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Welcome!
Hi…I’m Dave Stevens, an experienced marketing consultant, graphic designer, and website builder. Below, you’ll find a few examples of my work, ranging from print to social media, from product mockups to real estate advertising (and everything in between). Hopefully, this mini portfolio will give you some insight as to the kinds of things I like to do, and what my capabilities are.
Please enjoy your visit and let me know if you have any questions that I can answer for you.
Also, at the bottom of this page, you can find more details as to my experience, software proficiencies, preferred work situation, etc. Let’s talk soon! : )
Web Design
Putting your best foot forward…for all the world to see!
We should probably start here
If your website’s current design needs work, or you need to have an entirely new site created from scratch, I can help. From animations like the one you just saw at the top of this page, to injecting a little more creativity into an existing site in order to garner more traffic and interest, I believe my design skills can be of benefit. I can also help optimize your search engine strategies (aka SEO) to make the best of keywords, phrases, and the necessary approaches to content creation.Â
Real Estate Marketing
Once upon a time, I owned a nationwide real estate marketing company
For 15 years, I operated a company that provided a unique marketing approach for Realtors nationwide. In my twenties, I managed a large mortgage lending operation before making the switch to real estate sales. I quickly realized that there weren’t many options available for creative marketing materials within the industry. So, I thought I’d create my own! It wound up having a tremendous impact on my business. An interesting byproduct was that as more and more of my competitors saw the marketing that I had created, they began asking if I’d be willing to help them with THEIR marketing. It got to the point where I couldn’t help but wonder about the potential of building a business around the idea.
Following are a few examples
Don’t worry…there are a TON of non real estate graphics further down the page! : )
Two agents who worked as a team throughout the metropolitan Denver area had taken a listing on a converted loft which had been designed by a world renowned architect. They wanted to make a good impression, as the architect was very well connected with many of the major builders and developers. When the architect saw these brochures (which were printed on extreme gloss cardstock) she immediately requested 100 extra copies to send to all her builder friends and fellow architects. It was a way for her to show off her project, and the kind of marketing she was doing. I don’t recall how much additional business that brought to the real estate agents, but they were extremely happy with the results!
Dee Messing is a top-producing Realtor in Temecula, California. She doesn’t do things the way everyone else does, which is why she stands out from the crowd. When she came to me with a request for business cards, she wanted something out of the ordinary. We came up with a bookmark styled business card. People toss business cards all the time, but for some reason…they hang on to bookmarks forever! Not just a conversation starter, but a way for Dee to demonstrate her unique approach to all things real estate.
Test drive a property brochure
Click on the arrows (or the brochure corners) to turn the pages
Presentation Binders
Email Signatures
Branded Real Estate Signs
Business Cards
Mortgage Flyer
Tent Styled Business Cards
Virtual Home Staging
Artificially furnishing a vacant home for sale
Before
After
Many more examples of virtual home staging can be found here (opens in new tab)
Facebook Covers
Whether bold or subtle, I’ve got you “covered” <smile>
Social Media Campaigns
Animated Facebook Posts For Your Page
Use in conjunction with static posts in your marketing campaigns!
One moment…animation loops every 7 seconds.
Animated Instagram Posts
Large Format Design
Exhibits, Displays, Posters, Banners, Billboards
Extreme Photo Retouching
I found a headshot of a model online (see the image on the left below) and thought I’d play around with my graphics program a little. I changed her skin tone, eye color, and lips. I then gave her a smokier eye shadow, and completely changed her hair style. Finally, I found a jacket online, and threw that into the mix. Almost doesn’t seem like the same person! This was not a client job…rather, it was just for fun!
Before
Normal Photo Retouching
I try not to go overboard when retouching photos
I think you can overdo it to the point where the photo has obviously been Photoshop’d. In the example below, my personal opinion is that image number 2 looks the most natural. The acne has been removed, but her original skin texture is preserved. Still, there are many who would choose photo #3 where her skin is virtually flawless.
Photo -Realistic Mockups
Perfect for conceptualizing new product ideas and launches, or incorporating into new media campaigns
An energy drink just for girls? Why not?
After visiting www.nakedwardrobe.com (a Kardashian-sisters-owned website), I thought…”Wow…playing off that brand, they could become the world’s most popular energy drink for girls.” Let the boys have their Monster drinks, but give the girls what they want. Naked Energy. The above idea could be used for billboards, magazines, TV, social media, just about everything. Each flavor could then feature another beautiful model from their website, and use a different corresponding color accent on the can. Just ideas…but fun ones nonetheless! Please note that this is not an actual product nor marketing campaign. It’s simply a product mockup put together exclusively for this online design portfolio.
Magazine Layout
Composite made from a variety of images
Not an actual magazine ad…(just a mockup).
