Frequently Asked Questions
What happens during a free consultation?
A consultation starts with you telling us about your business, your customers, your audience, and your goals. We need to know who you’re marketing to before we think about how to reach them. Then, if you already know what you’re looking for, we will discuss the specifics of the job. If you are looking for a strategic marketing plan or multiple services, we will discuss your entire marketing strategy and exchange ideas. Mostly, it’s about getting to know each other and understanding your target market. Then we make recommendations and decide next steps.
What kind of email marketing do you do, and what is a typical ROI?
We do all kinds of email marketing, from sales to product explainers to newsletters. ROI varies by industry, goals, and metrics. Most email marketing yields $28-$38 per $1 spent.
What is Content Marketing?
Content Marketing is a way of improving your usefulness to your audience, positioning yourself as an expert, and improving your search engine rankings all in one. Basically it involves producing content around what you want to be known for and what you want to rank for. That content can be anything (blog posts, social media posts, videos, pillar pages, classes, infographics, photos, case studies, newsletters, etc.) as long as it is focused on the needs and interests of the audience you’re trying to reach. Content marketing is one of the least expensive and most effective ways to market a business, costing on average 62% less than traditional outbound marketing and bringing in 3x as many leads (according to Content Marketing Institute).
What is the difference between motion design and animation?
Technically, any graphic element that moves is an animation. Outside of the industry, the terms will often be used interchangeably, and, even in the design community, there is some debate about which services fall under which name. The way we define it is by saying: motion design is to animation as graphic design is to illustration. Motion design tends to be more “big picture.” Parts of the design are animated, but the focus is on the entire project. Animation often refers to characters and scenes, which are usually inserted into the larger design. There is a lot of overlap! The good news is that most designers and animators are pretty specific in their niches and well connected to other people in the field. If you reach out to one who doesn’t do what you need done, they will almost always have a suggestion for someone who does what you need.
What is UX/UI in web design?
UX stands for User Experience. UI stands for User Interface. There is some overlap, but, in general, UX refers to things like site architecture, navigation, and ease of use, while UI refers to design elements like color, typography, and interactive elements. UX focuses on the decisions the user can make and the entire user journey, while UI focuses on aesthetic considerations.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It’s the process of making your website rank higher on search engines. It’s important because most people won’t read through more than a couple pages of search results, so if you want to be found online, you need your page to come up early for certain keywords. SEO is generally divided into organic and paid SEO. When trying to rank organically, the SEO process involves several steps, including: optimizing your website (making it crawlable, fixing broken links, creating an easily understood hierarchy/structure, updating tags and meta descriptions, etc.), doing keyword research, regularly producing quality content around your keywords, promoting your content, and link building. This is different from paid search, which improves your ranking by displaying your content at the top of pages for keywords you “win” by bidding for them.
How does pricing work?
We offer a variety of pricing models to accommodate your needs.
Marketing and Design
Retainer vs. Single Project: Retainer clients are those who need ongoing services like content production, site management, paid search campaigns, or social media management. Single Project clients hire us for one thing: building a website or creating a video, for example. Retainer clients signing on for at least one year of services are automatically given a 10% discount off the year’s projects and the option to pay quarterly, monthly, biweekly, or even weekly. Single Project clients are asked to pay on the milestone system: milestones and timelines are established up front and the client pays 1/3 up front, 1/3 at the mid-point, and 1/3 at completion. Particularly long or complicated projects may be paid over the course of a year like retainer clients. We are also able to be flexible with returning clients and we’re willing to discuss terms based on your circumstances. We will always be clear on the terms before we start working.
Pricing for both Retainer Clients and Single Project Clients is determined by either a budget-based or fee-based model. In a budget-based model, the client sets a budget and we work together to establish your goals and priorities and then provide the best products or services for that budget. In a fee-based model, the client comes to us with a specific project in mind and we provide a quote based on the specifications of the job.
Consulting is charged on an hourly or daily basis.
Do you offer a discount for nonprofit organizations?
Nonprofit organizations are given a 10% discount. Nonprofit organizations on retainer can combine discounts for a 20% discount on contracts of at least one year.
What factors determine the cost of specific jobs? Why are specific rates not listed?
Specific rates are not listed because so many factors affect pricing.
Marketing costs can be affected by things like the number of contacts for email marketing campaigns or the keywords you’re using for paid search.
