Why I’m asking for your design and marketing budget

When I ask the all-important (and much dreaded) “what’s your budget” question to new clients, I almost always get the same response: “I’m not really sure. Can’t you tell me how much it will cost?” My answer? Not really.

I had been wanting to write a blog posting on this topic for quite some time when I received the email below from Ilise Benun at The Marketing Mix with an article written by designer Lisa Smith Youngdahl. She explains it as well as I ever could, so I’ll let you read what she had to say…

When a client approaches me about a new design project, I will ask what the budget is for this project. Often, the client is not prepared for this question.Why do you think I would ask this question?

A.  I want to find out the highest possible cost the client willing to pay.

B.  I have no idea what I’m doing, or how much to charge.

C.  To help my client obtain the best value for what his business can afford.

Of course, if you think about it, “c” is the right answer. A good designer wants to help the client and create successful marketing that will help achieve the desired action. If the budget is known, the designer can offer cost effective options that will work within your price range. Having an idea of what you can spend will allow you to work with the designer to prioritize the strongest features you need that fit within your budget.

This process helps create an informed decision about what is the best choice for your marketing, and which might yield the best ROI.

If you feel lost determining a number, a rule of thumb is that 5-10% of your gross profit should be spent on marketing. A new business may need to spend more than an established one.

1 Comment by on February 20, 2012
filed in Business Advice
tagged , , , , , , ,

Top 20 Corporate Buzzwords I Promise To Never Use

Corporate Buzzwords

One of the biggest perks to being a graphic designer has always been the cool creative culture at advertising agencies. Unlike other professions, we enjoy invaluable perks like being able to wear flip flops every day and having afternoon bouncy ball tournaments. But over the past few years, I’ve noticed a disturbing trend: many agencies are losing their “coolness” and falling victim to cliches normally reserved for the corporate world. Their biggest offense? The overuse of corporate buzzwords.

Last time I checked, the entire point of advertising (or effective communications, in general) was to make your message as clear and concise as possible. This means using good ol’ plain English for the common folk, not words better suited for a doctoral theseus. Seriously, people… you may think your expansive vocab makes you sound smart, but it really just makes you sound like a pompous elitist. (Did you like those big words I used there?)

Now that I’m an official “solopreneur,”  here is my list of the top 20 most annoying corporate buzzwords (ahem:: bullshit phrases) that I promise NEVER to use. And if by some freak of nature I accidentally slip up, you have permission to slap me.

  1. Moment (“This is a great opportunity to embrace the moment.”)
  2. Ping (“Mike is ready in the conference room; he said to ping him whenever you’re ready.”)
  3. Bandwidth (“I know you’re busy, so I want to make sure I don’t overload your bandwidth with these new projects.”)
  4. Touchpoint (“You have a great opportunity to reach your audience at this touchpoint.”
  5. Augment (“This additional creative will effectively augment your existing strategy.”)
  6. Talk Offline (“That’s a great point you brought up, but our meeting is almost over; let’s talk about it offline this afternoon.”)
  7. Engage (“Sending out an e-newsletter will be a great way to engage with past customers.”)
  8. Insights (“These new findings will provide some great insights into your business.”)
  9. Methodology (“You’ll see in our report that the methodology behind the proposed strategy is sound.”)
  10. Initiatives (“Your new branding initiatives will most certainly provide a solid return on investment.”)
  11. Onus (“The onus is on the client to provide the background information needed for this project.”)
  12. Value proposition (“The key to distinguishing your business is to identify your unique value proposition in the marketplace.”)
  13. Resonate (“This ad is perfect… it will really resonate with your customers.”)
  14. Hard stop (“I have a phone call at 4 p.m., so we’ll have to have a hard stop on this meeting at 3:45 p.m.)
  15. High level (“Right now we’re dealing with high level concepts; we’ll get into specifics at a later date.)
  16. Facilitate (“Since my boss is gone, I will facilitate today’s presentation.)
  17. Ideate (“We’re going to have a meeting to ideate new creative concepts.”)
  18. Leverage (“We can leverage your current assets as a springboard to move forward.”)
  19. Synergy (“The synergy between your regular and seasonal campaigns will result in increased sales.”)
  20. Streamline (“Combining the processes will really streamline your operations.”)

So that’s my list, but I know there are MANY other good phrases out there worthy of shame. Leave your favorite (or least favorite, I guess) corporate buzzwords in the comments section so we can all have a good laugh!

