Marketing to Global Small Businesses

Posted on February 5, 2012 by Ilise Benun

Recently, I was approached by Magdalena (Madla) Cevelova, a "freelance marketing consultant and lecturer" in the Czech Republic (her tagline is "Marketing Witch!" -- follow her on Twitter at @madlacevelova).

Like many freelancers in our community, she specializes in working with small business owners. So I asked her to write about how marketing is similar and/or different in her country. Here's what she sent:

Czech Republic is one of the post-communist countries in the heart of Europe. Of course, there were some advertisements before the Velvet Revolution, but mostly like “Drink milk. It is good for health.” In the 90s, the entire history of global marketing happened in only 10 years. Nobody knew how to run a business. But almost everybody tried to.

With ten and a half million people speaking their own unique language, the Czech market is much smaller than in the US, which makes it a little bit difficult to define the right target group. It might easily be too small to earn a living wage.

After the year 2000, the market became more stable. Some people learned how to run a business; others went bankrupt. Now, there are about 2 million registered small business owners. And about 60,000 new ones appear every year.

It is said that Czech customers are very price-oriented. I would rather say Czech business owners like using sales and special promotions as the main marketing tool. That is also why deal-of-the-day websites became so popular here.

Most of the small businesses sell their services and products via word of mouth and do no marketing at all. It is the same all over the world, I suppose. For some of them it is still sufficient. The rest are divided into two groups: on-line and off-line marketing fans.

Czechs are quite technologically advanced. Almost everybody has internet access, and smart phones are widely popular. Also we are one of the few countries in the world where the local search engine is stronger than Google. It´s no wonder that most small business owners bet on internet marketing.

In a survey I did last year, 90% of respondents were using their own websites to attract potential customers. They also focus on search engine optimization. Small business owners often use combined marketing techniques such as professional blogs, PPC campaigns and social networks to promote their websites.

The off-line group is mostly focusing on personal selling strategies together with customer events and special offers. Among outdoor advertisement tools, those with the navigation purpose work best.

For small business owners, search-engine optimized websites are the most effective way to attract new customers, since e-mail marketing is strongly regulated by the so called “anti spam law”. E-mails offering products or services can be sent only to people who have previously agreed to receive email newsletters. Otherwise the business owners risk significant penalties. E-mail campaigns cannot be used to acquire new clients, but, on the other hand, represent an effective means to keep in touch with existing customers.

Also cold calling should be used with caution. People can feel overwhelmed by various marketing tools. Phone calls, very often used by financial advisors, could be perceived as a violation of privacy.

Madla also shared a few freelance resources from the Czech Republic:

 

Posted in All Posts, Freelancers Union, Freelancing, Growing Your Business, Marketing, Money, Pricing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

How well do you track your expenses?

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Ilise Benun

It's that time again to start thinking (and doing something) about your taxes. So we're kicking off the new month with the first in a series of posts from our favorite resource, Rockstar CPA, who will be speaking at the Creative Freelancer Conference this year in Boston, June 21-22, 2012. (Early bird registration ends March 30. Sign up now and take the tax deduction!)

This tax season, we at Rockstar CPA want to encourage you to take full advantage of the resources at your disposal to make tax time a snap and to get your taxes to the lowest possible rate. Here are a few things not to forget this tax season:

  1. Don't Cut Yourself Short: Just because you work in a t-shirt at the cafe or your pjs in your apartment doesn't mean we can't treat you like a business when it comes to your taxes. And that's exactly what we want to do. Why? If you're not a business, you're a hobby—and hobbies aren't allowed to deduct losses. So if you're thinking of not reporting your freelance career because you're not “making enough” yet, just remember, that money you're losing in this year can be offset against income from all other sources. Get the credit you deserve!
  2. Be Aggressive On Research Expenses: Research can include anything that makes you better at what you do or inspires the work you create in some way. As creative professionals, hopefully your wheels are spinning already thinking of possibilities... Be aggressive about reporting these expenses, but be equally diligent about tracking the connection between each expense and your work.
  3. Mixing Business and Pleasure: When traveling for work, it's very common to include some time for fun. Just get to a firm number of work days vs. personal days and have something on paper (e.g. calendar) to back it up. Then add up all your travel costs for the trip (flight, ground transport, meals, etc) and multiply it by (work days / total days). Easy!
  4. Your Bank Statement is NOT a Receipt: The IRS looks at bank statements as “secondary” evidence of a transaction. Why? A debit card swiped at the drug store will only have a total on it, and while you might have used it to grab batteries for your camera, there's no way to prove that. So keep the paper—or use a system to digitize it for you so you can at least refer back if needed. We've developed an app, The Rockstar CPA Tax Tracker, just for you:
    http://bit.ly/osPj51

Posted in CFC, Featured, Money, Sponsors & Partners, Tools of the trades | Tagged | 2 Comments

Do your clients say this about your proposal.....

