The importance of having a studio space
For illustrator Matthew Frame, moving to a studio space has been invaluable, completely changing the way he approaches his practice – find out why.
Illustrator, Matthew Frame has a beautifully intricate, recognizable style that can be seen across both small-scale editorial illustrations and large-scale murals. Find out why moving to a studio space has completely changed the way he approaches his practice, the role social media has played in his career so far and why, in a world that’s heavily digital, he prefers to work with analog production techniques.
Tell us about you, Matt
Working from my studio space in Dalston, London, I create intricate black and white drawings that explore my passion for film, politics, education, environmental issues and science fiction. I have an analog production technique and design outlook that underpins my approach to commissions. I have a very research-led practice that explores meta-narratives within illustration and how the medium is an essential tool for conveying complex ideas and information effectively.
How did you get into illustration? Tell us about your journey so far.
My parents are very into art. Dad is obsessed with Andy Warhol – he’s got pretty much every book that’s ever been published. So, from a very young age, it was impressed upon me that art is this very important thing.
I got into comic books – it became a bit of an obsession really – I used to draw all the time, copying the images [from the comics] and I quickly made up my mind that I wanted to study something art related.
I went on to study fashion design for 2 years, but I soon realized it wasn’t really for me. Looking back, I think it was important for me to have that time as it really helped me discover that it was actually illustration that I was really passionate about. So, I came back to London to study Illustration and Animation at Middlesex University and at that point I thought, ‘Ok right, this is what I want to do.’
I then went on to do my Masters Degree in Communication Design at Central St Martins, which was great! It led to me illustrating a book – The Bright Labyrinth – for one of my supervisors who’s a cultural theorist. The graphic designer who worked on the project was part of an Indian publishing house called Tara Books, she put them in touch with me and they asked me if I wanted to illustrate a book called The Boy Who Speaks in Numbers, about the Civil War in Sri Lanka. It was great, and such an interesting brief but also quite difficult as I had to try and depict violence and the horrors of war without actually showing any violence.
Following this brief, things really propelled and I started to build up a relationship with Tara, the publishing house. They asked me to do two further books for them as part of an artist residency in India which was such an amazing experience!
In a world that’s heavily digital, you prefer to work with analogue production techniques – why is this?
I’m a big fan of Aubrey Beardsley and William Morris – I love that very ornate, Victorian style. Beardsley especially – he’s very influential and has inspired a whole generation of artists, inventing a new way of drawing that worked with reproduction, like printing.
Going back to my dad and his Andy Warhol influence, I was also really obsessed with screen printing when I was growing up, and still am. My black and white style that features so heavily in my work came from me drawing things up for print. I do work in color but I just really love the interplay between black and white and seeing how far I can push those two colors. I’ll often use textures, lines and dots too, which allows me to add depth to my work. I love the challenge that comes with only using two colors.
Talk us through your process. How do you like to approach client briefs?
When it comes to illustration for books, I like to read the book at least twice. The first time, I’ll fully immerse myself in the narrative and the second, I like to make notes in my sketch book. From there, I’ll go on to create a series of thumbnail sketches with annotations and send them to the publisher to get their thoughts and feedback. It’s a really collaborative, organic process with the authors and publishing house, which I love.
My large scale murals are usually just an extension of my practice. Apart from the medium and the scale, things don’t really change that much. I’ll always do a site visit and take lots of photographs. Then, I’ll move on to concepts, creating thumbnail sketches in the same way as I would for a book brief and send them off the client. I’ll go through a couple of stages of idea development with the client and once the final design is signed off, I’ll usually spend about a week on some scaffolding, painting and bringing the design to life.
Why did you decide to go freelance?
My career’s been a bit of an ongoing process so far and I’m never quite sure which direction it’s going to take me in. I was actually approached by an architecture firm pretty early on to do a large scale mural for them, it came out of the blue and was something I’d never done before but I really wanted to give it a go. It was quite coincidental really and going freelance kind of just happened from there.
You run your business from your studio space – how do you manage your time and do you have any tips for others thinking of setting up their own studio?
It’s helped massively. I’d never really spent that much time around other creatives and freelancers but moving into a shared studio means I can be around other like minded people. We chat about the briefs we’re working on and ask each other for advice – it’s really invaluable.
