Web Design

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What's your business vision?

One of the first things I ask my new design clients is what is their vision for their business? This often stifles folks. Most people think that getting a logo and some marketing materials is the first and main thing needed to promote a successful small business. But how do you know who to appeal to or where to put your efforts if you don't know where you want to go/grow? In my half hour free consultations, I often ask question after question, trying to find the correct design style and direction that will match my clients' needs. If you don't have a clear vision of what you want for your business, how can you effectively appropriate money and time into marketing and advertising? If you have a plan but fail to convey it to your designer, how will they create something that appeals to your target market as well as create something that can grow with you? If you don't know where to start, then start by asking for clarity. Second, talk to a marketing firm. Third, seek help from small business development centers or business life coaches. Or, if you haven't the time or money for those and need to hire a designer anyways, find a designer that has a marketing background so you can formulate a direction and plan that works for you.

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Colors inspired by the Bishop Buttermilks

Wow, wow, and more wow! The Buttermilks climbing area on the East Side of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range near Bishop, CA is so incredibly beautiful. Nestled right below snowline are the most picturesque boulders littering the sage and sparsely-pined hillsides. The boulders themselves are pure gems for climbing and considered some of the best in the world. The view, however, can be appreciated by those beyond the climbing folk. Here's a quick shot I grabbed facing the west (opposite of the stellar boulders) after sunrise. Though the colors are muted, there is still a lot to be seen. Here is a palette I created based on inspiration from this tremendous place.

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Illustrations make you get noticed

Ever go to a job fair, chamber of commerce, bulletin board, or coffee shop flier stand? What do you see there? I typically see is an ocean of cookie-cutter marketing materials strewn about, hoping to catch the attention of a potential client. Unfortunately many of these businesses, events, or  people hoping to catch a break are only contributing to the mess. They spend countless hours, and hundreds, (if not thousands of dollars), hiring a designer to create a look and a printer to deliver that message so they stand out from the crowd. Yet, when using the same ol' fonts, colors, and layouts, how unique can one be? That's where hand-drawn elements can make your dollars (and time) count. Illustrations, either hand-drawn or painted, can make your business, event or project really POP! They can add that personal flavor that visually represents the person behind the project. And surprisingly enough, it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg to do so. If you don't have the budget to recreate an entire website or full identity, you can often spice things up with just a few hand-drawn flourishes, icons, or hand-painted textures, etc. Illustrated design may not be for every business or everybody. For instance, if you are in financial consulting and appeal to a more conservative, middle-aged crowd, then a streamlined, corporate look will most likely be best. However, if you are hosting an event or creating a fundraiser t-shirt for a Gen X/Gen Y crowd who loves the outdoors, pets, music or art, then a hand-drawn theme may be the exact way to catch the attention of your market. In a world of over-stimulation and constant eye-candy, it seems impossible to make your materials stand out from others. However, offering the alternative from the standard will most likely gets heads turning, and eventually clients and customers coming your way.

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Inspired by the lichen of Joshua Tree boulders

I recently returned from a climbing vacation in Joshua Tree National Park. If you haven't been there, it's a definite must. The Joshua Trees themselves have so much personality as they lean and twist in the desert sky. I'm personally attracted to the rock formations for more reasons than just that they provide 5 star climbs: they also provide creative inspiration. On a rest day, my family and I ventured out past Echo Tee to find some shade and take a rest. We came upon this beautiful boulder. The shape of the boulder was magnificent, however the multicolored lichen added some brilliant, colorful flare. The bright colors of this boulder in the desert heat really inspired me. Here's a color palette that I created based on just the lichen of this boulder (above). This is a great way to find colors that work together when planning your next design project. If you don't know which direction to give your graphic or web designer, think of an area that really speaks to you, or better yet, dig through some old photos. You will be bound to find some colors that can proudly represent the feel of what you are trying to do. (Nature really inspires me in general. Check back for more nature-inspired posts in the future).

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Client testimonial - Tahoe Trucke Earth Day 2010

I had the best time working with Lisa Cashel and Emily Williams from Tahoe Truckee Earth Day 2010. It was fun to play with raw designs and be encouraged to be weird and whimsical. Here's a client testimonial from Lisa:

"Sara was the obvious choice for Tahoe Truckee Earth Day design work. Her spirit and her talent combine to produce original art that fits our values of community, stewardship, conservation and education. Sara was able to design a new website, marketing and advertising materials, as well as our T-shirts. Sara has been a good friend to our small non-profit and has been open to our ideas, which she then combined with her own vision to generate fantastic materials. We hope that as a result of this project, we can help spread the word about this great local artist." ~ Lisa Cashel, Tahoe Truckee Earth Day 2010

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Client testimonial from Summer Wood Skin Care

Summer Wood of Summer Wood Skin Care recently hired me for a full logo, identity and website package. Summer is an ideal client who clearly explains her expectations, finds examples of work she admires, and trusts me to add design flair when necessary. Summer recently gave me a wonderful testimonial:

"Sara recently completed a logo, website and cards for my new business location (summerwoodskincare.com). She is a breath of fresh air to work with! She is creative, timely, thoughtful and professional and a gem of a woman. I highly recommend her to anyone in need of a fresh image for their business!‎"

Thanks, Summer! You rock and I am happy to recommend you for your fantastic skin and hair removal treatments.

