Duffin Creative

Locating new clients

2009-01-14T07:51:12-08:00

How to find new clients, from Sologig.com, a company that brings together freelance employees and the employers who need them:

1. Cold Calling - When looking for new clients, set a goal to call 5 different companies a day. The more people you can have conversations with, the more you will increase your chances at finding new projects. In addition, after talking with a prospect, finish the conversation by asking them if you can send some additional information such as fliers or samples of your work.

2. Referrals, Referrals, Referrals - Asking business associates if they know people who might be interested in your services is a great way to find new contacts. Furthermore, sending e-mails and beginning phone calls by referencing someone your prospect already knows will make your initial conversation more comfortable.

3. Trade Shows, Networking Functions, and Parties - If your prospect has a calendar on their website, check it out to see if you might want to attend an event. Trade shows, industry events, and parties also allow you to mingle and connect with other freelancers/consultants in your field.

Digital television: ready for the transfer?

2008-12-30T13:11:19-08:00

Interesting demographic information regarding the upcoming federally-mandated switch from analog to digital TV transmission. From Cynopsis.com, December 22nd edition:

As the digital transition day of February 17, 2009 draws closer, Nielsen reports the percentage of U.S. households completely unready improved some from the previous month. In December, 6.8% of households (or approximately 7 million households) remain completely unready down from 7.4% in November. Likewise, households that are partially unready dropped slightly to 10.0% in December versus 10.3% in November. Furthermore, in the 56 local markets with metered measurement, Albuquerque-Santa Fe is the least prepared market for DTV at 13.0% followed by Tulsa at 12.65%, Houston 12.41%, Dallas-Ft. Worth at 11.71% and Salt Lake City at 10.63%. In the best prepared column, Hartford-New Haven tops the list at 2.6%, with Atlanta at 2.8%, Boston (Manchester) at 2.9%, West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce at 2.9% and New York at 3.2%.

Energy Saving Products: new website design

2008-09-27T16:51:51-07:00

Energy Saving Products here in Los Angeles launched their new website this month. We designed the new site according to their preferences, including color and supplied photos and text.

Since 1984, Energy Saving Products has specialized in the design, development, and installation of custom power factor correction cost reduction systems. We provide a product and service that yields a multitude of benefits, the most noteworthy being an increase in PROFIT DOLLARS, as a result of significantly decreasing our clients' energy bills. Our systems exceed the standard for the industry, and we continue to update and factory/field test new technology before inclusion into the market.

In the past when a company was considering methods and products to improve the efficiency of its electrical distribution system, the solution was often confusing and the results difficult to determine. However our approach is a very simple one: We provide our clients with "turn-key" power factor correction, which includes monthly monitoring of the system after the installation, and a guarantee that we will correct the power factor to the promised percentage, or add additional equipment at no extra charge.

Check out the new site here.

New website for Suzanne Childré Associates

2008-08-30T13:43:00-07:00

Another month, another new website design! Suzanne Childré Associates in Santa Monica, Calif., hired us to redo their website, adding new pages and pop-up windows. Here's some information on the company:

We are committed to creating a healing and nurturing environment for our clients. We provide gentle colon hydrotherapy as well as complementary detox modalities and unique products. We provide education and unconditional support with respect to every client for their own life choices. We want our clients to feel we are an oasis of health in the midst of a toxic world.

At Suzanne Childré Associates, we maintain the highest level of sanitation through disposable equipment. We also use the most modern, state-of-the-art equipment: the Dotolo and Hydro-San Plus Systems, which while more thorough than other systems are very gentle.

We have been in business for over 30 years and all our staff is highly trained in colon therapy, as well as many other modalities. Everyone in our office is I-ACT (International Association of Colon Therapists) certified and NBCHT (National Board for Colon HydroTherapy) certified.

Check out the new website here.

