Small Business Marketing Overload – Getting UnStuck

Yesterday I met with two wonderful and smart business women for my Design & Marketing Strategy Coaching sessions I offer to small businesses. They both have started their own businesses, but they are feeling what so many of my small business clients feel and that is "Marketing Overload." They have inspired me to write this blog post today....

When we start a business with high hopes of getting the word out there and attracting clients to us, we forget to think about a marketing budget or how much outside sources might cost. Some of you came from the corporate world where marketing and design was just taken care of and you never had to pay for it. Or you never had to think about. Then when you made the leap to go on your own, you realized it is time for YOU to pay for these services. Oops, no money was set aside to even start the business, let alone for marketing and design services, yikes, now what? Well, maybe you're a do-it-yourselfer and you get by with doing your business card or flier using a Word template but you never really feel 100% confident when you hand it out to potential clients, you may even apologize about it. Then you decide you need a website and again, no money, so you need to use a free or low cost solution...and again, you don't feel 100% confident or it doesn't look anything like the business card design you use, therefore, you don't really have a brand being established.

Does this kind of sound like yourself? So many small business owners make this mistake of not thinking through how their brand is represented from the first moment they start their business. I was even guilty of this when I started my business 17 years ago at the age of 22. I had $18 in my checking account at the time. I didn't know any better, just had the go-getter attitude and figured I would just "wing-it". But I had two advantages over many of my clients and that was 1) I could create my own design because I am a professional graphic designer and 2) when I started, websites weren't even part of the equation at that time. Now don't get me wrong, I still struggled to get the word out through traditional advertising or even attending a networking event that I couldn't afford to go to. As my business grew, I realized I needed to set aside a portion of my income to a marketing fund in order to start doing more printed items and build my brand professionally. A marketing budget is key to a small business and their success in their marketing efforts and building their brand. Do you think Apple or Dell get by with no marketing budget?

Now today, there are many free ways to market your business through social media, free networking events and more, however when it comes to print or website marketing, you must take note of this tip. When you use an online printing company who provides FREE business cards, you need to stop and ask yourself this question, "If I am asking my clients to pay $[insert your hourly rate here], and I am giving them a business card that says, 'Printed free from [insert online printer name here]', do you think they will take me or my business seriously?" The answer to this is a big NO. If you are unable to spend $25 on business cards (which by the way is very easy to get these days), then why in the world are you asking a client to pay you hundreds or thousands of dollars for your services? Again, this is an image you are portraying with your brand.

Did you just read the above and relate to it? Marketing overload is a feeling many small businesses get when they are trying to market their business. They need clients and cash now, but don't have the funds to purchase the professional services they need to attract those clients. There are many ways to get great design and professional services without breaking your bank, however, you need to spend something. If you must do this on the lower end of a budget, than think through how each item you create, has a consistent look and feel through color, graphical images, logo placement and marketing message. When a business looks "homemade" is when nothing is consistent. A brand is everything you or your business says through visual, words and representation. If you are embarrassed to hand out your card or send clients to your website, you need to step back and think how are you going to have a successful business, if you don't treat it like a business.

When I figured out that I needed a marketing budget, I went to my bank and got a credit line so that I could purchase the services I needed (and wasn't an expert in) to take my business to the next level and attract the ideal clients I wanted. I encourage every small business owner to evaluate what marketing efforts they are putting forth. If you need clients now because you have no cash coming in, think about just hiring a professional for advice. This is how my 1 on 1 Design and Marketing Strategy Coaching sessions came about because the information I give you, can change your whole marketing strategy including spending the money you do have wisely. Be sure to pick that "expert" right so that you have solutions or options that are attainable for your situation.

But, I encourage you to put a portion of your next check from a client into a marketing fund, so that when you need to take that next step in your branding and marketing efforts, you feel you can. Remember, hobbies don't usually make a profit, businesses do.

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Diane's book, Demystifying Graphic Design – How to Successfully Work with Your Graphic Designer, co-authored with Gina O’Daniel is available for purchase at

http://www.vizcomdesign.com/Order_My_Book_.html

Diane is a brand strategist and graphic designer who is inspired to guide solopreneurs to deploy their marketing dollars wisely to generate quality results and enjoy the biggest bang for their buck. Working together with her clients, she takes step by strategic step to building a bold brand that stands above the noise and attracts the results her clients need in business now.

