525 Third Street
460 Communications hired me in 2020 as a freelancer designer to work on a project for Tom Munro. He wanted a website that was inexpensive to build and easy to update and maintain. After chatting with Tom, I got an idea of what he was envisioning for this new project and all the elements required. The proposal I sent Tom included details for logo design, Squarespace website, brochure, letterhead, and signage.
To kick-off the project, I started by working on the new logo. This is the starting point to establishing the look and feel of the brand. Next came the website design and development. Before the website could be completed, I worked on a series of floor plan handouts that could be download and printed from the website. I also designed signage and letterhead for Tom.
Logo Design
Branding plays an important role for any project to stand out, and Tom new the importance of that. Tom already had a bit of an idea of what he wanted the new logo to look like, so I worked out a few options before he approved the design.
The branding job doesn’t end once the logo is approved. I always setup a complete logo package for all clients.
The logo package includes:
Pantone logos
CMYK logos
RGB logos
ai - vector file
pdf - vector file
png - raster file
svg - vector web file
Why Squarespace?
Why do I build websites on Squarespace instead of WordPress? The main reason is cost and time.
Cost:
Squarespace gives me the power to design a website from start to finish without having to hire a web developer. This brings the cost down significantly for both myself and the customer.
Time:
Everything happens in real time when building on Squarespace, allowing me to get a website up and running much faster. Whereas, something like WordPress requires design and development time, making the process much longer. It’s kind of like doing the work twice, I start with the design, then a developer re-builds it and makes it functional. Squarespace is an incredibly user-friendly platform giving me all the tools I need to create a stunning website.
The Squarespace Advantage
Squarespace is not just a website builder; it’s an all-in-one content management system or CMS. With your subscription, you have access to their user-friendly platform, content hosting, well-designed templates, built-in security and analytics, 24/7 support, and many more.
What did we do?
The purpose of the website is to provide information about the 525 Third Street project and to generate leads.
Working with Tom, we came up with a wireframe outlining the structure of the website. He provided the content while I worked on the design and development.
I sourced stocked photos and used photos from my personal library. Tom loved that the site included photos from Nanaimo, it’s all about those extra little touches. Floor plan handouts were also integrated as downloadable PDFs and Tom provided a custom contact form that I embedded on the site.
Once the design was approved, I got the clients domain connected, payment info was provided, and I pushed the site live. I then gave Tom a on-hands tutorial showing him how to edit and maintain the website.
The Results
Tom is having great success with this project, selling units, and filling the retail spaces. I former co-worker at Alpha told me she bought a unit in 525 Third Street because it was the only development at the time that had a website with useful information. That’s a pretty good testimonial to my work. Tom contacted me later for a new exciting venture, Live at Royal Bay. However, what he required was outside my wheel house, so I past the project along to my employer at the time, Alpha. I worked on the design, and the development team built it on Divi.
This is a great example of how I am willing to work with other agencies. 460 Communications gave me free reign to work directly with Tom. And Alpha had the talent to bring the Live at Royal Bay website to life.
Signage
Signage plays an important role for any development. It helps attract new home owners and business alike. It’s a great way to promote the website and to provide people passing by details and contact information.
I designed two site signs for 525 Third Street that where placed at each end of the development for maximum visibility.
NAI Commercial was selling and leasing retail spaces and also required signage. The building was still in construction so I design graphics that went on the windows facing the main roads.