The art of constructive criticism is a talent that you don’t find on anybody’s resume, but this specific skill is very useful where design work is involved and specifically design work with a multitude of parties each having the correct solution to the problem. Maybe Constructive criticism is not quite the right fit, more a doctorate in Spin, were you need to explain to a client that there idea is like looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.

If you pull this off and everyone agrees on a solution, say for example that you need 5 categories in your website architecture for a particular product and then create a website design around this new menu and then hold everything…wait… now after seeing it they decide they need 8 categories and another whole section, because that is what xyzproducts.com is doing, “I saw their site over the weekend.” So now you have to explain to them how wrong “mistaken” they are all over again, subtly of course…. Unless by some freak event you yourself are wrong on this one??!??

“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.”
Winston Churchill

It’s a Thursday, which for me means wrap-up day. All of the tasks that we have been working on for the week, or proposals that need to be sent out, inquiry e-mails that have follow-up questions, or any other general loose ends that need some tying have to be complete, addressed, or otherwise handled.

As a writer at DDA, a large portion of my job is in communicating with clients, prospective or existing, as I know I have mentioned so many times before. This holds true in project coordination, New Business Development, or in my writing tasks. What this ultimately means is that it is my responsibility, as it is for the three other degreed writers on-staff, to make sure that each client is fully aware of what’s going with his or her project or inquiry at all times.

We take this very seriously. We try not to have too much time lapse between an e-mail or phone call sent and our response. This often means running (in my case sometimes literally) around to get the answers I need from those assigned to the project — animators, videographers, graphic designers, programmers, etc. That’s one of the coolest things about this company — the fact that we are full service and do offer everything needed for a marketing and advertising campaign under roof, so oftentimes there are multiple people involved one project, bridging the gap between departments — programming, design, video, websites, search engine marketing and optimization.

It’s not always keeping track of everyone and everything. People make fun of my handwritten list which I tape to my monitor. It might look a little archaic in this age of spreadsheets, software to keep you organized, and Blackberrys. But it works for me.

Like right now I am looking at the list of nearly 20 items, with only four crossed out, and I am thinking it’s time to get a move on on wrapping it all up.

At DDA, we have a staff of degreed writers, a video production crew, graphic designers, photographers, programmers, a search engine marketing team, and more to help make your product amazing. However, we also encourage plenty of client feedback along the way so that we can provide you with something you’re happy with. For example, during video production, we will send you a draft of the script, allow you to respond with any feedback, and update the script as often as necessary to ensure we are giving the right, effective message. At the same time, the video team will provide you with design concepts, video clips, and anything else to receive some feedback and improve. So while we can manage any project from start to finish, a large part of the process involves you, the client.

The reason we encourage our clients to provide as much feedback as possible is so that all the appropriate changes can be made in the early stages of the project. Because video or custom programming can take a good amount of time, it is essential for everyone to properly plan before time is spent on the bulk of the project so that we do not run into issues that will further complicate matters. If, for instance, the scope of a programming project is changed after the original has been created, it will take additional time for our programmers to go back to make the necessary changes. This will obviously push the budgets and delay the final product, which is what we do not want to do. With the proper planning and client approval at different stages of development, we can eliminate these last minute changes to meet your deadlines in a timely and cost-effective manner.

It has been a long time since I have painted. I graduated from MICA in 2001 and have since touched a paintbrush to canvas once. In my college days I took a number of intensive drawing and painting classes. These classes were crucial in developing my sense of composition, color, visual aesthetic, and the overall process of creating a piece of art.

It is with no doubt that all these skills are applied to my work at DDA. One of the most important, and probably most ignored, things to keep in mind when creating artwork is to work the whole canvas. It is very easy to get stuck on a particular section of a drawing or painting. The same goes for video compositing, animation, design, etc. One must pay equal attention to the entire piece in order to make it successful.

Not only does this process apply to a single project, at DDA we apply this theory to our clients. All our clients get the same amount of attention, whether it be creating a marketing video for a person with a simple invention to creating large, 500 hundred page websites for large recognizable companies.

Like smells, colors may mean different things to different people and stir up memories that would otherwise be forgotten. For example, every time I smell Garnier Fructis shampoo it reminds me of when I had morning sickness. This is a smell I don’t ever wish to smell again. Color and certain color combinations also carry around different meanings and create a mood, welcomed or not.

In the corporate world, companies adopt their corporate colors - brown for UPS, yellow for DHL and purple/orange for Fedex - and use these colors as the main focus of their branding. UPS has certainly taken their corporate color and created an entire marketing theme: “What can brown do for you?” Color choice, along with all the other ingredients to a successful design (typography, composition, photography, imagery, illustration), needs careful consideration before beginning a project.

Just now I got a phone call from a client requesting that their video animation be placed on a dark blue background to create a slick, classy look. While I am sure we can create a slick, classy video animation on any color background, for this particular client dark blue was chosen. Luckily there are some general rules when choosing the proper color and as with all rules there are exceptions. Except the rule about running with scissors. That should never ever be broken. 

Here are a few: Stay away from reds when designing for the healthcare industry. Yellows, reds, and oranges are great color choices for restaurants and the food industry as they have been proven to increase one’s appetite while blues have been proven to suppress ones appetite as people commonly associate them with mold or rot. However, blue is a great choice for very corporate companies that want to emote dedication, trust, and loyalty.   

