Meetup.com is an extremely powerful resource for people in all industries looking to collaborate on a wide variety of topics in a relaxed meeting setting (the groups often get together monthly or bi-weekly).

Skybox Creative recently attended a Meetup for Refresh SD, a group that includes web developers, internet marketers, techies, etc.. The topic: discussing client management and client requests – yes, a complicated matter. This topic often comes up in the web design and branding industry, because it is important to clearly define project scope and rounds of changes before starting a project that has been estimated out.

A few good tips and resources:

• Give clients a questionnaire prior to starting a project (Skybox uses a Branding Analysis Questionnaire, which discusses demographics, target market, competition, look & feel – and more!)

• Project Management tools can be key to balancing work flow – Action Method is a good one, VUE is a good way to describe logic or the development of a back end system

• OfficeTime is a great tool for tracking hours

• Clearly define client deliverables (copy, photos, feedback)

Art & Copy, a film by Doug Pray, is playing in San Diego on June 24th at The Birch North Park Theatre (2891 University Avenue, San Diego, CA 92104) at 6pm. To purchase tickets or for more info, click here.

The Art Institute of California – San Diego with support from AIGA San Diego, The San Diego Ad Club, and Ad2 San Diego are hosting a one night only screening of “Art & Copy,” a film by Doug Pray.

Your $20 ticket purchase includes admission to a 21+ pre-show mixer featuring the Montalban Quartet at The Office Bar in North Park, two drink tickets, appetizers and admission to the film screening at Birch North Park Theatre.

Tickets for the FILM SCREENING ONLY are available for $10.

Proceeds will benefit the EDMC Education Foundation, which raises money for The Art Institutes Scholarship Fund to help deserving students in financial need.

Pre Show Mixer:
6:00PM
The Office Bar, North Park
3936 30th Street (between University & Lincoln Ave)
San Diego, CA 92104

Film Screening:
8:30PM
Birch North Park Theatre
2891 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92104

Notes:
Tickets available for pick up upon arrival at The Office Bar mixer on the day of the show, beginning at 6:00. Pre-show mixer is 21+ only. Advance ticket purchasing encouraged, tickets will be available for sale day of show, CASH ONLY for $25.

Skybox Ink recently printed high gloss promotion fliers for the upcoming 2nd Annual San Diego Spirits Festival in beautiful downtown San Diego. The event runs from June 2-5, with the main event and “Grand Tasting” on Saturday at the Hilton Bayfront’s 4.3 acre waterfront park.

The finale features TASTINGS OF OVER 65 BRANDS OF SPIRITS, BARTENDER CHALLENGE, PAYNE MASON CIGARS, SILENT AUCTION, and a menagerie of entertainment including a live band and burlesque dancers with many more surprises for everyone to enjoy.

The premier event: The Dual Bartender/Chef challenge is on June 3 from 5-8pm at the US Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego.

Individual Tickets can be purchased for the Challenge for $25 
and included in the Festival VIP package for $100 
Saturday Only General Public Tickets $50 – Last year they SOLD OUT, so pick up your tickets today!

She gave us the green light to go out and find our phenomenal. Don’t cover it up, or dim the light that shines from within because fear, you have no seat at this table. Lisa Nichols has a powerful way with words.

The Secret’s Nichols, also author of the best seller, No Matter What, spoke to a Point Loma Marriott ballroom full of female (and some male) entrepreneurs at the National Association of Women Business Owner’s annual BRAVO! Awards Dinner Wednesday night.

Skybox Creative and Skybox Ink President Angelina Sereno was honored during the evening as a nominee for NAWBO’s Green Community Award, which was won by the Artisan Design Group, a green interior design and architectural firm. Skybox Creative staff had the pleasure of meeting Jenny Lemmons of A Better Way to Say It, an online marketing firm, and Elizabeth Smiley, a CPA with Squar Milner during the evening festivities.

The event, which included a silent auction, cocktail hour and three course dinner, was highlighted by speaker Lisa Nichols’ inspiring sentiments regarding unlocking the entrepreneurial spirit. Watch the video to hear some of her powerful messages!

A group of passionate political entrepreneurs honing their advocacy, campaign work and leadership skills for the betterment of future government and society joined together Friday night to celebrate environmentalism at its finest.

Skybox Creative and Skybox Ink mingled with these “new leaders” at the New Leaders Council, San Diego Chapter’s Fellows Fundraiser on May 14 at San Diego’s chic W Hotel. The event was focused around the future of progressive leadership, which included the group’s presentation of an environmental leadership award to CleanTECH San Diego. CleanTECH is a new non-profit membership organization formed to accelerate San Diego as a world leader in the clean technology economy. They have been able to secure millions of dollars for green projects throughout San Diego County, included the University of California San Diego and San Diego Unified School District. Skybox Ink served as a sponsor of the event.

