Specialties

The guys at HG really enjoy creating something new. Leif recently said:

"My favorite thing about our company is being able to work with a client, listen to their needs, and then create a custom solution that solves their specific challenge. It's remarkably gratifying. And there's a certain level of respect between us and our clients that I really value; they know that we're not going to try and cram them into a box that doesn't fit their needs."

This love of custom work was one of the founding principles of HG. The guys are always looking for the opportunity to build something new and creative. Richard thinks of the design challenges like architecture:

"Sure... we could easily make a living cranking out the equivalent of townhouses or McMansions over and over again... but where's the fun in that? With the immense possibilities offered by the internet & print design, why would we want to contribute to the sprawl? Plus, with my competitive nature, I always need to be pushing myself or my work gets stagnant."

On the other hand, Reed really gets excited about the technology:

"I can definitely appreciate good design, but when it really comes down to it, I'm a programmer first. I love sinking my teeth into a new project... trying to figure out how I'm going to achieve what the client needs. My favorite projects are ones where I get to try out something for the first time."

Since the inception of the company, Hired Guns Creative has offered services in three main categories: Branding, Graphic Design, and Technology Solutions. During the first year and a half of the company's life, the guys have been hard at work expanding the range of services that they offer. As their portfolio grows, they have been able to bid on larger projects, which opens up the possibilities for tackling new and exciting types of work.

  • Branding
    • identity branding
    • naming services
    • branding usage guides
  • Design
    • logos
    • print
      • business cards
      • rack cards
      • sinage
      • labels
      • stationery
      • envelopes
      • brochures
      • banners
      • trade show booths
    • packaging
    • website interfaces
  • Technology
    • communication facilitation
    • blogs, video blogs
    • surveys/polls
    • forums, directories
    • email newsletters
  • facilitation
    • Content Management Systems
    • ecommerce
    • integrated mapping
    • rebuilding existing sites
    • SEO-friendly code
  • custom web apps & social networking sites
    • collaboration
    • security/privacy

Why Should You Want To Work With Hired Guns Creative?

1They are design professionals. All of their work features original, eye-catching visual design elements and interfaces. This leads directly to an increased perceived value to your clients/customers/members in regards to your services, products, and overall level of professionalism. They are experts in the design of logos, branding, print, and web. And they're more than capable of taking on clients who need anything from a logo all the way up to a full corporate identity treatment.

2They provide customized technology to meet your needs.
Hired Guns builds more than simply websites: they build stand-alone technological solutions. They've developed a private social networking site along the lines of Facebook for the Independent Schools Association of BC (an organization of 21 private schools) to meet their strict requirements of privacy, ease of access, and collaborative functionality. They've also developed an advanced job board and members directory with integrated Google Maps technology for the Vancouver Alliance for Arts & Culture, an advocacy association responsible for the Arts in the Lower Mainland and throughout BC. They build technological solutions to enable their clients and free them up to focus on what's important: running their business or organization. Reed likes to quote Lau Tzu: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Hired Guns teaches their clients to fish rather than locking them into long service contracts or proprietary software.

3They're a great value. They operate a small firm without a large office, staff, salespeople, or management personnel, thereby keeping their overhead very low. They work closely with their clients to meet their needs. And when they say "closely," they mean it! They regularly travel to Vancouver or Victoria for meetings with clients. (Find a big firm that will do that!) And when you call their office, it's guaranteed that you'll be speaking directly with the team member who is responsible for the work on your project rather than having to fight your way through a screen of salespeople or management.

 

Hired Guns Creative truly brings their extensive experience from within the industry to the table for their clients. They use free, industry-standard, open-source Content Management System (CMS) technologies that allow their clients to maintain and update their own websites in-house rather than having to hire an outside company to do it - always a welcome option in these economically-challenging times. They provide all the training to get you up and running on your new CMS and ongoing support once your new website has launched. And for some reason, if you were to choose to take your website to another design/development company once it has been built - and there are plenty of top-rate companies out there using the same technologies - you'd be free to do so.