Being an expert in one area can be reassuring to the client, but there is a risk of it being harder to keep coming up with new creative ideas and the chances are, work could become stale and unimaginative. Over the many years we have been in business we have found that a variety of work keeps our designers passionate about what they do, creating fresh and impactful ideas that get noticed for the right reasons. We have seen a cycle of every big business taking design in house (save money speed blah blah) and every one of them reverse that decision. It usually lasts a maximum of three years. Most importantly rtfacts create ideas that work for their clients.
What the Faq?
Find answers to all your questions.
Video Q&A
Reputation
They say you’re as good as your last job? Well, in nearly 30 years, we’ve consistently delivered great last jobs and that’s why we are still around. If your reputation matters to you, work with a business that cares about their own. AND REMEMBER It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.
Bigger is Better
Size is totally irrelevant (don’t laugh, I don’t even have a small ego!) but size does cost. We have more relevant experience than most London agencies and because we’re not enormous or in Soho, we don’t charge their prices! If you’re happy working outside of london and just want great work at a fantastic price, then get in touch. AND REMEMBER Bigger isn’t keener Larger isn’t bolder Higher might be low inside When you need to lean upon a friendly shoulder Narrow’s just as good as wide See the mighty lion sittin there and crying bitten by a tiny flea Mammoth was colossal what’s he now? A fossil! Bet your life I’m glad I’m me
Brand
There are very few provincial agencies with 30 years history and fewer with as large portfolio of blue chip clients that have been long term clients. If you’re a brand manager with big ideas, but a small ish budget get in touch. AND REMEMBER Branding is the art of becoming knowable, likeable and trustable
Email Marketing
Done well there is no better way to address your clients. There is a huge hurdle to jump however as every man and his dog can create and send cheap emails. You’re competing with so much traffic, standing out will be tricky and being remembered unlikely. If you want to see results and a tangible ROI, instead of action without addressing the obvious issues get in touch. AND REMEMBER If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.
Testimonial
Blah blah blah! Its very easy to say great things about yourself, your business and your staff but it’s a little harder to get the client to say the same sort of stuff. Unless you really are great, in which case its reasonably easy! Get in touch and be prepared to say something nice. AND REMEMBER Trust people that tell you the truth. No matter how hard it is.
What Works Works
If we didn’t know what works when we started we sure do now! If you want to know what will work for your business get in touch. AND REMEMBER It doesn’t stop being magic just because you know how it works.
1. Why rtfacts and not artefacts?
When choosing our company name. Those involved were young and clever and ‘creative’. We discussed our people creating more than just design for our clients, but objects of art that would stand the test of time. ‘Artefacts’ summed up our passion, and then some clever clogs mentioned we could change it to rtfacts using the r of Roger and the t of Tony! The rest is history and a salutary lesson in naming, that we have regretted many times since.
“a r t ?”
no RT
“a r t?”
“no R T the letter R Romeo T Tango”
2. What’s your speciality?
We started with no clients and we were prepared to do anything to make a name for ourselves. From Interactive DVD’s (it was 1993), Direct Mail that popped and cracked and exploded, Advertising, Point of Purchase, Point of Sale, packaging, display, hoardings and we can print ANYTHING to website design.
We’ve never been limited to one industry, rtfacts did BT’s internal comms for 13 years and Cable&Wireless Worldwide’s change management program for 5 years and you learn a lot, but at the same time we had a diverse range of clients that were not in the least IT focused: furniture, food & drink, hospitality, technology, county and borough councils and the public sector. We all love the variety of work and personalities and long may it continue.
4. Can I see previous work?
We have a selection of work available to view on our website, but we also are happy for clients to pop into the studio where we can show you samples of work we’ve done going back nearly 30 years and discuss in more detail what you are looking for. It’s very rare that we cannot show you an example of something we’ve done that’s similar or the same as what you’re after.
5. You have huge clients. We are small, but we want to work with you?
We put just as much creativity and work into creating something for a small company as we do with a big one, because we are passionate about what we do, and we want you to come back for more.
We don’t skew our prices to suit the client. We pre quote every job with a fair price and you are never tied into a monthly or yearly contract. rtfacts are as good as their last job and that’s a principle that’s stood the test of time.
Size in this instance really doesn’t matter. The work and the relationship does.
Size in this instance really doesn’t matter. The work and the relationship does.
6. I only have one project
The better we know a client/service/offer, the better able we are to respond in a way that gets results. Having said that, your 1 project is as important to us as it is to you and the competing massive campaign. Our many years of practice, sort of guarantees that we will get it right for you too. Our smallest job in 2019 was a web amend that took less than one minute. No problem.
7. We have a big one
We are not the biggest but we have a habit of getting the big job done, on brand, on message, on time and on budget. If we quote for a project it’s because we are confident we can deliver. In nearly 30 years, rtfacts have built a support network of partners that is the envy of many, so while saying no job is too big is clearly risky,
“No job is too big”.
Our largest single project to date was in excess of £200,000. The smallest less thean £200
Our largest single project to date was in excess of £200,000. The smallest less thean £200
8. How many people work in your office?
We have 19 people working in our office, account managers, designers, event organisers, and PPC/SEO Google experts, a photographer and IT recruitment business. Its full to the brim with everything any business needs to promote a product, service, brand or idea. And a waxer if you need a trim?
