Experiment: Desk Daisy

A while back I had written a post about some office feng-shui one can do to help bring prosperity to their career/business. The subject fascinates me and while I try to place my desktop plant in the right corner of the desk, I haven't done much else to push the "feng shui energy" along. Some people swear up and down by it and some people snicker. I thought, I'd conduct a little year-end experiment.

One of the easiest ways to feng-shui your desk is to simply cut out pieces of colored construction paper and to place them on the underside of your desk. Using the colored grid, or bagua, cut out petal shapes for each color. The center gua, or yellow square, should be cut into a circular circle. When finished, you'll have a yellow center with 8 flower petals around it. Each flower petal is a specific color, representing a square of the bagua.

It is said that by taping this to the underside of your desk, and by placing this daisy pattern so the black petal is pointing to you, the red away from you, the white pointing to the right, the green to the left, etc., feng shui will help to enhance your career.

Knowing the status that my business is in now, I thought I would publish my experience. Does this feng shui daisy help or is it just a bit of hidden clutter under my desk? Time will tell. Stay tuned for updates.

Stumbling

My aunt Chris, also an artist - oh yeah, check out her link on my links section - is really into blogging. She's very good at it and has lots of tips and tricks. Just a few days ago, she published the following post about using Stumble Upon to promote your blog. I thought about writing my own on the subject, but why fix something that's not broken? Her amazing advice is as follows:

How To Drive More Traffic To Your Blog By Using StumbleUpon

Hello Million Friends,

This is the first article in a series of blog traffic building tips.

Why do you want more traffic to your blog? If you're an artist or anyone who wants more blog traffic, you want to increase the people who come to your blog to see your art, which is hopefully at your blog or a link on your blog that take people to your art. The more people who come to your blog, the more exposure you have and potential of selling your art.

If you're not an artist and would like to become part of an online social community you can do this as well.

In this article I'll be talking about the Social Bookmarking site StumbleUpon. You can use StumbleUpon to drive more traffic to your blog.

StumbleUpon is a Social Bookmarking site that allows a person to surf the web randomly.

You create an account at StumbleUpon and use the StumbleUpon toolbar buttons to randomly surf the web. While you are surfing the web using the Stumble! button, you can bookmark websites or blog articles you like by clicking on a thumbs up button or what you dislike by clicking on a thumbs down button. See image below.


If you notice at the end of each article at my blog, I have some action items for readers to take that include "Stumble It!". If you like an article here at my blog, and you have a StumbleUpon account, you would then click on the "Stumble It!" link.

After you click on the "Stumble It!" link, you will be taken to the StumbleUpon webpage that allows you to bookmark the article and provide a bit of information about the article.

So how does this help build blog traffic? As everyone bookmarks their favorite blog articles at StumbleUpon, the more StumbleUpon community members will see the articles, and that will bring more traffic to your blog. Sometimes a lot of traffic can pass by in a short period of time depending on who's stumbling your blog articles.

Stumbling is an activity I'll remind people to do through out 2008. Email me at chris@chrisbolmeier.com and I'll put you on my mailing list so you can receive those reminders by email.

Also, there are more ways to use StumbleUpon that I'll talk about in future articles.

Here's what I'd like everyone to do now:

1. Open a StumbleUpon account.

2. Install the StumbleUpon buttons (optional).

3. Stumble one of my articles here at my blog.

4. Tell me an article from your blog you'd like me to Stumble and I will. Leave a link to the article here in the comments so everyone else can Stumble it as well.

5. Finally, leave your StumbleUpon profile like this - http://christerical.stumbleupon.com so I can add you as a friend at StumbleUpon. If or when you have a StumbleUpon account, you can click on my profile http://christerical.stumpleupon.com and add me as a friend. Then everyone reading this blog post should follow suit. When you arrive here at this article, stumble everyone's articles that are mentioned in this blog post's comments and add them as a friend at StumbleUpon. We're Building a Community Folks!! :)

There are other social bookmarking sites I'll share with you in future posts where we can do the same kind of activity to drive more traffic to our blogs.

So come on!! Let's start stumbling. :)

Thanks,
Chris

This blog post was inspired by Danial Scocco's blog DailyBlogTips and Yaro Starak's blog Entrepreneurs-Journey. Check 'em out.

A Blogging No-No

I use my blog to promote my business, my passion as a designer and to give the occasional "go green" plug. I think blogs are an awesome opportunity to give clients and colleagues a more personal vibe and to throw a few educational tips out there.

