How does Christmastime affect how you run your business? Do you or your employees leave a smidge early each week, to attend parties or get tasks done? I actually work harder now, because everyone else around me wants to leave early to get to social events.
Do you give thank-you gifts to your clients? I am terrible at this tradition. Even amongst my close friends, I almost always don't get around to writing thank-you cards. I fantasize about hiring a card-writing service. Besides not having lots of time, the other problem I have with this task is that I have a really creative mind, so I don't want to just churn out generic cards. I want to hand-make and tailor each one to each special person.
Do you go to all of the holiday events? I am actually going to a sunny, warm beach soon, so while wrapping up loose ends in my business, I don't have time to say hi and meet new people in local networks. But if I was staying home, believe me I'd be attending as many parties as I could!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Flurry of Activity
I'm very excited with the increased amount of work I have been doing for Van Media. Last weekend I attended a show and met a number of small business owners. I was attempting to increase business by trying to find out if people needed photography done to market their products.
It's funny, I was not intending to buy anything at all. But I walked out of that show with a small handful of products, for myself and for friends. A (pleasing) cost of doing business, I guess!
It's funny, I was not intending to buy anything at all. But I walked out of that show with a small handful of products, for myself and for friends. A (pleasing) cost of doing business, I guess!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Summer to Fall
This morning I was reminded, as I pushed piles of fall leaves off the sidewalk, that the beginning of a season marks a time to push forward with our businesses. Many entrepreneurial colleagues are trying new ways to drum up new clients. Some are innovative -- creating information booklets targeted to specific clients -- some are not so effective -- mass mailouts.
On the former point, I know someone who saw a need for a pre-fab product, to save money, time, and hassle for his clients. He is developing his idea further by chatting with veterans in the industry. He has also printed up manuals for clients, which he has dropped off for them to peruse. This guy has the hard-working attitude and unique ideas, which will help him develop a small business venture.
For myself, I have decided to push for a larger networking base. I have renewed my interest in attending social events, and meeting new people. I will admit I had been working mostly behind the scenes, shoring up budget details and technicalities. It is now time to venture out again, taking time to say hi and see what others are up to.
What is a new push that you are doing this Fall, for your business?
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Looking back at summer 2010, this was one of the photography projects I worked on:
This wedding was shot at Van Dusen. It was not too sunny, but there was enough light that I could just use a reflector. Shooting with these clients was easy, considering I had joined them the week before the wedding, to scout locations.
From one season to the next, we can all look back and see if changes need to be made, to improve our work.
On the former point, I know someone who saw a need for a pre-fab product, to save money, time, and hassle for his clients. He is developing his idea further by chatting with veterans in the industry. He has also printed up manuals for clients, which he has dropped off for them to peruse. This guy has the hard-working attitude and unique ideas, which will help him develop a small business venture.
For myself, I have decided to push for a larger networking base. I have renewed my interest in attending social events, and meeting new people. I will admit I had been working mostly behind the scenes, shoring up budget details and technicalities. It is now time to venture out again, taking time to say hi and see what others are up to.
What is a new push that you are doing this Fall, for your business?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Looking back at summer 2010, this was one of the photography projects I worked on:
This wedding was shot at Van Dusen. It was not too sunny, but there was enough light that I could just use a reflector. Shooting with these clients was easy, considering I had joined them the week before the wedding, to scout locations.
From one season to the next, we can all look back and see if changes need to be made, to improve our work.
Monday, August 16, 2010
A Summer Office
With the incredible heat in our city lately, I have often wished that it wasn't a social faux pas to bring my laptop to the beach. I'm sure it's for the best that I'm disconnected and enjoying people and nature. However, sometimes the efficiency expert in me creeps up and says, "I could get so much work done just sitting here."
I will admit, my perfect office would have a 360 degree view of the water and sand, plus a nice cooling breeze. Some sangria would replace my hot coffee.
What do you envision to be your perfect summer working environment?
I will admit, my perfect office would have a 360 degree view of the water and sand, plus a nice cooling breeze. Some sangria would replace my hot coffee.
What do you envision to be your perfect summer working environment?
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Privacy
I've been receiving junk mail from Shaw almost once a week. It is never directly addressed to me. Instead, it says "Current Occupant". I emailed Shaw and asked them to take my address off their list. Their response was, if it was not directly addressed to my name, they could not do that. It was something I could only do via Canada Post.
Call me dumb if you like, but although I know that there are ways to take onself off junk mail lists, I really don't like going through the trouble. This does, however, put Shaw in a bad spot in my mind. They have now made an impression as a company that does not care about the environment, by constantly sending me offers in the mail. I don't watch cable television, and my internet is provided very well by another company.
Call me dumb if you like, but although I know that there are ways to take onself off junk mail lists, I really don't like going through the trouble. This does, however, put Shaw in a bad spot in my mind. They have now made an impression as a company that does not care about the environment, by constantly sending me offers in the mail. I don't watch cable television, and my internet is provided very well by another company.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Let Me Out
As previously posted, I do not enjoy it when people at networking events "vulture" upon my business card right away, without having asked in-depth about my business. I usually suspect they want my card for spam purposes, and sure enough I am currently getting haunted by a business owner I met at an event last month. I have been added to her mass email list, and am constantly getting updates about her networking events. Her last email was a plea for people to inform her if there were any opportunities for her to get hired for her services. I guess work is slow for her. Unfortunately, in the email there was no option to get out of her email list. Most good business owners supply that option, so for her to not do so is bad email etiquette, in my opinion.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Above the Rest
Looks like a major coffee chain is trying to save lost business: http://twitpic.com/1vhi2q
We have so many coffee shops in this city. How can each store make theirs stand out from the vast ocean of cafes? I know that other types of businesses are trying to link their store to a current cause. For example, I passed one beauty salon that had posters asking people to come in and sign their anti-HST petition. It honestly almost made me stop and turn around to sign (I was hungry and just continued to steam home). Another hair salon was featured in their local newspaper, because they are sending hair trimmings to the States to help clean up the oil spill. Even though that salon is out of my way, I seriously considered going there for a trim the next time I was in that area.
Which poses the question: how can a coffee shop make itself newsworthy, and stand out from the rest?
We have so many coffee shops in this city. How can each store make theirs stand out from the vast ocean of cafes? I know that other types of businesses are trying to link their store to a current cause. For example, I passed one beauty salon that had posters asking people to come in and sign their anti-HST petition. It honestly almost made me stop and turn around to sign (I was hungry and just continued to steam home). Another hair salon was featured in their local newspaper, because they are sending hair trimmings to the States to help clean up the oil spill. Even though that salon is out of my way, I seriously considered going there for a trim the next time I was in that area.
Which poses the question: how can a coffee shop make itself newsworthy, and stand out from the rest?
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