Just Listen

One of the hardest parts of being a business owner is learning how to communicate effectively. This doesn't just means being able to ask clients questions regarding their design and printing. It means also listening when something is wrong.

Recently, a client of mine had some worries regarding the outcome of a project. While I had a solution I could offer right away, I chose to listen to my client and to let them vent first. Why?

Clients want to make sure they're being heard. I have found that if I can actively listen to a client's problem, then they feel that I've taken the time from my day to help them out. Do some clients call just to complain? Well, it not so many words. But yes, there are clients that can't be helped. However, it's important to make each client feel like they're getting the opportunity to express their concerns to me. It makes me feel respected (if a client can talk to me openly and honestly) and in return, I hope my client feels the same way.

So how do these difficult conversations usually go? First, I'll ask the client what's wrong and to explain their concerns to me in great detail. On the off chance the client gets heated, I simply interject and ask if there's a better time we should discuss seeing as how the person is quite upset. Usually, this brings the conversation back to a normal tone, if it wasn't already.

After the client has thoroughly vented, I tell them that I've already thought of a solution. But first, I make it clear that I empathize with them. That if I were in their position, I'd probably see it the same way. This usually puts everyone on an even surface and the conversation now becomes about working together to solve a problem; not just client vs. designer.

Finally, after exploring solution options, it's time to be proactive. I don't like to get off the phone or leave a face to face conversation with a client if they're still unhappy. I find it's best to completely talk out any emotions there may be before moving on. In the end, I think everyone walks away feeling productive and knowing what the next step is. It's never a good idea to become combative with a client, as difficult as it may be at times. It's also never a wise choice to conduct correspondence of this type over email, as tones can easily be mistaken.

Clients are the life of a business. Make sure they're happy and that they feel you care. Finding the balance between working together to fix a problem and just listening to someone complain, however, is a trick that takes time to master.

helpful issue for entrepreneurs

Just a quick note - I was flipping through the current issue of HOW Design magazine over the weekend and I strongly suggest picking up a copy if you're considering going into business for yourself. Even you aren't ready now, grab it and hang on to it. It covers everything from marketing, testimonials from other designers, and finance mangament. Very helpful.

Check it out online here at: http://www.howdesign.com/

publishing your client list?

As I acquire more projects and more portfolio pieces, I continuously try to keep my website updated. It offers viewers the chance to always see some new work and it allows me to exhibit a wide variety of projects.

In my industry, it seems to be standard to publish your client list along with your portfolio. While I feel this is a little redundant, I can't help but wonder if this is a good idea. Is it fair to the client to have their design source advertised? Is it unfair to a prospective client who wants to know if you're working for their competition? Do some design firms simply use it as a bragging tool? Thoughts?

Keeping Busy

Lately, things have been going really well for 13thirtyone. I've gained a lot of exposure in my community, am maintaining great relationships with my current clients and have had several new clients come through the door. Needless to say, all of the above mixed with networking, marketing, billing, designing and having a personal life is quite a challenge.

Sometimes I worry that the quality of good client relations/customer service will go down due to busy schedules and deadlines. So my question is this; is it worth slowing down and requiring longer amounts of time to complete a design job in order to provide each client with the face/phone/email time they deserve? Are clients still happy with a job well done and good customer relations if the work takes longer to receive?

Thoughts?

work sample: wedding

*©2007, 13thirtyone Design LLP. All rights reserved.

One of the services I like to provide to clients is the design of wedding invitations. I really like working on these projects as they're so personal and I'm honored to be apart of someone's big day.

I've been working with a bride who just got married this past Saturday. She really wanted to play up autumn colors in her designs. This is the final product which I'm pretty happy with.

check this out

Even though it's not on newsstands until next month, HOW Design already put our business cards up on their website. Be sure to take a look: http://www.howdesign.com/dc/features/bizcards.asp

Blog for Business

Blogging For Your Business
A trend that's become a major marketing tool for businesses recently is blogging. We've all heard of it and, unfortunately, some of us directly relate it to the horror stories we've heard about My Space. However, blogging is actually a very powerful method of promoting a business. They allow a more personal relationship to develop with your current and prospective clients... and they also allow you to finally find a place for all of that "stuff" you've been meaning to upload to your company's website. For a peek at how I set up my blog visit http://13thirtyone.blogspot.com/.


