Archive for Advice

One of my awesome sponsors, Bonnie of Rodan + Fields is here today talking about summer skin care. I desperately needed these reminders a few weeks ago as I got a miserable sunburn at Jazz Fest. I was so mad at myself for forgetting sunscreen!

“Bonnie, you are 23, you are way too young to have skin cancer. This concerns me.” As if those words were not scary enough to hear, at least five additional times I heard the doctor say “He’s way too young for this…” sounding incredibly concerned each time he muttered it.

That was 22 years ago. Aloha. My name is Bonnie Cribbs, and I blog over at Beach Money CEO, tweet at @boatingBonnieC and I am addicted to the sun. OK, so “addicted” may be a very strong word, but I sure do love all things summer & sunny. I spend much of my summer at the lake having fun on my boat and I absolutely love the ocean and sitting by the pool….and I drive a convertible. I’m overweight and balding, so having a good tan has been rather important to me – at least I can have a good tan going for me, right? And for a living, I sell skin care products. It almost sounds like a conflict of interest, doesn’t it?

As summer is approaching, I want to talk about taking care of our skin this summer. It will be a Hodge-podge of how-to-protect-your-skin tips. Katie Rodan, one of the infamous doctors who created Proactive Solutions and most recently founded Rodan + Fields Dermatologist said “Genetics are only responsible for 20 percent of how your skin will age. 80 percent is in your control and that’s great news. It is never too late to change your skin’s destiny.” The sun is the culprit for most of that 80%. So that’s great, we know what to protect ourselves from. Now we just have to know how….and actually do it.

10 Minute Rule

In the time it takes you to have your morning cup of coffee, or wait in line at the Starbucks Drive Thru, the sun is working it’s magic on your skin. Before leaving the house, always use sunscreen. Sunscreen is not just for a day at the pool or for a few hours at the park. If you are going to be out in the sun any at all, wear sunscreen. In my car I keep a bottle of sunscreen and a hat. I love having the top down, but I always want to protect myself from the harmful and dangerous rays.

Reapply Every Two Hours

“I’m not burnt, I don’t need more sunscreen.” That is really bad logic. There is a deeper purpose than simply preventing being burnt, your skin needs to stay protected from the sun. In addition to applying sunscreen before leaving the house in the morning, reapply every two hours…and yes, especially when you’ll be out in the sun. But don’t be fooled, UVA damage can also occur in the house.

A little Dab A Do Ya

That’s such a misconception. When applying sunscreen, most people do not apply enough, so make sure you follow the bottles direction and apply liberally.

How Old??

That’s not just the question people will be asking you when you tell them you are only 30 when your skin looks 40 (or visa-versa if sunscreen is used), but it’s also the question you need to ask about the bottle of sunscreen you are applying. Sunscreen loses its effectiveness over time, so always be sure to you check the expire date before you buy or before you apply.

It’s So Cloudy Today!

As I mentioned earlier, I have a boat and spend much of the summer out on the lake. Those cloudy days when the suns rays are not directly beaming down on us are always the days people get sunburned the most. And then they wonder why. Don’t be fooled by the cloudy day, the sun is still getting to you. If you see light outside, the sun can do damage to your skin.

Avoid Tanning Beds

I was in college in the late 80′s. This was before the time that everyone knew that tanning beds were bad for you time limits were on the beds. In the Spring I went to the tanning bed a few times a week and stayed in for 45 minutes each. Yes, I had an incredible tan and remember well that my time in the tanning bed was definitely some of the best naps I had in college (while listening to the cassette tape of Dirty Dancing), but, well, did I mention skin cancer at age 23? Avoid tanning beds. They’re not worth it.

Is There A Pill For that?

I have two points to make here. Yes, there is a pill to take to get your Vitamin D. So don’t use “I need my Vitamin D” as an excuse. The other point is this: If you are on medication, be sure to know how it affects your skin’s sensitivity to the sun. There are a lot of medications out there which increases your skin’s sensitivity toward the sun so don’t be caught by surprise and burn at even a faster rate.

I See Spots

If you have new bumps, hard spots, new growths or changes to existing moles, freckles, birthmarks…be sure to ask your doctor about them. It’s always best to catch it early. Catching them early is a very good thing – it allows you to have the spots removed before they spread. Again, check with your doctor.

