• Questionnaires weed out the ‘tire kickers’ and those who are not willing to take the time to answering the questions. This allows me more time and focus on my current clients, than trying to play the ‘game’ with those not really serious about investing into their business.
• Questionnaires are a great tool for asking all of the right questions and covering all bases prior to drawing up a formal proposal and quote. This ensures my clients know what to expect and projects always fall within their budget.
• Questionnaires eliminate the need for a consultation, saving you and your potential client valuable time. If a consultation is still requested, that time is efficient and focused without walking into the meeting blindly.

Through my experience, using New Client Questionnaires has proven very useful. All potential clients that filled out my questionnaires have always hired me to work on their projects. They were serious about their business and growth, ultimately leading to their successes. The majority of those clients became long-term clients and still work with me to this day.

What works for you when you are seeking new clients? Do you also use questionnaires or do you have another method that has worked well for you? I’d love your feedback.

Happy Holidays!

Linda

The personal consequences:

• My family life suffered, as well as my own personal growth.
• I was under constant stress, which started to take a toll on my health.
• There was no time for keeping in shape, and my eating habits took a dive as well.
• I was working several weeks’ straight, hours on end, without a day off in sight.
• I had trouble getting to sleep worrying about the next day, and when I did fall asleep, I would usually dream about work.

The professional consequences:

•  I was spread so thin with a multitude of projects that each got less attention than most-definitely deserved.
• The quality of my work suffered – yeah, me, the perfectionist.
• Client-satisfaction decreased.
• As a result I eventually received less offers of future work.

Basically, through this ‘quick gain’, I didn’t realize I was setting myself up for long-term losses. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand what the heck was going on.

So, I took some time away from my own business after we moved from Florida to Georgia in 2007, and connected with others that were in the field much longer than I was. I am grateful for them, because I learned so much from them.

Even they, at one point in their careers, were actually in the same predicament I was in – Think in terms of Einstein’s Theory of Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over, yet expecting different results.

Yeah, that wasn’t working out too well.

It was time for change, and it was then that my mentors helped me realize what I was doing wrong. I was working hard, not SMART. I realized from the pros that I needed to start being more selective in exactly who my clients were, not how many I had, and define my niche market (I’ll cover this in more detail in my next post).

Quality will always reign over quantity.

So I dusted off my heels, quit feeling sorry for myself, and jumped on the Quality Bandwagon with the pros.

Yes, it’s true that I may not be making as much as I used to, but I feel like I have an even bigger gain over the “More, More, More” lifestyle:

• My client base is awesome, and they ALL receive the quality services they deserve.
• I place more value on my time and building a more solid foundation for my business.
• I respect myself more by saying “no” and listening to my instincts on who would be an ideal client, and appreciate the value of it (so do my loyal clients).
• I have a regular workweek so I can dedicate more time to my husband and kids.
• I am healthy again, getting outside and hiking, bicycling and jogging almost every day.
• I fall asleep with ease, and actually no longer dream about work – YAY…BIG POINTS!

I still see several newbies in the field who think they have it all figured out and they all think I must not have my head screwed on right with my philosophy:

“ Stop being all things to all people. Work SMART and not like a chicken with your head cut off.”

That’s okay. They’ll learn in time, if they truly understand the importance of it.

So this is a big THANK YOU to my mentors for paving the way for me, and an even bigger THANK YOU to my awesome clients to whom my team and I love and adore. Last but not least…the newbies, to whom I generously give you the clients that want to put me in the grave WAY before my time. Perhaps one day you will join the Quality Bandwagon with the rest of us professionals. You’ll love it. It’s an awesome ride!

Peace and love,
Linda

Below is a list of some reasons why it may be time to give in to your logo’s cry, and get a logo overhaul:

• Your logo is so web-2.0-my-oh-my.  Keeping up-to-date with marketing and branding is vital to your business, but we stress that you stay away from design trends when it comes to branding your logo.
  
  Shiny, 3D spheres and glossy swooshes are everywhere. So-called designers create template designs, instead of really collaborating on effectively branding the client’s business. But just like Flash websites, trendy logos are in and then they’re out. They are also over-saturated, not really allowing you to stand out and become memorable.

• Your next-door neighbor’s kid (you know the one that does web design) made one for you using Microsoft Word or Paint. This just isn’t worthy of a comment (we mean that as nicely as possible).

• Clipart-a-holic. They come with your computer. They are also found at stock image sites. They brand you as unprofessional, especially if you are trying to build a good reputation in your business. Most importantly, they legally belong to someone else and we don’t want to see you get into any binds.

• You lost the original artwork and are using a copied version that you scanned off of your business card, pasting it on other collateral (see previous bullet about professionalism).

• You can’t remember what your logo looks like. If it’s been that long, you need us. We are here and ready to make a design you will never forget.

• You don’t have a logo at all.  A time for change is most-definitely calling. It’s time to give your business an identity so you can really create a brand for yourself.

