Kelly Duggan Design

05/07/2022

I spend most of my time helping R+ dog trainers with their branding and social media content, but I'm grateful to still do some city planning consulting.

One of my current projects for the City of Johnson City is the re-write of the Tree Streets Conservation District's design guidelines.

I had so much fun creating this logo, which is based off one of the lovely Queen Anne homes in the district.

17/06/2022

Some of my favorites I've done for , one of my oldest and most cherished clients.

Kate creates a weekly blog post packed full of educational and inspirational written content. I go in and create visuals like these as weekly "micro-content," which are essentially little nuggets to make sure the main points shine through.

We really are the best team.

14/06/2022

The design geek in me is perhaps a bit too excited about organizing my work in this tidy little isometric grid, but enough about that!

When I started Kelly Duggan Design, the goal was to do strictly web design.

As my business has grown, it's become clearer and clearer that what many of my clients want most is help with their social content.

Everything from content strategy to template creation and caption writing to hashtag research helps them do what they do best: help dogs and their people.

This week, I'll be sharing little collections like this one for the podcast that my clients and I have worked together to create.

Strategy, consistency, quality visuals and free first-rate info about force-free methods: this is how you grow your business and help more dogs.

06/06/2022

Monday vibes.

02/06/2022

Dog trainers: Take your own advice!

It can feel defeating to take a stab at posting regularly on your social platforms and not see results immediately.

The same way it can be frustrating for your clients who expect to be able to sit at a cafe with their reactive dog after a couple sessions.

Remember what you would tell them:

This stuff works.

But like most things worth doing, consistency, patience and trusting the process are how you get results.

01/06/2022

Don’t believe the myths!

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when addressing your dog's alone-time distress is to subscribe to the myths that are rampant in popular culture.

Why?

There are 2 main reasons.

1. They take your eye off the ball and create one more detour in your path to the solution that creates lasting behaviour change.

2. They are often detrimental to the relationship you have with your dog. The examples listed here are utter nonsense. Don't waste your time going down these rabbit holes; they'll only derail you from the finish line.

31/05/2022

Super proud of this podcast art for my long-time client and fellow Louisianian, Jackie at Believe in Your Dog.

But enough about me! This podcast is going to be a game-changer for guardians of separation anxiety dogs. Jackie's primary goal is to provide free support for SA guardians so that they are able to tackle training on their own. She'll be sharing it all as a service to these sensitive dogs and their people.

Mark your calendars; it launches tomorrow!!!

My intro episode launches tomorrow.

Putting yourself out there is a bit scary but I’ve had plenty of practice here on social media and maybe that’s easing the nerves a bit.

More than anything, my goal is to get as much free and accurate content out to folks who live with separation anxiety but do not have the privilege of being able to work with a trainer, utilize daycare/sitters, buy cameras, etc.

I hope for this endeavor to help me play my part in anti-capitalism. I have to charge for my services to survive, but I also have the bandwidth to pump out useful, free content.

A big thank you to Kelly Duggan Design for this lovely cover art. Kelly is a gift. 🎁

I hope you will join me!

30/05/2022

I am so delighted to introduce Ally, a new member of the Kelly Duggan Design team! Ally is a Graphic Designer and Photographer from New Orleans, LA who has over 15 years' experience creating innovative print, digital, and social media material for a diverse range of clients.

Bringing Ally onboard means that we will have faster turn-around time and more diverse offerings are to come! The more we can make R+ trainers shine, the more dogs we can protect from painful and scary training methods.

Join me in welcoming her!

15/05/2022

Scenes from my work desk.

27/04/2022

This one always baffles me!

Clients routinely apologize for not being “creative enough” to design their own site or logo.

It reminds me so much of when clients would apologize for not understanding learning theory back when I was a pro dog trainer.

That’s what professionals are for, in the design space and in the dog space (and pretty much every other space!).

            

20/04/2022

A strong brand strategy is the foundation for a successful business. Without a clear and consistent identity, your content can feel disjointed and your message can be lost.

Your ideal client is looking for solutions to their problems. But more importantly, they are looking for connection. They are looking for a guide whose core values, mission and personality feels like home.

Finding your brand heart is the first step I take my branding clients through. Here are the elements we work though. We have more detailed worksheets to dig deeper, but this is a great starting point to get you thinking about your own brand heart.

18/04/2022

I'm embarrassed to say how recently I learned this! If you have a dog who panics when you leave, this is a must-read.

Let me let you in on a little secret.

Using food in separation anxiety training is keeping you stuck. And this is coming from a trainer who is unapologetic about doling out snacks, and lots of them!

Food is one of the easiest and most efficient forms of reinforcement in a force-free trainer's toolbox. But it is fraught with problems when it comes to separation anxiety training.

Read the blog post to learn more: https://alpinedogs.ca/2022/04/why-using-food-in-separation-anxiety-training-is-keeping-you-stuck/

13/04/2022

Lead magnets need to strike that careful balance between solving real problems for your clients, but also leaving them wanting more.

It works like this:

The value you deliver through the lead maget establishes you as an expert. Management strategies are great for this; they stop the unwanted behavior from happening, which gives the client immediate relief. And they associate that relief with you.

Now that the client is on your email list, they're receiving your weekly emails. You continue to nurture them and establish that "know, like and trust" factor with the value you bring to their inbox. You aren't selling in these emails. You're making their lives with their dogs better. You're giving them real solutions to the problems they face.