Building lasting relationships. Meeting people first, seeing them as potential clients second. Creating a sense of community in a land of transplants.

These were all some of the lasting sentiments echoed by David Epstein, one of the founding members of the San Diego Coastal Group. Started on the Linkedin platform, this group has over 1400 members, and is vying to be one of the more connected and bonded groups found in the social media marketplace.

We all have someone on our Facebook page with 1000, 2000 or even 5000 “friends,” but what is their connection to all of these people and will it be affecting their lives in some sort of positive manor?

The San Diego Coastal Group hopes to be able to use social media as a tool to connect, but wants to host monthly, if not bi-weekly gatherings in which people can truly come together, discuss business, friendships, family and more.

Skybox Creative had the pleasure to attend the inaugural meet up at Rancho Santa Fe’s Morgan Run Club and Resort, and were introduced to a group of really innovative and inspiring people, from successful entrepreneurs to those facing career transitions.

Skybox had the opportunity to share our expertise in web development, branding, graphic design, printing and more with guests including, Yasmin Shah, Timothy Rhodes of Tech Coast Sales and scientists Atsuo Kuki and Steven Sands.

On another cool note, Skybox Creative Account Manager Carly Bartkiewicz won a fishing trip raffled off by Epstein during the sit down portion of the evening. Bluefin, yellowtail and the salty ocean air, here we come!

If you’re looking for a networking group that is more than just networking and equally about helping people and connecting with others looking to make a positive difference, definitely join the group and come out to the next event!

Skybox Creative, an award-winning branding and web design firm, attended the San Diego SEO Meetup Group in Clairemont Mesa last night, and we wanted to share some of the quick and easy WordPress SEO tips we learned. (One of the most important themes of the evening being that WordPress is an EXCELLENT tool for SEO, so if you aren’t familiar with the open source blogging software/content management system, we suggest you get on the bandwagon!)

1. Use a question in your blog post titles. Why, you ask? Because when people are searching for information, they are often asking a question in their search.

2. There are thousands upon thousands of plug-ins for WordPress out there, but beware. Older plug-ins often don’t work with the most recent versions of WordPress (which is on 2.9, but getting close to launching 3.0). There are some great SEO plug-ins however, such as the SEO All-in-One and Ping Optimizer (Check out: WordPress Plugin Directory)

3. Utilize Blog Directories and Social Bookmarking Sites. They can be really great ways to drive traffic to your site, and the more niche the directory, the better!

Check out:

StumbleUpon
Mister Wong
Delicious

4. Don’t be a victim. Read up on WordPress Defender so that you can figure out the best methods to secure your blog from hackers. Always make sure you’re using the most recent version of WP and downloading all security updates are good starting points.

5. Blog at least once a week. An inactive blog doesn’t help anyone – especially you or your business. Blogs are meant to have fresh and changing content on a regular basis.

SIDE NOTE: Did you know that the word “Twit” comes from the English? (You Monty Python fans out there no what I am talking about).  Actual meaning is a drunken, upper-class Brit – happy tweeting!

New Leaders Council is an organization who’s mission is to train and support the next generation of progressive political entrepreneurs – those who are leading industries, setting trends, and building institutions that support robust civic and political life in a global America.

NLC is hosting a Cocktail Reception with Congresswoman Susan Davis (Invited) to Present NLC’s Community Collaboration Award honoring CleanTECH San Diego, a clean energy nonprofit in San Diego.

Why honor CleanTECH?
CleanTECH San Diego exemplified NLC’s values of collaborative, progressive leadership by establishing a community coalition to secure $154M in federal allocations for financing renewable energy projects, such as solar power installations, on behalf of a number of local municipalities.

Skybox Ink, an eco-freindly printer, located in San Diego is a supporter of the event. Carly and Angelina will be in attendance and would love to see you there. The event will be held at the W Hotel in downtown San Diego.

Friday, May 14, 2010
6:00-8:00 p.m.

The W Hotel
421 West B Street
Downtown San Diego

Tickets: $20 (Space is limited)
HOSTED APPETIZERS & DRINK SPECIALS INCLUDED

For more information or to register for the event, click here

The green entrepreneurship Skybox Ink and Skybox Creative promoting locally received acclaim from Business Strategies, Etc., a Seattle-based small business consultancy. Read the article here!

Surrounded by the luxurious ambiance of Sé Hotel’s Sîren Uber Lounge, Skybox Ink, in association with Skybox Creative, held their second Green is the New Black Mixer on March 18^th, 2010 in Downtown San Diego. The night consisted of networking with eco-friendly professionals and entrepreneurs, a sponsored raffle prize giveaway, and numerous photo opportunities taken in front of our gorgeous blue Skybox Ink step and repeat banner (created by 858 Graphics).

Sponsors for the night’s event included Eco Corp Home Services, Casalinda Studio Designer Jewelry, Eufora, and eLiveLife.com.