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Newsletter
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Read some of the articles we’ve shared in the past:
Planning Ahead
Suddenly, there are cooler temperatures at night. The days are not quite as long, and in the mornings there’s a parade of children passing my house on the way to school. Though not officially fall, summer has come to an e
nd. I don’t think I am alone in suddenly realizing many of the projects planned for this summer have not been completed, or in some cases, even begun. Often we have ambitious plans for a new beginning, but fail to start. Not only in our personal lives, but also in business. Part of this can be attributed to the lack of a system. Working from a list of the actionable steps needed to complete a goal will make the process more efficient, minimize distractions, and keep the project on schedule. (more…)
Working from Home
Working from Home?
Are you in the Fox Valley area? Perhaps you’ve heard about the exciting business community developing at 25N Coworking. There are opportunities for making connections, educational events and an environment for collaboration. Click here for a pass for a personal tour and trial day.
Getting Sh*t Done
Getting Sh*t Done (or How I Spent My Summer Vacation.)
Last week I traveled to Brooklyn, New York. It wasn’t for a client, family or vacation. It was a “grass-roots” retreat to review my own business, marketing strategies, and business organization.
After attending the 2009 Creative Freelancer Conference in San Diego, I enrolled in a marketing coaching group led by Ilise Benun. After our coaching sessions ended, I continued a weekly discussion, by phone, with two others from the group, Tricia Okin and Dianne Rohlkohl. Each week we analyze the work we are doing, current trends in marketing, print and web design, and how best to reach our ideal clients. The relationships have grown over the past six years into friendships and trusted business advisors.
We decided to “push the reset button,” and met in Brooklyn to review our businesses and what steps needed to be taken for future growth. A productive five days were spent focusing on our business, roaming Manhattan, and enjoying great meals and each others’ company. Over all, “we got sh*t done,” and I am looking forward to the future growth of my business.
When was the last time you paused, took a deep breath, and reviewed your business? Even more importantly, had an someone with objective eye review it with you?
Resolution Creative can help. We can review your current marketing materials and offer suggestions for improvement, and assist in developing your visual communications for print or web. Let’s set up a time to get together.
2015 Art in Your Eye
View some of my fine art at the juried City Hall Exhibit during Batavia’s Art in Your Eye, August 15 & 16.
Working with a Designer
… and creating award winning design
Resolution Creative recently received a Gold Aster Award in the category of multilingual healthcare marketing for a poster designed for VNA Health Care. The Aster Awards are given for excellence in healthcare marketing. I have won awards in the past for work with VNA Health Care and Midwest Heart Specialists. Both of these organizations were regular clients over the last eight years, with whom I worked closely in creating their marketing communications.
Award winning work is possible when there is a good working relationship between the designer and client. Here are a few tips on how to achieve that relationship.
- Know your goals and your budget and be ready to discuss with the designer. There needs to be a greater conversation than “what does a website cost?” The designer needs to understand your branding, and may suggest design solutions that are original, strategic and cost-effective. (more…)
Resolution Creative wins 2015 Aster Award for Multilingual Health Care Advertising
The Aster Awards, one of the largest national competitions of its kind, is hosted by Marketing Healthcare Today Magazine and Creative Images, Inc. This elite program recognized outstanding healthcare professionals for excellence in their advertising/marketing efforts for the calendar year 2014. Resolution Creative was recognized in the category of multilingual advertising.
The 2015 Aster Awards received nearly 3,000 entries from across the United States as well as several foreign countries. All entries are judged by industry experts and are scored on multiple criteria with a possibility of 100 total points. Participant’s entries competed against similar-sized organizations in their specific groups and categories. Awards were issued for entries that received top marks from judges placing them in the top 16% of the nation for advertising excellence. Judging criteria included creativity, layout and design, functionality, message effectiveness, production quality and overall appeal. Resolution Creative received a Gold Award recognizing the work as among the top 5% in the nation.
“The creativity of this year’s participating healthcare marketing professionals exceeded our expectations. The 2015 Aster Awards program contained some of the best and most creative advertising in the world,” said Melinda Lucas, Aster Awards Program Coordinator.
All winners are posted on the Aster Awards website (www.AsterAwards.com), as well as published in Marketing Healthcare Today, a national healthcare marketing magazine.
What Story Can You Tell with An Infographic?
There’s been a lot of buzz in the design world about infographics the past few years. An infographic can simplify a boring or complex subject, making it visually engaging and easier to understand. 90% of the information transmitted to the brain is visual, and visuals are processed 60,000 faster than text. How did I learn this? Through numerous infographics. Shown here is an infographic Resolution Creative designed for a data consultant.
Keep It Simple
You’ve probably heard that phrase at some point in your life, but how many businesses apply this principle to their website? If a website has too much information, or unnecessary images, it may obstruct your message and drive your audience away. According to Manta, websites should be uncluttered and easy to navigate. Keep it simple: your copy should be concise, and use white space between your images and text to improve readability and create a pleasing online experience.
Your professionalism will be communicated through your copy and the visual appearance of your website. If you find the idea of creating a website daunting, Resolution Creative will work with you and suggest options which will fit your budget. Contact us for a free design consultation.
A good example of a small “brochure” website is the design created for KB Health Insurance Solutions by Resolution Creative. Potential clients may request information, access a location map, and download insurance applications. The graphics are kept to a minimum, but utilize colors and typestyles which reinforce KB Health Insurance Solutions branding. Fewer images are used in the mobile version, which helps in navigating the site on a smaller platform.
I’ve never tried this beer before, because the label uses Comic Sans.
(Or, don’t look like an amateur.)
During lunch at a local brew pub last week, my son Ben observed “I’ve never tried this beer before, because the label uses Comic Sans.” While Ben is an admitted beer snob, he is not a designer, so this piqued my curiosity. Designers are known to mock the use of the Comic Sans font. There’s even a group, “Ban Comic Sans.”
I asked why the use of Comic Cans bothered him. “It shows the company did not care enough to hire a professional designer. It’s looks amateurish. If the company is not professional in their presentation, how does the beer taste?”
Apply this anecdote to your business. Are your visual communications professional, or do they look amateurish? Using underlines for emphasis, poor quality photos and lack of consistency among the graphic elements are just a few of the tell tale signs of the amateur. Aesthetics are not the only consideration. Amateur mistakes in production can cost you when your marketing goes to print, or a website does not display correctly.
Being a designer is not only knowing how to use the tools of design, but how to achieve the desired results. Professional design will ensure the right message is delivered to your customers. Do you care how you appear to your audience? Contact Resolution Creative for a free design audit.
VNA Annual Report 2014
2014 was a busy year for VNA Health Care. VNA Navigators assisted 115,693 consumers during Open Enrollment under the Affordable Care Act, completing more applications per Navigator than all other Illinois grantees. Resolution Creative designed bilingual posters, fliers and brochures providing information during this process. Part of VNA’s mission is The Triple Aim:
- improved health
- improved patient experience
- reduced cost of care.
The 2014 Annual Report designed by Resolution Creative used triangle elements throughout as a motif recognizing the Triple Aim. With bold colors and a substantial uncoated paper stock, the information is organized to be pleasurable and easy to read for both the public they serve and their donors. Click here to flip through the annual report online.
Looking Back, Moving Ahead
As we plan ahead for 2015, it is also a time for reflection and review. Not just the mistakes, but successes. What types of marketing worked, and what did not? Has there been a change in the products or services offered which may have cause a change in your audience? it is important to review your marketing plan and budget. What worked earlier in 2014 may no longer be as effective.
“Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
George Santayana