Hello, and welcome to the Theory of Marketing Relativity podcast. I'm Jess Burton, a marketing specialist here at Epic Marketing Consultants Corporation. Let's talk all things marketing and merchandising with our Epic team. Today, my guest is Kristin Koby. She is our master graphic designer here at epic. Kristin, thank you so much for joining me.
Kristin:It's my pleasure.
Jess:I love getting all kinds of different Epic people here on this podcast so we can learn about all of the facets of our company. So you are our, are our graphic designer, extraordinaire. Um, how did you become a graphic designer? I know this is a super broad, vague question.
Kristin:Well, once I'm way back, fresh out of my mom's womb, you should probably take that out. But way back when I was growing up, I don't know. I just always loved to look through magazines, and look at the advertisements. And my dad was very strict about not letting us watch cartoons he would I'm sorry. My dad was very strict about not letting us watch commercials. Because he thought it made you buy things that you didn't need. But I loved him. I was I begged him, please turn on the sound Let us watch it. This is a funny commercial. He wasn't having any bit of it. So I don't know if it was a defiance thing that I decided to get into advertising and graphic design. But that's that's my first memory of like really liking what I saw on on the commercials and the magazines, and the way that you can persuade people to see things your way kind of thing. I'm not sure if that makes sense or not. But I just like the way you look at a commercial, and immediately you want to buy whatever it is.
Jess:Now, I think that's so crazy. It's funny that you say that you aren't allowed to watch like commercials. Because like I grew up where we weren't allowed to watch TV on like school nights. So we could watch TV like Friday night or like Saturday. But generally speaking, like we never really watched TV. So like I totally understand, like the fascination behind like commercials and ads and all that kind of stuff.
Kristin:Yes, I loved them. They were my favorite things. To even today. They're still my favorite things. Aside from the show I'm actually watching.
Jess:I I definitely appreciate a great commercial.
Kristin:Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. And that was the start for me. That's when something clicked in my head. I knew I could. I had some art skills. And then I would between like I said the magazines, and the books. And the commercials album covers was really huge because that was back in the 70s and they had the best album covers back then. So yeah, a combination of those things kind of got me started on the road to graphic design. That is super cool.
Jess:I think I feel like you said album cover is and I just kind of like giggled over here because I don't even think that like kids nowadays would know what an album cover is.
Kristin:I don't think they know what vinyl is.
Jess:Unless they have like parents who like are like super into that or like an older sibling who is super into that.I don't think they would know either
Kristin:They don't know what they're missing these kids today. Okay,
Jess:I know, right they've got everything right in there. Right in their iPhones.
Kristin:I know and they miss so much I miss miss flipping through the albums.
Jess:Oh you know what I miss I miss I miss from like CDs, pulling out the like packet and the front of the CD. Then memorizing the lyrics to a song.
Kristin:Exactly, exactly.
Jess:Like reading them over and over again.
Kristin:Those were the days back then.
Jess:Oh my gosh, talk about old school. And that wasn't even that long ago. Like I'm saying that like it was like forever agol ike it wasn't long ago. Um, so commercials, all that kind of stuff. How did you how now I know enough about Photoshop to like edit photos and to like crop out power lines. And I know enough about Lightroom to like, zhuzh my pictures. How did you get into all of the different design programs, learning them, mastering them, making them making them easy for you? Because even to this day, I'm like, let me watch a YouTube tutorial on how to crop out
Kristin:I still do that I still, if I can't figure something out, I will just go to Google, which is a little scary. But um, that's the thing to do these days. But when I was in college, we did not have computers until I think it was my final this was like 91 or 92. The school that I went to was a football school. So all the money went to football. And all the money did no money went to the art department, we literally, were in a building, where all the windows were blown out and crashed out, because I guess artists can't act, right. No, heat, no AC, we just had to come bundled up or stripped down. But we didn't have any computers, the teachers had to pull their I'm sorry, professors. No, they don't like that. Um, the professors had to pull their money together to get to build a computer room with just 10 computers for the entire university.
