Sacramento website design firm Uptown Studios.

Good design conveys your message, with colors and copy that inspire action. Professional design by a great creative team, gets your
promotional campaign, website or video project noticed.

When we design, we consider who the target audience will be. We don’t want to just make YOU happy, we want the final product to be
attractive to your target audience.

The relationship between you and your design firm needs to be a trusting relationship – Consider it Design Therapy.
Sometimes we will tell you things you don’t want to hear. We advise you on the best way to deliver your message – Should you really spend money on that brochure if there is something else that will benefit you more? Is your content up to par?

The message is the look and feel, the message is YOUR personality put into a creative message that will be well received by your recipients, funders, viewers and more.

Good design – professionally done, is the most affordable expense in your budget, because it will get you the results you want!

All the best,
Tina

We launched a brand new site for Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra this week, check it out at www.SacPhil.org. I want to talk a bit about supporting our arts community. Uptown Studios donated a major portion of this website, supporting our arts community and I would like to talk about how you might get involved and help support our community.

1. For some, just buying one ticket, a season pass or asking a friend to join you to attend one of the concerts is what is comfortable. The main idea here is that you ARE supporting your arts community just by attending and talking about your experience with your friends.

2. When you are ready to do more you might bring an idea to your place of work or manager, that wouldn’t it be great if our office attended a concert, go out to an art gallery, or support a local performer.

3. If you are business owner, your BEST marketing materials will be to support a local arts group by sponsoring an event and getting an ad in their program. Your ad will show to all of your clients that you are involved in your community and you will shine above the competion – along with the sponsorship you will get tickets to the event – show up and bring your clients. The best ad ever!

So, show up, buy a ticket, get that original piece of art on your wall – so easy…

It is going to be a beautiful weekend! Saturday is expected to be 67 degrees in Sacramento!
Stay happy,
Tina

Eat
Everyone is talking about the new Squeeze Inn burger place in Midtown Sacramento! The eatery featured on Diners, Dives and Drive-Ins, is best known for the “Squeeze with Cheese,” a 1/3 pound hamburger patty, prepared on its well-worn griddle, finished with its famous hard “cheese skirt” of melted cheddar. Check it out! http://bit.ly/xqvx09
1630 K street, Sacramento

Another place that is hot this week is Doughbot! 2226 10th Street,
Sacramento – Try the “The Dude,” a white Russian Bavarian cream filled with white Russian glaze or the maple bacon donut, which has bacon pieces mixed into the donut dough, glazed with maple syrup and topped with a small strip of bacon. So bad it’s good!

Drink
58 Degrees & Holding Company is a great place for happy hour and a tasty treat! http://www.58degrees.com/

See
Amy Goodman will be a featured speaker tonight at St. Marks Methodist Church – http://bit.ly/z19NM6 Goodman is a progressive broadcast journalist, syndicated columnist, investigative reporter and author. Goodman is the principal host of Democracy Now!

Do
Second Saturday Art Walk – Sacramento. It should be a great day to get out and see some art. Make sure and stop at the Alex Bult Gallery at 1114 21st Street!

Here we are heavy into the very first week of the year. Uptown Studios is rockin’ and rollin’ – we have a brand new Project Manager – Sarah Barkawi. We are so happy to have her be part of our crew. Email sarah@uptownstudios.net for your next project and let her take great care of you!

We showed up on Tuesday and put our heads down and worked through our first week back in 2012. New clients popping up all over – getting ready to make a change in 2012.
We went to Drag Queen Bingo Thursday night and the Gay and Lesbian Center raised over $2000 – what a fun event that always is. I met with Joe Fox who is bringing his documentary “Question One” to the Crest on Feb 1. It is all about LGBT marriage rights and the fights that we have been through.

