BlueWave Media » business

What is your brand focus?

Kimberly — Fri, 28 May 2010 15:03:46 +0000

Here is something you might like to read, hint, hint

Wish it – Dream it – Do it

Kimberly — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:28:23 +0000

Are you one of the many people who find themselves at the intersection of where you are and where you want to be? The main aspect to remember is that you are not alone.

We have all gone through rhythms of joy, fear, dumbfound and plain old,

“What the heck am I doing here?”

About 9 years ago I was working as a graphic designer for a company where I was creating CTP (computer to plate) outputs for a Heidelberg printer. The press operator was a great guy to work with, and I still work with him in my own business. However, the owner was a very difficult man to work for (way too many reasons why and not the point here). I was still running my own company at the time and thought I could make it through my daytime job by having my own joy-filled work in the evenings and weekends. Was I wrong. Every time my partner would pick me up from work at the end of the day (we had one car), I jumped in the car and shouted “DRIVE!” It was all I could do to ask her if she could just slow down, not stop, fling open the passenger side and like the Dukes of Hazzard, pull away from the enemy. Something was gradually happening inside of me that didn’t rear its ugly head until I really sat down and pondered why I was so tired, unmotivated, feeling like I was losing my voice. I was dying from the inside out.

Fortunately I saw the progression and where it was heading. I caught it in time before I lost my sense of self. I left there and started working for myself full-time.

I choose to let my soul live.

On the wall of my office is a statement that I read every time I walk into it in the morning, throughout the day and every time I need a bit of a reminder. It states,

“Wish It…Dream It…Do It.”

Just let that resonate within you for a moment. Don’t rush. You are the navigator to your sense of fulfillment, the orchestrator of the music of your life and the one who knows yourself best. Don’t sell your soul to just exist, find a way to truly live.

Finding our place is a momentous task in itself, but eat that elephant a chunk at a time (Not that I am promoting the harming of any animals – but that phrase just fits).

Who are you? I mean, really, “Who are you?” What are you interpersonal skills, your talents, your desires? Are you an entrepreneurial spirit, or more of a manager and organizer? Do you prefer to cloister yourself in code with all of the lights off and get joyed by the glowing jQuery on your computer? Knowing the finer points of you will help to discover if you are heading in the right direction.

We are often having to wear many hats in our daily lives which often flows into our work. I love the design aspect as well as the project management and the down and dirty coding. It allows the artist and the mathematician in me to breathe. It is a harmonious balance for me. Maybe you prefer one specific area, or a couple of seemingly unrelated work identities that make sense to you. I think our careers are like a good pair of jeans that have accompanied us on camping trips, cleaned out the garage or just relaxed on the couch. It takes time to get them to fit ‘just right’. We have to allow time to weather our steps. I believe the path we take is not just a well lit straight highways, but rather a well worn path in the woods.

Sometimes it rains and you get your feet dirty, but it allows you to see the beauty and view that gets revealed as you go.

When you take that first step to allow yourself to be honest with yourself you have taken a choice to allow your voice to be heard. Use a vision board to post up clippings and ideas or words that mean something to you. Make your possible future working identities more visible and tangible. Don’t just write down your ideas on scrap pieces of paper or in Evernote (or whatever digital tool you use) and leave it there to collect dust. Plan and implement. Make it measurable and assess often. Find a good friend or colleague you can be accountable to. Seek out a corporate mentor. Just do it.

When your soul knows it has been heard and it allowed consistent input into who you are and where you are going, there is a sense of balance, ‘rightness’ and peace.

You deserve to dream. So what’s stopping you?

Here are a couple of links to some personality tests to help you discover you.

