Like many small businesses hit hard by COVID-19 over the past two+ years, our business was no exception and we found ourselves closing our Photography Studio. At the time, we had no idea that part of our business would be closed for 2 1/2 years. So, we are extremely excited to announce that we are reopening our photography studio, with some changes. Updated Service Offerings Prior to COVID, our photography services were all portrait based. We offered a variety of portrait photography ranging from holiday mini-sessions, to prom shoots, to fun-filled family sessions, and professional headshots. This was our focus when it came to our photography service offerings. Then came COVID. COVID changed our photography business as we flexed to meet the needs of our clients. Due to the closure, we found ourselves doing less in-person photography and more business-oriented photography as businesses came to us expressing the need to build a website and sell products online, something many had never had to do before. As a result of the changing needs brought about by COVID, we now offer the following photography services: Professional Headshots Business/Commercial Photography Product Photography Portrait Photography Photo Edits & Restoration and coming soon...Aerial Photography We hope you will find this as exciting as we do! And as we continue to navigate the uncertainty we all still face with COVID variants, know that we will take precautions to keep our clients and our team safe through mask wearing and sanitizing to ensure everyone's safety. We appreciate your patience through the past 2+ years and we look forward to again serving our community! The Davies Designs Team To learn more about our photography services, visit us at www.daviesdesigns.net/photography-studio To inquire about photography services, contact us at www.daviesdesigns.net/contact-us To view our photography portfolio, visit us at www.daviesdesigns.net/photography-portfolio #DaviesDesignsPhotographyStudio #COVID19 #CoronaVirus #COVID #photography #photographer #LakeWylie #Clover #SouthCarolina #SC

November 11, 2020 - We're thrilled to announce that Davies Designs Studio Photography is now available on Adobe Stock! This means that if you already have an Adobe Stock Subscription, it's even easier to download our photos as part of your existing subscription. To find our photography, you can go to our Adobe Stock Portfolio page or type in "Davies Designs Studio" in the Adobe Stock search bar. So far, we've added our favorites including our Blueberry and Coffee Bean Series from our Organic Foods Collection and our Tulip and Halloween Series from our Seasonal Collection. We're excited to add more in the coming months and hope you'll visit our page for beautiful flat-lay and still life shots to help complete your design projects! While we continue to upload our photography to Adobe Stock, you can view all of our available photography, including our new "Mixed Fruit Series" and "Children's Health Collection" on our website at https://www.daviesdesigns.net/shop-photography. Stay tuned!

It happens to every growing company and, in truth, it’s not a bad problem to have. At some point your company will need to refresh its branding and, knowing that rebranding is an investment, how can you know when the time is right? "Branding: The marketing practice of creating a name, symbol, or design that identifies and differentiates a product or business from other products or businesses."  – entrepreneur.com 5 Reasons to Consider a Branding Refresh 1) You’ve Been Receiving Feedback That Your Company Branding Is Stale Or Out-Of-Date You’ve been in business for a while now and although things are going great, you’ve started to receive feedback from clients or customers that, although they love your services, an element of your branding is lacking…something. First off, take this as a compliment. Even if it comes in the form of a snarky comment from a competitor, take this as a compliment. You’ve accomplished a stellar reputation and people know your services are to be trusted even if your brand appearance is in need of an update. If you find yourself in this position, don’t panic, every growing company will encounter this at some point, even several times. All it identifies is that your business is growing and you’re probably in need of a branding refresh to continue that growth. In a time when businesses are facing as many challenges as they are, you’re doing things right! Note: The key here is to identify consistent and constructive feedback as other kinds are best taken with a grain of salt. Likewise, you can pick up cues from facial expressions and reactions during meetings, conferences, when giving your business card out, etc. (e.g., Your audience didn’t seem as impressed with a PowerPoint slide until after you’d spent time speaking to the content. In other words, your PowerPoint branding didn’t grab their attention, but luckily your carefully constructed content made up for it.) "It's not just about being 'pretty;' it's about appeal, professionalism, and appearing organized. If your company branding appears disheveled, that's the impression you're communicating to potential clients..." 2) Your Competitor’s Branding Is Impressive Competition keeps branding fresh because it forces companies to get an edge. One of the most powerful ways to get an edge is to refine, fine tune, or refresh company branding. Impressive branding will win new customers and increase sales. One the flip side, existing customers expect you to keep up with the times, but how long they wait for you to catch up is anyone’s guess. Always remember that a brand that appears impressive can also be misconstrued as being impressive, so if you’re seeing your competition win more customers as of late with mediocre service offerings, it might just be time to refresh your branding. You’ll need to be prepared when their consumers catch on that it was all just smoke and mirrors. Note: To put it simply, for new customers: Professional Branding = Brand Trust. It’s up to you to follow through with stellar services once you’ve grabbed their attention with the "pretty" branding. The illustration below provides a little more insight. You can also learn more here. "Increased Effort + Consistency + Attractiveness = Increased Consumer Trust, Followers, & New Business Opportunities" 3) Your Visual Brand Identity Doesn’t Appear To Match Your Brand Reputation Your company reputation is part of your overall brand – what you live and breathe as a company - and if you already have an amazing brand reputation, it’s not hard to sync up your visual brand identity, but it does take time and careful planning. But why should you worry about it – you’re business is doing fine, right? The answer