Client Spotlight :: Noteable Progressions

When Noteable Progressions came to us in need of an identity, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such a unique client.

Owned and operated by Darcy Lipscomb, a Board Certified Music Therapist and Neurologic Music Therapist, Noteable Progressions helps people of all ages and abilities realize their potential through the use of music-based therapeutic interventions.

Darcy needed us to create a new brand identity for her company—something to give her a professional and respected look, while still representing her work in the field of music. We first created her logo, combining the form of the human head with the treble clef symbol, to give a harmonious mix of science and music. The logo and color palette were applied to business cards and stationary, as well as a website and facebook banner. Last but not least, we worked with Noteable Progressions to create super fun egg shakers to use with her clients and at other events.

Recently, we were awarded a Silver Addy for the Noteable Progressions logo design in the 2013 American Advertising Federations Addy Awards. We are so fortunate to have great clients like Darcy at Noteable Progressions, who allow us to flex our creativity!

Kalico Joins the {ADDY} Circus!

Yep, we did it. We ran off and joined the Circus. OK, OK, so we didn't join the actual circus (though imagine what it would be like to swing from a trapeze or walk a tight rope!) But we did attend ADDYs Under the Big Top—and boy did we have a great time!

The AAF Greater Frederick, our local chapter of the national trade organization, the American Advertising Federation, hosted a vintage circus-themed awards event this past weekend—complete with sword swallower, unicyclist and other amazing circus acts. The ADDYs is a three-tiered competition celebrating the best creative work in the advertising industry—from graphic design, to illustration, video and web design. We were honored to join our fellow creatives and cheer on the amazing and talented advertising community in our region!

Best yet, this year Kalico was awarded two silver ADDY awards: one for the editorial design and layout for the "Trip Across the Sky" article in Find It Frederick magazine as well as the logo design for Noteable Progressions Music Therapy. We are so lucky to have such wonderful clients and are truly honored with these awards!

Congratulations to all of the Frederick-area ADDY winners. We sure are lucky to be in business in an area so rich with creative talent, and so blessed with such supportive colleagues! 

Managing Client Expectations

Recently, I attended a roundtable discussion presented by the AAF Greater Frederick on how to manage client expectations. Seriously, anyone who is in the service industry can definitely relate to this topic! While the end product of any project is, of course, important, oftentimes the process—you know, the back and forth between client, the relationship you build throughout the course of the project—is what can make or break the ultimate end result and client satisfaction.  So, what can you do to manage your clients, insuring that both you and your client's expectations are met? Glad you asked, read on, my friend…

Here are just a few things to remember when dealing with clients. Sure, they may seem pretty easy, and obvious, but it's always great to remind yourself of the following:

1. Plan the Project Well: know what you need to charge and how long the project will realistically take. Be sure to relay all the information to your client up front, so they are on the same page.

2. State What Is Included: Be as detailed as possible about what you will be delivering. Break the job into stages and outline how many ideas, meetings, rounds of edits, etc are included. Make sure your client knows all of this information up front so they can work with you to make sure the project is delivered with all expectations met—their's AND your's.

3. Who Are the Key Contacts: Make sure there is one point of contact (on both your end AND the client's end) that is consistent throughout the course of the project. A client needs to know who they should go to with questions or issues just as much as you need to know who to go to with your questions. Keep the point of contacts as consistent, with as few people as possible, throughout the course of the project.

4. Regular Client Meetings: At the beginning of the project set a schedule for the different stages of the project that you will meet with the client. This could be face-to-face meetings, conference calls, or other modes of communication.

5. Schedule Payments: Be sure your client is aware of your payment terms in advance. Set up a schedule that works for bot you and your client, so there are no misunderstandings.

6. Be Accountable: Fess Up! Don't be afraid to admit if you've gotten something wrong, or misunderstood feedback. You clients will appreciate you being up front, so the more honest and transparent you can be in all your communication, the better your client relationship will be in the long term—it's all about building trust.

7. Get It In Writing: Be sure to put all the project's estimated costs and scope in writing. Have you and your client sign this, and make sure you both have a copy. This will protect both you and your client.

