scw creative

THE LOW END VERSUS THE HIGH END

We also believe, generally, you get what you pay for.

If a design company is pitching a no-money-upfront situation or a super fast turnaround, chances are good that this is too good to be true. It could be any number of reasons — a college student trying to build their portfolio, someone moonlighting or maybe a hobbyist — but the quality will be inconsistent and ranges from good to awful with everything in between. Unfortunately, what sounds great seldom is.

You’ve heard the phrase, ‘Good, fast or cheap. Pick two.’ Which does that leave for you?

What about the other end? The guys and gals who’ll draw you a pie in the sky, full of smiles and promises. ‘Sure,’ they say, ‘It’ll cost a pretty penny but you deserve it. Put your feet up, listen to this 12″ single recorded by a Portland graffiti artist in her garage.’ It’s hard to resist, we know because we’ve been on the other side but is it what you need? The sweet talk and the slick sell?

The fact of the matter is that big budget agencies or firms will be overkill for most businesses and most people. Do you need an account executive to act as a liaison between you, as the client, and the creative team? What about market research? Media buys? If you don’t need it, we don’t think you should pay for it.

Here’s where we come in, with exactly what you need. With a small studio like scw creative, you get quality and a ton of experience without paying the big agency price. And you get to communicate directly with the creative team working on your project. And more importantly, the people who are on the team are the right people for the job. We only bring in the people that you need and so we’re nimble enough to deliver on time and on budget. Kind of like a team of superheroes, Mister Fantastic, Submariner and Rima the Jungle Girl might be indispensable for that creative social network build but sometimes Batman, alone, is perfect for that logo design.

THE NUMBERS

• All work starts at $85/hour — with a 10% discount for non-profits
• After an initial consultation, 20% down is required to start a job and includes a simple statement of work — we sign it and you sign it, it establishes time lines, expectations and responsibilities. This way, you know what to expect from us and vice versa

In terms of specific types of projects, typical charges and time lines run as follows:

• Logo (three versions, two rounds of revisions): $800, five working days
• Stationary system (includes letterhead, envelope, business cards): $500, three to four working days
• Brochure/collateral pieces: $800, four working days
• Web site: $1,000, depends on how the site will be built as well as its functionality

A host of other design and creative services are available and range in price depending on complexity and the amount of work. We’re available for more focused kinds of work — copywriting, photography, illustration — as well as the larger realms of campaign management and promotional work.

We will also work within a set budget for clients that require it.

REFERRALS

If you refer business to scw creative, we offer a 5% referral fee, payable once a project has been contracted. Anyone is eligible for this payout — previous clients, other designers, even family members — and it can be applied in many ways: credited to the client, a future credit or paid immediately.

WHEN IT’S ALL SAID AND DONE

This year, a portion of all profits will be donated to the Food Bank For New York City, which helps feed more than 1.5 million people per year citywide. In previous years, it was:

• Meals on Wheels and More
• People’s Community Clinic
• Town Lake Animal Center (that’s where Polly Jean came from)

Other charities will be taken on as deemed necessary.

Get in touch today, we can’t wait to hear from you.

about

We have one mission in our work and that's to tell your story. And the best way to do that is with design and branding solutions that are created just for you and built from the ground-up, not one-size-fits-all cookie cutter templates. read more

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