Ruby Lorraine is now 1 week and 1 day old. She almost didn’t make it. But we serve an awesome God who hears and answers prayer.
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Along with redesigning my website I’ve been working on redesigning my estimates and invoices. If you’ve read my About page, you know that I’m a firm believer in turning every “utilitarian necessity” into a branding opportunity. And I definitely consider estimates and invoices a branding opportunity. More than likely, an invoice is the last a client will hear from you. You definitely don’t want to leave a bad taste in their mouth with how your invoice looks. Once again, if you haven’t thought through every aspect of your brand, you’re telling your clients you’re not thought through. I also believe it shows your respect for your clients. If a client receives a nicely designed invoice with a thank you note attached, I guarantee you’ll be receiving that payment a whole lot quicker. Anything you can do to keep you on their mind (in a good way) will be beneficial to you.
Creating a well laid out invoice is similar to laying anything out, you need a hierarchy. You need to think through which information is most important and should stand out the most. Also creating a template that’s quick and easy for you to fill out is another aspect to take into consideration. Efficiency is key to productivity.
I’m fortunate enough to have some awesome friends who are also awesome designers. They were kind enough to shoot me over a copy of their invoices or estimates. So here’s a few very well designed and very well laid out examples.
Thanks to: Dailey Crafton, Ben Moffett, Matthew Smith, & Andrew Ramos
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Determining how much money to spend on a website doesn’t have to be a difficult task. But you need to make sure you’re taking the correct approach in determing your dollar amount. I’m sure you already have an idea of how much websites cost and you may already have an idea of what you want or don’t want. You may even have seen some other websites you like and wouldn’t mind mimicking. But this isn’t the correct approach. You first need to understand that any money you spend on your brand including your website should be an investment that you’re going to be making a return on. A website isn’t a sinkhole for money, it’s an investment no matter what you’re industry. Here’s a helpful guide to determining your website’s value and impact.
How valuable is your website?
You should first understand how valuable your website is to your company. And even, how valuable you want it to be. What does a website do for your business? Will it serve as no more than an online brochure? Does it just give the appearance of legitimacy? Is it your store-front? Or will it be your main avenue for attracting customers? Understanding its value will help you determine its importance. If it is crucial to the health of your business, then be prepared to invest a good amount into it.
What functionality do you want your website to have?
What features, interactivity, productivity, and information do you want contained on your website? Is custom programming involved? Is there already a resource available that does what you want your website to do without sacrificing your brand or user experience? Like a shopping cart plugin. Already be talking to a web designer (like me) to help you figure this out. The more intricate and involved a site becomes, the more man hours it will take to create it and the more expensive it will become.
What resources are you willing to invest in your website?
Once you know how valuable your website is and once you have an idea of the functionality you want, then you can determine how much money you’re willing to invest in it. Maybe you can’t get all the bells and whistles you were wanting, or maybe you will be able to invest in some custom programming to add some features. Try not to blow your entire budget at the get go, but invest in someone who will monitor the functionality of your site long after its launch and can make any necessary adjustments.
How will you measure its success?
If you don’t know how to measure your website’s success, you’ll never know how its affecting your bottom line. If your hits triple after launch but no one is filling out the contact form, then something isn’t working. Or if no one is checking out after adding items to their shopping cart, then something might be wrong. If you know what factors will determine your site’s success, then you will have a way to measure your return. And then you will know whether your new website was a wise investment.
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Brandon Grotesque is a great font that kinda reminds me of the grandfather to the famed and much used Gotham. The reason I say grandfather is because it has a vintage look and is a little quirky. Not as refined and perfectly balanced as Gotham. And I like that. It has character. I will say that it looks much better in all caps used as a headline as opposed to using it for text.
Business Penmanship blew me away. Please, someone give me a project I can use this on. It is very difficult to find a handwritten script where every character is beautifully crafted and flows with its neighboring characters. I wish my handwriting was this great. I will say I wish they had it in a thicker version.
Eksja, I have no idea how to pronounce your name, but you’re awesome. The last few years has seen an overuse of the font Archer. I’m sad that I was never able to use it and would never be caught dead using it now. I’ll have to wait for it come back around in style like Helvetica in 20 – 30 years. But until then, Archer will remain in the Disney vault with its new cellmate Futura. But Eksja is a great font that carries many of the same characteristics as Archer. It has a charm and class that allows it to carry a lot of weight. And by weight, I mean, it can hold its own ground when competing with an image or something. There’s a lot to look at and take in yet it retains its elegance. It’s like the difference between a woman who’s hot and a woman who’s beautiful. Hotness fades, beauty doesn’t.
Parfait Script is another script that has a lot of character and a lot to look at. It turns the most mundane words into works of art. Sure, the legibility is a bit sacrificed for beauty. But used in the right setting, it could be jaw dropping.
Mary Read performs a great balancing act between being a script and a serif font. I love the lowercase a. There are fonts that do a great job communicating homemade, vintage, indie and this is one of them. I can’t wait to use it.
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As a designer, I’m always looking to learn from business’ who have done it right. One observation is that all successful companies have strong brands. If you read my about page, you’ll see that I have a very strong conviction that you have the ability to influence the way people perceive you and your business through your intentional branding. And who has done this better than Starbucks?Over the years I have developed a love/hate relationship with Starbucks. No matter where I am in the world, London, Edinburgh, New York, or Charleston if I see a passer-by with a Starbucks cup I get excited. If someone I’m with says, “hey, let’s stop at Starbucks!” I will immediately reply with an, “OK!” And I will immediately begin imagining my experience and what I’ll order. I feel like a Pavlov dog. Anytime anyone rings the Starbucks bell, my mouth waters. Why is that? Why do I get excited? I love coffee. I drink 1-3 cups a day which I think is pretty normal. But I think the reason I get excited about Starbucks in particular is not only the idea of consuming the most popular drink in the world, but because of the full experience. They strive to be consistent at giving a pleasant experience to every customer that walks through their doors. It’s a full package. The building, the baristas, the product, all intentional and aimed at bringing you back. Each location is identical to the next and the coffee all tastes the exact same.