There are a lot of business owners out there that have two or more blogs - one for business, one for personal use, etc. While I'm in favor of blogging to your heart's content, for whomever your audience may be, a business owner still has to be very careful of what they blog about and where.

I came across a designer's blog today that I totally love and respect. Their ideas are great, their posts very educational and their style of writing is really fun to read. I saw a link to their personal blog and couldn't believe what I was reading. Let's just say bust-size measurements are a major no-no! Being that people who view you professionally are reading your blog, why would you link to your personal one given the totally different change in tone? Why not think about editing your personal one further in order to avoid faux-pas such as this?

Obviously we all have freedom of speech and can say whatever we think wherever we want to. But as a business owner, I can't help but feel professional standards have to be met in almost everything that we do. Tsk, tsk...

Keeping It Real

Isn't weird how the saying, "When it rains, it pours" is so accurate? Client work seems to pick up or slow down at the same time, referrals roll in all at once or not at all, and compliments from caring clients come in bundles. Strange.

Yesterday was a good day - it was one of those few client appreciation days, meaning, I received many kudos and thanks all at random. Of course it makes me feel good, but I think more than anything else, I learned something.

One of the repeated phrases was along the lines of, "You're very honest and real. You don't try to be a salesman." At first I thought, "Uh oh. I need to start selling a little more." But then I realized, why would I change something that seems to be working? I've thought back to several experiences with said clients and I guess I can see where I was honest and open, while your typical salesman-type would be pushy and give you the old spiel.

For example, if a client asks me to post a video on their website, I'm honest. "I don't know how and I've never done it before. That said, I have a lot of resources at my disposal. I can talk with my network of web developers that I sometimes farm out work to, or there are loads of articles, blogs and references online. I'm sure I can get it done. There will be a learning curve, but of course that won't be on your dime."

Another instance is selling. A client once asked me, "Should I do search engine submission? Do you think this really helps and is this something I can pay you to do?" Dollars for 13thirtyone are always a good thing, but I can't lead my clients astray. In my opinion, you can only do so much to attract traffic and gain exposure for your website. There's a line where you're just wasting dollars that can be spent elsewhere. I happen to believe SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a great thing. But SES (Search Engine Submission) is a bit over the top for me, personally.

A final example is the art of snatching clients. While I would love to bring a new client on board with me and to help them out, I can't persuade them if they're not interested. I can explain my process, my services and what I'm all about as a designer. I can show them my work and the solutions I've created for clients in the past. But if that's not enough, it's okay. I don't beg clients to join me.

All of these scenarios have brought a lot of positive feedback. I'm not trying to toot my own horn in this post. I'm simply trying to share what seems to be working as far as client relations go for myself. Maybe it'll help you out too.

A little scary

In chatting with a friend yesterday we were talking about my business. And during the conversation she said, "That has to be scary. You're solely responsible for your own income. So if there's no work, there's no money."

Sure I just nodded in agreement and offered up a flimsy, "Yeah." But my eyes definitely widened a bit. Of course I already know this and force myself not to think about it too much because it is a scary thought. Obviously, the idea of starting your own business revolves around taking care of yourself and your clients. But every now and then, especially when your best friend reinforces it, the idea can creep one out a bit.

Naturally, a self-employed person needs to worry about these things. So how do you keep money coming in when work isn't? The answer is difficult to put into action but simple to learn. Saving. When work is great and the big bucks are rolling in, that money needs to roll directly into the bank. Big paydays don't mean bigger paychecks. It means more security and a few more months of income added to the old savings account.

While a dry spell could last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, it's so important to continue marketing and networking. Those project dollars will start rolling in again. You just have to learn to keep yourself afloat until they do.

Email Manners

We're all busy and we all suffer from making spelling and grammar mistakes from time to time. But recently, I've found that poorly written emails can slow projects way down, cause for major editing, and what's worse, possible printing errors. I hope I don't sound like a major crab here. In fact, most of the time I find myself giggling at the new words that have been introduced to the English language as a result of poor spelling. But when the same client is writing me over and over with words so jumbled they don't form a full sentence, I think we might have a slight problem.

I won't go as far to say that they should introduce college courses regarding email etiquette. However, I do think that the same manners a business person uses to conduct a conversation or formulate a nicely written letter on their corporate stationery, should carry over into the digital world. So here are my tips for a smoother email conversation so that both parties can walk away on the same page without wasting much time.

1. Run a spellcheck. That little button only adds about 60 seconds longer to the time you put into your email. It can make a world of a difference.