is simple - it’s what your customers expect. With all of the information sharing and competition, your existing customers are used to seeing companies in a state of constant competition (whether they realize it or not). The companies that “keep up” with the trends, with their brand image, and who work to spread their message in new and innovative ways, are the ones that will continue to win the business. If you find yourself in a situation where your company reputation has overtaken your visual brand identity (i.e., your reputation is amazing but your branding is stale), the trick is to not let these components of your brand stay out of sync for too long. When you have the benefit of a stellar reputation, it can mean that you may not immediately feel the effects of what happens when your visual brand is lacking. Staying in tune with your competition and revisiting your branding periodically should allow you to create an action plan before your business feels any impact. “Your customer’s expect you to keep up with the times. In a way, it confirms that your business is still relevant and up to the challenge of new demands.” 4) You’re Expanding Your Horizons Congratulations! You’re a growing and expanding business! Whether you’re expanding by opening a new location, offering new services, or adding employees; you’re likely in need of a brand refresh. Why? Because any time a business expands, it means that new information is generated that needs to be shared with customers, clients, business partners, etc. The fastest way to share new information is through your branding. Your website, printed materials, promotional emails, capabilities presentations, business cards, logo, etc. are all likely in need of an update with any business expansion. If you’re already making updates, it’s worth spending the time to decide whether your overall branding is still working for you or against you. If sales have dropped or you’re noticing unusual trends emerging with no obvious direct contributors, then it may be due to outdated branding. Take this opportunity to make the maximum impact with a branding refresh that boosts your business in the biggest way possible. 5) You’re Beginning To Lose Business Last, but not least, you’re beginning to lose business. This is the hardest to come back from as it starts a process that can become expensive to rectify, but it is possible. If you find yourself here, it may take more time to recover than it would have in the above mentioned indicators. A branding refresh may be needed, or you may want to rebrand entirely. At this point, it may be best to consult with a professional on whether branding is a factor and, if so, for a strategic marketing plan for moving forward. Be sure to share all of your pain points with your consultant, even if the downturn was due to internal issues, there is always a way to minimize the damage. It just takes open and honest communication with a consultant you can trust. Written by: Crystal Davies, Owner, Davies Designs Studio Crystal Davies is a Brand Consultant and Owner of Davies Designs Studio. Her passion is using her 10+ years experience in corporate marketing and branding to help her clients design visions become reality. Connect with us… We’re here to help! If you need advice, have a general question, or if we can help in some other way, you can reach us via the links below. https://www.daviesdesigns.net/contact-us Facebook | LinkedIn | LinkedIn – Company Page | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram #graphicdesign #branding #rebranding #graphicdesigner #graphicdesigntips #business #smallbusiness #DaviesDesignsStudio #DaviesDesigns

When you’re working hard to ensure your online content is engaging, that you’re utilizing the appropriate social media platforms in your online presence, and even paying to reach the right audience; this added ingredient can make a world of difference in boosting the success of your posts. It’s also something most startups miss out on and desperately need to gain a following. Why Hashtags Are The Secret Ingredient This article will outline ways hashtags can benefit the online presence of your brand, business, and even upcoming events. Yes - it feels like they’ve been around forever and they are, surprisingly, something companies still miss when promoting themselves online. It could be because they’ve donned a reputation for being used for “fun” or entertainment purposes, but entertainment isn’t their only use. When promoting your company online, hashtag usage can help your brand in a professional way by: Distinguishing you from your competitors or similarly named businesses If I Google my business name, Davies Designs, I get information and images mostly about knitting patterns by a similarly named business in the U.K.  If I scroll long enough, I might see my own stuff - not so cool....BUT if I Google #DaviesDesigns, I get the entire online presence of my business immediately because I use it consistently within my social media posts, website, and additional online content. Creating a hashtag that includes your business name is a simple process and essential to establishing a robust social media presence. It's use doesn't need to be limited to online content, you can include it in printed materials as well to help promote brand awareness. Allowing you to create an online history for recurring public company events, campaigns, and fundraisers By creating additional custom hashtags for each recurring company event, campaign, or fundraiser that can be reused going forward (i.e., don’t include a year in the hashtag) helps to promote the success of your events. It will also generate and reinforce trust in your brand for those hearing about your company or company events for the first time. If they see the online history (via images, posts, and news articles) going back several years, they will be more willing to make a donation, attend the event, volunteer, etc. Remember, everyone researches everything nowadays, so this added layer of brand trust is essential in boosting any company campaign. Helping you launch a new book for publication Creating a custom hashtag for promotion of a new book is a great way to engage readers. Encouraging your audience to use your hashtag is also beneficial as this provides added awareness via social sharing (e.g., I just finished reading #TheTallTale, a must read!) and ultimately leads to an increase in sales. Connecting you with like-minded individuals  (e.g., #writersofinstagram, #writersofig) – Just like you are using hashtags for business promotion, individuals are searching those same hashtags for items that interest them. Adding additional hashtags onto your posts that relate back to a topic of interest, or an audience you want