Mountain Prairie Designs consists of two friends that build websites and branding that tell stories, your story to be exact!
The dream you have, the vision that drives you, the thing you are building to help your community and the world we live in.
So how do you want it told?
A lover of all the seasons, being outside (seriously brings an instant smile to my face), mama to one insanely adorable 6 year old who will be taller then me faster then I want to admit, fan of great coffee in the morning, wine at night, and always trying to slow down time or at the very least…. get that teleportation machine up and running finally! Phewph, that was a lot for one sentence, can you tell I can talk.
I love to experience new cities, exploring what they have to offer, tasting the food, supporter of the arts/ all things local, and have fun being a mama.
I was born, raised, and currently living in the East Kootenays of British Columbia. The mountains have become a part of who I am. My favourite memories always include backroads, rivers and 4x4 trucks. I have way too many pets and plants but....who's counting anyways.
My love of design started when I was a kid. I spent a lot of time after school with my Mom at work. She worked in a textile store in our small town. I was regularly surrounded by colours, textures and patterns. I remember dreaming of so many possibilities as I touched every fabric and flipped through every pattern.
I have often been called an instigator and..... it's true. I absolutely love fuelling the passions of the people I interact with. I will be your number one fan and maybe even add a perspective you never thought about.
Your website should showcase what you and your business stand for, your values and what makes you, you!
At Mountain Prairie Designs, we believe it should be custom, easy on the eyes, fun, creative, professional, modern, unique and functional. It talks to your potential clients 24/7, how it shows up is vital.
So what does it all entail?
Your branding is the first thing people will see and in under 3 seconds, it will have your customers moving on to the next thing or have them remembering you and following your story to learn more.
This is a huge part of the story you tell and for a lot of people... this is where they think they can do less. From your colour selection, your fonts, memorable logos, we believe it should be custom, a breathe of fresh air, fun, modern, unique and have the ability to grow with you and where your business goes.
So what does it all entail?
First you’ll begin your discovery process by completing our survey and questionnaire to help us learn all about your goals, & what drives your business.
Second, we’ll strategize together over a zoom video consultation to plan the path for your success! You will get a timeline from us and then we will get busy in the design process.
Third, we'll officially begin the designing your project and make your ideas a reality with fresh concepts that compliment your work and captivate your audience.
You will be guided every step of the way, we will provide you with updates as we transition through each design phase and we will get your feedback through the steps, so we can make any adjustments you wish!
You will then start seeing the whole project come together. Final edits will be made, guidance as to what your next steps are and how to carry on with our help or on your own!
Lastly, we will teach you how to customize the project so that it works for you now and in the future! We will also give you the tips and tricks to launch with a bang!
But I have a website and I think it rocks!
And I am happy for you, but I also want you to succeed, so let's make sure it ticks all the boxes shall we.
Content that is clear. Let's be honest, we have things/ content/ ads/ screens etc put in front of our eyes 1000's of times in a day. So our eyes start to scan and skim information. So is your website drowning them in it or bringing happiness to those tired eyes. Cut to the chase and give the people what they want.
An experience/ process page. Tell your people how this works, what they will get and how it will all happen! If give you direction and your audience confidence.
A way to contact you. Yes this sounds beyond basic and you might be rolling your eyes, but so many pages I visit do not have a way to do this. So my business goes elsewhere.
Other versions of your site. Have you checked them... thoroughly?!?! I mean mobile, tablet, other screen sizes for desktop. So many times I see a decent website and then the mobile version was left to chance. Most people will be coming to your site via mobile these days or a smaller screen, so make sure they have people swooning instead of running!
Did you website check all the boxes? Or are you checking your website right now....
This is how you bring clarity to your vision.
It can be intimidating but with a few questions and brainstorming, you will be well on your way!
So how do you get started?
First, who are your customers? And I mean WHO, so get a piece of paper and create the ideal customer! They need a name, age, career, hobbies, personal life, family, needs, wants and a problem to solve (psssss that's where you come in)!