Now let's assume that the management strategies they implementend through your lead magnet have become second nature to them. What was once frustrating now feels easy. They're ready for more. And because they've been reading your targeted emails, they've caught the training bug. They're ready to invest in modifying their dog's behavior. And guess where they're going to go? That's right: straight to you.

This is how lead magnets work. They're not just a way to get an email address so you can start selling; they're a way to nuture a highly-targeted audience.

And when you do that, selling is completely unnecessary.

13/04/2022

Kelly Duggan Design is growing and I'm looking to hire someone to help me serve my clients. The ideal candidate will have an eye for clean and artful visual design. User interface design skills are a huge plus!

The successful candidate will be able to translate high-level requirements into interaction flows and artifacts. They will be able to transform them into beautiful, intuitive, and functional designs.

Responsibilities:
-Create visual design assets from templates and/or style guides created by me.
-Conceptualize original design ideas that bring simplicity and user friendliness to complex challenges.
-Create wireframes, storyboards, user flows, process flows and site maps to communicate interaction and design ideas.
-Establish and promote design guidelines, best practices and standards.

Requirements:
-Experience with Wordpress and Wix website design
-Demonstrable graphic design skills with a strong portfolio
-Proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator or other visual design and wire-framing tools
-Proficiency in Canva
-Excellent visual design skills with sensitivity to user-system interaction
-Ability to solve problems creatively and effectively

12/04/2022

Isn't it ironic that most of the stuff that we humans would like to change in dogs (fear, aggression, chewing, jumping, etc.) are all "pre-installed" behaviors that were necessary for their survival?

06/04/2022

Carousels (like this one by my client Rescued By Training) are such a great way to make sure that the excellent content you're creating really shines. Pull from your blog posts, long captions, and client handouts to create these easy-to-digest posts that make a big impact. Use large-scale fonts and high color contrast to make sure the text pops.

05/04/2022

So stoked to share this incredibly valuable resource I worked with my client Pawsitive Behavior Solutions, LLC to create! If you've heard the buzz word "lead magnet" in the dog training marketing world, this is an example of one.

As part of this service, I helped Rachel get clear on her ideal client and what type of content they would find most valuable. Rachel wrote the copy and I gave it a compelling title. I then designed the PDF, the creative you see in this post, built a landing page where folks can download the resource and opt-in to Rachel's email list, and set up the funnel in with her email provider.

Voila!

She's now well on her way to building a strong email list full of her ideal clients. You can grab your copy (and see how the funnel works) here: https://pawbehaviorsolutions.com/walking-a-reactive-dog-freebie/

28/03/2022

Clients like make my job so reinforcing.

15/03/2022

Dog Trainers: Have you taken a stab at FB ads to promote your services and been disappointed with the results?

You are not alone.

You got into dogs to work with dogs, not to become a FB ads expert! So I understand why you may have thrown in the ads towel.

But there are some simple targeting strategies that anyone can put into place to get more results.

First off: STOP TRYING TO SELL TO COLD AUDIENCES. It’s spam-y and pushy and no one likes it. Unless you are specifically targeting people who have been on your website, viewed your videos, or interacted with your content, your goal with FB ads should be to serve your audience.

This is where a lead magnet (typically a free download-able how-to guide) comes into play. It will solve little problems for your audience and get them on your email list, where you can continue to nurture them and establish your authority.

Once you’ve done that, you can *start to think* about talking about your services. And even then, it’s just a matter of sharing information. They’re already sold because you’ve shown them how much value you have to offer.

09/03/2022

08/03/2022

I get it. You care deeply about your mission and you want to wait until you can devote more time to really focus on a building a brand.

But here's the thing: Your brand is already built. It's the reason you feel compelled to do your work. It's that feeling you get when that dreamy client nods in understanding when you explain that their dog is just afraid, not being protective.

It already exists.

You can have that feeling more often and you can help more dogs in the process.

Join my email list for free branding tips and so much more: https://www.kellyduggandesign.com/newsletter-sign-up

07/03/2022

So, so, so stoked to launch this one. Holden is a fellow graduate of The Academy for Dog Trainers and a truly first-rate trainer. Her brand has "great outdoors" vibe that evokes the sense of optimism and expansion associated with hiking trails, camping grounds and national parks.

Holden also happens to be a first-rate human and was the most gracious client any designer could hope for. Check out her incredible site and be sure to refer her to all of your Bay Area peeps.

https://www.holdenk9.com/

05/03/2022

So. Much. Fun. creating this logo package for .

Her brand is all about learning through play, sans the traditional “obedience” vibe. So she needed a logo that communicated just that.

When a logo has this much detail, I always recommend a square version and horizontal version, plus a few simplified variations for smaller screens. So stoked to see all the different ways she can use them. ☺️

            

28/02/2022

When a client requests, "Can you make the pink a little hotter?", I know we're a great match. Thanks to for helping me create one of my favorite logos to date!

26/02/2022

Happy Carnival from this Louisiana girl.

24/02/2022

I know you've heard me preach about creating your ideal client avatar - the personification of dreaminess when it comes to who you serve.

Creating mine was easy, because she already existed in Jackie Johnston Believe in Your Dog.

Luckily the love is mutual. 😍

22/02/2022

We dog trainers can talk about animal learning and behavior all day. But we sometimes struggle to communicate how it adds value to our clients’ lives.

Try these client-friendly blog post titles to get more reach and ultimately help more dogs.

            

21/02/2022

New site launch for my dear friend and first ever mentor, Gallivan at Upward Dog. Gallivan likes to do things the old-fashioned way so there are no fancy bookings integrations, just clear info about what to expect and how to get in touch.