Greenhorn
Valley Directory
The Greenhorn Valley Directory was developed to strengthen connections between residents, visitors, and local businesses through a centralized digital platform. From branding and website design to content strategy and user experience, the project demonstrates how thoughtful design can support community engagement and local economic growth.
Overview
The Directory is an annual small business and service directory serving the Greenhorn Valley region of southern Colorado, including Rye, Colorado City, Beulah, San Isabel, and Hatchet Ranch. Published annually since its inception, the directory was created to help residents and visitors discover local businesses, professional services, restaurants, attractions, and community resources.
10,000 Annual Print Copies
200+ Business Listings Per Year
5 Years of Continuous Publication
Regional Distribution Network
70% Delivered Directly Through Mailers
Publication Metrics
30% Distributed Through Local Businesses
Publication Planning
& Organization
Organizing hundreds of pieces of information into a clear and user-friendly publication.
Editorial Strategy & Publication Design
Balancing information architecture, advertising requirements, and editorial design to create a publication that is both visually engaging and highly functional as well as photograph each town.
Advertising Design & Client Partnerships
Partnering with local businesses, organizations, and artists to develop effective advertising solutions. This process included designing custom advertisements, refining client-provided artwork, preparing production-ready files, and ensuring consistency throughout the publication.
Production Management & Distribution
Each annual edition required coordination between multiple vendors and stakeholders to ensure successful production and delivery. This process included print production management, proof review, address collection and organization, shipping coordination, and distribution planning. The result was a regional publication with an annual print run of 10,000 copies, reaching households and businesses throughout the Greenhorn Valley region.
Mailing List Management
Distribution data was acquired through Shuster's and organized for regional delivery. Mailing records were reviewed, formatted, and prepared to meet the requirements of commercial printing and postal distribution providers.
Print Production & Vendor Coordination
Production-ready files were prepared and submitted to UPrinting for manufacturing. Print proofs were reviewed for accuracy, color consistency, and layout integrity before final approval. Once approved, the publication moved into full production and distribution.
Regional Distribution
Distribution planning extended beyond standard mailing routes to ensure coverage throughout the Greenhorn Valley region. While the majority of directories were delivered directly to households through USPS, additional coordination with local post offices and businesses helped reach unincorporated areas where traditional residential addressing was limited. The result was a free publication accessible throughout Rye, Colorado City, Beulah, San Isabel, Hatchet Ranch, and surrounding areas.
The completed directory serves as a comprehensive small business and service resource for the Greenhorn Valley region.
Produced annually and distributed free of charge, the publication connects residents and visitors with local businesses, professional services, restaurants, attractions, and regional resources throughout southern Colorado.
Building Digital Experiences
The Greenhorn Valley Directory demonstrates how thoughtful strategy, branding, and web design can create meaningful resources for a community. Explore the projects below to see how these same principles have been applied to publishing, brand development, product design, and creative storytelling.