Promotional sites pick of the week: Hicks Design
Hicks Design
This is the self promotional site maintained by Jon and Leigh Hicks, of Hicks Design. They did the logo for Mozilla Firefox, which I think is cool, and it is for that reason that I checked out their site. I think the site does a fine job of promoting their business. The graphics are fun and retro, the copy is unpretentious and inviting — “whatever your project, ring us for a chat about it” — and they offer a few free wallpapers they’ve designed. The Contact page (pictured above) features a green field graced by a single, enormous tree. Now, maybe it’s just because I love trees, but this image really struck a chord with me, and I responded emotionally to the site. My single episode of browsing turned into a certain fondness for Hicks Design, the owners of which I have never met in my life, and I have returned to the site a couple of times since then, for no real reason that I can think of. I’m not currently in need of a designer. But I love that tree, and my free Hicks Design wallpaper. They have a perfect system: make your site appealing enough to get visitors to look around, then offer something that keeps them there, or brings them back, or even goes home with them. What I also like is the way they make you feel like you belong there, no matter who you are. Firefox shmirefox. Hicks seems to realize that there are many, many smaller businesses and consumers out there that also spend money and hire designers.
