Shopper or Serious?

Every business gets shopped, period. It's human nature to want to look around for the best deal possible. The last thing any person wants to hear is, "so-and so got this great deal on this product over at this place!" It seems to resonate more when it's a friend telling them.

For most home-based business owners new in their business, it's hard to tell a customer vs. a shopper when someone is asking you questions because they're "only shopping". A business owner hates to surrender a lot of information just to see the customer go down the street to the competition. On the other hand, without enough information, the customer is likely to walk down the street anyway.

So, how do you turn a shopper into a serious customer?

Ask questions. Remember, the customer is asking this information for a reason. They have the need, but do they have the need for what you have? THe client wants to know what's in it for them -- the WIIFM factor. Once you know what benefit your product/service can give them you're one step closer to making the sale.

Be sincere. Customers can always, ALWAYS tell when someone is really trying to learn more about them and what they need vs. just being their "best buddy" to close a sale. I'm sure there's some magic timeframe a salesperson isn't supposed to go over, but really, when you're trying to make a new customer, this time frame may not matter at all. Just be yourself, and be honest.

Price match if possible. This won't work in every situation, or else you won't have any profit margin, but you can use this discreetly. If a customer tells you they can get "x" product cheaper online or at the competitors, ask them some questions: is shipping included in the price; if it's being treated as a closeout; is it limited in quantity or color; or offer expiring very soon.

Discount repeat business. By offering a discount on repeating business, you let the customer know you may not offer such for a first-time customer, but if they like your products or service, becoming a repeat customer with someone they know for a discount may sound more attractive.

Ask for their business. If all else fails, a more direct route is to just ask the customer, "What do I have to do to get your business?" It may come across as a little desperate, but they may just tell you what they need to know to gain the business.

Cheers,
Lisa

A Mentee's Journey: Getting Ready

I met with my mentor briefly last night at a large networking mixer for ASBA and BNI. Bottom line, we have set our weekly schedule! I'm very excited to be part of this amazing program, and I feel very lucky to have a great mentoring team. I do have only one direct mentor (Pat Harter of Provision Team Consulting), but I can ask the mentoring team virtually any question, and have the ability to have their expertise in their fields guide me through this path.

My first actual mentoring meeting is this coming Tuesday morning. I'm bringing my "business plan", if I can call it that, and see how it can be improved; even a marketing plan can't really be implemented without a solid business plan. I'm also bringing in my new workbook from ASBA, goals I hope to accomplish over the next four months, pencil and paper, and an open mind. I'll point out here I'm going to have weekly homework as a point of accountability for what I want to achieve. I'm told I'll be working harder than I have before, so I hope I'm up to the task.

I looking forward to learning quite a bit from my first session with Pat! I'll chime in next Tuesday after my session - stay tuned.

Cheers,
Lisa

Scripts: Not For Wimps

Most people don't realize a script font, such as Brush, Edwardian Script, or Snell, are considered serif fonts. Careful considering must be given when using these fonts together with other serif fonts, such as Times New Roman or Bodoni.

If you choose a script typeface for your main headline, I would offset this by using a sans-serif, such as Arial, in the body. You then could use the script typeface for sub-headlines or for special CTA's (call to action's), such as "Sale Today!" Pay strict attention to the size of these typefaces. Visually, the body may not be any larger than the headline, but type-size-wise the body may actually be as much as 20 points larger, depending on which script font you choose. Also, DO NOT use the script typeface throughout your document! Go ahead, laugh - but unfortunately I've seen it. It looks very unprofessional and makes your document very difficult to read all the way through.

Avoid using most script typefaces in reverse (black or dark-colored background with light or white text) unless it's thick and bold. The Brush font is a good example of a thick, bold script typeface. An example of a typeface not to use in reverse is Scriptina. It is very elegant but it can be very difficult to read. Another strike: if you use Adobe Distiller to create a .pdf file of your document, Scriptina does not embed, and that can cause issues with your commercial printer.

Finally, remember to not use an outline, or stroke, on your chosen script font. Most script fonts have thick and thin points, just like a serif typeface. The thin points create visual problems if you outline your text. Say you use Scriptina and put an outline around the text. You've just elminated more readability with the font by decreasing the amount of white space used to create the font. The thin parts look thinner, to the point of near-non-existence, increasing the difficulty of reading.

