To Achieve Targeted Results, Build a Strong Foundation
STEP 1. What’s My Motivation?
Often overlooked in the rush for the new and shiny, information gathering is the most vital part of a successful project. During information gathering we get to know each other. What are you passionate about expressing to your clients? Together we will set the foundation for a successful project.
Before we meet here are a few things we would like to know:
- Who is the target audience?
- What is the overall message?
- What is the size/number of pages of the piece?
- What is your budget?
- Is there a deadline for completion?
- Can you provide examples of designs you like?
- Is there an existing corporate brand that needs to be matched?
STEP 2. We Won’t Break the Bank.
If you don’t know how much it will cost, how can you budget for your project? It’s ok to not know an exact amount, but having a clear idea of how much you are willing to invest in your project will help you to get the most for the money you do have.
We often joke with clients that pricing a project is like buying a car. Do you want a Ferrari, a mini-van, a work truck, a comfortable sedan? Step 1 helps us to determine what is the best fit for where you are now, and more importantly, where you want to be in the future. Step 2 will help us to create the shortest distance between here and there.
After we know all the technical and targeting information, we send you an estimate based on the project scope, deliverables, and timelines. We require a deposit of 1/2 the estimate, and signed contract before we begin your project. Our estimates are NOT hourly, they are project based, which means you have a clear scope of what your financial investment will be, and a clear vision of what you will have to look forward to receiving in the end…
We don’t want you to feel like you are on the clock every time we talk, we’re here to assist you in finding the best solution for your business.We won’t just make time for your project, we’ll make time for YOU.
STEP 3. Create a Masterpiece Named _________ (your project).
This is the fun part. We believe anything worth doing is worth doing well, so you won’t find any clipart here (although we have to admit stock photography is like Christmas in July). We harness our creative inspiration to design projects with the latest trends that are appropriate to each specific job. We often brainstorm, experiment and find inspiration in order to produce a few different ideas for our clients to choose.
We are HUGE fans of open source programming (read: FREE), because we find that the most ingenious solutions are born out of a passion. This means we don’t spend our time (or your money) reinventing the wheel… we focus on making it the most amazing wheel EVER!
STEP 4. Edit. Rinse. Repeat.
With a few versions in hand, our clients are encouraged to review, add/edit text and pictures, and let us know how close to the mark we got. We will give our opinions and make suggestions when necessary because when you look great, so do we.
Our goal is to hand you tools you can use on a daily basis to educate, inform, inspire, and motivate your clients. With a solid foundation in place, you can make sure your clients see the best parts of you and your business.
STEP 5. TA DA…The Big Reveal
After all the revisions and edits are in order, all that’s left to do is approve the project. If it’s a website, then it goes live to the public… if it’s a brochure, it goes to the printer. When it’s time for The Big Reveal, all the praise is YOURS… we’re like Santa’s helpers. We were never here.