Personality Tests

Personality tests based on Jung

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Seeing both sides

Kimberly — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:40:04 +0000

Every now and again I am reminded about how important it is to truly hear and understand your client’s perspective. I had a client on my old server and moved them to my new server — mostly because of reoccurring emails issues that for some reason presented themselves as oddball gremlins that were often difficult to figure out. With the new server, it made this easier. All good right? Well no. I received a very panicked phone message that they were not getting their email although their clients had sworn it was sent. The reason they were not seeing them — easy enough to figure out: they were using POP email and now they are using IMAP and the mail was safely tucked in the Spam box in their Apple Mail account program. Now, I have a range of clients and all of them on many different levels of experience of knowledge with technology. I had explained the difference between IMAP and POP mail but I HEARD my client today when it dawned on me they did not know exactly what that meant in this instance.

You might be saying, “Well of course Kimberly, that’s quite apparent.” Yes and no. I agree with the fact that they did not fully understand from the training and setup, but it was more difficult to “See” how they saw the change. To them, it just works right? To us, the service providers, it works but and often needs a quick check of a few things to trouble shoot that will quickly solve those small issues first. I think if we see things from our client’s perspective we will understand where and how to bring what we see and know to the table. In the end, better communication, better services and customer support and finally, a happier client. Lesson learned.

Here is something you might like to read, hint, hint

Finding the right road

Kimberly — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:51:08 +0000

I shared earlier this week in a video, about being your own client — taking a look at things from their perspective. I think some of the feedback I received help to illuminate another very important aspect — you truly do need to know where you are going.

How many times have you set off on a lengthy trip and just gunned it in any old direction? While this might have an appeal to it, it really does allow for any good planning. How much gas will you need? Do you have enough money or food? Is there anything you need to know about the rules of the road or bylaws that would keep you out of the slammer? I mean, not saying that there is anything wrong with your driving, I am just sayin’.

Taking a long road trip is much like planning for how you will let others know about your business in your marketing strategy. If you only have so much money then you can only go so far or do certain things. Robbing the bank is not an option. You have to come up with the best tactics on your given budget, with measurable real results and be prepared to stick with it for the long haul…okay pardon the pun. You need to adjust as necessary but in no way am I implying that you flip like a flat-jack on the grill. Even though you do not see instant result, it does not mean you are doing it wrong. Be patient. If you have taken the time to really cover yourself in the methodology, costs, action and analysis — then don’t quit 1 week later. Good marketing does not mean it happen before your latté is placed back on your desk. Any marketing consultant who tries to convince you of that is a wolf in Little Red’s outfit. I think you get the picture.

So, let’s go over some points and commit them to memory:

Get to know your business: What are you doing, what is your focus, your market and your goals? This is a must or else the other steps are just waiting your time.
Get to know yourself: Your business is an outflow of you and your personality. Cookie cutter brochure templates, sites and working will only hide things and cause confusion. What makes you different? What are the qualities that you and your team bring to the table that make you so great as a business? This is so incredibly difficult as we find it easier to look at others and offer opinions but when faced with the mirror, we stumble to answer this question. Take your time. No rushing this one.
Get to know your clients (potential and present): Knowing who you are marketing to helps to define the path. Trying to reach a savvy elderly women’s knitting group is very different from reaching out to a entry workforce teen. This might seem obvious but it is so often overlooked. Write down all the qualities of this market group. Where are they? How do they communicate? This creates a great cheat sheet to keep you from trying out the flavor of the day marketing action — stick to the path. If the proposed method does need meet your target market where they are, it is a waste of your money. Enough said.
Get to know your routine: If you are an early morning riser and like to check email, stats and coffee pot levels, then maybe having a “where are we now” assessment on a daily, weekly and monthly basis first thing in the morning is a good option. Maybe you are not a numbers freak and just want the one page summary. Speak out — the way you take in the facts is to be openly communicated. Nobody wants to see your eyes glaze over when handed the 10 page monthly report.
Get to know your marketing consultant: This ties into the last point, but it also brings to light that you need to work with someone who understands how you work and is willing to find an approach that is effective and communicative. The main point being COMMUNICATION. If your work life is a mad dash, 5-6 phone calls a day to let you know you had 3 more visitors on your site may just not work for you. Work out a plan, a schedule and a way that works for both of you. If you are a techno-phob do not stick with a consultant that insists you get a GPS chip embedded in your flesh. Finding the right marketing consultant for your business is like finding a good mate — go on a few dates, get to know each other and you will know when it is right. Trust your gut…and a host of referrals/results. Do not just take in what they say, find out if they really have the goods.

