really valuable, and as bloggers I know that you know exactly what I mean. Zania, for example, just to a little sabbatical to get caught up on more “profitable” chores. I myself just spent the past few days busting hump to get caught up… and I’m still not at 100% yet! Adii, one of the best WordPress designers out there, has some of the same troubles too. So how do I do something I love, make a little extra, and not get fired or need to take up dinking full time to ease the pain and kill the stress? Simple… don’t design premium WordPress themes!

Okay dude! What’s the “great” idea then?

Within the current position that I’m in with my employer, nothing forbids me from doing “side” work… or being a “hired gun”. However, I appreciate my job, and respect my boss, so aside from my dedication to my daily work, I think it would be a conflict of interest to go for the gusto all on my own. Sort of biting the hand that feeds me in a way.

That said I think that I’ve found the solution. I won’t design new themes… I’ll tweak ‘em! That’s right, after two minutes and thirty-seven seconds of reading, you’re finally going to see what the hell I’m talking about. See, building and maintaining a premium theme resource is serious business. It’s serious enough for some folks, that they spend all day every day working on their business and NOTHING else… that means other things will inevitably start to suffer… like my job, and my time with you guys on your blogs. Not good for my mental health if all this went by the way side. But, what if I spent four hours a night working on theme tweaks for awesome people like you?

Four hours a day, for 5 days a week is about 20 hours of work (A Part time job by US standards)… not bad I don’t think! Doing these “Tweaks” would keep me from having to jump into an already hot market, deal with the silly FAQs all day long, and I can still do a little something that I love all while earning a little extra cash to add more and more goodies to The Piss Biscuit.

Here’s where you come in…

So now that you know I’ll be taking the premium themes designed by others, and tweaking them, what do YOU think I should do? Since almost everyone of you own at least one website, how do you think this type of product would fair out? Do you think that it would open doors for theme designers to sell more themes? but when I really think about it, there are some questions that I’d like you to answer for me above the ones I just mentioned.

Do you think there is a market need for theme customization?
What is the number one reason you don’t already use a premium theme?
If you think premium themes are priced to high… what price point SHOULD they be at?
If you could, would you have your current theme customized to make it your own?

Well there you go. Four questions I’d like each of you to spend 2 minutes answering for me. Remember, this isn’t a sales pitch, this is a way for me to decide if it’s time to start doing something for myself again, or just sit back and do a whole lot of nothing!

Building a better blog!

admin — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:21:06 +0000

First, let me say, that I tried to do this as a video post, but I’m too spastic. Anal is not the word for it when I tell you I burned through about three HDDVD disks worth of practice runs and still thought it was bad! Maybe I just think I need a haircut… or something… that’s a story for another day… but for now, I’m going to publish it the old fashioned way using some little graphics I had made for the video.

This isn’t a how to, as much as it is an awareness article. Read it, study it, enjoy it, learn from it, but most importantly understand it’s true potential for influencing your blog’s value. Then take what I tell you and run with it!

“Designing by Thirds” Rule…

The rule states that a blog’s above-the-fold viewing area can be divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines. The four points formed by the intersections of these lines can be used to align the major, most important parts of your blog’s layout. Sounds simple right? Well it is in theory, but getting it just right might be tougher than you think!

A Quick How to? I know…!

Take a screen shot of your blog or in the case of a premium theme you’re interested in, use the available “demo”… Doing this NOW should save you some heartbreak and money later if the premium design you’re thinking about buying isn’t ideal for earning you more money. Remember that programs like Snag-It, have an option to scroll the entire page and capture the screen shot… we don’t want this. We want the area that’s “above the fold” of your page… it is after all, the most important part of ANY blog! Above the fold is the real estate found on your page when the site first loads in your browser. No scrolling people!

Next we create the grid. This grid has been explained as the “Divine Proportion” of design, but because I hate math, and most of you likely don’t give a hoot… I’m not going to get into the arithmetics behind it all. But, if you’re interested ,it involves some wonderfully fun equations like: 1.618033988749895 â‰ˆ 1.618

I’ve gone ahead and overlayed a dark wash on my screen shot to show you visually EXACTLY what portions of my blog stand out.

Taking your visitors by the hand…

Top Left Quadrant: My latest post. For obvious reasons it’s great to have it right there in someone’s face screaming “Read Me, I’m NEW”!
Bottom Left Quadrant: Yesterday’s post. I love this aspect of the design. My previous post shows up in JUST the right spot. Usually, by the time a post end up here, it’s got quite a few comments which of course breeds more comments!
Top Right Quadrant: My profile. There are way to many articles out there already about how important it is to put a face with the name. So just do it.
Bottom Right Quadrant: My “Extras” slot. This is one of the most valuable pieces of real estate above the fold. Here you’ll always find something fun, or something new. It’s my way of communicating with you all in an instant without needing to write a three page post. Use it!