What is a Blog? First things first, let's talk about the concept of a blog. A blog is simply an online journal or diary. You can add entries as often as you like - ten times a day, if you have the time. You can share photos, excerpts from articles, post links to other websites, etc. All you have to do is go to www.blogger.com to get started.



What do I Write About? I think of blogs as being an informal website. For me, I can offer my current and prospective clients tricks and tips to help them promote themselves. I can also share exciting news about my own company. Also, I've created a "random" category. If I'm feeling like writing about something not-so-pertinent to business that day, I can do that. Your blog can be whatever you want it to be. Just remember that while it's less formal, it's still a direct reflection of you and your business.


How Often Should I Post? The more you post, the more your blog is "refreshed." When your blog is "refreshed," it jumps to the top of the blog search engines. People can find your blog easier if you write more. I try to write in my blog about three to four times during the week. Of course, if you have lots to say, write twice a day!


What Should My Blog Look Like? I think Blogger.com is great because it offers a lot of templates in a lot of color variations. It's great for an individual who doesn't know a lot of HTML code and doesn't want to spend the time custom designing their blog, or paying a professional to do so.

However, I think it's important to incorporate your company's branding into everything you do as much as possible. Try to find a template (should you choose to go that route) that reflects the ideas of your business. Choose colors that match your company's collateral.


Why Shouldn't I Just Post All of This on my Website?
The first advantage to keeping your site clean and simple is that viewers can easily navigate around it. You don't want to put too much information up there because the audience won't know where to start reading, they'll get lost, or they'll get confused and just leave. Let your website work just enough to "hook" the viewer. Let them take action to contact you further.

Also, if you're paying a web developer or designer to update your site for you, constantly changing photos, uploading newsletters and adding publicity announcements can add up to a lot of money. By doing a blog, you're in complete control. You can add and edit content as much and as often as you like. Best of all, it's free!

Finally, your website should reflect your business in as professional of a tone as possible. Let it. Keep your advice and stories on a more personal level and let your viewers feel they've made a personal connection with you or your company. Post those items on a blog.

email campaigns

As a marketing tool, I send out email newsletters. These emails are often filled with news about 13thirtyone or tips and tricks for the business owner when it comes to self-promotion. So many people are using this method of marketing now that it's difficult to continuously invent interesting topics - epsecially topics that people will want to open during their busy workday. But another trick of the trade is knowing how often to send them.

I have found that sending my email campaigns once a month is plenty. However, I read an excellent online article at BlueHornet.com recently called Email Marketing Best Practices. It not only answers this question, but offers helpful reminders about what makes a valuable email marketing campaign. See tips below.

Do what you say you will do
When someone opts-in to your email list, send a welcome letter soon after a customer subscribes. Don't wait too long or they may forget about you. In the letter, remind them why they opted in (to get news, specials, resources). If you know you'll be sending a monthly or daily email, include that information in your letter and on your sign-up page and deliver on that promise - no more, no less. Also, set a pattern to send emails consistently (example: the first Tuesday afternoon of each month). Meeting expectations will help establish credibility with your subscribers.

Strike a balance
Even if you've had a great return on an email campaign, resist the urge to send another campaign the next day or week. Send too often and you risk annoying or losing credibility. At BlueHornet, we suggest sending less rather than more. Unless you're promising daily communication, once every two weeks or once a month may be appropriate. The most important thing is to have something good to say, which brings up the next topic...

Give them something valuable
Delivering a compelling, valuable message to your subscribers is absolutely crucial to a good email campaign. Subscribers are sure to opt out if you send them irrelevant, boring content. The amount of good, interesting information you have is a smart way to determine how frequently you should send. Great information sent monthly is much better than mediocre information sent bi-monthly.

Study your data
One of the greatest things about email is the ability to test. Use statistics features to track click-through rates, opt-ins and outs and new subscriptions over time. Study the data to determine your future strategy for frequency. Good click-through and new subscriber rates indicate good frequency. Excessive opt outs suggest your frequency may need a rethink.

Survey
Most subscribers are willing to answer a few (under five) quick questions without protest. Ask them how often they want to hear from you.