Finding the right road for your marketing takes time and effort but it is so worth it in the end when you look back and see how the trip has evolved and how enjoyable is it. You become excited for what is around the next bend instead of fearfully avoiding it. Have a great trip!

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Taking Stock and Making Change

Kimberly — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:28:37 +0000

http://www.viddler.com/bluewavemedia/videos/7/

Here is something you might like to read, hint, hint

Job Search with Social Media and Mobile

Kimberly — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:12:49 +0000

A great presentation by Gabe Zichermann, CEO rmbrME

Job Search With Social Media & Mobile

View more documents from gzicherm

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Wear the Right Pants

Kimberly — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:34:11 +0000

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Answering Questions and Thoughts

Kimberly — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:33:13 +0000

Just taking a few moments out to answering a couple of questions and say hi to everyone; been busy here getting ready for holidays so have been putting my nose to the grind as such. Talking today about site stats cycle and offline media vs online media. Would love your feedback and input.

Here is something you might like to read, hint, hint

10 Reasons to Subscribe to Our RSS Feed

Kimberly — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 19:37:51 +0000

Are you a subscriber yet? If you are not, now is a great time to start.

In preparation for the inauguration of providing a “thank you” for new subscribers, I figure it’d be a perfect time to make a short subscribe pitch to any prospective subscribers on the 10 reasons why I think you should subscribe to bluewavemedia.ca.

10 Reasons Why You Should Subscribe to bluewavemedia.ca

We help small businesses become savvy, assists in web and media design, marketing and great tips for MAC users and finally helping you become more productive. You’ll find all the posts and tips written for and with the beginners in mind. If ever you need clarification or have further questions, please let us know in the comments of the post or at the contact page.
Kimberly is not making money off of the subscribers and DOES NOT sell or share any of the subscriber information in any way at all.
I don’t hide behind the veil of internet so my credibility is pretty strong. If in doubt, google my name (Kimberly Beaven or BlueWave Media) and read what others are saying about this “savvy geek designer” who is fond of blog commenting, architecture, geeky gadgets and photography.
I don’t post everyday and promise not to barrage you with endless posts or information. I don’t want to receive it and I imagine you do not either.
If you think the content is good, check out the comments as well. They are great! We are a bunch of passionate designers, business folks and mac users who make up such a wonderful community full of sharing and learning.
This blog is not managed by a computer or outsourced to another country. This blog is never short of personal touch. Unconvinced? Leave a comment and say, “Hi”, I’ll be there to respond to yours usually within the next 24 hours. You’ll be talking to me, not to a blog and that’s my personal assurance.
I’m here to help in any way I can regarding marketing, web design and podcast production. If it’s within my capacity, I’ll do my level best to help in any possible way. Otherwise, please forgive my limited knowledge of complex problems — I might just refer you to someone who is more of an expert in those areas.
I believe in community (eg. our social responsibility community) and often share ideas, thoughts as well participate and support the design community in general as well as on a global basis in any way I can.
Still unconvinced? Here’s a couple of stats for your perusal
- Google rank 2/10
- Inbound Links 2997
- Technorati @ 4,814,52
- Alexa @ 1,022,994
- 59,689 Subscribers to out Podcast since October 2005
Last but not least, I’ve prepared exclusively for you some awesome quarterly goodies in appreciation of your support of this site and what we are doing. All the giveaway details will be available in a week or two; suffice to say, you get a lot of value packed into your subscription to our feed, but a chance to win something is never a bad idea. So you’ll have to stay tuned for the update.

Should You or Should You Not Subscribe Now?