Jess:Oh my gosh,
Kristin:So we had to like sign in and sign out. But that's how I got my start. And that was like Pagemaker. And a few of the basic things CorelDRAW was another one. Very basic page layout programs. That's where I got my start out of college, it was a, almost a, you get a job, and you just kind of get dropped in the seat and figure it out. So there was a lot of that was like when cork was popular. There was a lot of tutorials that I did, how I learned all of the programming was in the Adobe suites was the tutorials. I think they still have those these days. But that's how I got my start and how I learned I was lucky enough to work with a few really good companies that they allowed me to take my time to figure that out. Gave me the learning curve. People I was able to ask questions, too. But it was very hands on it was very learn as you go type of thing. I didn't take any classes. But But yeah, it was just a plop in the seat and sit down for a couple hours and, and learn the tutorials.
Jess:I think that's crazy. Like you have seen like the almost the full evolution of design, from all of it to what it is now, which I think is insane. Like, I was like looking through I every once in a while I'm like, Oh, I should update my LinkedIn. And I look I like compare my like LinkedIn to like other people's and I'm like, Who has time to learn all these programs?
Kristin:Exactly
Jess:Because like that's a full time job in itself
Kristin:It is that's why my LinkedIn is not really set up
Jess:There.
Kristin:Yeah,
Jess:because it should be and then it just stays.
Kristin:It's just looks pretty. That's its job.
Jess:Exactly. So here at Epic you are I so between you and Sheryl, I always think of you guys as like the ninja scenes in movies where you're having like, throwing stars, like thrown at you. And you guys are like dodging them. Because I feel like you guys get a lot of like, short, quick turnaround projects, whether it's a I'm trying to think whether it's a mailer, or it's a publication or an E-Blast
Kristin:image.
Jess:Exactly. How do you do like a process for how you handle those short term? And when I say short term, I mean, there somewhere I've been like, Oh my god, Kristin and Sheryl, just put that out and like two hours, like, wow, wow.
Kristin:I do have a bit of a process when it gets to those quick things. And it's usually having a stash of images that I know that at some point, I'm going to be asked to pull them out at somebody's beck and call. And especially with the clients, I pretty much got a good grasp on what each client likes and what they hate. So if I'm working on a job for a particular client, and I know they like a particular car, or their demographic has a particular kind of house that they're usually in that they live in. I'll make sure that in my goings on during the week. And the month in the year I kind of collect images for that particular client. Be just just from coming across it by chance looking for something else. I'm like, Oh, this, I might be looking for a dog and I come across a house that is exactly the house that I know a particular client likes. So I'll just tuck that off to the side. And, and keep that folder with the client. So each of my clients has one of these folders with, whether it's images or ideas that just popped in my head, or a headline or something like that, I kind of keep something like that for each client. And then just build on it every day, whether it's on purpose or accidental. Just so I have a quick stash for, for when epic calls on me For a quick turnaround on an E blast, or, or a mailer or something like that. But that's how I normally get through that. That quickness, the quick jobs
Jess:That is like, I know, it sounds silly, but like that is like that is genius idea i think i've ever heard like, I'm gonna have to start doing that with social because, you know, there's times where you're like, Huh, I'm looking for a house with a tree in front and find like 18 different photos. And you're like these have nothing to do with what I'm looking for right now. but later on down the line. That could come in handy.
Kristin:Exactly that's why I just keep that little stash. I don't always succeed in exactly what the what the client is looking for. But but it's it's at least nice to have for a start. And sometimes I get lucky.
Jess:Absolutely I know. I've always that you just you like whipped out like eight different photos. And I was like, where, how did you and you're like, I've had them? I'm like, oh, okay, that's like a genius idea that I never thought of.
Kristin:Yeah, I do not play when it comes to certain clients when I know they're picky.
Jess:Yes, that is definitely definitely can definitely be a little challenging at times.
Kristin:Yes. You don't have to go back and forth. 52 times. Right, then that's kind of that's also another reason why I do it just to kind of be as efficient as possible. And save time Cut. Cut costs where I can?
Jess:Oh, absolutely. I just think about all the times like you're like, how does this look? And then you're waiting, and you're waiting? And you're waiting? It's like, like, I always use the phrase Hurry up and wait. You hurry up so you can wait for their response. But if you get if you already have a stash of it, it makes it 10 times easier, less waiting.
Kristin:Yes, yes. And I try not to show all my cards at once. If you know what I mean?
Jess:Yes,
Kristin:I'll just pick a couple out. Yes, I show them everything. Well, then, you know, now I've shown my stash. And if they decide that they don't like anything, then I got to start my stash all over again. So I usually just try to try to throw a couple of them at once.