She owns and operates Visual Communication (www.vizcomdesign.com), www.dianebridgwater.com and SpeakerPublisher (speakerpublisher.com) and has over 20 years of experience in the design industry. Her mission is to help demystify working with graphic designers and help educate small businesses to get the most out of their budgets.

Diane can be reached at diane@vizcomdesign.com.

Stepping Away from Your Business

 I just got back from spending the weekend away from my business, computer and anything design related. I took 2.5 days, packed up the car with my dog and three best girlfriends and we rented a house on the beach in the Pacific Northwest. Our purpose was two-fold, one for a girlfriend weekend full of laughs, girl talk and lots of wine and second was to have time to discuss any business issues we may be struggling with or to bounce ideas off of each other...and we accomplished it all.

It is funny how just stepping away for a few days of your normal routine can open up so many creative passages in your brain. The first morning we woke up, there was a whale swimming only 20 or 30 feet from where we were, now that is amazing to watch. We followed it down the beach for miles and just enjoyed the rain on our faces, the beauty of what we were experiencing and the time together.

Sometimes we get so caught up in our everyday lives that we forget to look around us. You can be inspired to be creative by so many things and people. As business owners it is so easy to work IN our business rather than taking some time every week to work ON our business. Also as business owners it is so easy for us to have excuses such as, "I can't afford it (money or time)," or "I will have so much to do when I get back," or "My clients will be upset if I'm not available." Reality is that none of these excuses are really true and if you can't take time away on occasion from your business than it's time to look at your business model.

After owning my design and marketing company for the past 17 years, I have realized that when I don't take the time to step away from my business and look at it with fresh eyes once in a while, is when it costs me through my health or the bank account or even some customers.

So, I encourage all of you to take time each week to "step away" from your computer, take a walk, go putter in the garden, or just call up a friend and share a cup of coffee or glass a wine together. You will be amazed at what pops into your head when you least expect it either for your business or your life and when Monday morning comes around, you will be ready to tackle your work week, your business, your marketing efforts or just regular life.

And a big thank you to my girlfriends who are amazing people, amazing business women and my A-Team!

Asking Yourself the Why before the Wow

Is this you? You created a flier to announce your product or service, then maybe you decided a tri-fold brochure might be better....wait, that didn't work, so you created a website from a template you found online but no one found you, so you got frustrated and decided that marketing your business was a lot of time and money with no financial rewards? Does this sound like what you might be doing?

If you are a a small business owner who never created a budget for marketing your product or service, you probably are spinning your wheels on a variety of tools that you hope drives some customers to you, right? We've all done it, even me! When we have no cash, how can one expect to spend money on professional design or marketing services, right? Well, you must know your marketing plan before you market to customers. There are two critical points you have to do if this is all you do.

#1: Can you define your ideal customer - in detail? Write down who your ideal customer is? Be specific. If you can't answer this question, then why are you spending any money on marketing? Why put more time and energy into something that doesn't give you any return? Understanding FIRST who your ideal client is has to be done before you set off on creating that flier or brochure or even your website. Without knowing who is going to buy from you, only creates frustration because you aren't communicating your message to them. Remember not everyone who breathes will be buying from you. Visualize who this person is. Is it a woman, man, teen? What is their age range, where else would they shop at? Think demographics, specifics and emotional ties. If you are a travel agent, your customer might be parents with 2 kids ages 7–10 years old and who are have been working crazy hours, looking for some time for themselves and stuff for the kids to do in a safe environment, so why not promote a Disney cruise to this customer. By knowing your customer, you can target your marketing tools to them and get results.

#2: Define your marketing message. Do you know what a marketing message is? It is a statement keeping you focused on what you want to communicate to your ideal customer, and the direction of your marketing efforts so that you can apply this to every tool you use to market your product or service. You want it to portray a positive message to your customer and you repeat this message over and over again.

One way to do this is by delivering this marketing message using a tag line that is repeated on all your marketing materials. For example, think "Just Do It" by Nike, we know what that marketing message is and who it's from. Or what about "Got Milk", who did that campaign?  Your marketing message might also encompass visual messages, like colors, photos, and words. Your marketing message is one of the key ingredients to your success in your marketing efforts. If you don't have your marketing message, stop reading this and write it down now!

