Choosing Coastal Graphics Inc. is similar to selecting a low risk/high yield investment. Our experienced associates provide top quality products and services at affordable prices, and give all of our clients the individual attention that they need and deserve. We make every effort to educate and inform our clients about available options and strategies with respect to the task at hand, and we disclose all fees and any foreseeable additional charges up front. A sizeable percentage of our business consists of additional products and services provided to existing clients, as well as new accounts resulting from existing client referrals, so your continual satisfaction is crucial to us. We recognize that it's our responsibility to be flexible in our business model in order to accommodate yours, not the other way around.

Absolutely. Coastal Graphics Inc. takes particular pride in our ability to provide quality, experience, value and results to businesses and organizations of all shapes and sizes. One of our top priorities is limiting our own overhead and operating expenses, so as to pass the savings on to our clients. We understand that budgetary resources vary from client to client, so we'll work with you to determine the most cost-effective solution for your particular situation.

All of our products and services are custom-quoted, and pricing is based upon estimated requirements of time and materials, project complexity, logistical considerations and requested turn-around time. It's kind of like asking how much does a pizza cost. That of course, depends upon many things. Do you want small, medium or large? Do you want thin crust (New York Style) or thick crust (Chicago Style)? What and how many toppings do you want on it? Do you want it half-baked or well-done? Will you pick it up or do you want it delivered? Do you need it in 30 minutes or less? Likewise, more often than not, the costs associated with creative and technical projects also depend upon a variety of variables. Detailed consultation and any required accompanying research are billable services. However, Coastal Graphics Inc. offers free initial consultation and preliminary estimates in most cases, thus enabling you to better assess how and when to best proceed with your project.

New clients that have not worked with Coastal Graphics Inc. before will be provided with a formal contract agreement in most cases. Also in most cases, both new and existing clients will be furnished with a formal contract agreement for service requests exceeding $500 in value. Our contract agreements usually include an enumerated list outlining specifically what products, services, functional features etc. are to be included within the efforts represented by the agreement. For existing client requests under $500 in value (such as minor website maintenance or small graphic design projects), we may opt to bypass the preparation of a formal contract agreement at our discretion, and simply bill in full at the time of the project's completion.

Estimates of time and materials requirements for every project consist of provisions for each of the component efforts within the production cycle. Billable time expenditures include compensation for any substantial preliminary research, feasibility analysis or detailed technical consultation. Project conception, design and layout refinement also represent billable time, as does the actual project creation and production work. Additionally, a billable time allowance is usually allotted for any necessary testing, debugging, and foreseeable post-production adjustments. Billable material elements may include compensation for any required physical items such as printed stock or display equipment. Additionally, logistical considerations, such as on-site consultation or any necessary postage or delivery expenses, may also be deemed billable.

Any required stock images, licensed material or other third-party content may have to be purchased separately and are subject to the fees and license terms of the provider. Additionally, itemized charges as specified in our service agreements are based upon the project scope and timeline as it is defined prior to project commencement. In the event that project parameters or expectations are altered or expanded outside of what has been outlined within the service agreement, Coastal Graphics Inc. reserves the right to bill for (but will not necessarily bill for) additional efforts. We will provide prior notification of any anticipated charges not provided for within the project service agreement, and may also issue an amendment to the service agreement if circumstances warrant.

In most cases, an initial down payment or 25% - 50% will be requested before project work commences. Unless otherwise specified within your service agreement, you will have 24 hours from the time you provided your initial down payment to cancel your order for a full refund. After 24 hours, work will begin on your project. If you wish to cancel your work order after that, we will usually be willing to bill only for the production time and materials that have already been consumed, and refund the remainder of your down payment. However, we reserve the right to retain whatever portion of the initial down payment we deem to be adequate compensation for our efforts and expenses up to that point in time.

Coastal Graphics Inc. accepts Visa and Mastercard, as well as personal and business checks. Current billing statements are usually available within your client account page, accessed through our website's client login, where credit card payments can also be submitted and processed securely.