Second, how do you fix this problem? What is it that you have that actually helps... see where I'm going here. Now how are you different from your competition and yes you have competition!
Third, your brand needs personality! So how do you want to present your business to the world? Create an identity that speaks for your business and that helps bring consistency to your branding and ALL your communications.
Lastly, lets package it! This is the design part. Colours, logo, slogan, pitch, fonts, business name.... It can be a lot of fun, but somethings can be tricky. (This is usually where we come in!) So start a pinterest board, mood board, trello board, written notes and start designing the look of your business!
Colour is the first thing that will be seen for your brand. It can set you apart or have you blend in. It is also the thing that people will remember first! Yes, that is right. they will remember the colours you pick before they remember your name!
So how do we go about and get the colours that are right for you and your brand? Get back to the colour wheel! Start there and you cannot go wrong.
Cool colours can be calming, grounding, trustworthy, reliable. Warm colours are intense, energetic, passionate and can get people attention. SO now that we have some basic ideas of colour theory, we can think about colour combinations. Colour combinations are where the magic starts to come alive. Complimentary, triadic, analogous, monochromatic.... so what is your inspiration? IS it an image you are drawn too? Location?
Combining your inspiration, your ideal customer, your business goal and your business personality will help you get a solid idea of the right colours for you.
So sit down with a favourite beverage, or get outside for a walk, whatever works best in getting your brain working and your ideas flowing!
But I have a website and I think it rocks!
And I am happy for you, but I also want you to succeed, so let's make sure it ticks all the boxes shall we.
Content that is clear. Let's be honest, we have things/ content/ ads/ screens etc put in front of our eyes 1000's of times in a day. So our eyes start to scan and skim information. So is your website drowning them in it or bringing happiness to those tired eyes. Cut to the chase and give the people what they want.
An experience/ process page. Tell your people how this works, what they will get and how it will all happen! If give you direction and your audience confidence.
A way to contact you. Yes this sounds beyond basic and you might be rolling your eyes, but so many pages I visit do not have a way to do this. So my business goes elsewhere.
Other versions of your site. Have you checked them... thoroughly?!?! I mean mobile, tablet, other screen sizes for desktop. So many times I see a decent website and then the mobile version was left to chance. Most people will be coming to your site via mobile these days or a smaller screen, so make sure they have people swooning instead of running!
Did you website check all the boxes? Or are you checking your website right now....
This is how you bring clarity to your vision.
It can be intimidating but with a few questions and brainstorming, you will be well on your way!
So how do you get started?
First, who are your customers? And I mean WHO, so get a piece of paper and create the ideal customer! They need a name, age, career, hobbies, personal life, family, needs, wants and a problem to solve (psssss that's where you come in)!
Second, how do you fix this problem? What is it that you have that actually helps... see where I'm going here. Now how are you different from your competition and yes you have competition!
Third, your brand needs personality! So how do you want to present your business to the world? Create an identity that speaks for your business and that helps bring consistency to your branding and ALL your communications.
Lastly, lets package it! This is the design part. Colours, logo, slogan, pitch, fonts, business name.... It can be a lot of fun, but somethings can be tricky. (This is usually where we come in!) So start a pinterest board, mood board, trello board, written notes and start designing the look of your business!
Colour is the first thing that will be seen for your brand. It can set you apart or have you blend in. It is also the thing that people will remember first! Yes, that is right. they will remember the colours you pick before they remember your name!
So how do we go about and get the colours that are right for you and your brand? Get back to the colour wheel! Start there and you cannot go wrong.
Cool colours can be calming, grounding, trustworthy, reliable. Warm colours are intense, energetic, passionate and can get people attention. SO now that we have some basic ideas of colour theory, we can think about colour combinations. Colour combinations are where the magic starts to come alive. Complimentary, triadic, analogous, monochromatic.... so what is your inspiration? IS it an image you are drawn too? Location?
Combining your inspiration, your ideal customer, your business goal and your business personality will help you get a solid idea of the right colours for you.
So sit down with a favourite beverage, or get outside for a walk, whatever works best in getting your brain working and your ideas flowing!