When I was working from home, I found that I had a bit of a perpetual student existence where I was never away from my work. I ended up working really long hours but moving into the studio space has really helped me focus, partitioning up my day and planning my workload better. Having somewhere to go has also helped me to approach things in more of a professional way.
I really would recommend getting a studio space if you can!
You exhibit your work a lot – what are your tips for artists who may also be thinking about exhibiting their work for the first time?
There’s various different things you can sign up for, like Art News and Art Jobs. They’ll advertise upcoming exhibitions and you can submit your work digitally to those that sound like they might be the right fit for you and what you do.
Sharing a studio space and having people around me that are working in a similar field means that we can share tips and knowledge which is really helpful. I’d also recommend just sending your work to anyone you think might be interested and getting your name out there – printing your work onto Postcards and mailing them is a great way to do this.
How do you stay inspired?
Most of my inspiration comes from cinema, poetry, cultural theory and political events and situations. I don’t tend to draw too much inspiration from illustration but I do like go to exhibitions.
What role has social media played in your career?
Instagram and other similar platforms are really important and fantastic for getting your work out there but they can also make things incredibly stressful at times, leading to a bit of a struggle for validation. I’ll sometimes find myself comparing my work, methods or number of followers to other artists.
I’ve spent time consolidating my online presence and I now use my website as my shop window so to speak, it’s got everything on it – links to my shop, my blog and my social channels.
Instagram tends to be my go-to channel and has definitely changed the way I find work, and the way in which people find me, too. You always have to remember; do your own thing and find your own voice, don’t follow what everyone else is doing.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve learnt on the road to setting up your business?
Show your work. It can be a really hard slog at times – some people are lucky and others have to work a little more at it. Social media can be a bit of a double-edged sword – the people who are going to commission you have the choice of the whole world whereas back in the day, it was just a choice between the illustrators in London, for example. But on the other hand, it does give you access to so many more potential clients.
I often find that people still expect you to work for free at times. There’s a bit of an assumption that anyone who works in the creative industry does it for fun – it’s a hobby not a job. In these cases, you have to be a little bit more business minded which can take time to develop but putting a contract in place always helps.
How do you use MOO’s products to promote your business?
I’ve got a whole collection of MOOcards – I’ve used MOO for years and my Business Cards and Postcards have become a mini-portfolio of all my work over the years.
I’ll use Postcards as little mailouts too – they’re great for sending samples of my work along with a little handwritten message to editorial agencies that I think might be interested in my work.
Create your own Postcard portfolio
Photography by Paul John Bayfield
Collectable mini-prints, pocket portfolios and branded Business Cards – just a few ways these photographers are getting their work out there.
Do you ever scroll through Instagram and stumble upon an image that just stops you in your tracks? We love it when that happens! Here, we check in with three photo pros who capture that very feeling and find out how they’ve turned their digital snaps into printed products.
Greta Rybus
Greta Rybus is a globe-trotting photojournalist based in Portland, Maine. Working primarily in portrait and documentary photography, Greta’s work focuses on the relationships between humans and the natural world. After her family moved from Idaho to Northern Japan in her teenage years, her passion for photography flourished as she explored new and invigorating scenery in an entirely foreign setting. Her experience abroad led to a wanderlust that has continued into her photography career.
No matter where she is in the world, Greta’s inspiration takes direct influence from her surroundings at any given time. “When working on a shoot, I’m documenting a unique moment,” Greta says, “and thus a lot of the inspiration is simply reacting creatively to the light, landscape, and personality of the space and subject.” And it shows—Greta’s photographic style remains consistent, while leaving room for the setting to show its unique characteristics. This holistic approach to her photography inspiration has proven effective—landing her photos in a variety of publications, from the New York Times to The National Geographic Channel, to name a few.
When working with new clients, it was important for Greta to lead with her best foot forward, which is why she printed some of her favorite portfolio shots on the back of her Luxe Business Cards. “As a photographer, I’m very picky about printing quality,” she tells us. “I love that the color quality and tonality stays true on the finished cards.” Using Printfinity, Greta is able to showcase a wide variety of her portfolio to her clients. “Printfinity allows me to select a Business Card that best reflects the interests and aesthetics of the individual I’m giving it to.”
