Grand Rapids Marketing Blog

Portfolio Book: Made-From-Scratch

Sun, 01 May 2011 00:52:00 GMT

I made a portfolio book from scratch, and despite my lack of knowledge when it comes to using tools and building things, I think it turned out well.

The cover is made out of wood, which I stained with two coats of Minwax. The first coat of stain took about 10 minutes to dry, while the second coat of stain took 3 days to dry.

I used continuous hinges on the inside, 12" long. The posts are screw posts from Lowe's, 1/4" long.

The prints inside are actual photos, 11" x 17", which makes it easy to swap out for new images in the future.

There are currently 14 pages, but there is flexibility to grow in the future.

Meet Ms. Merrill

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:51:00 GMT

We had the pleasure of meeting Merrill through the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre while we were photographing the play, “Hello, Dolly!” Merrill does a fantastic job playing the always entertaining part of Ermengarde. We were thrilled when she contacted us to shoot a dance session along with some head shots and others to be used for future acting gigs.

Merrill has amazing eyes and a sassy stature that made our job very easy, and, she’s a super fun girl. We had a great time getting to know her!

Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 19:00:00 GMT

STUDIO3TWENTY recently had the opportunity to do some volunteer photography for the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, and it was truly an amazing experience.

During the last 6 weeks we went behind the scenes to document all the hard work and dedication that goes into a production like “Hello, Dolly!” Our photos range from the nightly rehearsals to the finishing touches on stage.

Below are just a few or our favorite photos. If you want to see more of the action, check things out on Facebook.

And, be sure to do yourself a favor and get out and see see a show and at The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. They have some amazing productions yet to come this season.

Hello, Dolly! is on stage through March 20, and its definitely worth checking out. Performances run Wednesday through Sunday.

East Grand Rapids Polar Plunge Photos

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:17:00 GMT

Recently we had the pleasure to attend the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) Polar Plunge held each year in East Grand Rapids Reeds Lake. This is a great event that raises money for Special Olympic Michigan. While we were there we had to break out the camera with the hopes of sharing this great event with others. After seeing how much cool and crazy fun was had by all, while raising money for a great cause, we might have to take the plunge next year.

Enjoy our photos and let us know what you think.

Young Entrepreneurs Series

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 19:01:00 GMT

The Grand Rapids Press recently did a week long series featuring young entrepreneurs in the West Michigan area, and you can only imagine how thrilled I was to find out that STUDIO3TWENTY was going to be among the businesses featured. The call from the reporter was just the start of wonderful things to come.

6 days after our initial conversation we were seated in our office with Cami Reister, a business reporter for The Grand Rapids Press. She and I spoke on the phone various times over the previous week, so it was great to meet her in person. She had a bevy of questions for us, inquiring about everything from our backgrounds to our clients to our spare time. I admired how quickly she was able to write notes. One of the many skills of reporting, I suppose.

Up next was our photo session with Press photographer Cory Morse. We thoroughly enjoyed this portion of our 15 minutes of fame, considering we have a particular interest in photography ourselves. It was interesting to be on the other side of the lens.

We had to wait almost 2 weeks to see the actual article in print, and honestly, we were a bit nervous and excited. When I purchased that day's paper I was surprised to find that we were pictured on the front page of the Grand Rapids Press. We quickly turned to the article and were so pleased to find that Cami did a wonderful job accurately portraying STUDIO3TWENTY, the way we do business, the way we think, and where we had come from. It truly was a very accurate and positive article. We were also really pleased with the way the photos turned out. Cory has a great eye and a knack for interesting angles.

The response we got from the article was nothing but positive and we've had a number of potential client interactions due to the coverage. Above all, we are truly thankful that Cami and The Grand Rapids Press saw potential in our business and felt we were worthy of covering.

You can read the entire article here. All photos included in this blog post were taken by Cory Morse of The Grand Rapids Press and can also be found at the article link.

An Evening with the Griffins

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 04:28:00 GMT

Something you may not know about STUDIO3TWENTY is that we often help our clients with event planning. This is a part of my job that I thoroughly enjoy because it lets me exercise my left brain and my handy organizational skills.

When IT Resource wanted to celebrate their company's birthday, I worked with them to plan an event that would ensure a good time was had by all. We ultimately decided to host a night of hockey with the Grand Rapids Griffins. We reserved the swank Corner Office, which allowed guests to watch the game from the comfort of a recliner. Equipped with end tables to house your food and beverage, this is definitely the place to be for any event at the Van Andel Arena.

As a part of our event planning duties, we serve as the main point of contact for the facility, we coordinate the food and beverage, design the invitations to be sent to customers, and handle all loose ends that may pop up the day/night of the event.

Andrea Receives One of Grand Rapids' Top Honors!

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:32:00 GMT

Excitement came recently in the form of an email notifying me that I had been selected as one of the Grand Rapids Business Journal's 40 Under Forty. According to GRBJ, they are looking for those who lead the community in one way or another, provide business and community leadership, and make a difference. To be recognized among such an elite group of young professionals was truly an honor.