- – - – - – - – - – - – -

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jen Lombardi is the head honcho and creative genius at Kiwi Creative, a suburban Cleveland marketing and branding studio helping small- and medium-sized companies grow their business through innovative and effective communications. With experience in graphic design, web programming, content development, social media and online strategy, Kiwi Creative offers all the expertise of a full-service agency with an affordable price tag.
Follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/kiwicreativeoh) or Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/kiwicreativeoh)

 

3 Comments by on October 12, 2011
filed in Business Advice
tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Choosing a Designer Is A Lot Like Buying A Car

Choosing a good designer is a lot like picking out your next car; there are lots of options (style, cost, speed, etc.) and you should weigh all of them carefully to find the best option for you.

If price is your #1 concern, you can be frugal and opt for a low-end model. A quick Google or Craigslist search will reveal plenty of students, small-time freelancers and even crowdsourcing websites who are willing to do projects for next to nothing. But, be careful…you might find that you get what you pay for. Just like a used car dealership, some designers are heavy on salesmanship but never end up delivering on a quality product. In the long run, you might get stuck with a huge repair bill for a clunker of a car.

If money is no object and you want to make a big splash, a luxury model is your best bet. There are plenty of Mercedes- and BMW-style agencies around… you know the types: large, shiny offices downtown with a roster of big-name clients in the lobby. Sure, they have a lot of experience, but you’re also paying a lot for the brand name.

I like to tell my clients that I am the Volkswagen of designers. Slightly quirky. A little trendy. Dependable and well built. Light-hearted and fun. Affordable, but not cheap. Overall, a good bargain for a quality product.

I’m interested in hearing your perspective… if you’re a designer, what type of car would you describe yourself as to new clients? If you’re a potential client, what type of car are you looking to buy?

- – - – - – - – - – - – -

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jen Lombardi is the head honcho and creative genius at Kiwi Creative, a suburban Cleveland marketing and branding studio helping small- and medium-sized companies grow their business through innovative and effective communications. With experience in graphic design, web programming, content development, social media and online strategy, Kiwi Creative offers all the expertise of a full-service agency with an affordable price tag.
Follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/kiwicreativeoh) or Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/kiwicreativeoh)

 

No Comments by on August 30, 2011
filed in How To...
tagged , , , , ,

Life Lessons of a Creative Small Business Owner – Part 1

It’s been exactly one month since I left my full-time job, so I thought it’d be interesting to share a few “life lessons” I’ve picked up over the past few weeks. I’m sure I’ll be able to write an entire novel of these things by the time I retire (hey, that’s not a bad idea…), so maybe I’ll make this a quarterly article topic.

  • Don’t be afraid to have a personality. One of the reasons I bailed from the downtown advertising scene was that it was becoming too corporate. And I strongly believe that creatives should have fun at their jobs – it’s one of the best perks of our profession. I’ve tried really hard to infuse my casual and slightly quirky personality throughout Kiwi’s website, and it’s received a lot of positive feedback from clients. In fact, I like to think that it’s one of my biggest selling points and sets me apart from other blaaaaah marketing firms who promise generic crap like “great results and professional customer service.” Boring.
  • Email marketing works. Remember that saying “you’re the right person, it’s just the wrong time”? It’s not just for teenage romances – the same thing applies to client relationships. Sending out a single email newsletter has reconnected me with at least three old contacts who I hadn’t spoken to in months. All of them have upcoming projects and were interested in my newer services in the areas of web design and online marketing. If you’re a bit shy or don’t want to send out a corny “heeeeey, how ya doing?” email message to individuals, why not just start a newsletter? It’s a great way to stay top-of-mind with old and new clients. Plus, it’s a perfect way to show of your mad skills in email marketing and design, right?
  • Turn down bad clients and bad projects. You shouldn’t be the right person for every project that comes your way. Be strong enough to recognize when the budget is too low or the work isn’t satisfying; then, spend your time looking for better projects rather than whoring yourself out for subpar work. You’ll just become resentful of your client and upset that you compromised your standards. (Yeah yeah, I know. Easier said than done. I struggle with this one every day.)
  • Office construction will always run behind schedule. Flooring is back ordered. The architect is on vacation. The electrician is MIA. In other words, shit happens. And as much as I don’t like having the cats run all over my keyboard when they want a late-afternoon snack, you just have to deal. A good life lesson in general, no?