to engage with, increases your reach and thereby your following. Googling "Davies Designs" vs. Googling "#DaviesDesigns" produces very different results in the screen shots below. Using a business hashtag makes it easier for your audience to find you, so why not make it easy? Busting the Myth Hashtags aren't just for Twitter. Hashtags can and should be used consistently across all social media platforms to reinforce your brand. On Instagram for example, as you begin typing a hashtag, a listing of popular hashtags comes up in a pop-up window. Each item in the list will have a number of times it has been used, insinuating that these are also the “hot” topics that people are searching under (e.g., #marketing, #fashiongram, #fashionpost from the screenshots below). Why would you want to miss out on this added opportunity for visibility? Adding appropriate hashtags to categorize your posts on Instagram, for example, can mean the difference between zero ‘likes’ and hundreds; not including those who may choose to follow you as well as a result. Choose wisely when adding relevant hashtags to your posts. In Instagram, when the list begins to populate (as shown above), you will want to choose the hashtag showing the highest number of uses. Knowing that you want to limit the amount of hashtags so as not to appear as 'spamming,' it's a no-brainer that you would want to choose the ones in the millions versus ones that may show uses of thousands, hundreds, or lower yet. The exception here is the hashtag you'll use for your business, that will be new and may not appear and that's okay. Remember every hashtag has the potential to reach a new audience and, as tempting as it may be, adding irrelevant ones to your post to gain followers can have a negative impact on your brand (e.g., #TagsForLikes). This leads us to our next topic of etiquette... Hashtag Usage Etiquette Following some simple rules for hashtag etiquette will help ensure the success of the posts you choose to add them to. There are many, but the most important ones include: Not using another company's hashtag, especially if it is registered, unless the post directly pertains to them or you have been granted appropriate permission Not using more than 5 hashtags for social media, unless it is on Instagram or at the end of a blog where you can typically get away with more. Even then, Instagram has a limit of 30, but I wouldn’t use more than 8-10, ensuring that additional hashtags (outside of the chosen one for your business name) are related to your post. Note: If you are a startup just getting established on Instagram, you get a free pass to use more hashtags. Just know that once your audience is established, you'll want to cut back so as not to annoy followers into unfollowing you. Don’t #hashtag #every #word in a #paragraph, it #gets #annoying for the #audience #reading it Do a spell check to ensure your hashtag is spelled correctly Curious about what hashtag misuse looks like, click here for some entertaining examples. FAQs for Hashtag Usage How do I get started using a hashtag for my business name? The first step is simple, just do a search for it. If you then find that it’s already heavily in use, then try another similar hashtag name. Once you find one that doesn’t appear to be in use, you can choose to register it. How many hashtags should I use in my posts? For businesses, I would choose one or two to use at all times (e.g., - #DaviesDesigns & #Marketing for my business with 'Davies Designs' being the business name and the added hashtag of ‘marketing’ indicating the services we provide). You can typically get away with more hashtags on Instagram, but I would limit hashtag use to five or less on Twitter or Facebook. Do I really need to use hashtags? I would Google your business or past events to find out how your results come back, especially if you’re not using paid advertising. If you come up on page two of a search, then you may want to start using hashtags to see how it can improve those results. Don’t forget to see how you appear when looking at an image search as well, especially for events, campaigns, and fundraisers where photos, flyers, and logos would appear. Note: It may be beneficial to go back and edit past posts to include the new hashtag you plan to use going forward to help with creating an online history. How will people know to search for our business hashtag? You’ll have to promote it! Let them know you’re using a new hashtag via social media, encourage them to use it as well when mentioning your business or event, and remember that using it consistently across posts also reminds your audience you’re using a hashtag. Note: It will take time once you begin using hashtags for search results to appear, so be patient and don't give up on them before they have a chance to work. Typically results should show in 30-60 days. Where can I find resources to help me with hashtag usage on social media? There’s a ton of information out there, but some great articles can be found in these links for Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to get you started, complete with visuals and online tools to help you track hashtag usage. Of course, we're always available to help as well. In Summary If you’re posting online, there are only benefits for your brand by using a hashtag or two, as long as they’re used wisely and consistently. Remember... Aim to use your business name hashtag in every piece of online content and possibly offline content as well Create additional hashtags for every event, campaign, fundraiser, soon to be/newly published book; to encourage social sharing, stimulate conversations, increase participation, and boost sales Topic related hashtags can help you reach a specific audience or connect with like-minded individuals Hashtags should be used consistently across social media platforms - they aren't just for Twitter Obey hashtag etiquette to maximize success In little to no time at all (and at little to no expense), you can be casting your net farther than before and getting a deeper reach into those key audiences. So give them a shot! Written by: Crystal Davies, Owner, Davies Designs Studio Crystal Davies is a Brand Consultant and Owner of Davies Designs Studio. Her passion is using her 10+ years experience in corporate marketing and branding to help her clients design visions become reality. Connect with us… We’re here to help! If you need advice, have a general question, or if we can help in some other way, you can reach us via the links below. https://www.daviesdesigns.net/contact-us Facebook | LinkedIn | LinkedIn – Company Page | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram #graphicdesign #branding #graphicdesigner #graphicdesigntips #business #smallbusiness #socialmedia #socialmediatips #hashtagetiquette #DaviesDesignsStudio #DaviesDesigns