Print your portfolio on Business Cards
Vanessa McKenzie
Bold colors, playful art direction, and quirky imagery are all characteristics of San Diego-based photographer Vanessa McKenzie. After 8 years of working as a professional graphic designer, Vanessa decided to focus on broader outlets of creative work, including photography. She made an effort to refine her own brand and focus more on freelance activity while allowing for more personal time spent on artistic pursuits, both solo and collaborative. The shift in focus paid off—Vanessa’s clients include an impressive list of everything from art museums to high-end grocery stores and restaurants.
But how was she able to land these big clients? Turns out, social media can do more than just inspire. “I am an inspiration hoarder,” Vanessa tells us. “I am constantly taking in eye candy via Instagram and Tumblr.” What started out as a creative inspiration archive, Vanessa’s Tumblr page quickly started to gain like-minded followers that have stuck with her for years. “I never even advertised my page, it just grew and grew the more I began posting,” Vanessa explains. “The Internet is a strange place. I also appreciate all the animal .gifs.” Us too, Vanessa.
Her rising popularity on social media channels had Vanessa thinking more about her brand and how to communicate it to her followers. “I tend to get picky about my brand, so I came up with a design that could have many different color combinations. Her bright gradient logo and text perfectly mirrors her website and online portfolios, and captures the buzzing vibrancy of the work she produces. The positive response to her Business Card designs allowed her to hand them out with pride.“I get a ton of compliments from non-industry people and potential clients.” But perhaps most important of all: “My Grandma even asked if she could keep one!”
Build your personal brand on Luxe Business Cards
Marc Provins
Marc Provins is a visual artist and photographer currently working at the Liverpool John Moores University in Liverpool, UK. Marc’s stunningly simplistic photographic works fuse together graphic design elements that show a keen sense of color theory and lighting. For years, Marc taught a photography course at Trafford College, Manchester which allowed him to immerse himself in the photography and art world, while being able to support his side projects and creative outlets.
Nowadays, he’s trying to bring his love of the natural world together with his interest in design. The result is an amazing body of work made in his small improvised home studio. He uses natural light and specimens from his garden to create images that feel altogether familiar yet foreign. “It feels very personal, as I’ve nurtured these plants and do photographic studies as they develop and change—choosing just the right moment to document them.” He then takes a color sample from within the image to pair as a graphic element on each, giving it a modern feel.
Marc’s work brought him to a photography festival in France, so an order of Business Cards was a must. He printed some of his favorite images on Square Business Cards that perfectly match the ratios of his work, so he could not only hand out his portfolio to galleries, but his contact information as well. He used a matte finish on his cards to maintain the visual simplicity that doesn’t take away from the image. “I’ve had a great reaction to my Business Cards,” Marc tells us. “People have come up to me telling me that it feels like I’m giving them mini artworks and that they want to collect the set!”
Hand out mini artworks on Square Business Cards
We’re so happy we found these photographers. Use the #MOOcards hashtag on Instagram and Twitter to share your designs!
Heard the one about the online seller who was laughing all the way to the bank? Follow these tips and watch the good reviews roll in.
1. Timing is everything
They say time is money, but in the world of online selling, it’s also the key to customer satisfaction. According to Business Insider, 53% of customers who choose bricks-and-mortar over online shopping do so because they can get their purchase immediately. Getting items shipped out in good time is essential, as is setting expectations about what will happen and when. Make sure your customer gets prompt answers to their questions and timely updates on when their items have been prepared and sent.
2. Be topical
When planning your product launches and marketing, take your cues from the world around you. Red letter days like Christmas, Father’s Day and Easter are sure-fire winners, and you can steer customers towards appropriate gifts for these events with a well-timed email or a promotional message on your website. Then there are quirkier dates, like International Jazz Day (April 30th). If the strategy suits you, go one step further – linking your products with positive news events, trends, popular culture and just about anything that taps into the zeitgeist can help boost your sales. Just don’t go too esoteric – a themed collection of Game of Thrones tea-cosies may not reach a wide enough audience to justify the cost of production.
3. Make yourself heard
A successful stand-up needs to be able to get on stage, take the mic and get their voice heard. An attention-grabbing opener is great for getting the crowd’s attention.
In the world of online selling, you can follow their example with strong marketing that creates a memorable first impression and a proactive approach to promoting your work. That might mean creating a new physical presence with a craft fair stand, taking part in a networking event, or reaching out to potential stockists and customers with a postcard mailout.
