By Marcia Ming
One of the key mistakes small businesses make when creating an online presence is trying to do it all themselves, says Jeff Fisher, a graphic designer with 30 years experience, and author of two books on graphic design. Fisher also is a member of the advisory boards for How Magazine, UCDA Designer Magazine and the How Design Conference.
"I always tell business owners do not try this at home," he says. "Hire a professional who knows what they are doing. It does not need to cost a fortune, but there will be tremendous benefit in bringing in someone who really understands how to create what a business needs to get off on the right foot."
His suggestions for finding a professional include:
* Check out designer portfolios online.
* Contact local design schools, universities or community colleges for recommendations of outstanding students who may be able to help for monetary compensation and possible school credit.
* Some college business programs have outreach programs to assist small businesses in marketing and promotion efforts.
* Research the resources available through the Small Business Administration. If your business has a service or product of value to a design professional, consider bartering or a partial trade of equal value.
Remember, that the initial online impression made with a potential customer can make all the difference; the cost of the online presence is an investment in the future of your business, says Fisher.
The Portland, Oregon graphic designer, writer and speaker hails from a family with deep roots in PR and marketing; his father, mother and sister have all had careers in some aspect of the business. In fact it was his sister, who owns an ad agency, who helped Fisher zone in on the aspect of graphic design he enjoyed most at a time when he was experiencing burnout.
"For about the first 17 years of my career I took on any and all design projects that came my way," he explains. "I thought that was what graphic designers were expected to do. In a conversation with my sister I mentioned I was starting to get burned out by my work. Her comment was, Why aren't you focusing on what you enjoy most? I kind of looked at her with a blank stare and she said, Logo designs."
That was when he adopted the business name Jeff Fisher LogoMotives and began marketing himself primarily as a designer of corporate identities.
Although his customers typically find him these days, Fisher has a lot of ideas about what works and does not work with small business marketing. For example, he avoids paid traditional print advertising and Yellow Page advertising.
"I learned that print advertising was simply not effective in marketing my services," Fisher says. While Yellow Page advertising, "tends to bring designers too many tire kickers looking for services based on price only."
Strategies that have worked for Fisher include:
* Press releases, distributed online and through traditional snail mail. The relationships developed with editors and writers over the years are incredibly valuable to a business.
* Writing also has become a major marketing element for my business, Fisher admits, mentioning he has been asked to write numerous articles for design and business publications and websites.
* Two books, The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success: Ideas and tactics for a killer career released in 2004, and Identity Crisis: 50 redesigns that transformed stale identities into successful brands, in 2007 have earned him the status of industry expert.
* Business blog, bLog-oMotives, started in 2005.
* Speaking Engagements - Fisher speaks to high school groups, design schools, colleges and universities, design organizations and at conferences like the industry HOW Design Conference.
* Pro bono work - While such efforts might not be considered marketing by many, it does get my name out into the business community, puts me in contact with many local movers and shakers, and provides an opportunity to promote the end results.
* One direct mail-piece long ago generated a targeted, self-created list of 500 individuals so powerful that Fisher has not needed to do a mailing since.
Like many small business owners, Fisher prefers low-cost - or no-cost - marketing tools. He has even managed to turn some of them, like the writing of articles and books and speaking engagements into income-producing activities.
"With my writing, and speaking engagements, my business is also evolving into one of becoming a professional industry expert while taking on limited design projects," Fisher said. "At a design conference a few years ago I explained to an audience that I wanted to work less, charge more."
Marcia Ming, publisher of Savvy Marketing Secrets, is a former print journalist and small business marketing consultant. To learn more about marketing your business online and off, visit her website: savvymarketingsecrets.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marcia_Ming
It may bark like a dog and look like a dog but, is it really always a dog?
