“I was referred to you by another one of your clients.” Those are good words to hear! When clients take the time to refer me, I know our work together went well and they feel confident in sharing my name. Word of mouth and growing my business organically has lead to great relationships and more and more local connections. Encourage your clients to spread the word if they’re happy with the work you’ve done – that type of reminder can really boost your business. 

The office manager from a local CPA firm in the process of changing their name had been referred by a dentist I created a logo for years ago.  Along with that connection, one of the CPA’s in the firm had been my CPA years ago, so I inquired about him and this is what the office manager, Alexandra, told me:

“Small world about John! He is officially retired now, as are all of the partners in our current name, so it’s time for a change. Our current partners’ first names conveniently start with H, R, & G so we are going to change from Hyland Ruddy & Garbett CPAs, LLC to HRG CPAs, LLC. We have never really had an official logo before, but I’m attaching what we have on our website & stationary. The website logo is just a generic logo that was generated by our accounting based website developer. The letterhead & business cards were created by the printing company we used years ago.”

This information helped so much in understanding what they had been working with and why they were making the change. And what a coincidence that they were able to use the same letters of ‘HRG’.  Crazy. As for the logo style they were looking for, her email went on to say:

“We would like the logo to be something professional, but with personality! I’ve been looking at other logos in the area (CPA firms, law firms, etc.), and I’m torn between keeping it simple, or adding a “lowcountry/Charleston” flair. The new logo will obviously be used on our website and internal documents, but we also have 2 rectangular signs that will need to be replaced with the new logo.”

Together, Alexandra and I decided to work on both a simple design and one that included a graphic of the Ravenel Bridge. I began with 6 rough drafts to get us in a good direction on style, fonts and color. Alexandra came back with excellent details on her three favorites and the changes she wanted to try. Alexandra shared the revisions with the partners and got back to me within a few weeks. We moved forward to finalize using some mock-ups of the new logo on their old sign. 

After 28 years of being Hyland Ruddy & Garbett, CPA’s, the firm will make the official name change January 1, 2023 – and I look forward to seeing the new logo in place on the website and on the sign!

The post HRG CPAs, LLC Logo appeared first on Left Hand Graphic Design.

 Earlier this year, Doug Alling met me for lunch to discuss a new branding campaign for Knox Marine. I’ve done many projects with Doug and Knox Marine over the past few years and looked forward to hearing more about the new direction they planned to go. Doug and the team had made the decision to change the name to Pilot Marine. A new name and logo is a big undertaking, in most cases because the logo has to be changed everywhere it is being used from the website to printed materials and all social media. For some companies, it means having a new sign made, redoing vehicle signage and revamping marketing campaigns. Because of this, companies who need an update or have an interest in a logo refresh often hesitate to take the step. 

Making the choice to update and then moving forward with intention can make all the difference in how smoothly the transition takes place. At Pilot Marine, the entire team got in on the vote and after Doug and I worked through a number of ideas, we had some layouts to present. A team vote can be tricky, but Doug wanted everyone with the company to be on board and excited about the change. Fortunately, with Doug’s clear direction, we had only a few tweaks to make and then got a thumb’s up from everyone.

For Pilot Marine, they had several reasons to do an update and I wanted to help make the change as seamless as possible. Our Atlantic coast keeps companies like Pilot Marine busy throughout the year and even a small pause can be hard to justify. The web manager moved quickly once the final choice was made and the website was updated immediately. 

Pilot Marine Surveyors & Consultants is one of America’s premiere marine survey firms. The company specializes in damage survey and investigation, with clients ranging from regional insurers to the world’s largest marine insurance companies. They operate in VA, SC, NC, GA, FL, and MD and the team of accredited surveyors investigates hundreds of losses each year.

Pilot Marine Surveyors & Consultants has conducted nearly 10,000 inspections and the team has over 175 years combined marine experience.

Soon after completing the new logo, Doug asked me to design an ad for Claims Magazine and you can see that ad here on the bottom left of the page.

Visit their website to discover more about Pilot Marine:

pilotmarinesurvey.com

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Woman owned and Charleston based … The Soap Nerd begins her journey into business.

Funny story. Cindy, a former nurse sent me an email about starting her own handcrafted soap business. Her original idea was to call her business ‘The Soap Nurse’. When she told her son about the name over the phone, he misunderstood and thought she said ‘The Soap Nerd’. They both decided that was a much more fun name! I thought it was a great choice, especially since ‘The Soap Nurse’ made me think of someone who provides home care and baths – not handcrafted, beautiful soaps! So, that is where we started – with the name, an idea for a figure that looked a little like Cindy and some soap. It was important for Cindy to show both the art and science of soap making – and to have the figure be a little bit nerdy. 