4. Get personal
Live stand-up comedy is famous for its performer-audience interaction. Fortunately, you don’t need to worry about hecklers or make jokes about the guy taking a phone call in the front row. You can use your business model to make personal connections with your audience in a positive way. There are so many ways to do this, from adding personal thank-you notes that create an awesome unboxing experience to featuring customer’s photos and messages in your online shop.
5. Don’t lose sight of the punchline
Whatever your strategy to make your business stand out in the crowd, there’s one important goal – to sell your products. Like a stand-up performer, you’ll need to keep track of all kinds of factors like how the audience is reacting, when to deliver your next line (or your next package), and how to keep up momentum when things are going well. But above all, you need to keep customers engaging with you and making purchases. If that’s happening, you’re doing it right, whether or not you’re following other people’s advice, so don’t be afraid to do things your own way and break the rules – a bit like with stand-up comedy, in fact.
Make yourself smile with a fresh order of MOO MiniCards
We asked over 1,000 of our design-savvy customers about their favorite up-and-coming fonts. Here are their top 5 picks…
Basic Commercial
Published by: Linotype
Created: 1900
History: Based on historical designs from the hot metal type era this clear, strong font popular among graphic designers for decades is anything but basic. First appearing around 1900, Basic Commercial is like the Beatles of the modern sans serif, inspiring many later grotesque fonts like Helvetica and Univers.
Style: Sans serif
Best used as: A simple, but very versatile font that can used for both headline and body copy. Working on posters or invitations? Basic Commercial’s your go-to.
Pairs well with: She might not be all that basic, but she sure is flexible. Like the quietly brilliant rock to anchor so many a shining star. Try and find a font she can’t pair with. We dare you.
Fortescue
Designed by: The Entente
Created: 2010
History: Fortescue is a bespoke typeface designed by The Entente design studio. It was commissioned by artist and printmaker Jake Spicer, the name derived from the Fortescue House in Sidmouth, Devon, England where he began his career.
Style: Serif
Best used as: Working on a text-heavy print project? Fortescue’s variety of weights makes it the perfect choice for body copy – traditionality and simplicity combined.
Pairs well with:
Classic art school ennui and a lust for the unknown. More precisely, we’ve seen this classically modern font paired nicely with a grotesque sans serif.
Quainton
Designed by: Sawdust
Created: 2016
History: Named after Sawdust design studio co-founder Jonathan Quainton, this high contrast serif font was designed as a labor of love eight years in the making. Blending Didone and Bauhaus characteristics to make something all its own, Quainton has a lyrical quality that shines as a display typeface.
Style: Serif
Best used as: Quainton’s elegance makes it the go-to for headlines and statement text.
Pairs well with:
Red wine and strong cheeses. But really, this cheese stands alone. If you must, a quiet sans serif body font might not offend Quainton’s expressive lines too much.
Leroy
Designed by: Oscar & Ewan
Created: 2010
History: Leroy was first created for use on Bonobo’s Black Sands album in 2010 and was later expanded for commercial release. Based on a technical drawing from a ‘60s model car magazine, many of Leroy’s quirks were embellished from that original drawing.
Style: Sans serif
Best used as: Working on branding or web design? Look no further than the fabulously versatile, Leroy.
Pairs well with: As this font was inspired by and conceived for singular use, who can say for sure? We encourage you to audaciously improvise any attempts at marrying this free spirit. Godspeed.
Luxia
Published by: Andrew Herndon
Created: 2016
History: Luxia is a modern Didone with a splash of lavish characters. The Didone type styles, also called Moderns or Neoclassicals, were originally designed by printers and have kept that legacy to this day as a sophisticated choice commonly used in editorial print design.
Style: Serif
Best used as: Luxia loves editorial design. A truly elegant font that deserves to be seen. Why not use it on your next event invitation – your guests will be queueing out the door.
Pairs well with: Moody oceanscapes and a touch of gold foil. Perfect for witchy vibes or when you want to take yourself just a bit seriously. A modern Didone that works perfectly with both sans serifs and serifs – we recommend Akzidenz-Grotesk and Baskerville.
What’s your favorite font? Share your thoughts in the comments below
Every product is released for a reason – it’s the ones that have a clear story and customer benefit that really stand the test of time.
