May
4, 2008 - More new pages posted to
the Luckham Creative web site, and
bits and pieces being dragged over from the this site as you'll see.
April
18, 2008 - The first web page for Luckham
Creative has been posted. Four months delay! It was bad enough
going through a broken collar bone over Christmas, but to top it off
this Easter I came down with Kidney Stones. It's been a long and painful
ordeal, but things are getting back on track. And yeah, April 18th,
it's my birthday!
February
21, 2008 - Back in December of last year I started discussions with
ctc Train Canada about doing some contract training for them.
After a great deal of patience on their part, after breaking my collar
bone and not being available, today I taught my first class for them...
ctc Train Canada has a great campus here in Ottawa, lots of classrooms
of varying sizes. They go out of their way to create a great atmosphere
for students... bagels, muffins and coffee in the morning, and get this...
home baked cookies made on the premises at 2 p.m. every day!
Click on the logo if you're interested in looking at their course offerings.
February
12, 2008 - Still not quite up to speed, but after a number of different
ideas and variations over the past 2, 3 months the new logo for Luckham
Creative is finally done.
January
18, 2008 - After a long delay, due to breaking my collar bone back
in December, the new company name, Luckham Creative has finally
been registered as a Sole Proprietorship in the Province of Ontario.
Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year!
December,
2007 - The decision has been made to retire the name Dedicated Desktop
Creative Services in favour of something more personal. The new company
name will be Luckham Creative. Dedicated Desktop Creative Services,
worked well for me for over 23 years, but now it's getting old.
The term "desktop" has come to mean something different
today then it did 20 odd years ago... I not a "desktop publisher",
I'm a Graphic Designer... so the word desktop has to go.
The name itself is also too long, I keep reducing it to Dedicated Desktop
or just Dedicated. Another reason for the change is that I find the
world of business has changed of late... many people are looking for
a more personal service these days. There's something nice about dealing
with a person as opposed to a company. So, as I am a one-man
operation, and I've always provided a more personal service then that
of a typical design studio, I decided to reflect that in my new identity.
I'm still Dedicated, and I still provide Creative Services, but I also
teach, deliver seminars, sell photographs, write... all of which is
creative. So, Luckham Creative... it fits!
October
3, 2007 - Early
Bird Special - Learning Seminars/Workshops taking place in Ottawa.
Q: Finding it hard to reach out to clients with your existing web site or on-line presence?
Q: Do you need a web site but you don't know where to start?
A: Reaching out to clients over the Internet... there is an easier way!
Hello,
I'm sending you this e-mail to invite you to take advantage of the Early Bird Special for my upcoming Web Essentials Seminar.
Announcing a series of Learning Seminars/Workshops taking place in Ottawa
on making full use of the Internet to find and reach out to clientele, new and old.
The Reaching Out to Clients Over the Internet series of seminars/workshops to be held in Ottawa, is for anyone who has a web site, is planning a web site or creates web sites. Julian Luckham of Dedicated Desktop Creative Services is presenting this series of seminars that will help participants understand how to make full use of the internet to find and reach out to clients and customers, new and old. No prerequisites or prior knowledge is required.
"Web Essentials", an introductory three hour seminar, will take place Tuesday, October 23rd at 7 pm at the Cedarhill Golf and Country Club. There is no hands-on element to this seminar, so there will be no computers provided, but feel free to bring your laptop if you wish.
In Web Essentials you will learn valuable tips about Web Site Presentation, Structure, Navigation, and Content. You will hear discussions about working with a designer and how to make the process more satisfying and cost effective. You will also learn about Optimizing your Web site for higher Search Engine Ranking, including the one most important thing you can do to increase your ranking. Try searching Google for "Ottawa Designer" and see exactly what optimizing can do for your Web site! This evening seminar will also touch on the many ways of using other internet resources to network, and to buy, sell and even create products on-line.
This three hour seminar will include discussions on...
- What a Web site is, and what it can be!
- Tips on Registering and Hosting a Domain
- Presentation - the impression your Web site gives, the look, the feel, and the style of your Web site
- Structure - the html code and various technology your site can use
- Navigation - internal/external links, windows, menu's, sub-menus, directories and/or site maps
- Content - the editorial or marketing, your words and pictures, graphics, logos, etc.
- The evolution of Web sites
- Web Site Design, Build it and they will come?
- Web Site Design, Build it right... and they will come, they will stay and they will come back... with friends!
- Home Page Litmus test - what should be on your Home Page
- Web Site Litmus Test - what should be on every page
- Do it yourself... Brain Surgery!!
- The role of a Web Designer
- Designers vs Developers
- Working with a Web Designer to make the process more satisfying and cost effective
- Cost of a Web site and how to reduce your costs
- Maintaining a Web site
- Software, Training, Outsourcing
- Content Management Systems (CMS) or Adobe Contribute
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - Optimizing your Web site for higher Search Engine Ranking
- Findability - Active Search Engine registration vs Passive Search Engine registration
- SEO considerations
- Networking on-line
- eCommerce
*All participants are asked to submit questions at the time of registration to assure all questions can be answered quickly and accurately within the time available. Additional questions are welcomed and will be answered if time allows. Any unanswered questions will be answered through our Blog: A Passion for Creativity.
