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We recently came across this Vitamin ID site and thought it was fantastic. As the site came up on our screen we instantly fell in love with the human connection it made. Here’s our expert opinion on why this design works:
- The Human Factor – you instantly connect with the gentleman being featured on their site. You kind of want to learn more about his story and what they’re advertising.
- Flow of Information – after that connection is made, your eyes flow down to “build a pack” and “take the survey,” which are the two call to action items for the site.
- Natural Color Palette – reinforces the brand and the product, which is advertised as all natural. The colors definitely give the site and the company an organic feel, and that kind of feel leads to thoughts of caring and responsibility on behalf of the company.
- Clean and Easy to Navigate – this site is very clean and straight forward. It’s a natural site without the use of organic textures (such as soil, hemp, canvas, etc). Because of its well organized design, its very easy to find the information you’re looking for.
Constructional Feedback: We’d love to see the same color palette and natural feel carry over into the online store and the blog components.
Clean, eloquent, simple. Style, sophistication, dynamic. What more can we say? When we saw this website we were immediately drawn in. The simple solid color background, a cool grey, compliments the warmth and detail of the watches. This is the website for the International Watch Company, based in Switzerland. It speaks history mixed with modern style. It speaks luxury and craftsmanship. Spoken with little words and detailed photographs, you grasp the story and the personality of the company.
Stop the presses! I think we are in love. This is a beautiful example of where clean, simple, classic style is paired with dynamic product imagery to really bring out the personality and style of the company as well as the product. It’s straight to the point. The antique white background gives the impression of history, while the extreme close ups of the boots echoes modern times. These boots were made for walking, and standing, and looking good.
The Oak Street Bootmakers site simply rotates high quality images of their products on their home page. Although different products and scenes are featured in each photo, the pose of the boots remain consistent throughout the set. The texture and detail of the boots are really accented by the natural color palette, and the rustic nature of the website design.
When you go to their website, your attention is immediately drawn to their product line, and this is on purpose. Further browsing will show you a variety of very clean, professional product images contrasting against the natural background and mix of serif/sans serif typography. C’est magnifique!
You can visit Oak Street Bootmakers website to witness the design in all its glory.
Recently we had the opportunity to develop the brand and identity for Breakthroughs Life Coaching. Our client was in need of a logo and overall look that was both clean and dynamic. For this we chose the concept of wings and taking flight, an image we saw consistently throughout the philosophy and mission of Breakthroughs Life Coaching.
Our client also needed a site that they could update on their own, post relevant content to, and be interactive in terms of their Facebook and Twitter updates. Developing a color palette that was both bold, but contrasted well with white and tan, allowed for the clean look you see featured above, and the print collateral below. Breakthroughs Life Coaching receives several compliments on the clean professional look of their website, and people always look twice when they receive the business cards featured below.
Connect with Breakthroughs Life Coaching:
Website: http://www.christinawatson.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/breakthroughslifecoaching
Twitter: http://twitter.com/prosperouswomen
B’More Creatives is a Baltimore-based networking group for women in the creative profession. The group started with a handful of women discussing their similar experiences in the design industry, and has since grown to 650+ members nationally who share employment opportunities, advice and support with each other. Two years ago they approached us to develop their logo and identity, which was very well received by their members.
So we were more than ecstatic when we were asked to develop a website home page for the group. Their previous group home page was filled to the brim with content, industry news, member information and current discussions. It made sense to the members of B’More Creatives, but if you were an outsider looking in, you were confused about where to look and what to do. We developed a clean home page design, featuring a detailed description about the group, with visible links to their social media outlets, as well as the option to join the group or log in.
Thus far their home page has received rave reviews from their members and other spectators. Through the clean look they are able to get their mission and purpose in front of the right people, providing a unified front, and they continue to receive new membership requests weekly.
In addition to the homepage, we designed an e-newsletter template for them to use monthly to connect with their members, featuring a color palette that matches their brand, a custom header, and custom title-images for their articles. Also, we developed the door prize giveaway items (which included a custom magnet set and bumper stickers) for their launch party to celebrate the new site. The newsletter and door prize items are featured below.
