Deal Design Packaging

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and co-founder of Crave to Create. We’re a premium baked goods service that’s starting as a bakery. We provide gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, corn-free, oat free, legume-free bakes goods.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Deal Design?

We hired them to design our logo, help us prepare to launch our website, and grow our social media platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Using the logo that I initially created, Deal Design created our current logo. Their team elevated our packaging materials, aligning all of their deliverables with our brand values. We told them what we wanted and then they made our visions realities.

Deal Design developed our website on WordPress and created a seamless shopping experience for our customers. Their team linked everything back to a customer’s shopping cart, meaning customers can order from the homepage. On the homepage, there are three different points when a user can click ‘order now’. They built an about us page as well as blog and podcast pages for when we launch them. Their team created a tutorial video to help us make future edits.

Deal design also connected the website with our email and Instagram. If customers want to connect with us, they can quickly.

How did you come to work with Deal Design?

A friend found Deal Design through their Instagram and recommended them. I then looked at their website and had a consultation with David (Principal). I loved his aura, passion, and experience. As David had 20 years of experience in the industry, I felt confident that his team could make my vision a reality.

How much have you invested in them?

Roughly, we spent about $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project at the beginning of August, and it was completed in November 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Deal Design created a clean and fresh website as well as a cleaner and chicer logo. Their team was able to communicate our focus on experiences. I’m proud of what their team created for us and believe it will have a major ROI. I would promote Deal Design and my website based on how it looks and my experience with Deal Design. I’m confident that our investment in their services set us up for long-term success.

Deal Design helped us grow our online presence. They grew our social media following ten-fold. When we started our Instagram profile, we had less than 100 followers. We now have almost 600 followers. Deal Design also made it so that we could sell our products in a nutritionist's office. That carried into more inquiries through our Instagram and email accounts.

We also made test shipments and received many positive comments on our packaging. I give all credit to Deal Design for helping us ensure that our colors and our logo aligned. I also loved their unbiased perspective. Their team effectively communicated when they did and didn’t think our ideas would work. They gave us different perspectives and suggestions to make it simpler. Their team helped us understand that less is more.

How did Deal Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They met every deadline and exceeded expectations. During the logo design process, my business partner and I wanted to add elements. Deal Design kindly made those edits. When we asked for their design opinion, they gave us an unbiased perspective that ultimately guided our direction. In the end, we’re happier with the final product.

Their whole team was personable and professional. They cared about realizing and elevating our vision. We relaxed during the engagement because we trusted them. We knew that their team was knowledgeable. That’s the key to a successful partnership. Trust is crucial.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I loved the combination of friendliness and professionalism that Deal Design brought to the engagement. During conversations with another company, it’s possible to lose your personality. Their team was always personable and never talked down to us. They were respectful, which I appreciated as a young female entrepreneur. It made the process even more enjoyable. I can’t say enough good things about working with Deal Design.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I felt that Deal Design met all of my needs.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Bring your most authentic self and vision to the table. Don’t be afraid to give them your whole vision because they will help bring it to life. People may be afraid to share their vision and receive feedback on their designs. However, Deal Design wants to know what their clients want. Their team will design with their clients. It will lead to satisfying results.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive and part of the upper management at Maneri Direct. I don’t have a specific title because I wear several hats. I work in estimating, and I’m the head of the product sales division. I manage marketing and distribution

Our company does traffic closures on all the California state highways and city streets for general contractors to do road and highway work. We have about 50 crews on the freeway at any given time.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Deal Design?

We hired them to help build out our catalog, website, and email marketing campaigns.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I started taking other opportunities that I saw for what we could do as opposed to what we were going to do. That greatly multiplied David’s (Principal) responsibilities. We went from what was originally going to be a 76-page catalog, to our final printed catalog which ended up being 200 pages. We went from probably the representation of four manufacturers up to over 20 manufacturers and all of their SKUs of product that we added to that list. 

Deal Design has also worked on developing our website and email marketing campaign.They ended up doing a beautiful sign scale for us, a three-foot by five-foot large dry erase poster that goes to all our different contractors.

