tips

creative inspiration

| heather parlato

color

fall forecast: conservative from the how design blog. the pantone color matching system has released it’s fall color forecast, and though it’s on the conservative side, it sure is pretty!

color theory for designers from smashing magazine. a great primer for anyone interested in the meaning of the colors they’re using. this is first in a series, here are the next 2 as well: understanding concepts and terminology and creating your own color palettes.

typography

helvetica typeface cookie cutters by beverly hsu from designyoutrust.com

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=9001402&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1

Colosseo: Available March 2010 from Cameron Moll on Vimeo.

300&65 is showcasing a different ampersand every day of the year!

concepts

design quotes is a really cool site that rotates quotes about design or by designers through a spectrum of color. take a look!

maybe a new street sign is what the world needs now from the ted blog [gary lauder]. i love the concept that drivers would stop falling back on right-of-way or road rage and work together to make safe transportation and cooperation happen. this sign gives me hope that an effective cycling awareness sign can’t be far behind. from the ted blog: Lauder has registered the sign with a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND license — so share it freely (just credit him, don’t modify the sign, and don’t sell it). And imagine a world where every street sign contains the word “Please.”

design industry

limited run pillows by hola amiga from <a href="apartment therapy. these pillows are a really exciting pop of color, run only 20 at a time. sweet!

best practices: press forward from print magazine. I found three people who work as consultants or within their own companies to come up with new and creative approaches to green the production process. Their innovative thinking could change everything about how designers print, from the paper chosen for a project to the boxes used to ship the final product. [jeremy lehrer] read the article to see what designers are doing to stay true to best practices.

build your brand touchpoints

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brand touchpoints

in brand design language, your brand touchpoints are a complete list of every opportunity the public at large has to interact with, or “touch,” your brand, from your identity, to your marketing & advertising, to the experience of working with you. it’s a much longer list than you could probably write off the top of your head, and for that reason, it’s a good idea to compile all the possible brand touchpoints your business might have so you can give attention to each one and plan how they will work together in the grand scheme of your brand strategy. this article gives a good overview of what a brand is and defines the major common touchpoints most businesses can use to communicate their brand message.

identity touchpoints
first off, all the pieces that make up your identity are also brand touchpoints [your identity is the nucleus of your brand]. building from the print matter area, add in every printed item your business produces: ads, newsletters & publications, business forms, proposals, signage & packaging, direct mail and special event collateral [if, say, you exhibit at trade shows]. these materials should all look like they’re saying what the business says it’s going to do in its mission statement to keep the message consistent each time a customer looks at your materials. what if clients look at your invoices and smile at the familiarity of someone they like working with? that’s the idea!

communications touchpoints
on the less-tangible side, starting with communication devices: emails, voice mails, public speaking, networking, public relations, presentations, phone etiquette and corporate voice. how you decide to use language to reinforce the type of company you are speaks volumes in very subtle ways, and when it’s consistent from your emails to the copy on your web site to the way you and your employees interact in person, that gives your target market reliable evidence that you are who you say you are and you deliver on what you say you will.

experiential touchpoints
all these printed words aside, experience plays a huge role in brand communications. every time a client or customer has a chance to experience working with you is also a touchpoint. sometimes we think of this as a closed sale and forget that the experience itself is what makes them keep coming back as well as give referrals and rave reviews. aside from the communication devices listed above, a company’s approach to process and service comes in to play here. what special approach can you take that sets your brand apart from others in your field? are your employees given an internal brand launch so they have brand confidence such that they are brand merchants in the field? if you have an office or store, how does the environment work toward your brand message [and more importantly, is there anything that detracts from it that can be improved]? what are your company’s affiliations? do you use green products, associate with a favorite non-profit, work with a preferred political party or initiative? your business associations say a lot about what you’re doing behind the scenes. what is your approach to customer service? how do you create confidence and trust between your business and your clients while you’re working with them? business philosophy can inform as many tangible touchpoints as experiential—think of as many opportunities you have to do things the best way possible and implement the ones you think will make the biggest difference with your target markets. the way we get clients to smile at our invoices is by giving them a great experience.