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The Adventure of Web Design

Phew! My new website is finally done. You'd think as a designer that it would be easier to create your own site. However, I tend to prioritize everyone else's projects and mine sits on the sidelines. Funny how that works. Anyways, after weeks of sitting second string, my site is finally up. Yahoo! Take a peek and look around. I have many galleries of artwork, illustrations and designs so sit down and enjoy!

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Website tips for non-profits

I came across a wonderful blog post about web design tips for non-profit organizations at Vandelay Design Blog. Since non-profits are generally on a slim budget, this is a great resource in helping you determine which features and information to include. Once you have a defined scope of work, it is then easier to get estimates and quotes. If you are a non-profit on a budget, take a look at the link above to help you figure out your next steps. In the meantime, take a look at this simple website I made for BAEDN, non-profit on a very tight budget. It will provide ideas of what else you can include.

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Design and marketing for the budget-minded

A lot of small businesses and non-profit organizations approach me for graphic design and illustration work. Many of them have seen better days in terms of business, and therefore are very budget minded. However, being aware of your budget and having tight purse strings doesn't mean you have to fore go having a clean business image. Yet it doesn't mean that you are going to be able to put everything in the hands of a professional, snap your fingers, and have the perfect image and marketing package created for you without lifting a finger. If you are willing to put time and effort into the decisions behind the design, your business too can have a distinct look that reiterates your reputable brand for less than a standard bid. I'm broke, but want/need a design. What can I do? If you are on a budget but seriously want to improve your image, then you need to be committed in helping to create this change. What that means is that you need to spend the time to research your own vision for your design and make notes of things you like and don't like. Your willingness to get your hands dirty will ultimately help you get the end product you want.

1. How picky are you/ your organization or can you trust the professionals? Furthermore, how picky can you afford to be? I have come across numerous sole proprietors who don't know what they want yet have a very small budget. Understanding that time=money, they either decide to trust me to create something that will fit their needs OR they are very precise and ask me what they can do to reduce my time spent. The non-picky clients tell me general themes they like with a general direction, knowing they can trust me to create something that keeps their interests and directions in mind. The picky ones need to really do their homework (as listed below) so that all the details they want are clearly conveyed to me, or any designer, prior to starting.
2. Second, decide who is your market, what you want to do, and why you want to do it. Be sure that your reasoning stands behind making the investment. For instance, if you are an event coordinator for an event that is trying to attract a Gen-Y, party crowd and sell fundraiser t-shirts to this market, then you need to have a t-shirt design and marketing program that appeals to them. A good option in attracting this crowd is through social networking and having a basic website that people can go to from there. You know that this is the market who is regularly spending $30 or so at events and know that if you have a design that speaks to them, they will come to the event, bring a friend, and most likely buy a t-shirt. On the contrary, if you are trying to attract this same crowd, the last thing you want to do to market to them is take an ad out in the economic or real estate section of the daily newspaper and have a committee of retirees decide on the logo.
3. Do your homework. What styles/ themes do you like (i.e clean and corporate, grungy, artsy and hand-drawn, modern, Asian, etc.), what logos do you like, and what attributes speak to you and your target market (i.e. colors, shapes, symbols)? Find some fonts, come colors, and components that mean something to you (and your business) and make a list (please include URLs). Include some words that summarize your business direction and add those to the list as well. A good designer will know how to tie all of these characteristics into a sweet logo/ identity/ branding that really reflects your business. Without providing this information, you may become victim to a very common logo dilemma where logos and their businesses do not reflect one another.
4. Decide how you want to relay this information. Do you want an email campaign, a flyer, a website, advertisements, and a social networking plan to relay the information? Decide on what you want and what is realistic in terms of your time and budget, knowing that many marketing efforts are ongoing versus a one-time project. And keep in mind that once you decide on how you will market you need to decide if you want to have products with this image to sell and/or maintain during the event or afterwards. If so, how will you market during those times and do you need to include another marketing option?
5. Decide on your selling points and your message. These are the items that will be added to whatever marketing venue you choose to use, from websites, to flyers, to postcards and email blasts. Once you take the time to decide on your concise message, it's easy to have other people help spread the word (and relay the correct information).
6. Find a designer that you can relate to, work with, and who understands your budget. Visit their online portfolio, contact them, and see if they are a good match for you. For instance, I specialize in hand-drawn, artsy, grungy themes and have a background in marketing for small businesses and artists. Though I may fit the budget of a start-up firm looking for a very clean, corporate design, we are not necessarily a good match. Just as a designer who specializes in large, corporate clients may not be able to work with a local artisan looking to create a funky and fresh marketing campaign for their upcoming open studio event. Additionally, if you are willing to do the dirty work, you will want to find a designer that rewards you with either a sliding scale or an hourly fee versus a firm project by project bid.
7. Be realistic with what you are asking for. Once you receive an estimate or two and you notice that all of your requests can't be met for the budget you have, you need to reassess. What can you cut out? Or is it worth it to spend more and increase your budget so you can sell cute, fitted t-shirts knowing you will get more people buying those than the traditional, boxy tee? Should you try to gain sponsors so you can get a larger crowd to your event knowing once they are there, they will spend more? Or should you cut out one of the modes of marketing, such as advertising, and solicit volunteer efforts instead?

There are so many things that go into design and effective marketing campaigns. This is what you pay for when you hire a good designer with a pulse on marketing. And whether or not you can pay the fees for such a designer, doing your homework will ultimately help you and your business/ event /organization in the long run. And if you are too busy to do the work, then increase your budget and invest your trust into a designer who can get your tasks and materials created in both a beautiful and effective way.