Zendezignz Blog

One of my favorite websites for finding fonts is fonts.com. They’re reliable, the site is easy to navigate and it’s super fast & easy to download. They make searching for fonts a breeze by letting you take advantage of the “try a font” option where you can enter the text that you’re trying to find a font for and test it out. For those of us who are visual, it’s an incredibly useful feature. I frequently use this when I’m designing a logo, or looking for a particular “look” & “feel” for some text. I also like the fact that they give you more information than you need about each font, such as when the font became available, who designed the font, etc.

That’s why I’m going to their site again today, as I’m working on some new branding…if you’d like to check it out, click below and it’ll take you straight there.

Potential clients frequently don’t know how to begin the process of working with a designer, or don’t understand the value it brings to their business. In our society of quick fixes and instant gratification, you may be lured into a quick design fix. There are lots of places online where you can get a quick logo, business card or brochure design…for a tiny bit of money. Yesterday, I found a site where you can buy a $50 logo! Wow, that’s cheap. After looking at the cheap logo site, I could see that the designers there used clip art (graphics & illustrations previously made and held in a sort of library) and didn’t spend much time using interesting typography (letters & numbers used together in a visually pleasing way) . The designs were slapped together quickly. But, yes, they are logos, and yes, they are cheap. If you want a cheap & quick logo, working with a designer like myself is not your best choice.

The difference you’ll find in working with a professional designer is that we spend a lot of time getting to know about you & your business. We want to represent your business from your unique perspective. Everyone has their own spark, their own personal reason for choosing to develop the business they’re in. A professional designer will be very interested in learning all about that unique spark and how to best represent it in today’s competitive marketplace. 

I was on a phone interview yesterday with a potential client who’s searching for a designer to help him with a logo design. He had designed a logo of his own about a year ago and was realizing that it just didn’t have that professional edge he wants to be able to represent his business in a professional way. I asked him all sorts of questions to learn where he was coming from, what he did, where he wanted to take his business in the future. I could tell he was a little confused about all my questions. He was thinking…” I just want a logo, what does this have to do with it?” I explained to him, the more I knew about the specifics of his business now and where he wanted it to go in the future would help me determine the best way to represent his business in a visual way. There are vast amounts of psychology in color and graphics that designers use when developing a logo. 

Investing in professional graphic design is an investment in the future of your business. Whether you’re needing a logo, a business card, a brochure or any type of print media for your company it is a representation of you and your business. What is the image you are trying to portray? Professional? Fun? Casual? Who’s your market and what things appeal to them?  If you are a business coach and have a picture of a dog on your marketing materials (because you like dogs) people will have a hard time making a psychological connection to the visual representation of your business. They’ll think, “What do dogs have to do with business coaching? Will a dog make me more successful? What kind of dog should I have to be successful?” In other words, you’ll lose them at that critical moment when you could be peaking their interest in what it is you do and what you may be able to help them with.

If you’re interested in representing your business in a professional way, investing in the services of a professional graphic designer is always a good idea. I’m always happy to talk to past & future clients about what their design needs are and how they might achieve their goals. I don’t charge for discussing your project and helping you figure out the best direction for you. I do charge for working with you to find the best design solutions for your business. My hourly rate for graphic design & illustration is $75 per hour. I also work on a flat rate per project basis if that better suits the needs of my clients.

This is an invitation to ask a question, get an answer and start the process of understanding the design process. I’ve got approximately 20 years of experience in the design industry. I frequently receive comments from clients about the mystery involved in the design process and I’d like to help alleviate the stress people feel. So, step up and ask away…I’ll do my best to help you find your way.