Refining brand presence.
Elevating user experiences.
Upgrading digital platforms.

Helping small businesses have a bigger impact
How I can help you
"There was the time before Dave, and the time after"
Richard Dilks, Chief Exec, CoMoUK
Picture of Dave in a dark blue jacket, smiling at the camera with his arms folded
Website design and development
Automation
Branding
User experience
App design
Print and publication design
Website design and development
Automation
Branding
User experience
App design
Print and publication design
GTC Scotland
Lake District National Park
CoMoUK
ACTion with Communities in Cumbria
Friends of the Lake District
Gearing for Growth

How I can help you

Are you an entrepreneur or small business/organisation?
Do you already have...?
Great products or services
A mission to do good in this world
An enthusiastic and open-minded approach to business growth
Are you ready to...?
Be more recognisable and respected
Have happier customers and better reviews
Reduce your costs and operate more efficiently
I am Dave and I can fill all those gaps for you as an impartial collaborator.
My name is Dave and I thrive on helping small business or organisations bring their A-game
* aspirations to reach more people
* desire to reduce your operational costs
* limited or no in-house expertise in branding, UX or systems design
I thrive on helping small businesses and organisations with great products or services reach their potential by ensuring they excel at three essential pillars:

Explore services by goal:

1
A unified brand presence
2
Exceptional user journeys
3
A well-oiled machine
How I help you achieve these goalsWhy work with me

All services

Website design and development
Branding
User experience
Automation
Print and publication design
Service design
SEO
Web apps
Content design
Internal tools
Graphic design
Procedures and checklists
Design systems
Feedback/reviews analysis
Custom maps
App design
Image of brand elements
1

A unified brand presence

Successful businesses have a strong and consistent brand identity

Services

Brand identity
Let's make sure the personality of your business shines through in every visual and verbal expression of it
Visual identity
Looks really do matter so let's make sure your logos, colours, fonts, social media templates and other visuals are on point
Content design
Time to talk language, tone, character, vocabulary and all things that concern the written form - say it and mean it
Digital presence
From your website, to social media channels and apps, everything should be on-brand and looking polished
Physical brand footprint
From menus and signage, to labels and brochures, if it's in the physical world it has the ability to make an impact
!
If you are not being consistent in how you communicate to your customers, they will be left confused about who you really are, and will not develop a positive emotional connection based on share ideals
!
If people can’t relate to your business then that is limiting the relationship they can have with it; don't just be a means to an end or commodity they need, be something to celebrate and endorse
!
If you are not instantly recognisable every time people see your content, then you’re missing a huge opportunity to positively reinforce your brand
Be so good they can’t ignore you.
Steve Martin
Comedian, actor, writer, producer and musician
Image of person being served at a counter
2

Exceptional user journeys

Every customer deserves a great experience when interacting with a business

Services

User experience
Whether in person or online, we want every user/customer to be happy with the experience they have, as they book, buy or interact
Feedback/reviews analysis
The value of customer feedback cannot be underestimated and will provide a guiding light for where you can raise your game, be that from reviews or direct feedback
User testing
Is that new product of service hitting the mark - work out what your users think before you go public with it
!
If your customers are unhappy they are actually quite unlikley to tell you about it, but very likely to tell about ten of their friends about that negative experience, and that is not a recipe for success
!
You can have the best product/service in the market, but if people can’t quickly and easily book, buy or fact-find when interacting with you, then those negative feelings mean they are more likely to look elsewhere
!
If you don't look at your business and the products or services you are offereing through the eyes of a customer, then you will likely be falling short of your potential to provide great experiences that drive repeat business and promotion through positive word of mouth
Unhappy customers destroy reputations.
Gordon Ramsey
Celebrity chef, restaurateur, television presenter and writer
Image of systems
3

A well-oiled machine

Effective businesses have efficient systems and procedures, and utilise automation

Services

Digital platforms and technology
Your website should be a joy to use and your digital platforms should help streamline your business and revenue streams - let's make sure that is all true
Automation
Without automation you are wasting valuable time and financial resource that could be better utilised for more important human led work
Procedures and checklists
Behind every long-term success story is a set of procedures and checklists that help ensure its operation and maintenance are conducted at the highest standards effortlessly
!
Inefficient systems make life harder for your colleagues, lowering staff retention and taking time away from more important matters
!
Anything that isn't maintained, will degrade over time and with it, will be the perception your customers have of how much you care about your appearances - checklists help you stay sharp
!
Inefficient systems are costing your business money, regardless of how big or small you are, while fixing them does not need to cost the Earth
Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.
Peter Drucker
Management consultant, author and educator

They've been Saged

Full length case studies available to read soon.

GTC Scotland

The independent regulator for teachers in Scotland
My work at GTC Scotland included building a new website, refining elements of their visual language, creating new systems of automation to streamline services, improving the usability of various digital products and publications, and creating the core design for the new MyGTCS web app.
Website design and development
User experience
Automation

CoMoUK

The national charity for shared transport
To help the organisation have a bigger impact, I helped increase the standard to which CoMoUK presented itself and improve the experience for those it served, through rebranding the charity, creating a brand new website, revamping their newsletter and publications, and much much more.
Branding
Website design and development
Print and publication design
Thank you so much for all the great work you have done for us - you are brilliant at what you do... you put your all into your work.
Lee Robertson
,
Head of Digital
,
GTC Scotland

Why work with me?

I offer a holistic approach to design and user experience. As a result, you get the benefit of working with an agile, one-stop shop, without the need for a larger team and the associated costs that come with that.

Over the last 30+ years of my working life I have developed a knack for connecting the dots and helping companies do things better. They raise their standards, save money, have happier staff and improve the experience for their customers.

If you’re still reading, I’m willing to bet that you're intrigued: so why not book a 20 minute discovery call.

It is completely free, with absolutely no obligation to work with me after, so what have you got to lose?

Book a free discovery call

Experience working in

Coaching
Education
Entertainment
Events
Hospitality
Media
Non-profits/charities
Recruitment
Regulation
Retail
Startups
Tourism
Transport
Picture of Dave in a dark blue polo shirt, smiling and looking up with his arms folded

FAQs

Each project varies, so naturally the cost does too. I do everything myself* so don’t spend time in meetings, or going back and forth with colleagues about things that are not working. I work with no-code platforms, which means I don’t have any expensive developer salaries to pay. I believe in delivering amazing value for money so want you to feel like you got a good return on your investment.

*I will bring in others if a project requires something that is outwith the services I provide, or I need more people to meet a specific deadline

Absolutely!

Both. Some projects can run with us never meeting face-to-face; specifically those that are digital only. For others, and just whenever possible, I prefer to have in-person sessions. Obviously, if you have a brick and mortar business then that will necessitate the latter. I am based in Edinburgh and happy to travel anywhere.

In many cases it would be possible for me to base myself in your team for some or all of the project. This would be project specific and something we could discuss and agree together.

Submit a question
Picture of Dave in a turquoise t-shirt, smiling at the camera with his arms folded

Let's start the conversation...

Book a free 20 minute discovery call to:

  • discuss what you are looking to achieve
  • ask any questions you may have
  • work out if I'm the right guy for you

I'll listen to the goals and challenges you have already identified, provide an impartial assessment of how we can elevate your business or organisation to the next level and then make you sparkle and shine.

Book a free discovery call