8. Bite Your Lip: While we all hope and strive for perfect clients, the truth is that we'll all experience that "nightmare client" at least once in our career. When this happens, don't give your client a reason to complain about you. Simply bite your lip and get the job done to the best of your ability within the terms originally agreed upon. (see #7)

9. Under Promise, Over Deliver: It's always best to exceed your client's expectations. Be sure not to promise them the world if you can't deliver. Be practical, edge on the side of caution when it comes to a project's time line and/or estimate.  That way, if you're able to get things done faster, or within a smaller budget, your client will love you for it. And if it takes the amount of time estimated, you're still meeting your client's expectations.

Do you have any additional advice on how to manage client expectations? We'd love to hear them!

Client Spotlight :: Healthful Mama

We love working with all our clients (seriously, we mean that sincerely). But as we've mentioned before, when we are asked to create things for clients promoting healthy lifestyles we get especially excited. Recently, we had a great opportunity to work with Healthful Mama to create design solutions for both print and web.

Written by Gretchen Sowers, Healthful Mama is a blog focused on natural and holistic living. Blog topics range from creating a healthy home, toxin-free environments, diet-based health solutions and recipes using whole food ingredients.

When Gretchen first came to us, she was looking for a more professional visual brand for Healthful Mama. Beginning with the blog header, we established a natural-looking textured background, paired with rich, earthy colors and fun typography. This look was carried over to a 2-sided business card (equipped with a QR code and all!), web banner graphics, facebook and twitter profile graphics, as well as customized social media icons.

This was definitely a fun project to work on, and right up our alley! We were thrilled with the opportunity to work with Gretchen and Healthful Mama and look forward to more projects like this in the future!

Client Spotlight :: Wholistic Woman Retreats

While we love working with a wide variety of clients, there's a special place in our hearts when we get to work with those promoting healthy, organic and/or holistic lifestyles. So, naturally, we were thrilled when Wholistic Woman Retreats approached us with a need for some updated branding and marketing materials.

The mission of Wholistic Woman Retreats is to provide a variety of retreat and networking opportunities for busy women to refocus, rest and grow their whole self: body, heart, mind, and spirit. The group empowers women to reconnect with their inner wisdom while supporting personal and professional growth in an atmosphere that is relaxing, fun, and supportive.

When we first started working with Wholistic Woman Retreats, they already had a number of marketing materials in use, but were looking for a more uniformed and professional brand. Starting with small tweaks to their existing logo, we expanded on a new design direction for their web header, print advertising and eBlasts. Using the organization's own photography,  the new marketing materials focus on showing the personal connections, experiences and relationships of members and retreat attendees.
 

We've had a great time working with Wholistic Woman Retreats and can't wait to attend some of their retreat events (including one this weekend…yay!). We look forward to working with this amazing group of women and helping their organization grow!

In It to Win It!

Hooray! We were just awarded three American Graphic Design Awards from Graphic Design USA magazine.

For almost 50 years, GD:USA  has sponsored national design competitions that spotlight areas of excellence and opportunity for creative professionals. The American Graphic Design Awards is their largest competition open to advertising agencies, graphic design firms, corporations, institutions, publishers and more. It honors outstanding work across all kinds of media: print and collateral, advertising and sales promotion, corporate identity and logos, internet and interactive design, motion graphics and more. With over 8,000 entries, only a selective 15% are recognized with an award—boy are we honored (and super excited, we might add!)

Our winning work included:

1. Kalico Design Earth Day Spring Promotion
(Category: Self Promotion)

2. Equinox Dance Company 10-Year Anniversary Performance Campaign
(Category: Public Service & Pro Bono)

3. A Tasty Nosh Website Design
(Category: Internet Design)

WooHoo! We're very excited and honored to be awarded, yet were even more excited to have such wonderful clients as well as such creative and fulfilling projects to work on!

Logo 2.0!

Woo-Hoo! Our logo redesign for Aaron Haslinger Photography is featured in "Logo 2.0." The inspirational design publication showcases 283 Logo Makeovers, showing the before and after, along with the Design Strategy behind each project, written in the designer’s own words. The eBook, by David E. Carter, is available (along with many other design books!) through Bright Books. (pick up your copy today!)