- – - – - – - – - – - – -

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jen Lombardi is the head honcho and creative genius at Kiwi Creative, a suburban Cleveland marketing and branding studio helping small- and medium-sized companies grow their business through innovative and effective communications. With experience in graphic design, web programming, content development, social media and online strategy, Kiwi Creative offers all the expertise of a full-service agency with an affordable price tag.
Follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/kiwicreativeoh) or Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/kiwicreativeoh)

 

3 Comments by on August 18, 2011
filed in Adventures in Small Business
tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Colorful Pantone Jewelry

What do you do with two old books full of Pantone chips? Well, if you’re “Defenstration,” an Etsy crafter from Jersey City, NJ, you make jewelry, of course!

As mentioned in the past, I’m a huge fan of both jewelry (HTML <head> tag earrings, anyone?) AND anything Pantone-related (yummy, cookies!), so it goes without saying that my inner design nerd is drooling over this artist’s earrings and bracelets. (Did I mention my birthday is less than a month away?)

What are you waiting for? Check out her Etsy shop today.

(And I mean today… she’s a getting a lot of coverage in the blog-o-sphere, so I’m sure she’ll sell out quickly!)

No Comments by on August 8, 2011
filed in Magnificent Merch
tagged , , , , , ,

How To Override Image Preview for Facebook Links and How To Force Refresh Facebook’s Cache

One of the coolest features when posting a link to Facebook is the image preview and meta tag description that automatically pops up alongside the link. Not only are these details important in reassuring your audience that a post isn’t spam, but they also serve as great teaser which increases the click through rate on posted links.

But what happens when Facebook’s link sharing preview doesn’t work exactly as expected? Major frustration for any web developer.

Here are two common problems I used to experience and easy tricks to fix ‘em (if you have access to a website’s source code):

Problem #1: “Facebook isn’t pulling any images from my website, but clearly there’s at least ONE photo on the page.” Or, “Facebook is only detecting weird images on my page, not the one I want it to.”

Solution #2: Facebook won’t detect photos embedded as background div images via CSS, but it will detect graphics inserted the regular <img src=”xxxx”> tag. If you don’t have any “normal” images, or if those aren’t the ones you want showing up as the thumbnail preview, override the automatic settings and manually choose an image preview for Facebook following these easy steps:

  1. Chose a graphic you want to use as the new preview. Good examples would be the logo or a screenshot of the webpage. Really, anything will work as long as it is relevant to the link and will look good at a small size.
  2. If your image is too large, use an image editing program to shrink the width down to about 250px. (It’ll never appear larger than that, so why waste server space and compromise load time?)
  3. Upload your new optimized image to your web hosting server.
  4. Insert this code in the <head> tag of the page you’ll be referencing:  <link rel=”image_src” href=”http://full_url_of_the_hosted_image” />
  5. Voila! Facebook will now detect the image preview that YOU want, not the one it automatically finds for you.

Oh, wait… you tested your link in Facebook and it’s still showing up as the old preview? Read on to super frustrating problem #2…

Problem #2: “Facebook keeps showing the old image preview / page title / meta description, even though I just updated it.”

Solution #2: Facebook has very overzealous cache which seems to last foooooreeeeeever when you’re trying to test a link! Force clear Facebook’s cache to show updated content by using their “URL Linter” tool: http://developers.facebook.com/tools/lint/

(OK, so really this is a general tool to help you debug your URLs as they relate to using the “like” button. But an awesome side effect is it forces Facebook to reindex your website which will find your new content! Read more about the URL Linter on Facebook’s Developer Blog.)

I hope you’ve found these two tips useful in dealing with Facebook’s (sometimes frustrating) image preview option when posting links. It’s nice to know there’s a way to override the automatic settings, huh? :)

P.S. While you’re on Facebook, why don’t you check out our fan page? We’d love for you to “like” us: http://www.facebook.com/kiwicreativeoh

- – - – - – - – - – - – -

Jen Lombardi is the head honcho and creative genius at Kiwi Creative, a suburban Cleveland marketing and branding studio helping small- and medium-sized companies grow their business through innovative and effective communications. With experience in graphic design, web programming, content development, social media and online strategy, Kiwi Creative offers all the expertise of a full-service agency with an affordable price tag.

Follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/kiwicreativeoh) or Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/kiwicreativeoh)

 

3 Comments by on August 7, 2011
filed in Coding Craziness
tagged , , , , , , , , ,

How To Work With a Graphic Designer

You’re a small business owner and need to hire a designer to create a logo. Or a website. Or a postcard. Or an insert-your-own-creative-project-here.

Before you get started, check out this insider’s guide chock-full of valuable tips to make your first experience working with a graphic designer a positive one.

Do… keep an open mind.

99.9% of things that a designer does are for a specific reason. Fonts have a distinct personality. Colors convey emotion. And as much as you like pink polka dots, they’re probably not appropriate for your insurance business brochure. Let go of your personal biases and trust your designer – they’re the expert and that’s why you hired them. You wouldn’t tell your plumber how to install a toilet, would you?

