Developing Innovative Concepts
Design & Consulting Services
WordPress Website
Design & Management
Design Over Matter prefers working with WordPress using Amazon Web Services (AWS) over other back-end platforms for a variety of reasons, but ease of use, cost, efficiency and overall value are all factors. We recommend all websites be built using WordPress, and all sites be hosted using AWS.
We can set you up with an AWS account of your own that we manage, or we can host your website on our AWS servers at a monthly cost. We’ll setup and connect your domain name. Don’t have a domain name? We’ll help you purchase one. We’ll install SSL certificates on your site as well as basic SEO plugins. Once the backend is fully configured, using Elementor Pro as our preferred page builder, we’ll design your website using either a single-page scrolling model (like this site) or a multi-page traditional model site.
Unlike traditional website developers, we don’t charge per page, or quote outrageous prices for simple concepts. We bill by the hour, to the minute. Our exact time spent on your project is your exact bill. We track and notate our time, and a full report is provided monthly or on request. Proposals are often composed of a “NTE” or Not To Exceed value, a number of hours we guarantee your project will be completed in. Often our projects are completed early and under budget.
Social Media
Strategy & Management
A 26 page social media strategy prepared specifically for your business, defining your target audience, areas of focus and efficiency, suggested facebook, instagram and other social media posting styles.
This project helps define your brand and is highly recommended before entering into a Social Media Management contract (with us or anyone). This gives you an idea of our vision for your online identity, which we create based on your input and preference.
We also offer pre-compiled social media strategy guides for a variety of industries here:
Planning and strategy sessions are included free with social media management contracts. We bill for time spent creating content, scheduling content, adjusting advertising budgets or developing target audience outlines. In line with our motto, we only bill for time spent doing work for you.
Graphic & Print
Design
Logos and vectors designed with client collaboration and input. Restaurant menu design services also available.
Photoshop, Illustrator and all image alteration services, including image or vector alteration completed using web-based applications like Canva.com as well as any Trello board setup is billed as Graphic Design Services.
Ad design for print, news, local and national publications. Banners, counter-talkers, business cards, book covers, gatorboard signs and more.
Not only can we design your project, but we can provide unmatched pricing on printing, especially large format banners, gatorboard and flags. With available Rush Service, turnaround can be in less than 48 hours on most projects under 60″ wide. Large format shipping costs can be extreme depending on the size, and it is recommended to group orders together to reduce overall shipping cost. Our preferred printing company is located in Southern California and next-day pickup is almost always available (business days).
Wix/Shopify/Square
Web Design
For our clients with simpler design needs, less specific preferences or less complex website concepts, we are happy to build your site using any “template-based” site-builder such as Wix, Shopify, Square, etc. however some functions and features are dependent on the specific site-builder’s capabilities. If your project is complex or if you have very specific preferences for the way you want your website to look and feel, a WordPress site may be a better fit.
You provide login credentials to your Wix account (we’ll connect it to your domain for you if you haven’t already) and we build out your site based on a concept we discuss in advance. We prefer not to work with templates and build sections and pages from scratch. Site headings, fonts, colors and theme aspects are setup according to our project outline. 2 mid-project check-ins will provide an opportunity to review and provide input on the various draft versions of the site. Often by the third revision the site finalized and the project is completed.
After completing a website, offer a complimentary 1-hour zoom meeting to review your company’s social media strategy and discuss what role, if any, Design Over Matter may hold in developing a curated social media strategy for your business.
IT Consulting &
Network Management
Network design and evaluation with speed and efficiency in mind. POS support, experience with all major restaurant point-of-sale systems.
Clients across a multitude of industries have used Design Over Matter for IT Support in both one off projects and long-term managed services relations, from online data backup to first line IT support.
We specialize in both Network and Computer Hardware and Software for Desktops, Laptop PCs, and Macs. Experienced network specialists, designers and administrators.
Design Over Matter contributes to the entrepreneurship and their clients with the highest quality IT support and outsourcing services. We make sure that we can increase value to your business through determining which IT services can be outsourced and which sectors can be internalized to focus on projects that assist the company to directly upgrade or improve.
Our clients come from various industries and have utilized our IT services and support in areas of both fundamental computer upgrades and network hardware upgrades to proper IT management support for server, network, POS or general computer problems.
General Business
Consulting
Experienced professional business support in areas of marketing, strategy, planning, operation and sales with a focus on operational efficiency and improved business performance.
Management consulting helps your organization improve your overall performance and efficiency by analyzing your business and creating customized solutions for areas of concern while also helping your business meet its goals.
A wide range of activities are included in General Business Consulting Services, and many companies often define these practices quite differently.
One way to categorize these activities is in terms of the business’s industry, such as restaurant/hospitality or salon/barber. In practice, as many differences exist within these categories as between them.
Working with Design Over Matter we have experience with an extensive number of distinguished and prevalent industries and are uniquely positioned to work with your company.
A New Direction
About Us
Design Over Matter, LLC was founded in 2018 by Michael-Phillip Harte, a Santa Barbara, Ca. resident. With initial prospects of developing a foothold in the restaurant and hospitality graphic design needs, an area Harte is extremely well versed in, having served as Managing Editor of his college newspaper for two years, coupled with years of additional photography and graphic design training in several states across the country. Most recently, Harte has been personally creating design and copy for all advertising, design projects as well as FDA compliant nutritional labeling system design at a mid-size multi-unit California restaurant and bakery for 5+ years.
Our story
Skills you can trust
Our goal at Design Over Matter is to create an experience working with a creative design company that is less complicated and more efficient than the alternatives.
At Design Over Matter, we keep your design in mind, while using our years of expertise to craft the perfect website or curate the right social media strategy, whatever our project with you entails, you remain the focus.
At Design Over Matter, we keep your design in mind, while using our years of expertise to craft the perfect website or curate the right social media strategy, whatever our project with you entails, you remain the focus.
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completed design projects since 2018
Questions? I have answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely, all web design services are fully customizable, built using open-source WordPress on an AWS EC2 Server. Login credentials, including ssh .pem keys are provided upon project completion.
Just head down to the contact form and drop us a message.
We usually prefer short term contracts as they provide different challenges but from time to time we take on long term ones. Just write us a message and we’ll let you know.
Projects range in cost based on several factors, but basic design work is typically billed at $50/hr when working directly with the principal designer.
It varies based on the number of colors involved, but a basic 2-color logo can be vectorized for a $29 flat fee. Ask about a full rate-sheet. Many small projects are clearly priced for maximum transparency.
Yes, absolutely! Design Over Matter builds custom applications and database structures using a variety of platforms and systems, customized to the needs of each individual client.
We are a Southern California based company without a physical store-front. We prefer to meet with clients one-on-one in their places of business or at shared office spaces, like Impact Hub, across the central coast.