To start the process I had to get a professional head shot taken for the publication, which I found to be a pretty exciting ordeal, even though the whole photo process only took about 2.5 seconds. After directions to tilt this way, turn my chin that way, and smile, we ended up with what you see above. Thanks Johnny Quirin, for making me look nice:)

The 40 Under 40 recipients were honored at a reception held at the Goei Center. It was a beautiful facility and the reception was top-notch! The keynote speaker was Mike Jandernoa who spoke about the state of Michigan's economy, as well as how Grand Rapids has the opportunity to thrive. Very interesting stuff.

Each recipient received a framed piece with their article and photo.

It was not only a special night for STUDIO3TWENTY, but also for one of our clients, IT Resource, of Coopersville. Their sales manager, Carrie Borchers, was one of the 40 Under 40 recipients as well. Here we are, happy together:)

Being recognized as one of Grand Rapids Business Journal's 40 Under Forty was truly an honor. I thank those that thought I was worthy of the recognition, and I thank the other recipients for all they do for our community. Grand Rapids is a great place to encourage business to thrive!

See the Grand Rapids Business Journal 40 Under 40 publication in its entirety here. PS: Take a look at page 22:)

Using our skills to give back...and eat a lot

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 19:02:00 GMT

Over the course of the last few years, we've seen a bevy of local restaurants go under. Just this week we saw the Adobe sign in Allendale get covered up, while the McDonald's right next store was swamped. We asked, what's wrong with people? Buying local keeps money local, which makes a community thrive. A year ago we found ourselves not helping the situation by dining at any one of the numerous chains in town. We asked ourselves, what can we do to make a difference, even if it was just a small one?

Welcome the arrival of Local GR Eats (or Local Greats, depending on how you write it.) Since the inception of our concept, we can honestly say we have not had dinner at a chain restaurant. We even gave up my fave, Fajita-Rita Monday at Chili's, which was a regular hot spot for us. In return we've been rewarded with great food, wonderful service, and the opportunity to genuinely support the local businesses that make West Michigan great.

The idea was to use social media and word of mouth to find great locally owned restaurants, visit them with a group of friends, then spread the word. We started a blog and began using Facebook and Twitter. We never imagined what would become of it. Within weeks we had hundreds of hits a day to our blog, and we had 200+ Facebook fans, 90% of which were people we didn't know. They just liked the idea and wanted to support it. If you "like" Local GR Eats on Facebook, you can see where we're going next, and you can check out our blog to see where we've been.

Each time we dine out we make an attempt to speak to the owner, who is almost always working, and what we find are hardworking people who are passionate about what they do. They truly appreciate the fact that we bring a group in to their restaurant, then tell everyone we can about them. We've had fantastic experiences, wonderful food, and great service at places we had never been to before. Authentic Mexican fare is right in our backyard at Maggie's Kitchen. Never been there...read the post, its phenomenal. Looking for quirky decor with an incredible menu? Kopper Top is the place. The cutest restaurant with the most adorable owners goes to none other than Marie Catrib's.

We felt great when people would send us messages saying they had never heard of Angel's Thai Cafe, but after reading our blog they had to try it and went there for lunch the next day. Are we changing the world? No, but we're happy if get just a few more people to think about supporting local business and trying some of the many fantastic places in their own backyards.

Eat up...and do it locally!

Got a great restaurant we should visit? Send us a message on our Facebook page.

A Simple Way To Create A Screencast

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 02:34:00 GMT

Screencasting is a simple way to record your computer screen, then share the video with others. Its a great way to train employees, or teach clients how to make changes within their content management system. Because the screencast records your every move, its easy to show others exactly what you’re doing.

We’ve found this process to be extremely helpful in training our clients on how to do simple tasks within their website using our gowithclick.com content management system.

But, things weren’t always this easy for me. Before I discovered an all-in-one software solution I used to talk each client through every change. Anytime they wanted to upload a pdf to their website, or create an email marketing campaign I would train or retrain them. Don’t get me wrong, I am always more than happy to help out each and every client, but creating a video that they could watch, actually made THEIR lives easier. They could watch the video and make the web update at 2am if they wanted to. Its really an added convenience.

My search for the perfect way to record my screen required me to find software that would allow me to record my voice at the same time so I could explain what was happening. To date, the best software I have come across is Jing. Jing allows you to take screenshots, record video of onscreen actions and instantly share them via the web, email and more. Oh, did I mention there is a free version for both Mac and Windows? Score.

If you want to see an example of me and Jing in action, click play.

There are other software options, but I have found Jing to be the best for me. Here is a nice compilation of other screencast software possibilities. If you have found something that works really well for you, feel free to share it with us.

What Can You Create Today?

