Strategic design for businesses & organizations
We boost the online impact of your business with strategic design. Expand your reach and share your mission with a smart marketing strategy. We think beyond the design to fast-track your marketing plans with fresh and innovative ideas. We work with organizations and small- to medium-sized businesses looking to continuously grow and improve. We especially love assisting entities that make a difference in the world.
Woman-owned business
Award-winning design team
Leveraging our expertise for businesses and organizations since 2007
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Portfolio
City of Massillon Website
The City of Massillon had a website that was very outdated and would not even work on a smartphone, which was a large issue for the city. They also needed a way to easily share news, events, and the city’s information with residents, local businesses, and visitors in an accessible way. Speaking of accessibility, their website also had to be accessible for those with permanent and temporary disabilities, not only because they would reach all of their residents and visitors, but also because they are required to meet Section 508 compliance as a government website.
At LaBella Creative, we first got to work on organizing the nearly 200 pages on the site in an easy-to-navigate site map. We considered that there were three main audiences — residents, businesses, and visitors. We organized the pages in these main categories as well as government and departments. There were some items that required a second navigation menu at the top of the header on each page that residents could quickly find to complete tasks like making payments. In this process, we also uncovered pages and content that needed to be added to the new site.
After the pages were organized into a site map, we moved on to creating prototypes of some of the main pages to show the placement of content on each page. Once the city approved, we designed the interface of the site using their current branding. We created a color palette that would match their branding and also be easily viewed and accessible.
We then built out the pages on the site using the color palette and design with content from their current site and some new content. We created a website that had accessibility in mind from the start of the design process to the final development of the site.
The City of Massillon now has a site that is easy to navigate on desktop, mobile, and tablets for its many residents, visitors, and area businesses. The city is now confident that its site is accessible and can be accessed by all.
Justice for Jun Website and Branding
Jun’s legal fight against racial discrimination has been a righteous cause for over five years — but one without an online home. In the past, supporters of Jun have resorted to other websites or crowdfunding platforms, lacking a central place for people to learn about the case and support it. Furthermore, as the supporters of Jun were looking to galvanize more organizations and individuals to stand behind him, they believed a professional-looking website would mirror the strengths of the case and the extraordinary support it has received.
At LaBella Creative, we quickly developed a palette of colors for the site and a logo that reflected the tone of this fight against injustice. We leveraged the visuals — from photos to logos of supporting organizations — to create impactful, user-friendly layouts that enhanced and complemented the powerful story of Jun’s cause. Highly visible red buttons set against the navy blue background were used to call people to “Donate Now” and “Subscribe”, in an effort to draw more people to act to support and follow the cause. The Donate page integrates a donation form as well as QR codes to accommodate supporters from around the globe. A News section was added so Justice for Jun could keep its supporters updated on the latest about the case, with postings powered by the easy-to-use WordPress platform.
LaBella Creative also provided a hosting solution that allowed the site to load quickly all around the world, regardless of whether a supporter was accessing it in San Francisco or Shanghai.
LaBella Creative’s efforts have helped realize the cause of Justice for Jun by having a bonafide, professional presence online. The cause has been able to receive more ongoing donations from around the world, significantly boosting donation rates compared to previous funding efforts. Justice for Jun has been able to solicit more support and spread the word about the importance of the case, thanks to the website.
Ralston Instruments Marketing Collateral
For over 50 years, Ralston Instruments has engineered pressure calibration equipment and systems for a wide range of applications — saving time and taking the guesswork out of critical pressure testing, maintenance, and repair operations. As the company continued to grow and expand its product line into producing digital gauges and improved products for calibration it needed marketing materials to share its products with businesses and distributors.
Ralston Instruments was expanding into manufacturing digital gauges, they improved their current calibration product line and needed a way to market their products, not only online, but also in print for sales reps and for trade shows.
Since 2010, in partnership with <a href="https://www.sprokets.com/">Sprokets</a>, a strategic design and development firm, LaBella Creative has designed ads for publications that specialized in controlling and calibrating pressure in the field and in a lab for locations around the world. We also designed brochures, data sheets, catalogs, website banner ads, and user manuals. We maintained the branding across all marketing materials in a repeatable, consistent way that is recognizable as Ralston Instruments whether in print or online.
Having printed marketing materials gave Ralston Instruments a way to provide more details about their products at trade shows and when meeting with customers and distributors in person. The publication ads grew their authority as an industry leader on calibration among various industries that use their products.
The user manuals have been helpful for customers to use their products safely and provide a way for current customers to reach out for support and for accessories and other products.
Every ad and marketing campaign has generated a substantial increase in product sales so much so that Ralston Instruments has had to prepare internally to handle the influx of orders that come in after each campaign. The return on investment has been well worth it.
Lucid Drums Branding
Lucid Drums was a startup needing a logo and branding to promote djembe drum sales and repair. The business was just an idea without a name at that time. We needed to create the name, write branding copy to create the business’s brand story, and design a logo and business cards to pass out to hand drummers at live events.
