"Can't I design it myself?"

(Part 1 in a four-part series)

In this series I'll explore the most often-asked question posed to graphic designers from all walks of life. It is also, in many cases, the most rewarding question ever asked of me. Questions are meant to trigger constructive thoughts, engaging the brain in problem-solvng activities until the solution or solutions are reached. What I will do in this four-part series is some further introspection on this riddle by analyzing the four points most often asked by clients when this question is posed: 1) easy to do; 2) saving time; 3) saving money; and 4) I'm the business owner.

Today I'll look at #1, being easy to do.

When I'm consulting with a client, I sometimes sketch out an idea I may have from our conversation while working out details of the project. As the client and I move toward the discussion of budget and timeframe, he or she may ponder aloud, "Can't I design it myself? I watched you kinda draw out the idea, looks pretty simple and easy to do."

It does look pretty simple, I'll admit. Draw a few curly lines, add some decoration - maybe a leaf or two, maybe a flower - then add some text and splash some color, and - VOILA! Instant art, right? Wrong. The party's just getting started.

Designing a marketing piece can look pretty simple, but it really is more than just a little clipart and type. It's knowing where to put all the elements on the paper so the marketing piece really stands out. It's understanding dark lettering shouldn't be put against a dark background. It's learning that using a cursive font in all caps really looks unprofessional.

Now, you're probably thinking, "Oh, I'd never do that! You don't really see stuff like that, do you?" Well, only at least a couple of times a day. The problem with most software, templates and online printing services like Vistaprint is it gives people the impression they can do in a day what it takes most graphic designers to learn both in and out of school. This can be frustrating for both the client and the designer for several reasons: first, the client has already invested his or her time and money into the project and it doesn't look as professional as they'd envisioned; second, because of this investment, the client may not be willing to turn the project over and spend more tme and money; third, nobody knows the company better than the owner, so the client shoulders the responsibility of getting their marketing pieces done.

The investment of time and money can be difficult to work through because it is tangible. I try to ask the client how much of each he or she has already invested in the project so I have an idea of what kind of maneuvering room I can work with. I tell the client I've worked on projects similar to the one I'm consulting on and show them samples. By offering to work with their existing budget and showing samples of similar work, I hope to gain the client's trust that I can get their project done, on time. The best part is the third objection: the fact the client is also the business owner. He or she is absolutely right - nobody knows their business better than the business owner! That means I have the opportunity to work with the expert of the business! How cool is that? The owner shares his or her vision with me, and I get to bring it to life!

Professionals in any industry spend inordinate amounts of time being trained in their craft and improving the skills on a regular basis. This may include schooling, seminars, and online training along with practical application. A professional graphic designer spends time learning color theory, placement of elements (images, type, and color), pouring through other advertisements to keep creative juices flowing, and continually practices these theories with each piece designed. A professional graphic designer may be pricier than the template you just purchased, but a professional has the eye that will make your marketing piece stand out from the competition, giving your clients a lasting first impression.

Want a great meal? Go to the Old Spagetti Factory!

Yesterday was Saturday, February 27th. My daughter asked me to take her down to our Old Spaghetti Factory parking lot so she could take part in a photo shoot for the local band Hello Hollywood. While waiting for her to return I decided to pop in for lunch. I don't usually blog about my dining experiences, but this restaurant is consistent enough in excellence that I had to post about it!

My server was Cameron. He was polite, charming, professional, funny, and (best of all), happy to be here today! Seriously, when your server is in a great mood, it just tends to make the whole dining experience that much more pleasurable. I only had to wait a few minutes to be seated (but sometimes, when dining alone, it's easier to find a table for one than for several), and I asked for some water with lemon before ordering. Cameron returned with some water and took my order, and even mentioned to me my salad was included with my lunch - something I didn't know, but I'm glad he told me! I then proceeded to just draw in my sketchbook while waiting for my lunch.

The salad wasn't anything special, just a side salad with a balsamic vinagarette dressing. The bread wasn't anything special, but it was warm and the butter spreadable, with a choice between regular or garlic. It was the fact they were served in an atmostphere that was warm and inviting, rich with conversation but areas exempted for privacy. My favorite part was the entree. It wasn't anything super-special, just spaghetti with a mushroom-marinara. It was, however, served with zeal! I heard my waiter, Cameron, say this to several of his customers, so I knew he meant it when he came to my table too: "Yay, food!" It was this little bit of excitement about his work that made my meal special.

By the time dessert came (also with the meal) I was very relaxed and enjoying myself. Cameron was reluctant to rush me out, then came a "Murphy's Law" moment: their electronic cash register went down, so no one could cash out! I laughed and told him, "No problem," and soon as it was back up and running he took my card. I had such a good time, I was reluctant to leave!

For those who have never experienced the atmosphere and food, and for those who may have been away too long, The Old Spaghetti Factory is waiting eagerly to greet you.


