Client Case Study: Brand and Website Design My creative team recently finished a large project for a hearing aid dispenser. We guided Byron Patton of Lifestyle Hearing Solutions through the steps of creating a brand and website along with a new logo and stationery package for his new company. The process was deliberate and creative and constructed in a way to leverage ideas and concepts to save Byron time and money. Here’s how we did it. First, our branding expert, Patrice Rhoades-Baum held an in-depth interview with Byron and other team members to discuss his target market, the value his company…
Using the proper graphics file formats and resolution for the job can mean the difference between a professional-looking document and one that looks blurry or is missing graphics. Graphic file formats for the Internet and professional printing are totally different animals. Do not interchange them! Proper Graphics File Formats for the Internet Low-resolution raster graphics are used on the Internet. These graphics are made up of thousands of pixels (squares of color). Internet browsers will read JPG, PING and GIF graphics, which are best scanned at or saved to 72 PPI (pixels per inch). Because of the limits of screen…
You experience harmonious colors in many areas of life: clothing, architecture, interior design, jewelry, gardening, as well as advertising, marketing, and corporate identity. It becomes easy to select harmonious colors if you follow a proven color theory system. The steps below will show you how to create well-planned color schemes based on the “Bourges color circle” system. In 1918 Albert Bourges based his color theory on a circle of 20 hues. Complementary Colors Complementary colors are exact opposites that enhance one another. When you blend the two together, you get neutral black. When used together, they both appear brighter and…
Are you hunting all over the Internet to find competent graphic professionals to help build your brand, design marketing materials and craft your website? Is it possible to find one studio, designer or design team who does it all? Based on my decades of experience in graphic design, I’ve found it’s impossible for one person to do it all, and do it well. We all have limitations on our time and skills. So to stay competitive and serve my clients better, I’ve built relationships with other professionals in the same or supporting fields. I’ve also established strategic alliances with marketing consultants…
When you own your own business, there’s never a dull moment. That’s why I wrote Turn Eye Appeal Into Buy Appeal. It’s the do-it-yourself graphic design handbook that makes marketing your business as easy as 1-2-3. There are some projects, though, where it pays to hire a graphic designer. When it’s time to hire a graphic designer, these 5 essential tips can save you a lot of time and money: 1) Figure out if you can do it yourself If you are not a professional graphic designer, you could spend days — even weeks — to make a brochure or…
You’re ready to begin—or think you are. You can efficiently design a marketing project by following these five steps. Whether you do it all yourself or hire professional help, your project will go through these five stages. Step 1 — Organize, Plan, Budget First, set the budget and deadline for your project. Your budget includes all or some of the following: writing, designing, editing, proofreading, illustrations, photography or stock imagery, choosing the right paper, printing, folding, binding, labeling, and distributing. Everything that goes into making the printed piece comes under the term “production.” To determine various production deadlines, start with the…
What’s the quickest way to create mood without saying a word? Color! Before they read your marketing piece, they see it – and their feeling about your business begins. So it’s a good idea to take some time to find out what colors mean – and how they can help sell for you. When you learn the psychology of colors you will be able to add a whole new layer to your marketing materials. Here’s how color use in advertising can attract a specific target market and evoke the desired response. The color scheme you choose for your ad, flyer or…
What fits on one sheet and costs pennies to make? You see them all the time. Flyers are hugely effective, because you can make so many and distribute them all over the marketplace without having to spend a fortune. But just so your flyers don’t get lost in the shuffle, I’m going to show you the second 5 of 10 techniques professional designers use to design a flyer that will generate business for you. STAY AWAY FROM ALL CAPS. They’re hard to read! Instead, use bold type for your titles and subtitles. Keep it simple. Your page layout, that is….
What is an essential marketing tool that is relatively inexpensive, you can print and hand out or distribute electronically? Flyers and brochures! I’m going to show you the first 5 of 10 techniques that savvy graphic designers use to design attractive brochures: It’s all about the headline. What’s in a headline? It’s the first thing your prospects will see, and this will decide if they keep reading or not. So pick something that will stand out, stick in their mind, and make them want more! Here’s a few magic words to start with: Easy, The Secrets To, Unlock, Finally, Insider, Time Sensitive,…