The Speedo Rule

If you are a guy and have a desire to wear a speedo, resist that urge. Just don’t do it. OK, so this has nothing to do with sun protection and should just be considered a public service announcement.

At Rodan + Fields, all of our skin care regimens have sun protection at their core, including sunscreen in our cremes. We also have sunscreen, lip shield, etc. We have you covered from head to toe. You can visit my shop to find out which products are right for you.

As I mentioned earlier, I blog at Beach Money CEO. Most of my post are related to helping your business succeed, business tips, motivational pieces, some skin care tips and the occasional post about something personal. Please feel free to stop by and visit me there!  

GIVEAWAY TIME!

As if these awesome skin care tips were not enough, Bonnie is also offering one lucky Ciera Design reader a $50 American Express gift card! You can use this to purchase all of your summer skin care necessities! Or whatever else you may need for the summer! Giveaway open to US shipping addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!! Have any questions? Feel free to contact me. If you are in a reader click out to access the Rafflecopter entry form. Please note that your entry will be removed if you do not complete it correctly. Photo from Anthropologie, design by me.

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These days, it seems like everyone is starting their own business or blog, which crowds the market and makes it hard for anyone at all to stand out – unless you make yourself different, memorable and remarkable.

Today I’m sharing a few ways to make your business stand out from the rest.

1. Take the rules and throw them out the window

There are just some things that certain niches don’t do, simply because no one has done it before. One way to become memorable is push the envelope and think outside the normal box that everyone else in your industry lives in. It can take lots of brainstorming and work, but creating a service or a product that is different from everyone else’s will pay off. Think of Virgin America Airlines – what other airline has mood lighting and screens in every headrest that allow you to watch tv and surf the internet without a laptop? They thought outside of what other airlines were doing and are hugely successful because of it.

2. Use practices of your favorite brands and infuse them into your own

You love your favorite brands for a reason – maybe they offer little extras with each purchase or they have the best customer service on the planet. Write down all of the reasons you love your favorite brands, and try to figure out ways to infuse some of those things into your own brand. This will help you build a brand you love while standing out  because you’re a little bit different from the rest of them.

3. Offer something unique

Just because other designers offer branding, web and illustrating services doesn’t mean you have to too. Know what you’re good at and stick with that. If you have restaurant experience and love the fast paced world of hospitality, think about focusing your design services just toward hospitality companies. That way you’re working only with clients who are in an area of work you’re an expert in, and you’ll become known for just working with those certain types of clients. This helps you create a unique brand among others who are offering all sorts of services to all sorts of people.

4. Don’t wait for permission

If you want something – go for it! Don’t wait for people to reach out to you, if there’s a project you’re dying to work on or a collaboration you want to do, be the person that reaches out. You don’t have to wait around for someone to give you permission to make your dreams happen. Be the connector and people will see you as a person who knows what they want and knows what types of projects they want to work on. You’ll set yourself apart from those waiting around for success to fall into their lap.

What ways have you tried to set yourself apart from the crowd? Share them in the comments!

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Q: What tips do you have for developing a project production schedule?

Q: What do you do when a client needs a project done yesterday?  

A: Consider WHY the project is so pushed for time. Do you get the feeling that it is because the client is disorganized and waited until the last minute, or was it more outside the client’s control? If you know the deadline would require pulling all-nighters and working weekends, you may consider charging a rush fee to complete the project in the required time frame. If the client is not willing to pay the rush fee, then my advice is to walk away. These types of clients do not appreciate your time or talent. If you take on the project and do not charge a rush fee, the client will continue to manage future projects in the same manner – rushed and last-minute. In a sense, you would be inadvertently ”training” your client for repeat offenses. 

 

Q: How do you handle multiple deadlines/overlapping projects?

A: As a freelance designer, time management is a skill that needs to be constantly honed. We would all like a steady and consistent stream of projects, but the reality is that there are typically dry spells when you are wishing for more work and then BAM – multiple projects hit and you end up running around like a crazy person. When you are balancing multiple deadlines, I suggest taking out your calendar and prioritizing. Break up the work into chunks and set “mini” internal deadlines for yourself. If you have a 24-page newsletter you are designing, set a goal of completing 6 pages by a specific date. The next day you can change gears and work on another client’s logo. It’s ok to bounce back and forth between projects – just make sure you are still working efficiently and that you don’t sacrifice quality on one particular project because you spent ALL your working hours on another project. 

