Several months ago I launched Google Apps for the Archetype Marketing domain (archetypemarketing.com) and was generally impressed with the features offered in both Standard and Premier versions.  A good percentage of our clients are small businesses so the FREE Standard version of Google Apps works just fine (Premium is priced at $50/user/year…which just flips most of my clients OUT!).  The roll out process with our existing clients have allowed us to fine-tune the installation and migration process and to see where additional help and tutorials are needed.  It’s not a secret that I am slowly rolling over our existing clients and all new web hosting clients are being set up to use Google Apps (Standard or Premier) for email and to take advantage of other features such as Google Calendar, Docs, Sites, Contacts, and additional apps that are available.

Archetype Marketing provides web hosting mainly to our design clients so in more cases than not,  setting up web hosting and Google Apps also includes other projects from graphic design including logo and branding to web site design, social media and marketing projects.  Utilizing Archetype Marketing’s Google Docs in a shared environment allows me to use an existing project for collaboration and train my clients to really see where the “Cloud” mentality and take them as far as working with their staff and even their customers, clients, or other external partners.

Branding, Customization and Instructions: It’s not a secret that I’m a little enamoured with Google but I think it is safe to say that my feet are on the ground and I’ve experienced several issues with Googles’ help, tutorials, and information.  Because all clients have different functions of their business that is important to them, I try to tailor information based on what I have learned (or anticipated) extra help and instructions are necessary.  Most clients will have a Google Site pre-installed and potentially used as a “starting page” for them to log-in and have quick links to their Google Apps and to instructions that are specific and relevant to their domain set up.

Google tends to muddle instructions all together for products that are available through your Google Apps account as well as your Google Account.  As I determine where my clients are getting confused I will be making special notes to accompany links to Google tutorial and help pages.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Google Apps Accounts Will Also Be Personal Google Accounts (thaibrother.com)
• Put your business infrastructure in the Cloud with Google Apps Marketplace (dondodge.typepad.com)
• Linking Google Apps With Gmail – Initial Observations (cloudave.com)
• Introducing multi-domain support in Google Apps (googleenterprise.blogspot.com)
• Google Apps vs. Google Accounts Parity Coming [Webapps] (lifehacker.com)

Paperless Post is an online company that allows you to send virtual evites that are absolutely beautiful.  It reminds me of going to Crane & Company or one of the Paper Panache stores in San Francisco.  I used to love love love stationery and fine paper.  Early on in life, I worked for several individuals that were very formal from their embossed notecards to their executive stationery.  My family always bought me stationery for the holidays or my birthday because I used to love to write letters.  I still send out cards every now and again but, with email have lost that ability to stand the wait that it takes for a letter to arrive to send most things out via post.  I’m not even sure that I have a stamp that is current and honestly….not even sure what a stamp costs now a days.

Once you view the note or invitation you click and go to your formal RSVP card which then tracks responses in your account.  Pretty nifty and much nicer looking than Evite (oops sorry Evite but I’m not a huge fan).

These beautiful invites and notes definitely brought me back and give me an options for something very nice, a little different and so pretty I can almost smell the paper.

Slideroll Online Slideshows

Slideshow at Slideroll – Flash Slideshow Creator, Photo Slideshows for MySpace, YouTube, and Everywhere! is a pretty cool tool.  They also have some additional tools, Slideroll gallery AV software for making flsh photo and video galleries and Slideroll Video Creator that turns your slideshows into video for CDs or DVD projects.

This is a pretty neat tool and resource for making quick embeddable slideshows for the web.  Everything from music, to transitions, etc.

There is a member gallery page with comments and sharing options.

Some of the social icons out there are just fabulous.  I use a lot of them in combination with creating custom buttons or graphics for sites or emails.

I love the Furry Cushion Social Icons and if you are really into it you can get the actual Social Pillows to match.  Not a problem matching the Cheers Set, which is kinda fun.  If you go to Smashing Magazine and just search “social icons” they have links to a variety of sets you can download.

I just need a fuzzy client to use them for!

I was playing around with Juitter and really like it and am using it.  Was easy to install and customize and adds a little movement.