J Wright Design – New York based Graphic and Web Design studio delivering creative and targeted solutions.
This isn’t another hacky article about New Year’s resolutions, time to reflect and all that nonsense. It’s a hacky article about 5 easy and pretty cheap things you can do that can immediately help your business or personal life. I’m not suggesting that you do these sometime in the new year. Get them done before winter ends.
1) Start your newsletter & mailing list
I have many clients – too many – that simply don’t send out email newsletters. You may be one of them. I’ve found that there’s usually 3 excuses: Don’t have the money, Don’t want to spam, or Don’t have the content. All three simply don’t make sense when they are scrutinized. Don’t have the money? Send out ONE newsletter to your targeted list and it could generate enough sales or business to support several years worth of sending newsletters. The upfront cost is minimal compared to the potential money generated. Worried about spam? Most people on your list WANT to hear from you. They want to know about a sale. They want to know about your new restaurant. By not sending out a newsletter you can rest assured they WON’T hear about you. Can’t think of content? Well, that’s your fault. But give it a shot first and risk a failure. You might find it easier than you think.
2) Build that website
This one may sound obvious, but I talk with many people that don’t have a site – that absolutely need one. Of course there will be upfront cost with building a site. But those costs are almost always offset by the money generated by simply having one. Everyone goes online to check you out FIRST. If you are not online, they will not buy your product or consider your service. It is absolutely that simple. There is just too much competition. Money is getting tight for everyone so make things worth their while.
3) Have lunch or dinner with 5 new people (or those you haven’t seen in a while)
Time gets away from us. But there are about 159 lunches and dinners between now and spring. Make room for just 5 to meet with new people, old friends, colleagues, or clients. This has nothing to do with design really, but this is where collaboration starts and new ideas are generated. Doing so might make the difference between your business succeeding or blowing up in your face.
4) Consider video conferencing
For $100 (or less) and high speed internet you can talk to people “face to face”. You probably already have it built into your new laptop. Some people seek to avoid video conferences – or talk at all – and scroll-scroll-scroll-tap-tap-scroll on their Blackberry/iPhone. I admit it has it’s place. But video conferencing, in my experience at least, has strengthened relationships, increased productivity and reduced commute time to zero. And in the end it makes meetings fun. Of course, I don’t have to deal with a bad hair day but that’s another story…
5) Change one design element around you
This one is open ended but it’s intended to get you thinking about improving things. Imagine the feeling you get after you paint a room. Or print a new business card. Or wear a new coat. Before spring gets here, change, replace, remove, or improve one thing that you see or use every day. Why? Because things get old. They get stale. They get obsolete. The more you get used to bad design, the more bad design will use you.
Now, go pretend like you are going to get in shape and head to the gym. But when you get back, work on getting some of these simple things knocked out before the snow melts. They are easy and very low in calories.