Comments on: Freelance & Small Business Marketing Survival Kit: http://blog.nextdayflyers.com/freelance-small-business-marketing-survival-kit/ Graphic Design & Printing Blog Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:02:53 +0000 hourly 1 By: Karen Daniels http://blog.nextdayflyers.com/freelance-small-business-marketing-survival-kit/#comment-47 Karen Daniels Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:28:04 +0000 http://www.nextdayflyers.com/blog/?p=313#comment-47 Daniel, Thank you for sharing your story. Your idea of getting a friend to help so your "customer service" department would remain responsive no matter where you were was brilliant. Those are the kinds of things that can make or break a business - small or large. Karen Daniel,
Thank you for sharing your story. Your idea of getting a friend to help so your “customer service” department would remain responsive no matter where you were was brilliant. Those are the kinds of things that can make or break a business – small or large.
Karen

]]> By: Distinct Graphicz http://blog.nextdayflyers.com/freelance-small-business-marketing-survival-kit/#comment-24 Distinct Graphicz Sat, 07 Feb 2009 17:54:06 +0000 http://www.nextdayflyers.com/blog/?p=313#comment-24 This is great advice. I started my company during my first year of college and have been growing ever since. Even though I was growing, I've stayed a company of one (really two with mygirlfriend). As time went on, I began getting bigger and bigger companies as my clients. Companies such as Harley Davidson, Texas Roadhouse, Kennedy Space Center and many other large corporations. In order to present myself as a large and capable company, I slowly began expanding on my image. Throughout the beginning years of my business my family and friends were buying me great gifts for me and my business. I received custom engraved pens, engraved business card case and other Distinct Graphicz branded items. At the time I just thought they were cool gifts but as I used them day in and day out, I came to realize how essential these are to my image. I then found a great company that offers deals and sales on custom embroidered apparel ( http://distinctgraphicz.com/Products_Services/products.html) - link on top of page so I dove in and bought 4 embroidered polos. I began looking like the owner of a business instead of a college kid with a business card. Oh and business cards, really important. Stay away from those print yourself micro perforated business cards. Spend the time to design an effective card either by yourself, a friend, or a design company, and make that tiny investment into some quality cards (i.e. nextdayflyers). Another item I purchased to look bigger than I am, was a leather portfolio notepad thing. I'm not sure their correct name, but when you walk into a meeting, unzip your notepad, take out your engraved pen and start taking notes, you look serious and ready to dive into your customers requests. The one problem with being a company of one for me was what do I do when I travel. I moved from NY as did my girlfriend, and I found myself visiting family often. Originally, I changed my voicemail message to stay I'm away and will be back on this date, but that to me isn't the best customer service. I had to come up with a solution to responding to my customers while I was out of town. The best solution for me was to ask a friend to help. I set up a business email address for him, and whenever I received a call or email, I would forward their information to my friend, and he either called them and said he was so and so from Distinct Graphicz, and would email them back, get their information and request and take care of whatever he could for me. Customer's don't like to be left in the dark with no response from anyone. Even if you can perform the work because of a 2 day deadline, at least someone gets back to them and tells them, instead of you ignoring them and possibly loosing that client for quick turnaround jobs. I didn't realize this would turn in to such a large post, but for all of you that read it all, I hope I was able to give some small ideas to go along with making yourself seems as big as possible. Daniel Distinct Graphicz, Inc 321-446-6435 Daniel@DistinctGraphicz.com www.DistinctGraphicz.com This is great advice. I started my company during my first year of college and have been growing ever since. Even though I was growing, I’ve stayed a company of one (really two with mygirlfriend). As time went on, I began getting bigger and bigger companies as my clients. Companies such as Harley Davidson, Texas Roadhouse, Kennedy Space Center and many other large corporations. In order to present myself as a large and capable company, I slowly began expanding on my image. Throughout the beginning years of my business my family and friends were buying me great gifts for me and my business. I received custom engraved pens, engraved business card case and other Distinct Graphicz branded items. At the time I just thought they were cool gifts but as I used them day in and day out, I came to realize how essential these are to my image. I then found a great company that offers deals and sales on custom embroidered apparel

( http://distinctgraphicz.com/Products_Services/products.html) – link on top of page

so I dove in and bought 4 embroidered polos. I began looking like the owner of a business instead of a college kid with a business card. Oh and business cards, really important. Stay away from those print yourself micro perforated business cards. Spend the time to design an effective card either by yourself, a friend, or a design company, and make that tiny investment into some quality cards (i.e. nextdayflyers). Another item I purchased to look bigger than I am, was a leather portfolio notepad thing. I’m not sure their correct name, but when you walk into a meeting, unzip your notepad, take out your engraved pen and start taking notes, you look serious and ready to dive into your customers requests. The one problem with being a company of one for me was what do I do when I travel. I moved from NY as did my girlfriend, and I found myself visiting family often. Originally, I changed my voicemail message to stay I’m away and will be back on this date, but that to me isn’t the best customer service. I had to come up with a solution to responding to my customers while I was out of town. The best solution for me was to ask a friend to help. I set up a business email address for him, and whenever I received a call or email, I would forward their information to my friend, and he either called them and said he was so and so from Distinct Graphicz, and would email them back, get their information and request and take care of whatever he could for me. Customer’s don’t like to be left in the dark with no response from anyone. Even if you can perform the work because of a 2 day deadline, at least someone gets back to them and tells them, instead of you ignoring them and possibly loosing that client for quick turnaround jobs.

I didn’t realize this would turn in to such a large post, but for all of you that read it all, I hope I was able to give some small ideas to go along with making yourself seems as big as possible.

Daniel
Distinct Graphicz, Inc
321-446-6435
Daniel@DistinctGraphicz.com
http://www.DistinctGraphicz.com

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