At Kate Carpenter Design, we approach all jobs the same way, whether clients hire us to create a new brand, build a website, revamp an annual report or design a two-page brochure: We discover our clients’ unique message to their established audience—and then we produce materials that support it. Here’s our process:

The talking work.    First, we talk. And talk. And talk. And talk some more. So that we truly “get” our clients, their services and their products. Through a series of brainstorming sessions—in person or over the phone (and often both)—we come to understand our clients’ vision for their organization, as well as their mission, values, guiding principles and target customer base. The better we know all the factors that make an organization what it is today (or a small-business owner who she is today), the better positioned we are to create an effective narrative brand platform based on core truths. This is the Brand Message—the most important part of any brand—and every word, graphic and image in the materials we create must support it.

The thinking work.    Next, we ponder. And analyze. And ask the big question, “What if…?” After we weigh the options—for content and color story, voice and style, illustrations and photos—we formulate design concepts based on the information we’ve gathered, our clients’ unique position in the marketplace and the product or services being offered. Plus, we look at the stories that our clients (and only our clients) can tell. From there, we flesh out our clients’ single most compelling story—the one that not only embodies who they are, leverages their strengths, exploits an opening in marketplace, but also makes an intimate connection with their target audience.

The working work.    Now, we create… The website. The brochure. The business cards. The letterhead. No matter what the size of a project (big and complicated or small and simple), we match our clients’ strategic message with smart design, in everything from the color story and paper stock to the website navigation and SEO. Each and every touch point is an opportunity for a brand to jump off the printed page or computer screen. Yes, this is the most exciting phase of all, the phase where our overall strategy comes alive. Because your brand isn’t something you say—it’s a living narrative your organization must breathe everyday.