Use script fonts sparingly, without an outline around the text. I like using them to create elegant invitations; sometimes used as a headline for a grand opening of a beauty salon; occasionally, acting as a signature.

Happy designing!

Cheers,
Lisa

A Mentee's Journey: Getting Started

Much like a sports professional looking to stay on top of his or her game, I decided to enroll in a mentoring program. Today I met with my new mentor, Pat Harter. His role is that of a teacher, while mine is that of a student. He will make suggestions based on what I would like to improve, and I will give him a weekly update as to my progress. I like the accountability factor to help guide me in a good direction; mostly, though, I like the idea of being able to learn new ideas for growing my business.

I've decided to blog about my journey over the next four months to help me stay on track with my goals. My hope is that those considering such a journey themselves might read and gain some value from my experience.

Cheers,
Lisa

Document Design 101: Text Boxes #2

When working with Adobe InDesign, you can manipulate the text boxes to virtually any shape needed. Suppose you have a strange shape to wrap text around; you can either put a text wrap around the form, or you can add points to the text box and, using the Direct Select tool, shape it to fit around the form.

As stated previously, make sure to keep some space between the edges of the text box and the text, especially if you've decided to put an outline around the text box. The reader's eyes tend to stop when they reach the end of a sentence, and the outline of the box can simulate the end of a sentence as much as a period.

Lastly, if you plan to use a background color for the text block, keep in mind that not all colors play well together. For example, if you decide to use a blue background, do not use red for the text. This will cause a visual distortion, making the text very hard for the eye to focus or read. Instead, choose a lighter color, such as yellow or white. Black backgrounds with white text are very effective when used to call attention to certain pieces of information, such as a call to action or a coupon with an expiration date.

Happy designing!

Cheers,
Lisa

Business Card Basics

Your business card is the receptionist of your business. After face-to-face networking, your business card is the key reminder of your new meeting. How then should your receptionist best represent your business?

Keep it simple. The design doesn't have to be boring, but if a potential customer has to look for your e-mail or phone number because it is too artsy-fartsy or too complicated, you probably have lost a customer. If you have too many competing elements or drop shadows on your text, it may cause your card to look too busy, thereby losing the message.

Keep it simple. Text should be no smaller than 8pt, and I recommend your company name (assuming there is no logo) should be no larger than 18pt. No drop shadows; keep in mind, if your company is advertising in a newspaper or needs to send a copy of the card over via fax, special effects won't pick up well through a fax or a flatbed scanner.

Keep it simple. No more than three different typefaces. Use color to point out the important pieces, such as your name and phone number. If you use your photo along with another (i.e., a realtor), you might ask your designer to watermark or fade one side of the other photo so your mug shot gets primary importance; better still, if you want to use your mug shot, leave any other photo out.

Keep it simple. Black is a color not many businesses can carry well; it also tends to carry a negative message, so try not using this color for your background unless it's the only color that works. If you decide to use black for your background color, be careful when selecting a secondary color to use (other than white). Try using a percentage of that color; remember, black will push lighter colors forward, making them more noticeable.

Keep it simple. Try not printing on the back side unless it is absolutely necessary. In many networking circles, it is nearly required to use the back side of a business card to write down where you met your contact, if you decide to offer a special price, scheduling a day/time for a meeting -- the list goes on.

Cheers,
Lisa

Branding: Does My Logo Work?

This is a question most business owners should ask themselves. Unless it's something point-blank like Joe's Hardware Store, your business name and logo may mean something entirely different to someone else. If it's at least relevant you might not think twice about it.

Does my logo work?

Recently I had a sit-down interviews with a couple of business mentors, and they both agreed I should consider changing my company name and logo entirely. Why? Sight unseen, they had not met me yet nor seen my business card, and their first impression of my company was that of an optometry business.

I had to stop and think for a moment. Optometry? How did they come to that conclusion? The only thing I could think of was they had focused on the middle word in my company name instead of taking in the entire name. There's no right or wrong in that type of assumption, but it was interesting, and honestly, a little frightening to hear.

Does my logo work?

