In reality design firms don’t just design – they have a combined expertise of marketing and other related areas that allows design to be applied tactically through consultation and debate. A good design firm will use design as a noun rather than just as a verb. Unlike a freelance designer or one working with a print company, a design firm has the resources to advise, develop a strategy and deliver compelling solutions to promote your organisation.
Furthermore there is also a pool of creativity and expertise which is more likely to produce that creative edge you need. Finally, there is a buying power which gives you access to quality suppliers for print and other requirements at a competitive price point.
You maybe looking for a design company to work on a one off project or work with you in the long term. In both situations you require a partner with the skill and expertise to complete your project in a professional and cost effective way. More importantly you need people to ask the right questions, presume nothing, challenge the accepted and based on the resultant information produce ideas that deliver results. Our job is to deliver a compelling and persuasive message in a unique and memorable way.
Our USE process has stood the test of time and has been responsible for some of the most innovative design solutions for clients such as a multi national selling state of the art electronics across Europe to a waste management company that had ambitions to be the most high profile in Dublin. From an SME in Ireland bidding for a London 2012 Olympic contract to a German company bidding for Irish construction contracts. In fact we have worked for Government Departments, Non for Profit organisations, SME’s and Multi Nationals in areas covering construction, medical, pharmaceuticals, waste management, security, finance, food, electronics, facilities management to name but a few.
One of the two founding owners of Baseline will always be involved in your project. We review all projects on a weekly basis and we are available at your convenience to address any issues you may have. We will endeavour to meet with you on a regular basis and we would encourage you to call us immediately should you not be happy with any element of our service.
We are aware that many people are not comfortable writing copy for their brochures, adverts etc. We can help you by either re-working copy supplied by you and turning it into the language that best suits your target audience or where appropriate by putting you in contact with a copywriter who can produce professional copy or add technical knowledge.
One of the most important factors designers consider in any project that requires imagery is the quality of the photographs available. The reason for this is that people who view the piece will subconsciously judge it on the photographs and that is why even professionally taken shots are often enhanced using propriety software. If you have taken photographs by all means show them to the designer but do not take offence if he/she decides not to use them. They will be acting in your best interest.
Our USE process is designed specifically to address this issue. When we go through the Understand phase it guides us in formulating a design solution. Design is about evolving a concept through consultation with the client, combined with experience. If there is a misunderstanding and we offer an idea that is not in keeping with your expectations we are able to revisit this part of the process. This ensures that valuable time and effort are not spent pursuing an incorrect direction. It is also important to remember that any piece should be designed for your target audience which may not always fit with your own personal taste.
We can present ideas in a number of formats to suit your needs. We may give you rough hand sketches, computer generated roughs in pdf format or should you prefer it we can make mock-ups in hard copy. If the text is not available we can populate the document with sample text which provides a word count as well as allowing you to see your project in a more complete form. When we have worked together you may, like many of our clients prefer pdf proofs for their speed and cost efficiency.
This is an area of great concern for all companies and we will try and clarify the process so that you can decide the best route for your particular requirements. Fees are based on a number of components such as creative input, time and cosumables. There may also be a requirement for out of house services such as photographers, copywriters and print services.
Example 1
You have an exact understanding of your requirements and complete a brief that clearly articulates this. (we are always available to help you write a brief)
I need a 4 page A4 brochure, using the images and text I am supplying. I want 1,000 units and would like the project delivered in 10 days time.
In this instant we can give a fixed price and once there are no variables the price is set.
Example 2
I have a marketing budget of x and I would like to send 4 messages to a particular audience over the course of the next 2 months.
Here we will meet with you, discuss some ideas and agree a programme. Again the budget is fixed once there is no variation to the plan.
Example 3
I have a particular challenge and I do not know how to tackle it.
We will meet with you and discuss the project. There maybe a requirement for research or other such services and we will produce a phased budget which will allow you to step out after the completion of any stage. This sort of project is difficult to cost until a full understanding is had by all parties and you should allow a budget for this stage which will be agreed in advance of any work being completed.
The success of any project is predicated on both sides contributing. As the client you have the knowledge of your services, products and your industry sector. The more information you can include in your brief the shorter the time required to arrive at a solution. The supply of finalised text in the correct format and the availability of imagery will also make a difference.