Stay happy,
Tina

Eat
El Dorado Epicurean – a progressive dinner for culinary adventurers
- A weeklong celebration of local cuisine Jan. 22 – 29 – get your tickets early http://www.visiteldorado.com/culinaryadventure.php

Carpe Vino – Auburn – We met up with some friends and had the best
food and the best of times. Check them out – but make sure you have
reservations – it is a super popular place http://www.carpevinoauburn.com/

Drink
Revolution Wines is in midtown and is a great place to go at the end of the day for a fabulous glass of wine and yummy snacks. The nice people there make you feel like you are visiting a good friend’s house. http://www.revolution-wines.com/

Stay
Vizcaya – A great place to have an elegant special event right in Midtown Sacramento! Overnight accomodations at the historic Vizcaya Mansion! http://vizcayapavilion.com/

See
TED Talks – If it is too cold to go outside here is some of the most
motivating videos that you can see – all in one place – this is very
special people doing amazing things and teaching all of us! I love me
some TED!
http://www.ted.com/

Do
Bikeology 101 – a free, informative workshop for those new to cycling, returning after a lay-off, or experienced cyclists who want to learn more. Saturday, Jan 7. Topics will include proper bike fit, using gears, cadence, safe uphills and downhills, group cycling safety and etiquette, road safety and more, presented by veteran cyclist Nancy Buck. Bring your own bike and join the group for a short ride following the workshop. $5 entrance fee to Discovery Park. http://norcalaidscycle.org/training-and-events/calendar/

KOLT Run Creations is beginning their new season with a party and previews Jan. 15 at the Ooley Theater – Don’t miss it! http://koltruncreations.com/SeasonKickoffParty.aspx

Here we are on the last few days of 2011 and excited for a fabulous 2012 to begin. With weather near spring-like it’s time to get out and do something during the last days of 11. I will be planning on what great a wonderful things I will be getting involved with to help our community. If you have any ideas that I should consider – email me at tina@uptownstudios.net.

I have closed out our 2011 books and did a count on what we have dontated to our community nonprofits during 2011 and it is a whopping $165,400 – Donated in services to some of our finest nonprofits like; SafeGround, Francis House Center, Sacramento ACT, Green Capital Alliance, Out & Equal, and so much more.

Who will you reach out to help during 2012?

Eat
Kru Restaurant on J Street – If you have not tried their warm mushroom salad – oh baby – you are missing out! Tell them Uptown Studios sent you. http://www.krurestaurant.com/index.html

Estelle’s Patisserie opened December 8th on the corner of Ninth and K Streets. The bakery offers about 35 items – from fruit tarts, puff pastries and croissants to soups, sandwiches and baguettes. http://bit.ly/vbarzv

Drink
Old Sacramento Speakeasy Tour | Rich History & Dirty Little Secrets
http://downtownsac.org/venture-out/downtown-tours/
The tour begins at the River City Saloon, an Old Town bar decorated in prohibition-era style. Your group will head to several other speakeasy spots including the famed Delta King Riverboat, which at the time served as a ‘floating’ hotspot for illegal drinking, jazz bands,
gambling and fine dining. The tour lasts approximately 2 hours.The 3rd Saturday of each month, $10 per person, drinks not included
Tour participants must be 21 years of age or older. Tickets for this tour must be pre-purchased, please, no walk ups.

Stay
A relaxing weekend getaway is to Calistoga! We stayed at the Roman Spa recently and the massage and baths are just what the doctor ordered! http://www.romanspahotsprings.com/

See
Visit the Crocker Art Museum – We always have the BEST time when we take our granddaughters – MLK Day Free Family Festival – Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 16, at this museum-wide festival. Free admission. http://www.crockerartmuseum.org/

SFMOMA Exhibition Devles into Same Sex Issues http://www.marriageequality.org/events
30 Artists and 8 Poets on Marriage Equality – Runs through February 20, 2012
SFMOMA, presents The Air We Breathe, a thematic exhibition that brings together commissioned work by 30 contemporary visual artists and eight poets who, for this project, will explore issues surrounding the cause to legalize same-sex marriage from various perspectives.

Do
Calculate Your Carbon Footprint http://www.coolcalifornia.org/
Find out what your carbon footprint is, and how the choices you make can reduce your impact on the environment.

We are starting something a little bit new on our blog. Every Friday
we are going to post things to Eat, Drink, Stay, See and Do in the
greater Sacramento area. We love our community and want to share some of the fun and entertaining things we’ve found in and around the region! Enjoy!