We did the poster, we did the website, the catalog, business cards and we are also doing our email campaigns, so what started off as one or two items, ended up being three or four items. 

We are now working on getting ready to embark on an idea to do a direct purchase app and coordinating with David, we are going to find the right code writing company here locally, that is going to be able to integrate our online catalog into a direct purchase app as well.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with three people. There was someone in the agency that came in and out from time to time. David and his daughter were the main people I worked with throughout the process. They gave me hands-on attention whenever I had time in my window which was wonderful. I believe they are two of the main people in their agency.

How did you come to work with Deal Design?

I found them through a Google search when I was looking for different ad agencies in the Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego County areas. I wanted to be able to physically go in when it seemed appropriate. 

When I saw David’s portfolio and some of the other companies that he had worked with, and also the quality of work in those portfolio ads that he had put out there, I was really impressed with what he had compared to some of the others in that same category or playing field within budgets and quality. 

David and Deal Design really appealed to me and that is why I ended up going with them in the beginning. Soon after, I met with them and after having a couple of meetings with David in person and on the phone, he was very engaging, and he seemed to grasp and understand what it was I was trying to accomplish in a very quick fashion. They were what I was looking for and I am thrilled that I made the choice that I did.  

How much have you invested in them?

Between $25,000 and $50,000 now this point. That ended up evolving.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in March 2019, and it is an ongoing partnership.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We are just launching now and we haven’t sent any emails out yet, but based on just my short time working in this part of this type of industry, I have accumulated direct contacts for about somewhere between 3,000 and 5,000 purchasing agents or project managers that do purchasing for this industry. 

We are just getting ready to start with a CRM tracking software that Deal Design implemented. The half dozen physical corporations that I have taken our hard products to were thrilled and absolutely loved it. We had a great amount of success, so I was really excited about that. 

People that have seen the emails thought they were direct, to the point, very illustrative and it showed them exactly what the products they were interested in looked like. The very minimal feedback I have gotten was nothing but good and positive.

I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Deal Design. They did a spectacular job from A through Z, understanding what the products were, who our target market and demographic was that we were trying to sell through to and that will be a relationship that will be ongoing as we build this division for our company. I have all the plans in the world of keeping that evolution going with Deal Design as my point agency to continue to develop.

How did Deal Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been very good. I created so many challenges for them due to my busy schedule and had to constantly reschedule with David. He was so accommodating, and I applaud Deal Design for being as understanding and considerate of my schedule as they were. On many occasions, I am sure he was frustrated with me, but he was professional enough not to ever let that show through, and I again applaud them for their professionalism.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It is their care and quality in regard to what I was trying to accomplish within the budget and timelines that I had given to them. They far exceeded the quality of work that I anticipated getting with what little time I had to really put into it. 

I leave nothing unturned when it comes to the details, and when I finally did hit them from all angles with what I needed to be able to solicit and market, they were able to work wonders with my input and all the different things that I was giving them along the way.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were two pages in our physical catalog that ended up being headed with the wrong manufacturers and we had to go in after it had already gone to print and after 1000 catalogs had already been shipped out to me.

The one item I would say would be to have a little bit more of a thorough checklist across the board on any items before going to print to make absolutely sure there were no mistakes before the print process began.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I advise anybody that is going to work with Deal Design, or any other agency for that matter, that you get what you put into it. Make sure that with the investment that you are putting forth, that you give ample time and dedicate yourself to the process so that Deal Design is allowed to completely spread their wings and reach the highest highs that they possibly can fly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m VP of R&D for a medical device company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Deal Design?

We needed a partner to help us with our stickers for labeling.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Deal Design’s helping us create our labels and stickers. For this particular project, the deliverables were stickers.

They acted as a middleman to help us secure quality products in a timely manner. After I told them the sticker product we needed for labeling, they sourced the vendor and completed the work for us. We then only needed to pay and receive the shipments.

What is the team composition?

I've only communicated with David (Principal).