The thought of starting a blog can seem scary, but launching a blog presents your audience with a great resource – a free resource – that helps solve problems, answer questions, and create a sense of community. It can also tie in pieces of your existing social media accounts and website while still holding true to what it is your audience is actually looking for. For example, if a follower remembers seeing a recipe posted on your Facebook page and wants to find it quickly a week or so later, they might try your website link if they’re unable to locate it in their news feed right away. Solving problems, answering questions, AND making it easy on your audience to navigate – it’s all a win-win with minimal time investment on your end. Getting Started What do I blog about? Start by considering those lengthier, text heavy social media posts (e.g., tips, advice, recipes, tutorials, etc.) that you’re already putting out on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.). Choose your blogging platform or fire up the blogging tool on your website - and formalize them by giving those posts a quick read through and updating them to answer any questions you feel a reader may have. You can copy and paste those posts directly into your chosen blogging platform, make edits, insert pictures or videos, and save them as drafts until you are ready to publish them formally. This new, dedicated, blogging space for the important content your audience might otherwise have to scroll endlessly through a feed to find, offers endless positives. And just like how you can tie in elements from your existing social media accounts to your blog, you can also tie your blog back to those platforms as well. Not only does this sneak 'social media' peek give readers additional insight into your brand, but it creates a loop that links everything together and presents a unified representation of your business (or initiatives) and an easy-to-navigate online presence for your audience. So don't be afraid to dive on in...and... Happy Blogging! Written by: Crystal Davies, Owner, Davies Designs Studio Crystal Davies is a Brand Consultant and Owner of Davies Designs Studio. Her passion is using her 10+ years experience in corporate marketing and branding to help her clients design visions become reality. Connect with us… We’re here to help! If you need advice, have a general question, or if we can help in some other way, you can reach us via the links below. https://www.daviesdesigns.net/contact-us Facebook | LinkedIn | LinkedIn – Company Page | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram #graphicdesign #branding #graphicdesigner #graphicdesigntips #business #smallbusiness #socialmedia #socialmediatips #bloggingtips #blogging #DaviesDesignsStudio #DaviesDesigns

If you’re a business owner, you’re bound to receive a negative review at some point; it’s a risk that comes with the territory of business ownership. Unfortunately, businesses, and small businesses in particular, can sometimes fear negative reviews and choose not to put their business on social media to avoid them. This can limit reach to potential new customers. Fear is understandable as, once received, it’s hard not to take the negativity to heart, but here’s the thing: negative reviews aren’t something to lose sleep over. Read on to learn our four reasons why. 1 - They May Not Be Written By Real People First and foremost, they may not be written by real people. Can you believe people are paid to leave negative reviews? It could be a fake account, bot, or spam - a person who’s never tried your service, or it could be a person hired by a competitor. Yes, people do stoop to this level. If you see a review that you don’t recognize as an actual occurrence you remember, or seems too general in their complaint, or maybe only gives you a poor star rating…it could be utterly and entirely fake. Consider this finding by Eric Anderson and Duncan Simester—professors of marketing at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and MIT's Sloan School of Management: “The writers of the most negative reviews had not bought the product they were deploring. In other words, the indignant "This shirt is so flimsy it might as well be tissue paper! " customer hadn't bought the shirt, let alone tried it on.” – abcnews.go.com This shocks many of my small business clients because they are working so hard to launch their company and focusing so hard on ensuring client satisfaction, that it literally never occurs to them that it could be fake. This is the number one reason I coach small businesses to get angry later, take a look at the facts first, and if it turns out to be legit, then move on in a calm and professional way. Taking a negative review to heart right away can leave you discouraged, frustrated, and angry; and all that can waste time you don’t have, even more so if the review isn’t real. 2 - They Can Actually Help Your Business You read that right; they can actually help your business. Have you ever encountered a company with a straight 5 star rating? Isn’t it hard to believe they make absolutely everyone happy? It’s not impossible, but it’s rare. Your credibility can actually be improved with a negative review here or there because potential clients won’t assume that you just delete the ones you don’t like (even though that’s rarely an available option on most platforms). Responding promptly and professionally shows that you have nothing to hide. While having a straight 5 star rating is nice, it could also make people wonder if you’ve paid people to write them and bring your business credibility into question. Consumers don't mind the occasional bad review, it gives them insights into what to expect. For example, delayed shipping around the holidays - that's understandable and can let potential customers know to order sooner rather than later to avoid the delay. 