So what’s with the hate?
So why do I say I hate Starbucks? Well, to be honest, their coffee isn’t that great. They’ve industrialized a very intimate and artful beverage. For instance, a Macchiato is not a latte with caramel. Macchiato means “to stain”, as in, milk stained with espresso. If you’ve ever had a real macchiato, you know that there are no similarities. So why do they call it a macchiato? I don’t know, maybe because it sounds cool. And why does my 12oz mocha need 4 pumps of chocolate? It’s like sucking on an chocolate Easter bunny. I don’t consider myself a coffee afficionado whatsoever, but the difference between a latte from Starbucks and a latte from Coffee & Crema (local coffee shop) is about the same as a cubic zirconia and the 530 carat Great Star of Africa diamond. Basically, when your competition becomes McDonald’s, you know something is up.
Experience is Just as Important as Product
So why do I still subject myself to the incredibly blasphemous cup of jo that is the Bux? Like I said before, it’s the experience. Experience is just as important as product. It’s sad to say, but many business’ with fantastic products have shut their doors because of their inability to give their customers a good experience. Take for instance Microsoft. Apple had a whole campaign revealing people switching to Apple products because of their horrible experience with Microsoft products. Look at how people act in an Apple or a Starbucks store compared to a Verizon or McDonald’s store. This world is full of travesty, when people spend money, they want it to be in a pleasant way. Richard Branson made his millions through the philosophy of experience. He is one of the most successful and influential entrepreneurs ever but he didn’t create the wheel. He just made it better. Every business venture he took, he did it because he knew he could do it better than the other guy. If you’ve ever ridden on a Virgin Airlines flight, you know what I’m talking about. Creating a pleasant experience is how he’s become so successful.
It’s Never too Late to Change
Think about your business. Will your customers come to you over your competitors because they have a better experience with you even though your product might be no different? If the answer is no, then bells should be going off in your head. But thankfully, there are things you can do to change that. Starbucks has thought through every aspect of their business model. Everything from customer service to product efficiency. Brand loyalty is created. It doesn’t just happen. Most of what Starbucks does I am not educated nor experienced enough to hold a valuable opinion. But the way Starbucks uses their brand and even their interior space, I can comment on. For instance, who has ever purchased a piece of art off a wall in a coffee shop? No one. So why do coffee shops fill this valuable real estate with art that isn’t going to sell? Probably to fill space. They’re too cheap to buy anything permanent so they rent it out to local artists (I’d feel used if I were those artists). Starbucks doesn’t think that way. They commission artists to create pieces that sell the ideology or products of Starbucks. They design posters that tell about the type of bean they use or their philanthropic endeavors. Starbucks brands and uses their logo, coffee cups, coffee cup cozies, coffee bags, product displays, walls, tables, chairs, tile, paint, bathrooms, baristas, community bulletin boards, stirring sticks, display cases, website, promotions, building design, store placements, and even their music to sell themselves. Their message is so consistent that it screams in your face and you don’t even realize it. But all in all their main approach is to create an experience that is enjoyable. Who doesn’t like consistency? Who doesn’t like a pleasant experience?
So put a little thought into your brand. Does your space communicate who you are? Does it promote a pleasant experience for your customers? Are you using all the utilitarian necessities to speak your brand? If not, let’s talk.
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Ok, so I had to take some time off from working on my rebrand and post this photography. These photos are absolutely incredible. I dare say better than real-life, though I’m sure if you asked this photographer, he’d disagree after being there. But what composition. What color. What texture. This guy has a great eye.
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I’m SUPER excited about what some friends of mine are putting on. It’s the first indie craft fair Greenville has ever seen. Of course I’ll be participating. This will be a highlight for the year!
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This is an incredible film about an incredible art form that has slowly been dying and now only exists in cities like L.A. & NYC. I remember seeing these in NYC and wondering how they were done. Unfortunately I was unable to embed the video below, but click it to be taken to the website. It’s a great short film.
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Dailey Crafton is a good friend of mine that now lives in Brooklyn, NY. He’s an awesome graphic designer and recently was featured in this very cool how-to video on how to create block prints. I love block prints and if you remember, my wife made me one for V-Day this year. Check out this how-to and make your own awesome art!
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So with Michelle having 18 out of 40 weeks accomplished in her pregnancy, babies are finding themselves on our brain more frequently. I find myself ready baby blogs more than design blogs and thinking up cool ways to decorate our nursery. Michelle is finally beginning to show and we’ve talked about taking photos of her growing belly. At first I thought this was a little cheesy until I saw what photographer, Ryan Marshall has done. This is just the coolest idea. Every week he takes shots of his wife and writes a note about what has happened that week. What a great memory! I think I may have to steal this idea. And on a personal note, I think it’s very cool to see a dad’s love for his unborn so transparent. We need more dads like this. Here’s a few of his shots. Be sure to read the captions as well!
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Jessica Hische is not only an incredible designer, but incredible with type, and not only is she incredible with type, she’s an incredible illustrator. Anytime you start feeling like you’re something special or start becoming a prima donna, take a look at artists like her. Then you’ll realize you’ve got a long way to go. But she has been doing a type project since September of 09 where she creates a new drop cap every day. And they’re all uniquely different and equally beautiful. Five stars says me.
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Dolan Geiman is one of my favorite artists. His 3-D work is incredibly inspiring to me. The amount of detail is incredible. Here’s a few shots I noticed recently.
more pics after the break…
