Happy 2024. I Hope You Had a Wonderful Holiday. (I’m Finally No Longer Full!)
Barbara Hobart
A few days ago, a friend asked me what my New Year’s resolution was, to which I replied: “I don’t have one!” The truth of the matter is: I have many.
If you’re like me, you love what you do and when you get an idea, you want to run with it. For me, figuring out how to make it happen is part of the challenge and half the fun. Years ago, when I started a project, oftentimes my exuberance led to “biting off more than I can chew” and I became overwhelmed. Suddenly, my ‘great idea’ got bogged down with doubt and what began as something exciting became work.
Today I do things differently:
With a lot of trial and error, I found the right balance. And if I’ve learned one thing from overreaching: I know I can’t scale an entire mountain in one shot. So, I “chunk it all down.” I now approach my goals on a daily basis so I don’t get burned out.
I think about it like this: every day is a new day and in order to reach the top, I choose one goal for that day. I don’t lose sight of the “big picture,” I just choose bite-sized tasks that help me achieve my end game.
And I always have a sounding board to help me sort through ideas.
The one thing that has never changed and what makes my work fun always comes down to how much I love working with creative people who want to continue to grow, expand their businesses – and their vision.
Last week, I was chatting with a new client who wants to build their brand and they were overwhelmed with ideas. So, to “chunk it down,” I asked them these questions:
Other than great service, exceptional work, and a great collaborative experience...
What do you do to engage and attract new clients?
What makes you stand out from your competition?
After they’ve answered these questions, I asked them:
What do you do to welcome your new clients?
After the job is completed, we discussed:
What do you do to thank your clients when the job is over?
What keeps your clients coming back for more?
What keeps you at the top of their mind for future work and throughout the year?
Over the years, no matter what has changed in our world – from our day-to-day work spaces or the tools we use today (computers, social media, etc.) vs the “old days” when a phone call or a handwritten note was the norm, the one thing that remains constant is building a relationship – and of course, a “thank you.” A thoughtful gift that will be useful and appreciated.
When I accidentally created and launched my first product and company back in the 90’s, I would travel to the UK for trade shows and events to meet with new buyers and clients and I always brought with me something that was very “American” (other than my accent!) The one thing my British friends loved when they’d come over to visit me in the states were Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. (Apparently back then, Reese’s weren’t readily available across the pond.) And so, I always had a bowl of Reese’s and other chocolates at the HomePlates booth. I mean, who doesn’t like sweets when walking the show floor or trying something new they hadn’t had before… including my new decorative light switch plate covers that were a novelty.
I soon became known as the ‘Switchplate Lady,’ and at every show, I was also asked if I brought along those Reese’s. It really became a “thing!” And so, rather than bringing them once or twice a year for my customers to enjoy, I created a gift box for my clients with co-branded Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and several other items I knew they would need – and appreciate. If you want to know how the story ended… drop me a note… My second major buyer was the iconic company Laura Ashley, and that account put my company on the map. (The first account wasn’t too shabby, either.)
So the point of the story? When you begin engaging with a potential client, or you’re already in the process of building a relationship with them, there is a connection that deserves to be nurtured. And “Thank You’s” come in a variety of forms.
Now ask yourself:
What do you do to engage and attract new clients?
What makes you stand out from your competition?
What do you do to welcome your new clients?
What keeps your clients coming back for more?
What keeps you at the top of their mind for future work and throughout the year?
If you have an idea or want to create a new way to build your brand in 2024 – and you’d like to bounce around some thoughts, drop me an email and let’s chat! For now, and to get to get you started, you're welcome to check out my free Branding 101 mini-course...
P.S. As for my own goals, as mentioned, I have quite a few for 2024 and one I am excited to share very soon is Best Ever Backdrops will have a gorgeous new website with some surprises I think you’re gonna love and will help you with your photography goals. I’ve been asked by a variety of photographers what they’d like as far as making their brands stand out – especially when shooting for brands and clients, so stay tuned.