Certainly. In fact, sometimes the best way to formulate an effective business strategy is to start with the final goal, and plan backwards. It's kind of like knowing that you want to go to Hawaii for a 2 week vacation, but are unsure of the best way to get there (Boat? Plane?). For example, you may know that you want to provide better customer service through your present web site, but are unsure of how to go about doing so. There are many considerations that have to be taken into account before committing to any specific solution, such as your budget, your timeline, and your available human resources (to name but a few). Coastal Graphics Inc. can provide you with an objective, unbiased and realistic analysis of the optional courses of action best suited to address your needs effectively and economically. We'll help you identify and understand your available choices, and assist you in selecting the best overall solution for your particular situation.

Definitely. We recognize that the clarity of your initial expectations will vary from project to project. Sometimes you start with a clear idea of what your project will look like, or precisely how it will function, but are unsure of what's required in order to make it a tangible reality. In that case, you'll need help selecting viable solutions for each of your project's component parts. You'll also need to know the strengths, limitations and associated costs of each of the individual pieces, both creative and technical. Conversely, you may have already decided to utilize a particular technology or creative medium, but require the assistance of a qualified developer or creative professional in order to refine your vision and bring it to fruition. Regardless of the degree of technical expertise or clearness of aesthetic goals that you begin with, Coastal Graphics Inc. will be a reliable partner in making your project a practical and profitable success.

Estimates of project schedules and completion dates directly correspond to project size, complexity, and material resource needs. For example, a medium sized website with no unusual or highly customized capability requirements will typically take 4-8 weeks to complete. Smaller sites may be finished in as little as 3 weeks, and routine website content updates can usually be delivered in 3 business days or less. Custom designed web applications may necessitate an 8-12 week development schedule (or longer). Design projects involving printed media, content development, and technical consultation typically take less time, although their timelines are also contingent upon the scope and sophistication of the task at hand. Additionally, time allotments must be granted for the acquisition of any necessary third party components (i.e. licensed images, proprietary software, display apparatus) and/or external services (i.e. commercial printing, delivery provisions). Finally, the quality, quantity and punctuality of your participation may affect the degree to which initial project timelines are adhered. Dependable communication and decisive direction from you is ultimately the best way to ensure that your project development will stay on schedule. Coastal Graphics Inc. will make a good faith effort to account for all foreseeable project time requirements at the outset, and provide you with a project timetable that is as realistic as possible.

We understand that in the real world, unforeseen circumstances leading to tight deadlines sometimes occur. Consequently, Coastal Graphics Inc. will be willing to shuffle our operations schedule and move your service request to the front of our production queue if possible (of course, this is not always possible). Should we be able to accommodate your request for rushed service, a surcharge of 50%-100% (depending upon the extent to which the normal production cycle must be reduced) may be applied. Additionally, payment for all rushed service requests must be rendered 100% up front, and is non-refundable. Finally, we will of course make every effort to meet your rushed deadline, but depending upon the particulars of the situation at hand, we reserve the right to withhold any guarantee of being able to do so.

That, of course, depends greatly upon the size, type and complexity of the creative and/or technical efforts your project represents. Generally speaking though, Coastal Graphics Inc. utilizes five key steps in order to give you the most personalized service possible, and to ensure that what we ultimately deliver to you meets or exceeds your expectations.

1. There is an initial creative and/or technical focus meeting, which may be by phone or in person. We define your project's overall business goals, as well as the technical, aesthetic and content objectives of your project's core components.


2. We proceed with the layout and construction of non-functioning or semi-functioning design prototypes, demonstrating our proposal for elements such as structure, color palette, content organization, etc.


3. We present our preliminary design(s) to you for your review and critique. If you hate what you see, we tear it up and start over. If you are pleased with our proposed layout(s), we proceed with project production. If you like the basic concept(s), but would like changes to particular areas and details, we will refine the composition(s) at your direction.


4. Once you approve the preliminary design sample(s), we proceed with the actual creation and production of your project. Once finished, you will have one last opportunity to inspect the final product and request any minor revisions that you deem necessary.


5. The final project will be delivered, activated online or provided to you by whatever means were originally stipulated in your service agreement.

