When I was a little girl, my mom would make wedding cakes. (Bear with me here.) I remember watching her as she carefully measured out the right ingredients and frosted each cake very carefully, making sure to get the portioning on the ingredients just right. Every cake, though, when it was done, was different and decorated in its own special way.
One day recently when I was reminiscing, it suddenly hit me: that’s actually what I do now. I make logo ‘cakes’ – I make website ‘cakes’! It’s important to get the ‘science’ of the ingredients just right, but it’s just as important to make each one special, beautiful, and like no other. So I take my understanding of the basic essentials that need to be present in any design (be it a logo, a brochure, or a website), but then I blend them together and apply them in a way that’s specifically right for you. No templates. Just completely customized design that accurately reflects your business.
Each ‘cake’ is different in its own special way, a perfect blending of science and art.
The pay-off for you? You get to share who you are with the people that matter, without saying a word. Long for someone to pinpoint everything that’s special, different and (frankly) awesome about your business? Find out more about working with me.
Even more about me: When I’m not designing, I love going on driving adventures to cozy, quaint towns around New England. Or you can often find me curled up with a book and a tasty mocha at one of my favorite Rhode Island cafés.
Want to know how to convey information effectively and powerfully? Check. Make it easier for customers to absorb your information? Yup! Guide customers on a logical journey and inspire them to take action? Definitely. I bet your sales page / presentation / email template / advertisement / brochure could use a little ‘Laura love’. A no-strings-attached kinda love. So get ready to: Book your own Art Director Power Hour with yours truly! Stay tuned for more details, my friends. I’m still building the sundae, but couldn’t resist sharing a dose of sprinkles with you. Dying to know more? Let me know in the comments.
First outdoor work session in a loooooong time! I heart this little state.
How to get what you pay for: Answering these questions will not only help you find the right designer but also get the most out of any new marketing venture. Over my years in the design business, I’ve narrowed it down to these questions that help me – and you! – determine if we’ll be a great fit. --- To dive deeper into these questions check out my monthly blog that was just published. The link is in my bio 🙂
The best way to retain your value as a business at this time is to give customers valuable advice. Or simply make them laugh every week! Staying on their radar keeps you on their minds. And that’s gold. For example: - My hairdresser @tarasianihair delivers at-home haircare tips and style. She’s also highlighted some of her favorite clients (like me!). - My marketing & PR partner @JScottMarketing has provided useful advice on applying for SBA loans, and re-shared insightful, even humorous posts about being a business owner at this time.
Your logo construction should be highly intentional. It should powerfully convey - on an abstract level - how you better the lives of your clients, your community, and the world around us. That usually can’t be developed in just a couple hours playing with shapes and fonts. And I want you to stand out, so I won’t use the most obvious color or the most obvious symbol. Bottom line: Your way of effecting change is special and different. It can (and should) take time and care to capture that.
I know I’m super-late to the party on how to look like a rockstar on Zoom, but here goes: 1. DON’T use the ‘virtual background’ option, unless you’re trying to hide your recently unpacked cocaine shipment. A client asked me to create a branded background for her, and it ended up looking like a bad green screen cut from a B movie. 2. POSITION your laptop/tablet/desktop so you are ever-so-slightly looking up at the camera. We really do look so much better when we’re not showing off our double-chins. My laptop trick: position a mini plastic step stool on top of my coffee table, then place my laptop on that. A stack of really thick books can also work in a pinch. 3. LIGHTING is king, friends. You want light shining directly at you so you don’t give off any weird Nosferatu side-shadow vibes. Filtered light is best. The WORST lighting is window light coming from behind you. I don’t have ideal lighting, so I got a mountable Lume Cube AIR - I swear by the thing. 4. BACKGROUND: So obviously, your cocaine shipment should be stored in the closet. Along with anything else that makes you look a bit un-professional. This is a grey area, tho. Just don’t be caught with your pants down (virtually or literally) - start rearranging stuff and remedying the lighting at least 15 minutes before your meeting starts. You can do a dry run by clicking the orange 'new meeting' icon. 🤩
Have you invested in new design and come away with a logo you absolutely love? A beautifully consistent logo presentation cuts through the noise and becomes a shining beacon for your customers everywhere they see it. Your logo will need to work across various platforms - digital, print, swag, etc. in order to be most effective. Does your logo design need a facelift to better reach your audience? I’d be happy to help!
7 things your website needs to convert casual users to paying customers. *7 -What’s the latest.* If your website is going to be static, meaning you’re not going to add new content regularly, you need a blog for SEO reasons. Google and other search engines like to see fresh content added once a week. If that seems unreasonable, post once a month at the minimum, 600-900 words preferably. Long term, you’ll see more traffic with regular blog posts. If this seems daunting (and I know, I’ve been there!), consider hiring a marketing strategist or a copywriter to help write and shape new content for you.
7 things your website needs to convert casual users to paying customers. *6 - How to contact you.* Depending on the nature of your business, it's usually appropriate to share your phone number. If not, an address or general location is almost always needed. Think of it this way – if you went to a website and all you saw on the contact page was an email, wouldn’t you be a tad skeptical? The contact section of a website is very important and it must be clear. Check out the Brown School of Professional Studies website. I've put their street address, email & phone contact info for multiple types of inquiries, AND links to all their social pages. If you're looking to jumpstart your MBA or get that degree in cybersecurity, connecting with them is a breeze! 😀 @brownsps