Well there you have it. Hopefully you have understood that all of us at BlueWave Media want to provide you with some good fodder. Should you decide to subscribe now, please do so via email below and leave your name on the comment section. We will manually subscribe you so that we can include you in the list for the first quarterly draw.

Once you confirm your subscription, I’ll add your name into the tally and you’re officially eligible for the ‘giveaway’. It could probably be one of the best savvy decisions you’ve ever made.

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There is always room to grow

Kimberly — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:46:54 +0000

Although the changes in the economy have forced some businesses, and individuals to rethink their approach to marketing and branding, it is so important to have an overall strategy to get yourself out there and in the minds and hearts of your customers, potential and actual. There has never been a more important time to be consistent and effective. But how do you go about doing that? Well, although I would not state that these are the “only” and the “most complete” suggestions, I would say they are a great starting point. Let me also state that knowing something is kind of nice, but the value comes in the doing. If you plan to read this blog post, bookmark it for another time and never commit to taking any of the ideas and putting them into practice, then well, I’d have to say that might be the reason you are not finding your success in your business right now. Doing nothing qualifies for failure, doing something brings the first stage of success.

1. Do not give up.

Just because you have not been successful right out of the gate does not mean you were wrong or that you should stop. Sometimes it takes a willingness to keep going, keep working, fine-tuning and re-evaluating, but not stopping dead cold. Certainly, you should have already evaluated whether your idea or business model actually has possibilities for succeeding or that someone actually wants what you are offering. So I will not go into that here as I am assuming you have taken that first crucial step. What I am referring to it the internal, gut-wrenching desire to see it through.

2. Admit you need more training or need to learn more

If you need more training — take a traditional class or possible e-learning course. Lynda.com is a great way to continue learning at your own pace while not interrupting your work schedule. Perhaps a community college or university has evening or online courses as well. Whatever the medium, invest in yourself. Clients appreciate that you are a life-learner. Even when you honestly admit you do not know something and are willing to find out, clients do appreciate your honesty. You do not know everything. Of course, this only works when you are finding out about new and evolving information, not the core aspects about the business you are doing. If that is the case, maybe do the learning route first before you state you are a wiz or guru in that field. In fact, never call yourself a guru — it is such a put-off to many potential clients.

3. You may need a better system

People who just give up or think that success should come without any work involved are just deluding themselves. It also involves changing our mindset or the way we think. What has worked before was for that time, in that circumstance or for that reason. This is today.

If you have always been a “fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants” kind of person and now you find yourself caught off guard, consider an organizer, whether online or on paper, and plan out your goals, your ideas (mindmapping) and get a bigger picture of things. You might just need to take an objective step back and see things from a different angle. I use MindJet MindManager, OmniFocus and OmniPlan everyday. I also use Anxiety that integrates with my MAC’s iCal as well as Things. Whatever method or apps that work best for you, just get a system going. The sooner the better. A finely-tuned system makes you better at your business, makes more people happy, and lessens the stress-load. It is a win-win situation.

4. Be an Innovator

When you follow the crowd there is no personal investment and consideration that the action or idea is even plausible or fit’s into your realm of business. Mediocre thinking will always keep you at the initial comfort level; dare not go forth into new territory, ever. You may make some money or get a few new clients here and there, but you will never realize your full potential. Maybe that is okay for you, but it is not a long-term strategy if you wish to be successful. The better solution is to be an innovative person, willing to take some well thought out risks and get yourself out of the “Linus Blanket” syndrome. You may become the trend setter, or the person people gravitate towards to hire as a consultant or business professional because you think out of the box. This allows you to be the memorable person, and business you were intended to be.

Although not exhaustive, these will give an initial loading dock to start your review of yourself and your business. Taking the time to look over things and reflect is a healthy practice that you should be doing no matter the stage of your business. Everyone needs to take a fresh look at things a few times throughout the year.

Great resource for your reading:

Company’s hiring today are looking at uniqueness, enthusiasm and preparedness in recent university graduates and undergraduates. LFP May 5, 2009 by Anita Bruzzese

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