Eat:
Mayahuel
Uptown Studios had our holiday party catered by Mayahuel and the enchiladas are gone – very popular and really hit the spot – thanks Mayahuel! 1200 K Street, Sacramento http://tequilamuseo.com/

Dimple Cake Pops – some kinda treat – We got some from one of our clients now we can’t get enough – Tell Kim Tina sent you! AND they deliver – Uber YUM
http://www.dimplescakepops.com/Site/Dimples_Cake_Pops.html

Drink:
Lucca Restaurant – 16th and J Streets http://www.luccarestaurant.com/ They know how to make my perfect martini – vodka, shaken, two olives and just a little dirty! AND their happy hour has some of the best hors d’oeuvres

Crescent Club – 1150 Firehouse Ally, Old Sacramento Prohibition Era Cocktails and Appetizers Friday and Saturday live Blues, Jazz and Gypsy Swing. Breakfast served on Sundays 9am – 2pm – Great Patio http://www.crescentclub.us/

Stay:
Park Winters is a celebration ready, Boutique Inn located in historic Winters, California. This beautiful Victorian home and gardens will wrap you in the pleasures of simple country luxury. http://parkwinters.com/

The Historic Cary House Hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Northern California wine country and directly on the way to Lake Tahoe. Take a book, walking shoes and your favorite person to share it with.  http://www.caryhouse.com/

See:
It’s A Wonderful Life A Live Radio Play Capital Stage on J Street
http://bit.ly/s4gW2K

A Christmas Carol – This is Sacramento Theatre Company’s musical version of the classic holiday ghost story–this year with a few added surprises. http://www.sactheatre.org/

Do:
Give a sleeping bag to someone in need. Christmas Day! A group of dedicated volunteers will be hosting a sleeping bag giveaway 9:30 to 11:30am at the Outreach Center of Safehaven Ministries of Sacramento. 1400 North C Street, Sacramento.

Westfield Downtown Plaza Ice Rink
Sacramento’s original outdoor ice rink 20th season produced by the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. The 7,000 sq. ft. rink is open 7 days a week through January 16. Fun for the whole family! Through Jan. 16!  701 K Street, Sacramento. http://downtownsac.org/eventcategory/events/

Bingo, The Winning Musical is at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret – through January 8 and I’ve heard it’s a blast! 1000 K Street, Sacramento http://bit.ly/uFtUd7

Crocker Art Museum Dec. 26 – Free admission all day. Same day as the Kwanza Free Family Festival. Celebrated worldwide, Kwanzaa focuses on family, community, creativity, and cultural traditions. http://bit.ly/sXwAhU

Remember Uptown Studios for your design, web, video and social media needs http://www.uptownstudios.net Send us your events for things to do around here to caroline@uptownstudios.net and we will get them into our blog.

Social Media Marketing

You create the buzz using free tools provided by Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. Your ad dollars are moving from print media into digital, and you get to manage how your message goes out.

Each social media platform gives you the ability to connect with your very specific audience to create engagement and customer loyalty. Start sharing conversations, photos, videos and any web link, you get your message out with creative flair, and drive traffic to your website. Social media channels add relevance and authority to your website that increase your page ranking in search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo.

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/UptownStudios1
More than 700 million users, your business can reach people who need your products or services. Facebook relies on real conversation between you and your customers. Provide information about the things you know best, share your ideas, ask questions, drive promotions.

Facebook advertising has great filters to drill in and target your potential clients. Claim your Facebook places page and people can “check-in” to your business driving their friends your way.

Twitter http://twitter.com/uptownstudios
The Twitter social media channel boasts 20 million users and is growing so quickly. Twitter offers a great resource to listen to what’s being said about your company and industry. With lists, and direct messaging and global search, you can easily have a conversation with people that in the past you had no access.

Real conversations, real connections and great networking are how you can grow your business.

YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/uptownstudios
Video is engaging, entertaining and people want to share interesting content. Create some promotional or fun videos and send out the links to your other social media channels. Subscribe to other channels, make comments, meet creative people who are in the same field.

