Online event planning site launched and designed in Grand Rapids

It used to be said that the way to be successful was to build a better a mousetrap. If that cliche were updated today, it might be said that the path to success is in designing a better mousetrap.

Blackbird is the new event planning site created and designed by Laura Vaughn, one of the co-founders of the online wedding planning site, Sitting in a Tree. "Blackbird was officially founded this summer," Vaughn says. "The idea was spawned out of Sitting in a Tree when we saw people started using our templates for corporate events."

Vaughn is a big proponent of how better design can make products and services... better.  "When online invitations became a 'thing',  it was suddenly so easy for organizations to host events and quickly invite people. As a result, most people are inundated with invitations to every event under the sun, often on the same day. A thoughtfully designed invitation goes a long way in someone choosing yours," she says.

Vaughn says her site is not just a pretty site that is more concerned with style over substance, but she believes there is a return on investment for event planners who use her service: "Be honest, when was the last time you were excited about going to an event you were invited to on Facebook? When people receive something that looks and feels great, some will RSVP or not solely based on that. A few years ago Conduit Studio had a party and sent out these super cool metal invitations with cutouts. It made such an impression that a few friends and I brought it up and decided to go. The invitations were awesome so we expected the event to be awesome too!"

Currently, the majority of online RSVP tools are free to set up and feature transaction fees to generate revenue, but there is very little customization available. Vaughn says her business model takes a slightly different approach. "With Blackbird RSVP, you're paying an up-front fee for the design itself, much like you'd pay for a website template. Our transaction fees are slightly lower than the competition, but you'll pay a small fee for the great design and customer support."

So if you are looking for an online tool to help you with your event, Vaughn says to take a little more time to appreciate what better design can do for you. "The thing is, everything is designed,even if you didn't mean to. It can either be designed well or designed poorly, on-brand or off-brand," she says. "Whether you meant to or not, you‚re sending a message about who you are and what people can expect from you."

For more information on Blackbird, you can visit the site here.

Writer, John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor