MANAGING EXPECTATIONS

One of my favorite people in the world is Larry Hubatka. He is a creative mastermind. I first met Larry when he was the creative director at Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC. My wife served as his lead project manager for the creative team for a number of years before returning to freelance and becoming a full-time mom.

After 10+ years at Elevation Church, Larry moved into the advertising space at tiny horse where he now serves as a general manager.

In this video, Larry does an excellent job of helping people manage expectations to avoid frustration. This is both practical and informative. Enjoy.

WE'RE MOVING, KINDA

It’s amazing to see what God does through obedience. Just two short years ago, He brought our family from Charlotte, NC to the beautiful coastal city of Wilmington.

During our time here, we’ve been able to partner and work with incredible local businesses who are committed to serving the community. It is that shared passion that makes our next move a difficult one.

Effective January 2020, BLEND will no longer be headquartered in Wilmington, NC. Rather, we will be returning to the Queen City [Charlotte, NC] where we’ve been able to establish a strong base of successful clientele and creative support.

So what does that mean for our Wilmington family [clients]? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

We will continue to serve our clients both in Wilmington and Charlotte, NC faithfully and with the same commitment to excellence as before. With technology today, multisite business is easier than ever.

What about in-person meetings? No problem. We will still make frequent trips down to the beautiful Port City regularly. And if time is of the essence — FaceTime, Skype, etc. have made communication a breeze.

But why Charlotte? It’s a great question. And a difficult one to answer. Obviously, we are beach people. So living in Wilmington is easy. But in this season, God has other plans. As we’ve sought to unify our vision for our family, we’ve realized that we’ve got to step back collectively and focus on the big picture — with God and family coming first and foremost. This move allows Ben the opportunity to work full-time alongside the incredible creative staff at Elevation Church as Outreach Creative Director. In addition, we will be closer to family which offers a great deal of support for our entire family.

To say the decision was a difficult one is an understatement — but we are looking ahead with great anticipation and excitement believing that our best days are ahead. Will our journey ever bring us back to Wilmington? We don’t know. But we live open-handed to wherever it is God wants us.

So to our clients, past/present/future, thank you for supporting our dream to create together. May 2020 be our best year yet…

Ben + Ashley Richardson
Owners, BLEND

WHY CHARLOTTE?

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01 : God told us to

02 : Professional growth + development

03 : Family support

04 : Lots of food options

SOMETHING EVERY BUSINESS NEEDS

Throughout the months of November and December we worked closely with our client, CloudWyze, in Wilmington, NC to develop a robust style guide.

The purpose of this documentation is to serve as a baseline and accountability partner for all creative and/or advertising assets moving forward as it relates to the brand. It keeps their brand image consistent which, in turn, allows their target audience to become more familiar with correct messaging and visuals.

So what’s included in a style guide? That’s a loaded question. Every document is different because it is built to serve the needs of the client and its target. But here are a few of the essentials that should be included in almost any style guide:

• Approved Logos (Horizontal, Vertical, Marks, etc.)

• Approved Fonts (Title, Secondary, Alternative, etc.)

• Approved Colors (Primary + Secondary)

• Approved Textures (If Applicable)

• How To Use The Logo(s)

• How Not To Use The Logo(s)

While this is not a comprehensive list, it should certainly get you started. If you’re interested in learning more about branding, contact us today.

WHY STYLE GUIDES MATTER

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01 : Style guides keep your brand consistent.

02 : Style guides make decisions easier.

03 : Style guides create a stable baseline no matter if there are employee transitions.

04 : Style guides give you confidence in creating assets.

COSTS VS. VALUE

Since 2014, I’ve been deeply rooted in the advertising world. Having run operations for an agency and owning now two separate LLC’s, I’ve grown to learn how to approach the costs vs. value conversation with clients. While I may not win all bids, knowing that a client has been educated on value is a significant win in my book.

Now I understand that sounds arrogant — but one of the most difficult aspects of being a creative is feeling unappreciated. Truth is, creatives and strategists add significant value to businesses. That said, we now live in a NOW world where people expect excellence on a shoe string budget and they need it yesterday.

So in approaching business now, I learned from a mentor/friend (Larry Hubatka) that there are three focal points that clients should consider when approaching projects: costs, timeline, and quality. And here’s the trick, you can have two of the three (but never ALL three). If you need a project quick and cheap, it’s going to lack quality. If you want a quality project and and one a quick turnaround, it’s not going to be cheap. Are you getting the picture?

This is where value comes in. Before approaching a new project with a creative business and/or freelancer, consider what the value of the project is to you. And really think about it. For example, if you need a logo to represent your organization strategically or a website to attract new business — don’t sell yourself short by compromising on quality. Success is an investment.

If a new business website has potential to bring in $250k in revenue, a $10-$15k website should be a no brainer. Again, it’s an investment.

With all of this said, here is a warning to all businesses looking for the right creative partner — DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Look at their previous work. Read reviews on Google and/or Facebook. Ask about their process. After all, this is YOUR investment. Be a good steward and the return will be astronomical.

For more information about our pricing, process or to see more examples of our work — click here.