missing the train
LinkedIn was the first. I joined about three years ago. Next, I joined twitter and facebook. I connected, tweeted, and friended all day long. It started just for business. I connected with colleagues and old friends. Keeping it professional. Then came facebook. All day and night I friended and updated statuses, uploaded photos and links. I kept facebook for personal stuff only, connected with only people I knew and trusted to see my goofy side. Twitter was a little of everything. I use it to keep up on the news and friends I follow.
Lately, I felt a little burnout. It takes time and energy to keep everything updated and connected. And, I had to ask Why? Even though I had all these online connections, were they REALLY a connection?
Don’t miss the Train!
As you may or may not know, I really love coffee. More importantly, I really enjoy having coffee with people. I use coffee as an excuse to meet new potential business contacts and reconnect with old friends.
What I’m trying to say is that I make the time to connect with people In Person. I’ve found that it doesn’t matter how many online connections I have. If I don’t take the time to see them face to face, I’ll eventually lose them as a connection, as a business partner, as a friend.
So, don’t miss the train! Take the time to nurture your online connections and make sure to remember they are REAL people too.
photo credit: gak
3/50 Project
You want to know a great way to help your local economy? Yep, that’s right, get out there and Help Your Local Economy!!
Make an effort to buy goods and services from your local independent retailers and service providers!
The 3/50 Challenge proposes that you spend a total of at least $50 a month at three different locally owned businesses. Help keep these establishments around!
If you have a local grocer, make an effort to buy at least some of your groceries from them. If you have a favorite local restaurant, visit them on a regular basis.
Every little bit helps!
Click on this link below to check out the 3/50 Project.
Photo credit: Roadsidepictures
Basecamp
Finally, after a few weeks of debating if it was worth it, I pulled the trigger and signed up with Basecamp. For now, just the personal version which provides 1gig of storage and the ability to manage 3 projects. I have to say, after just a few days of usage, I’m really impressed. For me, as a self employed graphic designer, I work from home. Being able to utilize centralized to-do-lists, deadlines, and file uploads with clients will prove to be worth it’s weight in gold.
The Better Way To Get Projects Done. Trusted by millions, Basecamp is the leading web-based project collaboration tool. Share files, meet deadlines, assign tasks, centralize feedback, make clients smile.
basecamphq.com
This post is intended to be sort of an introduction to the fact that I use Basecamp and to gather thoughts from other designers on how they use Basecamp. Do you have any tips or tricks that a new user would need to know?
What I intend to do is write a very thorough review after about a month of usage. So, if you haven’t yet, subscribe to our feed and get connected with Blueprint for Design.
In addition to reviewing Basecamp, I plan on reviewing Outpost, an iPhone App for managing your account and projects. After scouring the internet, this seems to be the highest rated App. If you have any suggestions on a better route to take, I’d love to hear them? (I haven’t purchased it quite yet.)
Below is a screenshot of the Basecamp dashboard lifted from their website.
Shake Some Hands
For today’s post, I wanted to talk about networking. In a previous post, we discussed the business card and how important it is to have one, and have one with you.
Networking can bring about images of people standing alone in a seminar, expo, workshop, after hours, or company party. Business people, just standing there, practicing their hand shake and business pitch. A sea of dodging eyes and uncomfortable silence, broken by small talk that can suck the life out of you… Okay, maybe I’m overdoing it, but we’ve all been there.
I recommend the following:
- Learn by observing the people around you (And, read! I really like this guy and this guy and this guy.)
- Have a bunch of business cards, easily accessible. Just resist the urge to throw them at people.
- Know yourself. (Can you easily explain what your business does? Who is a good type of client and/or referral partner? Mr. Misner is incredible at networking. Check out his website here.)
- Be an asset. (Help others, you need to be an expert in your industry. Show how you can help!)
- Keep up on current events. You’ll be able to have meaningful conversations. ( I use Google Reader to collect all the news I follow. It organizes everything into one location for easy access.)
- Follow through. If you can help make a connection for someone or be a resource, then don’t put it off!
- Take notes. (I have no shame in flipping a new connections card over and write notes about them, or if I can help them.)
These are just a few things to keep in mind while networking. I wish I could claim ownership of this list, but they have been repeated by many terrific networkers. Go visit your local library and take advantage of those free resources!!
Photo Credit: oooh.oooh
naptime
It’s amazing what you can get done from one to three o’clock in the afternoon. While the “normal” world goes about their work week routine, another world exists. One where your boss is much shorter than you. One where cartoons are King. You may wonder what am I referring to? Well, if you’re watching a child, you know what I mean.
This world can collide with the normal one, especially when you are your small business.
Here’s a play-by-play of one particular naptime:
I had a small project just go out for bidding.
- Put child down for nap.
- Look over faxed questions.
- Call back contractors, telling them to see sheet blah, blah, blah.
- Answer phone calls.
- Check on napping child.
- Feed cats so they won’t wake napping child.
- Answer questions from print shop.
- Answer questions from contractors. telling them to see sheet blah, blah, blah.
- Coordinate delivering drawings to contractors.
- Eat lunch.
- Check on napping child.
- Stop cats from waking napping child
- Finish up answering more questions whose answers could be found on the drawings…
- Wrap up as napping child awakes from afternoon slumber.
I try very hard to balance that thin line between scheduling client meetings and scheduling playdates. (Why the two can’t be the same, I’ll never know…)
That is until someone outgrows napping…
Photo Credit: just.Luc
Klok – Time Tracking
Time management is one of the most important aspects of working on my own as a freelance designer. Keeping track of hours spent on each project is vital to running a successful business. In the past, I’d have an Excel spreadsheet for each project. I’d fill in my start time, then fill in my end time each day. I’d say at least half the time I’d forget to fill in one or the other. What was I left to do then but guess? This method wasn’t fair to me or my clients.
One simple online discovery changed everything. Klok. Not only is Klok simple to use, it’s free. Yes, 100% free.
Your time is your product. Every minute you spend working that goes unaccounted for is like giving away your product for free. Tracking your time accurately is essential to staying profitable.
In addition, knowing how much time you spend on past projects, can allow you to better estimate future projects. Do you know how much time you spend in meetings? On the phone? Promoting yourself? Making sales calls? http://klok.mcgraphix.com
I’ve grabbed a few screen shots Klok features on it’s website and posted them below. Clicking on each image will open up a larger version.
Week View: See all your projects in a handy bar graph/calendar display. Each project can be assigned a unique color.
Description: Double clicking an item allows you to be more descriptive about the specific entry. It also allows you to modify the time in case you need to make any changes.
Time Entries: See a list of all your entries and the time spent. Modifying this menu will also modify the calendar view.
Reports: See reports of what you’ve been working on as pie charts. See how you’ve been spending your time. As a side note, I like to try and keep track of everything I do, including my own business/overhead projects. For me, seeing how much time I spend in all facets of my business is helpful for time management.
If you are looking for a free way to manage your time, Klok could be the answer for you. It’s ease of use and simplicity make it worthwhile. I also challenge you to start tracking your time during the day to see how you’re spending (or wasting) it.
DOWNLOAD KLOK V1.5
Do you, as a designer or small business owner, have any other recommendations of time tracking software?