That’s Life
Daily ramblings from Witch Words
What do you do when the work dries up?
Today was the first day in a long time that I didn’t have any urgent work to do. Everything was up to date, all my proofs had been sent, invoicing done, blog written (amazingly, I haven’t done a blog for more than six months – and now I’ve written two!), jobs sent to print and nothing else to be done…
My days and nights are normally so filled with work and meetings, it felt strange to have no urgent or pressing work. The phone was quiet, emails nowhere to be seen. I was in limbo, and wasn’t sure what to do with myself. Then I started to get that weird acidic feeling in the pit of my stomach and thoughts began to creep into my head like ”oh no, I’m going broke” and “what will I do if my business fails?” and “how will I pay the rent and the car payments?” and on it went for a whole minute and a half… then I stopped myself – what was I thinking? Don’t I KNOW that thought creates reality? Of course I do, that’s how I built this business in the first place, on dreams and a wing and a prayer and a lot of determination!
So I stopped thinking those thoughts and looked around at all the beautiful things I own and I felt thankful. I scrolled through my client database and I felt thankful, I wrote out ‘thank you’ cards to a few clients I haven’t heard from for a while and got them ready to mail. I counted how many projects I’ve completed in the last three years (about 526!!!) and I felt thankful. I checked my bank account and relished in the feeling of abundance, amazed that somehow and in all ways there’s always enough, knowing that there will be more prosperity coming very soon and I felt thankful. I even found time to read some blogs and check out some websites I’ve been meaning to do for ages and I checked through my project files and put away the completed jobs with a kiss to make room for new ones. I de-cluttered my desk to clear my mind and make space for more opportunities to come in, and I felt thankful.
Today was a gift, a time to reflect and acknowledge how far I’ve come. I do have to pinch myself sometimes to make sure it’s real. I get so caught up in the ‘doing’ and being busy building my business; sometimes I lose sight of the magic of it all, the wonder and the blessings. So to my clients, I thank you, for trusting me to share in the creation of your business, as you have in mine. I am so blessed.
Three Bs for a Beautiful Brand
My sister’s a graphic designer, just like me. In fact she inspired me most to start my own small business, she’s a wonderful mentor, younger than me, but so much wiser!
Last week she put a post on facebook about a new client who had come to her for a quote for a website – that’s fairly normal in our profession – but when she delved deeper (well, not that deep really) it became apparent that this client didn’t have a business yet, nor a business name, she didn’t have products or clients and wasn’t sure what a blog was. She just had an idea. Needless to say this makes a designer’s job very difficult. So my sister stated that before a client comes to her for a quote, they need to have the three B’s (at least). I agree. Here they are:
A Business – one can’t sell or serve without an actual business. This means having a business name, trade marking that name or logo, registering the name, and buying a domain. I didn’t say it was quick and easy, but having these things in place before you go getting websites and business cards is important. This is the foundation stuff. There’s a lot more to it on an emotional level too, but I’ll save that for another day.
A Brief – we designers like to know as much as possible about your business. Not only do we make things look pretty, we also need to know things like who your target market is; including their gender, age and profession, what your product or service is, how you plan to reach your market, what makes you different to everyone else doing a similar thing. A design brief should contain all of that information as well as things like the colours you want to use and why, the style of your business (corporate, spiritual, alternative, healthy etc) and the moods you want to convey through your branding. I know!! We’re nosy people us designers, but in the end you’ll get a design that’s created specifically for your business, not some random generic logo you got online for five bucks that Bob over the road could use.
A Budget – You need to know how much money you can commit to your design project because us designers can generally tailor a package to suit or offer payment plans. Lots of people shy away from talking about money but it’s important to get that sorted from the start. Then there are no nasty surprises and everyone’s happy. I generally give a fixed price quote because that’s what I prefer myself. Hourly rates are too varied and it can blow out really fast, so a fixed price is much better for you – often not so good for me, as design work is incredibly time consuming and can go on and on – but them’s the breaks.
So, if you’re thinking about a website or a logo, answer the above questions first and you’ll be off with a flying start. I’m more than happy to have a chat if you want to know more and would love your comments below.
Harsh criticism from a fellow designer – how would you respond?