To a great extent, that's really up to you. Needless to say, almost all creative projects require a considerable degree of planning at the outset. We typically factor in a substantial portion of the initial effort for brainstorming with you and your staff, and we continue to welcome your input through all phases of project production. In some cases, we will require your approval with what we've done with one project component prior to moving on to the next task. At other times, you may explicitly request the opportunity to provide direction at a certain point within the project timeline. We welcome as much of your participation as can be practically accommodated, but don't mandate any specific degree of ongoing supervision from you beyond what is necessary for the approval of specific project stages.

You should be prepared to provide us with whatever existing elements you have that you're sure you want included or integrated with your project. We usually don't charge any additional fees for a limited quantity of low-resolution scanning of graphical elements such as photos, artwork and logos (additional fees may apply for projects which require a large quantity of elements to be scanned, such as product illustrations and photos for an online store or reference catalog). This will normally suffice for web and multi-media related work. However, pre-press and print oriented projects often require hi-resolution scanning of such items, which will be designated as a distinct billable line item within your project service agreement. Please remember that you are responsible for securing permission for the use of any trademarked or copyrighted labels, content and components that you provide us with, and we assume no responsibility for legal issues which may arise if you fail to do so. For existing written material that you may wish to utilize, please keep in mind that we will have to charge additional data-entry fees for re-typing any text/copy that is not provided to us in an electronic format. Also, if you are requesting changes or additions to an existing web site, we will need the security credentials (FTP location, login and password). Finally, for medium-sized or larger projects, it's usually a good idea to specify in writing your core project goals, as well as any initial questions that you may have for us. That's usually saves considerable time and effort during the initial project planning phases.

No, Coastal Graphics Inc. is primarily a design firm. While it is obviously a related industry, commercial printing is a distinct and separate field. Because commercial printing is fundamentally a volume business, it requires a considerable investment in the acquisition, maintenance, and replacement of industrial grade equipment and supplies. Additionally, commercial printing technicians must acquire and be continuously re-trained with highly specialized skill sets that are unique to that vocation. This is especially true given the advent of digital printing, which can now process full color, high quality short run jobs in less time than (and for a fraction of the cost of) traditional offset techniques. However, commercial grade digital press operation requires a considerable degree of unique and very focused technical expertise. Also, modern commercial printing has become subdivided into several areas of specialty, so not every commercial printing establishment is going to be suited for every project type. That being the case, the best and most economical way to ensure that your printed project will be processed with the highest quality techniques, materials and services available, is to entrust it to an established and reputable commercial printer, one that has experience with or specializes in your particular job type. Coastal Graphics Inc. does just that. In addition to working closely with you to produce the perfect design or composition for your project, we'll also make sure that it's structured and formatted in a technically correct way, and optimized for it's intended printing venue. We'll then select (or help you to select) the best commercial printing resource for your project's particular needs, and continue to work with that resource on your behalf right up until the time that your finished project is delivered or distributed.

Prior to purchasing an automobile, you would want a qualified, independent mechanic to inspect it. Likewise, prior to entering into any legally binding agreement, you would want a knowledgeable and seasoned attorney to examine it for any possible ambiguities. Commercial printing projects are similar in the sense that their structural aspects and technical details are things that are not typically well understood by the layperson. Therefore, the safe and reliable course of action is to seek the advice and services of a skilled third-party pre-press specialist like Coastal Graphics Inc. Our printing consultation services include reviewing, proofreading and (if necessary) correcting your page layout materials. We can also assist you in the selection the most appropriate and economical commercial printing service, one that's ideally suited for your project's specific requirements. Additionally, once you contract with a qualified professional printing resource, Coastal Graphics Inc. can function as your representative throughout the project cycle, ensuring that all input and information required by the printer is delivered in a clear, timely and technically correct manner. You'll have the confidence of knowing that experienced professionals are representing your interests, and that the final printed output of your project will match your original vision.

