What is the design process?
For web design, there are three steps to Phase 1 before we can begin our design process. STEP 1. We require a 50% deposit on any new design projects.
STEP 2. We will provide you with a website questionnaire.
This helps us get a better idea of basic needs and ideas. We aim to be successful on your project design in one round of concepts if possible. We can have
most questions answered in this manner.
STEP 3. We will send you
a work agreement stating the work we will be doing including the
estimated price.
For e-commerce, there are three steps to Phase 1 before we can begin our design process.
STEP 1. We require a 50% deposit on any new design projects.
STEP 2. We will provide you with a website questionnaire.
STEP 3. We will send you
a work agreement stating the work we will be doing including the
estimated price.
After those
three steps are completed, we move onto the actual design. We will
provide you with a large graphic of what our concept of your site
will be. We can work together on any changes you may want to have
done. At this point, we work on what a secondary design page will
look like. Once those two pages are completed and approved, we
break them into HTML code. We ask that you provide all of your
content to us so we can complete your site including products or photos if you have a e-commerce web site. When
the design is finished, we can send you the completed files via email to FTP to your server, or to upload to your domain on our server. If you require us to FTP to another host, we will require you send us FTP user name and password. We do not contact your host for this information for security reasons, so you must supply it to us or contact your host. We will then invoice you via email using FreshBooks online billing service. Final payment
is expected at the time of delivery.
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Who
owns the web site after it is designed?
Once the site is paid in full, the rights belong to the company we
design it for.
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Can
this project take place entirely over the Internet?
Yes.
We have worked with numerous clients long distance. Some clients,
we worked with solely via email or web conference. Since all of our designs are delivered
digitally, it is very convenient for our clients to review the concepts when
they are ready. No appointments are necessary, however, feel free to make an appointment to stop by our studio.
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What do you suggest for an e-commerce site?
We use a wonderful e-commerce program called Miva Merchant that can be used for our clients
that want to sell anything from one product or service to thousands of products.
It is easy to maintain the store once in place. Our clients like
the ability to add/delete their own products, maintain orders from
a web browser and more. Please see our portfolio for e-commerce web site examples.
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I
want to host with you. How do I transfer my domain name?
We will do the necessary changes for you if you still have the
original email address you registered your domain under. If you
are not sure about this, drop us an email.
If you are not accessible by the email address you registered
your domain with, we can advise you on the necessary steps to
submit the changes. If your current ISP registered your domain,
we will first attempt to contact them to make the necessary changes.
However, some ISP's will charge for this service.
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Can
I get my own email address at my domain?
Of course! When you first set up your email addresses, we will ask
you the alias domains that you want set up such as john@mydomain.com or POP3 accounts. We will FORWARD any
email that goes to that address to the email address of your choice.
You will still need to have an account with an ISP (such as Comcast
or AT&T) and we simply forward all of your email messages to your
address.
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How
can I check and see if my domain name is available?
You can go to Network Solutions to see if domains are available
for your site. We will be more than happy to register the domains
for you.
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How
can I login to your server?
When you sign up with us for hosting, we have you fill out a form
for an FTP/Administration account to access your administration
account control panel. You can use this user name and password
to login (FTP) to our servers. A full tutorial on how to use CuteFTP
can be found linked from your personal control panel. There are
other FTP programs available, but we do not have tutorials available.
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How
should I prepare my content for my new site?
We prefer you to send your content via e-mail. In the subject line
of your
e-mail, we ask you to put the title of the page you would like the
content to go on. If you have changes, we would also prefer you
to send the changes in the same manner.
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I just want a redesign, can you work with my current content?
Yes. We do site redesigns frequently. We prefer to have you work
with your current content until you have it exactly the way you
like it, and then we can plug it into your current site.
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How
long will the design take?
Once the content is provided to us and the design is approved, we
can produce your site in as little time as 5 days. Depending on
the size of the site, it can fluctuate. If there are a lot of changes
made during the process, this can slow down the time tremendously.
We ask that the content be edited and ready to go, so we can publish
your site faster.
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I
need to update my web site. Can you do that for me?
Yes. We can update sites for your company. We can price it monthly
or we can price it per instance.
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What
is a secure server used for? Can I accept credit cards on my web
site? What does it cost?
A secure server offers encrypted traffic between your web site and
your site's visitors. This will allow customers to submit credit
card or any other information in the highest bit encryption available.
We offer secure server options at no charge to our hosting service.
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What
is a secure certificate? Why do I need both? What does it cost?
A secure certificate acts as an authority that proves your company's
legitimacy to your customers. Both the secure certificate and server
work hand in hand to provide an ultra-private and secure web site.
We suggest a certificate that costs roughly $150.00 a year. We charge
a one time set up fee to put that certificate in place.
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What
browsers will my site be compatible with?
We design for Netscape 4.7 and higher, which is currently at Netscape
6, and Internet Explorer 4.0 which is also at version 6. It is
impossible to get a great looking site that is compatible with
all of the endless amounts of browsers and browser versions available.
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What is the design process?
For logo design, there are three steps to Phase 1 before we can begin our design process.
STEP 1. We require a 50% deposit on any new design projects.
STEP 2. We will provide you with a logo questionnaire.
This helps us get a better idea of basic needs and ideas. We aim to be successful on your project design in one round of concepts if possible. We can have
most questions answered in this manner.
STEP 3. We will send you
a work agreement stating the work we will be doing including the
estimated price.
For print design, there are three steps to Phase 1 before we can begin our design process.
