When it comes to creating your brand identity or website, the agency you choose to work with can make all the difference. Finding the right agency to bring your vision to life is crucial to achieving your goals and standing out from the competition.



The process of creating a brand identity or website can be a daunting task. There are many moving parts, including design, content, functionality, and user experience. For those who aren't experts in these areas, it can be challenging to create a cohesive and effective brand identity or website.



This is where a creative agency comes in. An agency can help you bring your vision to life by providing a team of experts who specialize in different areas of design and development. However, not all agencies are created equal, and choosing the right one is essential.



Here are some tips to help you find the right agency for your brand identity or website project:

When choosing an agency, look for one that has experience working in your industry. An agency that has worked with clients in your industry will have a better understanding of your target audience, competitors, and industry trends. This can help them create a more effective brand identity or website that resonates with your target audience and stands out from the competition.



Before hiring an agency, check their portfolio to see their previous work. This will give you an idea of their design style, quality of work, and the types of projects they have worked on. Make sure to look for projects that are similar to your project in terms of complexity and scope.



Reading reviews and testimonials from previous clients can give you insights into the agency's communication style, professionalism, and project management. This can help you determine if the agency is a good fit for your project and if they can deliver the results you're looking for.



Look for a collaborative and transparent approach

Choose an agency that takes a collaborative and transparent approach to their work. A good agency will involve you in the design and development process, listen to your feedback, and make changes based on your input. They should also provide regular updates on the project's progress and be transparent about their pricing and timelines.



Communication is key when working with an agency. Choose an agency that communicates clearly, promptly, and effectively. They should be responsive to your emails, phone calls, and messages and keep you updated on the project's progress.

Finding the Right Design Agency for YOU

Sometimes we get so caught up in the frenzy of creating a new website that we forget ‘why’ we decided to build a new website. As your ED or CEO breathes down your neck asking questions like ‘How much?’, ‘Have you hired someone yet?’ and ‘When will it launch?!’ it’s hard to step back and ask the question you really should be asking: ‘Why are we doing this in the first place?’

When you’ve gotten to the point of declaring “Let’s redesign our website!” you’re probably there because something’s wrong with the current one. It’s too slow, you hate the backend or maybe it’s just ugly. Maybe all three!

A successful redesign is much more likely for organizations that understand the why behind the redesign. Don’t jump into a new website thinking it will just magically ‘figure itself out’ (oh if only!). For the most successful online transformation, you have to ask why before you start.

 The best website is built with your priorities in mind. You can’t be confident in those priorities until you know what you’re trying to achieve. Is the crux of your problem that the website is missing essential elements? Or is it that it doesn’t align with your mission or your brand? These issues can spark a good, constructive conversation around what exactly you need to make your website reflect your mission.

 Identifying your aspirations for the site as well as for your organization may seem like a daunting task. But, ask yourself ‘where do we want to be in 2 years? Or 5 years?’ and you’ll surprise yourself with the answers. Once you know what your goals are for the future, you can tailor your website to help you achieve them.

Designing and developing a website isn’t all about schedule and budget (although that’s important too). It’s also about creating a tool that will tell your story, build trust with your audience and solve problems you may not even know you have.

If you ask the wrong questions at the beginning, there’s little chance you’ll get to an ending you're happy with. And that can lead to some, at best annoying, at worst costly, missteps.

 A poorly designed (read: poorly thought out) website won’t age well and, worse, can get bloated with content very quickly. The branding such as colors, photos, and general layout, if not considered within the context of the organization’s overall look, can wither and become quickly outdated.

A poorly designed website won’t address the issues you were trying to solve by redesigning in the first place. This can lead to irrelevant or missing information and a site that can’t grow with your organization and adapt to your evolving needs.

 A poorly developed site or one developed on a platform that needs a lot of updates, can break frequently, causing your site to go down. And this means you’re paying your developer to fix it.

The best website for you is the one built with your goals and priorities in mind. You can’t be confident in those priorities until you ask the right questions and know what you’re trying to achieve. Once you have those questions answered, though, you are well on your way to building a website that will scale and adapt and will work for your organization for years to come.

Want to find your why but don't know where to start? Give us a call! We'll help you find it.

What's the WHY of your website?

First, we’ll define what we mean by load time. Website load time is the 

amount of time it takes for a website to fully display

 on your screen after you click a link or type in a web address. The faster the load time, the quicker the website appears, making your browsing experience smoother.

No one likes to wait for a website to load. But did you know slow load times can actually affect your organization (by more than just being annoying)?

