Reflections Printing

So the other day I passed a guy wearing a light blue leisure suit.  In his defense it was in Vegas, where you see all sorts of *cough,* choices and things…but he was not an Elvis impersonator or anything like that, just a regular guy in a really outdated outfit.  Makes you wonder why a guy would want to go around looking like he was so behind in the times.

In business, you cannot afford to allow your professional image to become outdated, it is important to keep up.  Here is an example of a logo from “The Drawing Room” that was ready for a makeover.  The client (who is a talented and professional home designer I highly recommend if you are in need of one) asked me to update her logo with the suggestion that I do something  3-D, which is a great idea, as, if you spend any time on the internet you will see that the “bubble”, “shadow”,  “3-D” look is very hot right now.  See the two examples, both which happen to be from Skype.

Ideally you don’t want to completely change your logo.  If you are trying to brand your business as part of your marketing plan (and who isn’t?) then it is important to maintain continuity and you certainly don’t want to lose the past progress you have made getting your identity/logo recognized.  An update such at this one for “Drawing Room Plans” maintains the original concept but gives a fresh and current look.

If you would like to reach Amy Trujillo at Drawing Room Plans please visit her website here.

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So, if you know me you probably already know that I love logo design above all things.  (Okay, not above ALL things but its way up there on the list)

Below are two projects I have worked on recently, along with client feedback.

Ivins Fitness Festival – the client wanted something energetic and colorful as this event will coincide with the first Iron Man Competition to take place in the St. George.  Also the client wanted something indicative of the area.

“The logo is terrific!  Thanks – you have been awesome to work through all our little thoughts.  It really does depict what the event is all about.” Mayor Chris Hart – Ivins City

Domestic Violence Survivors – Client wanted something purple and iconic that incorporated a heart shape.  This logo symbolizes the journey from negative circumstance to a place of freedom and wholeness.

“I am so pleased I can hardly stop smiling.” Sue Kimball, Executive Director Erin Kimball Memorial Foundation.

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How do you do that? I am asked this about my design work fairly often. So let me tell you a little bit about a specific project and the process involved.

This is the first draft of a logo I designed for a client after a conversation about what she had in mind.  This particular logo idea came to me right away (I wish it were always that easy!).  We wanted to do something that would convey the concept of writing, hence the “keyboard” look (and “type” style font).  Also, I wanted to give it an up to date look by making the “keys” look a bit 3D or “bubble” look.  I also wanted to give a friendly, low key feel without losing the professional look.  This was achieved by using a comic book font in the “thought bubble.”  But the whole thing just looked a bit boring without some color so I added the bright, fresh green background.  I am very happy with this logo!

But as it turned out, my client (who also happens to be my very talented friend Julie) decided to change the name of her business.  She decided to call it Write-On, rather than Write Thoughts.  Ah, back to the drawing board!  The keyboard concept can stay, as that still applies but now we want to use something that will work with “On.”  Julie suggested a stamped look – which is a great idea.  Then we added a check mark – which of course suggests the “correct” place – or the right (write) answer.  By placing “ON” at an angle and overlapping a bit we retain that casual look and also create some interest (symmetry is kinda boring).  We needed to add some “weight” to the word “ON” also, as it is so much shorter than “WRITE,” so we added the border around it.  Then to give it a more “stamped” feel I weakened the red color in some areas.  Finally, we switched from the green to red as the third color and added some shadowing to help the whole thing pop a bit more.  And here we have the final design on both a white background and red! Finis!

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Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements. - Napoleon Hill

I have the blessing of being able to actually do, as a profession, something I love.  I am extremely grateful for that.  The process of meeting with a client, discussing their needs and their vision, and then coming up with a tangible, creative, practical, well designed result that meets or, better yet, exceeds their expectation really “floats my boat” as the expression goes.

Graphic design is where my creative itch usually gets scratched (I am full of similes today I guess.)   But yesterday I did something different – a diaper cake for a friend’s baby shower.  I had a vision for how I wanted it to look, and I shopped at the dollar store and assembled all my components and put it all together.  TA DA!  I am really pleased with the way it turned out!

Though I really don’t do much in the craft department as a general rule. I found much enjoyment, again, in the process of bringing an idea that is just rattling around in my head, into reality.  The novelty of doing something different than what I am used to made it even more fun, and reminded me how broadly I can apply my creativity if I choose to.

What do you love to do?  Is there a way you can apply your talents in a broader sense than you are right now?  Could you make a profession of it?  If you can you will derive a tremendous amount of satisfaction in your work and I can guarantee you that you will deliver a better product or service to your clientele.

(If you want instructions on how to make a diaper cake contact me and I will send them to you.)

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Just as “Freddy” rises from the grave yet one more time, (or is that “Jason”?)  I have just one more tip to add to our poster project.  This idea will make a huge difference in how well your poster does in bringing people to your event. We will return one more time to our haunted house poster. After designing this poster I called my client up and suggested this (see picture below).