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Ilise Benun

"Your proposal blew the others out of the water.

We were a little hesitant doing business with someone who isn’t local. I always wanted your company to work on this project but I needed my colleagues to agree. Once they saw your proposal, there was no question who to hire."

...or do you not hear back at all?

This testimonial came from the brand new client of a designer who used the Marketing Mentor Proposal Bundle for Designers to get that job.

The Proposal Bundle for Designers can do the same for you.

It can help you win more projects in 2012.

Get 11 Sample Proposals and More

Here's what you get in the all-electronic, immediately downloadable 208-page PDF:

  • 11 Actual Sample Proposals (click here to see what industries and what types of proposals are included)
  • 9 Keys to help you create job-winning proposals yourself
  • 4 Bonuses on RFPs (Requests for Proposal)
  • Webcast: Proposals that Get you the Job (with Ilise Benun, co-producer of the Creative Freelancer Conference)

With the right tools, you'll never waste your time on another ill-fitting proposal again.

If you're working on a proposal today, this will help you get the job! It's entirely electronic and immediately downloadable. Get it here.

Posted in All Posts, Proposals, Resources, Sponsors & Partners, Tools of the trades | Tagged | Leave a comment

Do you love paper too?

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Jeremy Flagg

I feel that as a designer, I have to have a symbiotic relationship with the medium I use.

However, some designers see the term “green” as direct opposition to their craft. The truth is, print designers have more options than ever, and access to these options is only increasing.

I must confess: I love paper.

I think there are two big issues when it comes to using paper responsibly. Sorry designers, you are the biggest issue (I’ll discuss the second in another post.) Fortunately, you are the easiest obstacle to overcome. I can’t say how much change a little education can create. Let’s dispel some of the more common myths:

Myth: There just aren’t that many papers available. If I don’t have a variety, why bother?

Truth: I am looking at a sample book supplied by Mohawk called “loop.” In this book there are a variety of papers, I think I can say about a thousand. There are a variety of colors, textures, thicknesses and each has a unique environmental profile. There are more options than you could possibly imagine.

Myth: All paper uses trees, so it’s all the same.

Truth: A single sheet of white paper may be made from virgin fiber (freshly cut) shipped from overseas (what powers that boat?) is bleached (if you won’t drink it, it can’t be good for the environment) and then shipped out. So even if the paper you’re using is 30% Post Consumer Waste (it uses paper that has already served one life and is being reused) you’re taking 30% of that bleached, shipped, tree killing paper out of the equation. And supporting the people who make recycled paper.

Myth: My print run is small and it won’t make an impact; I’ll worry on a bigger job.

Truth: This argument always makes me angry. Every bit counts. It would be as if liberators said, “I won’t free a slave unless I can free them all.” Yes. I’m extremely strong in my belief that no matter how small, a positive action is still positive. A lot of small positive actions is called a movement. Be part of that movement.

Myth: It costs more.

Truth: I’m sorry to say, many environmentally friendly alternatives are available at competitive prices. It only takes a bit of research to see what exactly is available. Looking at Mohawk paper prices, the difference is negligible on larger print jobs. Again, even 30% PCW (which is a cheaper than 100% PCW) is better than 100% virgin fiber.

Myth: My printer doesn’t carry environmentally friendly papers.

Truth: I find it hard to believe that your printer doesn’t carry a house stock of paper that doesn’t have at least 30% PCW. Even my online printer (which I use for small print jobs) offers a wide variety of green(er) options. This is the perfect opportunity to build a relationship with your printer. Call them and ask to come in (or do it on the phone) and let them know, “Okay, I’m ready to try some environmentally friendly options…where do I begin?”

I’m sure there are more. I’m curious what are other issues really deter you from using environmentally friendly papers? I’m sure there will come times when you have your environmentally friendly options removed, so I’m curious to hear what those situations might be as well.

Posted in All Posts, Designers, Resources, Tools of the trades | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Podcast: Bryn's tax surprise

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Ilise Benun

When it comes to taxes, are you deducting everything you can?

