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Designs Direct.

As a small shop, we get it. We understand how much time, effort, and passion you pour into your business every day. And now faced with unpredictable economic challenges, we are all working to stay afloat. Maybe you need to communicate with your customers—through an email, presentation, or social media—but are without designers or a budget to do so. With this in mind and to support other small businesses, we created some simple, affordable offerings to help move you forward.

Email
Newsletter

Up-level your email communications

rgen website on tablet

If you are spending time to craft and send out emails to your customers, let’s make it worth it!

While your content is certainly valuable, without a strong email design, it simply won’t be read. The design element is what allows your customers to navigate the content the way you intend, catch their attention, and entice them to keep reading. We will build your email template to enhance your message and readability with a professional, responsive design compatible with all mobile devices and email platforms.

Presentation
Deck

Communicate your message effectively

It’s likely your digital presentation is now your number one communication tool.

To WOW your audience and incite action, you must show your best work. A customized presentation can make your information clear and concise while holding the interest of those who may have other distractions. If you need a simple deck, we can build or up-level one. (Deck must be 12 pages or less, with all content/photos provided, and no custom animations or transitions.) We’ll use images, a striking color palette, stylish typography, and design elements to create something that people will remember.

Social
Media

Increase awareness and engagement

Do you need help reinventing your social media presence to move forward and stay relevant in this new business landscape?

We’ll perform a social media audit to see what’s working for you and what can be improved upon. We will create graphics to unify your look across three platforms, including cover and profile images, aligning your social media with your overall brand. Your social media may be the first impression a customer has of your business, so leverage a professional, well-designed presence to grow it.

Postcard
Mailer

Stay connected to your customers

A postcard mailer needs to align with the design of your website, social media, and other marketing materials.

Your customers should be able to look at it and immediately recognize your business, and not confuse it with another similar one. We will design your custom postcard mailer to complement your brand so that recipients can quickly identify your business and keep your company and offer top-of-mind.

FAQs

  • Getting Started
  • Feedback and Revisions
  • Photos and Images
  • Printing and Project Completion

How are you able to offer this?

Through Designs Direct, we offer specific, simple design projects that can support small businesses during the economic downturn. Streamlining our offering allows us to provide you with straightforward and high-quality design at a reduced price.

How does this work?

Review the FAQs, so you know what to expect. Select the design offering(s) you want and fill out the online form with as much info about your end audience and design expectations as possible. Then upload all your content (guidelines on digital resolution sizes for your logo files and images are outlined in the FAQs).

We’ll email you to let you know if we’re a good match or need additional information. At that point, we will also set up a 30-minute call to talk through details, obtain a down payment, and discuss next steps.

When can we get started?

Right away! After we’ve had our call to discuss your project, we’ll send a follow-up email including a quote for Time & Materials or a Statement of Work (SOW) by the end of the next business day. All we’ll need then is your signature on the SOW, a down payment, and your design content (logo files, images, written content, etc.). As soon we receive those, the project will begin the following business day.

I have a lot of ideas—when can I offer feedback?

We want to hear your ideas! In addition to the information you provide through our online form, we offer a design review. When we present our work for you to review, you’ll have an opportunity to provide us feedback.

How many design options and revisions will I get? What if I want more options or revisions?

Our packages include one design concept and one revision. If you need more concepts or revisions, let us know, and we’ll add that to the project scope and bill for additional time at our standard hourly rate.

What if I sign off and then find something I want to change?

Our process has you review, proof, and approve the design before delivering the final version. You’ll need to review your files carefully to make sure everything is as it should be. Once you sign off, Electric Pen is no longer responsible for any content issues you may find. If you want changes after final delivery, we are happy to provide them at our standard hourly rate.

What are the guidelines on digital resolution sizes for files and images?

Images used in the design are one of two basic types: bitmap or vector. The most common bitmap files will have one of the following file extensions: .jpg, .png, .gif, .tiff, or .psd. For the web, a minimum resolution of 72dpi at 100% of the size is typically acceptable. For print, a minimum resolution of 300dpi at 100% of the size is required.

On a PC, you can check the resolution by selecting the file you want to use. Right-click on the image and select Properties. A window will appear with the image's details. Go to Details to see the dimensions and resolution. On a Mac, right-click on the image you want to use and select Get Info. A window will open. Go to More Info to find the image dimension and resolution. Typically the higher the resolution, the better and crisper the image will be.

The most common vector files (best for printed materials) will have one of the following extensions: .eps, .ai, or .svg. Some .pdf files may have vector graphics. Since vector graphics don't have a resolution, any sized vector graphic can be used.

I don’t have good photos. What should I do?

We can do a photo search for you to find affordable photo options. Stock photos often have a price tag attached to them—the more unique the image, the more expensive it is. We would charge an additional hourly rate to find what you are looking for.

I think I have good photos and high-quality graphics. How can I tell if my file will work?

As part of our intake process, we'll review your files and flag issues that would make them unusable for your project. Issues would include low-resolution photos, images too blurry or digitized to look right in other forms, or those taken without permission from the internet.

Is the cost for printing included in your pricing?

Printing costs are not included. We can recommend a printer, or you can use your print vendor.

What happens when you are done with the design?

As a design and marketing agency, we do not print your job. We will deliver completed work digitally (typically via email, SharePoint, or DropBox). If the deliverable is printed, you will send it to your printer to produce. However, if you’d like to use our printing partner, we will email the file to them, and they will print, ship, and bill the printing costs directly to you.

If the deliverable is an email newsletter, you will insert the finished file in your email platform.

If the deliverables are social media images, we will provide you with JPGs that you can upload.

What if I want something not on this list?

We’d love to help you with a custom design. Just request a quote and include a detailed description of your vision for the design.

If you want to solve a problem, let’s start working on it.

Thanks!

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