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Hi Letterheads! I am done smackin my head against the wall for a new logo design for a client. The client is not crazy about any concepts I have come up with. If any of you have some fresh or brilliant ideas I could sure use some help. They want a new and more corporate look, Cottage Grove is a small community south of Eugene here in Oregon. Since I have never asked for logo help before please tell me what is expected as far as compensation. Winning entry?
[ July 24, 2007, 02:35 PM: Message edited by: Jeff Wisdom ]
-------------------- Jeff Wisdom SignWorks info@oregonsignworks.com Posts: 450 | From: Oregon | Registered: Dec 2005
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Show us what you have come up with? There site is BORING. Anything would be an improvement!
-------------------- John Arnott El Cajon CA 619 596-9989 signgraphics1@aol.com http://www.signgraphics1.com Posts: 1443 | From: El Cajon CA usa | Registered: Dec 1998
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Jeff: If I might be so bold. You seem to be rather new here {99 posts}, and for you to expect the Letterheads here to create artwork for your use without you providing the basic directions, is.............................. selfish!
My first suggestion is to go back to your potential client and request a $500.00 DEPOSIT for your consult time. This can be applied to the final logo design cost as you see fit.Then YOU have to put forth the effort of showing what you have done to get us on line with what is or is not working as far as you, or your potential client is concerned.
If you don't have the deposit, or some directive artwork for us to consider, then you aren't ready to ask for any help.
And you DON'T have a client unless they have put up a substantial deposit for your creative time.
I do not mean this to sound mean spirited or short with you. However, most of the regular posters here have worked long and hard to hone their creative skills. To request help with a design that we have not even seen is like a customer asking any of us to design their logo, and "if they like it" we might get paid.
Do you get what I am trying to say?
None of us can do everything perfectly Jeff, {especially me}, but to seek direction or help from a fellow craftsman that you respect is a wonderful compliment to whomever you seek knowledge from.
If you need help there are plenty of folks here that can and will help you. But you must take the first steps of putting your efforts {artwork you have created} here for us to see what might be needed to take your work to the next level. That is how we ALL learn, and continue to grow. That is why we are Letterheads.
You should NEVER work for free, and any advise provided here should be duely compensated, UNLESS someone offers their services or advise for free.
Regards, Bob C.
-------------------- Bob Cole American Sign Company 14163 Akron Canfield Rd. Berlin Center, Ohio 44401
A.K.A. Vinylman® Posts: 575 | From: Berlin Center, Ohio, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Bob...Kuddos on a very well written reply!!!
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
Judging from the "group shot" on their web page, these people need more help than just with their logo. Notice how prominent the third girl from the left is positioned!
-------------------- Curt Stenz Graphics 700 Squirrel Lane Marathon, WI 54448 Posts: 590 | From: Marathon, WI 54448 | Registered: Dec 1998
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I think you all need to keep in mind that when a link is posted, the people on the other side of the link can trace it back to where it was posted. Personally, if I all of a sudden get a bunch of referals from one specific website (in this case it's Letterville), you can be sure that I will check out why. So please mind your words when you speak about Jeff's potential customer. Just my two cents. I'd like to see your work too, Jeff. It may be scary to post something you yourself are not happy with, but this is how we all learn.
Edited to add, if I was you, I would probably remove the link, Jeff.
quote:Originally posted by Lotti Prokott: I think you all need to keep in mind that when a link is posted, the people on the other side of the link can trace it back to where it was posted. Personally, if I all of a sudden get a bunch of referals from one specific website (in this case it's Letterville), you can be sure that I will check out why. So please mind your words when you speak about Jeff's potential customer. Just my two cents. I'd like to see your work too, Jeff. It may be scary to post something you yourself are not happy with, but this is how we all learn.
Edited to add, if I was you, I would probably remove the link, Jeff.
Lotti, How do I go about tracing any possible links on my website? Just curious. Thanks
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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I run two websites, one with Homestead (for the church) and the other one with Netfirms. There are site statistic tools that track the traffic on each website. Each hit shows the referring website or search engine. I look through these regularly and I expect others do the same with their website, in particularly if it is a business site. I don't know who hosts your website, but I was just assuming that everybody has those tools.