Bryn wasn’t.

Bryn Mooth is an independent journalist and copywriter at Writes4Food. (Some CFC-ers probably know her as the former editor of HOW Magazine.) We’ve been following Bryn’s journey since she went out on her own last year, and recently, we talked about taxes.

In the first meeting with her accountant, Bryn had a big surprise:

She had a percentage in mind that she imagined paying Uncle Sam, but the actual number, “was significantly higher than I expected… I knew that I needed to account for self-employment tax and social security; what I didn’t realize is that, as an independent contractor … I need to pay my income tax quarterly… When I was employed by someone else, it was sort of off my radar…”

Having to pay a much bigger percentage than she expected was a “rude awakening” for Bryn. Fortunately, she had built up a financial cushion before becoming self-employed. This cushion was a huge relief.

Now, Bryn has a different mindset. Read about what she's planning to do going forward here on the Marketing Mix Blog.

And for guidance when it comes to taxes, we adore June Walker, tax advisor for the self-employed. Read her guest posts here on the Creative Freelancer Blog and check out here books,  Self-employed Tax Solutions + Five Easy Steps, and her free resources.

Posted in Featured, Freelancers Union, Freelancing, Money, Tools of the trades, Writers | Tagged , | 1 Comment

A Time Management System That Never Crashes

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Laurel Black

Laurel BlackI just read the guest blog about bringing cupcakes. It was excellent! I too have just posted on my own blog, a short piece about my personal time management method. (I am trying very hard to post weekly as a marketing goal for 2012.) Here's an excerpt:

At the beginning of every week, I take a piece of paper out of my printer and fold it into thirds and again into half. I then have 6 squares. Five are labeled Monday through Friday with their respective calendar dates, and the sixth is where I put a list of job tasks that have to be worked on that week.

I then prioritize those in order of how soon they're due by numbering them. Then I look in my day planner for meetings, deadlines, etc. and write them down with their hour times in the appropriate day box.

I include things like when I'm going to go to the Y and anything else that is important (like a doctor’s appointment). I now have the whole week spread out in front of me and I can see at a glance how much work time I have (provided I don't goof off playing Minesweeper and reading blogs).

As things come up, I erase and revise. Easy peasy. Takes about five minutes, nothing to install and it never crashes.

Anyone else still using paper?

Posted in All Posts, Freelancers Union, Freelancing, Inspiration, Time Management, Work/Life Balance | Tagged | 9 Comments

Post Holiday Call To Action

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Steve Gordon

Steve Gordon, Jr.We haven't heard from our old freelancin' friend, Steve Gordon, in a while. So here's an excerpt from his column at Rockport Publishing's blog, RockPaperInk.

Creative professionals have a hand in the conception and production of any number of products—be them vital, or simply too much fun to ignore. We know packaging, color theory, marketing, identity and branding; or at least we are less than 6-degrees of separation away from someone who does. We like to think we've cornered the market on bolstering brands, visually swaying the thoughts and minds of the attentive masses (oh go on, admit it—we think we're the bee's knees at this stuff). Why not turn this formidable set of skills loose on ourselves? I've heard it said that if a designer is not making something for themselves, they are failing to do their job in the worst way.

I bring this up as a call-to-action in post-holiday lull that finds the momentum of the past year exhausted, and finds us searching for the next round of energy to get us back up and moving. That will happen, as it almost always does. But as everything and everyone re-aligns and gets their motivation, we have to realize that we are a very important cog in the machine, with a set of skills that would find us very capable of creating something of our own while in the space of waiting to create something for someone else.

Here are some simple starter tips you can do to make something—of yourself—this year:

Give yourself some credit: Give credence and credibility to the ideas that you have floating around. Too often we discount what we know or what we can accomplish because we are thinking in terms of doing it for ourselves. If we were cultivating ideas for a client, we'd know what to do. Why lose that confidence when thinking about our own self-propelled ideas?

Don't take "sides": Side projects get treated as such; unimportant bits that are easily pushed out of the way by seemingly more crucial things. Well, of course they'll be deemed as unimportant if we actively treat them as such. If you are giving any effort or thought to an idea or project that you think has merit, then it is most certainly important.

Ah, yes… your name is on the list—Client #1: One way to give importance to your own ideas is to do something that we creatives are already familiar with; give yourself a "client" code or name, and give each viable idea a very real project number. The chance of following-thru gains a few percentage points if you can see yourself and your project on the list. That way you give visual—and mental—importance to what you want to work on. You also have to actively ditch yourself if you quit the project. There's something disheartening about that and I doubt you do it as cavalierly as you would a "side" project.