Jess:And sometimes I feel like even like adults, like we're much like children where if you give us too many options. It's way overwhelming. And then we really can't make a decision.
Kristin:Exactly, exactly. So try to make it easy. And it usually works.
Jess:Which is awesome. Which is why I don't know how just how you guys are so good at thoselast minute last minute turnaround projects.
Kristin:And so is Sheryl Oh Poor Sheryl.
Jess:Oh, I know. She is a wordsmith. I don't know how she does it.
Kristin:Yes, yes.
Jess:So with that short term jobs with like longer term projects, especially ones that have like, multiple touch points. So like ones that have like a insert that goes with the billboard that goes with a mailer that goes with a with social posts, how do you kind of attack those projects, the ones that have multiple pieces that you have to come up with?
Kristin:Normally, if I'm lucky, I will have the copy already, which is always a huge, huge help because it helps me kind of get in the groove I guess to to picture research and find things that I know are going to work or maybe that are clever, evoke an emotion or the copy always helps with that big time and a headline always helps with that makes my job a little easier. Um, but normally I'd like to start with a copy and let's say it's a newsletter, then I will, newsletters are a little different because it's cramming a ton of information and stuff and then trying to make it look pretty on top of everything else. So I usually lay out the copy first kind of flowed in loosely and and then from there, I will once everything is in place, I kind of see what kind of space I have left to work with, which is not always the whole lot in newsletters. So once I get all that copy in place, I see what kind of space I have left. And then I'll look for pictures to fill the space and go with the article. And then usually from the articles that Where we then go to teller signs or posters, or like you said mailers, inserts and stuff like that, I try to make sure whatever image I pick, can kind of flow across all of the collateral pieces. So it's all a cohesive campaign for the client. You know, my big thing is consistency. So I want the, I want the customer or not sure how you would the patron, not sure what the situation is with the client, the person, the, the customer viewing it, I kind of want to make sure that they that they see it all goes in into one big campaign, they can refer back to that insert that they that they got in the mail, once they see the billboard, which is kind of like a double whammy. You know, and then they get the mailer in the mail, and it's all a cohesive thing that you can hit the customer with, to try to get their attention. But that's about it. That's how I do that.
Jess:I know that you do such a great job with all of the newsletters, and I think sometimes I'm more than awe the fact that like, they're also different. Because it's definitely super easy to just like, copy, paste, copy, paste, copy, paste, and I know, like, newsletters aren't always the most exciting thing, although I don't know they could be something in it. Yeah, um, but Yeah, it is. I always find it funny when I'm like doing social. And I asked Don, for the newsletters, because I'm like, well, between the copy that Dara and Sheryl are writing and the imagery that Kristen has, I'm gonna get some ideas here. And it's always interesting to see how all of that comes together to make like, these cohesive pieces of marketing. Definitely one of my favorite things.
Kristin:Yes, definitely. So frustrating, too, though. I mean, I, again, I don't always knock it out of the park. I so it was there with a lot of pushing and pulling. Yeah, we get these campaigns out the door to help our clients.
Jess:Absolutely. So with all the pushing and pulling, do you have, um, I guess like specific questions that you ask or things that you try in, shake out when you're trying to come up with an idea or when you're meeting with a new client that you haven't quite gotten that stockpile of ideas, and you don't quite know their voice yet? Are there certain things you ask either us, or the client themselves about what they're looking for?
Kristin:Um, I do, if it's a, if it's a company that I'm not familiar with, or they have a product I'm not familiar with or service, the first thing I mostly do is research on that product, or on that company, it's always helpful to look at their websites and their current collateral to see, you know, does this suck? I mean, do they need some help? Or, you know, is it pretty good, I use a lot of our clients, you know, their, their, their websites, and their, their previous work they're not horrible, they're bad. And sometimes I kind of want to expand off of that. And other times it's a it's a mess, for lack of a better term. It's a freakin mess. And but they don't know it, you know, because they don't have somebody guiding them to say, you know, do this is kind of garbage or just hard to read, or the colors are vibrating, or there's a bunch of misspelling, sometimes they just don't know. And, you know, that's what we're for is to, to help them along that path to make their their collateral more, more readable and more understandable. And demographics is always a big thing. Where the company is located, who are they targeting as their audience? That's always huge. If I can pull any information from Don and Nancy, usually, usually they're the first ones to talk to the client, and they always get the scoop on them, if you will. So they're usually always my first go to to try to pick as much information as I can from them. And and then if there's something that's just not clear, you know, I'll have a conversation with Don or Nancy and, and they'll come back with some more info, the more info that I can absorb about a company, the better for sure. That helps me do my job a lot better. It helps with efficiency with not having 25 such revisions on a three by nine, statement insert, you can lose them lose a lot of money that way and lose a lot of time. A lot of patience. So as much as I can get in my lap before I start the project, that's always the best for me works the best for me.
