[Project Complete] Newsletter Design Needed for Financial Marketing Compan

[jroff]

(Admin code added by Palmer - 8J141177MH433474W)

My company, Web Financial Marketing, sends email newsletters out to clients. I need a design for a special newsletter as described below.

I only need graphic files (PSD or equivalent). I do not need this coded for HTML.

The newsletter is called “Investment Strategies” with the tagline “A Financial Approach to Your Future”.

I will send this newsletter out for a number of financial advisors each of which will have their own image and contact information. You can use this information as a sample of what will be inserted:
. The Ventur Group, LLC
. 5550 Merrick Road, #305
. Massapequa, New York 11758
. Phone: (516) 795-2100
. Fax: (516) 795-3250

An image of the financial advisor can be found here:
. http://www.firstfactoryinc.com/vincent.jpg

The newsletter should have the following navigation links (in this order). Each link can have an icon if it fits your design.
. Send this eNewsletter to a Friend
. Unsubscribe
. Events
. Contact Us
. Visit Us Online

We like our newsletters to have a banner section on top, a navigation section on the left, an optional footer on the bottom and a border. I’d like to emphasize the name of the newsletter and its tagline more than the individual financial advisors themselves.

Please insert this as the introduction of the newsletter:

###
Welcome to the launch issue of The Ventur Group Newsletter. We hope our newsletters prove to be informative, educational, and beneficial. Each issue will cover different topics that can affect your financial well-being. Please feel free to contact us at clientservice@ourdomain.com with your comments and questions. We look forward to your feedback.
###

Please insert this disclaimer at the bottom of the newsletter:

###
NASD/SIPC. Advisory Services offered through The Ventur Group, LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser. AIG Advisor Group is the marketing designation for the wholly owned subsidiary broker-dealer members of AIG. This message and any attachments contain information, which may be confidential and/or privileged, and is intended for use only by the addressee(s) named on this transmission. If you are not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, you are notified that any review, copying, distribution or use of this transmission is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please (i) notify the sender immediately by e-mail or by telephone and (ii) destroy all copies of this message. If you do not wish to receive marketing emails from this sender, please send an e-mail to clientservice@ourdomain.com or a postcard to Ventur Group, LLC, 5550 Merrick Road, Suite 305 Massapequa, NY 11758.
###

Please also insert an opt out line at the bottom of the newsletter design that reads “This eNewsletter has been sent to youremail@yourdomain.com. To unsubscribe, click here.”

Thank you and good luck.

[jroff]

Is anybody working on entries for this contest?

[Lori]

Jason,

Is this to be designed the same way that these were:

http://www.designoutpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6570

http://www.designoutpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6448

Thanks!

[jroff]

Hey Lori,

Pretty much... although I can stray a little bit from the specifications for WebDentalMarketing, if need be.

--
Jason

[Lori]

So let me start on the super-extra-simple side - what direction to go?

Creatively speaking:

Financial advisors are very corporate to me - that is why I chose very very plain.

[jroff]

Lori,

Thanks for kicking this off.

1. The header is simple, but elegant. It looks good. I think there may be an opportunity to fit an image in there somewhere, something to jazz it up a little.

2. I like what you did with the photo by putting the grey border around it.

3. I'm mixed about the buttons. I like the little shaddow inwards, but I always like images on the buttons. I know we've had this conversation in the past, that you don't think their appropriate. ;) At the very least, I don't know if the text should be centered when most everything is justified.

4. The image and the address should be associated with each other somehow and right now they seem displaced. That may be a good thing, but I'd like to see something where they are tied together. Perhaps the image should be in the header and the address close by of perhaps the image should be in the navigation with the address... but both suggestions take away from the image being right in the middle, in the beginning of the page, which I like. Although, after the launch issue, the image, where it is, may be out of place when we no longer have the "Welcome..." text.

5. I like the red/black bar to separate the image from the text. I'd like to see it a little less vertically wide and I would like to see another, single or double line to use as a separator between artciles.

6. In the past, we've had a strick vertical line between the navigation and the content but this results in a very long newsletter and a lot of empty space in the navigation. I would like to see an experiment where the navigation is only 'notched' out of the content and the content fills in underneath it.

7. I like how the disclaimer is presented. I wouldn't change it.

8. I would like to consier a background color around the newsletter's border. I would give the newsletter a slight shadow (if appropriate) and make sure the background color does not interfere with the disclaimer background color.

