Because I am Worth It

The other day I headed to Target to pick up a few things. I had my kids with me and my oldest  daughter decided she had to have this art set she saw. You know, the big Crayola set with all of the paints and crayons and paper…she had to have it (good little designer’s daughter).

I was focused on my list and only getting what was on it but the baby was getting cranky and my eldest caught me in a moment of weakness and I just didn’t fight it. I put the art set in my cart with all the other items I had and went to the check out.

But when I got there I told the cashier that I didn’t want to pay the $30 for the art set. I said I could get it on Amazon for less so I offered them $20 for it.

Have I caught your attention?

Of course I didn’t do that, but it makes a really good point, doesn’t it?

Target sets their prices based on their profit margins. There’s a formula, people. They tag their merchandise and the price stays the same until they advertise a sale or mark something down for clearance. Target is a business. They aren’t running a full time tag sale over there.

You can’t negotiate prices in a brick and mortar store and you shouldn’t try it with a designer or other “virtual” or online professional.

Haggling prices with a professional is not only insulting but it’s a complete waste of everyone’s time. Telling me that you can get a designer for $10 less than my rate is fruitless, annoying and it isn’t going to make me lower my rate. I did not pull my prices out of thin air. A lot of thought and strategy went into setting my rates and putting together my packages. The prices are set based on my skills, level of expertise, and past experience of performing these tasks day in and day out. And honestly my rates are much lower than other designers that produce the same quality of work. How many designers do you know who actually post their rates on their website for the world to see anyway? Not many. Mine are there in plain sight so you know what to expect or can fit within your budget.

You should actually be wary of any “professional” who is willing to dicker their rates because it’s really not something that people who are worth their rate do and frankly, I’m worth it. That is not me being vain, in fact I don’t even possess that gene. And anyone who knows me will tell you the same thing.

Does this mean I can’t work within a budget or alter my packages for you? No, of course not if that budget is within reason and you’re not asking for the moon in return. I also advertise discounted ratess through my Signature Specials newsletter each month…hint, hint.

If you like my work but you don’t like my prices or policies then sorry if it sounds harsh but I really don’t care. You get what you pay for and if you want garage sale prices expect some dents and scratches. Although I don’t recommend it in the branding and marketing of your business. Your business image is a direct reflection of you and how others perceive you do business.

A good website takes time. AND a plan.

It’s true what they say, guys, failing to plan really is planning to fail…and that includes the development of your website.

I can’t tell you how many people have come to me over the years asking for a website (yesterday) without having any idea of what they want.

It usually goes something like this:

Client: I need a website, I want to launch this month and I hope you can help because you’re the greatest website designer in the entire universe.

Me: That’s a tight deadline but flattery will get you everywhere, so I might be able to help. I have a website analysis form I’ll need you to fill out first. Have you given some thought to what you want in a website?  Do you want to maintain it yourself or will someone else be maintaining it for you? Will it be WordPress or a static site?

Silence. Crickets chirping. Tumbleweeds.

Client: Well, I just want a basic 5 page website with a contact form.

Me: OH, why didn’t you say so. If that’s all you want, I’ll have something to you next week.

No, not really. Could you sense the sarcasm there?

In all seriousness, most people have absolutely no idea how much thought goes into building a website. Planning is SO critical in ensuring a successful outcome and it’s almost a guarantee that you end up with a website you love (unless you choose Signature Worx which is a 100% guarantee that you end up with a website you love ;) ).

A well-planned site will suit your needs and grow with you as you grow.

I’ll be thrilled to help you with your website but I’ll be super thrilled if you know something other than you just need a website.

It will be even better if you know what you would like your navigation will look like, what pages you need, and how you want people to take action. You get bonus points if you have your content all ready and if you know your keywords. Of course if you’re one of those people who would rather have a root canal because it takes you 16 hours to write a paragraph and it still doesn’t sound perfect, our fabulous copywriter has you covered

Sounds like work on your end, I know. But here’s a big fat WARNING. If you hire a website designer and they do not take you through some sort of planning process, run as fast as your little legs can carry you in the opposite direction. Know why? Because any professional website designer will require some sort of analysis and planning before they get started and if you aren’t asked any questions about what you’re looking for, you probably won’t get what you want. Makes sense, right?

