After nearly 9 years of doing business on the internet I feel sort of lost.
Floating around lost in my mind. I just don't know where to go from here. As some of you may know, I own a few web sites. Some of them are related to my original Hand-CraftedCreations (HCC) site. I need input about this from everyone! Please comment with your opinion. I want honest input... not sugar coated words please. I would like to keep my Hand-CraftedCreations logo for the most part. It's the brand my work has been known for since the beginning. However I am open to tweaking the look of it, if that helps.
My problem is tying my wedding accessory sites together... They are all different, yet they are still related and stem from the same parent site.
Www.hand-craftedcreations.com is the parent site. This site is a directory and blog that features talented artisans from around the internet. Along with the directory of general handcrafted creations there is a gallery that shows the actual Hand-Crafted Creations Name Brand accessories. The HCC Gallery is located here.
Www.CustomWeddingGarters.com Is my online portfolio. All the images in the portfolio are previous custom orders that were created and shipped to my clients. It's a place where I can show off all the custom garters I have been commissioned to create since 2001 to give new clients ideas for ordering their custom wedding garter.
And lastly is www.hccgarters.com the HCC designer garter site. This website has pre-made garters, pillows, baskets etc... they are various designs that have been created over the years. They are all ready to ship and nothing is custom ordered from this website.
After viewing them... you will see that all three sites are completely different in color and design. Originally I did this because I didn't want people to be confused... especially with the custom garter site vs. the pre-made garters site. Now I'm thinking it might be a bad idea... Not sure... Call it logo/branding overload or something, but I'm not happy or content with my current business image, and have no idea where to go from here.
Here's all the samples of my logo variations.
Horizontal for a rectangle footprint
Vertical for a more square-ish footprint
HCC Logo for my Hand-Crafted Creations Garters only. Used on the www.Hand-CraftedCreations.com site and the www.Customweddinggarters.com site.
Logo and header for the www.customweddinggarters.com site.
HCC Designer Garters logo - used on www.HCCGarters.com site.
I feel like I'm lost in Logo Limbo - or maybe it's more like Logo hades! It sure ain't heaven. I can't really think strait to even begin the design process... I think I need fresh points of view. So, I guess you could consider this a call for help. Please comment with your opinion on this dilemma I am faced with... Also Can anyone recommend a great, creative designer. A person with an open mind and artistic talent in creating something "ME" and not just the trendy or fad logos of the time.
I want to tie all of my sites in as one - under the HCC brand but still keep them individual as that is what they are.
Besides giving your honest opinion and feedback, please post links to any logo artist or business image designers that you would whole-heartedly recommend... any artist or company that you would stand behind because you believe they do excellent work. I would love to hear their opinion on this as well.
Thanks in advance.
Sincerely,
Victoria Joanne
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6 Comments - Click to give Your 2Cents:
I know the feeling! You can always use the HCC silver circle logo as the tie in of all your logos. For example Custom Wedding Garters by HCC, Designer Garters by HCC, etc. Or have one site with links to all the different avenues of your business(s). Good Luck with your design endeavor! Email me if you want to chat more!
it is hard for us creative types to narrow it down and keep the focus! but, i'd suggest sticking with one universal logo and having different variations of it depending on your needs or site. i can see why you had all the different sites, but with so many site you are tripling your effort. also, any good designer should be able to help you out. check out etsy, there are lots of graphics people just starting out who would love a project like this. should i be giving you my advice/thoughts!? ha!! you start with a good product and that's really the most important thing! good luck!!
I vote to keep it simple. Keep it flexible. I like #3 best... and then changing it up a bit to accommodate the focus of each of your businesses w/o sacrificing your brand. Good Luck! It's exciting stuff :)
Oooh...
First of all, today is my first time visiting http://www.hand-craftedcreations.com/
I thought I had before but I guess I never did... because I LOVE it & I would have remembered. Which also confirms that it is all a little confusing.
How attached are you to the silver tag? Maybe a new logo design that can be shared a little more easily between the sites may work a little better.
Circles usually work well for this. I have done a few circle logos before for companies with more that one name / logos. If you would like my help, you know I'm here for you.
First - I want to thank each of you all for giving your input so far. I really appreciate it.
Cherise Imbert ~*~*~ I do like the idea of using the silver HCC design to tie things in. I wonder if I should have all the sites have a similar design or colors etc...
julianne smith~*~*~ I'm a little leary of just jumping into ETSY. But thanks for the ideas. I guess it's alright for you to be giving advice LOL - why not, huh? ;)
Truly Engaging ~*~*~ Very good point. I could have the HCC the same and then just change the subheader to be what ever it is... as it has HCC Garters - then it could be HCC Pillow, HCC Dress tags etc... that's a move the right direction I think.
But the HCC garter part is the issue - cause I have the custom made garter site and the pre-made garter site. Ugh...
Lauren ~*~*~ So do you think that all my sites should be created to have the same color theme? or what? This is one of the major areas I'm feeling lost at....
I am also in the process of redesigning my logo and website. I don't have multiple sites but may in the future. As a web/graphic designer, I have a feeling this will be an evolving process for my wedding biz. I keep learning and finding new things to up the appeal of my website, ease of use, etc.
I just recently did some branding for an event planner that turned into some really amazing pieces! I will be offering corporate design (logos, print materials, websites) once my new site is completed.
I am a firm believer in keeping things fresh and up-to-date. I hope to keep my business up to par with what brides are currently looking for.
I think that it would not hurt to freshen up your sites, logos, etc. I know everyone has a different taste or style but in my opinion, it could use some cleaning up, while still maintaining your long-standing image. You can design the different sites/logos in a cohesive manner, so that they differentiate product-wise but still relate to each other.
Anywho, that is just my 2 cents. Whether or not is helpful to you will just depend! =]Best of luck with everything!
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