Learn more and connect with the group:
Website: B’More Creatives
Twitter: @BmoreCreatives
Facebook: B’More Creatives page
We recently had the opportunity to work with Judah Kelly, a private personal trainer based out of the Washington DC area. Judah was in search of a dynamic web presence that would set him apart from his competition. He also wanted a website that he could update himself, so he could provide current articles about fitness and overall wellness.
After our consultation with Judah Kelly, we decided that the best way to set up his website was through a content management system (CMS), which would allow him easy access to the content of his site, without needing to dive into or understand anything about website coding.
For his website, we developed a very professional layout, featuring a banner in Flash on the main page which rotated stunning professional photography of Judah Kelly in action (professional photography by Sean Scheidt). We chose a brushed steel look to add some dimension to the solid color palette and to give the feeling of strength and permanence.
In addition to the site, we developed a consistent identity for his business cards and his e-newsletter (featured below). We recently followed up with Judah, who reported to us that the website has been received very well from his potential clientele and his business has doubled. Congratulations Judah on your new clients!
Visit Judah Kelly online: http://www.thejudahkellyproject.com.
Bohemia is a UK based boutique dedicated to discovering beautiful, unique & unusual products and bringing these items to a wider audience. They recently had their website redesigned and it looks fabulous! They also have a blog, Bohemia Life, which details and follows various creative trends in fashion and design. We stumbled upon their website and fell in love.
Here Are The Reasons Why This Design Works:
- Complimentary Colors: Orange and blue are complimentary colors on the color wheel, which according to theory, they always look good together. Bohemia has chosen a very cool, light blue and paired it with a bold orange. The colors truly do compliment each other. And the cooler blue also has an icy appeal to it.
- Easy to Navigate: The main banner with the pictures fading in and out calls your attention to special products. That’s sure to attract attention. But also, check out the navigation to the upper right above the banner. Super easy to scroll over and the drop down menus really give you the option to be super selective in what you are looking for.
- Little Elements Makes It Fun: We creatives like to add little complimentary elements that make the design flow better, all while being aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Note the fading paisley print in the back, and the light stitching on the top and bottom edges of the blue box that lays upon the fading images in the main banner. Brilliant!
Recently the site to promote tourism in New York was redesigned. Not only do we love New York, but we also love this website. You can visit it here: http://www.iloveny.com/.
Reasons Why This Design Works:
- Photography: It catches your attention with dynamic photos. If you are looking for a city to visit, you want to see what you are getting yourself into. The photos are very inviting, full of color and with a sense of energy all its own. They provide the option for you to click on them to learn more.
- Clean Design: The main navigation is at the top of the site, easy to spot and easy to browse through. The navigation is clean and simple, straight forward, because what really grabs you with the site is the content and the photos.
- Color Palette: We provided a swatch of the main colors on the homepage. The red in the logo is sure to stand out with the light sandy/earthy color background colors. The colors are warm and airy, so they compliment the changing photos on each page instead of competing with them.
Check out the very well designed website of Alpine Meadows and the very winter/natural color palette that follows. This website is very wintery and cool without being shades of blue or having the obvious pictures of snow and ice. Instead it pictures the experience of Alpine Meadows, visuals that suggest fun and entertainment no matter your age or skill level.
The large images that interchange throughout the website take you there, to the mountain. Also note that although you are viewing the site through your smooth computer screen, this website has texture! When you have a business that has anything to do with nature you can take it two ways, (1) ultra clean and simplistic, also known as the minimalist approach and (2) adding some type of texture so that users can “feel” your site.
We love this website and we love the color palette!
The new year is upon us! You’ve partied with friends or stayed in and celebrated with family. You toasted with champagne or kissed at midnight. And no doubt you’ve started to contemplate the possibilities of what is yet to come. There is no time like the present to start thinking about your business goals and what you hope to accomplish in 2010. Thinking about this now and setting some goals for yourself will help to further ensure your success in the future. In light of the new year, we have developed a list of 10 tips of what you absolutely have to do to make 2010 your year.