When you launch and market a new product, it can be tempting to brag about its shiny new features. And why not? Your team has created something that will make your customer happier.
Yet believe it or not, features aren’t what sell your product–– it’s your story and how it affects the customer. When someone has a personal connection to a brand’s story, they’re far more likely to buy from it. Here are four simple ways to create that connection:
Focus on the “Why”
“Start with why” is a concept that launched author Simon Sinek’s empire. His TED talk on the subject has been watched over 36 million times. But if you don’t have 18 spare minutes, you can get the gist with this quote:
“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have. The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.”
Put simply, people are more likely to buy a product when it aligns with their values. Make yours crystal clear, and your sales team will thank you.
TOMS is a great example of a company that puts its “why” at the forefront. Their founders didn’t just want to create trendy shoes. They wanted to prove that a company can have a huge impact, while also making a profitable product. Now, the brand has sold over 75 million pairs of shoes–– and given an equal number to children in need. How’s that for a reason to start with “why?”
Share your team’s story
Every product is a team effort. So give them some time in the limelight.
To highlight the contributions of everyone who worked on the project, publish a blog post that illustrates how you created your latest masterpiece. Your employees will feel appreciated, you’ll get press for sharing the details of your process, and internal folks will share the post. Everybody wins!
All users fall into one of three categories: someone who is dissatisfied with a current aspect of their life, imagines a better future for themselves, or fearful of making the wrong purchasing decision.
Aim to inspire
Now that your customers understand the reason for your product, they need to envision how your product will improve their life.
Doing this doesn’t have to be complicated. All users fall into one of three categories: someone who is dissatisfied with a current aspect of their life, imagines a better future for themselves, or fearful of making the wrong purchasing decision. As Jeff Shore of Entrepreneur.com puts it, people buy when:
Current Dissatisfaction x Future Promise > Cost + Fear
In non-formula terms, convince your audience that your product will do one of these things, and they will buy into the idea.
Share with new customers
Launching a product with new demographics can be scary. It’s uncharted territory! That’s why sharing the story of your latest venture is key. What’s the best way to do that?
For starters, tell the story through a blog post on your company’s site. You can then use that story in a newsletter sent out to a list of existing customers and prospects from all those networking events you went to. Don’t forget to share that blog post on your social media accounts as good practice. You might want to learn how to take good product photos first.
But don’t stop there—put your new product announcements on Postcards or Flyers to send to your mailing lists or hand out at your next event. Because everyone likes a good takeaway.
With these tips, there’s no way new customer segments will miss out on your launch.
Have any more tips for sharing the story of a new product? Post them in the comments! We read every one.
Tell your brand’s story with MOO Business Services
At MOO, we’ve been helping people make their mark in the world with amazing quality print products for over a decade. And as our customers have grown, so has our service offering. That’s why for bigger businesses—with 10+ employees—we now offer MOO Business Services. It’s MOO + benefits. MOO Business Services combines dedicated account management with an easy online ordering platform and expert design services. It’s a complete package for businesses to give you more brand control and consistency—while saving you time, stress, and money in the process.
Fill out the form here and a friendly Account Manager will reach out to you.
If productivity is on your New Year’s resolutions list, you’re in luck. Here are some tips on how to make those weekly meetings more efficient.
When your team gets together, its members should leave feeling inspired. So why are there times when an entire department discusses an issue that only affects two people? And why are two hours spent on something could have been communicated via email?
Thankfully, the transition from overlong to effective is not difficult. Use these tips to energize and streamline your meetings.
Short and sweet
It’s rare when someone claims a meeting was too short. That’s why you should aim for every team gathering to be less than 30 minutes. To make this happen, you need to create a clear agenda, send it to attendees in advance, and stick to it.
When everyone knows why they’re in the room, you can skip the explainers and jump right into content. Plus, it will be crystal clear when the meeting is over–– you checked the last point off the agenda! Simple, right? All it takes is a little more planning beforehand.
“This could have been an email”
What’s better than shorter meetings? No meetings! Believe it or not, a lot of team check-ins can be replaced with an email. Folks will be far more succinct in their response, and it will give back valuable time to everybody’s work day. You’re welcome. And if you’re in need of some extra help to commit, we’ve developed a Meetings Kill Creativity Chrome plugin that makes you think twice every time you book a meeting. Click here to download.
