subscription services
your brand on your schedule
great design that happens effortlessly in the background
Outsource is the name of the game when it comes to having graphic design needs met so small businesses can focus on what they value. And the key to tapping into a subscription-based graphic design service is knowing the ebb and flow of your marketing needs- chances are you already know your rhythm. The missing link might just be someone operating in the background to pull it all together.
efficiency is key
Not every business is poised to have a full-blown design agency supporting them. With almost half of businesses in Illinois being not just small, but “micro”, a full time in-house designer might not be one of those 5 people on staff.
we love design, but not the drama that can sometimes come with it. the process that gets you on your way to easy automated design for your business can be realized in a few easy steps.
step 1/ conversation
First things first. Let’s kick it off with a brainstorm.
What sets you apart from competitors? What’s the personality of your organization? What are your graphic needs and how often do you need them? We like to do this in person, but zoom is king these days and that’s OK too (bonus, pants optional). We’ll follow up with a proposal to the subscription plan we feel is a good fit for you.
step 2/ investigation
Next, you fill out our brand investigation form and give us the goods. This will allow you to take a deeper dive into the colors, logos, tag lines, and overall graphic brand story that you’ve worked hard to establish. We’ll learn to visually (and actually) speak in your voice. We’ll also have a discussion about deadlines and time lines and establish a plan.
step 3/ creation
We’re all excited. You’ve paid the first month installment and we’re ready to roll. We’ve established the subscription frequency and content requirements and a plan on how distribution of the goods occurs (probably a cloud-based folder in the system you prefer). We’ll email you PDFs, you show your team, your partners, your mom, and we’ll get it perfect.
step 4/ realization
Approval! We pass off post-print-you name it-ready files and/or coordinate the final procurement of the products we’re working on, including coordination with any necessary vendors. Taking your graphics through realization is not to be undervalued. Remember, we’re print people, so we get it.
Subscription Services Options
This business tends to have design pushes on a quarterly schedule. In between pushes, they may need on average 2-3 designed social media posts per month, the occasional business card update, or perhaps the occasional general marketing collateral update (such as a flyer or a postcard, etc.
This business operates on a monthly events/engagement schedule. They may need roughly 2 social media posts per week. They may run regular ads that they need graphics for, have regular presentations and/or workshops for which they need customizing. They also may need consistently timed marketing collateral pieces (such as postcards, listing flyers, etc.). They may have a regular blog, podcast, or content generating media for which they need a featured image or graphic.
This business has a lot of the same functions as level 2, just with an extra shot of espresso. Social media posts are more like 3+ per week. The media content creation is needed on more of a consistent weekly basis. The custom presentations may be needed for engagements that are more than once a month.
This business has the needs that an in-house art director would manage. They need graphic services early and often (true Chicago-style). They are possibly a national chain or a non-profit with national chapters and/or offices. They are running multiple campaigns at one time and are coordinating with many teams and outside vendors.