 

 

What about you? What has been your biggest challenge in handling timelines and project management? 

 

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This time of year it can be hard to stay focused on what you need to accomplish, especially if you work from home. Now that spring is here, staying productive gets hard when the sun is shining and the warmer weather is calling your name.

Today I’m going to share tips on how to stay productive and get your tasks done. Then use the productivity worksheet to help you organize your lists and goals.

Focus on Five

Making a list of everything you need to accomplish can get pretty overwhelming. Instead of focusing on the entire list, pick just 3 to 5 tasks that you must accomplish today. Then focus on completing just those things. If you’ve got time or are feeling ambitious to get more done, then work on more tasks but make sure you have your ‘must accomplish’ things done first.

Break Down Bigger Projects

Have a big project that you keep avoiding? Break it down into smaller, more doable pieces. Once you have it broken down, schedule the smaller pieces on your calendar and little by little, you’ll get the project done.

Find Your Ideal Work Time

Figure out what time of the day or week you are most productive and reserve those hours to get your work done. Maybe you’re trying to work around your kids’ schedules or you might like to take afternoons off. Decide what time you do your best thinking and best work and work during those hours.

List What You’ve Accomplished

Lots of times we focus on what we have to do and not what we’ve already done. Each week, make a list of all of the things you’ve accomplished and you’ll (hopefully!) realize that you’ve done more than you thought. It will make your to do list seem a little more accomplishable.

De-Clutter Your Mind

Ever stay up at night thinking about all of the things you need to accomplish in life? It happens to the best of us. One way to de-clutter your mind is to make a list of everything you need to do – from picking up groceries to writing that book you’ve been dreaming about. Take some time to clear out everything you’ve been thinking you need to do then categorize it into 5 different sections – 1) to get done this week, 2) to get done this month, 3) to get done in the next 6 months, 4) to get done in the next year and 5) to get done in the next 5 years. When you know what’s priority, you’ll get a better idea of what you need to get accomplished right away and what you have some time to work on.

Do What You Love

Most of all, doing work that makes you happy helps you stay productive because it doesn’t feel like work. Try to incorporate your hobbies into your work and it’ll be much more fun. For example, if you hate doing the bookkeeping for your business but you love blasting your music throughout the house, only allow yourself to do that while you’re working on your bookkeeping. This will make the task more fun, and you’ll look forward to that time instead of dreading it.

The Worksheet

Download the How to Stay Productive Worksheet to help you organize your lists and goals!

What are your tips for staying productive? Share in the comments!

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Hey guys, Lauren is here today with her monthly dose of freelance advice! If you have any specific freelancing question, send us an email and we will answer in a future post!

Have you been dangling on the fence about whether to leave your full-time design job to go freelance? Perhaps you find yourself staring out your window at work (or more likely your tiny, claustrophobic cubicle) and daydreaming of one day being your own boss. Or maybe you calculated what you are bringing home hourly at your current job and feel gypped. Leaving your full-time job (and regular paycheck) is a big decision; you are right to consider it carefully. 

I’m going to break the decision down for you into three simple categories: experience, finances and personality.

Experience

Don’t underestimate the value of prior experience. In my opinion, you need to log some tough hours in the real world before starting your own business. Use your time wisely while you are working for someone else. Learn from your mistakes (cause you will make ‘em!) Take notes from your superiors. Enjoy the collaborative design process while you have the luxury of working in an environment with other creatives. Don’t jump ship before you have learned the ropes of the biz. 

Finances

You may think that freelance will be more lucrative. And it can be. But most likely it won’t start out that way. It will take hard work to build up your clientele and earn a steady income. Before turning in your resignation, I implore you to SAVE, SAVE, SAVE. It is a good idea to have approximately 6 months worth of living expenses saved before making the official leap.