industry & lifestyle touchpoints
now that you have the main touchpoints in mind, the wild card category is anything that is specific to your business, your industry, or your target market. if you can create something helpful or useful as a gift to your clients, that is a great promotional touchpoint. think of your own experience in your industry: what is that one thing you’ve been doing yourself that would be so convenient if it were a form or a guide or information you could compile and share? you study your target market, you know them best, so what lifestyle choices are they making that might inform an item you could use as a promotional touchpoint? whether you create it yourself or partner with a gift company that simply puts your logo on something your clients will appreciate, the key is to make sure it’s useful and endearing to your target market so they use it, keep it and appreciate it. i can’t tell you how much swag i’ve tossed because it was a useless item that was simply an excuse to distribute a logo. think hard, choose wisely, get in the minds of your clients. better yet–ask your clients!

here’s my own example: i’m a designer with a long background in print design. one way i can showcase my work while being helpful to clients is in giving them complimentary communication devices they might otherwise buy. this month, i’ve created a set of valentines for clients, friends, and anyone who will get on my contact form and request a free set. that’s right A FREE SET, request yours today so i can mail it to you in time for valentine’s day!

what it comes down to is, your brand is in everything you do. leave no stone unturned, for there may be an overlooked opportunity to make a better impression. take none of them for granted, sometimes reworking the simple things to align with your brand strategy are details people notice and appreciate. if you haven’t in awhile, sit down with your mission statement and look at each touchpoint you’re currently using individually and ask yourself “how does this piece help communicate this statement?” brainstorm on it, sleep on it, think about how all of them might work together. compile a short list of sure shots and put them in action, adding any along the way that make sense. if you need ideas, advice or have questions, contact me, i’m always happy to answer!

biznik article of the week

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Ten Reasons to be Working for Good by Jeff Klein

working for good means aligning yourself with your values, and finding work in the areas that matter to you personally so your connection to your daily work deepens and feels more rewarding. klein outlines how going through this process leads to happier people feeling more connected to doing things they believe in, creating better companies and inspiring others. i couldn’t agree more, which is why i help clients connect with the passions and motivations that led them to their businesses in the first place, for what i believe are more personally communicative marketing pieces.

how to save money on your next design project

| heather parlato

how to save on your next design project

smart spending and saving is one of my favorite topics, so i figured i’d kick off the year by pairing it with my area of expertise in design to deliver an insider’s view of where to look for savings in your design projects. in the current economic climate, i’m hearing a lot of requests to keep things as cost-effective as possible, which is something i do with every project i get, come feast or famine. the fact of the matter is there is a lot that can be done on the client’s end, and knowing those things ahead of time puts you in a lot more control of how much you’ll spend. in my 15+ years doing design, both in-house and freelance, here are the most common areas where clients can control their savings.

plan ahead
sounds like a vague no-brainer, but there’s a lot that goes into getting the most out of your next project, and that starts with putting a plan together. source your designer down to a few favorite choices before you have a project on your calendar. ask them about how long it will take to produce a project like yours so nobody is rushed and charging rush charges for it. if you have an idea of the scope of your year’s projects, talk to your designer about how they might be combined, produced and printed together to save money. if you’re not sure what your year will entail, plan that out with your marketing specialist so you can tell your designer your goals and they can advise you on the best approach [clue: many designers are also marketing specialists]. it might mean working harder to plan a campaign all at once rather than 1 piece at a time, but it saves work, time & money down the road. we’re always happy to save you money when it’s a true savings of time and effort as well.