 

Here's the description and thought-process behind this logo re-design:

Aaron Haslinger is a photographer in the Baltimore/Metro DC area who specializes in weddings, but also does lifestyle and business photography. His original logo, an all-text composition, did not represent his outgoing, personable and creative style. 

Aaron requested we did not use any specific graphics or illustrations, but opted to focus more on his name. So, we melded Aaron's initials, playing with the negative space to create a point of interest. Per Aaron's request, we utilized a bright, vibrant color palette that would appeal to both his primary audience —brides between ages 25-35—as well as his secondary audience, which included both genders and a broader age range. The new look works well in both color and black and white, and the sans serif font choice gives a smooth, contemporary and professional feel.

In conclusion, the new logo mark serves as a better visual representation of Aaron Haslinger himself, as well as his photography business, than his previous logo did.

Do you have a logo that needs a redesign? (insert shameless plug here) Give us a call—we'd love to help! Feel free to visit the Kalico website for additional samples of our logo work!

Marketing to the Universe and Beyond…

In my last post, I mentioned the recent AAF Greater Frederick roundtable session on Guerrilla Marketing that I attended. (which was awesome, thanks to presenter, Whitney Hahn of Digital Bard!). Not only did I learn 7 Great Guerrilla Marketing Tactics, but I also learned a different way to think about who I market to.

Most likely you've already determined who your target market is. And your self promotions are probably created with this target in mind. That's great. BUT, the Guerrilla Marketing approach makes you think differently about where to direct the bulk of your marketing efforts. Here's the breakdown in a nutshell:

 

1. 10% of your marketing should go out to the universe. This includes your website, twitter accounts, facebook, etc. It's your marketing that everyone can see.

2. 30% of your marketing should go to your target audience. This can include self promotional mailers, advertisements in a certain publications, etc. This is the marketing that is directed with a specific target in mind.

3. And, 60% of your marketing should go to your existing clients! After all, if you've done your job right, delivered your product or service, and met or exceeded their expectations, they'll be your best bet for repeated business and/or referrals. Don't forget about them! This can include eNewsletters, referral rewards programs, thank you notes, self promotional gifts, or even a simple phone call.

So, what can you do right now to start marketing to your existing clients? We'd love to hear your ideas, input or suggestions that have worked for you!

All You Need is Love

Last week I participated in International Freelancers Day, an online conference exclusively for solo professionals. It was great—lots of wonderful speakers, great topics, and best of all, it was FREE! Since I gained so much insight and information, I am going to dedicate the next few blog posts as recaps of some of my favorite sessions, I shall call it "All the Cool Stuff I Heard on Friday".

First up is a recap of Peleg Top's session entitled "All You Need Is Love—Growing Your Business From the Inside Out". Peleg focused how to run your business with love versus with fear; how to take your passion and build your business around it.

Fear = anxious, saying yes to things you shouldn't, always being in reactive mode, working with the fear of always wanting to please your client

Love = energetic, being in creation mode, creativity, working with the desire to serve your client

How does LOVE show in your marketing?
Well, Fear shows in marketing when you try doing the same thing everyone else does, and when you feel the need to always grab your client (or potential client's) attention. Don't get me wrong, getting a potential client's attention is not necessarily a bad thing! But, when you feel the need to constantly inundate them with ways to show how good you are, you may come off a little desperate, and the "fear" definitely begins to show. Conversely,  Love means connecting with your client, serving your client, creating a value to your client so they can see the passion behind your work. This makes your client want to work with you, and enjoy working with you!

Ready. Aim. Fire.
So, how can you get your passion to show more in your work? Peleg suggests the "Ready. Aim. Fire." method:

Ready: Take an audit of your current business. How much passion is in your current work? Are you proud of it? Do you want to share it with other? Did you enjoy working on it? Is there something specific you'd rather be doing with your work? Where is your passion, if it's not in your current work?