Jess:Yeah, I think I learned. I mean, I always knew the phrase time is money. But I think working for Epic, I definitely really did learn the phrase Time is money.
Kristin:Right RightIt's all about efficiency.
Jess:Exactly like to think that we're all we all run pretty efficiently.
Kristin:Right. I agree. I agree. Some are a little draggy for me, but, um, but usually I can pull through and, and I mean, for instance, right now I'm living off like two hours sleep. So but that's normal. For me, that's completely normal. I'm used to it. This is the job that I chose that I but this is like the only thing I know how to do. And I love it. So not complaining.
Jess:Yeah. Well, you do an amazing job of it.
Kristin:Well thank you,
Jess:I know like every time and I don't we don't cross paths very often. And I know that when we do it's with the clients who are very strict about, we want it to look this way. And this way, is it.
Kristin:Color green, I'm more on screen only, that there's always restrictions that kind of tie my hands. But I try every once in a while to break that. Break that border and or that ceiling, maybe I should say to try to get them to do some different things. And it's always for the best of the client, you know, I'm not going to steer anybody the wrong way. But I think that sometimes my ideas might be a little off the wall.
Jess:I just think that like sometimes. I think I like in my head. I like a catalogue of all our clients. And I think that we run the gamut from people who are willing to try crazy avant garde things to people who are like, nope, this is how we've always done it. We're going to continue doing it that way. That part of them venturing, taking a tiny step outside of the comfort zone is every once in a while getting that push like oh, maybe we should try a campaign that looks like this. Yeah, we should try mixing that. Okay, crazy. mixing up the fonts.
Kristin:Let's use a color that is not in your logo for once.
Jess:Yes. I think I definitely I definitely think we've been doing a lot of websites lately. So I definitely think that when you redo a website, it definitely pushes those boundaries of this is the old stuff. It's getting kind of stale. We need to refresh. Let's see how far we can get with this.
Kristin:Yes, yes, I will try to push the envelope where I can. But I mean, I still I still have to get past the front door before.
Jess:Yes.
Kristin:Even goes to the client. And even that can be rough sometimes, you know, some days? Don and Nancy are like, we can't say that we can't, we can't use that picture, or I'm like, but it's funny, you know, my job is to get your attention is to get a customer's attention. That's my job, that and so I'm going to try to get that person's attention however, I can, it's then the clients job to have the product, or to have the service to keep that customer base. So I just feel like my job is to get your attention. And that's what I want to do so, um, but yeah, sometimes it's sometimes I can get a little nutty. And and it does, it just does, like I said, didn't even get past the front door. But,
Jess:you know, we all need reined in every once in a while.
Kristin:Yeah, yeah. I mean, how boring would that be? If I didn't try? I mean, come on.
Jess:Exactly. I think I growing up I think I had like a fear of being told no. So like, it has been like as a adult training myself into like asking more questions, because what's the worst thing somebody's going to tell you?
Kristin:Yeah, I'm used to no that's like my middle freakin name. And even like, a few jobs I was that I was at they everybody called me revise, as I would have to revise everything because they're like, you can't say that you can't do that. Can't use that picture. Yes, it's funny. Yes. It's attention getting But you know, they're not going to go for that. But you know, hey, like I said, it's boring and it's boring if you don't try.
Jess:Exactly. I love it. Well, Kirsten, thank you so much for joining me. We'll have to chat a little bit more in depth about graphic design again. I could talk for hours about design,
Kristin:but me too.
Jess:But I know we both have a ton of work on our
Kristin:Yes Ma'am, it is. It s. It has been a little cra y here this week. Yes.
Jess:Well thank you so muc for joining me today and I an't wait to have you
Kristin:Thanks. I appreciate it.
Jess:Thank you all for tuning in this week. We hope this theory is relative to your marketing needs. Make sure you subscribe to get notified of our latest episodes.