Blog - Page 35 of 58 - Natasha Lane Design Co.

What goes on during a free consult call

Did you know that I offer FREE consult calls? So what are they, and should you book one? The consult call is basically where we get to know each other. This is important so that we can know if we’re the best fit for each other. You don’t want to book a service if you’re not sure if it’s what you want or need. Here’s what goes on in a free consult call.

What goes on in a free consult call

Before the call happens, you have to book a call in my scheduler. You have the choice of picking between Skype or a phone call if you’re in the U.S. If you’re outside the U.S., then I can only offer Skype calls.

If you choose Skype, I tend to leave the camera off during our first call (unless this is a coffee chat, keep reading to find out more about those), but if you want the camera’s on, let me know! I would love to meet face to face. On the day of our consult call, I will call you at the scheduled time.

Who goes first?

Besides introducing ourselves, I always let you speak first. Usually, if you book a call with me, you have questions. Sometimes you already asked them when you booked the consult call. I had one client list everything she wanted to talk about on my booking form. Most of the call was spent answering all her questions. I didn’t mind, I thought it was interesting and it gave her a lot of ideas for her business.

If you don’t really have any questions, I start by asking about your business and your goals. Then I ask questions from there or you can ask questions from there. Don’t know what to ask during a consult call, click here for a few ideas.

What I discuss

After we discuss your questions and your business goals, then if it’s applicable, I might discuss my services, but that’s only if you’re interested. I’m not really a big fan of being pushy or aggressive with a sale. I just think of these calls as getting to know you and your business. BUT if you’re interested in my services, I discuss my process and what the next steps are in hiring me. (more…)

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Why A High Quality Logo Design Costs More Than $200

When most people think about a designer, they think that we create pretty graphics. That or they don’t understand what our job is. If you thought that the role of a graphic designer is to create pretty graphics, then you’re wrong. A designer actually plays different roles and that’s why a high quality logo design costs more than $100.

The real reason why a high quality logo design costs more

No matter what type of designer you are, you are wearing a lot of hats. 3 of those main hats are: problem solver, strategist, and creator.

Problem solver

You need a logo for your company, but you’re not going to take just any logo right? Well, I hope not. I would hope that your logo was created to represent your business and resonate with your target audience. That’s where a graphic designer comes in.

The first thing I do when I book a client is to send them homework. What’s the point of the homework? This is one of the ways I conduct research. Yes, before our first meeting, I research everything I can about your industry and target audience.

Then, by the time we have our first meeting, I already have your creative brief and mood board ready for your approval. The creative brief makes sure that we’re on the same page about your brand. The mood board is the guideline for inspiration for when I start designing the logo or any design project.

Click here to read more about the homework process.

Strategist

Now it’s time to create a strategy. Once I research your business and your audience, it’s time to think about the end goal. Depending on the project, the end goal is different. For a logo, the goal is to create something that resonates with both the brand and the target audience.

So what does the audience want? Well, it’s my job to research that. Every answer would be different depending on the business. When I do find the answer, it’s time to start brainstorming.

During the brainstorming session, I list out as many ideas as I can that represent the business. Basically, it’s like creating a mind map of all the possible directions that the brand could go in. Once I’m done with that, it’s time to create. (more…)

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5 reasons a youtuber needs a graphic and web designer

If you want to be legit on YouTube, it’s not about filming and uploading anymore. With all the competition, users are looking for high-quality content to consume. Everyone knows that audio and video quality are important. In fact, it’s easier than ever to record high-quality content with just your phone. So what’s the next step? Design. To look professional, you need a brand and a website. Here are 5 reasons a Youtuber needs a graphic and web designer.

5 reasons a Youtuber needs a graphic and web designer

It’s time to look professional. I’m not talking about wearing a suit and tie. I’m talking about looking like a legit business, or an authority in whatever content you’re creating. It has to look like you have a production team producing your video, even though it’s just one person. Besides saving you time and energy to focus on creating your videos, here are the ways that a designer can help elevate your YouTube channel.

01. Logo and branding

One of the first things you must have to look professional is a logo. Your logo will be everywhere and help with brand recognition. You’ll use your logo on your YouTube channel in the channel art, your YouTube video, on your website, media kit (if you plan to apply to affiliates), business card (if you plan to network), and so on.

Besides your logo, you also need a graphic designer to research and develop your brand. Why is branding important? You can think of it as creating a signature style for your channel and other assets. It keeps everything consistent. You’ll use the same fonts, colors, imagery, and so on. Sounds boring, right? Well, this helps with brand recognition. If you keep using the same style, people will start to know you for it. Not only that, but it saves you time in content creation. You’ll never have to guess which font and colors to use because it’s already decided.

02. Title graphics and channel art

A graphic designer can design your channel, title, and thumbnail graphics for your videos. If you already have an established brand, this will help with brand recognition. For your YouTube channel, the cover art is the main graphic on the page. It should showcase the important details of your channel.

Another thing you might not think about is the branding watermark on the bottom right side of the video. This graphic is usually the logo, but it could be a submark or an icon that’s relevant to your brand.

Thumbnails are the first thing people see when they’re browsing videos. Great thumbnails will obviously get more click-throughs. Not only that, but some people will also use title graphics in their videos to showcase what the video is about. Check out this video from Jenn Im for an example of cool title graphics. You’ll see that her thumbnail video and title graphics are completely different. (more…)

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