No, Coastal Graphics Inc. is primarily a design firm, and is not an Internet Service Provider (ISP). As is the case with commercial printing, the internet service industry is related to the design field, but is nevertheless a distinct, separate and highly specialized business. Like a commercial printer, a profitable ISP depends upon it's ability to function as a volume business, and is therefore willing and able to making ongoing investments in the expansion and improvement of its physical infrastructure and technical capabilities. Obviously, Internet Hosting is an extremely technically-oriented endeavor, so a professional ISP must also maintain a full time staff of qualified systems technicians. A professional ISP is thus able to offer a wide variety of high quality and dependable internet-related services at very affordable prices. Consequently, Coastal Graphics Inc. believes that we can best serve the interests of our clients by recommending industry standard web and domain hosting, furnished through qualified and professional Internet Service Providers. Regardless of whether your website or web application requires shared hosting, a virtual private server, a dedicated system, or something else, Coastal Graphics Inc. will research and recommend the Internet Service Provider best suited for your business needs. We'll also continue to function as your representative to your ISP, thus ensuring clear, timely and technically correct communication between your organization and one of it's most important business resources.

By all means YES. Almost all businesses and organizations that presently have some kind of web presence require qualified assistance with it on a regular basis. Obviously, the extent to which a particular commercial website requires periodic alterations and expansions will depend upon the specific business needs of individual organization it represents. However, there are generally five types of changes that an actively deployed website may require at some point within its life cycle.

1. Basic Content Updates consist of routine text additions/changes and image placements/replacements to existing website pages and sections. This may also entail the creation of new pages within existing website sections, with formatting based upon that website section's existing design and layout scheme. We can usually accommodate modest requests of this type within 3 business days or less.


2. New Pages And Sections differ from basic content updates due to the fact that they require a new website section to be added to the website's overall navigation scheme (or to replace an existing section within the navigation scheme). This means that most (if not all) sections and pages of the website will have to have their navigation menus adjusted accordingly. If the website navigation menu is graphical, or is rendered through an interactive medium such as Macromedia Flash™, there may be limitations as to how much adjustment can be practically accommodated, and the entire navigation scheme may have to be re-created.


3. Additional Interactive Features, such as an online store, online catalog, message board, virtual customer service desk, private member section, etc., usually have the same initial structural requirements as new pages and sections (that is, the website's overall navigation scheme must be adjusted to accommodate the new feature). However, the addition of interactive features usually also requires some degree of extended web application design, development, testing and implementation. Obviously, interactive features vary greatly in size and complexity, but almost always represent a larger effort and investment than the simple addition of static website pages and sections. Also, it's important to keep in mind that certain interactive website features require specific technologies to be available and accessible from the host server (such as a DSN, or Data Source Name, which allows web applications to exchange information with a database file). That means that the addition of some interactive website features may require you to upgrade or transfer your present web hosting account.


4. Search Engine Optimization of your website simply means that we streamline the structure and programming so as to make it easier for the content to be cataloged properly by the Major Search Engines. The size and scope of this effort can also vary greatly, depending upon your budget, the competitiveness of your selected keywords and phrases, and how aggressively you wish to pursue top placement and ranking. Also, keep in mind that the degree to which you wish your website's present design and layout to remain intact may have to be compromised to a certain extent in order for Search Engine Optimization efforts to be worthwhile and effective. We may recommend changes in the programming structure only, which are completely invisible to your website's visitors, and which will not alter your website's current appearance. However, we may suggest that you completely discard your present website layout in favor of a new, search engine friendly design scheme. Usually, though, we advise something in between, although we will almost always try to encourage you to improve and expand your website content. Ultimately, the quality of your website's text and copy is the most significant element that search engines utilize when assigning your website its page rank.


5. Complete Website Re-Design changes the design, layout, navigation scheme and content structure entirely. Alternatively, you may wish to request a Partial Website Re-Design, completely changing just one or more of an existing website's individual sections. In either case, we formulate a completely new presentation; new imagery, new font and color palettes, new layout and navigation schemes, and new content organization systems, all the while utilizing search engine friendly tools and techniques. This obviously represents a significant effort, but being (and remaining) competitive periodically requires a complete overhaul of your public business image, which after all is what your website first and foremost is.

Regardless of the size and scope of your web presence, Coastal Graphics Inc. can help you keep your website content fresh and relevant. If you're looking for a reliable and affordable professional resource to help you get the most out of your online investment, look no further.

Establishing a proper web presence represents an ongoing investment, and thus requires periodic efforts in
(and reevaluations of) five key areas.

