Land of the Lost Clients
We constantly tout how important it is to communicate from the first point of contact until a project wraps. We've heard enough client horror stories about their previous design firm and how they never can get a hold of them (which by the way we don't understand at all).
So making sure we're there always and attainable is huge for our design firm. Without strong communique a project never gets done (or at least on time to hit a deadline). If early stage interaction starts with unhealthy communication on either ... Continue Reading
Social media, social media, social media. It's all you hear these days. Companies are going to conventions who in turn have speakers telling their audiences, "if your company doesn't have a digital footprint, you simply don't exist as a business." I have to say that sums it up, spot on.
Social media is the number one way to create and/or spread the word about your brand online. It's a tool to communicate with your customers, audience, friends, friends of friends and those who you don't even know yet that follow ... 
I can't tell you how many potential clients have come to us out of frustration with another firm or we've created a proposal, and ultimately weren't chosen as the design firm for the project. Months later we were then re-approached by the very same client that learned their lesson with a bargain basement website company.
Budget, budget, budget
Yes we know it's a huge factor, but before you choose a company to work with consider a few crucial things.
Proof is in the Puddin'
What in the heck does their body of work look like? ... 
WIFItising — Dancing the fine line between clevah and stupid.
I came across this interesting way of advertising that in a big picture sense boils down to thinking outside of the box and how many traditional advertisers should start thinking.
Creative marketing tactics picks up old ideas, dusts them off and presents them in a new way that often generates a new found interest just because of the unique approach. You might call this particular idea a form of 
Build it and they will come.
Well it use to be that way way back in Web 1.0 days when the internet was in it's infancy. This is no longer the case. Between the need for SEO, blogging and social media, a lot more time and energy go into being found on the internet.
When it comes to marketing your business online, it does take effort, PERIOD.
That sentence should be our entire blog entry for the week, but we'll expand on that idea.
If you don't have time for business awareness ... 
There are many warning signs when it comes to spotting a rogue design firm.
We've heard of horror story after horror story and stepping back to take it all in there are a few commonalities that seem to come up more often than not.
Below are some key red flag indicators to help you realize if you've been or are in the process of being punk'd by your current design firm.
Designing "just because" is no way to develop solid design. If you are a designer or someone in the business you already know this.
There are times though when clients are adamant about something that has to be in the design, not necessarily for a good reason, just because they like the "idea" of it, not because it has any real meaning or validity. This will often put a wrench in the creativity process but it's something everyone of us has had to deal with from time to time.
Consultation throughout the project ... 
Ok so it's really called drip marketing, I also refer to it as "overtising." We've found that a lot of companies are actually overdoing eMarketing efforts to the point where it becomes annoying to the end user.
Personally, we believe once a week to your customer base is excessive (Godiva are you listening?), every two weeks is doible.
We like to send our eMarketing out quarterly or occasionally if we just want to put out an additional touch out to them we'll create a unique piece certain times throughout the year ... 
So you did it, you thought by not marketing your company on the web or with traditional marketing collateral that you'd save huge bucks. You probably did. How much did you lose though because your name wasn't out there or you didn't polish your current marketing pieces up taking advantage of the economic situation? In most cases you'll have to work harder to get that same sale that was approved last year in a third of the time, fine.
The short answer is no. No they can't. If they want something of yours they can get it or know someone that can.