proofread first
it happens all the time, i get “final” copy for a project, and as i’m putting it into the layout, i’m catching typos that would have been caught by a simple run of spell check. i include 2 rounds of revisions with every project, but there have been many times where clients exceed these and end up paying for 3rd and 4th rounds. other designers don’t include them and simply charge individually for every round, which rewards the organized client and charges the one who says “i just need to see it in the layout.” if that’s you and you’re looking to save money, take the extra time to proofread your copy. run the free spell check in your word processor. trade free favors with a colleague and proofread for each other. compare the cost of hiring a copyeditor with an additional round of revisions from your designer, and consider hiring the copyeditor, who can make smart editorial suggestions to improve your copy. when you’re distracted by catching spelling and grammar, you don’t catch other things you’d like to change, generating extra revisions and additional costs. and at its worst, you don’t catch it all, and end up with the wrong information in your printed piece, and that’s a sad, sad day.

ask about processes and materials
once your project is ready to go to press, there are a few options of what print process to use, and what paper to print on. printers will store a selection of standard papers, called “house stocks” on site, and using one of these always costs less than ordering something specific. many clients think the quantity of output is the main determinant factor in the cost, but it’s actually the cost of the setup fee [converting your digital layout to printing plates], press time, and cost of the paper stock, running an extra thousand pieces is often negligible next to the difference between a house stock and a high-end specialty paper. i love specialty papers, and it’s any client’s choice on where they want to save and where they prefer to spend, so my advice on paper is, ask your designer to help you choose what is appropriate to the piece, and ask if it’s a house stock or special order. as for printing, based on your quantity needed, a printer can choose between a digital press for shorter runs, or offset lithography for longer runs [and web presses for really huge runs]. as i mentioned in the plan ahead section, if you’re able to combine projects and print them together, you can turn several short runs into a single cost-effective long run, which not only saves money, but in some cases can allow you to use a process that would have been otherwise unaffordable. there is also the option of gang printing, which uses offset lithography, but rather than dedicating the sheet of paper to your job alone, the printer gangs several together and keeps the press running constantly. this process is often cheaper than the alternatives, but the quality you sacrifice is that you only get to choose from among a couple papers, and you don’t get to approve the color, so it can be slightly off. if these factors aren’t a problem for you, gang printing can be another way to save.

when not to go cheap
i think there’s always a line that should be drawn to avoid the penny wise pound foolish scenario. one thing i’d advise against is trying to find the cheapest designer possible to do your project. the lowest priced designers on the market are also the least experienced, and that often costs more down the line. this lack of experience usually also means they can’t advise you on all the factors and processes that might be best for your project or your bottom line. i also advise against using print processes that are wasteful, excessively toxic, or using a shop whose practices allow them to get around the cost of compliance with environmental standards. being sustainable does imply higher costs, but the benefits are important enough that i think other cost-cutting strategies are in order.

what it comes down to is plan, proof & ask questions about the cost factors that affect your budget. instead of thinking along the lines of “how can you make this cheaper for me” think more about “what can i do to bring the cost of this work down?” sometimes, the little things you do add up in a big way, not only for your wallet, but you’ll have a great relationship with your designer, who will appreciate a client that understands the process.

promote your music on a shoestring budget

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promote your band

7 Effective Strategies To Get Your Music Noticed by Randy Chertkow and Jason Feehan

even though i’m not a musician myself, i get the discmakers.com newsletter and read their blog because they’re about a lot more than just producing your CDs. this article talks about 7 strategies for self-promotion that anyone can do to help get their music to the people who will love it most.

i am especially interested in musicians who are releasing their tracks for the public to remix and send back. joey santiago and david lovering, formerly of the pixies, are working on a new project, the everybody. for one thing, it’s a band, and you can buy their album if you just want to hear them–but you can also buy their mixable tracks for an additional fee, remix & reimagine them into new songs and send them back in hopes of making the cut to the everybody else. i think this is a really cool way of letting fans participate & sharing music. it’s also highlighted in the discmaker’s article as part of the long-haul stragegy.

