Overheard in a Client Meeting

We had a really great client meeting this morning about a new project. Something really interesting was said as we were wrapping up.

“What might cause this idea to fail?”

What a fair, and honest question! It asked us not so much about our own skills, and abilities, but about what we had witnessed over the years. As designers we get to team up with all sorts of businesses to promote, launch products, brand, and generally assist in business efforts. While we’re really careful about who we do work for, not every business turns out a success.

Projects and businesses fail for all sorts of reasons. Bad management, poor funding, bad timing, etc. Design can solve lots of problems, but it can’t fix a business with bad underlying fundamentals.

A conversation that started out about all of the “things we should be doing” turned into a conversation about “what we should avoid doing.” Totally different, and relevant line of thinking. Something to keep in mind for project kick-offs from now on.

Make a Gift! – How to Manage Micro-Payments for a College

Let’s imagine running a college or university. You have all sorts of needs, all sorts of fundraising activities. Lots of people are dedicated to your school, but they all have affiliations based on their own world-view.

Some people are entirely interested in your football team, and would do anything to support it. Others would bend over backwards to support the math department. Still others would love to help out the English department, the drama school, the art school, and on and on.

Most colleges solicit donations in bulk. Patrons are left wondering if their charitable contributions actually end up in the hands they would prefer. It’s easy when you donate in huge bulk amounts, -funds large enough to warrant a plaque, or even a building. But what of the wonderfully interested and charitable people only able to donate $500, $100, or even $20?

Most colleges have struggled with the micro donation. Smaller donations usually get attributed towards the bulk of the university’s needs, leaving the contributor to wonder what the funds were really used for. It’s an inhibiting factor of donating, as well as an accountability issue after the fact.

When Southwestern College approached us with exactly this set of problems, we were understandably excited, and a bit stumped. It’s kind of an ecommerce problem, – but it’s different. It’s kind of a micropayment problem, – but also different. In fact, there aren’t a lot of direct analogies to our past portfolio that directly relate. It’s new territory. (That’s something we get REALLY excited about!)

When the project started, there was as much grey area as defined. It was a question of building, and inventing, and building some more. It was a very collaborative process in which neither the idea, nor the technical could have been eventually realized without the fantastic efforts of the Southwestern staff. (Not sucking up! Everyone was amazing to work with!)

As of this week, the Southwestern College “Make a Gift” page is entirely live. Functioning, and taking donations. For alumni, staff, community members, and anyone who believes in the momentum of the school. You can make a contribution big or small. From football helmets to projectors. From scholarships to life-size skeletons (yes, skeletons.)

We’re proud of all of our projects. We’re proud of the design, proud of the process. But occasionally, you get a chance to build your portfolio, and make a difference. These are real needs, for a real heartfelt institution. The fact that we are enabling people to make a small difference, and thereby help an institution make a huge difference feels amazingly good.

Congratulations to everyone at Southwestern. We’re happy to be a part of your speedy, and forward thinking momentum!

Check out the online site here:
www.sckans.edu/makeagift

The Q-Line: Fast, Free, and Back in Action

The Q-Line is back on in Wichita this summer. If you don’t know (and you should!) the Q is the entertainment trolley downtown. When you’re out in the evening, or on the weekend, – just flag it down, and hop on board. It’s free, and the route takes you by all the best places downtown.

Look for the posters, and brochures around town. (Done by us!)

Here’s the all new website (Also by us!): theqline.com

Glimpses of Genius, Beauty, and Novelty – Blog Apathy

We’ve been experiencing a somewhat overwhelming amount of work lately as we help get clients ready for trade shows, and get ready to launch several really big websites. So thanks for understanding a little less frequent blogging schedule while we concentrate on doing great work! In the mean time, here are some great links we’ve accumulated.

• Read Up! (via Swiss Miss) – eBooks about studios, and creativity
• Horribly stupid, but you’ll laugh anyway – Play him off Keyboard cat
• Absolutely cannot go wrong – When dogs are the main actors in a movie
• Auto Tuning – Even web designers are getting in the act
• Can someone make an infographic – On the growth of infographics
• Know your typography – The Interrobang
• Know your typography part 2 – Copy and paste special characters
• Good cause – Great shoes

Why We’re Not Advertising in the Yellow Pages Anymore.

It’s Yellow Pages renewal time again… So the tedious process of reviewing faxes, and repeatedly talking to friendly reps who carefully record your responses is upon us.

One of the first things we did when we started our business was to call the Yellow Pages to see what it took to get listed. We’d never been through the process, and it seemed really important. Even then most of us never touched the phone book if we needed to find a phone number, but surely the rest of the world did, – right? How on earth would we ever get business if nobody knew we existed?

We’re been paying $1200 or so a year since. Know how many jobs we’ve gotten from it? Zero. We religiously ask all of our clients how they found us, and the phone book is never part of the equation…

We will admit, we get phone calls from people who see our listings in the Yellow Pages. The call usually goes something like:

Them: “Yeah, um, I want to make a website.”
Us: “Thanks for calling sir/maam, how did you come across our name?”
Them: “In the phone book”
Us: “Great. Well, how can we help?”
Them: “Well. I need a website, and I have about $300 to spend.”

Short story, -they’re dreadfully unqualified leads. The clients we have learned about us through word-of-mouth, and web searches. The professional design community is small, and most of our clients know who is a good fit for which project without bothering to look. Once you’re on the RFP circuit, self promotion in the way of advertising and name recognition loses its value quickly as long as you’re doing great work

We’re cancelling our Yellow Pages ad this year, and here are a few reasons why:
* The leads we get are poor, and unqualified.
* The cost is dreadfully overpriced when compared to more modern advertising like Google Adwords.
* Our industry relies on word-of-mouth more than direct promotion.
* We can’t remember the last time we actually looked at a paper directory ourselves.
* There’s an eco concern as well. Check this out:

“According to the Environmental Protection Agency, for every 500 phone books recycled, 7,000 gallons of water, 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space, 17 to 31 trees and 4,100 kilowatts of electricity are saved. That’s enough power to serve an average home for 6 months.”

For more information on the environmental impact, and what you can do to help, check out this website. http://www.ecoyp.com/

We’re not recommending everyone drop their ads from the Yellow Pages. There are still certain business sectors who get a tremendous amount of work from their ads. But as you’re considering your advertising budget this year, especially if you’re a professional service, check out where your quality leads are really coming from before putting your renewal on auto-pilot.