Dive into the archives.
- Pro Bono and Free Services: Is It Possible To Give Too Much?
Last Thursday I was taking part in a weekly discussion among designers called DCTH (Design Community Twitter Hours) and this question came up: When do you draw the line between pro-bono & just helping for free? A very interesting discussion followed and it got me thinking about my own experience with offering my design services pro bono or for free. In this post I want to share some of those experiences with you and how they have influenced my business approach as well as the impact this has had when I began applying it to my social media interaction.
- Where Has The Art Of Customer Service Gone?
Call me old fashioned, but I have this crazy idea that businesses should provide at least a minimal amount of human element in the customer service they offer to their paying clientele.
- Don’t Let Your Bad Attitude Or Ethics Ruin It For The Rest Of Us!
The other night my wife and I went to our eldest daughter’s high school basketball game to cheer her on. We took our regular spot up at the top of the bleachers so we could lean back against the wall rather than slouching on the hard wood for the entire game. As we settled in, we noticed a few parents from the other team had the same idea and were setting up camp about 15 feet away. We commenced with the standard smile and nod acknowledgements and then turned our attention to the beginning of the contest. What transpired over the next hour inspired a range of emotions, from anger to frustration to disappointment. And I’m not talking about what happened on the court.
- Behind The Avatar #5: Introducing Freelance Graphic Designer Beth Daniell of EDGD
I don’t recall exactly how we started communicating, although I’m sure it was either Twitter or Facebook, but I have recently been enjoying getting to know Beth Daniell of Elizabeth Daniell Graphic Design (EDGD) through a few online conversations and interactions. Beth is a graphic designer who has made the shift to running her own freelance business and using social media to expand her networks and clientele. As we began conversing and sharing thoughts I knew she would be a perfect candidate for my friends and readers to meet, so I asked if she would be interested in participating in this series. She has generously taken the time to answer a few questions and share some insights into who she is. I invite you to get to know her and connect with her yourself so you can go beyond the surface and see who’s Behind The Avatar.
“Over the past 15+ years, I have found the inspiration for my design style through the cities I have lived in, the people I have met along the way and my love for all things unique. My education in various art forms is a concrete foundation for making me the artist I am today.”
- Social Media Strategy Minus Human Engagement = Business Fail
Last night I went to my daughter’s first Freshman Chorus concert. Of course, my little girl’s voice stood out among the pack, but the beautiful sound of angelic voices blending perfectly together was wonderfully soothing and enjoyable, even though the majority of the songs they were singing were remarkably antiquated and, in my opinion, emotionally sterile. As a musician myself, I am admittedly a bit of a snob, but this was more about a lack of connection with and passion for what the songs were about. Each selection, including the big finale splattered with corny unison hand claps in what I guess was an attempt to display enthusiasm, left me disappointed for my daughter’s personal musical progression. Afterward we discussed the differences between singing well and singing with a passionate desperation from the depth of your soul. This is a perpetual rant for me, and one my family is probably exhausted with. But every time we sit through an American Idol show, or hear another sticky sweet pop song on the radio, or encounter anything else that pits passion against perfection, I can see that they get it, and that’s important to me as their father. If there is one thing I most want my children to carry with them throughout their lives, it is an intrinsic understanding that the pursuit of their passion is primary and that without it they will not only never be completely content, but they will also fall short of giving the world their very best.
At this juncture you are probably wondering what any of this has to do with the title of this post. Don’t worry. I didn’t use the title to lure you here to listen to me rant about musical integrity and passion, or how proud I am of my children. The point is this: whether it’s your own personal endeavors, or your business pursuits, or your new social media strategy, I believe you can only get so far on just doing it well. Without real, personal, passionate human interaction, your end result will always be limited.
- Behind The Avatar #4: David Yarde of HowsYourBlog.com (and more!)
I have been following David Yarde (@dsmy) on Twitter for a little while now and recently started subscribing to HowsYourBlog.com so I could take in his thoughts and insights about writing, blogging and more. David is a self-professed “design junkie” who seems to have a lot of things going on and new ideas springing up all the time. He and his wife Angie (@missneela) run Sevenality, a web and graphic design studio located in the Kissimmee, Florida area. David’s an interesting, friendly guy who I thought would be fun to get to know a little better, so I invited him to be a part of this series so we all could meet the man behind the avatar.
- Behind The Avatar #3: Liz Andrade of CMD+Shift Design
I’ve been a subscriber to the CMD+Shift Design Blog for a few months now. I enjoy taking in the author’s writing style and I’ve found quite a few useful tips for freelancing and web design. I also recently started following cmdshiftdesign on Twitter and have discovered much of the same value. So today I want to introduce you to Liz Andrade, the gifted, humorous, creative and design-community advocate behind CMD+Shift Design.
- How to Best Promote Your Brand Using Social Media: 10 Top Tips and Ideas!
Whether we like it or not, people – customers- are and will always be the main focal point of any marketing, promotional and research and development efforts. They are, as the quote above clearly indicates, the real assets of any business with which it can’t operate or function without. Therefore, when considering the best practices for promoting any brand or product, through social media or offline, the first thing the company has to consider is its target audience, in terms of demographics, education, backgrounds, likes, dislikes and so on and so forth.
Yet, since the simple marketing mix theory consists of 4 main elements: product, place, promotion and price, the tricky part is figuring out the right mix that suits a liquid medium such as social media.
Therefore, this article will discuss, in details, the best 10 top tips and ideas that can help steer a brand towards success and away from mistakes that might lead to utter failure and losses!
- DESIGNERS: Why I Promote and Support You Rather Than Compete Against You
In case you haven’t stopped by this blog lately, my last few posts here have been focused on promoting new, upcoming and/or lesser-known designers. It has been a wonderful experience getting to meet and interact with other designers that I’ve never known or heard of before, and the satisfaction of creating a forum to raise awareness of their work – and even their existence – has been priceless. It has truly been a joy and it has inspired me to continue finding ways to contribute to the expansion of the design community however I can.
Along the way, however, the inevitable question has come up: am I endangering my own freelance design business by promoting other designers who compete for the same clients? So after thinking about this I thought it would be an interesting post and possible discussion with others in the creative community. So here is what I’ve found.
- How To Build Your Online Presence On The Cheap – Step 2: Choose Your Name Wisely
As we look at how to choose a name – or how to promote your existing name with your online identity – it is important to rely on your answers to the questions from the previous installment. Be sure to have them in hand – especially your goals. If there is one golden rule I have learned in every occupation and endeavor I have undertaken, it is that you MUST hold everything up against your goals. Before you make a move or a decision, you need to ask the question: will this help me accomplish my goals? If the answer is yes, then go for it! But if the answer is no, don’t bother. I wouldn’t suggest completely trashing an idea or thought just because it doesn’t line up with your goals – save it just in case. You never know – your goals may shape into something that could benefit from the idea later, or the idea may help to birth something that does help your cause.
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