These two simple steps are the first you should be spending your time on. Without knowing this, you waste valuable time and energy on creating a flier, brochure, business card, website or any marketing piece that you are trying to draw customers to you. I encourage you to spend your valuable time on these two steps now, then print it out in big fonts and post it near your computer or on a wall you look at often. Know these two steps inside and out, then go back to your marketing piece and ask yourself if this tool is answering the two questions of 1) is this targeted to my ideal customer and 2) is it expressing my marketing message...if the answer is no, it's time to re-evaulate if that is the best tool to use.

So don't get caught up in the Wow before you know the Why, if you answer the why first, the wow is sure to follow.

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Diane's book, Demystifying Graphic Design – How to Successfully Work with Your Graphic Designer, co-authored with Gina O’Daniel is available for purchase at

http://www.vizcomdesign.com/Order_My_Book_.html

Diane is a brand strategist and graphic designer who is inspired to guide solopreneurs to deploy their marketing dollars wisely toward the right initiatives to generate quality results and enjoy the biggest bang for their buck. Working together with her clients, she takes step by strategic steps to building a bold brand that stands above the noise and attracts the results her clients need in business now.

She owns and operates Visual Communication (www.vizcomdesign.com) and SpeakerPublisher (speakerpublisher.com) and has over 20 years of experience in the design industry. Her mission is to help demystify working with graphic designers and help educate small businesses to get the most out of their budgets.

Diane can be reached at info@speakerpublisher.com.

You Believe YOUR Book is the Best One Ever Written, Right?

I was out last night and met someone who said they were in the process of writing a book and believed his book was the "next best thing," and it made me think, do we all dream this about our own books? Now, his book might be the next "Eat, Pray, Love" and make millions of dollars and I hope my company is the one that he asks to "publish" it, but that's selfish on my part, right?  He mentioned that he had practiced his acceptance speech when receiving his Pulitzer Prize. I thought that was pretty ingenious and I like when people have big dreams, but when I asked him if he was going to self-publish or go through a publisher, he responded, "a publisher, for sure – I will make more money."

My recommendation is to dream big in anything you do! But keep expectations in check. Your book might be the greatest book ever written, but most likely to get to that point, you have a few steps to get there. First, you have to write it. This writer had been working on his book for a while and I think this is pretty typical of many people based on conversations I have had — most of us run our own business or work for an employer and have only so many hours in a day — so writing your book might take more time than you think. Just don't wait too long if you have a topic that is relevant for today, sit down and just write it. Don't feel it has to be perfect, because that leads me to step number two.

Second step, ask a professional Editor to help you. If you are writing a novel this is imperative. Again, what you write and think has been perfectly written, I guarantee an Editor will hash it out with red marks. Don't feel threatened or disappointed, many famous authors have gone through this same experience with their books and have written manuscripts over and over before it is the book we read. Good editors are there to make your written words sound amazing and make you look good too!

Thirdly, decide if you want to submit your final manuscript to a publishing house. You can do this anyway, but if it does get picked up, they will have control over the design of the cover, the layout and the distribution. Their goal is to make money, if they do well, you do well. If you try self-publishing, you get 100% control of the design, layout and marketing of your book, as well as receive 100% of the profits. Something to think about, right? And down the road a publisher might pick it up anyway. There are many companies both online and local where you can get help to make your book look professional. I do not suggest doing this on your own if you have no idea or have never sent a file to a professional printer. Spend the little bit of money that you will make back from the book with a professional, services range from a few hundred dollars to thousands, so do your homework.

And fourth step, think about the marketing of the book. Many novice authors forget about this step altogether. If you use a publisher or go on your own, you have to let people know about your book. The fastest way to do this is to speak about the topic, go on a book signing tour or use social media. If you are a quiet person, afraid of crowds, then your book might not do so well. Using social media to it's highest ability is key, including a specific website designed for your book that has been search engine optimized (if you don't know how or what this is, hire a professional).

My point is that we all have dreams to make millions of dollars off our books, get the movie deal and then be able to buy the big house on an island somewhere (ok this might be my dream, but you were thinking that too)....there are steps that must be taken before we get there. My advice is to just write the book, don't be afraid if you aren't an English major or that you might not know how to write well (I'm guilty of that), but just do it. By writing your story, your expertise or a made up one, there is someone out there willing to read or buy your book. Your book might not be the next big thing, but it could change someone's perception about a topic or give them a reason to change their life or inspire them to take the next step forward, which is worth so much more than dollars, a movie deal or a house, right? Have fun with the process and just finish writing it.

And I really liked the idea of practicing my acceptance speech for my award like my new friend did. Keeps me dreaming of what's to come, I suggest you do it too.