The cost of this seminar is $ 150 (Early Bird registration before Oct 16th is only $ 99) Phone 613-223-4620 or e-mail seminars@dedicateddesktop.com to reserve a seat. To pay securely using your PayPal Account, credit card, or bank account (where available), click here. Cheques may be mailed to
Dedicated Desktop Creative Services
425 – 1568 Merivale Rd.,
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2G 5Y7
Background
Julian Luckham has been operating Dedicated Desktop Creative Services since 1985. In addition to providing services in Graphic Design and Web Design through his company, Julian has also provided training since 1990, having taught and designed courses for the Vancouver Community College (VCC) and the International Academy of Design and Technology (IADT) in Ottawa, as well as other smaller private schools. The Computer Graphics program at IADT, which he taught and helped developed, has been recognized by Industry experts attending the Program Advisory Board as the best Graphic Design program in the industry. Students and training clients have included print shops, design studios, government agencies, post secondary institutions, as well as individuals embarking on a new career or wanting to upgrade their computer skills.
Over the years, Julian has also presented seminars and workshops for private companies and the general public on subjects such as “The Apple Macintosh in a Graphic Design Environment”, “Pre-press: Making sure your digital files Print!”, "Quark XPress and Newspaper Production", “Print Production: Creating an efficient workflow”, “Web sites: Build it right, and they will come!”, and "Helping Artists Grow Beyond the Sale of Originals".
Click here to read what clients say about Dedicated Desktop.
Registration and Details:
When, Where and How Much?
Web Essentials - 7-10 p.m., Tuesday October 23rd, 2007
Cedarhill Golf and Country Club - 56 Cedarhill Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K2R 1C5
$ 150 (Early Bird registration before Oct 16th is only $ 99)
Presented by Julian Luckham of Dedicated Desktop Creative Services
Registration
On-line Payment: To pay securely using your PayPal Account, credit card,
or bank account (where available), click here.
By mail: Dedicated Desktop Creative Services:
425 – 1568 Merivale Rd., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2G 5Y7
By e-mail: seminars@dedicateddesktop.com
By phone: 613-223-4620
E-mail updates: For more information on upcoming seminars, announcements, etc., e-mail mailinglist@dedicateddesktop.com to be added to the mailing list.
Additional Seminars/Workshops to be announced:
Reaching out to clients over the Internet Series:
Learning Seminars on making full use of the Internet to find and reach out to clientele, new and old.
Search Engine Optimization:
Content | Navigation | Coding | Links | Keywords
Networking:
LinkedIn | Facebook | Blogs | Wikis | Tagging | Web 2.0
eCommerce:
Create and Sell Online | Self-publishing | Shopping Carts | PayPal
Don’t give up on Learning Series:
Learning Seminars on Adapting to a Digital Lifestyle.
Blogging | Photo Sharing | Family or Personal Websites | Social Networking
Digital Photography | VoIP/Internet Telephony | Getting Creative and making it Pay | Searching
...making the most of your computer and the Internet.
Check our web site for updates, details and dates as they become available.
Please feel free to forward this e-mail to anyone that you feel may be interested
Sincerely,
Julian Luckham
August 7, 2007 - Google Results - Where are You?
Q: Are you getting Page One Search Results on Google, MSN and Yahoo?
A: Read on, only if you want to know how!
Hello,
I'm sending you this e-mail to share with you some of the Page One Search Results I've been getting for my clients on Google, MSN and Yahoo.
Reading this e-mail, and my latest Blog post, will be the second best thing you can do for your Web site! The first best? Call me when you're done!! Read on...
Consider this:
Search engines generate close to 90 per cent of traffic to a Web site.
Most searchers (about 82 per cent) don't look past the first three pages.
Q: So how do I get Page One Results on the major search engines?
A: In a word - Findability!
Q: What’s Findability?
A: It's how well, or how easy your web site is being found by search engines and thus potential buyers/customers/clients.
The best way to be found is by having your Web site Optimized for Search Engines, because the majority of Web sites are being found through Google, MSN and Yahoo.
Q: Okay, so what do I do?
A: Stop playing Hide and Seek, let's get your Web site out in the open, now!
I've always said that the Internet's influence on business has gone through cycles... at first it was important to just get on-line. Then we went through a period where being on-line wasn't enough, you had to be on-line and look good! A well designed Web site gets more traffic, and visitors will stay longer and even pass along your address to friends and associates. These days with so many web sites out there, the biggest issue now, is Findability.
Q: Okay, Findability, I get it! So what do I do?
A: Well, getting it is the first part, doing it is next!
Take a few minutes to visit my company Blog and read my latest post: So You're On-line! Now What? Search Engine Optimization! You'll read about the success I've had in getting my own web site and those of past and present clients to the 1st page on Google and other search engines. And you don't have to take my word for it, you can see the actual results, and even test them yourself by clicking on the keywords that will take you right to Google's search results.
See how the web site I designed for Robert Bateman, three years ago, still holds the #1 spot on Google. Read how I redesigned, and got a local printer's Web site from 0 to #6 on Google in three days, and now in #1 spots for various keyword searches.
Q: I just searched for my own Web site and I'm not there - What do I DO?
A: 613-223-4620 or julian.luckham@dedicateddesktop.com
After you’ve read my blog, and searched for your own site, don't waste another minute... give me a call, send me an e-mail and let's get your web site to the 1st three pages on Google as soon as possible! Canada is one of the most on-line countries in the world, so if you're not getting into the first three pages of the major search engines, you're just not on-line!
Please feel free to forward this e-mail to anyone that you feel may be interested
Sincerely,
Julian Luckham
