area
PROFILES
all about the brand:
M A X I M U M I M P A C T w i t h S K AV L E M D E S I G N S WO R DS : A L I C I A UNDE R L E E N E LSON
what's your design process? How? Start in person: I take notes to listen to each client. What audience do you want this message to reach? What's the best way to do that?
Take it to paper: Then I draw/sketch it out. What are the actions you want to get in response to your message?
Skavlem Designs
Moodboards or Mockups:
ATTC Mental Health Brochure Mood Board
Pre-work still - look and feel. Some projects need a bit more groundwork. Moodboards show the photography style and art direction that can then be easily applied to a project or product. Think of it as a map.
Design Layouts, Edits and Wow: For large projects, getting from How to Wow is not for the faint of heart. But with a well organized designer on your side, the end result can really grab people's attention.
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:: areawomanmagazine.com
PH OTOGRA PH Y : Provided by SKAV LEM D ESIG NS
ue Skavlem
creates clarity and connections. Her company, Skavlem Designs, is a one-stop shop for writing, design and branding services. Clients come to Skavlem with notes scrawled on napkins and scratch paper and a collection of screenshots, vision boards, words, colors and images as inspiration. They leave with tools that are custom designed to help them connect with their customers in concise and dynamic ways. Some opt for complete packages, like a branding strategy session or a brand refresh that provides new press releases and updates the company’s “About Us” literature and media kit. A comprehensive approach helps a scrappy startup hit the ground running and enables an established company to launch a new program, product or mission quickly. “I love to be able to co-create those ideas with people,” says Skavlem. “I really like working with small businesses and helping established businesses expand, to be able to not only be the starting point for people, but also to be able to say, ‘Where do you want to be in five years?’ — and to help them justify that, whether they’re getting a small business loan or just putting together a business plan.” Other clients opt for a more à la carte approach. They hire Skavlem to revamp a logo, to create an ad campaign or infographic, to generate an email template, an attention-getting social media strategy or a knockout annual report. It’s an efficient way to delegate those pesky tasks that don’t match anyone’s job description or skill set to a professional and get them off the to-do list. For clients that fall somewhere in between the comprehensive and the pay-as-you-go models, Skavlem offers her services on retainer. It’s a solution for businesses that may not need (or be able to afford) a full-time graphic designer or marketing coordinator, but still want to work with a creative consultant who understands the company’s mission and goals. Skavlem has no interest in dictating to her clients. The goal is a collaborative process from start to finish. “Whenever you’re speaking to somebody, the most important thing is how you listen,” she says. “I listen to what they want and need. I try to