Read the entire post here.

And check out Steve's book, 100 Habits of Successful Freelance Designers.

Posted in All Posts, Freelancing, Inspiration, Self-Promotion, Speakers | Tagged | Leave a comment

Should you bring cupcakes?

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Ilise Benun

Earlier this month, in the middle of my webcast, "The Only Marketing Tools You Need for 2012," I made a request for creatives to send me guest blog posts. Here's the first of several that came my way as a result. (Just proves that you sometimes get what ask for. In fact, that's the heart of marketing.)

So, from Allison Manley, principal of Chicago-based firm, Rogue Element, an excerpt from one of her recent blog posts, "Advice for Young Designers," with a bit of editorializing I couldn't resist. This is all really good advice for anyone trying to make a good first impression, freelancer or employee, young or old, designer or other.

We frequently interview students or recent design school graduates who are eager to show their portfolio. Even if we don't have a need to hire at the moment, we are happy to do this, since we remember all too well what it was like looking for work right out of school. The feedback from an established designer or firm is invaluable, so you should interview as much as you can. There is common advice out there about how to best do an interview . . . give a firm handshake, spell check your resume, and be on time come to mind. But we'd like to go beyond the obvious suggestions and instead offer a few that are specific to our industry. So here's our short list:

1) Don't wear jeans.
It doesn't matter if the studio you are visiting has a casual atmosphere, or if most designers dress down. It is always best to dress up for an interview. When we see someone coming in our office in a pair of jeans, it sends a visual signal about how seriously that person takes the interview. If you must wear jeans, at the very least make sure they are nice and don't look worn out.

2) Never say "because it looked cool."
We take our client strategy very seriously. We don't make things look pretty/cool/fun/etc just for the sake of it. We consider what's appropriate to the audience who is using the end design. Even if a client says they hate yellow, we will push for using yellow if their audience responds to it in a way that meets the project goals. It's about creating a product that works for our clients, not what works for us (we like to say "communication, not decoration"). The last thing we want to hear when looking at a potential employee's work is that you made a decision on one of your designs "because it looked cool." You should make your color/image/font/layout choices because they impacted the goals for the project. And you bet we're going to ask you why you made those decisions, so be prepared to stand up for those choices.

If your goal for a project is to make cool-looking stuff, then guess what: you are not a designer. You are a decorator.

We're not artists. We solve problems for clients. It's not about what you want for your portfolio. Making stuff look cool has no value. There are thousands of kids graduating every year all over the world that can decorate a great-looking page, and do it for less money than you. Just look at any online "logo shop." You want a career that can grow and sustain you? You had better be ready to offer clients something more than "because it looks cool."

3) Bring cupcakes.
Not required of course, but bonus points if you do. We like cupcakes.

4) Show us how you think.
We can train people on software, best practices, printing techniques and the like. It's fantastic if you have that experience already. But frankly, we want to know that you've got a good mind. So show us that you can solve a problem. Show us process sketches, or talk about the process of the project, so we can see how you got from your initial idea to final execution. We are more impressed by this than your experience with a ton of software.

(This goes for anyone offering a creative service. If they can't see how you thought through a problem to find the solution, they won't be able to value it and/or pay what it's worth. Like your math teacher used to say, "Show your work.")

5) Be curious about the interviewers too.
Ask questions about the firm. Ask them about their working process, their office culture, and expectations. Learn about the type of work they do, and if they specialize in any one type of design or client. You're getting to know them just as much as they are getting to know you, so be sure to ask your own questions.

(Click here to see the lovely cupcakes that went with this post.)

What do you think? Anything to add? Have you tried bringing cupcakes?

Posted in All Posts, Designers, Freelancers Union, Freelancing, Marketing | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Productivity and 100-Calorie Snack Packs

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Henry Alpert

Even if you’ve never been on a diet, you’ve most likely noticed 100-calorie snack packs on store shelves. In this selling tactic, a food manufacturer will take a brand of chips, cookies or crackers and package 100 calories worth of them into a small bag. Although this food trend is probably past its peak by now, these snack packs still sell very well. Their success is rooted in dieters’ struggle with self-control, and considering that many of us self-employed creatives have difficulty staying focused in our home offices, snack packs can teach us a lesson about willpower and productivity.

