Woychick Design

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing and communications for the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Woychick Design?

The college was celebrating its 150th anniversary, so we wanted to mark the event in a way that let us reach out to alumni across the world to celebrate with them. We decided to do a publication to inform, excite, and challenge the perspectives of our readers, so we hired Woychick Design. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We knew we wanted the publication to be forward-focused, instead of a historical guide. With this in mind, Dan (Creative Director & Owner) helped come up with inventive designs for each of the feature stories to highlight faculty research and the breadth of a liberal arts education. He brought in freelance photographers and illustrators for the design of the publication, too. 

What is the team composition?

Dan was our main point of contact but there were freelancers he coordinated with, as well. 

How did you come to work with Woychick Design?

We’d worked with Dan on publication in the past, so we knew he had a strong idea of who we are and what we were looking to do. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $13,500 on their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between February–July 2017. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We got great reader responses from the publication. Influential alumni and donors reached out to the dean to say how impressed they were. The dean himself was very pleased, too. 

How did Woychick Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated through a mix of everything: in-person meetings, phone calls, emails, and Google Drive. All of their communication was clear. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The project and workflow were so smooth; everything went very efficiently. I appreciated we could make edits directly in the files and we didn’t have to do any extra running around.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Being a bit more open to critique would have been good, since there was a time near the end of the project we had to give a bit of pushback on a design and it became a time crunch. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear timeline for the project. Make sure you know what you need but don’t get stuck on one specific outcome and let the creative process work. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of development for The Bell Museum of Natural History. We are held in trust by the University of Minnesota.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Woychick Design?

We’re starting preparations for our 150th anniversary campaign. We wanted to increase awareness and tell the story of our museum’s impact, as well as introduce some of our key fundraising and strategic goals. We wanted to make sure our piece was memorable and visually dynamic to invite prospective donors to make an impact. 

We were also facing the challenge that most of our donors are not affiliated with the university, but we wanted to represent that side of our organization, too. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were hired to design and provide writing support for our community case statement. To do this, we provided examples showing our mission and strategic initiatives. We sat down with Dan (Founder)  so we could explain the impact we wanted the piece to have. 

From those conversations and sharing key photos and proposals, he brought in a freelance writer to help create the copywriting elements for the piece. The deliverables included brochures and one-page inserts. 

What is the team composition?

Dan and the freelance writer worked on this project. 

How did you come to work with Woychick Design?

Our marketing and business development team interviewed a number of graphic designers and met with each. I looked at 2–3 but felt Woychick Design could clearly articulate a story based on their past projects. Dan also had a positive experience working with the university, so we felt he understood how to tell a compelling story and could bring in subcontractors as needed to meet our goal. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $14,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March–May 2019. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work has allowed us to get our proposals and solicitations out faster using their materials, which is key to making donors feel like they’re making an impact. Donors have complimented the format we’re using, so that can also be attributed to their work. In the next yearm we’re expecting to see more results, but we were really happy. 

How did Woychick Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated through email and Google Docs, for the most part. Myself and Dan would also have specific phone touchpoints to make sure everything was clearer than email. We had check-ins for questions, too. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Dan was really invested in our project, allowing him to take it to a place we couldn’t have gotten to without his design work. The dynamic design is what sets us apart from others now. Their understanding of what we wanted to do and Dan’s passion helped us get what we needed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

With the writing, it felt like it took a while to get where we wanted to be. However, we had a very specific objective of what we wanted it to be, so it makes sense for it to take longer. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Being able to take the time to talk with them about your goals is helpful. They bring so much to the table and that will come through in the design and writing you’re looking for. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m with the external relations office of a university in Minnesota, and we handle alumni relations and development fundraising.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Woychick Design?

They helped us to develop a variety of marketing and campaign materials to help with fundraising efforts across the college, including scholarships, building projects, and outreach opportunities.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their work included a video, a brochure, and some other supplements providing information on the areas that we were fundraising for. For the most part, we would provide them with an outline of what we were looking for and he would respond with a draft in a pdf, and then we just went back and forth making tweaks until we were happy with the final product.

