I am approaching the first year anniversary of publishing printedproof.com. What a year it has been. Endless hours of design and research. It took me 4 different theme designs to finally land on what you are looking at now. Although I have always kept content numero-uno… design, functionality and branding of the site has always been a debate in the back of my mind (and I still have a few things to tweak).

Success?

I would call this first year a success. I have the ground-work built for a in-depth resource of printing, photo, and advertising solutions for designers, marketers, and small business. I focus primarily on using the web to find printing resources for all types of media.  I have build successful websites in the past, but always for either a client or to sell. This time its different. PrintedProof.com is going to be there everyday I wake up in the morning. I am loving it.

Traffic has been steady. I have found great spikes in viewers each time I host a contest or giveaway.  How-to’s are a close second. There will surly be more of that to come.

As far as monetizing the site… I promote affiliate products so there is an avenue in which to gain revenue. I wont be buying the new beamer anytime soon, however I am about to take my family on a vacation (more below).  I dont use Google AdWords, and not sure that I ever will. I dont like the thought of randomly sending a viewer away to somewhere I have not been myself. Perhaps its the father in me. Every link I provide on this site is something I feel worth sharing… whether I get a piece of the pie or not. Each product or service promoted has my approval.

My Obsession

I am a perfectionist. I am a work-a-holic. My daily responsibilities include managing production in a print environment, the sales support for a direct marketing company, following news and technology in print and imaging, the content for this blog, and my latest obsession to fill the gaps… Twitter.

Hello, my name is Christian Collard, I am a Twit-aholic, and its probably only been a few minutes since my last “tweet”. I have found Twitter to be a great tool to use in conjunction with this website. Its a wonderful way to converse with others. I started using it to promote and spread my own links. As I have grown-up in Twitterville, I am now using it more to exchange with my new friends, network, spread others links, and then… plug my own stuff.

The Break

So the break part… With the money earned from this website I am taking my wife and kids to the White Mountains, NH for a week (picture above from last year). This is payback for the long hours I have spent starring at my mac.  I am about to do something I have never done since learning how to type… I am taking a week off from technology. I have promised that the laptop and cell will stay home. Where we are headed has no internet anyway. I love blogging and Twitter-ing, but its time to take a break. Let me just specify that technology does not include my Nikon D60. “Nikki” (as I call her) will be there to capture every wonderful loving moment.

I will be back in a week to share great new products, services, online deals, and perhaps even show you the images from a trip to where the streets have no signal and a printedproof has no name.