Did I make enough suggestions? ;) Thanks again.

[Lori]

Ok - so I am reworking some things...

...and the progression...

QUESTIONS:

1. Does the newletter HAVE to have a left and a right?

2. Does the mail to a friend HAVE to be so long? Can't we shorten?

If it is shortened I can fit all navigation up top... if not, it just wont fit in a two column. In a single - it probably will.

Im playing with some tab styles where am now... answer those questions above and I will be back...

[jroff]

Lori,

> 1. Does the newletter HAVE to have a left and a right?

I don't know what that means. If you are asking if it has to have a navigation section on the left, the answer is no. However, it has been my (brief) experience that this is the place where it makes the most sense.

> 2. Does the mail to a friend HAVE to be so long? Can't we shorten?

I can consider shortening it, but I don't want it to be questionable about what the link does. Perhaps try:

"Refer a Friend"
"Email a Friend"
"Send to a Friend"

> If it is shortened I can fit all navigation up top...

By all means, shorten it to see how the design looks. I think these icons aren't appropriate (but I would have put them in the design myself!) as they don't meet the 'corporate' identify that you/I were going with this. I don't know if there are any 'corporate' icons to use.

Also, without the visiual buttons on the left, I think the actions from the navigation are somewhat lost and lose their meaning.

Just my 2 cents.

[Lori]

I don't have any other icons to use :(

Want me to go back to the buttons on the left?

[jroff]

> I don't have any other icons to use

I think I was trying to say that you were right not to include the icons in the first place because I do not think any 'corporate' style icons exist.

> Want me to go back to the buttons on the left?

I think that I would be open to the buttons somewhere else if they looked right, but I don't think they are looking right. ;)

I'd like to see something where the body wraps under the navigation. In other words, the navigation jets into the body for the space it requires, but underneath it, the body consumes the area.

...

Besides this, don't go too much further. I've worked with you before and I know that these little changes are minor and I can drive you crazy for the next week sending you in a lot of directions. I don't want to do that.

I'm hoping that my comments to your design are enough to give others an idea of what I'm looking for so that they will throw some entries into the ring as well.

Of course your entry is a very good candidate.

[Lori]

Hmmm, I am trying...

Unless the advisor is on the left (or the right), it does not look right the address grouped with him...

So tried to the left of him...

[jroff]

Thank you.

You've certainly presented me with a lot of options.

[Lori]

And another orientation:

[jroff]

I really like this one. Good job on the navigation on the top.

(you are relentless - you needed to get this right, didn't you!)

[Lori]

Well, you know me ;)

Let me know if you need anything else...

[1on1]

Hello, here is something from me :- (*Image Removed)

[jroff]

1on1

Thank you very much for the design!

I really like the image on the top with the pawn. I will have to check with a couple of people to make sure that they don't view the pawn negatively (meaning that you can be manipulated by a pawn by your financial advisor!)

Anyhow, the green bleed looks really good. I also like the background color and the offest with the disclaimer and the opt out section.

The tabs on the top for the navigation give the illusion that there are pages, when there clearly is not. I think buttons would be more appropriate.

I'm not crazy about the circle crop around the picture, I would rather it be a square frame.

And finally, the section in green with the image, intro and address is a little overwelming for its purpose. After the first issue, there is no need to have that intro text, and I will have a big empty area. I would rather keep the intro text in the article section and focus on only having the image and address together.

I hope these comments help. I am happy to see a unique design like this.

--
Jason T. Roff

[1on1]

Hello Jason,

Thankyou for the quick reply. I have made some changes for you.

(*Image Removed)

[jroff]

I don't think the tabs/buttons are working on the top. I think the only way that I've seen it work so far is with Lori's last design.

Furthermore, the left side looks overwelming now with the dark green. I would lose that color all together. I think that prehaps the buttons on the left, and the image on the far right, might look okay. I'd put the address to the left of the image and leave a little white space between the navigation (left) and the address/image (right).

Just and idea.

Thanks again for the entry.

[1on1]

Hello Jason,

I have made some more changes. I tried the picture on the right but it didn't look right to me so I have moved it under the navigation.

(*Image Removed)

[jroff]

Thank you.

Can you try one more thing for me?