2. Read it over. So this may be more difficult and time consuming the longer the emails get. But really, this is the least we can do to help the receiver of the message know what we're talking about. If you read it over (and aloud, which helps a lot) and it's not flowing, fix it.

3. Be professional. It's true that we're more friendly with some clients than others. We develop special relationships with some of our colleagues that allow us to relax a little and not be so on edge. Even if this is the case, save the YouTube video clips and chain mail forwards for a separate email. Anything regarding business should stay business.

4. Watch your tone. One of the worst things about email conversations is the issue of tone. You may think you sound friendly and easygoing. On the other end, the reader could interpret you as being stern and angry. Be sure to state your emotions clearly. If you're disappointed, angry, upset, spell it out. There's a lot of room for interpretation in emails. If you begin the pattern of truly voicing yourself to your client, they'll understand when you're happy and when you're not, as it's clearly stated.

5. Confrontations. Some discrepancies can be handled quickly and easily over email. But if there's a real issue at hand, it's best to pick up the phone. Email takes longer to solve a problem. Waiting for the person to read and then respond can take days. Furthermore, if you and your client respect each other enough, no one should be hiding behind their email program.

6. Be yourself. Don't try to use words to sound smart when you're not sure what they really mean. That can just get you into trouble. Make sure you always explain your points clearly and thoroughly. And also, don't be afraid to use a little color in your email. Using blue, pink or a different font type creates a memorable impression.

My Thoughts On Newspaper Advertising

One of the most common ways for companies to advertise is in the newspaper. Ad space isn't too pricey (depending on your choice for placement) and you're putting yourself in front of a wide audience. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of this advertising outlet is lessening.

Many clients ask me if they should spend their marketing budget on direct mail campaigns or newspaper advertising. That's a tricky one. But, in truth, I usually advise against the newspaper. While I read my local area newspaper daily, and while for smaller towns a newspaper ad can still be very effective, the number of subscribers is rapidly decreasing, thus, readers as well. It's unfortunate, but true.

Because of this decrease in newspaper readers, ad space can be more affordable to buy at times. And that's great, but there's no point in buying ad space that's hidden between the pages of the business section when few people are cracking it open in the first place.

While direct mail can be tricky, rest assured that no one has to pay for it to read it. Furthermore, the advertisement is right out in front of them, instead of being nestled in a page layout amongst several other ads.

Referral Program

Want to see my latest gimmick? Here it is:
"'Tis the season for giving. You give 13thirtyone a referral, 13thirtyone will give you $150.00 off!"

Having a "sale" on graphic design is kind of weird. But I've heard it's a big deal and a good way to bring a few referrals in the door. Of course, it can't pay just because. The catch is, the client's referral has to actually call and sign a contract. They have to become a working client. We'll see...

Here's a Thought

I'm really into finding ways to promote myself and my clients that's a little different than what most people would do. In earlier posts I've blogged about sending unique holiday cards, different self-promotional ideas, etc.

Today, I'm working on an ad for myself. It's a full-color, half-page horizontal for a bridal magazine. Because advertising is so insanely expensive, I want to make sure that I put my dollars to good use and create something that's sure to get some attention. While working on my brown and pink piece of art, I was going through the motions and placing a snapshot of a previous invitation design that I had done in the ad. But then I stopped.

Every wedding invitation designer and their brother include a photo of their work. Make sense - give the prospective customer something to look at so they can decide if they're interested or not before they call. But what if, and this may be a little crazy, I don't show a photo? What happens if there's no sample of my work in the ad? What if my ad purely arouses interest and curiosity and drives the reader to call or go online that much more? Hmm...

While I hate to experiment while my advertising on the line, I have a good feeling about this. I'll let you know how it works out.

Times Are Slow? Give Back.

We all run into it. The phone stops ringing, incoming emails are only from those pesky retail stores having a sale, and the communication with clients is slim to none. There's no work coming in, which sadly, means fewer pay checks.

I often find it humorous that as designers and business owners, our knee-jerk reaction is to spend some cash on advertising when things are less than steady. But when you think about it, why would we drop at least a couple hundred dollars on a print ad when we know that times are tight? I have a tried-and-true solution (well, for me anyways) that not only brings in business, but makes me feel good.

When there's little to do, I hunt for a pro-bono client. Whether it be a non-profit that I support or a small start-up business, I try to find someone who is need of design services. This allows me to give back to my community while giving me exposure, creative control, and a new portfolio piece. Furthermore, I'd much rather spend my slow time designing instead of checking out the afternoon's latest headlines on CNN.com.

