There are also similar satirical scenarios of the above, such as http://www.vendorclientvideo.com/ which show the common misunderstandings in the creative world.

While I agree this is a typical scenario of the reality of the field and most of the inquiries I have as a freelance designer are from start-up businesses and non informed clients looking for low cost advertising and marketing solutions for their products and services. Most are unsure what they need or what will help their business and have only put aside a limited budget for their advertising and company identity. Little know the benefits of design and are happy to have any company image regardless of the implications.

But It’s hard to blame them when their are so many easy and cheap solutions and where free logos are available along with stock photos and ready made templates for stationary. Most clients won’t understand the nature of design and can’t find value in anything that can be created with readily available software and tools with such apparent ease. As such the asset of having a great logo, brand and image is overlooked and the designer becomes an merely an artworker who no longer provides design but just churns out unoriginal and drab non focused design for the lowest price.

When I quote for design work most clients are shocked at the price of logo design or cannot understand that level of detail that goes into the design of effective print material. Many ask for large reductions and explain “it won’t take long…” scenarios. I feel it’s not right to point the fingers of blame at the client for not knowing anything about the sector and costs. It’s not their job to be informed but the designer duty to help inform and explain the benefits of the service that graphic design offers. It’s important to establish a firm working relationship and trust with your client. Your job is twofold… help them sell their product or service and secondly, make them feel comfortable working with you.

In short we should be educating our clients as to the value of design, what our job entails, the difficulties of design and what processes/time scales are involved rather than making fun of them. Then we can expect to treated like professionals and prices involved.

Further information:

• The logo design process by Graphic-all Design.
• The value of logo design by Graphic-all Design.

I also offer reduced price business and marketing design packages. I’m hoping that these set prices will help prospective clients understand the ballpark figures involved.

I’m also linking clients with smaller budgets links to explore the ready-made and off the shelf design solutions that firms that Shutterstock and Logosinabox can offer.

A Logo design and branding that would reflect the difference that Make that job yours would make on a possible candidate and job search was requested. Using the typical logo design process that involved creative sketching, brainstorming and mind-mapping and focusing on the positive nature of finding that ideal job I was able to create the following logo for Adam and use the devised branding on a website, stationary and marketing package to offer his services to the public.

www.damstyle.com

David had a new service to market, which was a professional one to one service for graduates and professionals looking to net that next job.

David was looking for a fresh way to present himself in advertising and wanted an email campaign print advertising for this new offer. One of his staff had already created a poster for the new service but David thought it needed some more flare and better presentation to win these new clients.

Below you can see the before and after design and the added value that good design can give any campaign.

New research from Vanderbilt University suggests that we can remember more faces than other objects and that faces “stick” the best in our short-term memory. The reason may be that our expertise in remembering faces allows us to package them better for memory.

As an attendee of network meetings in the local area I’m starting to wonder how you stay in peoples minds, become memorable and ultimately encourage future business relationships. I have been contacted by individuals much later down the line, sometimes as much as 8 months since we met. Which means I’m obviously doing something right…

I think there is an easy way to be memorable.

If you look at Linked In, Facebook, Myspace or any other social network every profile has or should have a photo. This is because a photograph is the best possible visual clue to memory and identification. A photo will trigger a memory of a conversation you had, a product your selling or the business that you are part of.

As such I have been using specially designed business cards:

My cards have the following information.

• Full Picture
• Business name
• Name
• Position/job title
• Phone number
• Email address
• Website address
• Twitter username
• Linked in profile

I feel they guarantee me to be memorable and help you promote my business effectively. For a limited time only I’m offering you, your own memorable business cards.

Your own memorable business cards

I design can business cards the following qualities and prices:

Each come courtesy of full design on front and back with your social networking links and any other relevant information you need enclosed.

Our business cards are produced using thick, 350 GSM paper that is specifically produced for state of the art printing presses.

They needed to re-brand a software program called Data Exchange and asked me develop a logo design with them. The final design that was developed is below.

More information about Data Exchange:

Data Exchange is an application to manage the Exchange of Data. DataExchange acts as a broker between Sources of data and a user to deliver data in a controlled uniform manner.

DataExchange is implemented as a J2EE Application executing in a Servlet container.As DataExchange is Internet facing access control is tightly controlled, DataExchange uses the Concept of an inbox that contains DataLinks – A link to data. This link to data can be accessed in a variety of ways. It allows users to access information over the internet, ensuring users only access their data and that no unauthorized disclosure of data takes place.

Program highlights include:

• Access is monitored
• Access is easy and intuitive
• Data can be easily managed

Concept designs

Below are some concepts the were created in the design process but not developed.

Today sees the launch of my new blog here on graphic-all-design.co.uk

As part of my interest in design I plan to write on a regular basis and hope to explore how good design can help all businesses. I will be posting articles mainly on the topics of:

• The value of good design
• Effective ideas for promotion
• How to use social media in business
• Logo design
• Web design and accessibility
• Branding and re-branding
•  Typography
•  Advertising
• Animation, motion graphic design and video editing

I also will be delving into some of the more theoretical aspects of design and hope to cover more in depth subjects, such as the nature of seeing based around the theories of Walter Benjamin and John Berger.