Today I woke up to a critical email from a fellow designer. Possibly sent with good intentions but interesting all the same. I guess what I found most intriguing was this person’s willingness to criticise not only my graphic skills and my website but my niche client. Here’s what he said…
Hey, I just wanted to ask you if this website is legit? It’s just that for someone whose profession is ‘graphic design’ your work and website seem to be really below par. Like seriously, nothing on this site is remotely good. I was just wondering if you benchmark your work against other professionals in the design community, or just rely solely on the feedback of the new age niche market. A market whose members are not exactly famous for their sound discretion and taste. No disrespect or anything, I like honesty, so I point out faults when I see them. I remember when I started my first year of graphic design and I relied heavily on harsh criticism which has only helped me grow to be the best designer I can be today.
So I replied with this…
Hi [name omitted]
Thanks for your email. I do know what you’re talking about, my site could be a lot slicker and better designed, however as you’ve pointed out, I have a very specific niche market. I’m not trying to capture large corporates or high-end businesses – there are plenty of designers who can do that better than I can – my market is mostly women who have or want their own small business, usually working from home, and who are more interested in connecting on a spiritual level with me. It’s not about up to date elaborate design, it’s about expressing them and their business in a gentle and authentic way through their branding and the words they use.
I’ve owned this business for over 2 years now and am enjoying a very successful living from it, employing two contractors to help me out. So, I may not be up to scratch in many designer’s eyes, but I do service a market that’s often ignored by most design studios. I listen and I deliver and I have many heart-felt testimonials and relationships with amazing women (and even some spiritual men, believe it or not!) as a result.
So, if it’s not broken, I won’t be fixing it.
Thank you though for taking the time to write, I do appreciate your view point and a few years ago that would have been enough to break my heart and make me give up, but not anymore. We all have a purpose, mine is to help those who want to shine and be proud of their business, their brand and their passion.
Witching you a magical day,
Jeanne
What do you think? I’d love to know your opinion on this…
The Wonders of Winter
I love winter. Winter is my favourite season, it means hot soups and crusty bread, fluffy blankets and a snuggly bed, steaming hot showers and furry slippers. It means jeans and boots and scarves and coats, fresh crisp air and blue sunny skies, hot chocolate and brisk beach walks on Sunday afternoons, sleeping in late and cuddling my man. I feel most alive in winter because I sleep better when I’m warm and wrapped up tight, there’s no humidity and my hair doesn’t frizz. What’s your favourite season?
The Universal Language of Aussie Blokes
My husband can strike up a conversation with just about anyone, it’s a skill that I’ve always admired and I’m impressed that even here, in Thailand, he manages to do it with ease.
We came here for dental work and a holiday and it’s been fabulous. There are a lot of Aussies here, possibly more Aussies than Thais, though I haven’t done a head count. As a result of spending quite a bit of time in Patong waiting in the dentist’s reception area, we’ve met many fellow Aussies and struck up conversations and the one theme that nearly always gets a great rapport happening is sport. Rugby League in particular, though my man could talk about ANY sport under water with a mouth full of marbles!
It’s a beautiful thing watching a camaraderie unfold between two blokes who love their footy – and it isn’t just at the dentist, it’s in the busess, in restaurants, in taxis, at our resort lobby, by the pool (did I mention we’re having a great holiday?) – just about anywhere. And if there’s another Aussie bloke nearby, he sits up straight and listens, smiles and nods, and before you can say “State of Origin” he’s in on the banter as well.
I just love that – though I think it might be time I learned more about footy…
A Taste of Thailand
I’m in Thailand! Yes, another bucket list ‘to do’ has been achieved, and all in a very short time. It’s amazing what you can do in a week, thanks to my wonderful travel agent. So, here I am with hubby, staying in a very nice resort on the western beaches of Phuket. It’s just lovely and such a treat to have a break from work and our daily routine. How blessed we are!
Our main reason for being here is dental work. Hubby needed some major work done and talking with friends lead us to choose Thailand for the dental work, and it really is brilliant, not to mention so much cheaper than at home in Australia. I thought I’d just come along for the trip, I didn’t think I would need any major dental work, just a check up and a clean, but it turns out I need a crown and root canal. Not fun, but we’ll make the most of it while we’re here!
So on our many visits to the dentist we’ve been constantly invited/begged/cajoled to buy from every vendor we pass in the street, and there are so many (as those who’ve been here would know), not to mention the taxi drivers and masseuse girls. I’ve noticed with interest how I react to the different personalities when they’re selling their wares. I don’t like the ones that crowd me, or feel threatening or get loud. I shy away from the pushy massage girls that step in front of us, or the tuk-tuk drivers that want our fare, and the guy that sells DVDs and holds pictures of recent movies in your face so you can’t pass easily.
