News
New Spring Invitations (Upcoming Spring Holidays to plan for)
Now that Valentine’s Day is over, we are officially moving into Spring! I have already been working on orders for March, April & May events and am having so much fun designing new invitations as well! Spring is one of my favorite times of year (although am totally a winter person as far as weather goes) because there are so many fun holidays & themes during this time.
Need a reason to throw a party this spring? Here are some upcoming holidays/events that you can use as an excuse to have a little fun! Also some of these make great themed birthday parties as well.
February 3rd – March 9th – Mardi Gras
February – May – Crawfish Season
March 17th – St. Patrick’s Day
April 1st- Easter Sunday
April 5-8, 2018 – Masters Golf Tournament
April 22nd – Earth Day
May 5th – Cinco de Mayo
May 5th – Kentucky Derby
April – June – Graduation Parties
May – June – End of School Year Parties
Of course these are just a few well known holidays & popular events, there are still thousands of reasons and themes for your Spring Parties this year!
What parties are you planning on throwing this year? Check out my handy post to see how early you need to send your invites out and don’t forget to download your free party planning printable!
St. Patrick’s Day Party Invitation & Party Ideas
How far out do I need to send out my party invitations?
Football themed ideas for your Super bowl birthday parties
- Have people wear their favorite team gear
- Have people wear colors for the team they are rooting for
- Have a contest for the “loudest fan,” “best-dressed fan” etc.
- Place some gameday bets with your guests
- Have some fun kid-friendly games so the adults can watch the game
If you only try one of these recipes…try the spinach artichoke dip (so good!)
- Paleo Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Paleo Bacon Sriracha Lime Chicken Bites
- Paleo Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Paleo Baked Saucy Garlic Wings
Party Planning: Valentine’s Day Themed Party
Business Branding: Packages & Changes in 2018
There’s nothing worse than feeling behind in your work, especially when you’re juggling multiple client projects. For me, 2017 was a learning process with my business branding services. Trying to keep up with 5+ client timelines and deadlines at once can be stressful for a designer, and being in a creative field (especially when this is my side job) where inspiration and ideas don’t always flow freely makes it even more difficult. Believe it or not, designer get writer’s block too!
I realized towards the end of 2017, things needed to change. Before it was just kind of a free for all (I would get an inquiry and say okay and start when they sent me the info), which worked for a while but as I am getting busier and my business is growing that system no longer works. I truly love designing brands for people but didn’t want to drag on projects longer than they needed to be. So things are changing this year and I’m very excited about it!
2018 Business Branding Package
What’s included in a business branding package:
- Comprehensive questionnaires for your brand and how you value your business.
- Primary and alternative logo designs, signature patterns, illustrations, type combinations, and brand style guide.
- Four collateral items of your choice (business cards, social media banners, stationery, up to 5 social media templates, media kit, etc. totally your choice based on what you would use most!)
- Two week turnaround time
- Design Files (Vector, PDF, Transparent PNG and JPG)
What will be the pros to this new package?
The new system that I’m implementing this year will:
- Make client booking easy
- Have a very quick turnaround time
- Create consistency
- And make the customer (and me!) happy
How do you ask am I going to do this?
I will only be accepting 2 branding clients per month.
This ensures that I am only working on one branding package at a time so I can devote my attention to that.
Two Week Turnaround Time
Back to the only 2 clients per month bit… Each project will take two weeks (10 days total). This is to make sure that everything is done in a timely manner and since I will only be taking on one client at a time I can focus my energy into one project instead of spreading it out between multiple clients
Client Homework
I will have a detailed questionnaire for the client to fill out before the two week design period begins. The homework will need to be completed by Day#1. This will also help speed up the process because a lot of times customers don’t have any starting point so then it just ends up being a lot of back and forth with design logos. Not only is communication key to arriving at an end product that both my client and I are happy with, but it’s easier for me to design for a business whose goals are clearly defined.
Timeline/Process:
- When you fill out the inquiry form on my website you will be sent a welcome e-mail that entails a lot of what you see here in this post (process, timeline, price, etc.). It will also have available start dates.
- Once you submit that proposal back to me. You will be sent a contract to sign and an invoice for the first half off the total package. Once the contract is signed and the invoice has been paid you will be scheduled for the time slot you selected.
- Once the invoice has been paid you will be sent the client homework questionnaire. This will give you time to work on it and ask questions if needed before the two week design period starts. (You will be sent sweet reminders to complete this before day 1)
- Once the homework is complete, I will have everything I need for Day #1!
Timeline:
- Days 1-3: brand board
- Days 3-5: Logo Design Concepts
- Days 5-6: Logo Edits/Logo Approval
- Days 7-9: Collateral items (4) Designs/Edits
- Day 10: File Sharing
This timeline is based on the assumption that the client will respond ASAP when sent design proofs. Since there is a dedicated two week time period per project, I ask that you choose the time slot wisely (for example I wouldn’t pick the two weeks where you might be planning your child’s birthday party or have a trip planned, etc.)
As far as general graphic design work not including branding (logo design, business card design, etc.) or invitations. I will accept projects based on availability at my $65/hour rate.
So, who’s ready to get started? Fill out the business branding inquiry here and let’s get your business branded!
Party Planning: Mardi Gras Themed Birthday Party
- Photo from Twigs & Twirls
- Photo from Pinterest
- Photo from Bake Love Give
- Photo from Pinterest
- Photo from Party City
- Photo & Recipe from Host the Toast
- Photo & Recipe from Cajun Delights
What are the most important marketing materials I need to invest in when starting a business
I’m sure you knew I was going to say that one! It seems pretty obvious that if you are starting a business you need a logo… but you’d be surprised on how many people put it off or create a very low-quality one since it is not their priority. Your logo is going to be the face of your business. It is what people are going to remember first. When you think of some of the larger brands out there like Nike, Starbucks, Apple, you can just see the emblem and automatically you know what company it is. That’s the power behind a great logo design.
Another obvious option but extremely important. If you didn’t have a business card how would you leave your information with people? How would they know how to contact you? A business card that displays your brand (see how I tied those two together there!) and your contact info is essential when searching for clients. No matter what business you are in you NEED business cards.
While a lot of people might not see this as a necessity, I think it is an important marketing material to help grow your business. If someone is paying you for something whether it’s a custom invitation design, purchasing a necklace from you or signing up for your new fitness program, trust me when I say a personalized, handwritten thank you note goes a long way! It will be much appreciated by the consumer to get a thoughtful thank you card in the mail and it will show that you truly care & value their business. Which in turn will lead to repeat sales and they will tell their friends what great customer service you have!
Today, social media is everywhere. If you didn’t already know this you have been living under a rock! Not only is it important to have social media accounts for your business but it is important that they all match together (meaning make sure your branding clearly comes across on all your platforms). You want people to be able to find you easily. Don’t create a complicated instagram handle or use your personal name (unless it’s your business name like mine!) because then how would people find you? In this day, people want information fast and social media is one of the fastest ways to get it!
Last, but not least, is a website! While I personally recommend launching everything around the same time some people like to wait a little while for a website since it can be an investment and if I am being honest (depending on your business) you might not need one right off the bat. However, you will definitely need one eventually because it is an essential part of your business. It is a place that you can share all of your work, services you offer, prices and even a place where people can buy your items with a couple clicks! This is a great platform to show potential customers
2. the face behind the business (people relate better if they know who is taking their money!),
3. gives them all the information that they need without sending you millions of questions and
4. is easy for you and others to share with friends & family to let them know about your new venture.