Hundred-calorie snack packs are not a good deal in objective terms. According to Consumer Reports, consumers are paying 16% to 279% more per ounce than if they purchased the same product in standard bags or boxes. “If you can buy snacks in their regular packages and use an ounce of willpower, your wallet will stay fatter,” says the magazine.

But apparently that “ounce of willpower” is hard for some people to come by. Shoppers who pick up the snack packs undoubtedly know they are paying more than they need to, but what that extra cost ultimately buys them is portion control.

External controls can help people stick to their goals, whether that means eating less or focusing on work. As a self-employed writer, I understand that the more I work, the more I get paid. At the same time, I can find myself tempted by distractions. So over the years, I’ve developed a number of tricks to help me shore up my willpower and stay focused on what I need to do:

  • Track time – I track all the time I spend on my business using an online service, whether or not the time is billable. Whenever I take a break, I clock out. I’ve set goals for a certain number of hours to work each week and run a report every Monday to see how I did.
  • Write detailed task lists – When I have big project or just find myself struggling to get started, I take the time to write up a list of small tasks and then gain a sense of accomplishment each time I check off a completed item.
  • Use the Pomodoro technique – I’ve been experimenting with this productivity strategy and have never been able to do it all day long (and am not sure I’d want to), but sometimes it does help me get into a productive groove. Basically, the Pomodoro technique has you work in 25-minute increments broken up by five-minute breaks.
  • Keep a “distraction dump” – When I’m working and I feel a sudden urge to check Facebook or look up something pointless on Google, I note that urge in a little book I keep on my desk. Simply writing it down can make the urge go away, and if it doesn’t, I’ll take care of my curiosities during a break.

The list of my little tricks goes on. They won’t work for everyone, and truthfully they don’t always work for me. My processes are always changing. But generally speaking I find that if I want to remain productive, willpower alone won’t cut it. I need to develop an external structure for my workday.

To an outside observer watching me work, my productivity habits might seem overly complex and even counterproductive. For example, someone might argue the process of writing down lots of little tasks simply to check them off is waste of time. Sure, maybe it is a waste of time. Then again, 100-calorie snack packs are a poor value. Whatever works.

--

Henry Alpert is a New Orleans-based copywriter and business writer who works with design studios, ad agencies, and companies’ in-house marketing departments. More information about Henry can be found on the website for his company, Action Copy. Also, check out his blog The Awkward Adverb, a periodic look at substandard Standard English.

Posted in All Posts, Freelancing, Time Management, Work/Life Balance, Writers | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Do you have an online marketing plan?

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Ilise Benun

If you don't already have an online marketing plan in place -- one that uses strictly online marketing tools to find clients anywhere -- I hope you'll consider joining my new online course, Developing a Successful Online Marketing Plan. The new session starts next week, Feb 6.

In 8 weeks and four lessons, you'll learn easy, low-cost strategies for finding great prospects, building relationships with clients and marketing your creative business.

Here's the official description:

Ilise Benun, a widely recognized expert on marketing for creative businesses, has developed a series of reading materials, audio and video presentations, and online resources to help you build an effective online marketing plan for your business in four steps. Plus, you’ll get practical exercises and worksheets designed to help you apply what you’re learning to your own business. And you’ll have a chance to interact with other students to ask questions and share your own experiences.

Course outline:

  • Lesson 1: Finding Your Ideal Target Market
  • Lesson 2: Building or refining a marketing-smart website
  • Lesson 3: Using LinkedIn to find clients
  • Lesson 4: E-mail Marketing Strategies That Work

In this course you’ll learn:

  • How to identify your ideal target market
  • How to find your best prospects, online and offline
  • How to build or refine your firm’s website to effectively drum up new business
  • How to use LinkedIn find new clients
  • And how to use email to strategically stay at the top of your clients’ and prospects’ minds.

Who should take this course:

  • Creative professionals who need the tools and guidance to develop an online marketing plan
  • Creative professionals who want to expand their reach into new markets using inexpensive online marketing strategies

Recommended materials:

What is HOW U?

A HOW U workshop is a purely online class—you can work at your own pace between the start and end dates. Each lesson is made up of reading material, related articles and a few videos to watch, with an assignment to test yourself on what you’ve learned. You can also chat with the instructor and the other students on the discussion board. There’s no specific time “class” is in session, so you can log on before you go to work, on your lunch break or in the middle of the night. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Any questions?

Posted in Announcements, Designers, Featured | Tagged | 2 Comments