Get out of the same old rut!

With thousands of blogs popping up all over the internet everyday, we all know how hard it has been to stand out from the crowd. Get noticed. Become a name. A Resource. A place you stop in at everyday because you know that something useful is going to be there!

You’re dedicated right? You’re ready to blog your heart out on the ways of the web and all you want in return, is a little traffic… Okay and maybe some money right? I’m with ya here… but with all that work going into building relationships, and making friends, and earning… don’t you think that it’s time to step up the game and really strut your stuff? When your sitting around next time saying to yourself what can I do to make my blog better… think of this!

Of course and while what I’m showing you isn’t all that complicated, but it’s something that few bloggers ever think about. Does that this is useless? Hell no! I’d even venture to say it makes this simple concept even more valuable… simply because no one is using it!

Get out of the public pool, quit playing kickball with friends from the neighborhood, and change how people value your blog! Stand up and get out of the rut… Do something different for a change. Your blog will thank you for it.

Make “Designing by Thirds” a standard practice.

What’s the first thing you do when you set up a new blog? Install WordPress or equivalent, upload your favorite plugins, change the URL structure, and dig into your SEO All-in-One Pack. But what about when it comes to choosing your blog’s theme? Sure, you might dig around and find something you think is great, but is it really? Does it follow one of the oldest rules in the book for great design? Does it utilize one of the most successful strategies known to the marketing world (Since 1797) If your not sure, than adding this step to your blog setup process, is something you should start doing.

Can this make you money?

Yes, in fact it’s made my employer quite a large bit o-cash if ya know what I mean! I’m not kidding either! When properly demonstrated to clients, it’s been a deal closer every time. Not many web designers take the time and explain to their clients why they do certain things. I ALWAYS do. It locks them in thinking that going elsewhere, would only be getting them second best.

This system is perfect for turning low budget website client maybes… into millions of dollars of business over the years. Hey, when it works, it works! Regardless of your blogs purpose, the goal is the same… make more money… increase traffic… add subscribers and build a valued resource that people will follow. So, stop talking about it and get to it. Now you’re aware of how important great design can really be even when simply picking a theme!

PB’s Premium Theme Giveaway!

admin — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:13:40 +0000

Okay people listen up and listen up good! I’ve been asking for help since almost day one and I’ve gotten so few responses it’s pathetic! I was giving away free hosting for a year to someone who could help me figure out how to give away a conference ticket worth almost $1,000.00! I mean c’mon people, I can’t give away stuff… to help me giveaway more stuff to save my life. So, let me try this baby out… How about a free premium WordPress theme?

Here’s the deal…

So you’re interested in getting a free WordPress theme from your pal PB right? Well I thought you would! So here is the deal… Bryan has recently enlightened me to a whole new way of looking at online investing. His formula is to create assets from liabilities. Assests make you money, and liabilities cost you money… pretty simple right. But the most interesting point he made is that subscribers are worth about $18.00 each. I have no clue how that number comes about, but if you’re curious, head on over to his site and ask.

Knowing that figure, and looking at my current subscriber list via feedburner I’d say this blog is worth about… $18.00 thanks to my man Affiliate Post who is the ONLY subscriber I’ve managed to earn… and here I thought you guys were diggin it? I know I’ve got some subscribers in various readers… but I need some e-mail subscriptions to build up the value of my “investment” and I’ll hook you up with a killer theme (I love great design)… for the help. Are we on the same page? Good!

Holy kanibilas Batman! There will be TWO winners!

Okay so if you haven’t got my drift, here it is in plain English for ya.

One random “FEEDBURNER” subscriber will earn his or her choice of premium themes found on my premium themes page.

One random “LinkBack” or “Trackback” with a post written about how cool this blog is will get you hooked up with another chance to get a killer design.

Yes. I said not one, but two people will win the premium theme of their choice. That means if you subscribe, and write an awesome post that you KNOW I’ll appreciate… you’ve got twice the chance of winning. I don’t need posts talking about the “contest” directly… but it might be a good idea. As long as you link it to this post and say something that might make me blush… I’m cool with it!