Personally, going freelance was less of a strategic career move and more of a quality-of-life decision. I had a goal of being able to quit my full-time job so that I could stay home to raise my kids. My freelance business has afforded me the ability to do just that. That being said, my husband and I started preparing financially a few years in advance. We were very purposeful in committing to a mortgage payment that we could pay with ONE income, not two. We watched our spending habits – we did not let ourselves become accustomed to living on two full incomes. Because of this preparation, it didn’t seem quite as difficult to give up that regular paycheck. 

Personality

Not everyone is cut out to run their own business. Just because you are a strong designer does not mean that you will be an effective freelancer. Successful business owners share key personality traits; they tend to be organized, self-motivated, driven, goal-oriented, confident, passionate, budget-minded and self-reliant. Keep in mind that you will spend less time designing and more time running the business. This includes networking, pursuing new work, selling your services, meetings with clients, phone calls, invoicing, accounting, etc. 

This advice is not meant to scare you or discourage you from pursuing a freelance career. If anything I want to adequately prepare you! Going freelance was one of the best decisions I ever made. I can’t tell you how great it is to finally call my own shots, make my own schedule and choose to take on projects that I am passionate about.  I especially appreciate the relationships I have built with my clients. 

If you are currently considering going freelance, do you have any specific questions? Or, if you are already working on a freelance basis, do you have any additional tips to share? Love to hear from you!

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What could be better than having a list of email addresses for people who love your blog or readers that could be potential customers – a list of people who actually want to hear from you? Not much, right?

That’s why you should be gathering emails from people who visit your website.

Why It Works

Building your email list is important for your business because the more people who are truly interested in your services that you can reach with just one email, the more site visits, downloads and money you can potentially make.

Collecting email addresses and sending out an email newsletter has some wonderful benefits. For instance, each time you send an email to your list that contains links to your website, you’re boosting the potential for more site visits. If something in your newsletter looks interesting to the reader, they’ll click over to your site and there’s a good chance they’ll click through to other posts or pages, which boosts the chances that they’ll buy from you.

Email lists and newsletters also help your business because if you’re consistently showing up in someone’s inbox (in a good way, not a spammy way), you’ll stay top of mind to them. Then when they need a service or product you provide, they’ll instantly remember your helpful or fun emails.

How to Do It

Growing your list organically can take time but there are so many ways to gather email address from your readers. The most important thing to remember is to make is as easy as possible for them to sign up.

A few common places to add an email sign up form is in the sidebar or footer on every page of your site or directly underneath your header. These places work because they’re out of the way enough to not be irritating, but they’re prominent enough that people will notice them.

The best way to get people to sign up for your list is to offer an incentive, or opt-in offer, for sharing their email. Things like mini ebooks, discounts on services or access to an exclusive list work really well because the person signing up is getting something in return. Plus, people love free stuff!

Giveaways are also a great way to capture email addresses. Hosting a simple contest on your blog where all the reader has to do is enter their email address is a great way to grow your list quickly. Or if you’re hosting a live event, you can capture email addresses from attendees by having them sign up to win a prize.

Want some ideas on creating an opt in offer that people want? Here are three simple tactics:

Do you collect emails for your website? Do you have a fun opt in offer? Share in the comments section!

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The aperture you use when shooting photos determines the depth of field (area of focus) in your photos. Many newbie photographers get stuck on achieving blurry backgrounds (bokeh) without any consideration for whether the bokeh conveys the appropriate mood of the image.

I’m guilty of it too. When I first started shooting I’d choose the largest (smallest f stop) aperture my lens could handle. A smooth, blurry background is definitely appealing and one of the perks of shooting with a DSLR but it doesn’t work with every image.

Here’s why.

Sometimes the background is an important element of your image. It might be used for framing your central subject or to add depth to the story you’re telling.

I shot the photo above with a small aperture (f 20). The background is pretty clear. Branches, more flowers, and a building can be seen in the distance. It’s an alright picture but the background elements are bit distracting in my opinion. They don’t add anything to the photo.

Of course there is no definitive answer to which aperture one should shoot at however I prefer the photo above which I shot at f 2.0 (large aperture). The flower is isolated from the busy background so the viewer’s eye is drawn to the layer of cold snow on the delicate flower. You might disagree. Perhaps you think the background flowers added to the unusual sight of a layer of snow in a blooming garden.