For more information on this company or topic, visit http://www.bluehornet.com/site/press_release/article_014.htm

what's with all the portfolio sites?

When I first started trying to promote my services, I signed up with Portfolios.com. It's a well-known portfolio site which is part of the Create Network - hence, where Create Magazine comes from. While I've gotten a few inquiries and a few jobs from posting my portfolio on this site, I've also received a wonderful invitation to join an Advisory Board for an up and coming design software. Very cool.

The crazy thing is, I signed up for that gig last February and never heard of these portfolio portals before. Now, they're everywhere! I receive generic messages about once or twice a month saying, "Hey, I saw your portfolio and think you'd be a good fit for our online portfolio tool. If you're interested, visit www..." I found CarbonMade.com recently this way and signed up because the site looked pretty cool and it was free. But what about all the other ones in between?

What is it about this particular portfolio sharing system that makes their creators think we need more and more of them? Are there really that many people out there using the sites? Furthermore, is anyone really benefitting from them all that much? In other words, are designers really generating a solid clientele this way?

The thing that worries me a little is that the work is unprotected. Being that my subscriptions to both of these sites are about to run out, I'll deal with it in the mean time. But, isn't there a pretty good chance that someone can just right click, download your portfolio swatch and go from there? Am I being paranoid?

Dealing With Competition

Competition, in my mind, is always a good thing. It pushes us along and keeps us on our toes. Being in a suburb of the Twin Cities, the market I live in is currently saturated with graphic/website design firms, agencies, and freelancers. So how does a person make their mark while so many others are trying to do the same thing?

In my experience, there are a few tricks that I've found to be helpful. First and foremost is style. The way that I design and the look of my product is very unique. My love for vintage-style work and retro graphics sets me apart right away from other designers. While this look may appeal to some prospective clients, it could also turn a few away. The nice thing is that people who approach my business have usually already checked out my site. They know the type of work that I do and they tend to already have a sense of who I am as a designer. My work samples and promotional materials attract a certain audience, and I appreciate this because I know I won't be forced to design in a style that doesn't fit my personality or my business.

The second thing is exposure. By creating brochures and keeping them sprinkled throughout my town, entering contests for design, and by often attending networking groups, people can put a visual to my business name. When they hear or see "13thirtyone Design," I want them to be able to know myself or know my work. This way, I won't blend in with the "yellow page" designers.


Finally, and unfortunately, is the daunting task of researching the market. As said before, the area in which I live is completely congested with designers. While I am a member of my local area Chamber of Commerce and Professional Women's Network, I also try my best to pick up clients in other cities. Lately, I've been working with some new clients from La Crosse, Wisconsin. This is great for me because the area is looking for a new designer's style. Furthermore, I know my competition isn't really looking for work there.

Co-existing with the competition can be a little tricky. But it doesn't have to be a bad thing. It only pushes me, personally and professionally, to grow in different directions, ones that aren't as obvious at first glance.

DIY Identities?

I came across a website today and I'm feeling very troubled about it. The web address is http://h30393.www3.hp.com/printing/paula.html.

We've all heard of Paula Scher. Award-winning designer who some call the new Milton Glaser. However, HP and Paula have come together to create a website fully based on do-it-yourself design. As a designer, I'm having a hard time understanding why Paula would create a tool that not only provides second-rate design to the client, but takes jobs away from the designer.

The purpose of the tool is to have any business be able to visit the site, choose between two template designs and enter their info. BAM - the work is done. I tested it, and within a matter of about 2 minutes I had an entire corporate identity system with labels and a fax cover sheet to match. For free.

While this will certainly take business away from designers, I'm hoping that it only weeds out the few clients who don't take design as an investment seriously. The clients who want a truly unique look and a high quality product will, hopefully, still turn to designers for their help. The others, who'd like to save a buck or two, will end up looking like everyone else. What do you think?

You can find a sample of my Paula Scher letterhead below - freshly made about two seconds ago.

13thirtyone is in Create Magazine!

I have very exciting news today... 13thirytone is in the September/October 2007 issue (currently on newsstands) of Create Magazine twice! You can find me on page 25 under the Midwest news section. This blurb is simply about news and events. 13thirtyone received a mention for being featured in next month's HOW Design Magazine. Very exciting.