3 - You Can Respond to Negative Reviews They had the right to write it, you have the right to respond. How you handle a negative review speaks volumes to your business and work ethic. Handling a negative review in a calm, professional, and customer-focused manner shows that you make every effort (within reason) to make the situation right in the event a customer is unsatisfied. For example, a potential customer researches businesses online and narrows their choice down to two companies. From the online reviews it’s shown that Company A clearly doesn’t follow up when there’s a problem after payment is received, but Company B does - that customer is likely to choose Company B because they've demonstrated satisfactory issue reconciliation. Of course, if the reviewer goes too far in their claims, is untruthful, attacking, and/or reports untrue claims resulting in devastation to your business, you can take legal action. In some cases, you may want to delete the review; however that option is usually only available to the person who wrote it. Depending on the site, you may have the ability to ‘report’ a review if it contains offensive or obscene content and/or block the person from your page. Most reviews can be responded to, so it's best to reserve the deletion option for when you have an extreme situation. Consider this quote from Time concerning Dietz Development, LLC vs. Jane Perez in their Case Study - Online Reviewers Beware: You Can Get Sued: “Under federal law — 47 U.S.C. § 230, to be specific — websites like Yelp and Angie’s List are shielded from being sued for defamation, but the writers — people like Perez — are legally responsible for what they write and lawsuits can be filed against them. That may not be what a lot of people are thinking when they go on Angie’s List or Amazon to air grievances. In fact, Perez told the Washington Post that when she posted her reviews it never occurred to her that she might end up in court or on the hook for thousands of dollars in legal fees — not to mention the monetary damages. Dietz is suing for $750,000, and awards can go far higher than that. In 2006, a jury awarded a Florida woman $11.3 million in damages against a woman who made defamatory comments on an Internet message board.” – idea.time.com Both the company and the individual were later found to have defamed each other, resulting in wasted time, money, and damage to reputations on both sides, so legal action should always be considered carefully. 4 - The Writer Could Be Trying to Get An Employee Fired Relationships are tricky and sometimes they take an ugly turn and spill into the workplace. The review may have nothing to do with you and everything to do with this person’s agenda. Getting angry about a bad review first, could make it hard to recognize that you have an employee in distress or a possible dangerous situation. In Summary Times have changed, and while a few years back poor online reviews might have been detrimental to a business, the online world has become so embedded in our day-to-day that the buying habits of potential customers have evolved. Your average customer now spends more time on online research before they ever make contact with you because the data is available, and available from their phone. Consider these quotes from a 2015 Google Report titled "Building for the Moment:" "Automotive: Car buyers spend up to 15 hours online researching, comparing and learning. Hotel Ads: There are millions of searches for hotels everyday — that’s millions of potential hotel bookings. When people search for hotels, they’re looking for information like rates, availability, locations, user reviews, editorial descriptions, Google Street View, and high resolution photos." As Google's data demonstrates, that ease of access and readily available data has not only increased the customer time spent on research, but in reading through online reviews. That exposure makes the average person more adept at recognizing reviews that provide value versus ones that have a vendetta and, while we’ve focused on the more general features of negative online reviews, it’s also important to mention specific discrediting characteristics. The average customer will be more likely to dismiss reviews containing one or more of the following characteristics, and in a way, you should to… They give a 1 star rating – no explanation They are given by someone without a profile picture It only states the negative, no positives mentioned whatsoever The review includes too many exclamation points or ALL CAPS They are poorly written with grammatical errors and spelling mistakes They are given by someone without a ‘verified purchase’ indicator They are too vague, indicating they may have never used your services They are bordering on defamation when the majority of your reviews are positive They are obscene, harassing, violent, have racial undertones, or are otherwise objectionable They are out of date and you have since populated a variety of positive and mostly positive reviews They are recent, but your clients have responded in your defense because they recognize the motives of the writer They are recent, but you’ve responded with an offer to make the situation right and the reviewer did not respond back While all reviews matter, don’t let yourself sweat the ones containing characteristics listed above. You’ll still need to respond to them, but at the end of the day, the entire customer experience is what matters most. As long as you’re making every effort to provide an exceptional product, service, and experience, the odd negative review here or there should not be allowed to distract you from continuing to provide that experience. Have confidence in the service you provide and in your business, remember why you do what you do and the passion that led you to business ownership. Don’t let the potential for negative reviews limit your online presence and business, and surely don’t lose any sleep over them. Written by: Crystal Davies, Owner, Davies Designs Studio Crystal Davies is a Brand Consultant and Owner of Davies Designs Studio. Her passion is using her 10+ years experience in corporate marketing and branding to help her clients design visions become reality. Connect with us… We’re here to help! If you need advice, have a general question, or if we can help in some other way, you can reach us via the links below. https://www.daviesdesigns.net/contact-us Facebook | LinkedIn | LinkedIn – Company Page | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram #graphicdesign #branding #graphicdesigner #graphicdesigntips #business #smallbusiness #socialmedia #socialmediatips #onlinereviews #DaviesDesignsStudio #DaviesDesigns

