Hi, I'm Allison, a graphic designer based in Western Massachusetts. I work with entrepreneurs who are passionate about what they do. My goal is not only to provide effective graphic design, but be a valuable business resource to my clients.
Many business owners have the mistaken belief that all they have to sell is their product or service; when in actuality, when your customers come to you, they’re not coming just to purchase your product. What they really want is the feeling that it provides them with. For example, a company that sells alarm systems is not just selling equipment and monitoring, they’re providing their customer with a feeling of safety.
In your business, its important to determine what feeling it is that you are providing to your customer. Beyond your product or service, what are they really coming to you for? Once you figure out the answer to that question, it is important to incorporate that feeling into everything that your business puts out there, from your tagline to your graphic design.
You might think “Is it even possible to evoke a feeling using just graphic design?”
Absolutely.
There are many elements that I use as a graphic designer to communicate that do not involve words; things like fonts, colors, and shapes can speak volumes about your business. As an example, I will use a project that I created for a client, Sensible Senior Solutions, owned by Jill Chaban.
Sensible Senior Solutions provides resources to the family and caregivers of the elderly. Most importantly, Jill wanted to communicate to her clients that she is their ally- that she is working in their best interest, and the interest of their family member. That elder care management was ultimately about improving the quality of life for everyone involved.
The project started with a logo. Jill had the image of a heart in mind, to show a feeling of love and caring. She also wanted to convey a feeling of home and belonging- where ever home may be. The finished product looks like this:
In the logo, both the heart and the house have soft, curved edges, make the client feel comfortable- harsh corners have no place here. Notice how the two shapes are also connected in the logo, and now in the customer’s mind. They work together.
Soft blues and greens are used in the logo. Both are soothing, non-threatening colors- remember, we want people to feel cared for and safe. Finally, the name of the business is written in a very traditional serif font (the serifs are the little feet at the ends of the letters). Using a font such as this adds stability. People see that your business is both serious and trustworthy.
On to the brochure. These brochures needed to stand apart from those of other professionals in her field. There were many images out there that seemed to be overused. In the end, we decided to use a picture of an older couple (which would also be used later, on her trade show banner) facing away from the camera, standing in a beautiful field. This image provides her clients a feeling of hope- that needing assistance does not mean that life is over for their elderly family member.
This week, take a look at your business. Are you trying to sell your clients a product? How could you change your message slightly to provide them with a feeling instead?
In the world of graphic design, logos go by a few different names. You may have heard of the term branding (which includes your logo), but they are also referred to as identities.
I recently stumbled upon this fitting definition for the word identity.
identity:
The individual characteristics by which a person is recognized.
The condition of being oneself and not another.
The state of remaining the same, as under varying aspects or conditions.
The article that I was reading was in reference to personal identity, and not a business logo or branding, but if we take a closer look, the same definitions can still be applied.
Your logo and branding are what your customers recognize you by. They see your logo, they think of your business, instant connection.
One of the most important things when it comes to branding your business is choosing a look that’s all your own. Too often, people make the mistake of trying to mimic their competitors, or play it safe by going with a really generic concept. The only way you’re going to get business is if people notice you, and the only people are going to notice you is if you stand out from the crowd!
I preach about the importance of consistency in branding. Once you’ve developed your logo, your colors, your fonts- use them on everything you put out there. Not only will the repetition solidify your image into people’s minds, it also shows stability. Thank about it. What would you think of a friend who, every time you saw them, changed their clothes, the way they talked, their personality? You’d probably think at best they were going through an identity crisis, and you most certainly wouldn’t trust them to water your plants while you’re on vacation.
Parting words of wisdom for businesses (and teenagers) going through an identity crisis: Just be yourself.
On Wednesday, June 29, 2011, from 6:30pm to 7:30pm, I will be hosting a special Graphic Design Q&A on Twitter.
So how does this work exactly? During this event, log onto your Twitter account and ask me any graphic design related question that you might have, as long as you keep it under 140 characters, and mark it with the hash-tag #askadesigner. (The hash-tag is of utmost importance. If you don’t tag your question, I might not see it!)
Take advantage of this free opportunity for expert advice for your business.
After working with several newsletter distribution providers, I recently landed on MailChimp. I had seen it being used with other newsletters that I subscribe to- graphic designers that I admire, and trusted business resources. I figured that there must be something to this.
Some pretty awesome features provided by Mail Chimp:
Always Free Service for Accounts with up to 2,000 Subscribers
Pulls your branding colors from your website and creates a custom color scheme for your emails
Facebook integration
Make custom QR codes for your newsletter signup form
Shows screenshots of how your newsletter will look on 60 different email clients
Allows comments from your subscribers on your newsletters
Custom signup forms and autoresponders
Below are two examples of recent newsletters that I’ve created and sent to my subscribers. Click on the images to be brought to the full version. To sign up to receive valuable graphic design information and goodies on a regular basis, click here.
