Testimonials
"The thing that stands out most in my mind is this: It has been my experience that the vast majority of companies working in this field are not respectful with their clients’ resources. Design Principles was not only respectful, they treated our companies resources, as though they were their own. Ultimately, we completely trust your organization, with the representation of ours. Thank you for all that you do."
Jeremie Mailloux | itWWORKS! | 1611 Main Street | West Barnstable, MA 02668 | itworks.us.com
"All web designers are not created equal.
There was a time when I would offer my clients a choice of about a half dozen companies when asked to recommend a web designer. I did this in an effort to present impartial, unbiased options, given that on the surface, graphic design seemed to be a matter of personal preference. 100% of my clients that chose other designers ultimately contracted Design Principles to correct or improve on work done by other design companies.
Experience/knowledge/proficiency
Design Principles has a diverse staff with backgrounds in various fields that lay the foundation for a company that can provide better solutions than the competition. Recently, a client came to me for help with their website. The website was beautifully designed, but for some reason was not showing up in any search engines. A quick review by Design Principles revealed several fundamental flaws with the design of the page that resulted in the page not being cataloged by search engines.
Integrity
Some designers employ various methods to ensure it is extremely difficult for clients to take their business elsewhere. As an IT consultant, I have seen this done many times by local Internet Service Providers and graphic design companies employing the following methods:
Registering the clients domain in the name of the design company
Registering the clients domain in a fashion that makes it very difficult to move it
Coding the page in a non-standards method that will not properly display on another server
Coding the page in a compiled language and then refusing to release the original source code
Since Design Principles believes that design work they provide is the intellectual property of their clients, client retention has never been a problem.
Personal Experience
I have been using Design Principles (DP) for my own design needs for many years. From the moment I decided that a professional web presence was important to me, I knew there was no other choice. I also knew that I wanted a website that would be easy for me to change or edit as my needs changed, and I knew that DP would deliver. And deliver, they did. I was provided with a framework that greatly exceeded my expectations. The design was done in such a fashion to allow me to add or remove pages without changing the overall look or feel of the page. It was so well done, that I was able to incorporate a 3rd party helpdesk software into the page, and adapt the design work for use as a WordPress template without affecting the design of the page.
Different
Unlike other web design companies that I have come in contact with the staff at Design Principles actually listen to their clients. This allows them to deliver a final product that is in line with the client’s vision of what the website or design work should look like. Other design companies often deliver a product based on their perception of what the client should have."
Bill Kirwin, President | Network Services of Cape Cod | p: 508.771.6005 | f: 508.7714995 | www.servicecapecod.com
"The team at Design Principles was really receptive and responsive to my exact needs. They shepherded my site from a vague and rough concept to a finely honed product with truly professional finish and an undeniably elegant sheen. The comments I get all the time from visitors is a testament to their creativity and skill!"
David Kaplan | www.davidkaplan.com
"We wanted a new corporate identity that was fresh, hip and ‘out of the box’; we didn’t want to look like a typical accounting firm. Karen and Wendy really understood what we looking for and that’s what they delivered. It has been over two years and we are still receiving compliments on our new design. Our e-mails even convey our new image which we feel makes a statement to our clients and prospects that they are dealing with a top-notch professional firm."
Michele M. Pratt, cpa, mba, Partner | Hodgson Pratt Associates, PC | p: 508.990.2600 | f: 508.994.7006
"I dreaded developing a logo for my marketing agency. I preferred to have nothing versus having something that didn’t ‘wow’ people. When I met Karen and her team at Design Principles, I knew I finally had found the company that could create my corporate identity. They understood the intangible qualities of my firm and our philosophy of strategic marketing.
The design they created was a joyful collaboration of their talent and skill with my vision. They were able to capture what was inside my head and make it beautiful. I love my company’s look and receive compliments all the time. In fact, I believe people hire our services because they want something that looks as good for their companies.
After working together, I was so impressed by Design Principles from a marketing and value standpoint that I decided they were the only design firm I would ever use for my clients. Since 2005, our two firms have worked together to serve dozens of satisfied clients."
Wendy Cullum, Owner | Michel Cullum Associates, Inc. | Marion, MA 02738 | p: 508.748.9972 | www.michelcullum.com
"I knew we needed to shore up our identity and take steps to improve our website and other key marketing tools—but I never anticipated just how effective the results would be! Even in this down economy my firm has grown fast, and in complete alignment with our goals. Design Principles and Michel Cullum Associates helped us strengthen our strategy, as well as implement it. They were a joy to collaborate with every step of the way.
Wendi Goldsmith, CPG, CPSSc, President | Bioengineering Group | p: 978-740-0096 x507 | www.bioengineering.com
"We’re VERY happy with our new business materials and have even received quite a few compliments from clients. Two thumbs up!"
Jennifer Bronstein | John A. Grant Attorney at Law | t: 508.362.5688 | f: 508.362.5698
"I would like to thank you and everyone at Design Principles for the excellent job you did on the website for Cape Cod Endodontics.. My practice went into this with no concept of web design; we knew we wanted a website, but had no idea what it entailed. We really love both the content and the design. I especially appreciate the fact you responded so well during the design process when I had questions. You made an effort to make sure that I was aware of what was going on and that I was satisfied… Thanks again for a job well done."
Michael Buckley, D.M.D. | Cape Cod Endodontics | p: 508.888.8482 | www.capecodendodontics.com
"The Design Principles team has created all of my sales and marketing materials including two web sites since I started my business in 1994. They took the time to learn about my business and listen to what I needed and then responded with innovative, professional and distinctive designs that incorporate my business ideas. I continually receive compliments and business from these materials."
James Orphanos, President | Certified Inspection Associates Inc. | 47 Cameron Road | North Falmouth, MA 02556 | www.certified-inspection.com
"Our wholesale bakery had a major fire in 2007. With all the hardship this brought us, it also gave us an opportunity to reinvent our corporate identity and the way we present ourselves to our valued customers. Design Principles has been by our side from day one, not only as a team of designers but as advisors and people we could count on to make deadlines and really follow the path we were trying to make for our business. They have created a label that represents us and our product better than ever and have completed every aspect of this new image we were looking for including our web site, catalogs, business cards, letterheads and ingredient cards. It has been a great pleasure to watch everything fall into place and to hear positive feedback from our customers that love our new image."
Diana Vujosevic, partner | Pain D’Avignon | 15 Hinckley Road | Hyannis, MA 02601 | www.paindavignon.com
"Martin Engineering has used Design Principles for over a year now: reliable, great flexibility and never disappointing.
The redesign of our corporate logo and website was just what we were looking for. Their staff is courteous, professional and a real pleasure to work with!"
Scott Martin, President | Martin Engineering |Braintree, MA 02184 | p: 781.848.8484 | www.steamvalve.com
"Michel Cullum Associates and Design Principles helped us develop case studies that are actually a pleasure to read and a viable marketing tool. We appreciated how they managed the process and their ‘gentle prodding’ ensured we made our deadlines and kept costs down. Working with them was both easy and efficient. Their online Project Management System made it extremely easy to review layouts, make changes and oversee several projects simultaneously.
Because they provided both printed and electronic versions of the case studies, we are able to share our case studies across a much wider audience, plus reduce our printing costs while saving a few trees, too. The electronic versions also help us to provide our information to prospective clients immediately. The benefit of that alone is immeasurable.
Their team truly took care of all aspects of our project. From research to interviewing our clients to copywriting and designing the layout and prepress— they were able to do everything we asked. We feel the project went very smoothly because they knew how to manage every detail."
Josh Lindell, Project Manager | Aquapoint | New Bedford, MA 02745 | p: 508.998.7577 | 508.998.7177
"Please allow me to thank you for the super job you are doing with the graphic designs for our business. Because of your efforts in coordinating the new branding project for Lulu’s, the whole store looks better, the staff morale has improved, and customers are noticing our new look!
Allow me to compliment you and your entire staff for the designs which you continue to create for us. We have been more than impressed with the promptly completed layouts and revisions. You have creatively illustrated our own concepts and new ones in ways we could never have imagined.
Your staff has a good sense of appropriate graphic size, style and arrangement and makes edits and changes per our requests in such a timely manner, it really is a pleasure to work with you. Thank you also for being flexible and willing to experiment with color, contrast and backgrounds as I am prone to do – you have developed some new and exciting patterns and designs for us after just one conversation or request. You have implemented art direction and design concepts across a wide range of projects for which I am grateful. I am so impressed because not many shops show such commitment and versatility. I’m sure it serves your other clients well. It has certainly made a difference for us.
Finally, thank you ever so much for continuing to provide timely and accurate cost estimates and financial accounting for us. It allows us to plan for the future and utilize the marketing budget wisely. We look forward to a long-term relationship with Design Principles and just wanted to share our appreciation for the work which you’ve already completed.
Wishing you continued success – keep up the dynamic and wonderful work."