Over the years, we've been honored to have been chosen by some fabulous authors to design their Book Covers. It is from this experience that we've compiled our list of helpful tips to guide you and to help you determine whether you need a Graphic Designer or an Illustrator. 1 - Graphic Designer or Illustrator? Deciding whether you need a Graphic Designer or an Illustrator is almost as important as choosing whether you're going to use a Publisher or Self-Publish your book. The easiest way to know who you'll need is to decide whether your book is text-based or picture-based. If your book is text-based with the potential for the occasional simple graphic or illustration dotted throughout, then chances are you'll be needing a Graphic Designer. Graphic Designers can help with creating the design and layout of the front cover, back cover, and spine of a book. In the case of self-publishing, they may even be able to help with the interior layout, but you'll want to double check as most often the formatting of the interior is done separately. Instructional books and novels are great examples. Graphic Designers will work with you and your publisher/self-publishing requirements for cover art. If you know your book is going to be heavily image-based, then you'll most likely need an Illustrator to help bring your design ideas to life. Illustrators help with the front cover, back cover, spine, and interior artwork and layout of your book. Children's books and coffee table books are great examples. Illustrators will work with you closely to bring your vision to life page-by-page, while also working to meet your publisher/self-publishing requirements for cover art and interior layouts. With Illustrators being heavily involved in the layout of almost every page of your book, the process for working with them is a bit more involved. For detailed information on working with Illustrators, click here. Once you've determined whether you need a Graphic Designer or Illustrator, narrowing down which Graphic Designer or Illustrator will come down to individual design styles and cost. For more on how to go about choosing a Graphic Designer, and even an Illustrator, view our article "Tips for Choosing a Graphic Designer." 2 - Publisher or Self-Publish? Whether you use a Publisher or Self-publish is an important choice. Both options cost money and have their own benefits and disadvantages. To avoid the additional expense of rework, you'll want to have this decided before you begin the design process as your designer will need to design to publisher or self-publishing requirements. Many have templates they require designers to work within to ensure artwork is submitted correctly and to avoid publishing holdups for incorrectly set up designs. Need guidance on using a Publisher vs. Self-Publishing? Click here for a handy resource to get you started! 3 - Have Your Book Title Ready Having your book title ready and finalized is an important step to complete prior to beginning work with a designer, especially as book titles can change several times before the book is completed. Designers rely heavily on the title text and length to create design options, so even minor changes can result in additional costs associated with rework. For example, if we swapped the word "Loves" from "Your Team Loves Mondays...Right?" for another word in the book image below, it would completely change the cover art. The broken heart would no longer be relevant and the designer would have to go back to the drawing board and begin another design resulting in more time and cost. Similarly, if the title to "5 Surprising Steps to Land a Job NOW!" was shortened or lengthened, it would result in significant design changes. As you're working to develop your book title, it may be helpful to run title possibilities through the www.uspto.gov database and do Google searches for the title name and hashtag to ensure they're not already in use. 4 - Have Your Book Subtitle Ready While your book title is used heavily by your designer to stylize in a way that grabs a potential buyers attention from a bookshelf at Barnes & Noble, or other retailer, your book can also have a subtitle that helps to clarify what the book is about and who it's for after it's been picked up off the shelf. Having the subtitle ready and finalized at the start of the design process helps your designer plan the cover layout and arrange design elements in a way that maximizes space for the most powerful design impact. Just like with your book title, it's helpful to run possible subtitle options through the www.uspto.gov database and do a Google search to ensure it's not already in use. 5 - Have An Idea of Your Budget Budget is important, especially with the costs associated with publishing a book. Knowing how much you can allocate to the cover design and illustrations can help you plan as well as choose a designer. 6 - Have Your Book Specifications & Design Ideas Ready After finalizing your book title and subtitle, the next task is gathering your book specifications, including your design ideas. Items to consider include: Book Dimensions: Tells the designer what size they're working within design-wise. Page Count: Tells the designer whether the spine of your book can fit text for the book title, author name, and publisher logo. Publisher Template: Publishers often have a template designers should work from. Be sure to ask your publisher and share it with your designer. Design Ideas: Googling books on similar topics can guide your design as you'll want to ensure it's unique from competitors. 7 - Knowing When to Engage A Designer Graphic Designers and Illustrators will have varying time frames for artwork completion and delivery. Reaching out to potential designers to inquire about typical design time requirements is helpful in planning for your book and deciding on a designer that works with your timing for book publication. While researching designers can be done at any time, beginning the design process before your book is finished could result in rework associated costs as book titles tend to change several times before the final manuscript is complete. 8 - Gathering Quotes After you've established the above, it's time to start narrowing down the list of potential Graphic Designers or Illustrators, reviewing portfolios, and gathering quotes. There can be quite a bit or variation from one Graphic Designer to another and from one Illustrator to another, so be sure to ask for details so you know exactly what you're getting for your money - every penny counts, especially when you're on a budget. Our article on "Tips for Choosing a Graphic Designer" also has additional helpful tips for choosing a designer. Written by: Crystal Davies, Owner, Davies Designs Studio Crystal Davies is a Brand Consultant and Owner of Davies Designs Studio. Her passion is using her 10+ years experience in corporate marketing and branding to help her clients design visions become reality. Connect with us… We’re here to help! If you need advice, have a general question, or if we can help in some other way, you can reach us via the links below. https://www.daviesdesigns.net/contact-us Facebook | LinkedIn | LinkedIn – Company Page | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram #graphicdesign #branding #graphicdesigner #graphicdesigntips #authors #bookcoverdesign #illustrators #bookwriting #publishing #selfpublishing #bookdesign #DaviesDesignsStudio #DaviesDesigns