I’m also hoping to offer some freebies for other graphic designers as I have a lot of stock imagery that I created over the years or was never used in projects.

Other articles will feature in-depth analysis of some of my previous projects and ongoing projects, all of which you can read here and discuss and leave comments about on the blog. I will be analysing this years design of dislocation festival which I will be involved in for example.

I have made three previous posts so far on some business basics of how design can help grow your business and show a better professional nature. You can read them here:

• Why don’t you need a logo?
• 10 reasons your business needs a website.
• The benefits of working with a design freelancer.

You can subscribe to my RSS feed or my updates by email to keep up-to-date with my blog. I will also be posting updates via twitter.

Thanks and keep reading for some great content!

At this moment 80% of all UK businesses have a website.
Silicon.com reporting

There should not be any doubt in your mind that you need a website for you business, but here are some good reasons I have compiled:

(1) Your customers expect you to have one.

What would happen if people learn of your business name and then try to find out more about you on the web? If they cannot find your website they will start to search for a competitor that offers similar services or products. Your losing business just by not having a website.

(2) Open 24/7

Unlike a phone line or shopfront, a website is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It does the hard work, when you’re not working. People have the convenience to look at your website when they want to.

(3) A method of contact

Not all of us like to use the phone to talk to people, there also are many who can’t. Be it disability, working hours or even general shyness. A website offers a discrete and private way of displaying information the client needs. They may feel more confidant using email contact than the phone.

(4) It’s cheaper and faster.

Even ordering a brochure or making a phone call is a slow method of finding information compared to a website. With a well designed website potential clients and customers can find the information they need. No postage, no call time, just instant access.

(5) It’s the new Yellow Pages.

The older among us that worked before the age of the internet will remember the Yellow Pages. It was practically the place to turn to if you needed to find a business or service. It was essential that you had a listing. Nowadays the first place to look for something is the internet. With more than just a listing the customer can compare prices, services and find a more in-depth profile about your business.

(6 ) It gives you instant credibility.

A website showing the customer all about your business gives you credibility. If it’s presented in a clear readable and attractive manner it gives the customer trust. Which in turn makes them value your opinion and services. Using a mix of well written copy, good design and useful information will instantly create a great first impression.

(7) Better than any sales/services brochures

Although a small run of sales brochures maybe a cheaper solution than a well designed website. A sales brochure has; limited pages, a limited run and limited shelf life. A website has almost infinite possibility of ways to display information about your business.

(8) A website makes it easy for people to refer new customers to you

For many businesses, referrals are a crucial source of developing new clients. Having a website makes it easy to encourage referrals, as customers can simply send friends and business contacts to your site to view your services or products.

(9) A website increases the value of your advertising

Adding your website address to all marketing and advertising is a great way to introduce potential customers to your company even if they have not met you.

(10) Analyse the results.

A website can measure report and show data on how successful your marketing and advertising is using various software installed onto your website.

If you are interested in developing a website please get in contact.

Having run my own business for the last two years and have experience creating and developing design for small businesses and individuals, I often find it’s the case that clients have never worked with an individual before and normally are used to working with companies. Which is not at all rare since companies do seem more professional than an individual working from a office at home. Hopefully this post will explore some of the benefits of working with a one person business or the commonly known description “freelancer” in the design industry.

Before I start this article I would like to point out that it’s not me in the picture. The sun does not shine behind me and grumpy silhouettes do not stand behind me and cross their arms. I also never wear white shirts (I prefer brown, grey or black!) but as the metaphor represents I do work on my own, separately from a company and I do generally do the same job as a team of people.

The one person business is often regarded as the singular description “freelancer” which technically is not wrong, but does conjure up images of the lazy freelancer working from a bedroom and spending a lot of there supposedly working time watching daytime TV and not necessarily doing the 9-5 working ritual that the rest of country partakes in.
The truth of the matter is really that many professional freelancers that do work from a home office, probably put in more working hours than they would like to admit.
These professionals are not hard to spot, they would normally at least have a home office or working space, business cards, online/off-line portfolio, company brochure and list of services as well as references or testimonials, but always do your homework and find out as much as you can before hiring them for a project.
(you can request to look at any of the above via email!)

So why would or should you hire a “freelancer” to do the work of a larger design agency?

Price.

This probably the main reason you are considering hiring a freelancer.
Freelancers often have very low overheads and rarely rent their office space, pay substantial amounts for advertising and have a great deal of expenses attributed to there day to business. As such they won’t need as many clients and capital to profit from their business as a design angency would. With these lower operating costs they can offer a lower price on their services in order to appeal to the marketplace. Get a quote from me and see how much you could save.

A singular interpretation of the design brief.

While this does not sound like a benefit, the design brief is written so an understanding can be made between client and worker. Since there is just one interpretation of the brief and there should be little confusion to the outcome that could happen if multiple members of staff are working on your brief.

Expertise.