It started me wondering if everyone else held a similar viewpoint. After consulting a few friends outside my profession, I concluded:

1. People sometimes perceive names of companies and their logos differently from the actual business owner's viewpoint;

2. The only way to change this perception is to continually educate people what my company is all about.

The reason the mentors asked me to consider changing my business name and logo is because they felt it would take a lot more marketing than had been done up to this point. But would it be better to undergo a complete name, a complete identity change and re-educate the public about my company?

Does my logo work?

I'm going to find out. Stay tuned.

Cheers,
Lisa

Document Design 101: Image Manipulation No-No

I just read this article, and quite honestly, the stoopidity (yes, I mispelled this on purpose) absolutely amazes me. Just when I thought I had seen everything in my industry, I read this article about a magazine called Outside taking extreme liberty with Lance Armstrong and photoshopping text onto his T-shirt. Here's the article link:

http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/media/outside-owes-lance-armstrong-an-apology/19521104/?icid=main|aim|dl9|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailyfinance.com%2Fstory%2Fmedia%2Foutside-owes-lance-armstrong-an-apology%2F19521104%2F

The stoopid part comes into play when the magazine's editors try to defend their actions: "...it's not Armstrong's real T-shirt." ... "...[magazine] doesn't typically consult cover subjects on all editorial decisions..."

This is the worst case of non-professionalism I have seen in my twelve years as a graphic artist. Granted, editors have the final say in how their magazine is represented, what articles to showcase, and final editorial edits/changes. That is a far cry from actually photoshopping something that isn't there onto someone's shirt and not telling them. I can see maybe doing this as a school project, but in this situation, Mr. Armstrong should have been asked for and [magazine] should have obtained his written permission first. It is not okay just because "it's not his shirt"; it is not okay because they deliberately TAMPERED with Mr. Armstrong's BRANDED IMAGE, period.

In a day and age when print advertising is suffering enough damage, there is now a rouge magazine basically giving viewers and potential models the impression, "hey, thanks for your advertisement / thanks for posing for our cover, but we've decided to change it up a bit and we can do that because we can. Thanks for playing our game!" Definitely NOT professional, and not a magazine I would recommend anyone paying any attention to now and in future issues.

Cheers,
Lisa

OP-ED, Lisa Raymond, Deseyner's Eye Creations.

Document Design 101: Text Boxes

Designing a document for print sounds pretty easy: you put some text together on a page, add a photo or some clipart, slip in a small call-out box and - whammo! Instant document design.

It can be this easy, but there's a few simple steps to remember. I'll explore these over the next couple of days. Today I'm going to talk about that call-out box in my example.

A call-out box is nothing more than a box shaded 20% with black text. Sometimes it is designed with a dark background and white text. The basic function is to call attention to specific information. A good example of this are the little boxes newspapers sometimes use when describing a new movie review: the box may contain information about the name of the movie, rating given by the movie industry, main cast of characters and a short synopsis. This information is treated in this manner so the viewer can easily find it. The call-out box can also be a light-shaded box following the long margin of a document with text inside. The size of the box doesn't matter, but the visual appeal does.

In order to make this box visually effective, you have to leave some space between the edgs of the box and the edges of the text box. This can be done by either by increasing the paragraph margins by one-eighth of an inch on all four sides, or by adding some inset spacing to the text box on all four sides. The number isn't hard and fast; you can add or subtract space to make it visually appealing, but do add some space. If the text butts up against the sides of the call-out box, the viewer's eyes tend to stop reading. Adding space allows for continuity and flow, and helps the text look great in print.

Cheers,
Lisa

What's Your Social Media Plan?

When I first started my journey with social media, I really wasn't sure how I wanted to use it and what I wanted to do with it. The more I actually interacted with people, I saw a value in following experts in my industry to gain insight from their knowledge and experience. I watched who they interacted with, and I saw value from reading their posts and questions. From all this I have a short marketing plan (finally!): to use the social media to increase my knowledge while educating the viewers about my company.

Sounds simple? It's not, really. Using social media is not much different from face-to-face networking or client interaction> The only key element missing is the physical human interaction; meaning, being able to see the person's reaction to your elevator speech, the head nods of comprehension, and even a dog-lopped head turn of "huh?" when they're not exactly following the same logic.

This may turn into a series of explorations, but for now I'll ask a question: when you started your journey in social media, did you develop your marketing plan before or after you began using SM? Please feel free to type a quick note - I look forward to learning from you!

Cheers,
Lisa