We normally celebrate our nation’s Independence Day on July 4th. But for me, Independence Day came on July 12, 1995. That was the day I turned in my resignation at my engineering job and decided to devote myself to my business full-time.
What I didn’t know at the time, was that independence is only the first step. All of us feel the need for a certain degree of autonomy, the power to control our destiny and have a say-so over our lives. But are any of us truly “independent?”
Being accountable for our actions is a great and noble thing. It doesn’t just mean accepting blame when things go wrong; it also means being able to feel good about our accomplishments when things go right. But in most cases, there are other people who were involved in either instance. And almost without fail, other people will be impacted by our actions in either case.
In his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey tells us that the highest state of personal effectiveness is not Independence, but Interdependence. Interdependence is what happens when two (or several) individuals have a relationship in which each has strengths and skills that are valuable to other, and in fact increase the overall productivity and effectiveness of the individuals and the group. It differs from dependence in that there is an equal relationship between the parties, where no one is (or feels) subservient and all are operating for mutual benefit.
Even though the original 13 colonies were independent, they relied on one another economically, politically and socially; not to mention countries like France, without whose military and financial support the American Revolution would not have been possible.
As entrepreneurs, we often feel like we are “going it alone.” In fact, we are all part of a team that includes our staff, vendors, customers and families. When each of us succeeds, we all succeed. Let’s remain mindful of that so that we respect one another’s contribution and make decisions for the benefit of all.
Do you realize you need to increase sales, improve your customer base, or get your message out, but aren’t quite sure where to begin? Whether it’s an individual freelancer or an advertising agency, take this quiz to find if it’s time to begin a relationship with a marketing or creative professional. Give yourself 1 point for each “Yes.”
#1. “Am I Dropping the Ball?”
- Am I too busy doing today’s work to look for new business? (Yes/No)
- Am I missing out on opportunities because it’s taking me too long to respond to phone or email inquiries? (Yes/No)
- Am I spending money every month on advertising, marketing and web services that I don’t use? (Yes/No)
- Am I clueless about how my marketing efforts are effecting my bottom line? (Yes/No)
#2. “Do I Play Well with Others?”
- Can I articulate my organization’s vision to someone who knows nothing about what we do? (Yes/No)
- Could I benefit from a fresh perspective? (Yes/No)
- Am I willing to pay someone who is going to save me time? (Yes/No)
- Do I value my Customers’ experience, and put their needs ahead of my own? (Yes/No)
- Am I willing to accept advice and constructive criticism? (Yes/No)
- Do I value Design as a Competitive Advantage? (Yes/No)
- Am I willing to make this a Budget Priority? (Yes/No)
- Am I ready to accept change? (Yes/No)
#3. “Do I Know My ‘Media IQ’?”
Your “Media IQ” is your level of understanding about Marketing, Design, Advertising and Technology.
- Do I understand the difference between Marketing and Sales? (Yes/No)
- Can I tell the difference between a well-designed ad/ web site/ brochure and a poorly designed one? (Yes/No)
- Am I comfortable with Technology (computers, smart phones, tablets, etc.)? (Yes/No)
- Am I comfortable with Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.)? (Yes/No)
- Am I interested in what Creative Professionals do (illustration, graphic design, web design, writing, photography, etc.)? (Yes/No)
- Do I understand the importance of Content in the design process? (Yes/No)
Score Card:
Next time: “Ready? Set? Go! – Picking the Right Professional”
In my last post, we discussed how to know when it’s time to engage a marketing or creative professional. Now, we’re going to talk about where to start and how to determine the kind of relationship that may work best for you.
The diagram below is a simple representation of the general approaches you can take. The vertical axis represents your Budget, or how much you’re willing to spend. The horizontal axis represents your Media IQ – your level of understanding about Marketing, Design, Advertising and Technology.
1. LOW BUDGET, LOW MEDIA IQ (Check Yourself) – not quite sure what your needs are AND short on cash? There are plenty of free and low-cost resources available to you online and in the local library or bookstore to help you increase you Media IQ. Work out your requirements on paper first. Being as specific as possible in the beginning will save misunderstandings down the road.
Caveat: You should also raise your expectations about how much a marketing campaign will cost and how long it will take to see results. A campaign may take 6 – 12 months to yield results and pay for itself. Keep in mind, just as with most services – you get what you pay for!
2. LOW BUDGET, HIGH MEDIA IQ (Do It Yourself) – are you the kind of person who enjoys building their own web site, using Constant Contact, or using social media like Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter? You can save yourself some money by doing the work yourself.