And it got me thinking about my approach to people as a business, because if you’re like me, I prefer to market my business organically, by word of mouth and through social media, where people have a chance to get to know you a little before deciding to use your services. It’s about trust and connection, not standing at the front of your shop pouncing on every poor soul that wanders past. As a result, I’ve caught myself standing back and watching the taxi drivers, before choosing the quieter more respectful one to drive us back to our resort. I choose the shops I like by observing the owner, if they stand back and give me space, I’ll happily go in. If they stand at the front and hassle me, I walk away. It’s always good to walk in your customer’s shoes for a while. What do you think? How do you like to be treated as a customer?
We’ll be back in Australia in a few days, and boy oh boy, am I looking forward to the cooler weather! Oh, and my biz partner Krishna and I are running our Magnetise Your Brand workshop on the 23rd May, so if you’d like to learn how to market and brand your business in a nice way, without having to yell about it, come along!
‘La-Korn’ or ‘Goodbye’ in Aussie
Jeanne x
I am gr8ful for you Girlfriends
Day 30 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge – my theme for this month is gratitude for the special people in my life.
I am gr8ful for you Girlfriends
There’s a group of girls that I’ve known for about 15 years. Our children all went to primary school together and we’ve been friends through all those years. There’s something pretty special about sharing a bit chapter of your life with friends. In the early days we spent a lot of time making craft for the mother’s day stalls and the school fete. I loved those days filled with paint, cellophane and tissue paper! To walk into a brand new school and feel so welcomed was a new experience for me and I will be forever grateful. Over time our kids have grown, all have finished school now and are at uni or out in the world doing their thing and every few weeks us six girls get together for dinner. It’s become a tradition to celebrate our birthdays with each other where we catch up on news and share our lives. I am so grateful for you girls. Thank you for being an important part of my life Dorit, Rita, Gail, Virginia and Margaret. Love you long time beautiful ones x
Previous Gratitude Posts
I am gr8ful for you Brad and Nicole
Day 25 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge – my theme for this month is gratitude for the special people in my life.
Nicole and Brad – I am grateful for you
There are some friendships that last a life time, no matter how long it is between visits or conversations, you just pick up where you left off. That’s how we are. We’ve known you two for more than 25 years now, we’ve had babies together, moved houses and towns, demolished countless bottles of alcohol between us, cooked amazing feasts for each other, played a million games of 500 together, baled hay, been on holidays, and you cared for our kids when they were babies. I am so grateful that you’re an intricate part of our lives. You guys are family! Our children adore you both, especially now they can share those bottles with you 
I am grateful for your support, your unwavering friendship and the longevity of our friendship – we’ve got history! You are our rocks, when the chips are down you’re always there, when there’s a celebration you’re always there and I love you both long time and forever.
I am gr8ful for you Judy
Day 22 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge – my theme for this month is gratitude for the special people in my life.
Judy – I am gr8ful for you
Judy is an angel! Every fortnight for the last six weeks, Judy’s been arriving at my door, all dressed in white with her blue eyes sparkling. She comes with a mop in one hand and a bucket in the other. Judy is my cleaning lady, and I am SO grateful for her! I’ve never had a cleaning lady before and I used to wonder how I’d feel about someone in my home, cleaning up our stuff; I thought it might be embarrassing, but Judy is so sweet. I am grateful that Judy is very fussy and likes to clean things with gumption and a toothbrush (not my toothbrush!). She’s particularly good at mirrors and glass. She’s old-fashioned, she loves a chat, and she’s not afraid of a bit of hard work (yes, sadly it is hard work, I’ve neglected my domestic duties for far too long). Thank you Judy, I just love coming home to a sparkling clean house, it’s taken so much pressure off and you’re worth your weight in gold!
Previous Gratitude Posts
I am gr8ful for you Amanda
Day 16 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge – my theme for this month is gratitude for the special people in my life.
Mandy – I am gr8ful for you
Mandy – Amanda, you’ll always be Mandy to me! We’ve known each other for nearly ten years and you taught me so much when I first began working and studying graphic design. Thank you for being a wonderful designer and teacher – look at us now! I am grateful for your enthusiasm and the happiness that’s always in your voice and your emails. I am grateful for the work you now do for me, I am grateful that you so willingly stepped into my business and that you are a really important part of Witch Words, I couldn’t do it without you. I am grateful for your honesty, your amazing design skills and your speedy responses, but what I’m most grateful for is your friendship. Thank you for being my steadfast friend and for helping me make my business great, like you, Mandy the Great! Previous Posts
