| Using professional icons in your application or website | | | | the success of your company. Web designers are |
| can bring a modern and aesthetically pleasing | | | | faced with the challenge of building a website that is |
| appearance to your product or service. This will not | | | | both highly useable and visually appealing. With the right |
| only help you to attract potential customers but also | | | | icon collection, it's easy to find common themes that |
| give you that "edge" you need to stand out from your | | | | will be readily identifiable by website users. Icons can |
| competitors. In an internet age, it's important that your | | | | ease the task of creating navigation and toolbar |
| interface looks professional or your potential buyer | | | | buttons, and most of all give a unique "personality" to |
| might move on without really giving your product a | | | | your site.XP style icons are highly stimulating with their |
| chance to prove itself.Besides a professional | | | | beautiful gradients and 3D appearance. A nicer |
| appearance, relevant XP style icons can greatly | | | | website means more return visitors and more sales. |
| increase the usability of any software application or | | | | Professional icons can help your website stand out |
| website. Icons are just one of the many | | | | from the thousands of others selling similar products |
| communication tools you have to guide a user. With | | | | and services.Marketing and Documentation |
| good free icons few and far between, professional | | | | ProfessionalsMarketing and Documentation |
| icon collections are a cost effective investment and | | | | Professionals can make use of XP style icons in their |
| can be purchased for just around $100.00.For an | | | | company brochures, documentation, multimedia |
| example check out are some of the groups that | | | | presentations, and other marketing materials. Icons can |
| would benefit from using professional XP style | | | | easily spruce up boring text and turn a once simple |
| icons:Software DevelopersLike I said before, your user | | | | piece into a colorful and professional looking document. |
| interface is your user's "first impression". Your program | | | | Having unique, professional looking documentation can |
| must look professional if it's going to sell, making the | | | | give you a competitive edge in the eyes of a potential |
| quality of your interface one of your most powerful | | | | customer.Finding Quality IconsSo why not look for free |
| and important marketing tools. A program with a bad | | | | icons? Well, if you are one of the many people who |
| interface will appear of poor quality no matter how | | | | have spent countless hours searching all over the |
| good the functionality is.Relevant images simplify the | | | | internet for good icons, you might already be familiar |
| user experience and create a sense of comfort for | | | | with a few of these reasons:They don't show up well |
| the user by providing them with images that they are | | | | or sometimes not at all.They are targeted for different |
| already familiar with or can easily identify. Making your | | | | operating systems (Mac, BeOS, Beta XP, etc.).They |
| program easy to understand and pleasing to the eye | | | | don't match in style, color, and are generally |
| can increase sales as well as improve your return | | | | inconsistent.They don't look professional.It's hard to find |
| customer base.Making use of free or badly designed | | | | useful icons that match common functions found in |
| icons can lead to numerous headaches along with | | | | most programs.Sites often contain viruses and require |
| possible licensing issues when icon designers have | | | | active-x controls to be installed.Making professional |
| found their "not so free" icons are being posted on | | | | icons requires expensive tools and true artistic talent, |
| free sites. With professional icons being so affordable, | | | | so finding quality ones is not easy; that's why |
| it's best to leave icon design up to the | | | | VirtualLNK has made the process of finding the |
| professionals.Web DesignersWith so many internet | | | | collections you need as painless as possible.. |
| based businesses, your website can make or break | | | | |