Hey Arsenal Subscribers! We’d like to welcome you to our 30 Day Design Firm Makeover Course. Over the next month and a half you will receive valuable lessons and quick tips on making some positive changes in your design company.
Let’s get started!
Sincerely,
William Beachy
– President of Go Media and author of the book Drawn to Business
Lesson 1: Rethink Why
Why did you get into design in the first place? I know I got into it because I was an artist. I was a kid who loved to draw and I knew from the beginning I wanted to make a career out of it.
It’s pretty likely you consider yourself a creative person who might not be so keen on the business part of being a designer. But I’m here to tell you it can be extremely fun and rewarding!
Stop Reading for a minute.
Seriously, I want you to stop reading this email for five whole minutes. Close your eyes and breathe. Just sit and be perfectly still and let the commotion of your day settle. If you feel awkward, maybe just go to a quiet place where you can be alone. Just sit for five minutes so you can clearly answer the next question with more clarity and soul.
What MOVES you?
Write down 3 things that inspire you. What really moves you and gives you joy? Who do you love working with? What gives you that surge of inspiration that gets you out of bed in the morning? Your goal here is to connect with a deeper purpose. This might be tough, but for example you love to help other people, you love hiking in the woods, you love your family, sports, etc. When your design work aligns with a deeper purpose, you’re going to love every day.
Who are you meant to serve?
You are in a business that serves others. What are you offering them? Are you designing print collateral or websites for your clients? Are you designing their brand identity? Can you think of a few clients that you love working with and some that you dread? You could probably tell that a few of your clients don’t seem to match up with the answers to your previous question. Then why are you working for them? Your ultimate goal is to ditch any clients that drag you down and identify your favorite clients (or ideal future clients) and focus on them. Describe the characteristics of your ideal clients. Who are they and what are they like? Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could just work for clients who enrich your life instead of just pay the bills? Here’s a hint, you’re probably already aware of them and you just aren’t serving them. When you can blend your own personal inspirations with your ideal clients, it’s the perfect foundation for creating positive change in your design firm.
That’s all for today.
See you next time!
——————————————-