If you’re a creative professional and haven’t created your Behance profile, what are you waiting for? (Ok, I shouldn’t be too bossy, I did just create mine last week.) For those of you who haven’t heard of Behance before, Behance is an online network where creatives can post their resume, portfolio, and search job listings. It connects with Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In as well. There’s even a special widget that allows people to view your portfolio images on Linked In. No longer do you need to anxiously hope that people will think that you are interesting enough to click through to your website. Your talent is showcased right on your profile.
Below is a screenshot of my personal Behance profile. Once you join, follow me! I promise to follow you back. I like new friends.
After you create your Behance profile on Behance.net, hop on over to Behance.com to find helpful articles and organization tools.
It’s always exciting and affirming to hear words of praise from my clients. This is what two of my recent clients had to say about their experience with me. Thank you to both of you. You are wonderful clients and I really enjoyed working with you.
“Allison created a logo for me, designed my business cards and designed and created my brochures for my new business. She did an amazing job. She is so creative and intuitive. My logo is perfect. She took the time to research a color that represented my specialty area of dementia. She has been very professional and timely. I am just so pleased and have had many compliments. Thanks Allison for a job well done.”
-Donna Dorans, Positive Dementia Care Services
“You only get one chance to make a first impression, and today that first impression is frequently a website , business card or brochure. Allison’s creativity, passion for design and customer focus make her the ideal resource for all your marketing materials. Allison takes the time to really get to know a client. Where some web designers have a cookie-cutter, “plug and play” approach, Allison reflects a client’s individuality through true custom design. I have had many compliments on the website Allison did for me and would highly recommend her!”
Last year, around this time, I participated in my first American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Cancer has touched practically every corner of my family, so this is a cause that’s very near and dear to my heart. I hope to not only see a cure, but also more education on cancer prevention.
In 2010, our team was Lulu’s Pie Diner (a play on the movie Waitress, if you haven’t seen it). We did a bake sale fundraiser, and with all of our efforts raised over $1,000 for the American Cancer Society. For the upcoming event, we decided to change our team name to something that would have staying power, and wouldn’t be so dependent on a theme. There were many painful hours of brainstorming, and some hilarious suggestions (Broccoli Walklie, anyone?). The final decision? Drumroll please…
Creative Allies.
The name has dual meanings (we are no way excluding people who don’t think of themselves as creative!). So first the obvious; many of the people who are participating in our team are creative professionals and artists. Beyond that- cancer is a destructive disease. It breaks people down physically and emotionally. Creation is the opposite of destruction. We are walking to build people up. On site we will have creation stations- with activities such as origami and drawing.
I created a logo for the team (you weren’t surprised, were you?) The new logo will be featured on a vinyl banner and tshirts. Keeping my fingers crossed, I want to win the tshirt contest this year! (Last year my tshirt design was disqualified because it was so professional they thought it was a corporate sponsored team. I don’t know whether to be upset or flettered.)
T shirts are available for $15 plus shipping, with a portion of the proceeds going directly to the American Cancer Society. If you’d like to order a Creative Allies T shirt, please contact me with your name, size, and mailing address.
If you’d like to donate directly to the American Cancer Society, click here to be brought to the Creative Allies team page.
A short time ago, I finished up a project with Donna Dorans, the owner of Positive Dementia Care Services. She very recently started this business, and hopes to help families dealing with a loved one that suffers from dementia. Donna was a joy to work with, and I know that she will be able to help many people with her unique skills.
Because Donna was just starting out, we decided to begin at the beginning and develop a logo. The word positive gave me many wonderful ideas. Here’s a look at some of my original mock ups.
As you can see, at the very beginning I was all about the mathematical and scientific definitions of the word positive. I liked the way that these looked, but felt like I wasn’t quite there yet. Donna was looking for a look that was welcoming and comforting, and these concepts were a little too stark. Back to the drawing board. This is the result.
At the last second, I had divine inspiration. I was glancing at the vision board I had created earlier this year, and in big print it says “Sunshine State of Mind”. What a wonderful visual for positivity- sunshine! Purple seemed to be the natural choice, as it is the ribbon color for Alzheimer’s awareness.
After the logo was created, we went on to create other brand materials, like this trifold brochure. The inside features a photograph of Donna and her grandmother, taken by the fabulous Suzanne Larocque of Sleaque Images Photography.
Are you building a new business? I love working with start ups. Send me an email, and we’ll get this party started.
On a roll with the graphic design humor. This here is an example of what happens when a group of graphic designers have too much time on their hands. Side note, I want to be their friends.