If you can relate to anything on the list, don’t let it intimidate you. We understand that you are busy focusing on your business and it’s easy to get sidetracked on keeping up-to-date with the marketing and branding side of things. We’re a small business ourselves, but the difference is that we do this stuff for a living, so it is easier for us to make changes when needed. We’d love to give you a free evaluation on your logo! Contact us anytime.

We’ve heard dreaded stories from our clients before they started working with us: the previous designer lacked professionalism and real creativity, trying to communicate with them was like hitting their heads against a brick wall, time-sensitive deadlines were missed, and the list goes on.

It is possible to have a smooth process throughout the entire length of your website design project. If you follow these easy steps, you can avoid the nightmares you may have heard about.

Define Your Website Design Goals

If you don’t have a starting point or simple idea of what you want out of your website project, chances are your web designer will have trouble understanding or meeting your expectations. To start, figure out what you want your site to accomplish for your pet business. Do you need a more professional appearance? Do you need your site strictly for lead generation? When you define your goals, it will allow better communication between you and your design firm and your designer will help get those goals accomplished.

Define Your Website Design Budget

Many times, businesses do not consider a budget before searching for a website designer. Defining a budget is a must-do before starting the search for your ‘forever-designer’.

It is also important to understand that just because your next-door neighbor’s kid takes a web design class at his high school, and is willing to design your site for $300, doesn’t mean that a professional should work within this exact budget. Professionals have years of experience that enables them to provide you with results that an amateur cannot.

So how is a budget defined? Realistically there is not a set answer since no two websites or their purpose are alike. Some businesses are looking for a simple, informational layout, while others need full-ecommerce development. The other point to consider is that you are not just paying someone to design, code and test your site. You are also paying them for their knowledge and skills on what will and won’t work to achieve your online marketing goals.

Define a Realistic Deadline

Aside from understanding that design takes time, there are several phases in a web design project.

An initial consultation allows your designer to learn about your company and its goals and challenges. From there a lot of research time is invested on competitors, as well as making the most of achieving your goals.

The next phase is the initial wire-frame design. A scan is illustrated to give you an idea of how your website will look. From there you will request any changes and once the appearance is finalized, the designer starts the coding of your site. Coding can get pretty complex depending on the magnitude and depth, so be prepared for a simple site to take a few days and one with more detail can take weeks, if not longer.

When the coding is complete, it is now time to test the page on several browsers to make sure it is compatible and displays properly.

Another important point to stress is that communication between you and the designer must be a two-way, consistent street. Work schedules, technical issues, holidays, vacations, etc. must be taken into consideration as they also affect the project timeline.

Define Your Principals. Do they Match the Designer’s?

If you are a logging company, it may not be wise to work with a designer who hugs trees. I’m a tree hugger, so please move on. It won’t work. I’m sorry.

Seeing eye-to-eye on most things will help you work together more harmoniously. When the designer shares your belief structure, you’ll simply work better together and the process will run smoother for both of you.

Review the Designer’s Portfolio and Case Studies

A designer’s portfolio says more about their work than anything else. The proof’s right there in the pudding. Make sure the designer provides a diverse portfolio. Typically you can tell if they overuse the same design or are afraid to think out of the box. That’s a red flag. Move on. You want to be different. You want to stand out. You want your point to be made.

Contact the Designer’s Previous Clients

Any reputable designer will be more than happy to provide you with a list of previous clients and references so you can ask about their experience. Dig deep and ask about the process, if deadlines were met, if communication was equal and timely, etc. Understand their experience from start to finish.

Good luck on your search, and if after reviewing our portfolio and previous clients you feel that we are a possibly good match, we’d love to have a consultation to discuss your needs.

Through my years as a designer and marketer, I have seen two scenarios that deter people from utilizing professional marketing and design services:

The business owner is not aware of the differentiation between the COST of marketing and design services, and its actual VALUE.

Several businesses (start-ups in particular) are unable to differentiate between COST and VALUE of marketing and design services. They usually do not have a budget planned out and the only thing they see is how much the services ‘cost’. They do not understand the time and detail that goes into the services provided – from researching and strategizing, to implementing and launching a product or service.

They are not aware that the VALUE and INVESTMENT pay off after the launch with a successful Return On Investment (ROI).

The business owner lost faith in finding a reputable company.

Like any investment, it is important to remember that you do not entrust your money to just anyone. With every reputable marketing firm out there, there are the bad apples that spoil the bunch.

They get a potential client hyped up on false guarantees at fancy workshops and seminars, flaunt bells and whistles in the business owner’s face making them decide on emotional impulse, yet never come close to providing the results they promise.

Unfortunately for the good marketers and designers, business owners cringe when they think of doing business with a marketing and design team.

As a result, the business owner will try to handle the marketing and design on their own. Some business owners already have a background in marketing, which gives them an advantage. But for those who are not experienced, the branding, message, and call-to-action are improperly conveyed. This leads to frustration and they cease marketing efforts before it can really take off. Eventually the business goes belly-up.

With any investment, effective results take time and plenty of patience. When a buyer starts to see the value in their marketing more like a portfolio of investments rather than another line on an expense report, it becomes easier to distinguish between VALUE and INVESTMENT vs. COST and EXPENSE.