How did you come to work with Deal Design?

We found them through a Google search.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent a couple of thousand dollars on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We initially contacted them around April 2019 and have an ongoing relationship with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

This project was great. We didn’t have particular metrics, but it was a success. We received the stickers, which look great. We’ll order more soon.

How did Deal Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate via email. We enjoy working with them and will keep engaging them for all sorts of different initiatives.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate their responsiveness.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, everything came out great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend them without hesitation.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of a fitness equipment company located in Dallas, Texas.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Deal Design?

We hired deal design for the package design of our first product.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was a package design which was both unique and effective.

SOLUTION

How did you select Deal Design?

I selected Deal Design based on referral. I had originally planned to work with another design firm, however, they were not taking on new business at the time, so they referred me to Deal Design.

Describe the project in detail.

The project was for the package design of our first project. I supplied Deal Design with the images, logo and content.

What was the team composition?

I dealt exclusively with David Deal. He interfaced with his team of graphic designers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The product has not officially launched yet, so I don't have numbers to share but I will say that I am very pleased with the design and I expect it to be well received by the market.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was seamless. I dealt with David and he managed everything on the back end.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were impressed by the design they produced and even though my project was small they treated it as a top priority. They took all the time and effort required to produce a high-quality design that is on par with what you would expect from a well established global brand.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None. Deal Design exceeded all my expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of a CBD company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Deal Design Inc?

Our company needed help with the designs for our logo as well as packaging and website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They pretty much walked us through the process from A to Z. I did my branding with a different company initially, and I ended up hating what they did, so I met with Deal Design, gave them an idea of what I was looking for. From there, they came back to us with a set of designs for the log and pretty much everything that it would go on so that I had options to choose from.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with David (Principal) and Erica (Content Creator) for the work.

How did you come to work with Deal Design Inc?

They were on a web platform listing graphic designers by geographic area, and I saw that they were local and decided to reach out. They seemed to really know what they were doing, and I loved the stuff in their portfolio, so we moved forward from there.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first started the work on the logo in September 2019 and are just about to finish implementing everything on the website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Everyone who I’ve shown the website to so far has absolutely loved what they’ve done. Their team is very professional, and it shows in their work, so we come off to new visitors as a very official company in a way that we largely did not before.

How did Deal Design Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a good job of managing our work together and their communication with me throughout that. Primarily, our communication took place over phone and email. We delayed a lot because of things that came up on my end, but they were with us every step of the way.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The professionalism that they bring to the work really makes you feel as though you are in good hands. Not having to be concerned about the quality of work that they are going to deliver in the end takes a huge weight off your shoulders as a business owner, which I really appreciated.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t really have anything negative to say about them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just be as organized as you can. The better you are able to stay on top of your work with them, the quicker they will be able to deliver that work to you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the Executive VP of a cybersecurity firm. We provide a range of cyber technology and training services to both government and commercial customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Deal Digital?

We were looking for a brand update and a new website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

To support the brand revamp, the team at Deal Digital first worked with us to shape our brand positioning. This led to a new logo design and then to a new website built from scratch. 

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with two individuals: a principal and a developer/designer.

How did you come to work with Deal Digital?

After completing some web research, we surveyed three firms. We liked that Deal Digital was out of our direct market. We wanted to bring a little bit of California corporate to what we were doing. They also had some experience in the e-learning space, which is relevant experience to our business.

We compared other firms. While we felt that everyone was competitive from a price standpoint, we felt that Deal Digital offered the greatest value. They could provide the marketing branding services coupled with the new website we needed.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested between $10,000–$25,000 on their services so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Deal Digital in February 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We were drawn to Deal Digital because of what they could offer us. A web development firm can develop a business application, but we were looking for more. We needed strong creative design and marketing support. With other firms, I don’t think we would get that level of creative and marketing knowledge that Deal Digital delivers. We’re optimistic about what their work is going to do for our business.