A similar query may arise with many “design contests,” especially those popping up all over the Internet on a daily basis. Business and organizations, with the ability to pay going rates for professional graphic design services, have found the lure of winning a “contest” will reel in large numbers of designers for the chance of a few minutes of fame, a little glory and perhaps cash or prizes not nearly worth the value of the design effort on the open market. In return, those conducting these design lotteries often get a virtual menu of design options, and the rights to use all entries as they please, with little need of valuable prize options or the outlay of much cash.
Some blame for the proliferation of “design contests” must fall on the design community itself. For a great many designers, such activities appear to be an opportunity to gain some quick income. In the excitement of the moment it is often forgotten that winning is not a sure thing and the “fine print’ of the competition rules may be even more detrimental to a designer. The only thing worse than a client, or potential client, who does not value the efforts of a professional graphic designer, is a designer who doesn’t appreciate the value of their own time and work. Participation in such “competitions” certainly devalues the efforts of the creative individual and encourages others in the business community to seek inexpensive design work in a similar manner.
In most cases the target of such “contests” is the somewhat naive, and not so business savvy, designer. For that reason many of the “competitions” are often posted on newsgroups, or venues like Yahoo Groups, frequented a great deal by “newbies” to the industry. Those conducting such competitive ventures are not always seeking to take advantage of designers not knowing better. Some simply need to be educated about the design profession and all designers need to take it upon themselves to aid in that education process.
Other businesses holding design competitions are very much aware of what they are doing. Recently, on a design-related Yahoo Group, a firm posted a letterhead “design contest.” This company, which sold document templates, was offering small cash prizes for the top three designs. No additional residuals were to be offered to the selected designs that would eventually be sold for use by others. In fact, the fine print of the competition noted that all submissions to the “contest” became the property of the company and could be used as they saw fit - meaning the firm could use and sell the designs of non-winners without any form of compensation. A few days following the posting of the names of “winners” the web site of the “contest,” and the company, no longer existed.
The similarity to speculative design work is blatant in many of these “competitions.” (Additional inormations about dealing with “spec” work situations can be found on NO!SPEC). Designers are being asked to create work for the chance that their work might be selected or used by the client. In these cases the carrot being dangled is often a prize of significantly less value than the designer could earn if contracted directly to produce the work. Instead of committing themselves and contracting with one design professional, the business or organization in question is setting up a veritable smorgasbord of creative possibilities for themselves, with little consideration for the individual designer or the value of their time and talents.
A few years ago, a “contest” for a logo, web site design and collateral materials was posted on the Internet forum at Designers-Network.com. Immediately, designers from all over the world pounced on the poster of the message and his offer of a $1000 prize for a great deal of speculative work. Those responding to the post invested a great deal thought in putting together their arguments against the practice of such competitions. Some provided information about the actual value of a designer’s work. Others posted messages outlining the evils of “spec” work. A few questioned the turning over of all rights on a project to a for-profit venture. The individual posting the message about the event was initially stunned by the reaction but then responded that he had decided to cancel the contest as a result.
Some producing and promoting similar “design contests” should simply know better than to solicit design work in such a manner. Naming names is not necessary, but recently a well-known writer, the writer’s publisher, a stock photo company and an online payment company began a competition to design the cover of the author’s book. The competition was then promoted by a variety of design industry and business web sites that supposedly support the efforts of the “little guy” in the design profession. The “prize” package for the winner included a camera (valued at approximately $1000), a signed copy of the book and a credit for the stock photo company. It was necessary to pay a $1.00 entry fee through the online payment firm in which the author has some financial interest.
As design industry site Creative Latitude’s Neil Tortorella noted, in one of the Internet discussions of this specific competitive event, The Graphic Artist Guild Handbook of Pricing & Ethical Guidelines (10th Ed.) estimates a typical fee for One/First Concept of a mass market hardcover book to be $2,000 - $3,500 US, with licensed rights for first edition only.”