How long will this thing last… Hmmm how about two weeks? That gives you plenty of time to spam all your friend’s blogs… Kidding… and me time to figure out the next bit of awesomeness I’m going to give away. So… June 28th, 2008 at midnight… it’s all over people. I’ll video tape the random drawing… or handle it via Yahoo Live so you all can see what’s going down and who the TWO lucky winners will be.

Don’t Forget!

Some things to keep in mind… When you ask for e-mail delivery of Piss Biscuit posts via feedburner… you’ve GOT to confirm the registration, or it will not show up in my admin panel!

If you’re going to write a post, please please please make sure that you allow pingbacks and trackbacks… other wise, I wont have a clue that you wrote something nice!

For those of you interested…

I will also check my traffic so that I can DOCUMENT the real live results of your efforts to help me build a better Piss Biscuit. So unlike those people who don’t want to spill the beans… I’m going to kiss and tell which should be an awesome learning experience for all of us! Oh, and while Stumbles and Diggs are NOT required for this sweet little deal… they are greatly appreciated!

PS: If the 1,800 subscribe now links in this post isn’t good enough, then you can always check the top right of every page for the link labeled e-mail.

Is your blog sexy? Part 1

admin — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:38:17 +0000

This first article is a teaser. An introduction to a series of in depth articles teaching you how to use great design to build a better more profitable business. Don’t have the money for one? You’re blog isn’t profitable enough to make it worth doing? Yeh, I’ve heard them all before, but luckily for you, this is what I do for a living every day. I’ll show you how to get a great design without needing mega bucks. I’ll teach you how valuable a great blog design can be for your online ventures. You’ll never look at your blog the same, and when we’re all finished, neither will your visitors!

Great design is just doing good business.

Your blog should inspire and excite. Stir emotion and create a bond. Build trust and improve your relationships. Your blog is your twenty-four hour salseman who never sleeps, takes breaks, smokes, drinks or quits on you. It does what you say when you say it. It never ever complains about being over worked or in need of a raise. Your blog is in many cases your store front, your front-line for attracting new business. Your blog’s design is the most powerful tool you’ve got to leave a lasting, memorable impression, in the minds of your visitors.

So let me ask you… if you had to hire a staff of people who could accomplish the tasks, how much do you think it would cost you?

Great design will make you money!

Leaving your blog’s fate in the hands of a poor design is hopefully starting to sound like a really bad idea. As a designer, I’ve heard every excuse in the book for why a company doesn’t have the money budgeted for a great design and none of them cut it.

I know that most of you may be thinking that great design is to costly, or you’ve not budgeted for it, or your blog is simply not making enough money to cover the expense… but isn’t risk what a real venture all about? I know first hand how much a great design can cost, and sometimes, it’s intimidating.

I find myself more often than not, clinching my teeth as I layout the design syllabus for my client’s final approval… and I’m the fricken’ designer! Trust me, I know your pain!

From “Bill’s Bait Shop” to “major” international brands, I have NEVER EVER met with a client who didn’t complain about the price of getting great design! But even more frightening than daily complaints or cost reducing plea bargains… is the fact that not one customer ever considers the consequences of a poor design.

Let’s do a little math. We’re going to say that a great design should improve your bottom line by about 30% annulally. While this is a really high number for store front businesses, it’s actually pretty middle ground for online businesses. Using the above 30% margin, let’s assume the following.

Your blog is currently earning you $400.00 a month. If great design were to earn you the full additional 30% you could expect to see and increase of income around $120.00 a month. That’s $1,440.00 in one year from simply changing the way that your blog looks and feels. Nothing more! Not so bad, but it’s no record right?

Now what if you include a 30% increase in subscribers, daily readers, unique visitors, advertising inquiries, comments, trackbacks, and links? What if you and your visitors became more inspired to write good content because your great design lets them know your blog is worth the effort? See where I’m going with this? Great design can improve your blogs performance almost overnight in ways that you could never imagine!

Preparing for the series…

Now I hope that I’ve got you all worked up on the potential that great design has on your business model. I’ll be releasing each article in the series at random so you might want to subscribe to my feed and make sure you get this awesome set of “Authority Articles”. So what do you think… Are you ready for an in depth look at how designers have helped create the blogging empires of today? Are you ready to take notice and make the changes you’re blog needs to become memorable?

********** UPDATE **********

Adii has opened an awesome opportunity for us normal folks! Spawned by a comment I wrote to him last week, he’s graciously opened the doors of his Premium Theme Factory to questions and answers of the not so personal type. It’s exciting! Sort of like your favorite musician teaching you how to play an instrument. Not into selling themes? That’s okay too! Learn about the online business… not the online product!… enjoy it and let me know what you think! Check out Adii’s Q&A session!