The video they created for us was used at events that we do regionally to draw in folks in the donor sphere for the campaign. The brochures and handouts were used more by individual development officers who were having conversations with donors as they were moving through the pipelines for the campaign.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with Dan (Owner & Creative Strategist) on the project.

How did you come to work with Woychick Design?

Originally, Dan was referred to us by a different school in our area and when we met with him we felt like he would be a really good fit. He knew the material that we needed him to work on so things went pretty smoothly from there.

How much have you invested with them?

I believe we’ve spent around $20,000–$25,000 altogether.

What is the status of this engagement?

From the start of our first project with him to the end of our most recent one, we worked with Woychick Design between September 2012–November 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We met our campaign goals, which was really all we had hoped for as a result of the projects. I don’t have more detailed statistics on our use of the deliverables he gave us, but the end result was totally positive, nonetheless.

The first supplements used a lot of infographics, which really helped to showcase some of the issues we were working to overcome. That was particularly helpful for us, and in the second case, it was really nice to have our overall goals broken down into smaller buckets. Overall, I think his work definitely contributed significantly to the success of our campaigns.

How did Woychick Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very good at project management. We had a pretty specific idea of what we wanted so when we would push back a little bit on some aspects of the work, he always did a good job of responding and updating those areas nicely.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I have relatively limited interaction with campaign writers, but I would say that he did a great job of carrying the project all the way through to the end, and I don’t think that is very common among people in his industry. Sometimes the creativity gets a little bit stalled out, but with Dan, even though I’m sure we drove him nuts at times, he always responded and really followed through with the entire project, which we really appreciated.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, he was always willing to be flexible and provided excellent work, so I don’t have any complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

With a project like this, it’s helpful to have a really clear sense of what your voice is and what your key messages are going to be. The more a writer can have at the beginning of what you’re hoping to accomplish, the easier it will be for them to turn that into a detailed description or marketing plan.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the former director of communications for Eastern Carver County Schools.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Woychik Design?

We wanted to refresh our brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We never had brand guidelines or any sort of standards. Dan (Owner, Woychick Design) developed a redesign of our brand. We didn’t want to go too far from our current brand, so it was more of a refresh. He developed the brand and brand guidelines. It impressed me that Dan really knew our organization well. 

He really got to know who we are as an organization, understood our mission clearly, and then not only gave us advice on the brand and how we could differentiate ourselves in the marketplace, how we could use our brand to show that differentiation. We ended up using a lot of his advice on how we implemented the brand across the district.

Dan interviewed me primarily and I know he read a lot of the stuff on our website. He came back and asked us questions about our brand and what we were trying to do. He also developed a brand guide for us and as far as I know, it is still in use.

We hired him for some subsequent projects as well. We wanted to redesign our high school registration guide and Dan was able to take the brand standards and apply them to our high school registration guide. He also redesigned our newsletter and created some templates for us for both of those projects so that we didn’t have to hire another designer. We have some expertise within our office, and we were able to use those templates.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with Dan.

How did you come to work with Woychik Design?

I found Woychik Design through a referral.

How much have you invested in them?

We invested between $10,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our project ran from July 2013–October 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The high school registration guide was a huge project and he was able to create a template in Word that people are still using today to help create a high school registration guide on an annual basis.

How did Woychik Design perform from a project management standpoint?

He was probably more on top of it than we were.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Dan is one of those few designers that really knows the organization. He goes deep. We don’t always see this level of investment in our company and we really appreciated it. 

I don’t have to do a lot of foundational explanation. He learns it on his own, he comes to me with clarifying questions, and then we would come to an agreement.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, everything was great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

One of the things I like about Dan is that once he gets into a project, he has strong opinions. He will tell you where he thinks you might be going wrong on something. For some people that might be off-putting, but I appreciated it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and director of a nonprofit bike shop for homeless youth.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Woychick Design?