Often a freelancer will specialise in a particular area of design that they focus on, For example I have a long background into design for the music industry and for underground bands. While a design firm quite often offers a variety of knowledge of all types of design work they may not be experts in individual industries and sectors.

Better communication

No sales team to talk to, no receptionist to leave messages with, no account manager who then needs to talk to the designer and then the junior designer, all to deal with the changes to your project. When you call me or email me, the phone call or email goes to me and only me. I can answer queries quickly even when I’m away from my office. I can makes changes to design work without having to receive the information from another member of staff.

Customer service

As the only person in the company I am also responsible for all the billing, invoicing and quoting can answer all quiries. You can also phone or email me at anytime between 9AM and 10PM
seven days a week and expect to get a response. A design agency typically runs like normal workplace with 9-5 hours.

Personal Relationship

With one person handling your project, you will quickly find working with them a familiar experience. Although I like to be as professional as possible with my clients and focus on the project, I do not see any harm in learning more about your client beyond the job at hand. It makes me feel more relaxed doing the work as I feel I have a better understanding of their personal background and needs.

To conclude…

There are some good reasons why firms with large budgets and demanding needs might choose to use a Design Agency, but sole traders and small to medium sized businesses will generally find it to be much more beneficial (and cheaper) to use the services of a freelancer like myself.

You might not need a logo!

This sounds like bad business practice for someone who designs logos for a living but a good logo costs money. Do you have the financial resources to invest in one? You may have already made up your mind but you really need to ask yourself;

Why does my business need a logo?

Most designers will be able to give you a strong list of reasons why you need a logo and how it will be beneficial to your company. Some may even claim “Your business will never be memorable without a logo”. But you may not need one. Before you approach a designer you should ask yourself “Why exactly do you need a logo?’

If you answer no to more than three of these headings you just might not need a logo, your money would probably be better spent on your marketing campaign. If you answer yes to most of these, then you will need a professional designer. You can contact me for a free quote on logo design as I would be happy to design that much needed identity.

(1) Will you have returning customers?

Do your customers come back to use your services or purchase more goods from your business time after time? Unless you are operating in a very niche market, the chances are that your customer knows there are alternatives, where they can get their product or service cheaper or better.
You need to stick in their mind, as the “go to” company or individual for that service or item.

(2) Do people remember your businesses name?

• Emma Johnston’s Accounting.
• John Smith’s Painting & Decorating.

I’m unsure if I’ll remember these examples I’ve made in two months from now!
My company “Graphic-all Design”, is not the most memorable of names but the play on words does stick in some peoples minds, because of the subtlety of the combined words to make up the phrase “graphical design” the name also includes what I do (all types of design).

However I introduce myself by my name first and my company second. I like my name because it’s somewhat memorable, at least in England where most of my business is. My name is Robin Van Rijn, not many people forget my name because it’s foreign and difficult to pronounce. My brand catches the rest of the people that do not remember. So together my name + brand + logo makes me memorable!

(3) Are you entering into a competitive market?

The chances are your competitors are using every possible resource to look the most professional, reputable, financially sound and have best suited service or product. You will need to differentiate yourself from the crowd and be individual to prove you are the best!

(4) Do I need attention?

Does your company run on word of mouth or through print and online advertising? The chances are your direct mail/email campaign is not getting the desired effect if you don’t have a logo or identity. People do not pay much attention to unbranded services or often associate not having a logo as being unprofessional or being non industry standard.

(5) Is your company going to grow and be successful?

If you’re in a start-up business that is growing to be successful, in a few years as your experience and peoples knowledge of your company grows, will your new national and even possibly global clients take you seriously without branding and a logo? Even if you choose a low price logo to begin with, will it reflect you in the years to come? A well designed logo is timeless and would accompany you on the road to becoming the best of your industry!

(6) If you are selling products, do people recognise these products as produce of your company?

If they don’t, you need to ask yourself why they don’t. Your products should be a shining example of your companies work. Even a simple logo could correct this.

(7) Are you using marketing and self promotion resources already available to you?

If you’re networking and promoting your company yourself either online or through off-line marketing. You probably already have the space on your business card, website, letterhead/stationery for your logo to appear in. Having such an item would silently advertise your business. Money aside these are ample places to extend your companies branding. Why not use them?

(8) Do you want to remain faceless and anonymous?

Some companies need to remain private and not open to the public eye. Not having a logo can sometimes make people raise questions. People recognise that branding and logo design costs money. If you do not even have the overheads for simple branding and logo design. People may ask how long is this business expecting to be trading for?

(9) Do you need to explain your company name?
Because of the need to differentiate yourself from the market not everyone attaches their industry type at the end of their company identity. If your company name is an acronym for example, a logo can give visual clues to its meaning.

(10) Do you need to convey that you are reputable?

A typical shop may not need much more than a good store front and polite staff to be a good business. You can see from the store front the basis of their (supposedly) good business. When you don’t have a storefront or way of customers being able to look into your business process or activity a logo, professionally designed printed materials and usable and attractive website will do the legwork for you. Showing that you are committed to both your business and to your clients.

To conclude