Design projects are largely defined by our scope of work and the amount of time/skill required to complete it. Design projects can have additional costs beyond our control (music rights, licensing fees, stock photos, VoiceOver actors, etc.) and can have widely varying degrees of technical complexity. Cost can also be affected by rendering times, whether we need to maintain and store assets, whether copyright is transferred, and whether we’re required to sign NDAs.
Every project is different. We aren’t able to post rates for things like website design because one site may be five basic pages with assets and copy provided while another is 300 pages with gated content, a staff portal, and a full e-commerce solution. A motion design project could be a 30 second whiteboard animation with a script and all assets provided while another is a ten minute piece that we must write the script for, produce storyboards, license music, hire a VoiceOver actor, film live footage, and merge live footage with custom animations.
We will always be upfront with you about the factors that could affect your cost. You can schedule a consultation or receive a quote by emailing info@substance-and-style.com with as much information as possible about your business, your audience, your marketing goals, and your project to receive a quote by email. Please use “quote request” or something similar in the subject line to ensure a quick response. We will get back to you with any questions we have and your quote as soon as possible.
How long do projects take?
The length of time a project takes is dictated by the scope of the project. We will try to estimate a timeframe as precisely as possible once we know the details of the project. Sometimes it may be possible to put a rush on certain jobs for an addition fee. We cannot guarantee that we can accommodate rush jobs at all times of the year.
Do you work with agencies?
We do. Agencies may contact us at info@substance-and-style.com to discuss projects. Please put “agency” or something similar in the subject line to ensure quick response.
Do you partner with illustrators and designers?
We do! If you’re interested in working with us, please drop us a line at info@substance-and-style.com and explain how you would like to collaborate. If you would like to be added to our freelance roster, please provide a link to your reel or portfolio.
With so many no-code options available, why should I hire a designer/developer to create my website?
If you are able to get the kind of site you want using a no-code option, you absolutely should! This is a good option if you are at least somewhat tech-savvy and you don’t have complicated requirements for your site’s functionality. We also consult and show people how to set up their own sites, monetize their sites, set up e-commerce, and set up drop shipping. If you need help, let us know!
Can’t social media replace websites at this point?
It really depends on your business, but in most cases, no. Websites give you control over and ownership of your content. Any social media platform can go away or change its Terms and Conditions at any point. Your own website is more secure and permanent. Additionally, not having a website can make you seem less credible to your customers. Finally, if you are selling products or services directly, in most cases you will have lower transaction fees on your own website.
Why shouldn’t I just do my designs myself in Canva or Express?
You should! If you are able to get the kinds of designs you want and achieve your goals by doing so, you absolutely should. Your decision should be based on how much time you want to invest and how comfortable you are with your own technical and design skills.
Why shouldn’t I hire someone off of fiverr or a similar service?
We wouldn’t discourage you from using fiverr. There are a lot of good designers on there, especially those who are just starting out and trying to build up their portfolio. If you can find someone who will do what you need on the cheap, we say go for it. But fiverr and other places like it have a lot of inconsistency when it comes to skill level and quality of work. It’s a Buyer Beware situation, so just be aware of that. The reward may or may not be worth the risk.
Does the client retain copyright/ownership of materials produced?
Copyright laws are always changing and AI has turned it into the wild west. Currently, artistic works are automatically owned by the creator of the works unless otherwise specified in the contract. Typically, people don’t realize this and end up in a terrible position where they stop using a design firm and then have to ask permission to use their own logo. It can turn into a real nightmare. With a few exceptions, we write our contracts as “work for hire,” meaning that our customers retain copyright. Usually, we include a clause stating that we have the right to use the work for portfolio samples, competitions, and our own marketing. When this is not possible (we’re working on a new product and confidentiality is vital, for example), we will often relinquish copyright entirely for an additional charge. We will make sure you understand what belongs to you before we sign the contract.
Why do I have to pay for hosting if I hire you to design an interactive publication?
You don’t always! It depends on your own website’s hosting plan. If you have the ability to upload html 5 files directly to your server, you are able to self-host interactive documents. If your website is hosted by WordPress, Wix, or anywhere else where you design without code, you may need to upgrade, install plugins, or otherwise expand your site’s functionality before you are able to upload files directly. In some situations, you cannot do so without changing your site’s host. It’s important that you verify your capability with your host or web developer before making a decision. Some people choose to simply have us host their documents to avoid the expense and work of upgrading their websites.
Check back often. This page is always being updated.
Please submit your questions to info@substance-and-style.com.
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