About D. E. Perkins Design

I started designing identity graphics for small, locally-owned businesses because I was looking for a way to combine my love of graphic design with my desire to support community-based initiatives. I wanted to do something to nurture small businesses as a way to anchor more disposable income in local communities thereby increasing the vitality of communities and their ability to sustain themselves independently of the larger national economy. And as I explored more and more communities and visited more and more small, locally-owned businesses, I came to realize that there’s a strong correlation between the quality of a business’s graphics and its profitability.

I have a theory. Let’s say that two identical businesses, selling exactly the same products, open up simultaneously side by side. Business A spends a modest amount of money to create a strong, integrated graphic identity, while Business B takes the do-it-yourself approach and throws together some clip art with their business name set in whatever cool font happens to come bundled with Microsoft Office. My theory is that nine out of every ten customers who stand debating between A and B will choose A simply because it has stronger graphics.

If local economies are to thrive and the communities they sustain are to remain vital, then it is imperative that small, locally-owned businesses take root and remain profitable. And I believe that strong, integrated branding graphics—including at least a logo, letterhead and envelopes, business cards, and a website—are an essential ingredient in the long-term success of any business.

So that’s what I do. I help small businesses turn a modest investment in quality identity graphics into a brand that will resonate with their customers whose patronage will sustain and grow the business for years to come.