wine cork projects

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wine cork projects

like any typical wine lover, i habitually save wine corks from any memorable bottles in a big vase on one of my kitchen counters. that vase has now overflowed to an adjacent bowl, at which point i thought maybe i should make a plan for what to do with all these corks. i have thought of making cork boards, but then this wikihow article popped up in a friend’s tweet, and now it’s got me thinking about birdhouses. can we take a moment to admire the champagne cork cage fashioned into a tiny chair on the porch? precious! and i’m downright ashamed to admit that stamping wasn’t an automatic no-brainer for me. they’re small, but they last a lot longer than carved potatoes!

plan your annual marketing calendar

| heather parlato

2010 calendar

i’ll try not to add to the chorus of disbelief that the year is practically over and instead say: congratulations, we all made it another year! since the calendar allows us this time to regroup over the holidays and start fresh in the new year, i like to take a couple days sometime in december to do a year-end retreat. whether you get out of town to a new location to clear your head, or take a stay-cation right in your living room, it’s a good time to reflect on the past year, list out any new goals you’d like to incorporate, and chart out a marketing plan for the coming year. this not only allows you to take more control of your schedule, but you save money when you plan ahead, strategize on how best to attack these projects, and avoid rush charges.

if you’re not sure where to start in planning a marketing calendar, use these questions to get the basic framework going: does your business have any fixed dates for events or promotions you already know you’ll be working with? does your industry have any events your business participates in [or would like to]? are there holidays that you can use as a good excuse to reach out with a personalized communication? and alternately, where are the stretches where none of these things happen, and what can you do with them?

once you have these dates & events to work with, ask yourself what type of communication would work best in each case. a postcard? a promotional piece? email newsletter? a combination of a few of these? for promoting your own events, you’ll want to sketch out a specific promotion strategy, but for periodic points of contact, you can pick the best format for the occasion and try to switch it up so your market gets used to seeing the flexibility of your brand. for example, as a designer, sending my own cards on major card holidays is a given. i also commit to a monthly email newsletter, and i like celebrating seasons, so for me, that’s a good time to use a postcard. this means, aside from my monthly newsletter, my contacts are seeing something from me most months of the year.

for the stretches when you don’t really have anything planned is a good time to make something up! while my work is always accessible online & linked in my newsletter, i like to send out a little “what’s new” package of print samples every so often since most of my work is print matter. if you were thinking of offering a promotion, creating a unique piece that announces it and slating it for one of these months where you don’t have anything else going out is a good way to stay in touch. don’t be afraid to share something not related to business–share info on things you like, cool tools of the trade, or send a personal email inviting your colleagues to meet in person.

once you chart these out on a calendar, it should be pretty easy to balance your communications over a few media formats and evenly space them through the year. then the tough part comes: commitment! the surest way to get all these things out the door is to create production schedules at least 6 weeks out for each. but don’t fret–if you got to this point, you can plan certain pieces together and get them done early, consolidate projects and put a little more effort upfront and save time down the line. if you have questions about how to strategize your production schedule, drop me an email and i’ll show you where you can combine & conquer!

color check!

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one of my design communities just posted this article, all the colours of the internet, exploring how different colors can really affect the mood of a web site. i think this is a great resource for clients who might want to experiment with how different colors can add or subtract from their messaging. take a spin through the examples and see what you think!

how to plan your holiday mailing

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earthlink holiday card

it may seem that the last heat wave just left, but the change of the season is upon us and it’s time to start planning holiday gifts & mailings. The year-end holidays are a great time to take a minute out of the daily grind to show your appreciation and send something special to your partners, vendors and clients to acknowledge how much you appreciate working with them. in the grand scheme of your brand, client appreciation is an opportunity to expand your brand personality and strengthen relationships by showing people that you value them beyond the work you do together.

the best way to make sure this all goes off without a hitch is to plan ahead so you can strategize what you want to send, work with the designers and vendors you want, and avoid rush charges with vendors that are overloaded with the holiday onslaught. to make it easy, use this guide to consider your approach, decide what to send and source people who can make it happen.