I'd love to hear what your big dreams are and tell me what you're in the process of writing about in the comment section below. Thanks for reading and following my blog.

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Diane's book, Demystifying Graphic Design – How to Successfully Work with Your Graphic Designer, co-authored with Gina O’Daniel is available for purchase at

http://www.vizcomdesign.com/Order_My_Book_.html

In 1995, Diane moved from the corporate graphic design field to start a graphic design company that provides government agencies, associations, speakers and authors with easy access to a wide variety of professionals, without the creative limitations and overhead of the typical design firm. Since then, she has combined her education in organizational communication and marketing with her experience in design to help clients make the best design choices for their marketing efforts.

She also owns speakerpublisher.com that helps speakers and authors create the informational products they need to increase sales in the back of the room. With over 20 years of experience in the design industry her mission is to help demystify working with graphic designers and help educate small businesses to get the most out of their budgets.

Diane can be reached at info@speakerpublisher.com.

Why Hiring Your Cousin to Create Your Marketing Materials Might Not be the Best Idea

Learning to work with a graphic designer is a win-win for you both. Graphic design is a skill and talent and isn’t learned by knowing the latest cool new program, so why do small business professionals hire a family member to design their marketing materials?

Why is it important to hire a professional designer – experience will save you money!

Graphic designers who are experienced in the industry will save you money overall. Initially you may pay a little bit more than hiring a designer straight out of college, but experienced designers are faster and have solutions for you in design for printing and web as well as can troubleshoot any problems with ease.

Hiring a designer with typically five years experience or more is a good starting point and have at least two years working as a freelancer or owning their own company. Less than this does not mean they are not capable, but may lack the overall experience which could cause you delays or problems on your project.

When looking for a designer to work with, ask them if they have experience working with a variety of outside resources such as printers, web development, writers and even other designers. This shows they are staying in touch with the industry standards, printing methods and new technology to help you save money on your project.

A big piece of advice is don’t hire a designer that is “learning” on your project, this could potentially cost you a lot of money. Your marketing budget is precious so be sure to understand what you need and what they are expected to be doing. Saving a little bit of money so the designer can "learn" a software program is never a good business decision.  So I am telling you to please do not hire your “cousin” unless he or she is a professional in the graphic design industry. 

Professional and experienced designers have the know-how, training and design eye to create a much better product for you that will sustain time and you will be proud to use it over and over again. Remember, your time is valuable and every minute you spend on doing something yourself, keeps you away from working on what brings customers to you, so please don’t spend those hours creating something that a professional could have done in less time.

Many times when I talk to small business owners, they have already decided that working with a designer is too expensive, but then I ask if they ever got an estimate or talk to the designer about working within their budget and the answer is always "No." How can you make a decision not to use a designer if you've never asked? Professional designers are used to providing quotes for projects and we are also used to working within budgets. We will tell you if we can't do what you want in your budget, but your expectations should be realistic too. Our job is to find a solution for you, either with another idea that accomplishes the same result or maybe there is a better way to market your business that you didn't think about.

When Working With a Graphic Designer

Get the estimate for the work you'd like them to do in writing. Be sure to read through the Scope of Work detailed out related to the price. If you aren't sure if it covers all you wanted, ask them. Ask yourself these questions when looking over the estimate provided:

1. Did any items get left out that you expected the price to cover?
2. Does the designer bill by the project or the hour? Which way works better for your budget?
3. Are there fees to start the project? Upfront deposit?
4. What is the billing cycle? Broken up in thirds or 50/50.
5. What is the estimated timeline for the project?
6. Does this timeline fit with your timeline schedule?
7. Do the costs work with your budget?

Remember, you need to feel comfortable with the designer that you hire—this is a long term “dating” experience.

Ask questions and express concerns about the estimate you have received right away and be sure everything you discussed is in writing. Be sure your questions and concerns are answered. Start your relationship with a designer off right with no unknown clouds hanging over your head. If you don’t talk openly with the designer this can get you in trouble and worse yet end up costing you money. Now is the time to have your questions answered. If items are left out of the estimate, ask them to send you an amended estimate to cover those items. If the designer listed items that you don’t understand, ask them to explain.

Approve the estimate of work
The estimate looks good to you, within your budget and all your questions answered, now it is time to approve that estimate and begin the work. This is a binding contract so be comfortable with it. Some designers will also provide you with a written contract that outlines your relationship and the ins and outs of your rights. Always ask for both an estimate of work and a contract and please do not proceed with the working relationship without knowing how much everything will cost you.

