For over two decades, Tom H. Lien and his handpicked design squad have assisted businesses of all sizes in improving the sales of their products and services through innovative and effective graphic design. No project has been too big or too small for Lien Design to tackle, and we do our best to seek out inventive, original ways to increase your brand’s value—no matter your budget!
Starting with a larger firm in Chicago, Tom H. Lien now runs his operations through sunny San Diego California, bringing big agency experience and small agency customer service together. Drawing on his years of experiences working with the most decorated design firms in the U.S.—as well as some of the most accomplished art directors in the business—Tom knows the value of collaboration as it serves to inform on the client’s exact needs and desires.
Bringing together members of his team to work on Lien Design’s creative projects based on their individual talents, Tom ensures that his classically trained team members are appointed to the projects that best fit their skillsets.
We work on the belief that good design isn’t merely about throwing together a “pretty package,” but that it results from a thorough examination of all design elements needed to create a solid whole product that exceeds client expectations. We operate knowing that the first impression of a product or service greatly weighs into the consumer’s chance of purchasing, and we take this fact into account on every design project we tackle—from creating small print advertisement to conjuring up an entire branding style guide from scratch! We know the value of producing a good logo, and we’ve been able to measure the quantitative value of our design collateral with many of our clients by measuring the increase in sales after the implementation of our work.
Over the course of an 8-year partnership, Lien Design has created logos, packaging, and various marketing materials. They also provided input on site design and helped to establish brand consistency.
Versatile design skills, an impressive portfolio, and competitive pricing made for a smooth experience, and led to a long-term, ongoing partnership. A broad variety of introductory designs help the customer determine what they’re looking for.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm an owner at Bolm Skin Care, a company that sells a variety of skin care products. I help formulate our organic moisturizers, provide product label and web-related content, and perform all aspects of overall business management.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Lien Design?
We were looking for someone with outstanding graphic design skills to help us with branding and package design. We wanted something that looked modern, and could put us on par with the design you see in larger brands.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Over the course of our engagement, Lien Design has worked on all aspects of our branding strategy, including logo design, input on site design, packaging, various marketing materials, and really any other needs that came up. We started working with them prior to our shift to skin care, while we were pursuing the launch of a personal fragrance. He provided numerous design concepts to choose from for the cologne bottle and designed the logo as well, and when we switched over to skin care products, he continued working with us on designing the initial logo, as well as all of the packaging. He’s also designed sell sheets, fliers, and other marketing materials since we started. He’s got an immense amount of talent, and has been very thoughtful when putting together our packages.
What is the team dynamic?
I have only worked with the owner, Tom Lien.
How did you come to work with Lien Design?
A while back, he was working at a large firm that had contracts with Pepsi, Gatorade, Red Vines, Huggies, and other recognizable brands. To my knowledge, he had just left that firm and started Lien Design a few years before I began doing initial research on designers, and after seeing his portfolio we were more than thrilled to work with him and became one of his most loyal customers.
How much have you invested with them?
He charges us a flat hourly rate which always works out to be lower than what we’ve be charged for similar projects by other design firms. We’ve put in about 20 hours so far on our most recent project and have invested over $25,000 with Lien Design to date
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in January of 2010, and the engagement is ongoing.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Our customers have raved about our designs. It fits right in with all the bigger brands that have been around for decades. We settled on a fresh, modern, “Mom ‘n Pop” design for most of the packaging, which has done very well. People are drawn to our packaging in a very personal way.
How did Lien Design perform from a project management standpoint?
We’ve been 100% happy. Tom is always conscious of deadlines, and delivers within two weeks, probably averaging between 6-7 business days on most projects. If I need something in a day, he can usually accommodate. He’s also very willing to work with us on fine tuning, just to make sure it’s exactly what we want. If you give him a sketch or a prototype, he’ll run with it and deliver something great.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The beginning of a partnership with Lien Design is very exciting, because Tom wants to show you what he can do to start off. He’ll give you so many different options, and everything is laid out in a way you’ve never seen before. It’s just incredible what he’ll show you in the beginning. As he learns more about what you’re looking for, he’ll narrow it down and everything becomes more streamlined. But it’s very exciting to see what he can do.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Sometimes communicating the specifics of a project can be somewhat difficult, and he’ll require a sketch or prototype to understand what you’re looking for. I’ve learned to be as clear as I possibly can while going through details, but sometimes verbally explaining the project isn’t enough. Anytime you can visually show him an initial idea he’ll do it exactly the way you want.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
4.5
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Rebranding for Digital Media Product Company
Other Design
Confidential
Aug. 2005 - Ongoing
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
“We’ve been working with them for over a decade, so clearly we enjoy the relationship we have.”
Nov 28, 2017
Principal, Digital Media Product Company
Anonymous
Advertising & marketing
New York City, New York
11-50 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Lien Design provided brand redevelopment for a high-profile digital agency, along with formal guidelines to utilize the assets across all physical and digital marketing collaterals.
Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from clients on all marketing materials, but especially for the physical deliverables (e.g., business cards, blue sales books). Their sense of design is fantastic, along with strong communication skills, and flexible pricing.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm one of the founding Principals of a New York City based digital agency. We develop, implement, and manage customer experiences mostly in retail, but in general for public places.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Lien Design.
We were looking for a rebrand for the company, that would be elegant and sophisticated, and that would represent us and the types of high profile clients that we target. We wanted everything from brand direction for print material, the website, and all marketing collateral that could be used on anything from business cards to sales materials. We wanted to make it so anything we do would be uniform, and we would be adaptable for each of our different marketing channels.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
A large portion of the work we do is design, and part of the service we provide to our clients is good design. We wanted a brand that would represent the level of work that we perform for our own clients – something modern, but not too flashy or trendy. The goal was something elegant and sophisticated that we could adapt over time.
Their deliverables included a formal brand design document, meaning guidelines that provided how we can use their end-product branding work in our different mediums. While they didn’t provide web design, we do use their brand direction as part of our guidelines given to the web developer for the process. They also created literature, and once we had our new logo and the brand guidelines we hired them to create our business cards and these beautiful blue marketing books that we use for sales pitches. When we send out marketing proposals, they go out in a really nice looking company folder and they helped design that physical material. There have been a number of project as well, where they’ve created the marketing collateral.
To this day, they still periodically update our logos and branding to keep our marketing collateral fresh. Usually, every couple years so it continues to look modern and current.
What is the team dynamic?
Our main contact was Tom [Founder, Lien Design]. If there were others involved on his side, I was unaware and did not directly work with them.
How did you come to work with Lien Design?
I was given them as a reference.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in August 2005, and the engagement is ongoing.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We get regular compliments on everything we do from a marketing standpoint. They have a really good sense of not just design, but how things should feel and what size things should be. It all has a really unique take from the industry standard. All of our marketing materials, from our business cards to the nice silky touch of the blue books, receive positive feedback from clients.
How did Lien Design perform from a project management standpoint?
Communication has always been fantastic. All of our deliverables and marketing materials have been on time. They’ve been easy to work with if we have any questions, or need something revised.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Overall, it’s been an all-around great experience. They have a great sense of design, as well as flexible and fair pricing. We've been working with them for over a decade, which speaks on how much we enjoy the relationship we have with them.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, not at all. I can’t think of anything.
RATINGS
5.0
"Everything we've done with them has been great."
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Logo, Packaging & Web Design for Beverage Manufacturer
Other Design
$10,000 to $49,999
Jan. 2006 - Ongoing
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"[H]aving a relationship with someone who truly understands you and your business makes a huge difference."
Nov 17, 2017
CEO, Beverage Manufacturer
Anonymous
Business services
San Diego, California
11-50 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
After significant research, Lien Design redesigned the branding for a beverage company, including physical collateral and website work.
The new designs are engaging, receiving positive feedback. Lien Design has met all goals and consistently gone beyond expectations. Their team engages with all projects as a true partner.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I am the CEO of a manufacturer of beverage purees and infused beverages, and we distribute equipment and products to hotels, restaurants, and resorts throughout the U.S. and Canada.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Lien Design?
We had packaging issues and were looking to rebrand.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
They took the time to learn who we are, what we do, why we do it, and what we're trying to communicate, and they've incorporated that into every aspect. Tom [Founder, Lien Design] handles everything. Our customers work directly with him and his firm and get collateral marketing. He keeps true to our brand and gives them what they want and need to offer their customers.
What is the team dynamic?
Tom has worked on our website and essentially everything else for us. It couldn’t be easier working with him and his team. He provides for us time and again. Whenever I need to get something to somebody, whether printing new brochures or business cards, I let him communicate directly with that person. Whatever it is, I know he will do it right and deal with every aspect. If I can’t find something or don’t have the time, he will facilitate the entire order and get us whatever we need when we need it.
How did you come to work with Lien Design?
I initially looked at many advertising companies and design firms and interviewed them all. Tom came in with great designs and got a feel for what we were doing. There was a simplicity in dealing with him.
How much have you invested in them?
We've spent approximately $50,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
Our relationship began in 2006 and the work is ongoing.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Everyone has commented about how brilliant our things are. We stand out and I'm so proud of our packaging. We talk to Tom about any issues or feedback we get from our customers, and he designs around this.
How did Lien Design perform from a project management standpoint?
Tom is always responsive. The night before he went on a planned vacation, we needed business cards urgently, and he took care of it himself. Within an hour, he redesigned and submitted everything, and we had those cards 5 days later.
What did you find most impressive about them?
It's really personal. Tom knows the brand inside and out, and I let him experience it. Essentially, he lives it like I do—our success is his success and vice versa. It really feels like he's part of our company.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
At the end of the day, brand is important, and having a relationship with someone who truly understands you and your business makes a huge difference. It also saves time, since you don’t have to keep explaining what you're trying to accomplish to new people.
RATINGS
5.0
"I implicitly trust them; they deliver every time and under what I expect it to be."