The name Lucid Drums was selected as a play on lucid dreams, but it also reflected the clear crisp or lucid sound that the drums are known for. The business cards and social media graphics include an image of a Lake Erie beach in the background, a place where many djembe drum circles in Cleveland take place. The back of the business cards includes handy instructions on how to tune a drum using a specific weave called the Mali weave. It’s a helpful guide and a good reason to hang on to the business card. Metal stamps were created by hand to go on every drum made so you would know you have a Lucid Drum. T-shirts and stickers were also created and are often given with custom drum purchases.
Lucid Drums has been growing and becoming well-known in the djembe drum circles with its recognizable brand. Famous djembe drum players have requested Lucid Drums to make their drums. They have become a trusted brand for creating custom djembe drums and completing repairs.
Reviews
the project
Web Dev & Hosting for Justice Movement
"LaBella Creative has a great grasp of what we want to achieve and what vision we hope to impart to the audience."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the founder and organizer of a justice movement that aims to fund my husband’s case.
What challenge were you trying to address with LaBella Creative?
We needed their team to develop a website that could amplify our digital presence.
What was the scope of their involvement?
LaBella Creative has offered pro bono services and built a WordPress site from the ground up to support our cause. Since our main goal is to create a crowdfunding platform, their team has integrated different payment links that conveniently suit our various donors.
I’ve also presented them with the content and information they need to put up on the website, including details and links about my husband’s case and the logos of different organizations we’ve partnered with. LaBella Creative has also made its backend customizable, so we can make any necessary updates on our own.
Their team has already completed the website, and they continue to provide maintenance services to ensure its efficacy. Additionally, they’re responsible for hosting the website.
What is the team composition?
I primarily work with Lori (Owner).
How did you come to work with LaBella Creative?
I’ve been friends with Lori for a long time now, and I approached her to ask for advice on leveraging the online movement. She was kind enough to extend assistance by building this website with the help of her team.
What is the status of this engagement?
Our ongoing engagement started in March 2021. They’ve completed the website in a month, but they’re still conducting web hosting services.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
LaBella Creative has generated a professionally designed website that continues to grow both our presence and funds. This crowdfunding platform has not only leveraged our fundraising efforts but more importantly, it has raised awareness about my husband’s case.
They also have the technical expertise we need to execute design and development solutions with our preferences in mind. Lastly, LaBella Creative has excellent web hosting services — we can rely on their dedicated team to keep our website up and running. I can’t thank Lori enough for this great initiative — it continues to make a huge difference in our journey towards justice.
How did LaBella Creative perform from a project management standpoint?
We communicate via email and text messages. LaBella Creative delivers quality solutions on time. Lori has managed to meet our original timeline despite having to deal with sickness at some point. She’s also been quick to address any technical issues due to the server differences between our countries.
What did you find most impressive about them?
LaBella Creative has a great grasp of what we want to achieve and what vision we hope to impart to the audience. Lori has reliably put together everything we need under whatever circumstances — that truly speaks volumes about her work ethic and unwavering dedication to help our cause.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Nothing comes to my mind — they’ve met our needs with abundant precision and accommodation.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be transparent in relaying your goals and comfortable in communicating your ideas.
the project
Branding & Content Marketing for Custom Drum Business
"They tailored their approach to what I wanted and needed based on our discussions."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the owner and operator of Lucid Drums. I build African drums, and I focus on the djembe, which is a goblet-shaped drum. The drums are sourced and carved in Africa — I import wood, animal hides, and other parts from Africa.
What challenge were you trying to address with LaBella Creative?
I needed help creating a logo and a business card.
What was the scope of their involvement?
I wasn’t sure what to call my business at first. I had some ideas, but I didn’t like them that much. LaBella helped me to come up with a name for my business.
I gave Lori (Owner) a background of myself and the drums I created. She came up with Lucid Drums, which is apt for my purposes. Lucid means clear, and my drums have to sound clear. The rhythms they play are tonal language from Africa — they have to be as clear as we can talk. There are distinct sounds you can make on these drums.
Additionally, LaBella created stickers, posters, and t-shirts designs.
Lori taught me best practices about logo design, which made me understand what would be good and how to do it. She gave me rules to follow, and I gave her a couple of hand-drawn drawings. She went with those and refined them.
What is the team composition?
I worked with Lori.
How did you come to work with LaBella Creative?
Lori was referred to me by a mutual friend. I decided to work with her due to her professionalism.
How much have you invested with them?
I spent around $2,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
Our engagement lasted from April–May 2018.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Thanks to LaBella, my business is out there on the market — people know my name and recognize my product. The logo was so appealing that my customers specifically requested that I put it on their drums.
How did LaBella Creative perform from a project management standpoint?
LaBella was good at project management; I never experienced any issues working with them. They sent me an email every time they needed my feedback. They communicated with me regularly and provided routine updates on the status of the project.
What did you find most impressive about them?