The key is to think about what image you want to make before shooting. Don’t forget to experiment too. Take the same shot using a variety of apertures and then compare them later once you’ve uploaded them to your computer. Keep in mind that the bokeh you will get while shooting depends on the lens you’re using, your distance relative to your subject matter, and other factors.

The most important thing is to choose the aperture that conveys the meaning of the image you intended to shoot. Unless of course all you care about is an in focus flower then you’re on easy street.

The photo above is a recent favorite. I like how the bokeh frames the red bud on the tree branch. I also have a soft spot for branches that appear to be creeping in to the frame from the far corners.

The photo above is cool too. I like the messy, snowy background. The pop of color on the tree branch looks pretty against the green leafy background. Once again the final decision comes down to what kind of mood I’m trying to illustrate with my image.

How do you determine which aperture to use?

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You started a blog and have great content, but no one knows that it exists! How are you making sure your content is found by potential readers? The answer: social media.

Why Social Media

Bloggers are discovering that investing time for online networking can be very beneficial for brand awareness and increasing traffic to their blog. As a blogger, it’s very important to stay connected, since readers want to feel like they know you. Social media is a great opportunity to let readers into your life in a more casual environment than on your blog. It’s also great for engaging your readers in real-time conversations. Your blog will always be a home base, but building up social media channels helps drive people back to your blog.

Give Potential Readers Options

There are many social networks out there, but you don’t need to join them all. You should, however, figure out which ones work best for you and have options available for your readers; not everyone follows blogs the same way. Facebook may not be your favorite social network, but it might be a favorite of a potential reader. Another reader may only follow blogs on Twitter. You want people to be able to follow you where they are comfortable.

Be Creative & Conversational

Being a little creative, when it comes to sharing your blog socially, can go a long way. Tailoring your introductions for each social network really makes a difference. While Twitter is used mostly for posting links, Pinterest is a very visual site, and Facebook works well for both text and images. It’s important not to forget the “social” in social media! Social media is so powerful because it allows you to interact – take advantage of that! In addition to posting your own content, share other relevant issues and ideas as well.

I recently put together a series on the Alt Summit blog all about growing your blog through social media. So if you’ve ever wanted to know how to use Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest to grow your readership, make sure you check them out. And leave a comment either here or on the actual posts themselves if you have any specific questions you want answered!

Growing Your Blog Through Facebook

Starting a Facebook page for your blog opens you up to one of the largest audiences on the internet. Sharing content on Facebook is so easy and convenient, especially since your readers most likely already use Facebook. Read the full post on the Alt blog.

Growing Your Blog Through Twitter

Twitter is a great way to promote your content, share your expertise, and connect with like-minded people. It is a fast and easy way to give quick updates to followers. Read the full post on the Alt blog.

Growing Your Blog Through Pinterest

Social media is getting more and more visual, and Pinterest is a great example of this. If you take a little time to make your blog Pinterest friendly, it can end up being your number one traffic source. Read the full post on the Alt blog.

Intro originally written for Alt.

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If you are anything like me, you struggle with saying no. Walking away from a freelance project feels counter-intuitive and just wrong. How can you turn away from a new client and some extra cash in your pocket? But when building your business, the projects you say no to can be just as important as the projects you say yes to.

Consider asking yourself the following questions before taking on a new project:

Does the project match your skill set?

This may seem obvious, but do not take on jobs that are outside your area of expertise. If you are strictly a print designer, be up front with your client and don’t promise a complete web design overhaul. Don’t claim to be a “social media strategist” when your only experience to date has been creating your personal facebook page.

It is far better to form strategic alliances with other freelancers who have complementary skills. Are you a designer who struggles with html? Bring in a coding expert to help on your next job. You can pass along the cost to your client, and in turn, the coding expert just might bring you some design work from his/her clients. Do what you do best; strategically farm out the rest. 

Will the finished project be something you are proud to show in your portfolio?

In an ideal world, your dream clients would come running to you with an ample budget and projects galore.

More often than not, the “dream client” doesn’t have the cash. For example, say an up-and-coming jewelry designer needs a brochure designed for her new collection. As soon as you hear of the project, your mind starts reeling with innovative ideas to showcase the jewelry; but the client can’t afford to pay your full hourly rate. Do you take the project? Time allowing, you may consider taking on the project to build your portfolio and attract new clients. 

