One of the biggest problems I often encounter as a web designer is choosing colors for my sites. I generally want something unique that will separate that particular site from the zillions of other websites on the Internet.

Here is my process:

1. “Form Follows Function” - First, I look at the content of the site I am designing. This will generally dictate the colors I will use. For example, if I am creating a professional site for a company, I usually stick to the colors of their logo (if applicable) and use no more than 2 or 3 colors. If I am designing a personal page, or one that is more creative, I will use a few more colors and depend less on the “whitespace”.

2. Whitespace - One of the most underrated pieces of web design is the amount of whitespace a layout has. It has to be just right. Too much whitespace makes the website look sparce and too little makes it look crammed. One I decide how much whitespace I want, I start to look at the actual colors.

3. The User - This part is very similar to number 1. I look at the users who will be using my site. Generally speaking, if it is a younger audience, I will use more color and graphics. If it is an older audience, I will use less colors and keep it simple.

4. Experiment - Once I have an idea of what colors I want to use, I start to experiment. I usually go through at least 4 or 5 revisions before I settle on a color. Once I have a few colors down on a page, I will tweak them to fit together.

That’s about it. It is a simple process for the most part.

If you are having trouble finding color inspiration, check out the color scheme gallery.

Stay tuned to a quick guide to choosing a layout.

The most important word(s) in the world is a person’s name

I am sure many of you have heard this before. My first encounter with this idea was when I read “How To Win Friends And Influence People” by Dale Carnegie (a great read by the way). As I meet more and more clients each day I am finding this idea to be so true.

People absolutely love to hear their name, especially if you can remember it for your second encounter. Think about it. If I person remembers my name after only meeting me once, I think “Hey, that person must think I’m important. They remembered my name.”

There is a hoagie shop down the street from where I work. Whenever I stop in there, whoever is working the register greets me with “Hey Dan, how’s you doing?”. Every time it blows my mind that they remember my name. Especially, since I don’t stop in that often.

So how can you apply this to your website or the online world? Email.

Send personal email (time permitting) to your users thanking them for their support and readership.

Try it out and see how people react. You will be surprised with the results.