Hello! I’m Shannon, a web designer with Factor 1. I started here in March of this year and I can’t believe it’s already been 8, going on 9 months! Some of you may already know me from creative calls, emails and a few mentions here on the blog. I do a lot of the creative stuff, brainstorming for new projects, designing websites, coding websites, creating logos etc. Here’s a list of some random facts about me: 

• I’m 24 and will be 25 in a few months.

• I was raised in North Phoenix and although the winters here are pretty nice (no getting snowed in here!) I could definitely do without our 110 degree days in the summer.

• I’m engaged and am getting married to a wonderful guy named Spencer in April!

• I graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff in 2006 with a BS in Visual Communication.

• I love to cook (and eat!) and am constantly finding new recipes to try.

• I have a 10 month old monster puppy named Mika, a red heeler that has fully discovered the “chewing phase” we only hope it passes soon..

• I enjoy most anything outdoors, camping, hiking, rock climbing, biking.

• I spent a few summers in college teaching kids how to rock climb at an affluent summer camp in upstate New York. 

• I love to travel and spent 3 months studying abroad in Italy during college.

That’s it for now, look for more creative and design-related posts soon!

We all strive to be better. Better bosses, designers, accountants, marketers, etc. In reading a blog from my friend David in the UK, I learned about Paul Arden. Paul Arden was an amazing advertiser / marketer in the early days of marketing to the masses.

The following passage is an exceprt from the book It’s Not How Good You Are, Its How Good You Want to Be, by Paul Arden.

It is quite easy to get approval if we ask enough people, or if we ask those who are likely to tell us what we want to hear.

The likelihood is that they will say nice things rather than be too critical. Also, we tend to edit out the bad so that we hear only what we want to hear.

So if you have produced a pleasantly acceptable piece of work, you will have proved to yourself that it’s good simply because others have said so.

It is probably ok. But then it’s probably not great either.

If, instead of seeking approval, you ask, ‘What’s wrong with it? How can I make it better?’, you are more likely to get a truthful, critical answer.

You may even get an improvement on your idea.

And you are still in a position to reject the criticism if you think it is wrong.

Can you find fault with this?

This is a great quote, and something that we discuss often here at factor 1. Which is why we have been sending out this project feedback survey to all of our finished projects. So far the results have been positive, But I want to hear ways we can improve.

Do you want to improve your business? relationships? products? if so How are you finding criticism?

Im not always the best at remembering to announce our site launches. Here are three recent sites that turned out great.

1. My Church Columbus

2. West EFC

Chris From west EFC said:

We were impressed with the final product but we have been more impressed with the GREAT customer service that Factor 1 offered.

3. Origin Church (mini coming soon site)

I hate to be the guy to tell you this, but YOUR ideas are getting stale.

OK, maybe not all of them, but that is what most people in your office, market place or in your store are probably thinking. Even if you have a creative and interesting idea to help you gain new customers or have greater impact in communicating your message, the likelihood is slim that you have the time or the creative resources to pull it off. YOU are all alone on this front. There is a reason that vibrant, compelling and creative movies are the result of teams. Sure, there is a mad genius or two with a vision, BUT it takes a team to hone and harness that full potential of a great creative idea.

So, I ask you this very important question…

WHO is on your creative marketing team?

Who are the people sitting around the table that want to throw random ideas out, laugh, think, research and dream about what your organization could be? Who are the mad, sick, talented and fresh artists that are developing your designs, web site, ads and essence of your product or message? Are you communicating precisely and in such a way that it captures the most important seconds of your audience’s attention and imagination?

Your potential in the market place or in the non-profit sector is limited by the team you have surrounded yourself with to “get the message out”. If you are doing it by yourself, I will be the one to tell you that you are in serious trouble. So, the challenge is, why haven’t you engaged more people beyond yourself yet? Where have you gone looking for creatives that ‘get’ your industry and also ‘get’ the power of creative messaging? Go on, get started. Find them. Start here. Ask around. Risk investing a little time and a little cash in getting the product or message that you believe in out to the people who really need or want it.

Lately some of you may have noticed a few articles on the blog that “didn’t seem like Matt”. Well, that’s cause they weren’t from Matt. To protect Matt’s reputation from being altered (he is such a great guy) I thought I would take just one post to introduce myself.

Factor 1 Context: Matt & I have been friends for a few years now. We started collaborating on creative projects together while he was still at his first place of employment and while I was a pastor in a local church. Those early years helped us refine some of the products we deliver today. Matt, as many of you know, is a pretty uber creative dude. Together we decided last year to officially join forces as “Partners”; we’re pretty pumped about what the future holds for Factor1.

Personal Vital Data: Married w/ 3 awesome boys (www.Russell5.com) – I am older than Matt by almost a decade; I am younger inside than I look on the outside – passionate about Mtn. Biking – excited to get up each morning and make a difference with my life – need to begin each day with a Starbucks coffee fix (Venti Pike’s w/ room for 1/2 & 1/2 + 3 raw sugars just in case any of you should need to order if for me)

Professional Skills: – VARIED – for Factor1 I bring business & creative development skills to the table. Most of my practical skills as they relate to our clients are in Marketing; helping you reach your audience & customer w/ a high degree of impact.

I hope this helps you get a flavor of the ‘other guy’ at Factor 1. While there are times when Matt & I vary in our styles & approaches to challenges put in front of us you can know 2 things for sure:

1. our partnership is rock solid w/ the unified goals

2. we aim to deliver creative, original, excellent & high impact products for every one of our clients

Is your product or service as bad as your web site?

For some of you out there in business or leading a non-profit I certainly hope not. However, chances are really good that your web site is seriously effecting your credibility with the very audience you would most like to reach. Regardless of your end pursuit, your web site communicates MANY things (not always positive) to the very people who you would like to engage. Consider this, your web site is like the clothes you wear + the words that you say – it needs to have a purposeful look and a crystal clear message!

When you stand face to face with your potential consumer you are certainly mindful of what your first impression is and the key words that will come from your lips in your first meeting. Why not have your web page do this as well? Some common pitfalls (as Matt noted here) are easily avoided when you engage a professional design company. The DNA of your organization will now be able to come through. The look and feel that you have worked so hard to achieve in your store, office, product or worship space can now be caught from the web. The power and importance of your message can be clear among the clutter. And, perhaps most importantly, your potential audience won’t CLICK AWAY or tune you out because your web site has the ‘built on my home PC’ essence.

Let me show you 3 examples contrasting ‘professional development’ from ‘personally designed’. I think you will be able to see clearly which sites best communicate credibility.

Do some thinking on your web site today!

Custom Bicycle Makers

http://www.henryjames.com -VS-  http://www.endorfinbikes.co.uk

Cigar Stores

http://smokemorecigars.com -VS-  http://www.fumarcigarsusa.com

Non-Profits

http://www.centralumc.com -VS-  http://fh.org