> I was approached a couple weeks ago about presenting to the local Rotary Club (eek!) The business-person in me said "This is a great opportunity! I get to show my work, and meet some other local business owners." The shy-person in me secretly hoped there would be something on my calendar to give me a good reason to bow out. Checked my calendar and...completely empty that day...so the business person in me agreed and got the details.

> It was a fairly small group—less then 20 people—but that was fine with me. I shared the experiences that brought me to where I am and what I do, as well as several examples of different types of projects. I got lots of positive feedback, and answered several questions including these three:

>> How do you advertise, or get more work? Typically, most of my clients come through word of mouth/referrals, so the most effective advertising I do comes from sharing what I do with everyone I know. I send out a monthly email newsletter that highlights projects. I've been contacted more than once from someone saying "I knew you designed (insert project here) but I didn't know you could (insert another type of project here)." Any chance I get, I ask new acquaintances if they would like to receive it. It's a free, non-intrusive way to put my work in front of prospects on a regular basis.

I also send out a holiday promotion every year. My personal goal each time, is to make sure the item is more useful to the recipient than it is an advertising piece for me. If it's done well, it can accomplish both things. The Rotary members were very excited as I handed out my latest promotion—wooden calendar cards—to each of them (seize the opportunity to advertise for free!)

>> Is it difficult to stay motivated when no one is there to make sure you work? I rarely have a hard time being motivated. First of all, I love what I do. I love the people I work for, and the people I work with to complete projects. I still get excited about every part of the process—from coming up with concepts, to getting final samples of a completed project, to getting it ready to share in my email newsletter. It's not hard to get up each morning when my day is filled with work that I enjoy doing.

Also, I realized in college that I am not a procrastinator (obviously it wasn't a newly developed trait, but I didn't know how unusual it was for me to be self-motivated to stay on or ahead of schedule compared with others I had classes with).

>> Do you work in sweats? I suppose I could, but no, I don't. I dress pretty much the same way as I did when I went to an office (Except I put on slippers instead of shoes unless I'm going outside). I believe my appearance is a reflection of how I want others to see me. If I get sloppy and don't care how I look, how much of that attitude would eventually slide into the way I work? I'm not willing to take the risk to find out.

> I took the allotted 30 minutes, and feel good about how the presentation went. Only part of me was excited to say yes in the beginning, but when it was finished, all of me was glad I had done it.

Sending un-Junk Mail

> As you sort through your mail and toss out all the undesired pieces, you call it "junk mail". If you're an advertiser, trying to reach your target audience by mail, hoping to spark some interest, you call it "direct mail". Whatever you call it, the results of a new survey tell us that 8 out of 10 households report visually scanning or reading the advertising mail they receive.

> When executed well, direct mail can deliver results that far surpass print ads or broadcast for virtually any kind of business, product or service—and these results and measurable, predictable, immediate, and cost-effective. The secret to all this wonderful success lies in one simple principle: Creativity rules (source: Neenah Paper promotion).

> Second only to the service or product you offer to your potential customers, remember that creativity is what can turn your mailing budget from being categorized junk mail, to direct mail.

> Good information for me as I begin working on my holiday promotion.

print my web site promotion?

> It's good to be exposed to lots of creativity and good ideas, so I subscribe to lots of e-newsletters, blogs, etc. Modern Postcard, where I order some of my online digital printing, sent an email newsletter today, and one of their stories caught my eye. It addressed an issue I've been contemplating. The overhaul of my web site is complete and waiting only for the time when I'm okay with my email going down temporarily, while the new (and much-improved!) site replaces the old one.
> I've been trying to decide...do I print/mail an announcement? Or email one? Or both? It's a big dilemma to me. The project I'm "bragging about" is an online one...but I also love getting mail, (doesn't everyone)? It feels "special", and as a print designer, I like to promote printed work!
> In Modern Postcard's newsletter, results of a survey found that 64% of adults say print media is easier to read, and 68% feel more comfortable reading something on paper than on the screen. (read more here:  http://www.modernpostcard.com/knowledge/articles/will-be-paper-or-pixels-today?cid=newsletter_2010-04-01_paper_or_pixels).
> I'm convinced. I'll be printing and mailing something to promote the re-launch of my web site, but to capture the other 32–36%, I'm also going to tie it into an additional email campaign, making it even easier to immediately link to the site.
> Stay tuned, by mail, or email, or both!

self-imposed busy-ness

> I am buried! Yes, I'm talking snow with this latest storm, but it's more than that. The last several weeks have just been busy! My workload is about the same, but when you add the responsibilities of year-end business stuff, as well as the busy-ness of the holiday season with the time it takes to decide on, buy and wrap gifts, decorate the house, plus family and work events, and church responsibilities, well, it's a bit overwhelming!
> For as long as I can remember, I've designed and produced Christmas cards to send out to friends and family. When I started my own business, I added a promotional gift to my holiday to-do list. At first I only gave them to current clients as a "thank you". But I've gradually expanded the recipient list to include vendors, all my clients past and present, anyone who I've done a proposal for, and this year, I'm also including several subscribers of my email newsletter.
> As I read through my long list of new emails this morning, one of them caught my eye and gave me the reassurance that I'm NOT crazy to do this holiday promotion every year. I felt a feeling of satisfaction that someone else is telling me to "keep it up!" http://bit.ly/8xKzpA The article says to keep up the marketing momentum. That "the fact is that, no matter how busy you are, you always have to market your business".
> With the economy in the state it's in, I realize the need to market myself is more important than ever. Even though I'm overwhelmed and feel like I'm treading water (snow today), I just take one day at a time, accomplishing what I can. I know that getting my promotion out the door (this week!) will ease the load I've put on myself, and that marketing myself, not only when I'm slow, but on a regular basis is the way to keep myself working on a regular basis!