STEP 1. We require a 50% deposit on any new design projects.
STEP 2. We will provide you with a letterhead questionnaire if you are having a letterhead package designed.
This helps make sure to include all of the information on your design such as names, titles, etc. If you are having a brochure or other collateral material designed, we will need your the edited information in Word or text format. We also will need your logo emailed to us for print use. We prefer EPS format so it can be scaled to any size without losing resolution. If you are unsure, please ask.
STEP 3. We will send you
a work agreement stating the work we will be doing including the
estimated price.
After those
three steps are completed, we move onto the actual design. We
provide you with your concepts in a PDF file via email. You can download
the free Acrobat Reader here. Once you
review the design, if there is any editing of layout, fonts and colors,
you send us changes via email or discuss by phone or online conference. We then make the necessary corrections
and send the design back to you until the project is completed. When
the design is finished, we send you the completed files via email or downloadable from our web site(for larger files). We will then invoice you via email using FreshBooks online billing service. Final payment
is expected at the time of delivery.
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Can the entire logo project be executed over the web?
Yes. We have worked with most of our clients long distance solely, via the Internet, e-mail and online conference if needed. Since all of our designs are delivered via e-mail, it is very convenient for our clients to review them when they are ready. No appointments are necessary, however, if you are in the Chicago area, feel free to make an appointment to come by our studio.
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What formats will the files be sent as after completion?
We will send your design as an EPS and JPG file. An EPS file can be taken
to any print shop to be printed or resized. EPS files are fully
scalable, so you aren't locked into a certain dimension. You can
print at any resolution with this file. We send you a PDF file of the same EPS files so you are able to open them and review the contents. We also send you a black
and white version of your logo in EPS for any one-color printing
needs. We will send you a high resolution JPG in color and black and white for in-house printing such as Microsoft Word files. We also include a color JPEG file
in low resolution for your web site needs. If you would like for us to create a CD and send it to you, there is a $25.00 fee.
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What
is the turn around time for the logo design?
It takes 5-7 business days to deliver the design concepts once
all of the required information is obtained. After that, it depends on how quickly we receive the change and feedback for additional rounds.
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How does color choice work?
We design your concept with 1-3 colors unless you request otherwise. Keep in mind, most corporate logos are 1 or 2 colors.
Regarding colors, what we see on our monitor and what you see on yours will not match as they are calibrated differently. The same applies to printed materials. Printers use the Pantone color system. This is a series of numbers that identifies the same color no matter where you have your work printed.
Most printers have a swatchbook of theses colors upon request. We also have a tear-out swatch book we can mail you samples upon request. After the logo design is complete, we will choose colors that we feel is close to our monitor and insert the numbers into the files. If you feel the color is not what you want, you can request for us to reset the colors within 3 months of delivery. Otherwise, we can change it for you for a minimum fee, or request that your printer change the color during press are two options.
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What
is the difference between an icon-based logo and a text-based
logo?
An icon-based logo is a logo that has an image that stands apart
from the wording of your company. Some companies prefer to keep
just the text the main focus of the logo, hence the term 'text-based
logo'.
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What
is a design concept vs. draft?
Design concepts are logos that are complete as a whole, but are still able
to be edited. We show you logo concepts in the form that we think
would be suitable for your needs. We understand that
you may want to edit colors, fonts and other minor elements, so
we consider the additional changes "drafts". We include two to three additional drafts in the estimate.
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What
if I don't like my initial logo concepts?
We hope that will not happen, but it is a possibility. We usually discuss the current concepts and what you do not like, any possibilities for future concepts, and then begin to develop on this information. In the event you do not want to continue with the project at this time, the deposit will have covered our time up to this point and the project will be discontinued.
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Do you send me the fonts you use in my project?
No, we can direct you to purchase the fonts if you wish to purchase them, or in the case that they are free downloads, we can send you a download link. Please request that you want to purchase your fonts.
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Can you trace my existing logo for printing use?
Yes. We can take your existing logo and trace it for your printing
use. We will need to see the logo to determine the time it will
take to reproduce it for you. We will supply you with an EPS file
that you can use for any of your printing needs.
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Can you take our concept and make it better?
We will always evaluate your logo concepts and give you our professional opinion.
Most of the time the concepts given to us can be re-worked.
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How long do you keep files on record?
We keep your logo files on record for at least one year. It then gets moved to archives off site. If you need to have us retreive the files for you after one year, there is a one hour minimum charge to cover our time in retreival. If you need the files to be sent on disc, there is a $25.00 fee. We only guarantee storage up to one year.
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How
should I save my files for future use?
After we send you the files, we suggest that you have
the files burned on CD, DVD, FTP server or backed up to more than one Zip Disc.
Creating multiple archives is one way to ensure your files will
not be lost. We only guarantee storage up to one year
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Who
retains the rights to the design you provide us with?
You own your design. Once final payment is made, we transfer
all rights to you. Some components of the logo may be from a stock
illustration piece we use, or printed materal such as stock photography , but we purchase the permissions for
your full use.
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What
if there is a company using a similar name to mine?
We suggest contacting your accountant or lawyer and registering
your name before having a logo designed. This avoids the potential
problem of your name being rejected and having to scrap your logo. It has happened in the past to some of our clients, so please be aware of this issue before starting a project.
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Can
you register my logo as a trademark when finished?
No. This is a private issue that should be handled by a
professional such as a trademark attourney. Or you can visit www.uspto.gov
for information on registering it. You are able to register it
yourself, however, be very cautious.
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