If email isn’t official enough, print out a team digest on Postcards at the end of each month to hand out to your office. Include all of the important wins and updates from your team and any other relevant updates that can take the place of a meeting.
Keep action items in mind
The focus of all meetings should be sharing information and acting on plans. That’s why, as David Allen emphasizes in Getting Things Done, it’s essential to always know what your next step is. There’s no point in having a meeting if folks don’t know how to move forward!
Be clear of what your action items are for each team member. The next time you meet, spend the first few minutes going over each item from the previous week before you work towards the next.
Try taking the chairs out of your meeting room for a day. We guarantee that no one will go 15 minutes over time again.
Be a stand up leader
Folks in the tech world really value productivity–– which is why most of their meetings are “stand ups.” In other words, everyone is on their feet. It’s pretty easy to figure out why–– when people aren’t allowed to sit in a meeting, the agenda goes by a lot more quickly.
If you don’t believe us, try taking the chairs out of your meeting room for a day. We guarantee that no one will go 15 minutes over time again.
Not sure how to optimize this type of team meeting? Try the Spotify model, as explained by Agile Coach Jason Yip: Share an understanding of your goals, coordinate efforts, share problems and improvements, and do something to identify as a team. For example, the Spotify team ends by yelling, “1…2…3… Excelsior!” Silly, sure. But it ends things on a high note, and helps everyone feel like part of a unit.
Make your meetings matter
Get your team together only when it’s necessary. Not only will this save time, but it will give folks more to share when you actually do get together. Work with your team to clear out any recurring meetings that occupy precious time their calendars.
More productivity time means more time to make a difference in your day-to-day schedule. And a leaner calendar will help you and your team focus on what matters most.
Print your meeting agendas on Flyers.
They say all that glitters isn’t gold. But after seeing these customer designs, we beg to differ.
What better way to bring in the new year than to peruse our #MOOcards hashtag and see a treasure trove of amazing customer designs. From a cidery in Austin, Texas to a multi-talented designer in Bristol, UK—these customers from all over the globe are turning heads with their glistening gold designs. Here are their stories…
Libby Parfitt
Libby Parfitt is a graphic designer and illustrator currently based in Bristol, UK. After completing her design degree in Bristol, Libby worked various jobs and internships to hone her skills. Now, with a full-time design job at a publishing company, Libby continues to take on freelance work to build her ever-growing portfolio as her creative outlet.
Taking inspiration from Instagram and Pinterest, Libby has developed a playful style in everything from collage to illustration. Her work takes on a confident simplicity, incorporating muted backdrops with splashes of vibrant accent color. “I get inspiration from all over Bristol,” Libby says. And it shows—her illustrations reflect the vivid imagery, patterns, and textures seen around the city.
Libby’s work has led to her involvement in local exhibitions and craft fairs, which is where her eye-catching Gold Foil Business Cards come in handy. The Business Card designs came from the need to revamp her freelance website. “I was messing around doodling on Adobe Illustrator using my new graphics tablet when I came up with the pattern, so I decided to add some color and my logo and—voila!” Using a matte finish with a Gold Foil logo helped elevate her design to another level. “I love the Gold Foil! I feel proud to give them out and people have been loving them as well.”’
Elevate your designs with Gold Foil and check our more of MOO’s gold foil inspo here.
Austin Eastciders
Austin Eastciders is a hard cider company from Austin, Texas. Formed in 2012 by Ed Gibson and Mark King, the idea behind Eastciders was to make America fall in love with the drink all over again by creating a perfectly balanced cider. Pairing Gibson’s heritage from England’s cider country with King’s business savvy, the team created their first-ever cider, Gold Top—and the rest was history. Gold Top blends bittersweet apples from Europe with dessert apples from the Pacific Northwest, creating an easy-to-enjoy cider that won the hearts of craft-beer lovers throughout the state.
With more cider flavors in the works, Gibson and King set up Eastciders’ state-of-the-art brewing facility and taproom in downtown Austin. Drawing inspiration from the vibrant cultural scene, the cidery has an open, communal atmosphere for cider lovers to congregate. Eastciders also hosts a music series called ‘Eastciders Rambles’ that brings local music and craft cider together.