Tips on success, from Scott Adams

2008-06-30T10:13:00-07:00

Thoughts on success and failure, from cartoonist/philosopher Scott Adams:

I heard a useful rule about predicting success during my (failed) attempt at creating a hit Dilbert animated TV show. While watching the Dilbert pilot being tested on a focus group, an experienced executive explained to me the most non-intuitive way to predict success. Since then I’ve observed it to be true a number of times. It goes like this:

If everyone exposed to a product likes it, the product will not succeed.

The reason that a product “everyone likes” will fail is because no one “loves” it. The only thing that predicts success is passion, even if only 10% of the consumers have it. (…)

If you plan to try 10 things, knowing 9 will fail, do things that won’t kill you in the process. I prefer challenges where the worst case scenario is that I’m embarrassed or tired, as opposed to bankrupt or dead. And I prefer challenges where the upside potential is unlimited even if unlikely. But those are personal choices. I find it easy to shrug off failure, so failing 90% of the time works for me.

(Source: Dilbert blog, via The New Shelton Wet/Dry)

Graphic designers get out the vote

2008-05-29T10:30:14-07:00

The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) is backing a Get Out the Vote effort that involves some of the best graphic designers around:

AIGA has announced that 16 nationally recognized designers have joined the grassroots effort to encourage voter turnout in its 2008 Get Out the Vote (GOTV) awareness campaign. Some of the most acclaimed contemporary designers, AIGA Medalists Gail Anderson, Bart Crosby, Steff Geissbuhler, Ellen Lupton and Rick Valicenti, are joining the more than 200 designers from across the country who have created posters, digital videos and motion graphics to be distributed nationwide this summer. This effort to motivate civic participation through effective design is part of the AIGA Design for Democracy initiative, which is now working with the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to redesign the nation’s elections process.

(From Graphic Design USA magazine)

Unveiling a new design: Website for Ben Cain, actor

2008-03-25T11:35:00-07:00

Here's a simple, clean redesign of actor Ben Cain's website. We took the previous design, which was themed in blue hues, and went with a dark background and gold-and-gray spot coloring. It's a straightforward brochure site that gets you to the information quickly.

While we're at it, here's Ben's reel:

Updates to In House Media's website

2008-02-28T10:56:00-08:00

(UPDATE 30 June 2008: We're no longer working the website for this company, so the links click through to someone else's version of the site.)

We've uploaded the new class schedule and information about upcoming acting workshops in Spokane, Wash., to the In House Media website. Check it out!

In House Media, run by actress Hallie Todd and her husband, writer/director Glenn Withrow, offers acting classes and private coaching for young performers. The company's blog lists a ton of recent successes; many of the students have snagged big roles in motion pictures, TV shows and pilots.

New brochure for My Beautiful Bare Skin

2008-01-14T15:08:06-08:00

We just completed the design of an 8.5"x11" brochure for a new company, My Beautiful Bare Skin. The brochure will be placed in venues around the Los Angeles area and also mailed to prospective clients. The company offers microcurrent facials. Here's some of the copy:

My Beautiful Bare Skin treatments are the premiere system using microcurrent for producing and maintaining a healthy and youthful appearance from the inside out. The Power Facial Treatment will substantially reduce deep lines, wrinkles, puffiness and dark circles, will diminish scars, fade brown spots, and will effectively treat acne and rosacea. This unique technology is also remarkably effective in detoxifying the body and in reducing and smoothing cellulite. It is also very successful for therapeutic stress reduction.

We're also currently crafting a rack card for the company, along with some display materials.

My Beautiful Bare Skin is located inside Michaelangelo Hair House in the Corbin Village shopping center, 19710 Ventura Blvd #102, Woodland Hills, California, phone (818) 340-0200.

Updated website for Shapiro Recruiting and Consulting

2007-11-30T14:31:00-08:00

We just relaunched the website for Shapiro Recruiting and Consulting, a company that specializes in the placement of marketing, advertising and creative professionals. The site is a good example of a simple, clean design for a business.