1: define your recipient list
since the number of recipients will determine which items or print processes make the most sense, the first thing to do is sit down with your client & vendor list and determine how many pieces you’ll be sending. some of us have 20, while others will have 2000 and beyond. you’ll also want to determine if there are tiered groups within your list, such as clients and partners above a certain dollar amount or who comprise a majority of your business and time vs. contacts you wish to keep in touch with. if you have a long list of names, this will help you decide how to break it down and find solutions for each group of recipients at each level.

2. give yourself enough time
consider that printing and mailing alone will take about 3 weeks on a standard turnaround, and that you’ll want to beat the rush and mail by the first week of december. if you’re working with a designer on a print piece, you’ll want to allow at least a month for the design process [this is a rough estimate, but to insure you can get the results you want with the designer of your choice, over-estimate here]. similarly, if you are ordering cards or branded gifts, you’ll want to build in time to research the ideal gift and time to have it customized. the turnaround will vary from vendor to vendor, but again, plan on about a month. that means, yes, it’s time to get the ball rolling in early october.

3: consider the type of communication best suited to your brand
i’ll get it out of the way upfront: a few options i’m not going to focus on here are pre-packaged gift baskets or branded gifts that involve putting your logo on a gift item. there are endless resources for going that route, and if those are avenues you want to take, my only advice is to customize it as much as possible. send your baskets with a personalized card, and if you brand a gift with a logo, make it a useful & relevant item to your target market. there is also the choice to donate to a the charity of your choice, which is what earthlink did in the sample above, detailing the contribution in an insert with the card. since there are so many worthwhile organizations out there, my advice is to choose the one that’s right for you and send a little information about them to your recipients to raise awareness.

there are a few levels of personalized communications that i think are key for holiday mailings. the most universal is a designed card that shows your branding with a thoughtful message, something that can be sent to all levels of clients & contacts. if it isn’t in your budget to hire a designer and print a card, or if your quantity of recipients makes printing cost-prohibitive, before you run off to a big card company, consider shopping around in your design community or on a craft site like etsy for designers who do packs of original art for screen-printed or letter press cards in the quantity you need. look for something you identify with that will also communicate well to your clients.

if a holiday card was already in the budget and you want to go a bit bigger with a branded gift, consider some sort of holiday kit that will be useful, helpful & memorable with your clients. i have seen some really nice packages where companies partner to create joint gifts they can send to both company’s holiday lists. a great example was something we received from the department of graphic sciences last year, which included a branded coffee mug, a set of illustrated cards by the designers, and a pack of artisan brittle by morning glory confections. this gift was a great combination of something we could use with their logo, artistic objects we could send to our own colleagues, and some really unique sweets to enjoy, all of which promoted & introduced each partner in the process [and here i am talking about it nearly a year later]. check with your favorite neighborhood shops, local farmer’s market vendors, or contacts in your chamber or industry organization for artisan food or specialty item vendors you might click with. or leave it to us–your designer will be able to come up with some great suggestions.

this is really the branding part of the project, considering your constituents and finding that special mix of what sends the right message from your company and what hits your recipients in a way they’ll remember and appreciate. if you’re stuck on how to brainstorm on this, ask your employees. they often have relationships with your clients that you don’t, and can have great insight about gift ideas. if you want a more strategic approach, talk to your designer or brand strategist about how to extend your brand to your holiday gifts. we’ll be able to take your goals and corporate voice and personal connection to your clients, and create a memorable communication with everyone on your list.

4: get to work
if you have your list together and have some idea of where you’re ready to start, it’s time to get moving. if you have a designer on staff or on hand for these projects, make the call and put a production schedule on the calendar. if you need help finding the right designer, i have helpful information on how to find the right one for your business. or hey, you’re talking to one right now, ask away!