“The design of Austin Eastciders’ logo and cans is centered on hand-crafted simplicity,” Eastciders’ Danica Ferrell says, “which echoes the old-school approach in the brewing process.” The logo and flavor script on the cans was hand-lettered and relies on simple color to make the distinction between the different cider flavors—all with gold accents to hint at the cider’s golden hue.
Austin Eastciders have taken their gold branding from their cans through to their Business Cards using Gold Foil. Working with their Business Services Account Manager, the Eastciders team uploaded these Gold Foil Business Card templates to their dedicated platform for all their employees to order from. According to Ferrell, “Every time I hand out my business card, I always get a ‘wow!’ And when they see our cans, they can make the connection.”
Create connections with Gold Foil
Paul Karas of Ware Mfg
Ware Mfg is a creative consultancy in Detroit, Michigan. Founded in 2012 by Paul Karas, Ware Mfg takes on custom projects in interior design, industrial design, and engineering that helps bring his client’s dreams into reality. Paul is the face of the company, and partners with other artisans in the Detroit area to fulfill each project’s unique needs and scale.
Before starting Ware, Paul attended design school and worked as a project manager for a design company. In his spare time, he found plenty of ways to keep busy: “I was making all kinds of things and was obsessed with understanding the world around me.” That curiosity helped him create a truly unique design style, drawing inspiration from his travels, people, and the architecture of Detroit. “More recently, I’ve been gathering a lot of inspiration from Mayan architecture and culture.” The company’s mission statement draws on these various inspirations: “Ware Manufacturing creates and translates the messiness of great ideas into order.”
“I recently re-designed the Ware Mfg logo to become a building where all dreams come true and the only emissions are good ideas. Kind of like Willy Wonka’s factory, but more inviting, and you can definitely buy tickets—all of which will be gold!” Ware’s Business Cards reflect these aspirations of translating ideas into objects. When Paul found MOO’s Gold Foil option, he knew it was the perfect fit for his designs. “I love everything about my cards! I love how you can do multiple designs on the back with Printfinity. Now, when I hand my cards out, the reaction has been a double-take, a smile, and careful placement in the pocket.”
Print multiple Gold Foil designs with Printfinity
Fancy being featured on our blog? Tag your designs with #MOOcards on Instagram
New year, new…brand? With all of that resolution-making going on, here are a few for your business in the new year.
Your company has transformed in the past 365 days. You’ve made new hires, learned from your mistakes, and made the planet a little bit better than it was before. So! Before you jump into goal setting for the new year, take a moment to appreciate everything that you’ve already accomplished.
Now that you’re feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, let’s get down to business. It’s time to think about how your business can shine even brighter in 2018.
Give to Grow
It’s easy to pay it forward around the holidays. That’s why we challenge you to focus on social responsibility throughout the entire year. As we mention in this blog post, companies that give their staff time to volunteer don’t just improve their surrounding neighborhood–– they also create a community-oriented brand culture.
Yet regardless of the type of community service program you choose, it’s crucial that you commit. To make sure you stay true to your word, announce your new giveback policy in a company-wide email. Then, keep a tally of how many hours your staff have given back to the community. The program is much more likely to be successful if you make it a point of corporate pride. Bonus: your employees will be proud to work at a company that cares so much about its community.
Set the Bar for Self-Care
As one CEO says in an article for the Harvard Business Review, “Self-care is no longer a luxury; it’s part of the job.”
For 2018, resolve for your team to work hard and stay healthy. This means taking care of themselves physically, emotionally, and mentally. Since this idea is generally new in the business world, it’s your job as a leader to set the self-care standard.
This can look like taking a midday workout break, setting aside 5 minutes for meditation, or stretching regularly–– ideally all three. When you take care of yourself, you give others permission to do the same.
Figure out what reoccurring gatherings are unnecessary, and replace them with email check-ins.
Put Your Schedule on a Diet
Sure, meetings are necessary to keep business chugging along. However, a day that’s filled with check-ins will kill your productivity. To optimize your time, do a business-wide meeting audit. Figure out what reoccurring gatherings are unnecessary, and replace them with email check-ins.
Boom. Your calendar just got a whole lot more room.
Prioritize People
It’s easy to forget that companies are nothing without their community. That’s why it’s crucial for your employees to feel like they’re working towards a common goal–– and that starts with knowing each other’s names.