10. What is Your Brand? “Brands are defined by the customer. They exist as a feeling that extends beyond the product itself,” says T. Scott Gross, author of Microbranding. What do we say? We define a brand as the emotional and psychological relationship you have with your customers. Strong brands elicit thoughts, emotions, and sometimes physiological responses from customers. Think of your favorite brands and your response to them as they pass through your mind (for example…Apple, Starbucks, Nike, etc). What should your customers think or feel when they talk about or see your company? If you are drawing a blank, you should definitely take some time to think about this and write down what you want your customers to feel. Words like “happiness, quality, reliability” are all great adjectives to start with. Then, build your entire company around these core values. Remember, brands are not concrete; they are the thoughts, feelings, and psychological relationships between a business and its customer. And your brand is the foundation of all your marketing activities.
9. Your Mission Statement. According to the Center for Business Planning, your mission statement should be a clear and succinct representation of your company’s purpose for existence. It should incorporate socially meaningful and measurable criteria addressing concepts such as the moral/ethical position of the enterprise, public image, the target market, products/services, the geographic domain and expectations of growth and profitability. And, it should represent value. If you haven’t written your mission statement yet, now is the time! And when you are finished you can put it in your office or place it on the back of your business card as a constant reminder. Your mission statement can be broad or specific and shouldn’t be more than a couple sentences. If you have trouble getting started, we recommend researching the mission statements of some of your favorite brands. For example, 3M’s mission statement is “to solve unsolved problems innovatively,” Mary Kay Cosmetics’ mission is “to give unlimited opportunity to women,” and our personal favorite, Walt Disney’s mission is “to make people happy.”
8. Image is Everything. Have you been putting off getting your website professionally designed or getting a logo for yourself? Don’t make this mistake! Make this year your year! Start setting aside some funds so that you can have a budget to make this happen. When you are researching which creative company or freelancer to go with, remember that you get what you pay for. Websites that are offering to do your logo design for next to nothing may not give you the personal touch you deserve. Here are some components to consider in your search: Will you be able to call and talk one on one with the potential company about your needs? Will the company consult with you for free? Will they offer more than one option? What is the turn around time? How would they deliver the final files to you? Ultimately, you want a company that will take the time to understand the nature of your business and the industry that you are in, so that they can provide you with the highest quality of design. Still not sure where to start? We will evaluate your old website or logo for free. Simply fill out this contact form to get your FREE evaluation and we will be in touch!
7. Get Your Social Networking in Sync. This comes in two parts. (Part 1) Now is the time to get all of your social networking efforts together. Are still logging into Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn separately? You can save a lot of time by syncing up your social media efforts. For example, from your Facebook account you can link up to your Twitter account so your updates will appear from one to the other. Activate this application by clicking here. Log into LinkedIn and you’ll see that it has the option to post Twitter status updates too! Now logging into Twitter will update your status on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Do you have multiple Twitter accounts? Two great interfaces you should consider for managing them are HootSuite and Splitweet. Check out this very informative article on Mashable: The Social Media Guide for more options.
(Part 2) Does your website look one way, your Facebook page another way, and your Twitter page looks like something else? Consistency and repetition are very important when it comes to brand recognition. Make sure your customers and fans know its you by taking advantage of being able to have a custom Twitter background and upload images to your company’s fan page. An easy fix would be to make sure that your logo is clearly displayed on all forms of social media. There are also several sites that provide FREE Twitter backgrounds; if you go this route, double check to make sure the logo or name of the provider of the image you use isn’t so big and bold that it overpowers your logo and your message.
Want something more original? You can also get your Twitter background and icon custom designed to match the style of your website or your company. Our client, Footprints at 50, is an excellent example of having a unified professional design across the board. Be sure to check out her website, Twitter page, and blog. We’d be happy to take a look at your online presence and offer suggestions for FREE. Just fill out this contact form and we will be in touch!