Do the homework upfront, keep the communication open and grow your relationship with your designer
It’s sometimes an uncomfortable feeling to discuss money, but if you keep this topic open and light and remember it’s still a business transaction, there won’t be any “icky” feelings. When we purchase from retailers and other businesses we know how much it will cost us, so don’t let hiring a designer on a project be any different.

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Excerpt from, Demystifying Graphic Design – How to Successfully Work with Your Graphic Designer, written by Diane Bridgwater and co-authored with Gina O’Daniel.

Buy the book at http://www.vizcomdesign.com/Order_My_Book_.html

In 1995, Diane moved from the corporate graphic design field to start a graphic design company that provides government agencies, associations, speakers and authors with easy access to a wide variety of professionals, without the creative limitations and overhead of the typical design firm. Since then, she has combined her education in organizational communication and marketing with her experience in design to help clients make the best design choices for their marketing efforts.

She also owns speakerpublisher.com that helps speakers and authors create the informational products they need to increase sales in the back of the room. With over 20 years of experience in the design industry her mission is to help demystify working with graphic designers and help educate small businesses to get the most out of their budgets.

Diane can be reached at info@speakerpublisher.com.

Is Self-Publishing Your Book the Best Route for You?

You hear it every day in articles, blogs and authors, “Self publish your book, it’s so easy!” “Anyone can do it.” These are true statements and with so many tools available now, a person can self-publish pretty easily. But, is it right for you? It still takes planning to take your book from an idea to a final printed product.

Is self-publishing the best route for your book? I ask my clients to start backwards in order to decide if self-publishing is right for them. Before writing your book, it’s important to do big picture planning first. The following are a few questions to ask yourself before starting.

• How do you plan to distribute your book once it’s complete? 
• Is your dream to see it on bookstore shelves or at online book distributors? 
• Or do you want to use it in the “back of the room” at your workshop or speaking engagement? 

These are different ways to distribute your book and publishing processes as well. If you want to sell your book on the book shelf in stores or online, it should have a topic that is current and relevant to most people. Usually these distributors require many printed copies on hand, which may sit in a back room and never get sold. This could be a huge investment for you. Small royalty percentages will be provided for each sale and they control how your book is promoted. 

So maybe big book distributors aren’t for you and you would rather sell it yourself or use it as a sales tool for your business or as a way to receive more speaking engagements. By self-publishing your book yourself, you make 100% of the sale and can control how it’s promoted, the design and can print “on-demand” as you sell your book.

Decide if you want to be a single author or co-author with others. If you like to collaborate with other like-minded businesses, co-authoring a book is another way to make the process easier. Depending on the number of authors involved, it will cut down your writing time significantly. My advice to clients who want to co-author, is to find out about the other authors being featured in the book and do they follow your same core values and ethics that you use for your business. Remember, you and your business will be associated with those other authors for a long time, so be sure to do your research. Co-authoring gives you more exposure to a wider audience and you can share the costs as well. So co-authoring might be a better fit for your desired purpose.

How much time do you have to write a book? If you want to use your book to promote your expertise, my suggestion is to write your own book or co-author it with one other person. It may seem like a big task, but you will be amazed at how much information you actually know. If you only have enough time to write a chapter or two, be sure those few words are written well and have a strong message towards you and your expertise.

By asking yourself these questions and thinking through the process backwards while understanding your end goal will help you decide how to begin. Then writing a whole book or a chapter, won’t seem so daunting.

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To learn more read Diane's book, Demystifying Graphic Design – How to Successfully Work with Your Graphic Designer, co-authored with Gina O’Daniel.

Buy the book at http://www.vizcomdesign.com/Order_My_Book_.html

In 1995, Diane moved from the corporate graphic design field to start a graphic design company that provides government agencies, associations, speakers and authors with easy access to a wide variety of professionals, without the creative limitations and overhead of the typical design firm. Since then, she has combined her education in organizational communication and marketing with her experience in design to help clients make the best design choices for their marketing efforts.

She also owns speakerpublisher.com that helps speakers and authors create the informational products they need to increase sales in the back of the room. With over 20 years of experience in the design industry her mission is to help demystify working with graphic designers and help educate small businesses to get the most out of their budgets.

Diane can be reached at info@speakerpublisher.com.