SCHILDBACH DESIGN SERVICES
Consultation: Schildbach Design offers one free initial hour of consultation. We can discuss what kind of products and services you need for your web and/or print project to be a success.
Website Services
Education: Schildbach Design can educate you on how to maintain your own site. Depending on your needs, there are many options as to how to do this: coding in HTML, using Dreamweaver or another "wysiwyg", updating a content management system, or with blog software. The more custom your design, the more you will need to know some HTML and CSS. Stephen can show you this process without having to do complicated coding. Instead, you will be cutting and pasting from pre-existing work he has done and you just fill in the new content. If you can't have a web designer update your site and refuse to even look at code, your other solution is using a content management system or blog software. This is much easier to update but your design options are limited for the most part to two and three column layouts.
Search Engine Optimization: Everyone wants their site on the first page of Google. Stephen creates websites that maximizes your visibility on the web and explains how he is doing it. Also, when your site is not performing well in the search engines, he can investigate what needs to be done to improve your results. Stephen enjoys building well designed aesthetic sites, but sometimes you have to put the beautiful design aside and replace it with descriptive content to improve the site's search results.
Coding and Browsers: For those of you who need to know what is under the hood, Stephen builds all of his sites with W3C compliance, which means your website will not fall apart as technologies change, and the development of the site follows industry standards. He develops sites using XHTML, DHTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP, and MySQL. He designs for all modern browsers that have the same kind of platform as Firefox, and the delinquent browser Internet Explorer (versions 6, 7, and 8). It should be understood by the client that there are many browsers and they all display websites differently. Internet Explorer is the most troublesome browser to design for. Some features you request may not be possible to accomplish in this browser. Schildbach Design does not troubleshoot or design for any browsers older than IE6.
Custom Sites: If you are a highly aesthetic person and believe in good design, you might want to consider a custom site. It is the most expensive route to go, most commonly ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 for small to medium sized sites, but has the potential to go beyond that range. Template sites or working with a content management system or blog software is considerably less expensive, but more limiting in what you can do in terms of design. If your business has an artistic element, I recommend the custom site.
Standard Sites: If you are a non-profit, or a person on a budget, Schildbach Design can create a simpler design or work from a pre-existing template to get you an affordable web presence.
Content Management Systems: The most common request I get from clients is to have a site they can update themselves. The best solution is developing a site with a Content Management System (CMS). Much like a blog, a CMS is an online software application that makes it possible for non-technical users to publish content to a website. If you are a non-profit, a person on a budget, or will frequently be updating the content on your site, we recommend developing your site with a content management system.
Flash Sites: Schildbach Design does not do Flash sites but can direct you to a web designer that does.
Dynamic Content: Stephen works with experienced and trusted web developers for dynamic website content. Services include: database searches, member logins, forms, shopping carts and so much more.
Psychotherapist Websites: Stephen has built more sites for psychotherapists, psychiatrists, and counselors than any other field. He is familiar with the particular needs of your work, such as HIPAA compliance. He has always been interested in psychology, maybe that's why he attracts this kind of client?
Image Portfolios: For artists, designers, photographers, architects and anyone else who needs an online portfolio, Schildbach Design has several visual options for your image portfolio. Stephen can create a very basic online portfolio for about $500 that you maintain yourself, or he can incorporate several portfolio categories into a more complex site.
Online newsletters: We strongly recommend using a content management system for your online newsletter for efficiency. For something more unique, I also do custom newsletters. See my web design portfolio for a sample and link to the custom newsletter I designed and maintain monthly for the Northwest Dharma Newsletter.
Maintenance: Sometimes you just don't have the time to maintain your own site. Schildbach Design maintains the content for several sites, and is able to maintain your site for an affordable hourly fee of $28 an hour.
Troubleshooting: The most dreaded part of web design is troubleshooting. There are many different browsers and versions of browsers all seeing your site in a slightly different way. It is important to be prepared as a client that all sites will have their particular problems in various browsers (most often Internet Explorer). Troubleshooting is included in the cost of a custom site, but is charged hourly when maintaining a site.
Print Services, Your Identity and Signage
Logo: When developing an identity for your business, after the free consultation, the first step and cornerstone to the project is your logo. There are basically two kinds of business logos: text only, and text with an illustration. Illustration can be very time intensive, creating a logo with a graphic illustration is considerably more expensive (see rates), while choosing and modifying text is the most affordable route to go.
Business Card: When designing a business card with your identity, you have already done a majority of the work with a logo. Now, it's time to incorporate the logo in a small design that will bring people to your website and you. It is also a good idea to have some preliminary ideas for the website (if it hasn't been built already) that match the design of your business card.
Postcard: Any kind of postcard or promotional piece is a great way to keep your business visible and direct people to your website.
Brochure: Whether your need for a brochure is a part of your identity or a separate promotional plan, Schildbach Design creates brochures that range from tri-fold to multi-page booklets.
Books: Schildbach Design offers book interior and cover design. His largest project was an educational six book series on learning, memory, and writing for the Quantum Learning Network. See my print design portfolio for samples.
Magazines: In addition to online magazines, Schildbach Design offers print magazine design. He is presently working on an annual journal for the Northwest Dharma Association.
Signage: Schildbach Design offers indoor and outdoor signage. He has worked extensively with the Musicians' Association of Seattle for their organisations's signage. See their indoor banner and outdoor sign in my print design portfolio and on the corner of 3rd and Union St. in downtown Seattle.
Printers: There are so many printing options, the choices can be overwhelming and confusing. Schildbach Design consults with you and can either point you to printers that will satisfy your job needs or can handle the interaction with the printer for you.