by krd | Mar 9, 2023 | Career, Creative, Design, Marketing, Resources, Web Design, Website, Work
Developing a new business website is exciting. It’s the digital home for your business. Just like a real shopfront, you need to be sure that the foundations are secure.
Developing a website can be a little bit of a chicken and egg situation. It is literally not there until you add the content. Once you add the content, it springs up almost like magic. This isn’t strictly true – there is a lot of thinking, planning, and building that has to take place to make sure everything is in the right place and is searchable and logical to a visitor.
Plan your user experience
Content needs to be planned in a way that makes sense to a visitor. Think of them as a virtual customer in your real shopfront (if you are a retailer). What is the customer journey?
How can we mimic that experience online?
What do people expect from a website in your industry?
How can you incorporate standardised features to smooth the experience for your customers?
This should be discussed thoroughly with your designer – being so close to your business or idea, it can often be difficult to see where new user questions may be. Your designer can look at your business with fresh eyes and place themselves in the role of customer to help configure your site plan.
Organise your content
Once you have your structure in place, gather images and write content. While websites use low res images for speed, provide your designer with high resolution images that they can crop and optimise as required. If you are struggling to write the content, engage a copywriter – a professional may be more affordable than you think. The site plan you have created will be helpful to know how many text segments are needed, and how long they should be.
Generating traffic
Once you build it, how will people find it? Search engine optimisation is an art and science. Be sure that your content is well written and useful. Publish content of value and don’t add fluff pieces to bulk out the site. Become a source of useful content for your industry.
Incoming and outgoing links are useful to add validity to your content. Incoming are particularly useful to becoming a ‘trusted source’ within your industry. Add content and update regularly so your content does not become stale – don’t create another abandoned blog. Set a realistic schedule for new content and plan ahead.
Consider starting a news section where you can publish updates – think content that you might publish on social media. This way, you have control of the content, and are not dependent on social media platforms to showcase your brand. If a social media platform ceases to exist, you loose all the content and engagement you generated, unless you have it on your website too. You can also direct people to your site, where they are less likely to be distracted by other offerings on a social media platform.
Make sure your URL is memorable and accessible – add a link to your email footer, to your social profiles, anywhere you communicate. Then when you integrate analytics to your site, you will be able to see how people are accessing your site and tailor any future marketing activities accordingly.
Editing and future-proofing
One of the best things about websites is that they are not static. You don’t just finish them and walk away. Connect up your analytics and see what content is performing. If something isn’t getting the traction you want, change it. Engage with your site, update whenever something changes in your business – by keeping it current and relevant you are more likely to engage your visitors.
Be sure to keep any CMS software you use up to date. One of the most popular CMS systems we use is WordPress. WordPress is open-source software – making it free to use – but it is constantly evolving to improve and to combat malware and hacking. Keep it up to date to reduce the risk of your site being hacked. Also, backup your site regularly so that if anything goes wrong you can restore it quickly and easily.
Download our website planning guide to get started
by krd | Mar 9, 2023 | Creative, Illustration, Resources
Here are our tips for all illustrators, both traditional and digital. If you are starting out, these should help you on the way. If you are experienced, you might pick up a new idea or two.
Tips for all artists:
Number one is to thumbnail your concepts. Keep these rough, you are trying to get an idea down. Once you find something you connect with, explore the idea more by refining it. The time you spend on thumbnails will be tailored to the project brief. It will vary between 5 minutes and much longer, depending on complexity and elements required.
Tips for digital artists:
- Firstly, split your windows. Set up one window for you to work with and another to view, scaled to the size of that window. This way, when you zoom out your artwork, you will have kept what you have drawn to scale.
- Secondly, it is important to check your drawing by duplicating and mirroring it. This will help you check the shapes are even and/or correct to the physicality of the subject. Some illustration programs have a setting to allow ‘canvas flip’. The important point is to do this early and frequently. This tip also applies to branding or icon development in Adobe Illustrator®.
- Layers are one of the handiest tools for digital artists. Make as many of them as you need. If the file processing slows, save a new version of your work, merge and remove layers no longer required.
- When incorporating program effects into your work, keep experimenting and check the effects enhance your visual. Don’t be afraid to try these effects, used with skill they can add great depth to your work.
- Save your work regularly. This cannot be stressed enough. If you are using lots of layers and effects, the last thing you want is a computer freeze or crash resulting in hours of detailed work being lost.
- Create a layer/new document for your palettes. If your art program doesn’t allow you create colour palettes, then make your own. We suggest creating a layer or a new document and place a rough circle of the colour in use. Then if needed again, use the eyedrop tool to pick it up.