This morning we have a kick-off meeting for a website we will be developing. It will be a highly-optimized site, with 35 pages of new content developed by DDA’s writers, specifically crafted to reach top rankings on search engines like Google.

It’s a common affair here at DDA — not just website development, or developing optimized copy, but a kick-off meeting.

For nearly every project we undertake, the first step is a meeting with the client to determine their goals and the direction of the project. It’s the first taste of a what will be a long string of client involvement.

Regardless if it’s a video, website, animation, brochure, or trade show booth, we are developing the product for our clients, which means their opinion and feedback is vital. We don’t move forward during any stage of development without approval.

This approach is indicative of so much of what DDA is and does — the fact that we were created with the needs of the marketing or advertising executive in mind; that each project is customized specifically to that client no matter how many times we have developed something in that medium; that we have a strong sense of pride in the work we create.

The other week we had a conference call with an existing client. Before finding DDA, this client had signed on with another company to do website development. We had undertaken a completely separate project for this client, but during the course of working together, it was apparent on both sides that there was a strong working relationship. As it turns out, the company this client signed up with for website development, did not treat them well, or more like not at all. After the initial meeting, this client barely heard a word again and had no clue as to what stage the project was on.

While we of course were more than happy to take on the website project, it was bitter sweet. They should have never had to go through that in the first place. There are so many companies out there that care little about the work they produce or their clients.

I am glad I work for a company that respects its clients and values their business. And as for my kick-off meeting this morning, I know that it’s just the start of what will be a long relationship.

My younger cousin e-mailed the other day to ask if I ever had to do public speaking. It was for a college class project. She was referring primarily to my days in journalism, but after mulling over the question, I realized how important verbal communication is in my position as a writer — nearly just as vital as my writing skills.

A large part of what I do is interacting with existing and prospective clients. This runs the spectrum from phone calls to check up on progress, to troubleshooting any technical issues, to conference calls to discuss new projects.

I am always conscious that how I present myself is directly representative of Dynamic Digital Advertising (DDA).

We do great work. From the programmers, to the designers, to web developers,  videographers and everyone in between, we have a very talented group who can get things done well and on time. But there’s another aspect to what we do as well, which is client relations.

That genuine concern for a client’s project, their feedback, and the end product, is like adding just the right topping to a project that already combines some of the most innovative and cutting-edge technologies.

When we become less busy with our own clients, we tend to take on work from others, who are over loaded with their projects. I have done my share of taking and giving; it is all part of the ‘behind the scenes work’ at DDA. Last week I had gotten a few ‘High-Priority’ projects and when that happens, the lesser demanding projects can be at risk of being pushed off a little. Fortunately things worked out for the best when I delegated them to another designer.

Sometimes, even when working in the same space, we don’t really get to see what the other designers are doing. Generally, we are just too busy to check up on some one else’s work. When we start switching projects however, we get to work with designs and web pages we did not initially create.

I have had my eye on a website Judy has been working on for about a month to two months, give or take. I remember her designing the site in Photoshop and I liked it from the start. Now, I have the pleasure of building out the gallery of this particular site. I have the opportunity to study her design and use of images and text while working through the build out. I am able to see a glimpse of her thought process.

In the days to come many more projects will fall to me, and that’s just fine. It’ll give me the chance to work with many different thought processes.

The last remnants of winter are finally dissipating and in its wake, spring is slowly but surely emerging. The trees are budding, the weather is warming, and the birds have returned from their southern winter hideaways. And like the welcomed exist of winter, many of my projects are coming to a close. This week alone I expect to launch, or come close to launching, three websites I currently oversee.  This final step is not only exciting for our clients, but also for the DDA team as well. Many times, every department is involved during the development of a custom website. The creative online copywriting team produces search engine optimized copy, the design team creates a pleasing aesthetic that not only appeals to the user, but effectively illustrates a purpose through design, the video production team integrates videos, and the programming team puts forth functionality.  When so much effort is invested, nothing is more pleasing than seeing the final website live and accessible to the public.

Personally, as an online copywriter, I feel a rush of excitement and self-worth when I type a keyword into Google and see the client’s site appear on the first page.  The many hours poured into generating copy that not only is clear and market focused, but is search engine friendly can be difficult, and when your hard work is proven effective, nothing is more rewarding.

The weather is changing, the flowers are blooming, and companies need marketing materials now! Here at DDA we pride ourselves on being able to meet our clients deadlines, as long as they are reasonable.

If someone were to call today and say that they need a 10′ pop-up booth for a show next week that would not be a reasonable time frame. There are many steps to designing and producing the level of quality work that DDA provides.

First, a kick-off meeting should be held so that everyone (client and company) can make sure they are on the same page for the project. Second, a designer will create a few different designs for the project and allow the client to select which version best meets their style and needs. Third, the design needs to be put together and approved by the client. Next, the files will be sent to production and a proof will be created their for final approval. Once approval is received on the production departments proof, we can proceed with production. Typical production time is around 5-7 business days plus shipping.

All of these steps take time, more time than what is available in one or two weeks.