Designs by Brook

01/23/2025

I've been quiet here for a while. The truth is that I've been spending a lot of time worrying. I'm burnt out.

When you take on the role of "business owner," there's an expectation that your politics don't belong on public posts. I will try to keep this simple and positive.

If you are q***r, my business is a safe place for you.
If you have had an abortion, my business is a safe place for you.
If you/your family immigrated, my business is a safe place for you.
If you're not a Christian, my business is a safe place for you.
If you are a woman, my business is a safe place for you.

United we stand; divided we fall.

01/17/2025

Daisy guarding the safe at Rose Jewelers. Employee of the month?

01/06/2025

Cat’s out of the bag. 🤫 One of two projects launching this week!

Exciting news! 🎉

Our website is getting an upgrade today!

Please be aware that there may be intermittent outages throughout the day until the new site is fully launched.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience.

Designs by Brook did an amazing job and we're excited for you to see the new look!

Stay tuned for a better online experience with Kalamazoo Animal 🐾

01/04/2025

As we reflect on this season of giving, we’re filled with gratitude for the kindness that surrounds us. Every dollar you’ve given, every share, every comment has helped amplify the visibility of animals waiting for homes.

We’re just over halfway to our goal of raising $20K and still have matching funds available to double your donation! 🌟 If you’re able, there’s still time to give. ❤️

Thank you for believing in creativity, compassion, and a world where every pet has a chance. Together, we’re changing lives—one wag, one purr, and one connection at a time. 🐾

💛 heartsspeak.org/appeal
📱 Text ART4ANIMALS to 44-321

11/22/2024

Thank you to Michael at MEM 360 Painting for the opportunity to help your business get its start on the world wide web!

And thank you to DbB intern, Tiny, for his assistance with final revisions.

You can see it live at www.mem360painting.com 🎨

11/12/2024

Do you know your website's conversion rate?

I've had this conversation with clients and potential clients over and over again because people ask me repeatedly about Search Engine Optimization (SEO), but I have never had a client ask me about Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO).

The conversion rate is easy to calculate:
# of site visitors who did what you want them to / total # of site visitors x 100%

In fact, a lot of website builders and hosting platforms calculate this for you!

Why does this matter?

Whether you have hundreds, thousands, or hundreds of thousands of visitors to your site, the amount of web traffic doesn't matter if your conversion rate is zero.

0% of a big number is still 0.

Having success with your website isn't just about making it look pretty (but that is a contributor to your conversion rate!). It's also not just about driving traffic to your site. While some businesses can get away with this (that's a topic for another post), understanding the numbers and how variables interact with one another sets you up for long-term success, especially with customers who don't have a personal connection to you/your business.

And that's today's free tip from Brook, artist/scientist/designer.

11/05/2024

Thank you for your business and your review, Scott! A recommendation is the best compliment you can give to a small business like us.

We're already starting to fill up our calendar for the rest of 2024 and even have some projects penciled in for January of 2025. Now is a great time to call or email for a quote!

Call: (269) 348-1860
Email: [email protected]
Visit our website: www.beststepcoatings.com

11/04/2024

From the archives: a file clean-up that I did a while back. This is why it's so important to hire someone who knows what they're doing for your logo design.

If you skimp on initial design work and you'll either end up with subpar merch or pay extra for someone else to clean up the mess!

Don't give your print shop a 🧠 aneurysm. Get it done right the first time!

P.S. You can see some of my graphic design work on Behance. I took a few minutes to set this up over the weekend. https://www.behance.net/brookvanbruggen1

11/04/2024

Happy Monday, Kalamazoo. Sending you a gentle ramp up into your week and the rest of November (how are we here already?!).

💊 Don’t forget your vitamin D supplements if you need them. It’s that time of year!

10/25/2024

Update on this: the design is SORTA THERE but I haven’t flipped the switch to replace my current website yet 😅 I’m exhausted and going to focus on my client work before I “launch.”

Mentor did not feel the need to shame me to his SCORE chapter, so at least there’s that 😂

My business mentor and I have a bet (sort of).

My minimum viable product (MVP) website has to be ready by 11 AM tomorrow (Friday). If it's not finished, he will shame me to his SCORE chapter at their 11:30 meeting.

I started rebuilding my current website FROM SCRATCH on Webflow at about 4:30 PM TODAY. It's currently 6:09 PM and we have a long way to go, y'all.

Please wish the hamsters turning the wheels in my head the fastest zoomies of all.

And send caffeine. Or food.

10/24/2024

My business mentor and I have a bet (sort of).

My minimum viable product (MVP) website has to be ready by 11 AM tomorrow (Friday). If it's not finished, he will shame me to his SCORE chapter at their 11:30 meeting.

I started rebuilding my current website FROM SCRATCH on Webflow at about 4:30 PM TODAY. It's currently 6:09 PM and we have a long way to go, y'all.

Please wish the hamsters turning the wheels in my head the fastest zoomies of all.

And send caffeine. Or food.

10/23/2024

Working on some social media marketing assets and a new website for Michael, owner/operator of MEM 360 Painting!

This is one of several things going on right now. Am I a little stressed? Yep! Do I get more done that way? Sometimes!

So…if you’re eating a PB&J while you keep working today, I see you!

I have a couple of estimates out, so if you want to talk about a website design or redesign before the end of the year, now’s a good time to set up a consult!

Call/text me at (269) 599-3530 to talk business.