Cindy sent me both photos of herself and some clipart images that she liked. She thought a stick figure might work well, but as we talked, she realized she wanted more detail and color than what a stick figure would provide.  The first three drafts included some soap bars, the glasses, a science beaker, the lab coat and a dark haired woman. On the right track! Cindy chose her favorite and asked for some minor revisions. We worked through a few more drafts and then Cindy decided on two, because she couldn’t chose! The main one that you see here will be her logo for her soap bar labels and the one she will use for most of her marketing materials.

It was fun working with Cindy and I wish her a successful business and an enjoyable soap making process. I hope to share more info on Cindy’s biz soon! Join her on Instagram and let’s help her grow her business: 

https://www.instagram.com/soapnerd65/

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Boat branding can be challenging …

Where will you use your logo once I’ve designed it for you? Branding can be used on your website, a blog, your print marketing, apparel, business cards or maybe even a sign in front of your business or a sign for your vehicle. These are just some of the branding placements that my clients have used and there are many more.  Promoting your business with a logo helps people to identify your company and creates a visual symbol that represents your business. A well designed logo builds trust and used consistently will make your business name memorable.

Located on the East coast here in Charleston, SC, I have had the opportunity to also design boat logos. Yes, most boats do have a logo – whether it’s just the name of the boat in an interesting font, or the name along with a graphic that is designed specifically for that boat name. Fishing boats, speed boats, sailboats, etc. all need custom logos or lettering that personalize and compliment, with a one-of-a-kind logo design making your boat stand out from the crowd. Boat branding can be challenging, as you think about the numerous placements for the name, depending on the type of boat.

Along with having the boat name on the starboard transom, the potential spots for a logo would be on either the forward or aft sides of the boat hull. On a sailboat, it could also go on the spinnaker (that’s the big colorful sail that you occasionally see on sailboats). Other uses for a boat logo would be for hats, shirts and other apparel. A little over a year ago, I did the branding for Salty Sister – a small cruise boat in Charleston. Take a peek at the photo gallery https://www.saltysistercruises.com/photo-gallery/ Two crucial spots for this logo were the side of the boat and on the website. 

This year, I had the privilege of designing a logo for this gorgeous sailboat, Final Daze. As soon as pics are available with the newly applied logo, I will post them here. The logo will most likely go on the hull and the spinnaker – both navy in color. I’m excited to see this logo “sailing” on the Atlantic!

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Some clients know exactly what they want and my job is to create for them what they envision …

When Kathy Rambo contacted me for a logo design, she knew exactly what she was looking for. Not many clients come to you with a visual in their mind that matches the final product, but Kathy was pretty close. She sent design style ideas she found on the internet, along with a strong color preference for pink!  I usually like to give clients a few versions of what they describe and also include a version that they may not have thought of. A pleasure to work with, Kathy was enthusiastic and appreciative during the process …along with being open to new ideas. I tried some different layouts with several shopping figures and added some additional colors. Plus, I included several styles of the Ravenel Bridge graphic. The event takes place right near the bridge in Mt. Pleasant, SC, so it was important for her to have that identifying image. In the end, Kathy returned to her basic idea, which I think tells her story well. We played around with a variety of fonts and her preference was the bold and italic combo.

The semi-annual Charleston Boutique Warehouse Sale is a 3 day event for boutiques and designers to sell their merchandise at discounted end of season prices. Kathy works tirelessly to find the perfect vendors for the Charleston Boutique Warehouse Sale and is always excited to share her collection with shoppers. She combines a charity event with food and drinks, first selections on merchandise, a fashion show, and free gift bags for early arrivers.  Products include women’s clothing, accessories, jewelry, shoes, dresses and even home goods. To discover more about the event, take a look on the Facebook page here:

www.facebook.com/Charleston-Boutique-Warehouse-Sale

“CBWS is a semi-annual event for boutiques and designers to show and sell their merchandise at discounted end of season prices. The sale you have been waiting for! All your favorite boutique’s sale items under one roof for three days only! FREE Entry!!”

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Do you need a logo refresh or upgrade? Let’s talk! 