The Old Spaghetti Factory
1418 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ, 85004
(602) 257-0380

What is your value worth?

The recession is tough on everyone right now. It doesn't matter if you've kept your job (but thank your lucky stars!) or had to reinvent yourself; this recession has absolutely touched nearly everyone in America, if not, the world. Most businesses are trying to keep customers happy without losing their take-home profit; most consumers are trying to get as much for as little cost as possible.

So how do you answer the all-too-often-posed statement: "That's too expensive."? Usually I hear this statement coupled with, "I can get it over here for a lot less!" or something similar. I also found out I'm not alone; in the past few weeks since the new year, I have had the pleasure of listening to my colleagues complain that a customer beat their price down, and in order to retain the client, they felt they had to compromise.

I asked my colleagues, and now I ask you: What is YOUR service worth? Most people don't realize when you ask someone to cut back on their commission, they are asking you to cut back your take-home pay. If the situation were reversed, these consumers would be furious at being asked to reduce their take-home pay. So why, then, do they have no guilt whatsoever in asking us to do this very thing?  I told my colleagues to stand firm with their prices. I reminded them (and myself) they have to make a living and can't do it if they are constantly reducing their hourly rate. Several of us surmised that, when asked to "defend" our prices, we find we do the exact opposite - we reduce them to avoid conflict.

Educating Our Clients
This isn't much different than a plumber helping a client find the water shut-off valve over the phone. In order for our clients to be smarter about their choices, we must educate them about our industries. Now, I don't mean you pull out the school desk and give your client a true/false test about your business! But, you do want them to understand you're not gouging them; rather, you are getting what your time is worth and its perceived value based on past client's information and a current price model for your industry.  The trouble is, most clients want your service! Hands down, they trust you and want to buy your service – period. So why does this process then become about as painful as a root canal?

Time IS Money
Consumers really do not understand that your time not only must be accounted for, but receive payment for contracting your expertise. Absolutely your clients can get lower pricing elsewhere! Aren't we also shopping for the best deals in town? Yet the last time I can remember arguing with someone over their price was about fifteen years ago.

Here are a few thoughts I learned from my colleagues and readings this week: 

1. Educate your clients. When a client questions your price, remind him/her of the benefits your service brings: a) saving time, b) saving stress, c) saving money by not having to do it more than once, d) the increase to their business by utilizing professional services, freeing up their time to run their business.

2. Talk about "the cost". In other words, take the words, "my price", or "my cost" out of the picture entirely. The client can then "see" the numbers rather than what you will make.

3. It's a haggler's market. Many professionals realize they have to take whatever jobs come alone to keep their businesses going during this recession. That does not mean, however, business owners have to sacrifice their own welfare at the same time. For example, if taking a client means you end up trading the cost of materials with the client and not getting your hourly rate, you are sacrificing what you know your value is worth. When you make this sacrifice, you devalue your industry, making it harder for others in your industry to make their hourly rate also. 

4. What's my target market? Remember your marketing plan (don't say 'what marketing plan'!) and ask yourself, "Is this client within my target market?" If not, rather than take on the client, see if a colleague may benefit more from a referral.

5. Is this client worth it? This goes back to not getting your hourly rate. If the client is trying to cut your cost now, are they going to nit-pick everything you do and complain about every nail or keystroke you make? Some clients may be more high-maintenance than others. Certainly they deserve the services you provide as much as anyone else, but at what price for your business? Will that price be worth whatever sacrifice you make in order to retain this client?

6. Is perception a true indicator? This is a last reminder about educating the client. Business owners, being captains of their particular industries, have to price-check against what their competition does on a regular basis. This helps us arrive at our hourly rate for the perceived value of our services. Clients also price-check, but they may not always see the "big picture" when it comes to the value your service will bring them. Remind the client the benefits of using your service, to include saving them time and frustration - and they'll be glad they called you.

Take a cue from the master!

This interview by Tom Geismar is very eye-opening. He is a master graphic designer and has known for many years what we as artists may just be finding out: graphic design isn't just about making things pretty or functional; rather, it's a problem-solving discipline that provides a solution for a company's identity, report, training manual; for a writer's book cover; for the new business owner's stationary. The process has not changed drastically over the years - just enhanced (and sometimes held back) by technology advancements. Our perception of what the process is has changed but is slowly coming back to the realm of problem-solving.

In this interview Mr. Geismar spoke briefly about design concepts his clients chose over concepts he thought were much stronger. I think back on my short career as a graphic designer, both working in a position and in my own business, and remember clients also choosing representations I thought were not as strong as my primary choice. How do we really know what the client is looking for, what's in their head when they see a design? We can get close and usually hit the mark in most cases after a couple of meetings and comps, but there are always those clients who aren't sure what they're looking for - even if they have identified the core of their business. Even after a thorough investigation into all the solution possibilities, we may come up slightly short on the client's vision.