We’d already been doing the programming side of our work for years, but the business was new to us. None of us had a background in business, so we didn’t have any branding or marketing. While had a name, we were missing a logo, website, and other basics. We needed to get our name out there with those deliverables.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us with everything relating to our brand. Whether it was the color palette to the logo to site design, they supported both our business and social mission. They started at square one, meeting with us to get an understanding of our business and mission.

One of our challenges was making our logo personal to us. We didn’t know exactly what we wanted, but we knew what we didn’t want. So, we weren’t the easiest customers to work with in that capacity. However, they provided us with ideas and showed us different design options until we landed on a logo that we could all agree on. They were willing to slow down that part of the project, so it didn’t feel rushed or forced. 

In addition to the logo, they also delivered our tagline, color scheme, and marketing assets. That culminated in a website that embraced all of those deliverables and communicated our purpose as a bike shop and youth program. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with Dan (Owner & Creative Director, Woychick Design) and another resource. 

How did you come to work with Woychick Design?

We were referred to them by someone who had worked with them in the past. They hold a grant competition each year for nonprofits, and we won the grant with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We won a grant with their company, which paid for the development of our brand. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them around March 2011, and the collaboration lasted for 6–12 months. Dan still circles back to help us update the site every once in a while.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This was our first big step to becoming a true business. People had heard about us through word of mouth, but there was no brand attached to that work. This was the first time that we could grab colors and images that would stick in the minds of consumers. It was impressive to watch people become aware of our brand in that way. We’re still using the same logo and tagline, so their deliverables have stood the test of time. I appreciate the consistency and timelessness the brand has offered.  

How did Woychick Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated through email and in-person. Smaller details could be handled back and forth over email, but we met in-person on a regular basis to make sure everything was clear. They were a super professional team, always offering us a general timeline. I never felt like I was left in the dark or waiting to hear back from them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were great at communicating timelines and progress. As a business owner, I appreciated their attention to detail. They put time and energy into their work, and we could tell that they cared about our project. Even though they were doing the work pro-bono, they still put just as much effort into the engagement. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I’d go back to change at this point. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t feel rushed by the process and be honest about what you want. They take that to heart as long as you’re clear with communication.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former executive director of an environmental nonprofit organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Woychick Design?

Our organization had slipped in its degree of influence and visibility. By hiring Woychick Design, our management made some positive changes that put us on a good trajectory. Our work with them professionalized our effort to rebrand and gain that influence back.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Woychick Design supported our branding efforts. As a first step, they interviewed our staff, board members, clientele, major grant funders, and members of our target audience. They helped us synthesize what we thought our strengths and weaknesses were compared to what other people thought.

Their team also reviewed our website and technical reports. As for products, they delivered a whole new template for all of our written communications—both correspondence and technical. They produced a new landing page for our website that brought us forward several decades.

Most importantly, they provided a number of descriptors encompassing the best way to talk and write about ourselves. This was all in order to make our messages resonate with our target audience.

What is the team composition?

There were two people, but I mostly worked with Dan (Founder, Woychick Design).

How did you come to work with Woychick Design?

They put out an RFP expressing they were willing to do some pro bono work for a nonprofit. One of our staff members saw the request and sent something in. We were successful, and they selected us.

How much have you invested with them?

Because the overall work was pro bono, we spent about $8,000 on the report template only.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from May–October 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We picked up five new granting entities in the year after the engagement. We had never received money from them before. Perhaps that would’ve happened with or without Dan. We just know our language became more crisp, active, and persuasive than it previously was.

The list of descriptors was the most valuable thing we got. Their team really helped us strengthen our story and value proposition. We received a lot of positive anecdotal feedback and praise when we released our technical report. The reason people bothered to read it all the way through was because of how attractive it was.

How did Woychick Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated through a combination of email, phone calls, and in-person meetings. We occasionally went out and discussed work over a beer.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There was very little lag time between tasks. We’d discuss details, Dan would draft something up, we’d review, and the product was completed quickly thereafter. We never had to wonder when we would receive something.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to advice that may initially make you uncomfortable. Dan did a fantastic job of coaching us to worry less about our enemies and naysayers.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former vice-president of a university.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Woychick Design?