This is simply a business card size “mini flyer”. So now, as the client takes her posters and puts them all around town to promote her haunted house, she also leaves a stack of these business cards that people can pick up and use to get a discount.  So not only are they being exposed to the poster itself, they also can pick a few of these flyers up, (maybe even give one to a friend).  This way all the information leaves with them – they now have incentive to keep the card, as it will save them money – and it will be a great reminder as they come across it again in their pocket or purse. Obviously, the more times someone is exposed to your information, the more likely they will convert to becoming a customer.  My client. being a very savvy marketer, loved the idea – a win win for everyone!

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- A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for. ~ William Shedd

One of my earliest memories as a child was studying the monkey bars.  There was a way to go across from rung to rung without really letting go of one to reach for the next, and there was the true “monkey style” which was swinging from rung to rung – perhaps even skipping a rung to reach for a further one.  I was envious of those who were brave enough to swing – it seemed very daring to me.  Finally I screwed up the courage to try it, and wonder of wonders – I did it!

It is difficult to stray out of our comfort zones, (we might fail, and there might even be witnesses) yet we look at those around us who seem to effortlessly glide through territory that seems very daunting to us.  We have a choice to make – stick with safety or reach out for that next rung.  I am still not much of a risk taker by nature, but I have discovered that when I feal fearful, and out of my depth the best thing I can do is say to myself  “Hm, I feel scared – that’s okay (and nothing new) – I am going to move forward anyway – in small steps.”

Small steps are manageable and create momentum. I have been pleasantly surprised at what a difference they can make.  For example, the biggest client I currently have was acquired from one small step.  I was a vendor at a very slow trade show with not much traffic.  So, I decided instead of sitting there waiting for people to come to me, I would get up and network with other vendors at the show.  This was a scary step for me, I would have been much more comfortable staying right there in my seat than approaching perfect strangers, but I made myself do it anyway -  I limited it to only seven people, that was manageable, then back to my seat.  The one small step I took that day formed a relationship that has paid off in spades.

The common expression is “don’t sweat the small stuff.”  But my advice – going ahead and sweat the small stuff – push yourself and take those small steps. You never know – you could be swinging “monkey style” before you know it.

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I am self employed. I’ll bet there is a really good chance you are too.  My good friend the Digital Marketing Diva – aka Julie, posted some terrific information on her blog recently which I would like to recommend to you if you are self employed and/or work from home.  Here is a quote from her blog:

“Every person who works from their home should have a tax diary. This diary shows that you are working to make a profit. This is especially important if you are an independent contractor for any type of MLM, or network marketing company. It shows you are in business to make money; that you are not just a hobbyist who happens to make a few bucks.

A tax diary keeps track of WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, and WHY you conduct business. Work can include calls to clients, business lunches, time spent paying bills, and of course time spent writing on your blog. It also includes thinking time while you come up with great digital marketing ideas, or research time spent to see if you want to be an affiliate for a certain program.”

Getting audited would be a nightmare.  Not having your information together would multiply the misery exponentially.  The Tax Man is just about the scariest monster I’ve ever heard of, how about you?  Read the rest of Julie’s advice here.

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This is so much fun I can hardly stand it.  My beautiful family.  Try it yourself!

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Okay, after a little break we will now wrap up our flyer/poster project!

I have just a few points to add.

1.  Think very carefully about your customer’s perspective and what is going to be most appealing to them.  Sell the sizzle, not the steak.  I am not saying to be deceptive, this is usually a matter of emphasis, for example  “John’s Expert Massage – I am trained in all types, I am very experienced!”  vs. “Shed Your Stress! Spend just one hour with John and you will depart feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.”  Can you see how different the two approaches are?  The former is you telling them about you, the latter is addressing what benefit is there for them. (Go with the latter!)

2.  Spice up your headline and copy if possible.  In my example here I changed the headline from “How to Create an Effective Poster” (yawn) to “How to Create a KILLER Poster” (I know I have this scary theme going on, but what can I say? Halloween is coming!)  You want to try to come up with some wording that will create a emotional reaction, that will get more attention.

3.  Be sure you have a “call to action”.  In my example, I want them to “visit our blog”.  Maybe you want them to “call now”, or “stop by and see our new widget”.  And, of course, be sure to include your contact information.

4.  Don’t go crazy with your colors either.  See the example – I used black and red – throwing a bunch of random colors in will create a chaotic look. (We already discussed this in regard to fonts and artwork in earlier posts, but the same is true of color – less really is more.)

5.  Get some feedback.  Show it to a few people and get their feedback – they may catch something or have some great suggestion  you haven’t thought of.

Well, that about covers it!  By the way, the info in this series of posts is going to apply to most graphic projects, it is not really limited to just posters and flyers.  If you study and apply these general principles they will take you far in improving and evaluating your next design project.  Let me know how it goes!

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