This week I had the opportunity to talk with Mor Cohen of FlixFrame, where she creates child themes for Divi and Elementor, and graphic designs such as logos (you may have seen one or two of her designs).
I sent Mor a list of questions about WordPress and developing for Divi and she responded with detailed answers about her design process and some development tips. So here for your enjoyment is the Mor Cohen interview!
How long have you been developing for WordPress and how did you get started?
I found WordPress a little over a year ago, and quite by accident. I designed a logo for a client, and he then approached me to ask if I could design his site. Being known for jumping head-first without checking if there’s water in the pool, I answered “sure!” and after that conversation ended I thought, “now what?”
Being solution-driven, I went looking for the best and most designer-friendly tools available, and found WordPress and Divi. As I felt I needed to learn a lot in a short amount of time, I enrolled in Elegant Marketplace’ excellent Deep Dive Into Divi course which gave me an excellent foundation.
You have few of products on Elegant Marketplace. What are your most popular products and what makes them popular?
My Elementor layouts are doing very well. They are easily customizable with the user’s own images, colors and content, and they can have a beautiful landing page within minutes or a complete site within hours. I build my layouts with the end-user in mind and I love that people use the modularity and versatility of the various sections to compose their own creations.
I also offer website layout design services for other web developers. I discovered that people who are great developers and coders, who don’t really have proper knowledge and experience in design are becoming quite frustrated with having to come up with the right colors, imagery, layouts, icons, and overall user-centered page flow for their projects. By trusting the design phase to me they can focus on what they do best, functionality and code, and come out ahead of the game, by providing their own clients with exceptional sites.
My clients tell me that since they started using my designs to build their projects for their own clients, they are able to take on more projects due to the faster development time. Their clients are delighted, so they see an increase in referrals, and therefore an increase in their revenue, as well as peace of mind.
One of the services you offer is graphic design. Can you tell us about that?
I offer everything from logos to Style Tiles (brand and mood boards) to Social Media templates and other branding assets, all the way to complete sites and print collateral.
I started out as a graphic designer. I think that good design, which is user-focused and less trend-dependent, is essential to our business. Design needs to work for us. It should tell our story when we are not there in person to tell it. It’s not enough that a site looks great, it has to entice the audience to take action.
I don’t design for my own clients. I design for THEIR clients. Oftentimes, what my clients want is not what they need, and I think that the most important aspect of my work is to educate and demonstrate how this approach is better for their business.
What are some of your favorite logos and designs that you’ve done?
Among others, I’ve designed Eileen Lonergan’s logo, and Michelle Nunan’s new Divi Soup logo, and these were lots of fun to create. I love to reflect the business and the person behind it in my designs. A logo has to show the personality, rhythm and “voice” of the business it represents, and my biggest sense of accomplishment comes when my clients say “yes, this is so me!” I know then that I’ve captured the essence of them and their business.
Do you get a lot of requests for certain designs and features?
I’ve been getting a lot of requests for retro and vintage style logos and other design elements. I love vintage style, so these requests make me very happy. I think that people are a bit tired of the stark, somewhat sombre design trends we have seen lately, and they crave a bit more warmth and nostalgia. I guess retro is the new modern!
How do you approach an idea for a new product?
A new product! I “see” it all in my head before I touch mouse and keyboard. It usually involves many walks, preferably down on the beach in Malibu, and quite a lot of coffee. I visualize everything internally, the colors, the type of imagery, the layout, the structure… I then research the subject matter, look at any trends that are particular, or any special features that should be included and only then I start the project.
What are some of your favorite tools?
Obviously, I’m an Adobe fanatic. I’m completely wearing out Creative Cloud suite. I know a lot of people complain about their monthly subscription fee, but to me these are the tools of my trade, and to produce the best products, one needs to use the best tools, it’s quite simple actually.
As a designer first, I want to build sites the way I “see” them in my imagination. To that extent I’m completely and utterly in love with Elementor Pro, and I use it in conjunction with GeneratePress. This combination affords me smooth workflow and endless creativity and design possibilities. Obviously, I still use and design for Divi users as well.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on few logos and other branding elements for clients, as well as few site layout designs for other developers.
I also have new templates for Social Media (Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest) that are doing very well, as they assist people in presenting themselves professionally and creatively across all platforms.
I’m also working on an e-commerce child theme, and a new layout pack for Elementor. I’m very excited!
Do you have any last thoughts for our readers?
At the end of the day all we want is a happy client, who will refer others and come back to us as a repeat business. One way to achieve this is to examine our strengths and weaknesses, focus on what we do best, and not be reluctant to outsource the elements of our business that hinder our progress.
I can manage enough CSS, but I’m not a coder, so when I need help with code or functionality I hire someone who is an expert in these disciplines while I concentrate on the design and user-experience. This process results in smoother workflow, less delays, and most importantly – very happy clients, and that’s my end goal.
So my advice is – do what you do best, and remedy the weakest links in your business by collaborating with someone who can help.
Final Thoughts
First, I’d like to say a special thank you to Mor for putting up with my questions and for what she’s done for the WordPress, Elementor, Divi communities. She has a vast knowledge about WordPress and enjoys helping others.
Mor has provided lot’s of insights into her design process, designing to the needs of clients’ clients, how she approaches an idea, design trends, her favorite tools, her favorite logos, and detailed advice on getting started in WordPress development by focusing on what you do best and hiring help with the rest. She has several child themes and templates available and has a lot more in the works. I’m looking forward to seeing more of her designs for WordPress, social media, and graphics.
You can see more of Mor’s work on the Elegant Marketplace and in the Member Directory.
Here at Elegant Marketplace we love going “behind the screens” with members of the community. If you would be interested in being interviewed, drop us a note.