As your business grows, make sure to introduce new employees to the connectors within your company. Every addition to the team should know that they’re being cared for, and that their sense of belonging is paramount. This includes introducing the new members to folks from other departments and inviting everyone, regardless of position, to team outings. After all, new cross-office collaboration leads to the best ideas!
Have any goals for your company that we should add to the list? Let us know in the comments section below!
Start the new year off right. Fill out the form below to learn about MOO Business Services and how to take your brand to the next level in 2018.
Get in touch
At MOO, we’ve been helping people make their mark in the world with amazing quality print products for over a decade. And as our customers have grown, so has our service offering. That’s why for bigger businesses—with 10+ employees—we now offer MOO Business Services. It’s MOO + benefits. MOO Business Services combines dedicated account management with an easy online ordering platform and expert design services. It’s a complete package for businesses to give you more brand control and consistency—while saving you time, stress, and money in the process.
Fill out the form here and a friendly Account Manager will reach out to you.
Imagine if your useful stuff floated around with you on a pet cloud where you could access it anytime. With modern, secure cloud storage, the dream is real.
What is the cloud?
Sadly, it’s not really a pet cloud that follows you around. The term ‘cloud’ describes files stored on remote servers which can be logged into from anywhere with an internet connection. Instead of being stored on your own computer’s hard drive or on physical media like a USB drive or floppy disk (remember those?), they’re stored alongside many other people’s files by professional data companies.
As well as cloud storage, there’s cloud software, meaning digital tools you can use on a website instead of installing software on your machine. An example is Google Docs, which is a cloud-based word processor you use through your browser.
Why is it useful?
Cloud storage is fantastic for people who work in different locations, such as co-working spaces, coffee shops or across offices in different cities. It’s also super handy for working on the train, while travelling overseas or visiting friends and family. You can travel light, even with huge amounts of data such as Adobe Illustrator files. Most importantly, there’s no danger of forgetting anything essential.
Cloud storage is also a neat way to backup your documents, keeping copies in the cloud as well as on your hard drive. A great example is Google Photos, which can be set up to store a copy of every photo you take on your smartphone. If you lose your phone or you need to free up memory by deleting photos, your pictures are still safely stored.
It is safe?
Understandably, the idea of keeping your personal files on someone else’s servers can give you pause if you’re security-conscious. But fortunately the security measures used to protect cloud data are tried and tested. If you’ve used a web-based email service like Hotmail, Gmail or Yahoo, you’ve already got personal data in the cloud, protected by a password. Many cloud storage providers use the same technology as email, online banking and shopping – a password-protected account, sometimes backed up with memorable data.
Another important security tool is encryption. This keeps data hidden as it travels from the cloud to your computer and back again. Information is converted into an unreadable format with a secret code, which can only be understood by your computer and the providers’ network. You can tell if your computer is sending and receiving encrypted data by looking for the little padlock in the top left corner of your browser’s address bar. HowStuffWorks has more details about how encryption works.
What does it cost?
There are plenty of free cloud storage options available, including Dropbox and Google Drive. Usually, cloud services give you a smaller amount of data for free – generally a few GB – and then offer paid upgrades giving you more space.
What is syncing?
Short for synchronizing, syncing is the process of automatically updating your stuff in more than one place so everything’s, well, in sync. Syncing is a smart way to use cloud storage to backup your files. It can also be used to keep things consistent across multiple devices, for example having the same bookmarks on your home and office PCs, or the same music playlists on your computer and phone. The latest versions are sent from the cloud to each synced device, so that when you update in one place, your changes show up everywhere else too.
How do I choose a cloud storage service?
It’s tempting to go for the cheapest option available – or the one with the biggest free allowance. But don’t pick out a cloud provider on price alone. You should also think about whether:
- the company has a good reputation for security
- they use encryption to protect your data
- you find their system easy to use
- if you’d prefer storage linked to your existing email account (as with Google and Microsoft services)
It’s also worth checking out what they do to guard against mishaps. A good provider will have some redundancy built into their systems, meaning that multiple copies of the data are stored in different places. A backup of your backups, if you will. You can read more about redundancy in this BBC guide.
So, are you ready to make a leap into the clouds? Why not start by designing your own MOO Business Card on our website?