Don’t… assume. As they say, it makes an ass of you and me.

Clients tend to use phrases like “quick” or “simple” or “easy” to describe projects that end up taking an entire week (or month!) to complete. Yes, technically redrawing a logo takes less than an hour. But what you’re forgetting about are the dozens of hours spent brainstorming and sketching rough drafts before a designer ever presents the first concept. Before you assume that a project will only take a few minutes — or cost just a few bucks — ask your designer for a rough estimate and timeline, including a reasonable number of revisions. It’s better to have that info upfront than to encounter an unexpectedly high invoice or a missed deadline at the end.

Do… use visual examples to avoid communication failure.

Your idea of “clean and modern” maybe be pretty far off from what your designer thinks of as “clean and modern.” Avoid this communication breakdown and use visual examples whenever possible. Your designer isn’t going to copy those website examples that you emailed over, but they will give him/her a better idea of what you really mean by “make the social media icons prominent, but not overbearing.” After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, right?

Don’t… use cliché catchphrases.

Avoid using phrases like “make it pop” and “take it to the next level” and  “similar but different.” I know they sound like cool marketing buzz words, but they’re really pretty vague and useless sayings. Instead, be specific and, per the point above, use visual examples whenever possible.

Do… be prepared and get organized.

You just sent an email to your designer asking for a couple packaging options for your newest product. But did you remember to mention the dimensions of the box? What about a list of the stores where it’ll be sold? And did you send over the UPC code that needs to go on the back? Do yourself a favor and get all of this information together upfront. Otherwise, your designer will be hounding you for it later.

Don’t… make changes. One. At. A. Time.

Gather your thoughts, get the feedback of your team and THEN send the concept back to the designer for changes. It’s way easier (and more cost effective) to make changes in large batches than to take a piecemeal approach.

Update: This article has been translated into Ukranian – enjoy, my European friends!

- – - – - – - – - – - – -

Jen Lombardi is the head honcho and creative genius at Kiwi Creative, a suburban Cleveland marketing and branding studio helping small- and medium-sized companies grow their business through innovative and effective communications. With experience in graphic design, web programming, content development, social media and online strategy, Kiwi Creative offers all the expertise of a full-service agency with an affordable price tag.

Follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/kiwicreativeoh) or Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/kiwicreativeoh)

 

1 Comment by on April 20, 2011
filed in How To...
tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Day The Retoucher Died

You’ve seen the images splashed across magazine covers and glossy full-page ads — celebrities with flawless skin and perfect makeup, making the rest of us look only slightly better than haggard trolls. “Why, oh why, can’t I look like that in my photos,” you’ve wondered time and time again.

The answer, up until now, has always been that you don’t the luxury of hiring a professional retoucher to edit your vacation snapshots. But worry no more because Panasonic has developed a new camera (the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP7) that promises to instantly upgrade your appearance by whitening teeth, erasing wrinkles and applying makeup.

Uh, what? How is that even possible? Well, as the old saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

While others in the blogosphere are singing the praises of such a revolutionary device,  as a creative professional I’ve gotta call this camera out for what it is: a piece o’ crap. Sure, the idea behind the technology is great, but it has a loooooooooooong way to go before I can give it an ounce of respect.

Judge for yourself, but in my opinion this before/after photo (courtesy of Tobey Grumet for StyleList) makes the poor woman look like a clown. The overpowering blush, the blinding white teeth, a complexion void of any sense of realism… this looks more like a creepy, over-the-top kiddie pageant portrait than a flattering snapshot.

(As a disclaimer, I have not used the actual camera myself. But apparently you can apply these filters to varying degrees — 20, 40, 60, 80. Let’s hope for the sake of mankind that this image was produced using the highest distortion filter.)

In the hands of trained professionals, retouching is a wonderful tool to enhance the natural beauty of models. (Lord knows I’m guilty of taking out a pimple here and a stray hair there.)  But now that a half-ass version of this technology is available to the general public, I have a sinking fear that a lot more of these “glamor shots” will be popping up on Facebook. Kill me now.

Moral of the story: Technology is powerful. Use it wisely.

What do you think of the "after" photo?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

1 Comment by on March 23, 2011
filed in Ethics in Advertising, Technology Talk
tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I’m mad as hell… SPEC YOU!

UPDATE: Please read the comments section for a response from Domtar and Bryn Mooth, the editor of HOW.