The rules for the “contest” were clearly posted for all to read, and agree to, before submitting a design. And there it was: “All entries become the property of Sponsors. By entering the Contest, the winner agrees to assign all of his or her rights, title and interest in the entry (including all copyrights, trademarks, design rights, moral rights and all other intellectual property rights) to the Sponsors or their designee(s).” A designer would be submitting a speculative design to an established publisher - and giving up all rights to the work. It makes it tough for all designers when those supposedly “in the know” about the industry, and aware of the value of a designer’s creative efforts, are working against them in the guise of a “contest.”
Various online forums presented lively interaction between posters on this particular book cover situation, with mixed reactions from those joining the discussions. In general, the more established the design professional the more likely they had a negative reaction to the “contest.” Designers with less experience in the industry seemed to look at it as a great opportunity for exposure; rather than a situation that would be taking advantage of their talents and wasting their limited valuable time. The biggest disappointment was the attitude of the author in question. He basically blew off all criticisms with a response of suggesting designers not enter the “contest” if they didn’t like the event or did not want to abide by the rules.
Over two decades ago the Graphic Artists Guild established “Suggested Guidelines for Art Competitions and Contests” through their Graphic Artists Guild Foundation, with a supporting grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The organization conducted a nationwide survey of art and design competition holders, as well as jurors and competition entrants, in determining recommendations for competitions and contests conducted by art-related organizations/ associations, for-profit companies desiring work for commercial purposes; and nonprofit organizations. Serious consideration of such recommendations is now more important than ever to those in the design profession attempting to wade through the competitive offerings promoted via the Internet.
In all cases, the Graphic Artists Guild (GAG) suggests that those conducting competitions initially review existing work of designers or artists, rather than requiring the execution of newly created, speculative work. Through a process of elimination, finalists are then asked to possibly submit rough sketches prior to being named the finalist for the project contract. A number of guideline recommendations then help the event sponsor select a final art piece or design. The organization also stresses that any prize awarded should be commensurate with the fair market value of the work being done. GAG also recommends that the individual creating the work should retain a variety of rights for the work done.
The most legitimate design contests are often those conducted by nonprofit organizations. Still, such organizations may benefit from knowledge of the GAG established “Suggested Guidelines for Art Competitions and Contests.” While smaller, budget-challenged, nonprofits seldom seem to be intentionally taking advantage of designers, there is still room for some improvement when it comes to establishing specific contest rules and conducting the competitions. It is the prerogative of many in the design profession to make some concessions about these issues when dealing with project opportunities for nonprofit causes in which they have strong personal interests.
It should be noted that the “contests” covered in this article are not the industry awards designers either love, or love to hate. (Those competitions have already been examined in a previous article I wrote for Creative Latitude) The “design contests” that are not always what they seem are most often requests for newly designed work to be used in the marketing and promotion of a business, service or product - to the financial gain of the entity presenting the opportunity.
In considering possible participation in such events, designers should review suggested competition guidelines - such as those recommended by GAG - and do a little online research of the business or organization conducting the activity. Carefully read all of the rules presented by the sponsor and give consideration to the actual market value of the work being requested. By doing so, a design professional can make an informed decision about possible participation in what someone else is referring to as a “contest.” The investment in time in learning about such issues will also make a designer better informed when finding it necessary to educate those promoting so-called “contests” about the errors of their ways.
Designers beware! The beast known as a “contest” may look like a dog and bark like a dog. However, be careful when you go to pet, or play with, this animal. Its bite could be much worse than its bark.
Earlier this morning, with cup of coffee in hand, I sat down at my kitchen table and wrote out several thank you notes. One was to a design industry professional who paid for a recent restaurant dinner. Another was for a vendor who did a great job for me on a client project. A client, who referred a potential client my way, was another recipient.
I can't stress the value of a simple "thank you" enough. It will be one of the most important communication tools throughout your professional business career. In addition to be being a common courtesy, you are conveying that the value of another person's time, or effort on your behalf, is understood and appreciated. However, expressing appreciation has seemingly become a lost art in day-to-day business dealings.