1. Web design refers to the initial layout and development (or re-design and re-development) of individual website pages, sections, or the website as a whole. It is the process through which the base composition is formulated and constructed, and the core information is organized. In essence, it is the fundamental conception of the overall visual presentation, and the initial placement of prepared and pre-approved textual, graphical and interactive content.


2. Website content development is the refinement of key concepts and related data into grammatically correct and aesthetically pleasing text and accompanying imagery. Its importance can't be overstated, for regardless of the subject matter, the quality of message presentation ultimately determines the quality (and quantity) of the resulting response. This holds true for both written and visual elements. Remember too, that your website's content is the key component that search engines use when assigning your website its page rank.


3. Web maintenance refers to the periodic "tweaking" required to keep a website's information fresh and relevant, and thus maintain consistent repeat visits. It consists of content updates and replacements, as well as the inevitable corrections to and refinements of core text, graphics and interactive features.


4. Web application development is the design, development and deployment of special interactive features that utilize user-provided input (such as form fields and search mechanisms) and dynamically generated content (such as information stored in and served from a database program). Web applications vary greatly in size and complexity, and usually require custom server-side script language programming (PHP/MySQL, Cold Fusion, PERL, etc.).


5. Website hosting refers to the set-up and ongoing maintenance of the actual delivery mechanism through which your web site is made publicly available on the World Wide Web. Depending upon the specific needs of your web site (size, structure, special features), hosting requirements can vary greatly in terms of both cost and capabilities. You should be aware of all of the technologies that your website was constructed with, as well as any platform-specific (Unix or Windows) issues prior to selecting a host.

Coastal Graphics Inc. offers a holistic approach to commercial web development, and can provide you with qualified, economical assistance with one or all of these key components of successful website deployment.

Yes. If you would like to begin accepting credit card payments via your website, or even if you are seeking payment processing services for conventional business applications, we can provide you with a qualified referral to leading merchant service providers with which we enjoy a professional relationship. We can also help you acquire payment gateway services (we usually recommend AuthorizeNET®). Please note that we offer such referrals simply as a courtesy to our clients, and do not have any vested interest in your final selection of a merchant service provider. All gateway fees, transaction fees, discount fees, etc. are solely those of the provider, and we have no power to influence whether or not any application for merchant services that is submitted by way of referral from us is either accepted or rejected.

An online gallery of our work is at present under construction, and will be posted for public viewing upon its completion. For the time being, however, for inquiries involving larger and more substantial projects, samples of our work will be made available upon request (please note: tangible samples may not be readily available for all project types, such as those that are transitory or are not visual in nature). Also for inquiries involving larger and more substantial projects, we will be happy to provide client references and testimonials upon request.

That of course, depends upon the type of product or service that your project represents. For comprehensive website design or web application development, you will usually be provided with a CD-Rom containing all digital files used in connection with the production of the system, including graphics, html, media, text, database files and application code (this is in addition to the proper installation of the system on your active website domain or internal network intranet, if that is stipulated within your project service agreement). Usually, in addition to tangible product (printed material or some other type of product, as specified in your service agreement), electronic files will also be provided on CD-Rom for illustration, graphic design, and content development projects. When possible, the same holds true for designs utilized in display projects (Large Format Prints, Tradeshow Exhibits, Retail Displays, Sales Presentations, etc.). Please note that any included stock images, licensed material or other third-party content are subject to the fees and license terms of the provider, and thus may or may not be included with your completed project CD-Rom. Also, please keep in mind that if you require your final project files in some specific format or unique configuration, please request that to be specified in your project service agreement.

Unless otherwise stated within your project service agreement, you will own all of the rights and privileges associated with the project deliverables that you have contracted Coastal Graphics Inc. to provide. This, of course, excludes any included third-party licensed material or software. Also, in some cases, your service agreement may stipulate limitations on things like reverse-engineering of systems we create for you, or restrictions on the creation and redistribution of derivative works from our designs (specifically those designs that contain third-party licensed content or imagery). Finally, we may request your permission you utilize your project as an example of our work in our own promotional materials, but will do so only with your prior consent.