Design
At our creative agency, we are inquisitive. Whether a project is big or small, the design process begins with questions. Questions about the organization, its services, personality, audiences and goals. More specifically, we ask about the goal of the particular project so that we can design strategically, effectively and tastefully. We are good listeners. We want to hear what clients have to say so that the creative process is collaborative and efficient. The outcome of this dialogue will lead to the right choice of format, colors, fonts, images, voice and style.
Once the direction is defined and agreed upon, the creative work begins. A typical project begins with brainstorming, moves to concept development, idea refinement, tweaking and final product.
If the work is in print, we can oversee printing with one of our established printers and deliver the finished product. Our printers also offer complete mailing services, which is often very helpful. And we have relationships with photographers, too.
If the project is web-based we have team members who understand the user experience, can craft intuitive information architecture and code. And no worries if you need help with content development, messaging or strategy. We do that, too.
Please visit our portfolio to see examples of our work.
Communications Strategy and Content Marketing
In addition to design, we specialize in a full range of nonprofit marketing services. We can help improve your website, produce or curate content, or promote a special event or campaign. In particular, we have tools and resources to better align your fundraising and marketing efforts. And depending upon what works best for your organization, you can bring us in to consult with your team or you can outsource projects to us.
Discovery
We generally begin with a discovery phase. This includes reviewing the marketing assets you have and analyzing any existing data. In addition, we assess the marketing of similar and/or competing NPOs. Then we use those insights to better position your nonprofit with current and prospective supporters.
We also can conduct qualitative and quantitative research to get a better picture of your audience. What’s important to them? How do they get their news? What messages, design and content will resonate with them? How strong is your brand? Is there a perception that others in your space are doing a better job in some aspects of your work? For answers to these kinds of questions, we can poll your audiences and then assemble focus groups to dig deeper into their responses.
Strategy
Based on the discovery phase – and depending on your needs and resources – we provide a comprehensive communications plan. The plan offers overall guidance for how your nonprofit can enhance its communication. It also identifies a range of solutions. First, it ensures that you have a practical way to use what was discovered about messaging. Second, it enables you to tailor your communications to the reading and viewing habits of your target audiences. Third, we don’t just leave you with a plan. If you need us to implement it, we can do that, too. For example, we can help update your brand, create additional marketing pieces, or produce a whole new suite of marketing assets.
Finally, whether you need a website update or a full site makeover, we work to make your website get seen by the people who need to see it. We have team members who understand the user experience and can craft intuitive information architecture. Need your audience to learn more about your programming, sign up to volunteer, or donate? We handle all of the logistics and tech details, including keyword research and search engine optimization. Plus, we will train your staff as site admins, enabling them to manage content and keep your site current.
Ongoing Content Marketing
For many clients, our next step is to identify effective, audience-specific content. We can provide overall strategy for your organization. Or we can produce the digital and print content you need on a project or retainer basis. We ensure that all the materials we create are tightly written and beautifully formatted. And we fully optimize all the webpages we build to enable them to come up in relevant searches. Finally, we will work closely with your staff to implement an editorial calendar. This ensures that blog and social media posts and email campaigns inspire more people to take action.