As a child, one of the most annoying things my mother ever made me do was requiring me to sit down at the dining room table for the purpose of writing personal thank you notes for gifts received on any occasion. A couple years ago I let my Mom know I had been cursing her as I hand wrote about 25 personal notes to people from the HOW Design Conference who had taken the time to give me advice, took me out dinner or presented me with gifts. Her response was, "I guess someone raised you properly."
Last year, the Web presence CareerBuilder.com conducted a survey of hiring professionals in regards to how their employing decisions were influenced by thank you notes, or other forms of appreciation or acknowledgment, from interviewees.
"Although most hiring managers expect to receive a thank-you note, format preferences differ. One-in-four hiring managers prefer to receive a thank-you note in e-mail form only; 19 percent want the e-mail followed up with a hard copy; 21 percent want a typed hard copy only and 23 percent prefer just a handwritten note," wrote Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources for CareerBuilder.com, in her article No Thank You Could Mean No Job.
She added, "No matter which format you choose, it's crucial to act quickly when sending a thank-you letter to your interviewer. Twenty-six percent of hiring managers expect to have the letter in-hand two days after the interview, and 36 percent expect to have it within three to five days. Sending the letter quickly reinforces your enthusiasm for the job, and helps keep you top-of-mind for the interviewer."
The thank you note has a variety of valuable applications.
When David E. Carter publishes a book featuring a designer's work, as a result of one of his design competitions or some other effort, he sends a complimentary copy to the contributor. I've made it a practice to make sure I immediately send a thank you to Carter each time I receive one of his publications to add to my collection. In 2001 I received a copy of his book Blue is Hot, Red is Cool, exhibiting several examples of my logo design work. I sent off a thank you, in email form this particular time. I was stunned when I got Carter's response:
"Thanks for the nice note. You don't know how much I appreciate your taking the time to do so. (I know, you are supposed to send 'thank you' notes; parents all taught us that. But of the 70+ copies of the new book I sent, I have received exactly two 'thank you' notes.) Best wishes."
I couldn't believe that lack of appreciation demonstrated by those in our profession. I do realize that everyone has busy schedules, but it should be a regularly scheduled activity to take time to jot off quick notes to those who have done something worthy of a "thank you." Doing so makes a huge impression on people ó and for some reason most people's professional manners just aren't what they once were. I recently had a letterpress blank notecard produced for multiple purposes ó including showing appreciation.
"I make it a point to send a thank you note," says King Design Group's Cindy King. "I have specific notecards that I designed for this purpose. It's always a handwritten note."
"We always send a handwritten note of some kind after first meeting with any potential client thanking them for their time and consideration." contributes Gary Dickson of Epidemic Design. "Sometimes it is a card that we have produced but, if not, we are very careful to purchase a unique card that cannot be found in a typical store."
Martha Retallick - "The Passionate Postcarder" - adds, "I have a special 'Thank You' postcard. I try to make it a point to send at least five handwritten 'Thank You' cards per day. No, my handwriting isn't the best, but what better incentive to improve it?"
No matter what form you chose to communicate your thanks, making the effort is a must and the recipient will remember it. All business people need to make it an element of their daily communication, marketing and promotion efforts.
Several years ago, when a local letterpress printer produced my business cards, I had a blank note card - with my business identity on the front panel - created for multiple uses. It has been a handy thank you card more than anything else. A silver foil stamp, with my logo and business mailing address, is used to seal the envelope. I keep several of the cards, envelopes, address stickers and postage stamps in my laptop case at all times. When I have a few minutes I am able to send off a quick, personal thank you card from wherever I may be at the time.
Article links:
David E. Carter / GraphicBooks.org
Cindy King / King Design Group
Gary Dickson / Epidemic Design
Martha Retallick / Western Sky Communications
Note: Portions of this piece appear in my 2004 book, "The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success: Ideas and tactics for a killer career."
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