All in a day’s work

This morning we welcomed our latest work experience student, the lovely Alice, who goes to a local school.

As I was giving Alice the low-down on what we do at Mzuri, it became clear how lucky we are to have so much variety in what we do and how that keeps us fresh – always looking to push the boundaries on design and marketing to get the very best results for our clients.

To give Alice – and you! – a little further insight into what a standard day includes for us folk at Mzuri, I thought I would make a note of all the things that have passed my way today. Are you sitting comfortably?

A site visit – a visit to a client site with our creative director, Phil, to colour match appropriate vinyl and discuss signage schemes with a retail client

A white tile – for us to measure and provide a visual for vinyl to be applied to the tiles in the toilet of a new cafe, Number Twenty Six we are working with.

Doughnuts – my sister popped in with a pack of Raspberry doughnuts. Really should have resisted, but none of us did. They were delicious. Thanks Sarah!

Mzuri Design Website – continued work on our new website (currently under contruction) and got very excited about the forthcoming launch, then slightly worried about how much copy and photography we still need to do for the site! Working on your own stuff is always the hardest.

Search Engine Optimisation – a 50 minute planning session with our website developer and general online guru Paul to start planning a search engine optimisation strategy for a new client.

Financial Review – meeting with our accounts administrator Emma to discuss finances and our forthcoming office renovation project, the first project of which starts tomorrow.

Chichester Arts Calendar – liaise with Kate over our advert in the forthcoming Chichester Arts Calendar; booked today, artwork due tomorrow – a typical deadline that we get challenged with from time to time! We’re just about to start work on their new website design and development too, which is very exciting.

Mzuri Marketing – review latest proofs of our next direct mail piece, which will be going to print this week. projects at Mzuri and that doesn’t include our own work!). Thankfully I’m not managing all of those projects on my own; Mzuri is all about the team approach!

Website Proof – Reviewing first design concepts for one of our new clients – London architecture and interior design practice, David Mikhail Architects. Very exciting!

Advertising Proofs – reviewed various display advert proofs for a variety of publications and sent approval to print

Grange Dental Practice – admired Paul Cassar’s amazing photography of treating tigers and bears that we will be including on his new website, which we are due to launch this week. Just putting the finishing touches to it now. Check out this amazing photo of Paul fixing a Tiger’s teeth:

Thank goodness he is asleep!

Print Specification and Quotes – progressing a number of jobs which will go to print this week, finalising the specifcation, quotes and quantities required with the client prior to sending off to production.

Client calls – daily contact with many of our clients is all part of the service and we enjoy our role as an outsourced marketing and design department to a wide variety of clients.

Proposal writing – I have 4 proposals that need to be completed this week, so I started work briefly on 2 of them, but much more to do!

Newsletter – proof reading and sending a newsletter off to print for an Optician. 30,000 copies to be delivered to a distribution centre by Friday so a solus delivery can commence on Monday. All on target.

Soup – nice bit of homemade squash and cumin soup from a new book a friend bought me – Sarah Raven’s Garden Cookbook. Made yesterday.

Cream Magazine – reviewing a high-end publication that we are considering for two of our clients at the moment as we plan their advertising exposure for next year

Organics for Kids – tested a small new modification Paul had made to this existing ecommerce website that we built a few years ago. We work with Jane and Diana at Organics for Kids to continue to develop the site for them.

Tea – At least 5 cups have landed on my desk today – but I’ve drunk lots of water too!!

Phew, off home for a well deserved glass of wine and to watch the new Robbie Coltrane crime show, Murderland. Loved Cracker, so hoping for something just as good if not better!