Final thoughts for all artists:
- For those who want to improve their skills, spend time practising. This can be a little as 15 minutes or, a couple of hours, per session. Set the time that works for you. Try still life, life drawing, watching a tutorial or visiting an art gallery/museum. These will all help broaden your visual range and experience.
- For life drawing there are many YouTube videos and websites resources. Check out these links we have included:
by krd | Dec 5, 2022 | Creative, Design, Marketing, Resources, Workflow
Perhaps you’ve never worked directly with a design team? Or you might be a recent marketing graduate wondering how to engage graphic designers, so you speak a common language?
Tips for getting the best from your design team
You may have experience working with designers and want some insights on improving professional interactions. The following are thoughts from us. These are by no means exhaustive or industry-standard, however, they may spark an idea on where to start.
Details, details and more details
First and foremost, designers are detail-driven. Of course, there are projects where you want an out-there solution. However, it is likely there will be parameters. The design team needs as many specifications as you can find. Make sure when briefing the project to get measurements/spec sheets from external print suppliers. If there is a booking number for an ad, supply this. If there are other vendors involved in the project, let the designer know so they can work cooperatively. If you cannot get details, let the design team know, so they understand what is missing. It’s a rare task with an open-ended budget or time, and to keep everything on track, specifications are necessary.
Second is to explain the context of the project. The more the design team understands about your company, the wider industry, your niche, competitors, or small nuances, the more considered the solutions they will come up with. Designers are by nature curious individuals; they love research and kernels of fascinating information. Discuss current local/national/international events, how is this impacting on where your product/service is performing? Do the sales team have valuable feedback? Is another division working on a project tangentially aligned?
Getting to know you
Inject your personality into discussions. Sure, there are plenty of serious projects/topics however, it is remarkable how the sparking of conversations between client and designer can alight on a strong solution. Loosen up a little and allow the discussion, within reason, to meander. Your enthusiasm for the project will be catching. If you are engaged, this easily translates to the design team. Like team building within a company, an open and friendly professional rapport between client and designer often makes for the best working outcomes.
Don’t worry about being a ‘visual’ person, that’s the designers job. Some clients provide simply a scribble or wire frame. Some projects require a mood board – a collection of images, colours, styling ideas, previous projects – which can be valuable. The thing to remember is that the design team will take care of the visuals. It is unnecessary to spend time creating mock-ups or layout drafts to show the designer. Your time is better spent collecting information and writing the brief / preparing content, depending on the project. We suggest Milanote as an online mood board resource.
Providing information in a practical way
If you are marking up an older/previous project for updating, we suggest using Adobe Acrobat® and making clear notes in a logical progression. Some projects may require markups and a Word® file or Excel® spreadsheet to be supplied. The more concise and organised your markups, the more efficient for all involved.
From the first draft, offer constructive criticism. Avoid generalisations. “I don’t like it” might be your first reaction but the best course of action is to analyse the draft/s against the brief. Check the colours, fonts, images, positioning, prioritising. Narrow down what is working for you and what is not. There are projects where clients need to see various options to figure out what is right, and if this was agreed in the scope, then its ok to say, for example: “I like this here as its working according to the brief. How about we combine it with this other element which is also working”.
Being open to new approaches and ways of working
Occasionally, projects go back to the drawing board. This is ok too; it may be as the client you realise the brief was not quite right. The design team will let you know if this is a change to the agreed scope.
Related to this is to allow the design team space to provide creative input. If the project is too restrictive you are not maximising the skills your design team has. Step back and trust in your briefing and allow them to make suggestions. Its ok to ask the designer questions and have them explain the thinking behind the artwork. Often this will be the quickest way to clear up any queries or work out a plan for refining the layout.
Occasionally, certain projects may end up emotionally charged. This can be the case with branding. Experienced designers understand the impact a brand has on a business and should always be mindful of this. It is important to remember that while some artistic elements may be subjective, graphic design is a commercial practice that uses universal theoretical foundations to ensure enduring and functional results. There is no one set ‘answer’, try to keep an open mind and work cooperatively to ensure the best outcome.
by krd | Nov 14, 2022 | Creative, Marketing, Resources, Workflow
The aim of a design brief is to ensure both the design team and client are clear on the project outcome and can work with efficiency. It is a project management document and can be likened to a map.
Organising your ideas
To get your thoughts and briefing started, organising your ideas into bullet points is an excellent first step. The brief needs to be both succinct and detailed enough to inspire the designers. It is a reference for them to check back they have met the goals discussed in the meeting when going over the written brief. It also supplies a clear outline for project quoting.