I write about a lot of funny and lighthearted topics here in my blog. But today I want to express my opinion on a very serious issue for visual communications professionals: spec work, otherwise known as “crowdsourcing.”

In its most common form, spec work happens when a company or individual hosts a “contest” in which artists (or writers or just about any other creative professionals) are invited to submit their best work for a given project. Out of the dozens/hundreds/thousands of ideas that are entered in the contest, they will choose one entrant to (sometimes) win a prize and have their work published.

To the average person, this many seem like a pretty good arrangement. The client gets lots of options to choose from and one lucky artist will get their work showcased. But in reality, this type of arrangement does nothing by devalue designers and produce subpar work for clients.

Let me elaborate:

DESIGNERS: Would you work for free — or the hope of possibly being compensated? Well, if you enter a contest, you just did. The client usually retains 100% ownership of any and all work submitted, regardless of if it was chosen as the winner. Technically, it is theirs to then use (or resell) whenever they want. So don’t even think about re-purposing that logo design for (heaven forbid) another design contest. Also, how much is that “carrot” of a prize you’re chasing? $100? $500? How much would you have charged to do that design normally? And what are your odds of actually winning that contest? Think about it. S-C-A-M.

CLIENTS: Let me break this down for you. Real designers have years of experience and always do a great deal of market research before they even think about creating a piece of creative; they charge a fair rate based on their skill set and will produce high-quality work with a strong rationale behind it. Wannabe designers (or worse, poor college students) have very little experience and are desperate for money and portfolio exposure; they will work for peanuts and produce work that they think is “pretty” without any logic to back it up. Which of these two types of designers do you think are going to be entering your design contest? Let me assure you, it’s the latter. I’ve had more than one client come back to me after using a spec-work website like 99 Designs complaining of shoddy workmanship and poor communication. Wonder why…

With this understanding, I stand in full support of the NO!SPEC movement, whose mission is to educate the public about the dangers of speculative work. And while I agree that it is our job as creative professionals to preach the dangers of crowdsourcing to the general public, I was always under the assumption that people within our own field would know better than to try to solicit spec work. I was wrong.

See, that’s the reason that I’m fuming mad as I write this article today. I recently learned that Domtar – maker of Cougar® paper — is hosting their own design contest to come up with the next ad(s) for their “iconic insert campaign.” The prize? Nothing. Except that you’ll be published in trade magazines. (From which they will financially benefit, not you.) Oh, and of course they retain the rights to all work submitted through the contest regardless of if it’s chosen as the winner.

I’m sorry, but WTF?!?!? How could a such a big player in the printing industry —a company whose products designers use every single day — be promoting such blatant crowdsourcing that devalues the very product and professionals on whom they depend?!?!?!

And, if that wasn’t outrageous enough, guess when/where the winner will be announced? The 2011 HOW Design Conference. (My jaw almost hit the damn floor when I read that one.) Yes, that’s right folks. The winner Domtar’s spec work contest will be announced at a conference designed to empower and inspire graphic artists, which is put on by a publication catering to creative professionals. Excuse my French, but that is un-fucking real. (Can you tell how pissed off I am?)

Oh, and guess who had signed up for that very conference the day before? Yup. That’d be me.

I wrote a letter of protest to the organizers of the HOW Design Conference, but I have yet to hear back from them. I made them aware that I would be publicizing this issue through my blog and other social media outlets, so I will update this post with their response. If I ever receive one.

Please forward this message on to everyone you know to make a strong stand AGAINST spec work and crowdsourcing.

13 Comments by on February 23, 2011
filed in Ethics in Advertising
tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Does Jesus Love Root Beer?

I’m not a big drinker, so when it came time to stock up on refreshments for Super Bowl Sunday I went straight for the ROOT beer section of the grocery store. Feeling a bit fancy, I passed over the normal A&W and Faygo varieties in favor of something more gourmet: Virgil’s (Zero) Root Beer.

And how could Virgil’s not be delicious? I mean, for God’s sake (literally), their tagline is “you’ll swear it was made in heaven” and the product label shows Jesus (wearing a lumberjack shirt and an apron) serving the beverage to a boy and girl straight out of “Leave it to Beaver.”

::screeching halt::

Wait, what? Since when does Jesus love pop? And who said it was OK to use the most recognizable religious icon as your celebrity spokesperson?

I don’t want to turn this into a religious debate, but the use of religion in advertising strikes me as a bit, uh, ethically questionable (yet completely amusing at the same time).

What’s your opinion?

Is it OK to mix religion and advertising?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

1 Comment by on February 14, 2011
filed in Ethics in Advertising
tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Posts