1. Move the picture above the navigation links so that it is halfway up into the green banner

2. Next, show the navigation links, but remove the "Select" button, and give the rest a touch of the very light green.

3. Show the address information under the links.

After that... I think I have enough to judge this entry.

[1on1]

Hello Jason,

Here are the requested changes :- (*Image Removed)

[jroff]

Thank you.

[1on1]

And some color variations :- Let me know if you need anything else.(*Image Removed)

[heathersmith]

Something I have been working on.
The photo and colours can all be changed easily.

Let me know what you think.

Heather :)

[heathersmith]

A couple more ideas!

[jroff]

Heather,

Thanks for the entry, and sorry for the delay for the comments.

I like the overall look of the header, how you separated the background image with the white lines and how it wraps around the introduction. I also like the monochrome icons you chose, they can be somewhat professional rather than hooky.

Here are my concerns with these two designs:

1. The tag line, “A Financial Approach to Your Future” is lost in the woods. I actually didn’t see it the first time I looked at the design. Fortunately, I think you can make the header on top larger to incorporate this somehow – it is a little ‘thin’ as it is.

2. The image of the stream and woods looks fantastic, but not for a financial newsletter. It gives the appearance of laid back and contrasts with the very corporate image of the financial advisor on the right.

3. The navigation and information on the right is a good change, but I think that it should go on the left. I had said I was open to switching it up, but now after I think of it I think that there is a chance that the reader will miss it if their preview pane or window is not large enough.

4. I really like how the image bleeds down into the introduction, but it makes the introduction title hard to read. I think this can easily be remedied by moving the text down.

Thanks a bunch for the unique designs!

--
Jason T. Roff

[heathersmith]

Hello Jason,

Revisions made.

Let me know if you need anything else! :)

Heather

[jroff]

Thank you very much Heather.

[Fabian]

Hi

I'll be posting mine shortly :)

Thanks
Fabian

[jroff]

Thanks Fabian...

There seems to be a lot of activity picking up for this contest, but not much at all for my other contest - a logo. Please take a look at this contest as well:

http://www.designoutpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8626

Thanks!
--
Jason T. Roff

[1on1]

hi Jason :) another idea from me:-

[Fabian]

Hi Jason

This is what i had in mind :)

Thanks
Fabian

[jroff]

Fabian,

Thanks for your entry, but I think that the more 'traditional' approach of the previous newsletters is more my style. I appreciate that you are trying to mix it up here, but it probably loses some of its 'corporate' look when we do this.

--
Jason T. Roff

[Anne]

Here's my entry

Anne

[jroff]

Anne,

Thanks for the entry. I was hoping you would jump in! ;)

I like the color choices and the image of the check signing.

I like the rounded corners of the components - it always reminds me of Apple.

I like and dislike the buttons. I think they are too small, but by being small, they allow the picture and contact information to stay close to the top.

I don't think the icons are a good match for the newsletter.

I like how the disclaimer was inserted.

I'd like to see a border and background color around the entire newsletter.

Thanks again!

--
Jason T. Roff

[jroff]

Heather,

I'd like to ask you to make a couple of changes to your design.

1. Please use the first, with the image of the water.

2. Put the navigation bar on the left

3. Widen the content area a little bit, I think your entry is more narrow then the rest

4. Give the newsletter a border and a background (light color)

5. Possibly try changing the navigation bar so that it isn't as dark as the title bar

Thank you.

--
Jason T. Roff

[heathersmith]

Changes made:

[heathersmith]

... with a different top image

[jroff]

Heather,

1. Right justify the "A Financial Approach to Your Future" text on the header.

2. Try to find a better image with chess pieces than the first chest pieces. Something smaller would be better, so that they are more visible.

--
Jason T. Roff

[Anne]

Here's the revision

Anne

[heathersmith]

Here's another idea - let me know what you think.

(I'm still trying to find a better chess image.)

Heather

[jroff]

Heather,

Any luck finding a better chess image? My client seems a little bent on that right now.

--
Jason T. Roff

[jroff]

The winner is Heather.

Heather - I'd like to find a better graphic, but your overall design is the winner.

--
Jason T. Roff

[heathersmith]

Jason,

Great! :)

I hope this image works!

Thanks

Heather.

[jroff]

Files received.

Thank you!

[heathersmith]

Great working with you Jason :)