Over the years, we've been lucky to have been chosen to work with some fabulous businesses on designing their logos. It is from this experience that we've compiled our list of helpful tips to help guide you before hiring a logo designer. 1 - Have Your Business Name Ready In order to create a logo, you'll need a business name. When choosing a business name, we recommend trying to keep it short as, from a design perspective, it can be challenging using a logo down the line with a lengthy business name. Two to four words is a great number to aim for! Once you have your business name, then it's time to verify it isn't already in use. For this part, you can start with a Google search. Be sure to search for both the key words and the hashtag and see what the results look like. If another business appears with the same name and in the same field as yours, then you may want to consider alternate options. You can also perform a trademark check at www.uspto.gov. The logo pictured below is a design we created for Whole Story Health Coaching. You can see it uses four words and two of those words describe their business services. 2 - Think About A Business Tagline Oftentimes, your business name may not explain the services you offer clearly enough and this can pose a branding challenge, especially if potential customers find you online. In cases like these, we recommend adding a business tagline to help clarify what your business is about and reassure potential customers that they're in the right place. The image in point 1 above, has the words "Health Coaching" clearly describing their business services, but we wanted to further clarify why Health Coaching is important and how it can help. The image below shows their tagline of "Find your Balance. Magnify your Joy." Once we had both the business name and business tagline, the larger picture of business Branding began to take shape, and because this is a Florida-based business, the sea turtle and tropical elements worked perfectly. To take it a step further, the fingerprint within the turtle implies that "Balance," "Joy," and the overall "Health" needs of each client are unique and require a customized approach. All of this is communicated through the careful creation of both a business name and business tagline. Of course, as you're working to develop your business tagline, you'll also want to run possible options through the www.uspto.gov database to ensure they're not already in use. 3 - Color Palette This may seem simple, but it can be quite tricky and it's a pretty important component of logo design as, typically, the colors you choose for your logo are the building blocks of your Brand Colors. The images below show how your logo colors can then be incorporated into things like business cards and letterhead. How do you envision those items looking? Are there examples you've seen for other businesses that you love? What about ones you don't love? All this can help your logo designer provide you with design options that fit your vision. 4 - Have An Idea of Your Budget Budget is important when you're looking to have your logo professionally designed. With the plethora of $75 DIY logos out there, you'll want to compare your wish list to your budget. Logo design is an investment and it's important to know what you get for your money. For example, going with a DIY logo creator or the current $75 deal with a mass producer, will mean that your logo graphics will be reused for other businesses logos as they're typically not custom designing a logo for you. In most cases these options are adding your business name to something predesigned. Going this route could mean the cost of rework later and branding changes can be expensive, especially after you've had business cards and other marketing materials produced. In addition, if you're looking to Trademark your logo or business tagline, that pretty much rules this option out. If you know you want to Trademark your logo right away or plan to in the very near future, then you'll want a professional graphic designer with experience in logo design. This option will cost more in the short term, but save you the expense of branding changes in the long term. A logo designer should also be thinking about your brand as a whole to ensure they're setting you on the right track that aligns with your goals. Be sure to find a designer that will work for you, support your design vision, and guide you on the branding journey. Our article on "Tips for Choosing a Graphic Designer" will help in choosing a good match! 5 - Start Gathering Quotes After you've established the above, it's time to start finding logo designers, reviewing portfolios, and gathering quotes. Logo designers and design agencies can vary quite a bit, so be sure to ask for details so you know exactly what you're getting for your money - every penny counts, especially when you're a new business on a budget. Our article on "Tips for Choosing a Graphic Designer" has additional helpful tips for choosing a designer. 6 - Files You Should Receive We'll end with one last note to ensure you know what you should be provided once your logo has been created. At a minimum, you should be provided with: .eps files - used for printing/embroidery for accurate color and resolution .jpg files - used digitally and where you have a white background .png files - used digitally and where you have a transparent background .pdf files - preferred by some printers in place of .eps files For each of the four files types listed above, you should receive a full color, white, and black version of your logo. Written by: Crystal Davies, Owner, Davies Designs Studio Crystal Davies is a Brand Consultant and Owner of Davies Designs Studio. Her passion is using her 10+ years experience in corporate marketing and branding to help her clients design visions become reality. Connect with us… We’re here to help! If you need advice, have a general question, or if we can help in some other way, you can reach us via the links below. https://www.daviesdesigns.net/contact-us Facebook | LinkedIn | LinkedIn – Company Page | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram #graphicdesign #branding #graphicdesigner #graphicdesigntips #business #smallbusiness #DaviesDesignsStudio #DaviesDesigns

