Vinyl projects can be an effective and inexpensive way to market your business. Whether you’re applying vinyl to a vehicle or your storefront, it’s a great way to incorporate signage that’s durable and low maintenance.  Vinyl projects can be window perf (a perforated vinyl covering), solid lettering, “posters,” or decals. They also happen to be one of our favorite (and most popular!) marketing tools.  Vinyl Project Considerations There are some considerations to take when ordering vinyl. Weather during installation, material you’re trying to mount to, and cleanliness all play a role in how well vinyl works out for you. Luckily, we’re here to help so you know everything you need to know.  Weather Matters The time of year (or at least the weather forecast) is important when installing vinyl. If you’re applying perf to the window or body of a car, weather is irrelevant if you have a bay or

Trade show marketing is not rocket science! Trade shows are a great way to get exposure for your company and get your name out to a lot of people in a short amount of time.  Unfortunately, a pitfall many find at trade shows is blending into the crowd and being just one face in a sea of competing companies.  Aesthetics Are Everything Possibly even more unfortunately, aesthetics are everything in an environment like a trade show so your trade show marketing needs to be pristine.You could have the absolute best product or service on the market, but if your booth fails to grab attention, you’ll watch that business go to your competitors time and time again.  In fact, the trade show ecosystem means that lower quality products and services will perform better if they have a stronger booth.  Looking the Part As with any marketing collateral, you want your trade

Marketing on a budget can feel daunting at best, and downright impossible at worst. There’s an old adage that says “you gotta’ spend money to make money.” We’re paraphrasing, but that’s the gist.  While there is some truth to this, you can market your business effectively when cash is an issue. In fact, some of these budget-friendly marketing strategies are our favorite go-tos, regardless of available cash. Budget-Friendly Marketing Is Important Even large companies with deep pockets allocate budgets for certain facets of their business. Budget-friendly marketing techniques that are also effective benefit companies large and small, established and startup, to grow their business without spending tens of thousands of dollars.  Marketing budgets can be eaten up by other costs of business, and it’s tempting for some companies to let go of their marketing budget to cut costs. While we feel strongly against cutting a marketing budget completely, we understand

Considering a premade logo is a checkpoint many new business owners pass through. We understand the appeal. Premade logo generators are fast, cheap, and easy. However, with over 30 years of combined marketing experience, we’re here to tell you that a premade logo isn’t good enough for your business.  Premade Logos Are Impersonal Logo generators often only go off of your business name. They don’t have any understanding of your niche, your actual business, your price point, or your vibe. It can be problematic if your name doesn’t explicitly list your industry in it. For instance, companies like TJ Maxx, Target, or many salon or tech store names have no connotation as to what they do. We have a coffee and yoga space in town named Bristlecone. We have a salon named Siren. Ideally logos for those spaces would, yes, include a bristlecone as well as a siren. However, you

Delegating work is the only way successful companies are run. No one can do everything by themselves, and for their own wellbeing, they frankly shouldn’t try.  However, there are cases in which it is detrimental to delegate work.  The Problem with Delegating Work to Assistants In our own field, we struggle working with the decision-maker’s assistant. These assistant’s are always very nice. They’re smart, capable, and lovely to work with. However, they don’t get the final say in any given design. They’re trying to interpret what is said to them, then convey it to us to then interpret.  We get this most with website design (though it happens elsewhere, as well). A business owner is busy and is delegating work they don’t have the bandwidth for. They give an assistant oversight of the web project because they don’t have time to attend the meetings, view the proofs, send over corrections,

There are 4 key elements to the perfect client-designer relationship that leaves both parties happy with the project. As with any relationship, these items are a two-way street for a give-and-take built on trust and expertise. If both you and your designer are able to achieve these points (plus a bonus point!), your project will be done well, in a timely manner, and with the rosy glow of a satisfying interaction.  Client-Designer Relationship Goals When we talk about the perfect client-designer relationship, we’re not talking about a list of items we expect our clients to perform in order for us to work with them. In fact, we’re trying to avoid a power play from either side. We’re talking about a quid pro quo, You Do This and We’ll Do It Too for A Great End Result type of relationship. The goal is to speak candidly, trust each other to do

The complimentary consultation is an important part of any graphic or web design project. Obviously we can’t speak for all graphic and web design companies, or guarantee that they all offer this service, so we will be speaking largely about our own consultation.  There’s truth to the saying “knowledge is power,” and we believe in open communication with our clients. Because of this, we thought we’d let you know what to expect when you have an appointment for a complimentary consultation.  A Complimentary Consultation Is Just That When we say complimentary, we mean it. There will be no fee added to your bill for this meeting. And when we say consultation, we mean that as well. This where we discuss your project, services that may benefit you, and put together a quote for pricing. There is no pressure at this point to sign a contract, give us money, or even

Website photos come in a hierarchy as far as how well they serve you (and, you know, bring in business). A lot of companies find it easier to purchase (or even download free) stock photos on their website. However, we’re going to plead a case for why every company should upload their own, quality photos whenever possible. Consumers Want Real Consumers are increasingly sophisticated and are often not “fooled” by stock photos. Almost every carpet cleaner out there uses the same stock photo of the man in the nasty white sneakers pushing a carpet cleaner. Consumers know it’s not real. They want to see your real employees, with real before and after pictures to showcase your work.  A photo of a woman with hot stones on her back with lotus and a waterfall in the background is beautiful on your spa website. However, if you don’t even offer a hot

Rebrand is one of those dreaded words for companies. For some, it’s up there with recession, or even downsize. However, sometimes a rebrand breathes new life into your company. Some argue that any respectable brand will undergo a rebrand at some point.  And, not all rebrands are created equally. Some companies completely change courses, down to changing their names. Others just need to bring their company’s image to the 21st century while still remaining the same at their core.  If you’re not sure if revamping your brand is right for you, take a look at some of these signs that it’s time for a rebrand.  You Look Dated If, especially compared to your competitors, your company is looking dated, it may be time for a refresh. Taco Bell is a great example of this. As Wendy’s and McDonald’s started ditching their 90’s aesthetic (goodbye Clown, hello chrome everywhere), it was

Logo placement is a concept that many of our new clients have questions about. They’ve put in the time to get a logo that works for them. They’ve come up with (at least loose) branding for their company. But it grinds to a halt there. They know it needs to be on their business cards, website, socials. Now what? The Key to Effective Logo Placement The key to effective logo placement is to choose locations that make sense for your industry. We at Polarity Design are in a creative industry. Most people are on their computers or smartphones when they’re talking to/working with us. For us, it makes the most sense to brand techy or trendy items that people are looking at when they think of our services. Airpod holders, ring lights, pop sockets, or even pens and notebooks are good items for us. If someone needs to jot down