In finding this candidate, I do a little research. Where is there a client located that could give my work a lot of visibility? Is there a non-profit organization that I feel truly honored to help and would love to support their cause? Is a friend trying to start up a business, but just doesn't have the funds to promote themselves? These are all good finalists. I can't stress enough how important it is to feel good about the work you're going to donate - it's the one thing you'll be receiving for your time.

While this idea may not have the phone jingling off the hook within a few weeks, it may have a lasting effect. For as long as your client's business or non-profit is up and running, your work will be on display. Treat the client right, and you should see some referrals as well.

Market That Blog

In a recent post I noted that I've been a little addicted to blogging lately - more so than ever. I read blogs, link to blogs, write my own blog, and most importantly, market my blog. With all of these things combined, however, blogging can be a very time consuming thing. But what's the point of dedicating all this time if no one can find your blog to read it?

While the sole concept of blogging could be therapeutic for some, I find it to be an online networking and self-promotional tool more than anything else. Therefore, it's important that I stay on top of the different ways to make my blog noticed online. So with that said, how do I not only get new traffic to my blog, but keep the old traffic returning?

New Posts
No one wants to pull up a blog that hasn't been updated since January of 2006. What's the point? Unless the topic is immune to being outdated, the info is old and probably not worth anything anymore.

By posting regularly, you're doing multiple things. One, is that you're giving your current readers something to come back for. Keep your current subscribers interested and if they're into what you're saying, chances are they'll pass your blog info on to someone else.

Another plus is that by writing often, you're consistently keeping your blog refreshed. And by keeping it refreshed, you're keeping your name at the top of the blog search engines. With the thousands... no, let me revise... millions of blogs that there are out there, you can't afford to be at the bottom of the list. Keep your blog updated and you'll be sure to be updated on search engines.

Blog Stats
Keeping an eye on your blog's stats is a great way to know how well you're really doing. You may think just because you have a published blog, you'll have readers, but that's not true at all. There are several programs that I use to keep an eye on my blog traffic. A few of them being Feedburner, StatCounter Pro and MyBlogLog. I can get a wide range of info from each of the different programs. Best of all, these programs are free.

Subscriber Links
So, they're not the prettiest things in the whole world. But by adding a few link buttons to your blog, you can gain a lot of traffic. By adding an RSS feed link, or placing a couple of buttons to link to major blog portals such as Technorati and such, you can give your visitor a one-stop sign-up spot to receive your news and recent blog posts. This a great way for people to tag your page, should they like it, so they won't lose it. They'll be sure to return. Furthermore, add a few links for them to forward your blog posting to a friend. Referrals are great!

Participation
There's a lot to be said for actively participating in the online community. What does that mean? Go to a favorite website and see if they have a discussion board. Find a topic you're interested or well-versed in and speak up! By showing that you know your stuff, and by being sure to sign your posts with your blog address in your signature, you're getting free advertising. And not only are you putting your online info in front of people, you're showing that you're a smarty pants as well.

Linking
Ever been to a blog and seen a huge list of links to other sites and blogs? They weren't put there by the author just to be nice. They're there for publicity. Seems a little backwards, yes, but here's how it works. You're bored at work and find a cool blog. It's got great info and you're really impressed by the author. You quickly type a message to the blogger and say, "Great blog. I'd like to link to you from mine. Would that be okay?" Of course, they'll say yes. But chances are, they'll be curious about who's checking out their site. They'll realize that you're a nifty blogger yourself and probably add your link. Now, you're getting their readers. And they're getting yours. Traffic for everybody.

While the list is pretty much endless, these are a few points that I've learned work well. It can be daunting to seek out a forum and type your thoughts, to keep track of your stats, and to post regularly. But, what I've found, is that it becomes routine. And eventually a likable activity.

Peaceful Living Site Up and Running

Yesterday, a site I did for one of my clients, Peaceful Living went live. Already, the client has received feedback from her contact form! Check it out at PeacefulLivingCare.com.

Creative Blocks

We all get them and they're inevitable from time to time. As creatives, our brains are constantly being stretched and pulled for the next great idea. So when we hit a roadblock and just can't seem to make it through the remaining 4 hours of the workday, what's a girl to do? This may be the opposite of what some say, but my advice is to succumb to it.

While pushing through and forcing yourself to be creative may be appropriate for tight deadline situations, let's face it. The work you're going to come up with isn't going to be all that great. The layouts will be slightly off here and there, words will possibly need a major spellcheck and furthermore, you're probably just not caring enough to notice details. So why do it?