The university was in its fourth year of declining enrollment and lack a clear strategy in its branding, marketing, and communications. We needed help with putting together a brand campaign to grow enrollment.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Woychick Design provided full-service marketing to help us design a brand and marketing campaign. Dan (Owner, Woychick Design) and his team started by doing qualitative and quantitative research. They also completed extensive market analysis to identify the best markets for prospective students, both traditional and non-traditional.

After that, Woychick Design created two brand campaigns. The first was a bridge campaign to tide us over until the full rollout was available in January. It would also connect themes and design elements from our last branding campaign to the upcoming one, which would include our finalized design and comprehensive brand message. It had activities such as a faculty-managed frequently asked questions campaign where question submitters were incentivized with free tee-shirts.

Their work also included an advertising campaign complete with media buys of the full year, a full design suite of collateral, and a revamp of our viewbooks and the website. Woychick Design even created an 80-page strategic marketing package that guided us through things we should do to increase enrollment. Some of their suggestions were genius. The team put a lot of thought into their designs, even finding a way to connect our university to Native American historical events and cultures that had been close to our location.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Dan, a contract researcher, and a marketing specialist who did the extensive market analysis.

How did you come to work with Woychick Design?

I had worked with Woychick Design at two previous positions at different universities. I first came across them when we put out an RFP and sent it to Dan. We went through the usual screening process, looking at their portfolios and proposals, and Woychick Design was the clear winner. They did such a superb job that this project was theirs to lose. 

How much have you invested with them?

The campaign cost $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from March 2009 until January 2010.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

That bridge campaign completely reversed our downward trend of enrollment. After the full brand campaign’s launch, we had the second-highest enrollment year in the history of the university. That meant a swing of $5 million from a deficit to positive revenue growth. Unfortunately, the president and I both left around the time, so the essence of the campaign was scrapped. But 10 years later, the university is still using the same brand campaign.

How did Woychick Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We had phone calls every week and regular emails to exchange updates. They made a couple of visits to the campus as well. The overall impact was constant contact. Woychick Design was always on top of their game: they hit their timeline and budget and made sure that we kept up with requirements on our end.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Woychick Design’s integrity stood out the most to me. They were innovative and creative, but most importantly, they absolutely delivered on what they promised.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have nothing but positive feedback. They did a good job of prodding us when we weren’t hitting our targets or giving them what they needed to be successful. Dan and his team were superb.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Executive Director of a mental health company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Provides outpatient mental health services to individuals, families, and couples.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Woychick Design to accomplish?

• Brand Refresh
• Direct Mail Flyer Design
• Billboard Design
• Market Research

SOLUTION

How did you find Woychick Design?

Online Search

Why did you select Woychick Design over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Woychick Design were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Main goal was a brand refresh with updated logo, visuals, and messaging. Started with market research to determine brand direction. After brand refresh was complete, contracted to provide billboard and flyer designs as well.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Market Research interviews and surveys complted, branding strategy completed, brand guidelines completed and delivered, print flyer design and billboard designs completed and delivered.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

All items delivered on time, good guidance about timelines up-front. Incorporated feedback well as design process unfolded.

What was your primary form of communication with Woychick Design?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They worked hard to identify our core values and those of our clients and to translate them into unique designs, rather than simply trying to sell us on "what's hot right now" in marketing and advertising.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Woychick Design could have done differently?

Nope.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

MicroGrants offers timely cash grants to low-income individuals through a network of 50 local nonprofits. Averaging $1000 these grants go to the areas of education, transportation, and small business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

The design of our annual report

What were your goals for this project?

To upgrade the design of our annual report and to help us to deliver a clear and effective message to our supporters

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Recommendation from another nonprofit

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

To assist with the design, layout, messaging, of a 16-page report for print and digital distribution

What was the team composition?

Woychick Design team included only Dan Woychick.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project exceeded our expectations. We received positive feedback from many recipients of the report and they all expressed that it was a significant upgrade from past years. The project was completed on time and on budget.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Dan was extremely easy to work with and very flexible at meeting our needs and limitations.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Dan was very accessible and accomodating.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that I am aware of.