| A lawyer and a Blonde woman are sitting next to each other on a long flight from LA to New York. The lawyer leans over to her and asks if she would like to play a fun game. |
| The Blonde is tired and just wants to take a nap, so she politely declines and rolls over to the window to catch a few winks. |
| The lawyer persists, saying that the game is really easy and a lot of fun. He explains how the game works: "I ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, you pay me, and visa-versa." |
| Again, the Blonde politely declines and tries to get some sleep. |
| The lawyer figures that since his opponent is a Blonde he will easily win the match, so he makes another offer. |
| "Okay, how about this, if you don't know the answer you pay me only $5, but if I don't know the answer, I will pay you $500." |
| This catches the Blonde's attention and, figuring that there will be no end to this torment unless she plays, she agrees to play the game. |
| The lawyer asks the first question."What's the distance from the Earth to the moon?" The Blonde doesn't say a word, reaches into her purse, pulls out a five-dollar bill, and hands it to the lawyer. |
| Now, it's the Blonde's turn. She asks the lawyer, "What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down with four?" |
| The lawyer looks at her with a puzzled look. He takes out his laptop computer and searches all his references. He taps into the Air-phone with his modem and searches the Net and even the Library of Congress. |
| Frustrated, he sends E-mails to all his coworkers and friends he knows. All to no avail. After over an hour of searching for the answer he finally gives up. He wakes the Blonde and hands her $500. The Blonde politely takes the $500 and turns away to get back to sleep. |
| The lawyer, who is more than a little frustrated, wakes the blonde and asks, "Well, so what goes up a hill with three legs and comes down with four?" |
| Again without a word, the Blonde reaches into her purse, hands the lawyer $5, and goes back to sleep. |
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| Logos, Branding and Corporate Identity: Whether you need a little makeover or a total overhaul, Smart Blonde Design provides the design expertise to create the look that reflects your business and creates a lasting impression. |
| Marketing Materials & Print: Beautiful layouts, unique constructions, Smart Blonde Design creates brochures, catalogs, email marketing campaigns,sell sheets and publications that will get your message across and set you apart from your competition. |
| Package Design, Trade Show and Point of Purchase Display: From software and food to cosmetics and fragrance, Smart Blonde can package, display or merchandise your product with style. |
| Web Design: To increase your visibility in the marketplace, it's imperative that you have a web presence. Smart Blonde Design can create attractive, unique and user-friendly web sites for any size company or budget. |
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| 6-STEP PROCESS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN |
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| 1. |
Let's Talk! |
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Call (503) 684-1533 for
a free, 1- hour consultation. |
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Your new business needs a logo and a brochure, or your existing business needs a web site redesign or packaging for a fantastic new product, but you aren't sure where to start. Just give Smart Blonde Design a call for a free, one-hour, consultation. This can be done at your place or mine, or over the phone— whatever is convenient for you. |
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When discussing your project, I'll ask questions like, what are your objectives? Who is your target audience and competition? What is your budget & timeline? The more information I have, the more accurately I can quote the job. |
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I'll also tell you about how I work (fast!) and discuss my rates (reasonable!). |
| 2. |
The Estimate, Proposal or Service agreement... and what's the difference? |
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Basically, an Estimate is a description of a specific project, the process involved, costs and terms. Since it contains a signature area for acceptance of the estimate, it is also a contract. |
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A Proposal is the same thing as an estimate except that it also contains a project timeline. These are useful when the project contains multiple due dates such as final copy approval or scheduling work done by a subcontractor like a photographer. |
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Service Agreements are used when I provide on-going design services. They are generally 1-year contracts where the work is billed at a set hourly rate and the client recieves monthly statements. |
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As a member of the Graphic Designer's Guild, I adhere to the Code of Fair Practice. The terms set forth in my contracts meet the standards for the industry. |
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Once we've discussed the scope of your project, I'll prepare the estimate/proposal. I do my best to cover all the bases and stay within your budget. |
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After you have read through and approved the estimate, we'll both sign the on the dotted line. I usually require a deposit and once it's recieved, the work begins. |
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| 3. |
The Brainstorm Meeting |
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This is the fun part. We get together and discuss the nitty-gritty of the project. We may discuss your competition to see what you think works or doesn't work for them. I may show you samples, colors or fonts, so that I get a clear picture of what you have in mind. It's a critical part of the process because it will establish the design direction—and the more I understand, the more successful I'll be at designing something that knocks your socks off. |
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| 4. |
Design Presentation |
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In the blink of an eye, I'll have design concepts for you. I prefer to present my designs in person so, we will meet again at your convenience. Since our Brainstorm Meeting was so successful, you will be amazed! You'll choose the winning concept, we'll discuss any modifications and I'll be off and running. |
| 5. |
The Nuts and Bolts |
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As the work proceeds, I'll communicate with you regularly. You will see email proofs at each step to finalize the design. If you have any questions, please give me a call. Or, if you prefer to meet again, no problem. Once the project is finalized and approved, your files will be turned over to you or the printer. If it's a web project, the site will be launched. |
| 6. |
Payment |
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When the project is complete, I'll submit a final invoice payable to Smart Blonde Design within 30 days. |
| Excellent Customer Service |
| I do my absolute best to provide you with excellent customer service—no phone calls unanswered, no suggestions ignored. I'll get your project done on time and on budget with no drama. |
| Support Professionals and Specialists |
| From printers and photographers, to technical copywriters and illustrators, Smart Blonde Design works with the best. If your project requires it, I'll get them on board. Over the years, I have developed excellent professional relationships with the most creative and talented people in Portland. |
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