Logo services at Left Hand Graphic Design encompass more than just a brand new logo. Have you been in business for a while, using a logo that you like? Maybe you just need an update for this new year – or a refresh with a look that is a bit more contemporary? Or, maybe you need versions of your logo that you don’t have any longer? Or even your current logo in version sizes that can fit easily into social media applications?

One of my clients – Knox Marine, has a great logo, but realized they didn’t have the original vector version and only had some small, low resolution logo files. They contacted me to redraw the original logo and provide a vector eps in both black & white and in color. It was important for them to have logo versions that would print cleanly and could easily be resized for different marketing pieces. This logo upgrade required a design redo, but I had all of the elements to make it happen.

I took one of the low res jpg logos and began the process by redrawing the boat. Then I added the original business name font and found another font to update the bottom portion of the logo. I tweaked the layout a bit to center the type. Next, I picked out some Pantone colors for them to use going forward and provided the files they could use for different applications: a jpg, a transparent png, a PDF and the original eps. If there are other files they will need, I can add those to the group later on. 

Knox Marine now has all of the files they need for printing high res versions of their logo and sizing the logo to fit their needs. 

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It’s a new year and a new decade – what’s in store for you? ….

Looking back at some of my logo designs from 2019, I am excited about what is ahead for Left Hand Graphic Design in 2020! Designing logos are my favorite thing to do, and I find the process so interesting and each and every client unique. Usually, I learn a little something every time I take on a new project – both new design techniques and time-saver tricks, and often – new communication skills or methods. Whether your interaction is face to face or through email or text – communication is key and some clients want to keep it to a minimum and some want to know every detail you can provide as you go along. Find the sweet spot, ask questions and follow-through on communications. If you’re not getting responses – pick up the phone. Business owners are busy people, but they will appreciate your persistence. Don’t hesitate to text – it’s often the quickest way to get answers and to let the client know you have sent over files – or placed them in the Dropbox, etc.

In 2019, I spent more time on collateral projects than I normally do and really enjoyed it. Collateral designs included a salesman contact map:

– a business Holiday Card, brochures, numerous magazine ads, real estate flyers, website icons, tee shirt graphics and my new favorite project to work on – billboard graphics!

Did you think all billboards are horizontal rectangles in size “super large”? Not exactly. I learned that billboards come in many sizes (and shapes) – and that each graphic has to be designed for the particular size of the billboard – which can vary greatly. So, if you are asked to design a billboard, be sure you get the exact size before you begin! That is usually true for most projects – sizing is critical and you should start with the exact size instead of trying to alter later. 

After creating a logo, you don’t always get to see the numerous substrates it is used on – so it was fun to see these pics on The Cat Groomer of Charleston instagram. The logo on the truck and the logo on the front door and business sign look fabulous! 

This was a particularly fun design to work on due to the numerous colors – and the Historic Charleston connection.  And what an appreciative client! If you live in Charleston and have a cat, I hope you’ll visit Whitney Bullock at The Charleston Cat Groomer. She genuinely loves what she does and will take sweet care of your feline. 

Lastly, as I look toward 2020 … I’d love to work with you.  I hope if you’re considering making this your decade to start the business you’ve always wanted – or if you’ve had your logo for the last decade and just need a LOGO RE-FRESH, please reach out to me! We can talk through your dreams and ideas and work together to create exactly what your business needs. And if you’re just starting the entrepreneur journey, remember, it’s best to get your logo and branding set up first before you do anything else. You can then deliver the logo files to your web designer or get your business cards printed – or even rent your store space and get your sign made! Send me an email or give me a call! I’ll make the process painless and pleasant for you. 

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Salty Sister Cruises is a boutique boat charter business and they needed a logo for the boat …

“Welcome to our journey of hard work in creating the sassiest little passenger vessel in town!”

That’s what you’ll find on the Instagram feed for Salty Sister Cruises. I worked with Beth Dismukes, the owner of the boat to create her logo for her boutique boat charter business. The logo would be applied directly to the side of the boat and then used for marketing. I just love working with locals and this was a special treat! Beth wanted to honor her late mother, who loved the SC coastal birds, so we started there. When we met to talk about the project, she brought me plenty of samples of color swatches and images she liked. I had a terrific starting point and the process moved pretty quickly as we looked at a number of fonts and logo shapes. The next step was illustrating the egrets and we started with a pair, but eventually decided on just the one. I created the logo and the website layout that would both be applied to the boat and Beth was on her way to naming to the Salty Sister! Best of success and wishing you many happy cruises!

Website: saltysistercruises.com  And to follow the Insta-feed: https://www.instagram.com/saltysistercruises/

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