Carrie Plantamura | VP Marketing and Communications | Lulu’s Bake Shoppe – Boston, MA
"I am very pleased that you asked me to comment on the services received from you and your staff at Design Principles, Inc. over the past twenty years to support the activity of Corporate Distribution Services. We have depended on Design Principles for many support services including web site design, magazine layouts, our company web site revisions together with the design and production of our company logos and business forms.
The personal attention to each requirement has been both professional and very prompt. Each requirement was achieved with excellent results which assisted Corporate Distribution Services with it’s growth and advertising goals over the past 20 years. In every instance our requirements were performed within our budget and met our every expectation. Design Principles, Inc. has been our exclusive source for our web site design, business form development, web site revisions and recommendations for advertising programs."
Kenneth J. Figueiredo, President | Corporate Distribution Services | p: 508.833.0127 | www.corpdistserv.com
"It has been an extreme pleasure working with Design Principles for over ten years. Each year, you design Project Arts posters and brochures that are creatively fresh and original, with compelling colors and design originality. I keep thinking that you will run out of new ideas but that never happens. Your recent addition of concert bookmarks was fantastic.
And the artwork that you did for my first CD "Smell the Roses" was equally impressive. You incorporated my name into the abstract design logo on each disc and the liner material layout was neat and clean. I look forward to working with you again for both Project Arts and my next CD project. I can’t wait to see what you will come up with next!"
Lloyd Rosenberg Winokur, Serkey & Rosenberg, PC | Project Arts of Plymouth | p: 508.746.1026 | www.projectarts.com
"Design Principals has been our primary marketing design company for thirteen years.
The unique, fascinating and breathtaking designs are instantly recognizable and warmly received by sponsors, customers and concert attendees. I look forward to continuing our long relationship in the coming years. They’re simply "the Best."
Mike Landers | Nightlife Music Company | Project Arts of Plymouth, Inc. | www.projectarts.org
"The CGWP program is a tremendous non-credit opportunity for adults in Southeastern Massachusetts who wish to enhance their creative design skills or explore a new career direction. The professionals at Design Principles have developed and continually update their excellent curriculum based on the ever-changing fields of graphic and web design concepts."
Mary Fuller, Director | Bridgewater State College | 100 Burrill Avenue | Bridgewater, MA 02325 | p: 508.531.6145
"You made the class a great experience through your patience, humor, support, encouragement and in how you delivered the information to me and my fellow classmates. The movement through illustration programs, to photo manipulation programs to animation and web development programs was obviously strategic in planning; every step proved to be a foundation for the next and as I moved through my self-doubts, a shift occurred for me and possibility came into view.
…My knowledge of graphic design and web design and development, along with [my new home office], provide me with an opportunity to explore a career in art while maintaining accessibility and involvement with my children. In addition, this move gradually leads me to fulfillment where I can have a more positive influence on them as an example of someone who has broken free from a dream of action to take action on a dream.
It is my hope that the CGWP course continues inspiring others to recognize their talents, believe in themselves and equip them with the tools and the power to walk through a door they would otherwise not open. Computer graphics and web design and development are more vital today in visual art, technology and communications than ever, and is growing. As our society relies more and more on computers and our world uses it as a universal instrument, opportunity in this field expands. I am grateful for you both as outstanding teachers and for the vehicle of the CGWP course as an access to art and opportunity. Imagination and knowledge have given me freedom…"
Julie M. | Freelance Designer
"Wonderful teachers who understood that we had lives, and created a curriculum that was not only achievable, but as I am finding in the real world, invaluable.
I came to the class with a desire to learn more about the principles of design, and to get "better" at a position I fell into at my job four years prior. Self-teaching graphic design had become a slow and painful process, and I was becoming frustrated with my lack of growth. What I learned in the CGWP, not only the increased my skill level, but more importantly, my confidence in my abilities.
The company I work for financially supported my going to school, and know now what a bargain they got in sending me to BSC… for half the cost of one ad done with a Boston design agency, in one year I saved them $250,000 in advertising and collateral materials. Almost instantly the VP of our Marketing Department, as well as the CEO of the Company saw an increase in both the quantity, and quality of my work. They were able to completely do away with an ad agency monthly retainer, and a separate web design retainer.
…I finally feel secure in my role as the "breadwinner" for my family thanks to my education at Bridgewater. I now feel that I have valuable skills that are in demand (I don’t think the internet is going away any time soon!), and should the need arise, I could find work elsewhere without difficulty. Technology has changed the design industry, and the slacking economy has changed the way companies are doing business. Companies don’t have huge advertising budgets anymore, but still have the need to market their products; and more and more I’m seeing that the trend is to bring well rounded, graphic designers "in house…"
A.S., Creative Manager | Unnamed Company
For more student comments, please visit www.cgwp.net