Most design studios/agencies will have a briefing sheet they can supply to get you started. There is no industry standard however a briefing document should cover the following:
• Contact details (brief author, date issued, brief version)
• Project scope
• Project/Product overview
• Value proposition
• Background, including market conditions, competitors
• Business objectives
• Communication objectives
• Key messages that must be conveyed by the project
• Single minded proposition (one sentence to explain the most important factor)
• Target audience (primary and secondary including demographic information)
• Actions the creative will inspire when people receive/interact with the piece
• How will the design be used?
• Project timing/s with clear requirement of deliverables
• Current branding requirements to be followed/considered
• Further information to assist with project scope
Requirements and restrictions
The trick to writing a brief is to make sure the project requirements are clear and that you have left room for the design team to input their creativity within these requirements.
A vital inclusion in briefing design teams is to make sure the project has context. This may be explaining how the business sits in the marketplace; plans for expansion; feedback from customers; feedback from your sales team. It might be a technical consideration/process or material. It might be a walk through the workplace or project site or dig through a room of archives. No one knows precisely which small detail will ignite the idea or tie the project together. Often, contextual information that is beyond the immediate project scope is the key to bring a design together. Experienced designers will mesh this information and pull the strands into their visual solution.
Providing content
If the project requires content from the client, the next step is to prepare the written material and collect hi res images. We suggest Word files for text, with Excel for specification documents. Hi res images should be kept in a folder and named clearly. If you have captions to write, suggest numbering a grid in Excel with image names, so it is clear what belongs where. Alternatively, embed a small image thumbnail in Word, with the caption.
The key is organisation and being methodical when collating content, which will make the project streamlined for all.
The act of creating a full design brief will help you focus on exactly what you want and need the project to be and achieve. It will also make working with a designer simple and enjoyable as ideas become reality.
by krd | Nov 3, 2022 | Career, Resources
How do you stand out against the flurry of CV’s received for a graphic design position? What information are employers looking for?
First step, research the potential employer as much as possible. Are they a fit for your skills? Does the workplace culture fit your outlook?
Covering letter
Always read the job description and application guidelines carefully and follow the instructions. We suggest you include a covering letter that you tailor to the ad. Check you have addressed the letter correctly. If it is an unknown addressee, address formally with ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ or ‘To Whom it may Concern’.
The covering letter should be succinct, no need to repeat information from your CV. Aim to demonstrate your interest and suitability for the advertised role. CV’s received without covering letters look cursory and imply the applicant is only mildly interested/ticking boxes on a quota of applications.
All CVs
Bullet point relevant information. Content should be concise. Include relevant qualifications and experience. Include a short list of your interests outside graphic design. It gives a picture of your personality and life experience. Remember, most design roles are in small-to-medium studios. Interaction with a team is vital. Humans are social beings and intriguing non-design activities may be the edge that gets you an interview. If you have any voluntary activities, include this.
Entry level role CV
Of course, you have only limited experience at this point. The important point is to mention you are aware of this. If employers are hiring graduates, they understand you will be on a steep learning curve. Acknowledge you have much to learn and you appreciate you will need to work hard to absorb lessons from the industry.
Include your previous employment experience. Having retail or part-time work during study is invaluable. You demonstrate your reliability, motivational and interpersonal skills this way. This shows the potential employer you have the right attitude towards working and you have learnt skills dealing with colleagues and customers.
Experienced roles
Suggest carefully balancing promoting your skills vs what you can offer the business. As you progress in your career, you should have an awareness of how your skills can add value to a new employer. You should also understand the type of team you would like to work in, the projects you enjoy working on and how it all fits into your career plans.
CV design
This is a chance to demonstrate your design skills. Keep in mind you want a professional design flair combined with clear typography, so the content is easy on the eye. Quality is always above quantity. Include the only best examples of your work. As your career progresses, tailor the projects included to suit the role you are applying for.
Word not to include
The word ‘passionate’ is overused and has appeared in CV’s – seemingly – forever. Everyone says they are ‘passionate’. We strongly advise not including it. You do not stand out from the crowd by using it. English is full of marvellous, descriptive words. Expand your vocabulary. You are engaged. You are captivated. You are immersed. Passion belongs to poetry, gardening and love songs.
Final note
Spell checking is mandatory. Further, read your CV and cover letter out loud and make the grammar is correct and flows well. If possible, have a friend also check over. A fresh pair of eyes will spot things you may have missed.