Do yourself some good and do something inspiring. Take a walk, flip through a design magazine, type on your blog, listen to some music, grab a Jamba Juice or read a book. Burning out on work only happens to best of us. Give your brain a little break, maybe even some food for thought, and then you'll be as good as new.

Client Gifts - Ideas?

While many think an appropriate gift for your client is a good old box of chocolates or a gift certificate to your local Applebee's, think again! Chocolates are coming in by the dozen and why tell your client to spend their dollars at another business? The secret to holiday giving is to promote yourself and your company while showing the client you really care.

In my recent blog readings, I've come across many holiday card and gift giving ideas. Being that we're so close to the holidays, I thought I'd share a little of my knowledge with you.

Open House
One of the easiest things to do for your clients over the holidays is to have an open house. Work up some one-of-a-kind invitations and invite your guests to stop by your nicely decorated office for some nog and some laughs. Include a few gingerbread men and you've just given your client a good experience and possibly some new business ideas, if the networking opportunities are there. Plus, it's bank-account friendly.

Wine
Nothing says happy holidays like a bottle of wine or liquor. However, this one can be a little tricky. I would shy away from this option unless you and your client have a more familiar relationship. Make it easy on yourself and avoid asking, "Red or White? Brandy or Rum?" Instead, I'd stick with a bottle of Champagne if you're unsure, after all, New Year's is just around the corner. With this gift, your client is sure to think of you as a classy colleague.

Gift Certificates
If you're lucky enough to have connections for some cool sports tickets or a great concert, feel free to pass these along. However, this can be a great networking opportunity. Gift certificates for your service (i.e. a free logo evaluation, a free month's of website maintenance, or whatever comes to mind) are a great way to give your client something they can really use. Furthermore, it can up your sales. If the client doesn't have a need for it, chances are they'll pass it along to someone who does. Referrals, referrals!

Custom Made Gifts
One trend a lot of creatives have been shelling out at Christmas is their very own, custom made wrapping paper. Gift wrap is a great creative outlet and everyone can benefit from it. Furthermore, it's an opportunity to show off your skills and have it passed from person to person! What's better than having your client wrap a gift for their boyfriend's-sister's-friend's-uncle and then, what do you know, you've got your work in front of them. A few more creative options are calenders, greeting card kits, stationery systems, notepads, etc. Put on those creative caps!

Music
Ahhh, the gift of music. Such a good one. What's a cooler gift than you customizing your very own mix CD - and it doesn't have to be cheap either. Compile a disc of holiday music, jazz, whatever, and add a cool CD cover. Customize it to reflect your service or creativity and slap your contact info on there. BAM! You've got a holiday disc that's so good, they'll pull it out for a listen every year. Furthermore, you've got a business card in the form of a cool CD right in front of them.

Green Option
I am crazy about the eco-friendly gifts. Love them! The coolest thing I think I've seen this year is grow-a-note greeting cards. You send out the cards and the receiver can plant them. In the spring, they'll have a beautiful flower garden right before their eyes! You also get to look like the hero who's out to save the environment in a cool and trendy fashion. For some other awesome gift ideas, check out greengiftguide.com.

Blogger Etiquette 101

I've been into reading blogs as of late. So into it, that I think I've read more blog entries in the past week than I have in my whole life. It's not boredom really, just pure curiosity. There are so many bloggers out there writing both personal and topical entries (those are actually blog terms... I learned that on a blog today). Among those, each blog is very specific to the individual writing it. They have their own style, their own lingo and their own way of expressing themselves.

I personally love the more laid-back, personal format. It's a little more friendly and serves the idea of a blog a little better, I think. But then there are some that happen to take the friendly banter way overboard. For example, I was reading a blog today (which for the purpose of this conversation, we'll call blog x) and it was cute. The design was pink and trendy, very girly and written in a fun and friendly fashion. Being the curious cat that I am, I think, "Hmmm. This is a good writer. Who is she?" I click on Blog X's bio, or whatever she happened to name it. I get to the pop-up page and I suddenly realize this is a long one. No biggie though; this blogger is so good I'm sure her bio is interesting, right?

Ten minutes later, I give up. I literally now know the name of the town the girl was born in and that she prefers to sit with her feet propped to having them on the floor. She hates roller coasters but loves airplanes. Hmmm. So, in fear of sounding like my blogger friend here, what's my point? Simply put, whatever your style, don't ramble! Sure a blog is meant to be a personal diary and such; a place where you can simply enter whatever comes to mind and not really care if all your friends read it or not. But if your profile alone takes ten minutes to read, that's just plain silly. People have zilch for time at this day in age. Better make those stories short and sweet.