There are times when passion takes a definite backseat to financial desperation as a deciding factor in choosing which projects to take on. I’ve been in such a financial bind, I begrudgingly took on projects that were highly underpaid. Sometimes, I modified prices to fit someone else’s budget, or worked for clients who completely disregard my creative process in favor of their own last minute deadline. I’ve done work before collecting a deposit, only to find that when payment was required at the end of a project, I couldn’t get anyone to return an email or voicemail. I’ve definitely been burned—and much to my chagrin—because I didn’t stick to my guns.

I’m guilty, but I’m not alone. If you are like me, every minute devoted to someone else’s project is one minute loss to spending time with my family. After a string of bad client experiences, I redefined my ideal client from “anyone who is paying” to one who will respect my creative process and design expertise. There are also key words and phrases I’ve identified that raise red flags indicating this “potential client” doesn’t fit the mold of my “ideal client” in which case, I reject the opportunity. Bad clients kill inspiration and passion, and lead me to create pieces that are meagerly effective. Choosing the “ideal” client keeps my work “enjoyable” and I work best when I enjoy what I’m doing. I encourage you to do the same.

Have you ever felt like you should be doing something just because everyone else seems to be doing it? I feel like that sometimes. When the web became a household convention, every business decided it was absolutely necessary to have a website. Having a web presence became a much greater priority than having a printed brochure. In fact, some potential clients didn’t even take your business seriously if you didn’t have a website. When blogs emerged as a mass communication tool (with the potential to earn residual income through advertisers if your readership was high enough), many businesses started a blog. When Facebook social networking was adapted as a to-do item in every person’s daily task list, many businesses saw an opportunity to advertise their products and services to millions of people by joining this “brave new world.” A client once asked me if they should have a blog, join facebook and/or twitter because every other business seemed to be doing it. So I replied, “Is every business doing it?” The answer to the question is no.

Before you can decide how your business interacts with potential clients, you must first decide who your business is. You must first know and understand your brand. Only then can you decide how your brand will communicate. My friends know me pretty well. All of them have known me for the last ten years, at least. They know the things I’m most likely to do, and least likely to do based on what they know about me. In the same way they know me, you must know your brand. If your brand personality is conducive to the Facebook or Twitter environment, go for it. Any business communication effort—be it blogging, Facebook, Twitter, website, brochure, flyer, other marketing collateral, printed or electronic—requires dedication, diligence, time and energy for success. Repetition and consistency build/strengthen a brand. It’s okay to do what everyone else is doing, so long as it makes sense for your brand. Your greatest challenge will be figuring out how to differentiate your business from others that live in the same environment. Aye, there’s the rub.

What’s my point? Many people avoid Walmart for the same reasons I did—it’s too junky, can’t find what you’re looking for, paper plates and plastic forks in two different ares, etc. Are your marketing materials the same way? Can people follow the information on your website or are the background colors too bright? Is your writing succinct or wordy? Are you using bold, italicized, and underlined text in all caps for emphasis? People would much rather go elsewhere than to try and navigate your brochure or website for the one little thing they’re looking for. Perhaps if you clean things up a bit, people will be more inclined to spend their money with your business. Like a good neighbor, I’ve got all the cleaning supplies you need.

One of my favorite blogs, Design*Sponge, stated “the four P’s of marketing are Product, Price, Placement and Promotion” in a recent blog post about the top 10 Ladies Biz Mistakes and Successes. I encourage you to read the full article by clicking here. Maybe it isn’t in the budget to hire an unkanny designer for the design, but I am available for consultation. Let’s stir things up together!