Conversely, if a client comes to you with a project that you would most likely NOT show in your portfolio, don’t turn it down right away. Consider if the compensation would make it worthwhile. Could the profit you earn be used to pay for a continuing education seminar or allow you to attend an upcoming conference?

Do you believe in the product or service you will be promoting?

In your freelance career, you will be approached by a client whose business model makes your insides crawl. Maybe it is a cigarette company and your grandmother just recently passed away from smoking-induced emphysema. Or perhaps a specialty gun store approaches you for help with their marketing, but you are anti-guns. I recommend walking away from these kinds of projects. 

As much as you try to separate yourself from the product or service, you will have difficulty giving the client your best work when you oppose their fundamental business principles. 

Don’t worry. Another project will come along with a cause you are passionate about.

Have you recently walked away from a freelance opportunity? What factors did you consider before turning it down? Love to hear your feedback!

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Starting a blog always sounds like so much fun, right? And in the beginning, you’re so excited about posting, sharing and getting comments. But after the first few posts, you start to get a little lax – you either forget to post or feel like you’ve got nothing to write about. A month later, you’re not posting at all and you give up hope.

Sound familiar? Never again, my friend!

The key to starting a successful blog and keeping up with it is to 1) LOVE what you’re writing about and 2) have a plan of action.

Last month I shared with you why having a blog for your business is so important, and today I’m sharing with you how to come up with a ton of blog topics and a plan for how to actually get them written and scheduled – complete with a worksheet to get you started!

Coming Up with Content

First thing’s first – to blog consistently without the burnout, it’s important to love what you’re talking about. If you’re blogging for your business (and you’ve got a business that you love), you’ve already got a head start because you’ve already got lots of things to talk about.

To come up with content, start making a list on the worksheet (Coming Up with Blog Content Worksheet) of things you could write about when it comes to your business. If you use Pinterest often, take a look at the types of things you’re pinning and use those for inspiration. For example, if you’ve got an entire board dedicated to fonts and type, write that down as a topic you could write about. If you’re in love with layouts and have a ton of gorgeous spreads pinned, write that down too.

Another way to come up with topics is to think about the questions you get asked about your business. What questions are your customers asking? What do they need to know about your business? Turning those into blog posts creates awesome and sharable content for your readers, and it helps them get to know your business better.

Try to come up with a list of 15 to 20 topics to start with. Some of the topics may even turn into weekly features, like a weekly post about fun new fonts or a series on layout design – things like that make your topics go much further.

Actually Getting Posts Scheduled and Written

Now that you’ve got a list of topics, it’s time to get them written down on the calendar. Having a plan for your posts is so important because if you open your calendar and see what you’re going to be writing about, it’s so much easier to sit down and write than if you were going into it blindly.

It also helps with the roller coaster we go through with blogging – some days we want to post 46 times and other times we could go weeks without having anything to post.

Take out a blank calendar or open up your Google calendar. Start off by deciding how frequently you’d like to post. If you want to take your time and come up with well researched posts or share DIYs that take some time, start with posting once every week or every few weeks. If you’re more interested in sharing shorter posts, you can choose to post a few times each week. You can always change how often you post, but this will serve as a basis for getting them scheduled on your calendar.

Start writing your post topics down on your calendar according to how often you’ve decided to post. Think about different series or columns you could do, like a Music Monday or Font Friday. You can start with just jotting down the idea or an idea for a title; don’t worry about writing the post until later.

Schedule out all of your ideas and depending on how often you’re going to post, you’ll have enough content for a few months. Repeat this process each time you’re editorial calendar is looking a little bare, and keep a small notebook in your bag to jot post ideas in when they come to you.

When you’re in the mood to do some writing, take out your calendar and write a few posts. If you use WordPress as your blogging platform, you can schedule them to go live on a certain day at a certain time – this comes in handy on the days you feel like blogging but don’t want to post so much in one day.  It’s also helpful when the holidays or vacation time rolls around – you can easily get your posts ready before your time off and schedule them to go live while you’re gone.

When you’re blogging about your passion, it’s much easier to stay consistent and grow your blog – you’ll beat the burnout and enjoy writing and sharing what you love.

THE WORKSHEET

Download the Coming Up with Blog Content Worksheet to help you come up with ideas for your posts!

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