How did Deal Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed well. We have a lot of open communication through phone, email, and text.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Deal Digital delivers a special combination of creative design, market experience, and technical skill. All of this was applied in both our brand update and new website. We’re pleased that we found this unique combination of capabilities.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind. We’ll continue evaluating their performance as their services continue. I feel good about all deliverables to date.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Think about your vision for your company. It’s important to enter the conversation with a clear view of where you want to take the company so that as a service provider, they’re able to bring out the right skillset to fulfill that. Deal Design was good at drawing that out and making sure they were working with our direction.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and chief innovation officer of a company called Remote Learner. We provide design and hosting services of open-sourced learning management solutions for corporate, government, and higher education institutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Deal Digital?

We engaged them to support our rebrand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Deal Digital supported the rebranding process. The engagement evolved naturally into support for launching a redesigned website and digital marketing initiatives around the launch of our new brand. The nature of our relationship was different because our company does web design too. They worked collaboratively with our team. We took on a lot of the actual work but relied on Deal Digital’s expertise for the global design strategy. Their team came up with initial design concepts based on their recommendations. They also provided strategies for blog and content initiatives.

What is the team composition?

We had two primary points of contact. I’m sure other people in their organization provided expertise and content behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with Deal Digital?

I knew the company’s primaries previously. We had an organic, historic relationship that evolved into a collaboration.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $25,000–$50,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement started in August 2018 and concluded in October 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

The quality of the experience is really what comes into play. They took a meaningful level of interest in understanding our business and market. Their team didn’t just show up with a formulaic solution. Their research upfront translated into a powerful strategy for how we put ourselves out there in digital content and communications.

How did Deal Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

It was difficult to deal with us because we had many ongoing projects. For both organizations, there were changes to project management tools. We kept throwing more at Deal Digital, so there were challenges to meeting deadlines. Project management was not our strongest collaborative point, but I’ll own a fair percentage of culpability. Our needs outweighed our ability to take their strategic advice.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They made us think about ourselves bigger. Initially, I didn’t think that we could execute certain strategies because we weren’t as big as some of their other clients. Their team showed us how we could be competitive in different spaces. They brought in vision, polish, and quality content to help us compete. Their team lifted us up through their services and showed us that we can compete on a greater scale than we thought.

Are there any areas they could improve?

This is unique to us because we have web designers on our team. They sent us mockups as PDFs. That’s lovely but we’re involved in web design ourselves. Our team wanted content that was more interactive to better understand the design. We wanted the iterative designs to allow for more collaboration. Our interactions with them evolved to allow our web designers to play with the iterative designs.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

With any organization, the more information you share, the better they can do for you. If you keep strategy close to the vest, you won’t get the desired results. Bring them into discussions so they can be a strategic partner in what you’re trying to provide.

Be clear about your objectives when collaborating with any organization. We had too many initiatives going on with Deal Design simultaneously. One initiative would create delays in another because we send them so much at the same time. Don’t be your own enemy. Establish a structured rollout, which Deal Digital wanted to do with us. We kept throwing everything into the project as it progressed.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and operating manager of Carson’z LLC. We make unique alcohol products. We have premade Jell-O shots that are candy flavored.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Deal Design, Inc?

We hired Deal Design, Inc to design the packaging for our products.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Deal Design, Inc. designed the packaging for our products while considering how the final product will look once it’s printed. They came up with an intelligent design that can be stacked right-side-up horizontally and still look good.  

They also helped come up with a website and held a photoshoot for our website and social media. For the photoshoot, they got the models together and had them pose like they were at a bachelor or bachelorette party. They’ve also given us suggestions for things like new product names.  

What is the team composition?

The Deals are a family business, I think their daughter did the photoshoot for our site.

How did you come to work with Deal Design, Inc?

I was looking for designers online and came across a company I really liked. When I contacted them, they were too busy to work with us, but they redirected us to Deal Design, Inc. They’ve partnered on a few projects before. Once I met with them, I clearly liked their designs, they offered a reasonable price, and the team was great. They were nice, funny, and sweet. I hired them on the spot.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2016 and our work is ongoing as we’ve extended our product line.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Their artwork is beautiful. We’ve gone to several trade shows and have received numerous compliments on the packaging. We were even noticed by one of the largest groups of convenience stores in the world! Our products stand out in stores, and they’re often put right out in front.