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i use trackers ob my site too, Very revealing in the details....
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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What was I thinking....duh! I had StatCounter on mine for about a year. It does all that. The code is messed up right now, although it still registers daily hits. When I get around to rebuilding my website, I'll reinstall it. Thanks
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Okay dokey, I got the funds and go ahead from the client. I really need to become a resident, so I can upload photos. But for now I will have to email interested doodlers the logos I have created and the ones the client likes so far. If you would like me to send you the clients website for helpful info I can do that also. Thanks for all the valuable input.
-------------------- Jeff Wisdom SignWorks info@oregonsignworks.com Posts: 450 | From: Oregon | Registered: Dec 2005
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Jeff, you have your own website & your own domain... if you place a .jpg file named aea.jpg loose into the main directory on your web server... then the address for that image would be http://www.oregonsignworks.com/aea.jpg you can then use the image button, available through the "full reply form" where you type replies.
Or you can upload it to any of the other thousand free photo hosts on the web, (Photobucket, Picasa, etc.) and then post that address into the "Image" function.
((Edited to add: but you can still become a resident! ))
[ July 24, 2007, 03:31 PM: Message edited by: Jon Jantz ]
-------------------- Jon Jantz Snappysign.com jjantz21@gmail.com http://www.allcw.com Posts: 3395 | From: Atmore, AL | Registered: Nov 2005
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Thanks for input! here is the direct link to the files so far: I actually created about a dozen logo concepts. These are the ones the client likes. but not crazy about. He likes the two logos on the left and the font styles of the ones on the right.
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Web browsers will send the referring URL (last page visited) in the headers to the server when requesting a page. This gets logged to a file and hosts provide programs so you can make sense of them like lotti says. If you use another page to redirect to the URL you want then it "hides" this page from the client that might check referer stats on his site. Try this:
posted
Those are all acceptable designs so it appears to me the client is not giving you any real direction as to what sort of image he wants to project.
Tackling a design job without specific criteria and "just seeing what you can come up with" is a surefire way to waste a whole lot of time on concepts that won't lead anywhere.
I'd suggest you set a limit now. You've got a deposit, there's a good number of concepts presented already, now you need to get firm with the client. Either go with one of the existing concepts and develop it a little further, or do ONE more concept with more direct criteria. Any additional work beyond that needs to be compensated further.
Usually when you tell the customer the clock is ticking and their bill is steadily rising, they hop into making a decision or telling you what they really want.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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I agree with Mike. Those are some very valid concepts. Sounds like these guys don't know what they want. Many top logos started out as hundreds of designs with many revisions. Those are the logos that ad agencies charge tens of thousands of dollars for. I doubt if your clients pockets are that deep.
Set some limits.
-------------------- Dave Sherby "Sandman" SherWood Sign & Graphic Design Crystal Falls, MI 49920 906-875-6201 sherwoodsign@sbcglobal.net Posts: 5397 | From: Crystal Falls, MI USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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Jeff, I have been on your website before and seen great layouts.
I would approach them with a blank sheet of paper and a pencil and say "Ok lets get something figured out. Lets see if I can put on paper what you guys are thinking".
A couple of laughs and we start from there. It works for me.
Showing them more just confuses the confused.
[ July 24, 2007, 08:32 PM: Message edited by: Sam Staffan ]
-------------------- Sam Staffan Mackinaw Art & Sign 721 S. Nokomis St. Mackinaw City, MI dstaffan@sbcglobal.net Posts: 1694 | From: Mackinaw City, MI | Registered: Mar 2004
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Jeff, I'll have to agree with the client.(for a change) The eyes on the left are great! The eyes next to the lettering look kind of funny to me. I think that is what the problem is.
-------------------- John Arnott El Cajon CA 619 596-9989 signgraphics1@aol.com http://www.signgraphics1.com Posts: 1443 | From: El Cajon CA usa | Registered: Dec 1998
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