Aim: Create a positioning around your passion. Focus on a specific kind of client you want to work with or a specific kind of work you want to do. Declare this first to yourself (this may actually be the hardest step), and then to the world. Be specific about who you are as a business, what you do exactly, and why.

Fire. Now that you know where you business passion lies, start marketing to those who share you passion. Research who they are, where they can be found, etc. Chances are, if you both enjoy the same passion, you may already know who your next potential client should (and could) be.

"Passion is the Fuel for Creativity" Is there passion in your work?

Thanks again to Peleg Top for his wonderful webinar. We'll be continuing our recap of International Freelancers Day in blog posts to follow, with topics ranging from Effective Self Promotions, Hiring Your First Employee and Smart Risk Taking.

We're Still Here, We Swear!

OK, OK, so I've definitely been MIA the past few weeks on the blog scene. But, let me tell you, it's been a very busy past few weeks at the Kalico homefront! Take a look at just a few of the recent projects we've been slaving away happily working on and let me know which one is your favorite!

1. Find it Frederick Website: This exciting, fun, Frederick web site launched in March! Check it out here.

 2. Find It Frederick and Frederick County Guide Spring Issues: A few of the quarterly magazines we do the design and layout for.

3. NAVTA Rack Cards: We designed a series of rack cards for this national vet tech association to use at trade shows around the country.

4. Frederick Atlantic Website: This Atlantic League baseball team is looking to move to our area, and they needed a general information website for press and locals to refer to. Check it out here!

5. Various Logo Designs: Just a few samples of some of the Spring logos we've been working on, including a logo for a start-up lunch delivery company, a management company, and a nonprofit's anniversary logo.

So, there you have it, just a few samplings of Kalico's past 2 months. Which project do you like the best and why? What other kinds of articles and information would you like to see on our blog? Stayed tuned for more exciting news and sample project work to come!

Check out the latest Frederick-area Magazines!

As most of you may already know, the past few months have been busy, busy, busy here at Kalico headquarters! Two of our December projects can now be found on newstands, or feel free to read them online too! The Winter 2011 issue of Find It Frederick features stories about the area best hot cocoa, a horse rescue, maple syrup festival and much, much more.

Plus, the Winter issue of The Frederick County Guide (FCG) is also now available! A brand new client for us, FCG provides straightforward facts and interesting articles about real estate, banking, insurance, childcare, education, health care, senior living, and leisure activities in the Frederick area. It also includes detailed reference information about town offices, elected officials, and community services. Plus, don't miss the full calendar of events section on the back pages!

We love working on both these magazines and look forward to the Spring issues! Take a peak below to view the online versions of either magazine, or pick up your own copy at local Frederick locations!

FIND IT FREDERICK!

Open publication - Free publishing - More travel

FREDERICK COUNTY GUIDE!

Open publication - Free publishing - More travel

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Let us know what you think!

It's Not Going to Our Head…We Swear!

I am happy to announce that Kalico Design was recently awarded two Creativity International Print Awards for our work! The beer label designed for Downtown Frederick Partnership's 20th Anniversary special brew, Opera House (by Brewers Alley!) was awarded a Silver Award and the logo design for Luna Soma Jiva (a women's retreat center in Hagerstown, MD) was awarded an Honorable Mention Award. We are thrilled with these awards, but, even more so, are grateful to have such wonderful clients!

About Creativity International Awards:

Established in 1970, Creativity Annual Awards is based in Louisville, KY and is one of the longest running independent international advertising and graphic design competitions in the world. A print, web, advertising and media design competition, each year the judges choose the best from all over the world to be reproduced in the 400-page Creativity Awards Annual Book published and distributed by HarperCollins.

For more information on Creativity International Awards, visit their website! Also, all winners will be listed by October 30—be sure to check out ALL the award-winning work!

Plus, for a full look at the winning pieces, check out our own website: Logo  |  Beer

Find It Frederick Fall 2010 is here!

Open publication - Free publishing - More travel

The latest edition of Find It Frederick is now online. Take a look before it hits stands! Or pick up a copy at participating local venues next week, which you can find here.