The website and photography are beautiful too. The photoshoot turned out really well, and we’re pleased with how everything looks. We didn’t go with their web design because of cost and we found a simpler way to update content, but we still loved what they proposed.

How did Deal Design, Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

They got our work done right away. Whenever we asked for something, they got it done in a week or two. I never had to wait.

Whenever we needed to make adjustments, they did that immediately as well. They’re very professional.

Whenever we start a new project, they send us an email to set up a time to talk. If they’re out of the office, they get back to us right away.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their personalities. For us, that was a big determining factor when we hired them. They’re nice and funny, but are still professional. I love working with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, probably not. I’ve had a great experience working with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Flor, a CBD and hemp product company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Deal Design, Inc.?

We’re in the pre-launch phase for our business, so we hired Deal Design, Inc. to handle our package and logo design, website design, and future SEO efforts. We wanted to have a cohesive brand in the future and needed a team to be involved from the beginning.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Mainly, Deal Design, Inc. has been working on creating the packaging design for our products. They’ve presented us with various designs and have been working on our logo. Now, they’re beginning the website design portion of the project, setting up our online store and working on the sales funnel. Once the site is complete, they’ll start doing more SEO work to optimize it. 

What is the team composition?

David (Senior Art Director, Deal Design, Inc.) has been our main contact, but I know he has several other designers working with him. 

How did you come to work with Deal Design, Inc.?

My other business partner found Deal Design, Inc. and looked through some of their work. We knew they were very well respected in the brand-building space, so he set up a conversation. They seemed like a good fit so we just went from there. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $30,000 so far, with a bulk of it going toward the website work. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since around March 2018 and the engagement is very much ongoing. We’ve had a few pauses throughout the project for some hurdles and waiting for funding on our end. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Unfortunately, we don’t have any metrics since we’re still pre-launch. We’re hoping to have a cohesive brand once we finish working with Deal Design, Inc., and we’re absolutely happy with their progress so far. 

How did Deal Design, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve delivered everything on time, the only delays have been on our end for the most part. They’re providing good service, so far. Typically, we give them our ideas and they let us know if it’s feasible, too expensive, or if they have a better concept. They’re great to go back and forth with. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Deal Design, Inc. has a really good vision for brand identity—they understand brand-building and being cohesive. Looking at some of their blogs, I can see their knowledge about selling your product along with the story and psychology behind it. They’re great at providing insight, being professional, and are pleasant to work with. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

If anything, it’d be helpful if they had an assistant to get back to us more quickly when we have questions. Other than that, there’s not much I can think of for them to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Tell them your ideas and be focused. The more you know what you want, the easier it’ll be for them to facilitate it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Consumer healthcare startup

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Deal Design, Inc.?

We needed to establish a new compelling brand identity that resonated with our target customer segment and build out all related collateral (e.g., website, packaging, letterhead, etc.)

What were your goals for this project?

Establish a new brand identity that was exciting, compelling and aligned to the mission of the organization

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Conducted an informal RFP, reaching out to 4-5 agencies with the appropriate scale and experience. The co-founders of the company reviewed all proposals and selected Deal Design based on the quality of their previous work, expertise in packaging design and pricing.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Built brand identity, fully developed corporate website, designed all product packaging (both primary and secondary), developed additional corporate collateral

What was the team composition?

For this project, we largely worked with David directly who engaged their graphic designer and web developer. As we've now shifted to more ongoing marketing work with their team, he has started to include a social media/content developer as well.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Reaction to our brand identity has been very positive thus far

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was generally positive. David responds to feedback quickly. There were a few items where we had to iterate on the project more than we expected, but David and the team handled it in stride.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Very responsive, great pricing. Their team has a strong breadth of services given their scale.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Continue to improve editing and review process to address typos/revisions prior to presenting to a client