 (your ranking is how easy it is to find you online). Faster load times can boost your Google ranking, while slower ones lower it. This means longer load times can negatively impact visibility and organic search presence.

Fast page load times are crucial not only for being found in internet searches but also for:

: 70% of online shoppers say page speed affects their purchasing decisions. A quick load time can lead to more sales, sign-ups, or donations.

Fast-loading websites are more pleasant and convenient to use. This enhances user satisfaction and encourages longer visits, reducing frustration from waiting for pages to load.

 A “bounce” occurs when a visitor leaves a website after viewing only one page. 53% of mobile visitors leave a site that takes more than 3 seconds to load.

 A responsive, quick-loading site reflects positively on the professionalism and reliability of your organization.

So, what do you do if your website is slow? Luckily, there are several strategies you can employ to improve your page speed.

Inexpensive hosting can result in poor performance and slow server response times.

If images are large or complex, they can take a long time to load. Optimizing the images for the web improves the overall site experience by allowing pages to load faster.

 Too many plugins can drastically slow down your site. Popular web builders, such as Wordpress, use plugins that can bog down the speed and performance. Make sure to delete excess or unused plugins that can be running in the background and slowing down your site.

Google’s rankings are influenced by overall user experience, not just page speeds. To achieve good Google rankings and impress and inspire your site's visitors, consider page speed as one integral aspect of building an effective website.

How Quick Loading Websites Win in Google Rankings

Why waiting until Giving Tuesday is losing you donors– and what to do about it




The end of the year is fast approaching and with it comes many things: holidays, family time, vacations, and for non-profit organizations, 30% of annual donations. Many non profits anticipate Giving Tuesday as the ultimate kick off to their year end campaigns. While this is a great time to raise money, waiting until this single day so late in the season can cost your organization much needed support. Let’s explore ways waiting to approach your supporters can hurt your bottom line–and how you can get ahead of the game.




By the time Giving Tuesday arrives, many of your potential donors have already contributed to other causes. They may have allocated their budget elsewhere, and even if they want to support you, they just don’t have the funds. Or, if they still have money to give, waiting until Giving Tuesday means you’ll be competing with a slew of other fantastic organizations coming across their desk. You’ll have to be very loud or very special (or both) to cut through the noise and get noticed, not to mention considered. 


Being first on their desk, in their inbox and top of their mind means getting to them early. If most non profits use Giving Tuesday as their bump, you should be aiming for early November.




Your first outreach to supporters could be many things: a postcard, a brochure or a letter. Regardless of the form it takes, you’ll want to make sure it’s well designed and eye-catching, enticing the recipient to notice it and, most importantly, open it. Don’t rely only on your organization’s reputation or whether they’ve donated in the past: you want them to be wowed by what they find in their mailbox.




Once the piece is opened, you want to make sure the potential donor knows what to do next. Having a clear call to action (CTA) with an easy next step is key to a successful return on your investment. Include some of your accomplishments and achievements of the past year, ask for donations for a specific project or talk about how their donation directly impacts your mission. People are enticed and inspired by clear messages of how their donation will help you thrive.


If your message is early and clear, it makes it easy for your supporters to include you in their annual giving plan. And, if the piece is gorgeous, it may even go on their fridge!





It can’t hurt to remind people of the practical aspects of giving to charitable organizations like yours either. Tax deductions are a big one, but there are also others that hit a little closer to the heart. Supporting causes they care about can have a direct effect on peoples’ communities, enhancing and increasing the wellbeing of their neighbors, their local environment or the world at large. Studies have shown that donating to charitable causes has a positive effect on the donor’s wellbeing as well, allowing them to make a meaningful difference in the areas that matter most to them.




Establish Your Organization as a Thought Leader




By connecting with your supporters before other organizations, you can be the first to address critical issues or share innovative solutions with your supporters. This helps build trust and credibility as your organization contributes to the discourse of your industry. By establishing yourself as a visionary, you don’t just address problems: you actively seek new approaches, strategies and technologies to create positive change.



End of year appeals offer you a unique opportunity to harness your donors’ holiday spirit, meet your financial goals, engage donors and strengthen relationships. By getting out early and with a memorable appeal, you can secure resources needed to continue your vital work in the coming year.


Looking for help with your end of year appeals? Give us a call and see what we can create together. 

Finding the Right Design Agency for YOU

Look for experience in your industry

Check their portfolio

Read reviews and testimonials

Look for a collaborative and transparent approach

Consider their communication skills

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Color Mill Design

339 E Redwood Ave. - Fort Bragg, CA 95437 - 707.964.9645