What I have been working on lately….

Posted in: Graphic Design Blog by Jennifer Slagle on July 15, 2010

I am in dire need to update my website right now with my latest works!  Is it a good problem when I don’t have (or make) the time to keep my site updated but can spend hours working on all my clients materials!!!???  So, before I update some projects, logos, and websites on here.  I will give you a sneak peak through my blog.

IAFP – International Association for Food Protection

I have had the pleasureof assisting these awesome people with their latest project, creating a theme around their 2011 Annual Event in Milwaukee.  They are also marking their 100th year of service and were in need of a logo to state this.  While these two events are completely separate, we needed to make sure the “looks” worked well together.

Here is the 100th Anniversary logo we came up with.

I will post the annual event material soon!  The colors aren’t coming through correctly this morning…

studio 3

We have been busy getting business cards, letterhead, flyers and everything else in order for Amanda at studio 3.  Below is a taste of what their business cards are going to look like.  Very happy with the way things are turning out for her!  We are doing a front and back full color business card.

I could upload more, but instead I need to get working on studio 3′s newsletter!  Yes, another thing to add to my list of capabilities.  I am designing newsletters and sending them out every month for clients.  Calling myself their “Virtual Assistant!”

Choosing the correct business (brand) name

Posted in: Graphic Design Blog by Jennifer Slagle on May 25, 2010

It is small business week and the blogs that I am reading this week are packed full of great useful tips for me and many of my clients.  The one that is on my mind right now is regarding how to choose you business name.

When I look back at choosing my companies name, I can honestly say, I started with just my name being business name.  Then, I moved on to my initials.  Pretty common moves so far…  Then, I added 26 (my anniversary date) to my initials.  It was starting to feel better but we were still not there.  Then, my husband called one day and said, “I got it, Design 26!”  I loved it right away.  It sounded catchy yet creative yet it was going to require someone to think “I wonder what the 26 stands for???”  For me, I felt that would bring my customer closer to building a relationship with me.  They would reach out and ask what the significance was of the 26.

My company name stayed that way until I re-organized my website.  In that process, I was consulted to add the word “Graphic” to my name.  Design is a very broad word and adding the word graphic to it would give my customers that much more knowledge in what I offer.  It also would help Google find me when that customer searches for a graphic designer as opposed to just a designer.

So, my name has been changed now for a little over six months.  My business cards haven’t changed yet.  They will once this stack runs dry.  I would love to hear your thoughts regarding my process.  Recently I had someone ask me what a graphic designer even did.  That made me think again about whether or not I had chosen the correct name…

Converting to WordPress

Posted in: Graphic Design Blog, Word Press by Jennifer Slagle on April 26, 2010

I have recently been helping a local business convert their website.  What they had before was just the basics and they were looking for something that was new and fresh.  They were also interested in getting more business from customers locating their business from the web.  Since I had just switched my own site over to a WordPress based site, I offered to help them.  It has turned out to be a great learning experience for me and another door has opened in my array of ways I can assist my customers.

Here is a picture of the site before.

While the site created the feel of warmth, it wasn’t inviting.  It also required the customer to click in order to find any information out regarding the business.  The studio owner was wanting that step taken out for the customer.

The studio owner also felt the menu items were too wordy and just kind of ran across the page – Agreed!

Here is a picture of the site after!

This is the site after we converted it to a WordPress format.

Much warmer and when the customer is on the homepage, it is capturing them and giving them a brief idea of what they have to offer without forcing them to click on the menu.

We still have a little tweaking to finish up on, but we are getting there and have already found quite a strong turnaround with their analytic scores.

Check out the site for yourself.  I would love to have your feedback!

www.studio3pilates.com

Creating a “Unique” brand image

Posted in: Graphic Design Blog by Jennifer Slagle on March 23, 2010

I am in the process right now of assisting a local business with some brand development.  They are looking to grow their business and have just not invested the time or money into that for the past three years.  Now, they are ready.  Lucky for me, I get to help!

Their first focus or area of concern is in their name.  Another business located not too far from them recently put up their new business sign and guess what?  Same name, with the same font.  All in upper case even!  While the two businesses are not in the same line of work, it still has started to create confusion for the current customers.  All the more reason to make this companies revised logo a bit more “unique” for them.  The current logo is very general and uses a very common font.  It isn’t surprising to me that this happened.

I have met with the owner and her associate and we have gotten the basics revealed.  I am now starting with the basics of all and revising the logo.  I will post the old and the new when we are up and ready.

Case in point, spend the time and effort needed to make sure your business starts in a very “unique” spot from day one regarding the image you want to portray.  It will only make your job easier down the road!  Less room for confusion among the clientele!

Double-duty business cards

Posted in: Graphic Design, Graphic Design Blog by Jennifer Slagle on February 19, 2010

A double-duty business card can be a good thing or a not-so-good thing.  Below are two very specific examples of this.

• The good double-duty business card - Using your business card for more than just telling who you are and what you do.  Print a coupon or special offer on the backs of your cards.  Include them with invoices to current customers.  If you offer a referral incentive, print it on the card.
• The not-so-good double-duty business card – Use your business card to focus on one business, not multiple. Someone whose card indicates they ‘do it all’ might be perceived as the infamous “Jack-of-all- Trades, Master of None.”  This is especially true if you use the same business card for two or more different businesses (such as your part-time real estate business and your part-time computer repair business).

If you are trying to break into a specific specialty within the same business (such as newsletter design or Web design), design a separate business card to give to your target market. Depending on your business, you might want to have a fun card and a serious card.

Business Card Tips

Posted in: Graphic Design, Graphic Design Blog by Jennifer Slagle on February 18, 2010

Minimum Information for a Business Card

Other information is optional but as a minimum the business card should usually contain:

• Individual’s Name and/or Business Name
• Individual’s Title or some other descriptive text to indicate what the person does if it’s not obvious from the business name
• A way (preferrably multiple ways) to contact the person — could be phone, fax, email, web page, mailing address, street address, etc.

It is not necessary to but a complete listing of services or products on the business card.  Keep it to the essentials.  Use brochures and personal interviews to disclose the full range of services or products offered.

• Orientation – Horizontal layouts are the most typical, most widely used format for business cards.
• Name – Whether using a horizontal or vertical arrangement, the person’s name or the business name are usually the most prominent text item on the card.  It is usually placed in the center or upper half of the card and emphasized with a larger or bolder font.
• Contact – Contact information is usually placed in the lower half of the card (left, right, or centered). The preferred method of contact (such as phone number or email) is often emphasized with a larger size, bolder font, or more prominent placement.

What is branding?

Posted in: Graphic Design Blog by Jennifer Slagle on February 17, 2010

To create a “brand” for your company is to create your image, and to promote that image within your campaigns and marketing materials.  Working in branding allows me to get involved with many aspects of your business, from logo design to advertising to slogans.  The goal of a brand is to make a company unique and recognizable, and to project a desired image.  Over time, a brand can make a company a household name, and identifiable by a simple shape or color.  To create a brand for your company, I need to fully understand the goals of your organization, the industry as a whole, and will then create the appropriate materials to represent your company.

Business Cards for Des Moines IA client

Posted in: Graphic Design, Graphic Design Blog by Jennifer Slagle on February 12, 2010

Here is a look at a business card I did for a client in Clive (suburb of Des Moines) Iowa.  The client already had his card created by another vendor but I gave it a little update and then sent it on to my printer.  We were both extremely satisfied with the final product and are now printing cards for the rest of the employees.