“I have been working at creative agencies for over 3 years. I enjoy the work, the designs, and working with the clients. However in the late fall of 2008 I realized something. The prices for websites were getting out of hand. Most companies cannot afford a five thousand dollar site. So my cognitive gears started turning. I came up with the idea for offering sites to companies at incredibly low prices; however, to accomplish this, I would have to cut overhead.  So, in early 2009 I left the creative firm where I was currently working to found Escape Plan Design.”

Simply put the reason for EPD is to save the client money. While this is the primary goal, it never comes at the cost of sacrificing quality. We still maintain the top-notch code and design while providing you with the lowest possible price. It is almost never necessary to pay what bloated design firms charge.  Escape Plan Design is streamlined, and that’s why we keep costs low.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Escape Plan Design is excited to announce a new way in which we are giving back.  Through Kiva, the well known online micro-loan organization, EPD has begun lending to small businesses in Africa. These loans are motivated by the need to build up Africa’s economy. We hope that in the years to come we will be able to make a substantial impact in some of the poorest places in the world. The beauty of lending through Kiva is that it is in fact a loan and it will be paid back, this means we can continue to support entrepreneurs over and over.

How can I lend?

There are many ways that you can lend. The first is to visit Kiva itself by click the link below.

The second is to do business with Escape Plan Design.  While we are a for-profit business we are committed to giving back to the world.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to drop us a line or give us a call (or comment below).

5. Animated Gifs

Never, ever, ever use animated gifs. Ever! They are outdated, ugly, and tend to annoy your visitors

4. Music on page load

I often browse websites late at night with other people around me trying to sleep. I often forget to turn my speakers off.  Music on page load = awake, annoyed people.

3. Stereotypical images

Believe it or not, every business does not need a stock photo of a puzzle with a piece missing on their website and for that matters neither do they need a picture of businessmen shaking hands.

2. Cursive Fonts

I hate cursive fonts. Most of the US population hates cursive fonts as well, even if they don’t know it. I hate them for this one reason if no others:

They are hard to read.

1.     No White Space

One of the essential parts of website design is white space, leave it out and your site feels cluttered and bulky.  You do not need to fill up every pixel of space.

Thank you for reading my rant (so to speak), I hope that you are not offended and that you learned something from this article. Even if it was just how cranky web designers can be.