An Extremely Shameless Plug

Dear David,

I recently found out about your graphic design blog from - guess what - another graphic design blog. I have to say I'm very impressed (and at the same time envious) at the ease with which you managed to generate traffic, design logos and brochures and the likes, debate about design and blog, design sleek websites, all at the same time. That's a lot of hat. Like, really a lot.

Anyway, this post right here is to talk about your recent contest, which I would really really like to win. I can really use professional help in almost everything, cause my knowledge as it is are limited to designing for print (maybe a wee bit of web design here and there, but not much).

Well, since I really really want to win your prizes (any one of it would be great), here's where I list your sponsors, hopefully in creative enough ways. Let's talk about the many things I can benefit, as a person, through winning your prizes.

First off, I get custom logo from you! That would be a great honor, tho if you don't mind I would really like to get involved in the design process also, me being a designer and all that. Still it would be interesting to do a collaborative work on a corporate identity design, don't you think? Usually collaborations are only done on artsy stuff like Illustration and Posters.

I also get a WordPress theme design. Which I will definitely need, seeing as to how I'm still using blogger's template. You know I actually tried my hand at doing a custom blog design template. I really did. I even hosted it up at my site and had it up and running. However, I was having trouble managing my blog easily through blogspot, and with archiving, user comments and the likes. In short, I sucked. I didn't follow through. I hate giving reasons, but I do have one. I don't have nobody to turn to for help. Google was being a bitch. Yahoo! was, well being himself - not much help.

A personal marketing/advertising plan~? Oh what~? Gee, I'm not sure about that. That sounds too good to be true. I mean, who in the world advertises their own personal site? Okay, all right. I guess you do. And a lot of other experts and the rest of the professionals in the world wide web. But you see, I'm still very much in the learning stages. Still, I'd take it with open arms *wink*

One year's worth of hosting and blog setup! Right on! I get to free myself from the shackles of blogspot! Yee ha! John, if I do win, I really have to apologize because the time you will have to kindly donate to help me set my new custom blog would probably be quite substantial, to say the least. But hmm, my portfolio site is already on Media Temple. Maybe we can join it up and the likes. *shrug*

Signed copy of Blogging Tips also sounds amazing. I'll probably read it in like, a week. I'm very proud to say that I finished Harry's latest adventures in about two days. I bought it on Sunday, took MC on Monday and finished it right away. Of course, I went right back in and enjoyed all the little things for the next two weeks or so too, but you get my drift. And once I'm done I can sell it! It's signed so that's at least an extra $1000! Much needed capital to pump into my excellent marketing/advertising plan!

Oh dear.

I thought I'm done with the prizes, but it turns out thats just the very first category!

Uhm, I'll just zip through the rest cause its really getting quite late now. But it's amazing how some of the 2nd and 3rd prize are actually things I really can do with also. SEO consultation for example, is something I would really like to know more about. Did you know that in this 'supposedly advanced' tiny island of Singapore, there are still many government and huge commercial sites that are not done properly? No SEO consultation and proper website design/layout. An example would be my mobile phone service provider. After I signed up with them I tried browsing around for new mobile phones on their site and I ended up crying instead. I lost my way and refuses to come near that site ever again.

An email interview also sounds nice. That should bring traffic, no? But then again my site's not really ready for a lot of traffic anyway, seeing as to how raw it is. Well, we all has got to start somewhere *shrug*

Free money! Who doesn't want free money? Gayla is hot and she knows it.

Blog review, WordPress themes, Expert WordPress blog help and the likes! Oh wow, even the bonus prizes sounds like a worthy contender for 1st prize. Coaching consultations sounds interesting. I've always wanted to go to these 'coaching seminars' and what not but at the rate I'm getting paid, I can't afford to go just yet. And business growth consultations! That sounds great, although I'm really not sure yet if I want to go full freelance by myself or with a team. Still, I will not refuse knowledge. Thats a cardinal sin to me.

Tammy's tele-coaching also sounds like some much needed help from above. I've always had the worst time ever negotiating over a contract and or pay. Challenging clients I deal with all the time, but a tip or two won't hurt.

Whee~! Art books! Design books! Branding books! I get to stuff my shelves silly! I approve with the largest possible grin.

Oooh, banner ad on a well-trafficked blog forum. But I'm a bit shy about advertising my blog. Maybe with all the help you folks are giving me with blog design, blog review, writing consultations and tele-coachings, I can have a properly managed blog that I can be proud of, yeah?

And even more online ads and banner advertisings! Okay! If I only win these advertising prizes, I sure hope I can keep it for future usage! I reckon it'll take me a few weeks or even months to really do up my site proper without professional help.

Amongst all the designers I'm probably one of the most thick-skinned one. I can't care much tho. I just hope I win something *evil laugh*

Thank you for reading this David. I love you!