Blackburn Design

  • Smart, Integrated, Design Solutions.
  • Graphic Design & Creative Services Consulting
  • 30 Years in Marketing Communication Design
  • Integrated Interactive Marketing Strategies

Let's talk. Get a quote.

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What is Design?

"Design is the method of putting form and content together. Design, just as art, has multiple definitions; there is no single definition. Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that's why it is so complicated." Paul Rand

Design Services

An Integrated Approach is Key. There was a time, years ago,when you could send out a ton of postcards to a list of prospects and expect a decent response rate. Not anymore. These days, there are no one-hit wonder direct mail campaigns, or print advertising campaigns.

Print advertising campaigns are no longer a mainstay in the marketing mix. There are many times less expensive, and more effective ways to reach prospective customers. Yet, there are times when print advertising makes sense for certain industries or circumstances like big trade shows or events. Blackburn Design will work with you to define and implement strategies for dovetailing your print advertising efforts with your internet marketing efforts.

Staying front and center with your target audience requires a year-round, sustained effort made up of multiple tactics, mixed media marketing tools.

These tools must be consistent with your overall brand image, messaging and web presence and demonstrate the same level of professionalism. And, you need to be prepared with the right mix of printed versus electronic materials because you can’t exactly leave behind a PDF at an on-site meeting, trade show or networking event.

  • Design
  • Production
  • Photography
  • Copywriting
  • Content Development
  • Illustration
  • Print
  • E-Marketing Strategies

So you need a designer. What do you look for?

Here’s a list, see if you agree:
  • 1. Listens and hears what you say
  • 2. Identifies and anticipates you need and requests
  • 3. Lets you know they value and appreciate your business
  • 4. Provides quality service at all times
  • 5. Is dependable with deadlines. Stand by their promises.
  • 6. Follows up – doesn’t leave clients in limbo
  • 7. Always has a can-do attitude
  • 8. Admits their mistakes, when necessary. Has humility.
  • 9. Goes beyond your expectations. Not everything is money.
  • 10. Encourages feedback. And offers fresh ideas and perspectives
  • 11. Focuses on building loyal and sustainable clients – not just numbers
  • Logo or Identity Including business cards, letterhead,etc.
  • Marketing kit Including pocket folder and inserts
  • Brochure collateral Including catalogs and brochures – print and PDF formats
  • Packaging Including product packaging and labels
  • Advertising Including print ads, email and banner ads
  • Sales brochure and direct mailer
  • Datasheets Including whitepapers, ebooks and promos – print and PDF formats
  • Email Ads and Newsletter Including template development
  • POP Signage and Trade Show Display

How We Work With You at Blackburn Design and What to Expect:

You want to know what to expect when you hire services that are intangible like design and creative services. There is predictable work flow in most every project that follows a timeline that includes the talking and idea phase, to hammering out the details and costs, to getting approvals and finalizing production – whether it’s a website design or a packaging design project.

  • 1, Intake interview – review all current marketing materials, discuss new goals and objectives, likes, dislikes, resources, budget, competitors, decision makes, phases planned for implementation, expected growth and overall criteria for a successful solution.
  • 2, Estimate – based on project as it is defined from the intake interview, with all contractual language for termination, file ownership, outside costs that are yet to be determined, and hourly rates.
  • 3, Deposit – to begin planning and design as estimated
  • 4, Creative Brief – outlined collaborative list from effort with designer, client staff, and decision makers for objectives and criteria for optimal outcome of design project signed by all parties
  • 5, Time line established – showing expected presentation dates, turn around times for approvals and revisions, dates to have content approved and finalized, outside vendors to receive files, and fees and balances to be paid, from inti al sign off of estimate to delivery or launch of design project.
  • 6, Design concepts – presented as pdfs and/or mounted prints
  • 7, Refinement and revisions – to client approval, within signed creative brief and estimate
  • 8, Copy, images, logos – acquired or compiled, approved and provided
  • 9, Final design – signed off for production or programming
  • 10, Proofs or mock ups – if needed, presented and reviewed and refined, if needed, to approval
  • 11, Upload of files to vendor – publication, printer, site, or server once final balances are paid.
  • 12, Quality control – monitoring to vendors – review staged site, press checking, and if included on-going review and modification based on web anlaytics
  • 13, Final files – provided to client at end of project after balance paid

These steps ensure that all deliverables match those estimated. There are always additional aspects to any project, such as more pages on the website than expected, photography that is needed, color correction required from digital proofs, etc. and these will be estimated in advance as they come up, or for the case of author changes, an hourly rate agreed to on-going changes to approved, provided content and copy. Good communication is key. Most any change can be accommodated with good communication.

"The talent for discovering the unique and marketable characteristics of a product and service is a designer's most valuable asset." Primo Angeli