6. SEO (Search Engine Optimization). It’s easy, it’s beneficial, and many people do not do it. Your website can be spectacular, but it’s not living up to its full potential if the right people aren’t seeing it. Optimizing your website makes it easy for search engines to go through your site and bring it up in relevant searches. Setting up your Meta Tags, site map and page descriptions is simple HTML that you may be able to do, or your designer or VA should definitely be able to do. If you are unsure about it, check with your service provider where you purchased your domain name and hosting package. They might have a search engine optimization plan that you can pay for to have it done. For example, if your site is through GoDaddy.com, they have a search engine visibility package, with the lowest option priced at $28.49 for 2 years. Check out this plan and other options by clicking here. And, as an added tip, submitting your website to most search engines is FREE.
5. Meet People. Hello, my name is… Many industries operate on a “it’s all who you know” basis. Be available. Check out your local business journal for networking events, but also keep in mind, they don’t always have to be networking events. Have you heard of Meetup.com? This site allows people to meet up and form groups based on similar interests. Search for groups in your area that meet your needs and interests (for example, Young Entrepreneurs, or Green Business Owners). Also search for groups that might be outside of your industry (if you are a boutique, you may get more potential customers amongst a mix of people rather than other boutique owners). By the way, as you’re headed out and about, it would be a good idea to have some business cards handy. Our portfolio is full of examples of business cards we’ve done for our satisfied clients. For example, check out Destiny Homes 4 You, Get Luba Fit, and Butterfly Effects.
4. Send Out An E-Newsletter! It’s a very cost effective way to stay in touch with your customers and clients. This is not something that you have to update every day. Set it up so it works with your schedule so you don’t overwhelm yourself looking for content. An eNewsletter is an excellent way to call attention to a new product or promotion and its a good way to collect contact information. Many service providers for eNewsletters (such as Constant Contact for example) offer free trial periods so you can get comfortable using their service. Mail Chimp offers free use of their services as long as your mailing list is under 500. Here’s some additional advice, choose quality over quantity when it comes to the content of your newsletter. It is okay to sign up for other newsletters from your industry just to see what they are talking about and how they structure their content.
3. Keep In Touch. Your customers/clients are what drives your business. Keep them happy and you will get additional business from referrals. Let your customers know that you appreciate them in a way that brings them back to you. After you complete a service for them, send them a note thanking them for their business, and you can also offer 10% off their next project. If it’s a product that you are selling, you can also include a note that says “Thank you for your business!” You can include a coupon for a percentage off of their next purchase. Or, you can include a company branded promotional item (a notepad, pen, bumper sticker, etc) as a freebie with their order. Everyone loves getting something for free, and it is even more of a surprise when it’s unexpected. These little tactics are sure to help you hold on to your current customers and attract new ones as well.
2. Take Time For You. This would be time away from the computer, away from the smart phone, away from all things work related. You are no good to your business or your clients/customers if you are stressed out or feel as if you are stretching yourself too thin! Whip out your planner and schedule some me time! It can be a few minutes to dive into a book you’ve been meaning to read, a walk in the park, dinner with friends, etc. Make a wish list if you have to. You schedule time to meet with clients, to give free consultations, and to work on your online marketing efforts, why not put yourself on the schedule too? Taking a few minutes or more a day will allow you to regroup, refocus, have a clear mindset, and be of even more value to your customers.
1. Grow. If you are a small business owner then it may seem like you are on the front line for your business. You are making the sales call, you are the customer service rep, you are the marketing guru. How can you continue to fuel the many facets of your business? You must look for ways to continue to grow on a personal and professional level. Make it a goal to once or twice a month do something that advances your knowledge and your skill-set. This might mean attending an online seminar, speaker series, lecture, class or a conference that relates to your trade (be sure you’re not signing up for “How to Make 6 Figures in 30 Days” or similar platforms, you want professional, concrete information as it relates to you). Set aside a small budget to make this happen. This is important. These growth sessions, whatever they may be, will help you to develop fresh ideas, gain a broader perspective, and learn from the experiences of others.