9. Who does the actual work?
Typically your project will be allocated to one designer who you are free to liaise with throughout the process. But there are occasions where we all like to work together as a team, particularly if it is a marketing campaign, re brand or a project that requires some creative brainstorming. We like to bounce ideas off one another and critique each other’s work, as we find that this method helps us to come up with a successful design piece that looks the business and more importantly does the business! Writers, illustrators, printers, programmers, developers UX and UI experts could all play a part and we have a resource of freelance partners the envy of many a business.
10. What services do you provide?
PRINT: Exhibition stands, stationery, point of sale, point of purchase, direct mail, posters, adverts, brochures, catalogues, calendars, booklets, leaflets, signs, promotional items, special projects and so on…
WEB: Websites, CMS, apps, presentations, online banner adverts, document downloads, SEO, pay per click.
We can print anything on anything at any size. If in doubt just contact us to see if we can help.
PRINT: Exhibition stands, stationery, point of sale, point of purchase, direct mail, posters, adverts, brochures, catalogues, calendars, booklets, leaflets, signs, promotional items, special projects and so on…
WEB: Websites, CMS, apps, presentations, online banner adverts, document downloads, SEO, pay per click.
11. Do you keep the copyrights?
In nearly all circumstances copyright is assigned to the client on receipt of full payment. If copyright is an issue for your project or rtfacts, we always dot the I’s and cross the T’s before we start the project and make sure we are all in agreement.
12. Do you ensure any brand you create doesn’t infringe on an existing brand?
There have been some real brand howlers in the past so big businesses usually do their due diligence very well these days. We don’t do this work internally but we have partners that do it on a project basis so you can relax and help manage the process. Secure your name and URL and make sure it doesn’t mean cock in Spanish! Acronyms are really popular but beware of what they spell! Total Interference Technology Solutions was a classic.
13. What are your payment terms?
Web projects are all 50% up front with the balance on ‘ready to go live’. for print and design work, 30 days net are our standard terms once you have a proven track record. If this isn’t going to work for you don’t panic. So long as we are aware of the terms you want to pay on, and we pre agree them, we can adjust our costs to compensate for that. Prompt payers get a very prompt service from rtfacts. When push comes to shove, the slow payers get their work after the good ones.
14. What information do I need to provide?
To get the best results out of a project it is helpful to know the following:
- Background of your company and what you do.
- Detailed information about the structure of the project and what the content will be.
- It is always helpful to have access to your company brand guidelines and the company logo artwork. If you can’t provide guidelines we can always use previous work to get an idea of your brand. If you don’t have the logo artwork (depending on the design) we can always recreate it.
- Your objectives such as: what is your product/service, who your customers are, and what desired action you want your potential customers to make.
- Budget and timescale.
This all helps us to know how to design the project so that it gives the right first impression, has a clear message and attracts the right demographic. Knowing what you would like to achieve from the project, and what action you would like prospects to make, (i.e. make a booking or call you requesting a quote), helps us to make sure we are clearly communicating this through our work and creating the desired response for your business.
15. What happens to my website if you go out of business?
It’s a simple question but the answer is complicated. If we host and manage everything for you, there’s another third party involved and they would likely take on the project on your behalf.
We encourage clients to own/purchase their own domain and to host (pay for) the website hosting. We recommend the most suitable companies to do this for you, but you are free to pick one you know or are happy with.
Sounded like passing the buck at the get go but by now this should be the industry standard for responsible web businesses.
16. Why should I hire you for the job?
We’ve been in the business long enough to know what does and doesn’t work. We will give you expert advice on your project/campaign that will get you the results you’re looking for. We can work on budget and on time, and we will always look to deliver to the highest possible standards, showing professionalism and enthusiasm in everything we do. We are also really nice people to work with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an overused phrase, as are environmentally friendly and waste responsible but, we take them all seriously. All our printers are FSC accredited and ISO14001 certified work to Print Industries best standards with regard to sustainable waste management and disposal techniques. The planet needs a change in climate change mentality. As global powers witness the improvements made with lockdown, it gives us hope, we can leave the planet in a fit state for our children, we just need a big idea or three and probably a woman prime minister to get it done!
17. What is rtfacts biggest achievement?
We’ve been in business since 1993, which is a long time with the same two bosses, Roger and Tony, and one of the original design team Emma, still in place.
We started in a recession and have worked through and succeeded through two financial events that have affected the global economy terribly and killed off many a weaker business.
Looking after our clients has always been our prime objective, so creating a business that has real legs and that’s been a safe pair of hands for so many, for so long, is very humbling and perhaps our greatest achievement…. to date! Surviving C19 will be more than many can handle and the ‘new normal’ can’t possibly be anything like the ‘old normal’, so we will all have to be prepared to change our ways and to be flexible.
We started in a recession and have worked through and succeeded through two financial events that have affected the global economy terribly and killed off many a weaker business.
Looking after our clients has always been our prime objective, so creating a business that has real legs and that’s been a safe pair of hands for so many, for so long, is very humbling and perhaps our greatest achievement…. to date! Surviving C19 will be more than many can handle and the ‘new normal’ can’t possibly be anything like the ‘old normal’, so we will all have to be prepared to change our ways and to be flexible.
Take Advantage of our
30 year’s of experience
We are grown ups with life experience and children. We don’t have our finger on every pulse but we we do have a clear view of what does and what does not work for businesses of all shapes and sizes, public and private sector.
109 High Street, Hemel Hempstead,
Herts, HP1 3AH
© rtfacts design for web and print