Articles on Graphic Design

When you know you look good, you have more confidence, you feel more powerful, and you attract attention  and that is exactly what professional graphic design does for your business.

One HUGE difference between mediocre businesses and wildly successful businesses is their approach to design. You’ll never see a brand like Starbucks, Apple, Target, or Zappos compromise their brand equity, reputation, and integrity with crappy design … and you shouldn’t either.

Below you will find:

  • A collection of articles on graphic design, print design, and marketing materials design
  • Tools, resources, and cool stuff you can use in your own design
  • Information on color, shapes, fonts, design elements, and more
  • Tips to help you find the right graphic designer, work with your designer, communicate with your designer, and build a strong relationship with a designer

7 Ways To Alienate Your Designer & Go From Client to Contract

May 8, 2013 | By | 9 Comments

How to Make Your Designer CrazyIn a perfect world, working with your designer would be a perfect partnership of creativity, communication, and collaboration — at least that is what designers strive for. But that’s not always the case…

A designer begins every project excited about what they will create and about bringing the client’s vision to life — they wouldn’t have accepted the project is they weren’t.

They are excited about solving problems, helping their clients succeed, and building a new relationship or strengthening an existing one. They value their client and look forward to becoming their long term creative partner.

You should know that designers have so much pride in their work and so much invested in their clients’ success, that they will often bend over backward, throw in extra work, and go above and beyond your contract just to make sure the final result is as good as it can possibly be. Mainly because the success of your project puts their reputation on the line.

But occasionally, a switch gets flipped, and the dynamics of the relationship change

Something happens, or several things happen, that cause a designer to shift the way they view a client and a project.

Get 8 tips you can use to alienate your designer

Filed Under: Graphic Design & Print Design, Website Design Tips & Strategy | Tagged With: , , , ,

Want a Design Job? 9 Tips to Get Hired at a Creative Agency

May 6, 2013 | By | 9 Comments

How to Get a Design JobWhen I graduated with my degree in graphic design from Sacramento State University, California, finding the job I wanted was tough.

I worked mostly full-time through college for an amazingly talented woman with 3 children who owned an advertising agency she ran out of her home (Hint: Inspiration for starting Bourn Creative). By the time I graduated, I had completed four internships and several intern/student projects — yes, I’ve always been a driven, over-achiever.

Upon graduation I wanted to work at a big agency, I dreamed of working my way up the agency ladder to Creative Director — and I was willing to do the work to make it happen. Then reality hit. I began looking for a job in my last semester of college. I researched the creative companies in and around Sacramento, researched who was hiring, researched who their clients, were, what their mission, was, what they stood for and represented. I figured out who I wanted to work for and why … then I applied.

Get 9 Tips on how to get hired as a designer or developer at a creative agency

Filed Under: Graphic Design & Print Design, Website Design Tips & Strategy | Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

VIP Treatment: A Smart Marketing Lesson From Lego

February 14, 2013 | By | 20 Comments

Lego Valentine's Day Special PromotionWhat does VIP treatment equal?

For your clients and customers, feeling like a VIP often equals spending more money!

I think we all can learn a valuable marketing lesson from Lego this Valentine’s Day on marketing and VIP treatment.

For Valentine’s Day, Lego put together a special promotion. As a VIP member, I received a gift in the mail containing special early bird opportunities, discounts, and opportunities to earn double VIP rewards.

It’s no secret we’re HUGE Lego fans in the Bourn household.

Heck, we’re remodeling our entire bonus room into one giant Lego utopia. So when this little package arrived, we were excited. We’ve received special Lego packages like this before and they’re always brilliantly done and well designed.

Learn the Marketing Lessons Lego Teaches Us

Filed Under: Business & Entrepreneurship, Graphic Design & Print Design, Marketing Tips & Marketing Strategy | Tagged With: , , , ,

Holiday Card Messages & Greetings for Small Businesses

November 30, 2012 | By | 12 Comments

Small Business Holiday Card GreetingsAt this time of year, one of our most popular posts is 44 Different Holiday Card Messages for Small Businesses, and it’s no surprise.

This is the time of year business owners take time to send something special — a heartfelt holiday card or thoughtful gift — to clients and customers to show appreciation and thanks.

For most businesses, producing a list of valued clients, customers, partners, vendors, affiliates, and contacts to send a holiday card or gift to is simple — the challenge is deciding what to say inside the card and finding just the right wording.

In my previous post on this topic, I provided 44 holiday messages that are perfect for small businesses, and due to its popularity, I bringing you even more choices — Enjoy!

Get the list of Holiday Card Messages for Small Business

Filed Under: Graphic Design & Print Design, Marketing Tips & Marketing Strategy | Tagged With: ,

Enhance Your Website and Sales Pages with 3D Graphic Design for Information Products

August 16, 2012 | By | 14 Comments

Graphic Design for Information ProductsIn today’s fast-paced, competitive business world, more and more business owners are turning to the Internet to boost their profits. And, in an age where high-quality, useful content is deemed king, people just like you are looking to capitalize on their expertise, increase their impact, and boost their profits with passive income information products — all while being able to help more people.

Entrepreneurs of all types — like our client Joy Chudacoff of Smart Women Smart Solutions — are joining in the information marketing community, productizing their knowledge and expertise, and creating multiple streams income. But here’s the catch — Think about the last time you were at the book store or at the grocery store. If you didn’t have a specific book or product in mind, you more than likely looked for the one that grabbed your attention first or looked the most appealing.

Learn More About The Benefits of 3D Information Product Design

Filed Under: Graphic Design & Print Design, Marketing Tips & Marketing Strategy | Tagged With: , ,

Success Story: Information Product Design and Graphic Design for Kendall SummerHawk

September 8, 2011 | By | Leave a Comment

Kendall SummerHawk Information ProductsI have to be honest, at Bourn Creative we were so excited to start working with Millionaire Marketing Coach Kendall SummerHawk on her design projects. (I had been following Kendall and her work off and on since early 2009 and had heard wonderful things about her!)

We jumped right in with the design of four different information products! From the workbook front and back covers, to the CD wrappers and CD labels, to the design of the workbook content, Bourn Creative created four beautiful foundations to showcase the in-depth content inside each of these products — I know because I read the all of the workbooks and transcripts included in each product as I was laying out the content… and I learned a TON just from reading them!

Read More About Kendall SummerHawk’s Success Story

Filed Under: Bourn Creative Success Stories, Brand Design & Brand Strategy, Graphic Design & Print Design, Marketing Tips & Marketing Strategy | Tagged With: , , ,

44 Different Holiday Card Messages for Small Businesses

November 22, 2010 | By | 19 Comments

Holiday Card PhrasesUpdated: December 1, 2012

The time of year all business owners must decide how to show clients and customers they care and appreciate their business. It is the season of the holiday card!. Whether you choose to send a Christmas card, Thanksgiving card, or New Year card, you’ve got to think of a holiday message or greeting for inside the card!

We know you stress out over what message to include in your holiday card … because we do too! So I thought I’d share with you a list of 44 holiday card messages for small businesses and hopefully help make the process of selecting your holiday card message easier!

Get 44 holiday card messages for small businesses

Filed Under: Graphic Design & Print Design, Marketing Tips & Marketing Strategy | Tagged With: ,