The only way to continually overcome this consequence is to continue practicing our work and take note of what didn't work well, where we might have missed communicating, make sure we investigated every option, and move on to the next project. In the end, the client is always right about their choice - even if we don't always agree with it.

http://www.logodesignlove.com/tom-geismar-interview

When Is Shock And Awe Too Much?

I recently had a coffee meeting with a colleague of mine this past Friday. He told me about a new commercial in Germany aimed at AIDS awareness. The group, Rainbow, centered their advertisement around near-soft-core nudity and finished with a likeness of Hitler making love to the woman on screen. The juxtaposition of AIDS and Hitler is that both are mass murderers. The makers of the advertisement are hoping to deter people in Germany from having unprotected sex, but really, does a message like its meaning across?

Advertisements that contain "shock and awe" have been around a long time, but it seems only recently that their presence is becoming known. This group, Rainbow, may not care how it is represented or remembered for its advertising. Bad marketing is as good a tool as good marketing: the product is remembered, the name is remembered, and usually the advertisement (or commercial, in this case) is remembered. But will its message be taken seriously, or will the German population turn off their television the moment the ad is aired? Was "shock and awe" necessary in this case?

Personally, I feel this commercial comes across that invisible line. An ad does not have to be sterile or safe to get its message across; however, to honestly compare the AIDS virus (which has been around since the very late 1970's, first gaining notoriety in early 1980's) to Adolf Hitler in Germany, of all countries, crosses that line. Most Germans would rather not remember those atrocities, much less be paired yet again with them. AIDS is a monstrous virus, but it stands a better chance of being cured than Evil.

I do think "shock and awe" has a place in marketing, but in most cases I feel it is an unnecessary action. It seems as though people who make commercial advertisements feel they have to be as shocking as some of the television programs or movies have become. This is a dangerous move; television and movies that subscribe to the theory that "the more shocking, the larger the audience" may be deluding itself into thinking people are paying attention to the message and not the violence or distate of the show/movie/ad. The more this type of advertisement becomes popular, the less likely its message will get across because viewers will become desensitized to it. Don't believe me? Remember the height of the Iraqui war, remember the people they were beheading on TV? A teacher in California actually aired the beheadings, and the majority of his class was not bothered by it. That's sad.

And the German AIDS commercial? Definitely something needs to be done to cure this horrible disease. It has been around far too long, claiming too many victims with little to no progress made towards its extinction. Is it enough for people to be mortified by a personified comparison of Hitler to the AIDS virus? Will this commercial teach abstinence? Or is it time for people, single or not, to have their partners tested for the virus before consummating their relationship?

As for the "shock and awe" value, tread carefully and leave most of it to the movies. Choose to be remembered for your product and not the violence of your ads.

Fast-Track to Improved Networking, Referrals, Visitors

I am reading Dr. Misner's transcription of his latest podcast, "Episode 121: Fast Track With Networking Secrets". This is truly AMAZING! This chapter in Beaumont, Texas applied a new training called "Fast Track" and managed to increase the amount of referrals passed by 70%! Before Fast Track, about half the members were responsible for passing 65% of the referrals; after Fast Track, 96% of the members were responsible for passing a minimum of one referral a week! I'm very impressed with those stats! This is a curriculum that, in my opinion, all BNI chapters should embrace. This curriculum also teaches members how to keep track of their own individual success, a type of report card if you will. Read the excerpt for more! http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/09/episode-121-fast-track-with-networking-secrets/

WOM Advertising: Fad or Future?

I just read Dr. Ivan Misner's short article on word of mouth (WOM) advertising. For those who don't know, Dr. Misner is the founder of BNI (Business Networking International), and has coached and taught members worldwide on this concept. In 2008, BNI celebrated approximately 115,000 members, 5300 chapters, 5.6 million referrals and $2.3 billion in business. Given that's when the recession began, that's a staggering fact! Members give referrals and live by "Givers Gain", the driving philosophy behind BNI's success.

The article reported that WOM is becoming the preferred marketing strategy among professionals. This is not new information to BNI members. My questions tonight are:

1. Do you have a preferred method of marketing that is working for you?

2. Do you believe in WOM?

3. Do you belong to any networking groups for your business?

4. What do you see as the future for marketing a business into success?

Article link: http://networking.entrepreneur.com/2009/09/10/word-of-mouth-a-growing-segment-in-advertising/comment-page-1/#comment-2982

OK. time to get back to work.

The Best Things in Life are Free - Entrepreneur.com

The Best Things in Life are Free - Entrepreneur.com

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This article I've linked to is a very touching, revealing, inside look at the complicated side of schooling and working with a child with high-functioning autism. How many readers out there have worked with children with autism? How many know a person with high-functioning autism? Please read this article - all monies paid for this article have been donated to the National Autism Association.

http://www.helium.com/items/1420905-helping-autistic-children-succeed-in-school

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