Now don’t worry. When you get in touch with me for your website needs, I’m NOT going to intimidate the heck out of you. I don’t expect you to know as much about building websites as I do, that’s not your job. If you don’t understand CMS, WordPress or HTML, I’ll explain as much (or as little) as you want.

The most important takeaway for you here is that there is a lot of work that goes into planning a website and if you go to your designer the day before you want your site launched, without having done any preliminary legwork, you will be out of luck. Or you’ll get a crappy website that looks like a dog’s breakfast. And that, guys, is a guarantee!

Shameless Plug: Signature Worx Portfolio

I don’t do many shameless plugs, but a girl’s got the right to shake things up, no? It’s been forever ago since I updated the Signature Worx Portfolio, but I do have good reason with running a business and having a baby and all.

sw-portfolioGetting back to the subject at hand, should you feel a break coming on or just feeling a little curious, then head on over to the updated Signature Worx Portfolio to see what we’ve been up to. The portfolio is just a partial showing of our work, I couldn’t possibly add every design or I wouldn’t get any work done. There’s just about every possible category including logos, websites, business cards, stationery, postcards, gift cards, promotional items, flyers, and more.

Let me know what you think. I always appreciate feedback…especially if it’s good ;)

Oh and since I’m already doing a shameless plug, I might as well throw this in:  If you’re starting a new business, or just need a professional boost to your current business or product brand, then be sure to check out this month’s Signature Specials. Our Fall Branding Stimulus Package is sure to get the ball rolling that won’t cost you an arm and a leg! Go ahead and subscribe to our Signature Specials newsletter so you don’t miss out on future offerings. We won’t inundate your inbox as we only send it out once a month, with an occasional extra here and there.

Thanks for reading and thanks for checking out the portfolio. I think my ego has been restored for a little while longer now.

Creative Spotlight: Elizabeth Biberger

I’ve been working with Elizabeth on design projects for a little while now on an as needed basis. We’ve designed newspaper ad templates, an email header, and a flyer or two, but this last project was to create a brand new website for her.

As a real estate agent in Duncan, BC, Elizabeth needed a presence on the World Wide Web and contacted us once again to fulfill her needs. Armed with a six page document spelling out all the features she required along with the type of information that would be on each page, Elizabeth and her team came prepared!

One of her requirements was for her team to be able to input and update all the content and listings themselves. This of course was going to require her site be built on a content management system (CMS). After reviewing all her needs, we quickly recommended using WordPress because of its ease of use and its almost unlimited capabilities. We designed and developed Elizabeth’s site meeting all her specifications.

eb_site_thumb

Here are a few details about Elizabeth’s site:

After working with Elizabeth and her assistant, her site went live on March 26th. We’ve since made a few modifications to some of the plugins and pages to suit their needs as they’ve worked with it. All in all, she is very pleased with the finished product…and her team is able to add listings effortlessly!

And the Winner is…

Wow! We had a huge following for our Suckiest Logo Contest over the past week and a half. But as with everything else, the contest has come to an end and our contestants are patiently waiting to hear who the heck won.

We had two very clear front runners throughout the voting process, Virtual Business Services and Cristina Favreau, whose followers were relentless in casting their votes. They must have a lot of friends, family and associates to support them because our polling service shut the survey down several hours early due to a response cap…that was over 5,000 votes!

So without further adieu…

Congratulations to Cristina Favreau!

Cristina is the winner of our Suckiest Logo Contest. She’ll receive a 100% custom-designed Signature Logo from Signature Worx along with huge discounts off some of our other design and marketing services to help with rebranding her business.

Thanks to everyone who participated in our Suckiest Logo Contest!

Next Page →