As a graphic designer, it’s probably no surprise that I’m a bit of a computer nerd. I’m always interested in learning more about up and coming companies who build high-end systems. This particular company is renowned for building extremely fast gaming systems, but it occurred to me that businesses of all kinds can (and should?) also take advantage of the power afforded by a “tricked out” PC. Please note that this is not an actual marketing campaign. It’s simply a mockup put together exclusively for this online design portfolio.
Artistic Treatments
From Photo to Sketch to Marketing
Pocket Folder Redesign
I took a rather simple single color design, and transformed it into a full color layout. It turns out that the printing was actually cheaper for the new version than what she had been paying!
Product Packaging Mockup
I must confess, I’m not only a Krispy Creme lover, but also a huge “middle-of-the-night” cereal fanatic. For fun, I thought I’d combine the two and create a dream-come-true combination of the two!!
Think I should send the idea to them?
I was contacted by a food vendor who sells their private-label salsas at farmer’s markets throughout Southern California. They had been using very basic labels that were designed by a family member, and then stuck to the outside of a jar. However, they were switching to plastic containers that come in different sizes, but all sizes use the same lid. So I created a more branded look and feel for each of their salsas, which has also led to branded wearables for their employees.
Holiday Marketing
Christmas Postcard
Logos, Branding, and Identity
Thank you for visiting...and for considering me to be a part of your team!
Creativity: I like to venture outside the proverbial “box” in my approach to design, endeavoring to create unique and memorable experiences no matter what the project entails.
Brand Awareness: I have an innate sense of why branding is important in not only building, but maintaining consumer awareness and subsequent market share. I also understand the importance of color, font choice, and overall presentation when communicating an idea, whether for a product or service.
Writing Skills: I have a well-developed talent for verbal and written communications. I’m an excellent speller, and I’d like to think my writing style is both engaging and informative.
Forward Thinking: Sometimes people have a hard time seeing the simplest of solutions. For example, under the Sellers tab on the www.TheMillenGroup.com website, there’s a section describing solar-lighted “For Sale” signs. Why every Realtor in the country doesn’t do this is beyond me, but after explaining it to many agents nationwide, every one of them couldn’t wait to get started using them. After all, traffic doesn’t stop just because the sun sets! I’ve had the idea since I was in my early twenties, but there was no easy way to implement it until solar-powered yard lights became available. Lantern batteries or electrical cords strewn across the lawn weren’t viable options back then. I guess I’m the kind of person who likes to look at all situations, and simply ask “What if?”
Work Ethic: I’ve never had to rely on anyone telling me when and how to “just show up”. What I mean by that is this; Every aspect of marketing, from ideation and conceptualizing, to design and implementation (and all things in between) appeals to me on every level. Heck, I get to draw pictures and be creative for a living! What could be better than that? I’m a team player, but am completely comfortable being handed a project, and being told to just “go for it” on my own! My work week is essentially 24/7. I’d much rather be creating something versus watching TV or reading a book, so personal motivation and self-initiative are readily apparent (and inherent) traits of mine.
Adobe Creative Suite: I consider myself an expert with virtually all Adobe products (most especially Photoshop and InDesign). However, although I’m pretty good at creating logos in Illustrator, I am not the kind of designer who can create elaborate fantasy worlds using that software. That kind of expertise is best left to those who are Illustrator masters. Note: I also have many years of experience using Corel PhotoPaint (part of the Corel Draw Suite), as it’s equally as powerful as Photoshop, and actually slightly more intuitive for some things.
Microsoft Office 365: I am extremely proficient in all Microsoft products, including Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, and One Note.
Web Design: I’m an avid WordPress fan for web design, but rely primarily on the WP Bakery (Visual Composer) plugin for all content management. It extends the usability and functionality of WordPress by a factor of approximately one million (maybe more). I find that one’s imagination is the only limitation when using their web design software with WordPress.
Email Marketing: I have a ton of experience creating email campaigns using both the MailChimp and ConstantContact platforms.
Because of my tendency to work crazy long hours (it’s hard for me to stop until the project is finished)…I’d much prefer working remotely from home. I have a very powerful computer that I built several years ago (PC), along with an extremely fast internet connection. I’m available by phone 24/7, and have never quite understood the idea of commuting on Southern California freeways for 2-3 hours per day, when those hours could be used much more productively. Whether you’re looking for simple photo retouching, digital and print design, product mockups, trade show graphics, direct mail, website or social media design, I’m available and ready to help!
If you feel that my creative approach and design skills are a good match for your company, I’d love to hear from you! I can be reached by phone/text at (657) 566-1247 or via email at
Oh, also…if you feel like exploring www.TheMillenGroup.com website a little more, I recently created it for Jeff and Lisette who are dear friends of mine. I handled all design, layout, topic choice, text, images, etc. It also provides an excellent opportunity to see my writing skills in action! I still continue to do all of their ongoing marketing, but that’s done in my off time.
I look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Dave Stevens