Even more thrilling (and jumping to page 37), the 13thirtyone website is one of only five featured websites for excellence in design and usability! They even have a screenshot of the site! Find blurb below:

13thirtyone is a design firm out of Hudson, WI. The site provides an excellent example of the company's Web design capabilities. A fast-loading Flash site that transitions well and quickly displays sample design work, 13thirtyone.com does not get bogged down by the typical lags that make visitors want to click away from a Flash site seconds after entering it. Simple navigation and well-highlighted hot points help visitors find what they're looking for and keep the interest of those with short attention spans. Designed by 13thirtyone Design.

Now, when I saw the call for businesses to enter their websites for recognition, it was purely for design. Little did I know that they'd be commenting on the efficiency of the site loading. With that said, 13thirtyone is solely responsible for the design and navigational structure of the site. However, credit must be given to a dear friend of mine, Gabe Morton-Cook who helped me to finish building my site as a wedding gift. You can visit Gabe's website at http://www.morton-cook.com/. Thank you so much for your help, Gabe!

payment woes

While searching a few of HOW's designer forums over the weekend, I came across a very common designer woe - the challenge of getting paid. Some clients are fantastic at making their payments. They accept the terms of the estimate easily and make payment on time. However, there will always be a few who challenge every charge and avoid meeting their billing due dates.

Being that most designers have run into this issue, I was personally able to offer some advice to a fellow designer. In a nutshell, I had worked on several projects for a client. While they were beneficial to my business, in that I developed a lot of projects and revenue from them, they often argued my rationale on concepts and project costs. This, overtime, became increasingly worse.

Towards the end of our working relationship, the client had a bill that was due very shortly. While I was notified that the payment would be arriving late, I still had to follow policy and enforce my late fee. Even though this charge was VERY minimal, the principle of it enraged my client. So much, that my client became very unprofessional and began name calling. I had to enforce my contract. I simply stated that if the payment wasn't received in full, including the late fee, the work would not be distributed for the client's use.

While the working relationship ended with the client very quickly thereafter, I still, to this day, feel that I handled the problem correctly. I stuck to my policies and beliefs and upheld the terms of my contract. However, I never recommend flaunting the rules of a contract to a client unless absolutely necessary - as tensions will arise.

So my advice is this... if you're having trouble getting paid, first learn from it. If you didn't use a contract, make one right away and use it for your next project. Check out my most previous post for contract-making info.

Secondly, use the contract for protection. You, as the designer, agree to hold up your end of the bargain and to create outstanding work for your client. Your client should only be expected to uphold their end of the deal and make payment in exchange. If discrepancies are arising, review the contract with the client, but be prepared for a few heated emotions.

Finally, remember that if your client doesn't respect you enough to make your payments and do business with you as professionals do, it may be time to reevaluate the relationship. Obviously, a good client with a few past-due payments (which include your late fee) aren't a huge deal. But combative clients are not worth any amount of money. Design should be a truly fun and fascinating experience for both parties.

the contract

I can't even begin to stress how important it is to have a contract when working on a project with a client. Time and time again I've heard stories from designers regarding not getting paid, clients not finishing a project or designer exclusivity issues. Seldom, for me, do I have to enforce points in my contract. However, when a rare situation does arise (and they have) I'm so greatful that I have it.

So where does one get a contract and how do you know what to put in it? Luckily, AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Artists) supplies a free contract template. This is actually the contract I use today with all my clients. It covers everything from copyright issues to expenses. Furthermore, I know that if it's pusblished by AIGA, it's probably pretty secure in terms of protecting the designer. You can visit http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/standard-agreement for the Standard From of Agreement for Design Services. There's also other paperwork and guides that may be useful.

creative block

Everyone gets creative blocks every once in a while. As a designer, I custom design everything I do for my clients - no templates. It can be difficult at times to think of new ideas and to never recycle the old.

I have written posts before about ways to find inpsiration. But recently, I came across a book called Getting Unstuck Without Coming Unglued by Susan O'Doherty. It looks very interesting and provides ideas for not just designers, but writers and other creative professsionals.

I haven't yet had the chance to open it, but I thought this could be an interesting point for discussion. How do you suggest finding inspiration when ideas are running a little dry?