What's Find it Frederick, you ask? Here's a summary:

FiND iT FREDERiCK is the distinctive shopper's magazine that fuses funky with functional. This (FREE!) portable shopping companion mixes entertaining articles and audacious graphic design (by yours truly!) AND it's small enough to fit in a purse!

Both residents and day-trippers alike are reaching for FiND iT FREDERiCK to see who's who and what's where in and around Frederick, MD—from the newest in noshing to the area's best bargains and most unique finds—to what's hot in culture, arts, and nightlife.

We LOVE working with Find it Frederick! Such fun graphics and great stories, plus ads and information on a ton of local businesses. How do you like the latest issue? Your feedback is encouraged!

Not Too Shabby, If We Do Say So Ourselves...

Our quarterly newsletter design for the Sts. Peter & Paul Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society (longest name EVER!) was recently granted a 1st Place Award of Excellence in recognition of the Most Impressive Printed Newsletter. Competing against Philoptochos associations across the nation, this is a great honor! What the heck is the Philoptochos Association, you ask? In short, it is the women's philanthropic society of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. For a more detailed explanation please visit their website. Special thanks to Donna Moore, Marie Carras and Father Anastasios Kousoulas for their help on this project. 

Need help with your next printed or eNewsletters? Don't be shy, contact us today to schedule a meeting!

Ridin' Along in my Autobmobile...

This past weekend, I happened to be traveling along the roads of West Virginia on the way home from my husband's latest Motocross race. And what should appear before our very eyes...

That's right, it was a large billboard for the Martinsburg-Berkeley County CVB's annual "Pickin' in the Panhandle" BBQ & Bluegrass Festival! Why was this so significant you ask? Well, here's a hint—the CVB is one of my clients and...yep, you guessed it, that wondrous billboard was one of my designs! There's just something exciting about surprisingly seeing your work, larger than life, when your not even expecting it! (and, yes, I do still get excited about seeing my work in use!).

I started working on Pickin' in the Panhandle last year, starting with the recreation of their logo, then moving on to print ads, web banners, and eventually billboards (see some samples below)!

Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it to the Festival last year, but you can bet it's on the calendar for this September—just two weeks away!!

Don't miss it:

Pickin in the Panhandle
September 10-12, 2010
Lazy A Campground
Featuring: The WV State BBQ Championship
Plus Bluegrass Music including Ricky Scaggs, Joe Diffie, Shenandoah and more!

Graphic Design and Video, Oh Mai!

I am happy to have Whitney Hahn of Digital Bard Video.Web.Marketing doing a guest vlog this week! I had the pleasure of working with Digital Bard on several projects, and I have to say, as a primarily print designer, it is super cool to see your designs transformed into the animated world of video! See below for Whitney's explanation, then scroll down to see the original poster designs for both of the 24/7 Dance productions:

As mentioned in Whitney's video, Kalico Design supplies Digital Bard with the raw file formats, mostly photoshop or illustrator files, and then they work their video magic! Below are the original poster designs for each production:

See! Graphic Designers and Videographers CAN play nice together! If you're interested in video for your next project and or would like to add a video component to your website, please contact Whitney at Digital Bard Video.Web.Marketing!

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT: Damascus Dental Center

Over the past year and a half, I've had the pleasure of working with Damascus Dental, a cosmetic and laser dental center. With an established practice in Damascus, MD, and the opening of a second office in Mt. Airy, they were looking to rebrand themselves. After our initial client consultation, I got started on the project and have had a solid working relationship ever since!


It all starts with a logo...
The logo developed was a simple, yet still sophisticated, text treatment. Since their focus was on cosmetic and laser dentistry (i.e. no scary drills) I wanted to give the logo a soft, warm, inviting feel (because, really, who actually LIKES going to the dentist!). This ideal is carried out through the use of a scripted, handwritten-styled font, as well as subtle soft colors.




Power to the People...
One of the key words that kept coming up in our initial client consultation was the fact that Damascus Dental prides itself on customer service and happy returning clients. For their marketing materials, such as ads and brochures, I wanted to capture that human element. So, keeping in mind their budget restraints, we utilized a variety of stock photographs highlighting naturally smiling people. Keeping with the simple sophistication of the logo, we opted for clean, bold silhouetted imagery, which truly captures your attention.




