I wanted to write a little bit more about something that was touched upon in a conference panel that I participated in along with Shannon McKarney and Rebecca Stanisic, and that was about investing in professional grade marketing materials. We were talking about spending out on things like great blog design, business cards, and rate sheets… and how important it is to make a good impression with these items (which are often your first point of contact with potential employers/clients).
You want to look like you’ve got it all pulled together, just like how you would in a job interview. If you’re going to an interview you’ve probably brushed your teeth, polished your shoes and de-linted your black suit jacket, right? You want to look good because the people you’re talking to are more likely to take you seriously if you do.
I believe really strongly that small business owners (not just bloggers, although many now fall into this category too) need to invest in themselves. I understand why they don’t. It costs money, and money spent means that the margin of profit is that much smaller.
I’ve heard it before: “Why should I get a business card professionally designed and printed when I can do it myself and print them at home?” or “Why should I bother getting a professional headshot/brochure/logo/ website/video when my nephew can do it for free?”
I certainly understand why people think in this way. This stuff can be expensive.
There are a lot of “prosumer” products out there that enable people to take a DIY approach to these things, whether it’s a desktop publishing program, a camera, or web design software. But not everyone has the skill or the time to do these things, and just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
In a past post I wrote about a fantastic service called Moo.com. You upload your design, add your text, and voila… you get a shipment of fantastic cards. The paper stock (a.k.a. the heft/weight of the card stock) is top notch, and you can easily fool people into thinking you paid a fortune for a professional print job. But I think the best thing about Moo is their amazing selection of professionally “predesigned” cards. I urge you to take that route, because you can really make a good impression with a well-designed business card.
One of the best things a small business owner can do is to call in the pros, but if you’ve decided not to hire someone to help you with your marketing materials the least you can do is find a trustworthy soul who will give you an honest opinion about them. Ask them: Does my [business card/website/blog/headshot] look professional? Will it help people take me seriously? Would YOU want to hire me based on this?
Most importantly, if they tell you the paper stock is a little flimsy or your webpage text is hard to read, don’t be hurt. Say thank you, because they’re doing you a big favour.
Creative professionals come in vary degrees. You can pay a little, or a lot. There are great designers out there and some not-so great. (Don’t hire anyone without looking at their portfolio!) Whether it’s a professional web design or a business card, you need to spend out. It’s an investment in your business, one that will get you noticed, help you stand out, and hopefully bring you more business in the future.
Are you someone who works in creative services? I’d love to hear your take. (Leave your link so we can check out your portfolio too!) Or maybe you’re a small business owner who struggles with this? I’d love to talk about it some more and hear what you think.
