2012 is here, and big changes are happening at Grassroots Marketing + Brand Design. (More may be happening outside of work too. That remains to be seen.)
First, yes, the website. Have a peek around… there’s a lot of new additions, and a few things you won’t find. Bottom line, it was time. One of those moments reflected in the quote from Anais Nin:
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to bloom.”
“I still don’t know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I’d got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I’ve never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I’m much too fast to take that test…”– “Changes”, David Bowie
I quoted the first verse of David Bowie’s song because it really reflects where I am right now in my life and my business.
I don’t know why I waited so long to make these course corrections. My time was running wild… working 18 hours a day or more, exhausted all the time, completely spent keeping on top of all the demands. Many days felt like all I did was wander down are dead-end streets… constantly doubling back, frustrated at another empty promise unfulfilled, back to where I was before and sucking up the courage to try another avenue to get where I want to go.
And although there have been a lot of wins along the way, it’s not always been fun. Relationships come into play, and not always in a good light. Doubt and worry and anxious moments sneak in at the weak spots like water seeping into the hull of a ship. Money always appears to be ‘coming’ but never ‘here’. I have become nauseous by the perpetual feast-or-famine roller coaster of revenue.
(I think one or two people reading this can relate at some level.)
So this holiday season (and a couple weeks prior) I turned to face some of these things. Some were easy answers. In some situations, I do not like what I see. At all. It may be business or it may be personal, but in either respect, changes are required. Changes only I can make.
What’s missing?
One of the things you won’t find is a big flag waving over my site proclaiming the fact that I design websites. Yes, I still design websites, and I have a technician to build them. However, after some soul-searching over the holidays, I decided to ‘downplay’ that aspect of the business. With good reason.
A website is not a cure-all. It is not a one-off project. It is not something you launch and leave alone. It’s a really big, really important aspect of an overall marketing and branding strategy. I know because not having my website active for several months caused me to ask myself many questions on this matter… How do I manage to stay so busy even with my website ‘under construction’? What do I want to do with my website? What goals do I have for it? How will it add to my business? How will I monetize it?
To me, the one-off website is a waste of time and money. Not mine. Yours. If all you do is get the site done without a strategy on how to leverage this magnificent, international broadcast medium, then we’re all just spinning our wheels. The rubber never really meets the road and all that’s accomplished is a bunch of muck gets hurled into the air.
So, rather than looking like yet another “me too” business and saying “I provide branding and marketing services… oh and websites…”, I’m going to do my best to walk the talk and focus on what my business is about: marketing and branding and design. ALL design. Print, web, social media… it’s all design.
If you need a website, talk to us… but be prepared. We’re going to discuss more than ‘just’ a website. We’re going to look at the bigger picture to make sure you know just what you’re going to do with it when we’re done.
What’s new?
You asked for it. Really. You did.
I’m providing some marketing support services, offers that fit every budget. From a Marketing Mastermind group to a year-long action-oriented marketing implementation program, it’s all here. Like I said, I intend to live my brand.
I’ve also got different levels of branding programs available now. These are more than logos. Logo is Greek for word. Your word(s) have to mean something. That’s what we discuss. If you have a business and wonder why things aren’t ‘buzzing’ like they should, get a Brand Audit – it’s a good starting point to assess what’s going on.
Of course I still provide design – print, web and social media design. To streamline these offers, they are all listed under “Design Services”. Brochures, posters, business cards, display units, point-of-purchase, clothing,… whatever you need to promote your business can be procured here.
Something else that is new is our client intake process. All new prospective clients receive one 30-minute consultation call (you can book your time online here) and we interview each other. You ask me questions and I do the same. If we’re a match, we get busy. If not, I do my best to refer you to someone better suited to your needs and we move on.
My Business Manager Amie and I set up several new processes for client intake, welcome, production, project management, follow-ups, invoicing… but you don’t need to know all that. Suffice it to say, we’re getting on top of things more than ever.
One more thing!
After running the Seeds of Ideas Telesummit this fall, I fell in love with teleconferencing. So I am also offering FREE monthly teleseminars on a variety of topics, all designed to address subjects critical to your business success. Check the link above for our schedule of calls. Notice and information for these calls are ONLY available to my newsletter subscribers, so if you’re not receiving my newsletter now, sign up! Our very first call is with one of my team, Aaron Simpson and we’re talking about Online Security. Don’t miss out!
Let's Connect!