Bringing it to the Real World...
Damascus Dental was so invested in and optimistic about their new identity that they used it as the inspiration for the decor and interior design of their brand new office space. A state-of-the art dental center, warm golds and greens pulled from their logo line the walls, and in the center of the waiting area is a custom-created die-cut sign of their new logo. Everywhere you turn, their identity and brand jump right out at you!




What's in Store...
With an established identity system, Damascus Dental continues to promote their new office location and unique laser and cosmetics abilities. We've applied their identity to stationery, signage, brochures, office forms, and are currently working on a new website!




Remember, as a small business, treat your visual brand and identity seriously. Think of it as an investment—something that will give you an instant visual consistency with your existing and potential customers, as well as make you strongly stand out among your competitors. Hire a professional at the start, and you'll have the basis to extend your unique "look" to anything and everything that will come in the future.

Find It Frederick Summer 2010 is here!

Open publication - Free publishing

The summer issue of Find It Frederick is now on news stands! Pick up your copy at one of the participating locations, which you can find here. OR, check out the online version above!

FiND iT FREDERiCK is the distinctive shopper's magazine that fuses funky with functional. This (FREE!) portable shopping companion mixes entertaining articles and audacious graphic design (by yours truly!) AND it's small enough to fit in a purse!

Both residents and day-trippers alike are reaching for FiND iT FREDERiCK to see who's who and what's where in and around Frederick, MD—from the newest in noshing to the area's best bargains and most unique finds—to what's hot in culture, arts, and nightlife.

Make sure to pick up your copy today!

Gifts for the Stylish Women in Your Lives!

Sorry for the delay in gift-idea posting. And only 2.5 weeks to go...ACK!

Well, if you are in the Frederick, MD region, and have some fabulous ladies on your to-buy list, you really must stop by Neccessories in the Westview Shopping Center (by the movie theaters)!

Neccessories offers an array of creative gifts and accessories for all the stylish women in your life! From fashionable home decor, to unusual office accessories; unique beauty products to lovely (and affordable!) fashion jewelry, Neccessories has it all! Plus, owner Jackie Lamothe always will greet you warmly at the door, making your shopping experience fun and relaxing — you'll be sure to look forward to your next visit!

Here's just a small sample of what you can find at Neccessories:
• Caspari line of napkins and guest towels
• Monogrammed soaps from Mudpie
• Potpourri from Aromatique
• Serving trays, coasters, and placemats by RockFlowerPaper
• Macbeth line of decoupage trays and buckets
• Candles by Voluspa and Nouvelle
• Murano Glass jewelry from Hilary London (these are simply beautiful!)
• Leather desk sets & journals from Florence
• Mistral Soaps & Soap Rocks (these would make a really fun, small gift!)
• Greeting cards from Leanin Tree, Positively Green, and Cardthartic
• Baggallini bags, totes, luggage (plus eco-friendly totes & shopping bags!)
• And More!

Be sure to stop by Necessories in the Westview Promenade Shopping Center (just two doors down from Chico's).
Neccessories: The Store For Stylish Women and Those Who Love Them!

*Photo from The Neccessories Facebook page

Client Spotlight: DFP Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Downtown Frederick Partnership recently launched their 20th Anniversary program, which will take place starting this holiday season through all of 2010. And Kalico went along for the ride, donating design services to create the 20th anniversary logo, as well as postcards and product posters.

Celebrate Downtown Frederick Partnership’s 20th Anniversary by purchasing unique, limited-edition merchandise from downtown shops — share the wonderful tastes and treats of Downtown Frederick with family and friends! Products will range from a limited-edition snow globe featuring Frederick's famous spires, to specialty hot chocolate, wines, beer, BBQ sauce and much much more! A portion of purchases will
benefit the Partnership as it continues to enhance, promote and preserve Downtown Frederick as a great place to live, work, shop and play.

You won't want to miss these great products from some of your favorite downtown shops! Download a calendar of products and participating shops here!