There are annotations that help you drive your message home, and closed captioning options to spell out the audio. Nonprofit organizations get lots of extra benefits using YouTube – direct links, free advertising and analytics. If you are a nonprofit it is worth the time to get approved by YouTube.

LinkedIn http://linkd.in/TinaReynolds
LinkedIn is perfect for business people wanting to network with others. Research your competitors, find job opportunities and keep up on local business news. Great to join groups for every type of business. Jump in on the conversation and share your knowledge. Establish your company as a leader in your field.

When you are ready and if all this sounds daunting to you, call and schedule an in-house training for you and your team.
All of these platforms change and grow weekly with new features – Uptown Studios is staying up on changes so you don’t have to.

If it is not “Easy, Fun and Popular” then you need to look at what you are trying to sell.

In marketing, if you are selling a product or a healthy lifestyle – understanding that people are not going to purchase or adopt any change if they cannot see themselves in the mix, whatever that mix is. Our job as the movers and shakers and opinion makers is to make sure that what we are pushing out there to the general public gets noticed.

So here are 3 easy steps towards more fun and popularity!

Easy, Fun and Popular – never cheap!
1. Does your message say “You can DO this!” If it does than move to step 2. Ask a trusted friend to pick up the piece that you have created or click on the website or view your new item, and they don’t GET IT, then you need to go back and rework your marketing piece. You need to listen to the people that are honest with you and then do something about the issues they had with your marketing piece.

2. If you are not a paid design professional, then keep it as simple as possible, use only ONE font, use all CAPS sparingly, and keep to the colors in your logo or brand. Don’t use cheap clip art that comes with Microsoft Word, you want to look professional.

3. Is there a “Call to Action” – If you have created a video that is eight minutes long and you load it onto your YouTube page – guess what… People will click off at about 45 seconds to a minute, and they may never make it to your call to action. If you create a brochure with lots of text, your target audience may never open the thing. So get to the point!

Keep it short and sweet and get the call to action in there early and close with it again.

We recently created a short video for Sunrise Recreation and Parks YouTube page – “Pet-A-Palooza” event – take a look – short and sweet and oh, so fun! http://www.youtube.com/user/SunriseRecreation

Communication has changed. Using Social Media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, we all have the opportunity to promote your nonprofit or using these free communication tools.

Currently there are 600 million people on Facebook. 145 million on Twitter. And millions of videos on YouTube. People are using social media platforms to promote things that are important to them. Help them promote your organization and mission.

Your voice should be authentic and social. Engage with organizations you align with and individuals you seek out. Find your sponsors, people you would love to talk to, leaders in your field. Have some fun. Build your network and nurture relationships.

As with any relationship, this is one that grows with time and as people get to know what your mission is, the more they will be there to support you and suggest that their friends should support you too.

Your time is your investement. You must be willing to invest in the resources to reach this new audience. You can do it with a minimum of 3 hours a week from a staff member or intern or you can dedicate an full time employee to manage all promotional outreach. It’s up to you, but you have to make at least the minimum hours to achieve your goals.

Social media platforms are a tool that If used correctly, will draw attention, volunteers and contributors.

I believe that most people want to make a difference in this world and will share what they care about with friends and family via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube. Help others embrace and champion your cause.

With media savvy Baby Boomers coming into their retirement years and the youth of today growing up with the internet, there are volunteers to be recruited, money to be raised and a world to change.

Local Housing and Homeless Nonprofits Using Social Media

The importance of websites

• Content

• Call to action

• Recruiting Volunteers

• Integration of Social Media

• Drive people to your site

• Blogs & Facebook alone

Social Media Platforms – Benefits of Each:

• Facebook Friendly – Social Interaction – Events – Discussions – Groups – New Facebook Pages – Importance of photos – Ask for What You Want

• Twittertastic – Find followers and influencers – Linking – Targeting with Hash Tags – Lists – How Often to Post – New Twitter Pages

• YouTube Loves Nonprofits – Compelling content – Drive People where you want them to go – Most Viral

• Hootsuite – Scheduling and time management