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 03:29:00 GMT

As members of Design West Michigan, we received the perk of having a trial membership to the Grand Rapids Art Museum. We took advantage of this a few times to check out the ever-changing exhibits, and the educational Friday Night Conversation series. The focus of the series for the month of June was 2D and 3D design, which was perfect for a pair of design junkies like ourselves.

One particular conversation series (Design/Educate/Connect) featured 6 interviews with a variety of local design entrepreneurs from different sectors of the design community. Featured were Benjamin Gott, creator of Boxed Water, Nicolai Czumaj-Bront, furniture designer at Haworth, Rick DeVos, mastermind behind Art Prize, Josh Higginson of Premier Skateshop, Chad Miller from Restaurant Bloom, and Nick Stockton of Teamwork Design. Each designer shed light on how their respective businesses came about, how they are influenced by everyday design, and how they use design in their business.

You might ask, how does design relate to a restaurant? Well, in Restaurant Bloom’s case, its simple. Chad talked about how design influenced everything from his choice of dinnerware to the way the food was displayed on the plate. Its easy to choose the cheapest item, but give design a little thought and your customers will notice the details.

When you open your mind to the idea that design is involved in everything you do, your concepts become more functional and more aesthetically pleasing.

The highlight of the evening for me was listening to Rick DeVos explain how Art Prize came about, and what to expect this year. If you visited Art Prize last year, you know the impact it had on the Grand Rapids community. Personally I cannot wait to go back this year.

In closing, a quote that really stood out to me was explained by Nicolai Czumaj-Bront. When asked how ideas come to him when creating beautiful, yet functional pieces of furniture he stated that when you look at a caterpillar, you never expect that the end result will be a butterfly.

Think about design the same way. Things aren’t always as they seem. What can you create today?

Let Us Help Improve Your Search Engine Rankings

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 03:34:00 GMT

When meeting with a client for the first time one of the most common complaints they have about their current website is that it doesn't come up when they search for it in Google, Yahoo, etc. This is called search engine optimization, and is an area that STUDIO3TWENTY can help in. At the simplest form of search engine optimization, we talk to our clients about how a few simple changes to their current website can optimize the content in their site, making it more "search engine friendly." Just by adding some key phrases into the copy, adjusting your page headers to reflect things you would want your clients to search for, and saving your images with names that would be search relevant will make a world of difference. We can also run reports to show you exactly what key phrases your clients are searching for. Of course we can dig much deeper into the website, but optimizing the copy is a great starting point.

If your website isn't getting the search engine rankings you've been hoping for, give us a call. We'd be happy to meet with you and take a look at your site. Or, if you choose work with STUDIO3TWENTY right from the start, we will design and build a custom website with a strong foundation for an optimized site.

New Website Design for BHBI

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 03:39:00 GMT

We've been working with Dr. Bruce Barkalow, on various marketing pieces, for a few years now and we were really excited when he asked us to recreate the website for his personal business. B.H. Barkalow, PC is a biomedical and clinical engineering firm located in Muskegon, Michigan. Their old site wasn't really working the way they hoped it would, and clients found it to be a bit cumbersome. We created a website that would be easy for their clients to navigate, and that also provides a bit of a personal feel for their business. Take a look at the new website here and let me know what you think.

Great Website for Great Start

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 03:43:00 GMT

We have been working on the Communications Committee for Great Start of Ottawa County for almost a year now. In addition, we've been busy working up a brand new website for them as well. We were delighted when they decided that a full on content management system would be the best fit for them.

We spent several months working on the web design, collecting content, and getting all our ducks in a row to make sure the website would fit all their needs. We're so happy and excited to announce that the website launched just last week. Great Start is taking advantage of all the cool gadgets that a content management system has to offer - email marketing, interactive event calendars, forums, blogs, etc. You can check out the new website here. For those of you who aren't familiar with Great Start of Ottawa County, they are a non profit organization that works to make sure children are emotionally, socially, physically and mentally ready for school and life. What a great organization...we're so glad we've been able to work with them!

New Host...New Logo

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 03:45:00 GMT

We often get clients requesting a new logo design for one of 2 reasons: 1. They are a startup business. 2. They are in need of a change, either because their old logo does not represent their business and identity well, or they are undergoing some "internal changes." Unless you've been living under a rock, you know by now that Jay Leno is retiring from the Tonight Show, and being replaced by Conan O'Brien. What happens when "new management" takes over a company? Inevitably there are going to be some changes, and in this case its a new logo. You might remember the old logo, which looks like this:

The new Conan logo looks like this:

O'Brien had this to say about the new logo... "I wanted a logo that acknowledges the long, rich tradition of The Tonight Show while still looking good on hats, t-shirts, mugs, lawn furniture, notebooks, stemware, urns, defibrillators, water bottles, cell phones, sports equipment, pens, vacuums, chimes and our new line of unisex cologne."

What do you think of the new logo? Was it time for a change, or do you like the old logo better?