LaBella was patient, and they took the time to listen to me and understand what I wanted. I never felt they rushed through anything. Unlike other companies, they seem to put a lot of thought into their work. They tailored their approach to what I wanted and needed based on our discussions.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can’t think of anything.
the project
Graphic Design & Content Creation for Industrial Tech Co
"What distinguishes LaBella from other providers is their flexibility towards their customers’ needs."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I am the CEO of a company that manufactures hardware and software for the process industry. We cater to any business that has a production flow of materials.
What challenge were you trying to address with LaBella Creative?
We were trying to solve marketing and communications-related issues, so we sought LaBella’s expertise.
What was the scope of their involvement?
We did a lot of projects with LaBella, one of which was a redesign of our product brochure. The team went through an ideation phase where we discussed and outlined our marketing goals and what we wanted to communicate through the brochure. LaBella then went on to do the actual creation of the content and the layout, which we reviewed and recommended changes for.
Along with designing our other marketing materials such as printed advertisements and postcards for direct mailing, LaBella also designed backdrops and creative collateral for our trade shows. They developed landing pages and content for our website as well as advertisements for Google and Facebook campaigns.
Apart from those, LaBella also redesigned our operation manuals. They included illustrations, translated the material into eight different languages, and ensured that the manuals get routed to the correct place.
What is the team composition?
We worked with two people from their team.
How did you come to work with LaBella Creative?
A mutual client of ours recommended LaBella to us. We evaluated their previous works and were impressed by them, so we decided to hire the team.
What is the status of this engagement?
Our partnership began around 2009–2010 and it is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Our use of LaBella’s advertisements has increased our conversion rates by 12%. Our SEO score has also improved since we began a partnership with the agency. Prior to their creation of the high-quality operation manuals, we would get between 80–100 technical queries a week. That number has now dropped by about 95%, which shows that our customers find the manuals and videos to be helpful and informative.
How did LaBella Creative perform from a project management standpoint?
LaBella is excellent from a project management standpoint. They’re great at managing the campaigns that we have across several platforms and channels. Most of the time all I have to do is pick a topic, and they will take care of it up until the launch.
We communicate via phone, email, and Slack, but we mostly correspond through a software called Teamwork. We also manage our milestones and tasks on that platform.
What did you find most impressive about them?
What distinguishes LaBella from other providers is their flexibility towards their customers’ needs. They’re able to adapt to our requirements and take on a broad range of work with their diverse set of skills. On the instances when I forget that something is due the next day, their team steps up to meet a deadline.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, I don’t have any suggestions for improvement.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Make sure that your requirements and expectations are clear, but do allow some wriggle room in your timeline because LaBella is sure to step up to deliver everything you need on the dot.
the project
Web Redesign for Local Government Facility
"LaBella Creative made the process digestible and seamless for us despite the drawbacks of the pandemic."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I was the assistant to the safety service director of the mayor’s office when I worked on this project with LaBella Creative.
What challenge were you trying to address with LaBella Creative?
We needed their expertise in web design.
What was the scope of their involvement?
We engaged LaBella Creative to update the interface of our existing website and make it more accessible for our users. We discussed their deliverables through a discovery meeting, and their team made suggestions on how we could improve our platform’s UX. La Bella Creative then restructured our website to make its panels customizable and fixed the broken links that impeded its performance.
What is the team composition?
We worked with about three resources from their team, including Lori (Owner).
How did you come to work with LaBella Creative?
Our IT department recommended LaBella Creative’s team to us.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent under $20,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
The project ran from June 2020–September 2021.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
LaBella Creative successfully produced an easy-to-navigate yet comprehensive website that improved the flow of our operations. Our staff particularly liked its user-friendly features, organized homepage, and dedicated panel for current events.
We haven’t launched it to the public yet, but based on the early affirmations we’ve received, we’re confident that our multiple users will appreciate its convenience and usability as well.
How did LaBella Creative perform from a project management standpoint?
We used Markup to send mockups back and forth and organized change requests via Google Docs. LaBella Creative made the process digestible and seamless for us despite the drawbacks of the pandemic.
Lori was especially dedicated to keeping us in the loop and making sure that our feedback was received well by her team. They implemented changes quickly and addressed any technical issues that got in the way as they redesigned our platform.
What did you find most impressive about them?
LaBella Creative was a joy to work with because they took their time in identifying solutions that particularly worked for our nature of business. Additionally, Lori examined our existing website thoroughly — her attention to detail was a pivotal tool to the success of our project.
Are there any areas they could improve?
We were satisfied with everything from the get-go, and their dedicated approach gave us full confidence in their work.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Communicate your needs transparently to LaBella Creative’s team and make an effort to identify the existing issues of your website to help them learn about your biggest concerns.
The team's expertise has resulted in a reliable platform that continues to amplify the client's digital presence, boosting their funding and leveraging the vision of their cause. LaBella Creative's commitment to delivering timely and high-yielding solutions is further solidified by their work ethic.