Choosing a Graphic Designer to carry out your design vision can seem like a daunting task. Whether you find one via Google search, a referral, or maybe even on LinkedIn...we've compiled some helpful tips for helping you decide if it's a good match - because a good match is as important as loving your final design! 1 - Portfolio, Portfolio, Portfolio! Experienced designers have a portfolio, preferably online. If you're in the research phase of your designer search, be sure to check for a portfolio page on their website, or, if you cannot locate one, request it in a call. Reviewing portfolios is an easy way to see if their style, or stylistic range, is a match to your vision. 2 - Online Reviews If they have a Google Business or Facebook page, check their reviews to be sure you've located a legitimate designer or design agency. Reviews with descriptions vs. star ratings are indicators that you've found a reputable option. 3 - Ask About Job Experience In some cases, a Graphic Designer may not have an online portfolio, website, or online reviews - which happens when beginning to freelance or due to NDA's - but they come highly recommended by word of mouth. In this instance, scheduling a quick meeting to ask about their experience can be extremely helpful. When I first started my business, I couldn't use any of the work I had completed in my corporate job due to contractual agreements, but I could 'speak to' the projects I had worked on over the past 10 years and how I managed them in order to explain how my experience could benefit my potential clients project. 4 - Ask About Their Design Process Experienced Graphic Designers have a process in place for working with clients through the design process and, chances are, the design process varies by request type. In other words, the design process for logo design is different to the design process for book cover design. Asking about their design process should be met with a confident and clear response that speaks to their experience and ability. 5 - Request a Detailed Quote When you've found a Graphic Designer, or Designers, that meets your criteria, the next step is to request a detailed quote. This can be extremely helpful when trying to decide between multiple designers and, in some cases, be the deciding factor in making your choice. Written by: Crystal Davies, Owner, Davies Designs Studio Crystal Davies is a Brand Consultant and Owner of Davies Designs Studio. Her passion is using her 10+ years experience in corporate marketing and branding to help her clients design visions become reality. Connect with us… We’re here to help! If you need advice, have a general question, or if we can help in some other way, you can reach us via the links below. https://www.daviesdesigns.net/contact-us Facebook | LinkedIn | LinkedIn – Company Page | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram #graphicdesign #branding #graphicdesigner #graphicdesigntips #business #smallbusiness #DaviesDesignsStudio #DaviesDesigns

In March, we were saddened to announce the closing of our Photography Studio for the month, and now, as we approach May, it's with an even heavier heart that we close our in-person Photography Studio session offerings until a time when we can be certain that it is safe to return to normal business operations. Safety is, and always has been, our number one priority. With the uncertainty Covid-19 has brought us, we have made the difficult decision to cease booking new photography sessions and postponing existing sessions until further notice. What Exactly Does "Partial Closure" Mean? Davies Designs Photography Studio offers a variety of services and, at this time, it is our in-person photography sessions covered under the "partial closure." Requests for digital photography edits, restorations, and video photo services will still be offered. If it is necessary to drop off photos, we will provide guidance on how to do so safely. An Important Time, but an Unusual Time As many were preparing for graduation and prom this year, Covid-19 changed everything. In the coming weeks, we hope to share more on how you can take great photos of your graduating Seniors safely from home or a location allowing for social distancing. And even though we've closed, we're still so proud of the graduating classes! Despite our current challenges, we just know you'll go on to do amazing things! Thank you for your understanding and patience as we work through this! Stay safe everyone! The Davies Designs Team #DaviesDesignsPhotographyStudio #Covid19 #CoronaVirus #photography #photographer #LakeWylie #Clover #SouthCarolina #SC

Davies Designs Studio is a design studio offering services primarily in graphic design, web design, and branding. Additionally, we have a photography studio and an art studio, which blend perfectly to create a one-stop-shop for client design needs. OUR DESIGN STUDIO IMPACTFUL DESIGN. DYNAMIC WEBSITES. Davies Designs Studio has over ten years of proven experience helping businesses look their best and make the best possible impression with our branding, graphic design, web design, and social media support services. ​ We help: • Individuals • Startups • Small Businesses • Non-profits • Corporate Organizations OUR PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHY. CHERISHED MEMORIES. Whether personal or for business, we offer a variety of photography services through Davies Designs Photography Studio to help you capture cherished memories and provide beautiful branded images for your business. Photography Services include: Portrait Sessions • Outdoor Family or Location Sessions • Professional Headshots • Prom and Senior Sessions • Engagement Sessions • Event Bookings • Product Photography • Photography Edits and Restoration OUR ART STUDIO FUN ART CLASSES. BEAUTIFUL FINE ART. MEANINGFUL CUSTOM GIFTS. Davies Designs Art Studio is new to Davies Designs Studio. It takes our passion for creativity and design to a new level with fine art, custom and personalized gifts, and fun art classes! You can also visit us at our shop at the Catawba River Antique Mall in Belmont, NC. We invite you to view our online portfolios and if we can help you, please let us know! Branding, Graphic Design, and Web Design Online Gallery / Portfolio Photography Portfolio of Recent Work Art Studio Portfolio Email: info@daviesdesigns.net Phone: 803.339.9791

Davies Designs Studio is excited to announce that we've opened an Art Studio Shop at the Catawba River Antique Mall in Belmont, NC. Our Art now has a location where you can see all that sparkle in-person! Because in our down time, we're still creating. . . We think of ourselves as 'creative to the core' as it's rare that we're not creating something...even in our down time! Now the items we create have a home in our brand new shop space! Items in our shop include: Resin Art - everything from resin paintings to unique industrial chic furniture! Unique Gifts - including wedding gifts, baby shower gifts, and fun hand-sewn items! Holiday & Seasonal Crafts - we love to create, so you'll always find something special around the holidays! So come on out and see us! And, if you see something you would like to personalize, just send us a quick email or let the attendants at the counter know, and we're happy to customize an order for you! #DaviesDesignsArtStudio #CatawbaRiverAntiqueMall #OneHugeTreasureChest #FineArt #Crafts #ResinArt #HandmadeGifts #CustomGifts #GiftIdeas