Caveat: Keep in mind that doing these things can be time consuming, and while it may be fun to do as a hobby, doing them regularly (in addition to your other responsibilities) takes on a very different dimension!
3. HIGH BUDGET, LOW MEDIA IQ (Hire A Coach) – Seek a trusted advisor who understands your vision as well as the business of design. This consultant should be taking the time to educate you, not just doing things for you. Your goal is to be able to convey your ideas and your business’s philosophy and culture to creatives in language they can understand, so you’re getting the results you’re looking for.
Caveat: While you may have an adequate budget, you can waste a lot of time and money believing the wrong people. Dig beneath the flashy presentation (or overlook the less polished exterior) and take the time to find out if this individual (or company) has the competence and integrity you truly need to prepare you for long-term success.
4. HIGH BUDGET, HIGH MEDIA IQ (Build A Team) – This is where you want to be. When you have reliable creatives, treat them like partners and speak each other’s language, you will exceed your goals and enjoy the process while doing it.
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Randall D. Evans
1964-2013
This week, I will say goodbye to my friend Randy Evans.
Aside from being my fraternity brother, Randy was a fellow entrepreneur, a community leader and a family man who leaves behind a wife and 3 daughters. He was a respected accountant with a thriving practice, and he worked tirelessly to mentor young people on economics and business.
I didn’t see Randy every day, but we had the opportunity to talk periodically about business and social issues, sometimes at great length. One of the last things he said to me was, “we need to talk more often – we entrepreneurs need to stick together!”
So true.
Randy’s accounting firm will continue to thrive because of the care and attention he gave to his clients and staff. The wheels of business will continue to turn. But the loss of intellectual capital and social wealth on the part of his family and community cannot be replaced.
A personal trainer friend of mine always says, “your body is your most important business asset.” So many of us sacrifice our own well-being to manage the Crisis of the Day, but the fact is, you can’t help anyone if you don’t take care of yourself. Take a step back and examine your relationship with healthy eating, exercise and stress. Research them the way you do your prospective customers. Track them closely like you do your bottom line – because ultimately, they are. And seek the help and emotional support of your friends, family and peers. Because like Randy said, we do have to stick together!
Yes, that’s actually me…appearing as part of a feature article on “Generation X” entrepreneurs in the Washington Post Business section. I had been in business full-time for 2 years and had just turned 30! Where does the time go?
This month, I celebrate 18 years as a full-time entrepreneur. In that time, we’ve been on an economic roller coaster, and I’ve seen many businesses come and go. There have been times when I’ve experienced incredible exhuberance, and times when I’ve doubted whether I was on the right path at all.
During one of my “down” periods, I went to one of my trusted advisors and asked what I should do: Get a loan? Look for investors? Take a job? His answer – “Hustle More!”
I answered, “how can I possibly hustle more than I am right now?” But when I was honest with myself, I realized that it wasn’t how much I was doing, but how many of the right things I did that mattered. That meant focusing my attention on the activities that made me the most productive, profitable and fulfilled. It also meant surrounding yourself with people who support your vision, both emotionally and with needed resources.
Do you find yourself doing alot, but still feeling stuck? Examine what you’re doing, then contact us when you’re ready to get to a different place!
Forget about gold or diamonds – the rarest commodity on Earth these days is someone’s undivided attention! Between email, voicemail, Facebook, Twitter, the house, the spouse and the kids, it seems like everyone is overwhelmed and unable to focus.
I spend a large portion of my week convincing clients to either start, review, or complete projects that they know they need! Today’s emergency often prevents us from doing the very things that will prevent emergencies in the future.
In his book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” Stephen R. Covey says that “Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.”
Experience has taught me that there’s only one way to break this vicious cycle:
- Stop equating activity with productivity.
- Stop believing that nothing will change.
- Stop hesitating.
Instead, try this…
- Start Paying More Attention – so you can pay less money in mistakes and missed opportunities
- Start Believing Your Data – chances are, you already have all the information you need to make sound decisions; you may just need help collecting and analyzing it
- Start Listening to Your Customers – they will tell you everything you need to know, by word or action, about how to serve them better
- Start Valuing Good Design – there’s a difference between a cheap logo, brochure or web site and a good one. Don’t know the difference? Your customers do, even if they can’t articulate it
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Start Thinking Big – don’t shrink your dreams to fit your situation; expand your situation beyond your dreams!
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