The TAMAR Graphics Connection

Why I Support NO!SPEC...

2006-03-12T17:30:00.000-05:00

NO!SPEC is a grassroots campaign that is near and dear to my heart. Once upon a long time ago, I fell into the trap of doing design work on the speculation of being paid, should the client deem it worthy (also known as "spec work.")

As a relative design "newbie," I was thrilled at the opportunity to work for a client, and absolutely disheartened when they turned out to be nothing more than someone looking for some free design ideas, vanishing into thin air when presented with an invoice. Had I not had another source of income at the time, it would have been enough to make me consider a career change - a truly devastating idea, as I'd always known I wanted to be a designer and couldn't imagine doing anything else.

After being duped not once, but twice, into providing design work on spec, I became very protective of my services. Just as any other professional expects to be paid, I decided that with my skills, experience and talent, that I, too, deserved to be paid for the services I provided.

I don't just "make things look pretty," I research my clients' industry and their competition, find out what makes them unique, and develop personalized design solutions based on my findings and information provided to me by the client. If the target audience is young and urban, I will design something a bit more edgy, more contemporary. But if the target audience are retirees, the design solution would be completely different, something designed specifically to attract that market. These things take time, experience and skill, and when done well, can make a campaign successful, a promotion a huge hit, and take a growing business to the next level. So it's only reasonable to expect that we, as designers, should get paid for our services.

Which brings me back to NO!SPEC. In February 2006, a group of designers from around the world, who were tired of seeing their peers being taken advantage of by clients wanting work done on spec, banned together to create a website dedicated to educating both designers and clients on the harmful aspects of spec work.

Just as a doctor would not perform an operation on the speculation of being paid if the patient is happy with their performance, and a mechanic would not work on an automobile based on the hopes that the customer will find their work satisfactory enough to deserve reasonable compensation, I believe the majority of business professionals understand the need for designers to be paid for their services, as well.

So here is my challenge to you: visit the NO!SPEC website, download one of the NO!SPEC logos (available here), and put it on your website with a link back to the NO!SPEC site (www.no-spec.com), to show your support. You can also buy NO!SPEC merchandise at the NO!SPEC store, with all proceeds going towards providing information to schools and universities, organizations, and more.

With your help and support, we can get the word out that the design industry is like any other profession and deserves to be recognized as such.

Until next time...
Tamar Wallace
TAMAR Graphics

Some Resources for You...

2006-01-13T20:22:00.000-05:00

I'm a little behind this week, so I thought I'd keep my post simple.

In order to succeed in business, you have to find a need, provide a product or service that fulfills that need, and then figure out a way to let those who need it know you can help them. It takes a lot of resources - money, partners, advertising, marketing, manufacturers, etc. - to make all of this happen, and while I can't guarantee the success of every business, I can certainly provide you with a few resources I've come across that have helped with the success of TAMAR Graphics.

One of my favorites, and something I mention often, is Teleclass International. I have gotten so much information about marketing, networking, increasing my business and more, just by taking free one-hour classes over the telephone. Whether business or personal, I'm sure you'll find something that you'll benefit from!

Another great resource is Ilise Benun's Marketing Mentor website, filled with articles and great marketing tips, as well as a place to subscribe to her informative marketing newsletter.

No matter what industry you're in, About.com has a topic for you! Whether you're a Realtor, Song Writer, an Insurance Agent, or a Small Business Owner, what ever your business (or interest), there is some great information to be found in any one of About.com's many topics.

If you're just starting your business, or looking to re-focus your marketing energies, Sue Rasmussen has some great tips on how to find and market to your niche. Her site features informative articles, a niche-marketing quiz, links to her teleclasses and more.

Now I know this might not be for everyone, but my business has benefitted tremendously from learning about the Law of Attraction. And while there are many LoA practitioners out there, I highly recommend best-selling author Michael Losier. In addition to free teleclasses, Michael's website offers books and CDs for sale and you can sign up for his Law of Attraction eZine.

Some additional resources worth noting include Blogger and BlogExplosion, for those of you ready to venture out into the word of blogging. Also, Creative Latitude is a great place for creative professionals, both new and established. And if you haven't checked out your local business journal, many locations give a trial subscription.

Well, hopefully, you've found something to either inspire or inform. And if you have any resources you'd like to add, or topics you'd like to see discussed here, just send us an email or leave a comment.

Until next time...

Tamar Wallace
TAMAR Graphics

A Look Ahead...

2005-12-29T13:29:00.000-05:00

As I sit here, thankful that I survived the holidays, and that the leftovers are almost finished, I realized that I am so excited about 2006.

While I am truly not where I'd like to be professionally, I know I'm well on my way. I've spent a good deal of time over the past couple of months learning from marketing experts and business coaches, and now have a plan to hit the ground running in 2006. I have some great promotions coming out, as well as some business ventures - completely unrelated to TAMAR Graphics - that I'm looking forward to sharing with you very soon.

As far as this blog space is concerned, 2006 is going to bring new featured clients, more articles and information on building your own business, how to market yourself successfully (and inexpensively), as well as more links to other blogs and websites that have information I feel you would benefit from.

In addition to wanting to build my own business in 2006, I want to use this space to help you build your business. The information I've received over the last few months has all been free, and I plan to continue to write about it, link to the resources, and share this information with everyone else who wants to learn more about being successful. So please continue to check back every week (at least), or you can sign up here to receive our email newsletter (with discounts and specials not available through our blog), and a FREE 2006 Marketing Calendar.

Thank you for helping to make 2005 such a great year, and I look forward to sharing a very successful 2006 with all of you!

Until next time...

Tamar Wallace
TAMAR Graphics

Just hear those sleigh bells jingling...

2005-12-16T16:10:00.000-05:00

Well, the holidays are here in full swing. The holiday candles are in the windows, the string of white lights surround the porch, the wreath welcomes visitors at the front door, and gives them a taste of what's inside. The entire house smells of fresh pine from the elaborately decorated Christmas tree. Instead of garland on the mantle, I have this exquisite wooden train advent calendar with little boxes - just the right size for a two-year-old's fingers to reach in and get his little treat. And of course, the stockings are hung by the chimney with care.

I just love this time of year. Even more than Thanksgiving, Christmas (and Hanukkah) is the time when I reflect over the past year, thankful for all that has been given to me, and look forward to a whole new year, filled with the unexpected.

This year, in particular, has been special. I believe that I have more to be thankful for, as for the first time in 8 years, I'm surrounded by family, having moved my family, my life and my business halfway across the country this past spring. We were fortunate to be able to move into a home owned by family friends, helping to bring some familiarity to such a big move. And when it took some time for my husband and I to get back into the swing of things financially, we had lots of family around to make sure we were taken care of.

I am also fortunate enough to have some of the best clients in the world. 90% of my clients have been working with me for years, and they stuck with me after my move, showing me a loyalty I hadn't expected.

2005 has been one of my most successful years - maybe not in dollars and cents, but in life, both personally and professionally. And given the terrible tragedies that have occured this past year, I really do have a lot to be thankful for.

So, I hope you will all join me in celebrating this wonderful season, reminiscing over this last year, and look ahead with excitement at the new year to come.

Until next time...

Tamar Wallace
TAMAR Graphics

A Snowy Friday

2005-12-09T12:32:00.000-05:00

Well, I've spent most of the day trying to figure out what to post today, but kept getting distracted by a storm that brought with it over a foot of snow!

Once upon a time, getting to work today would have meant bundling up, shoveling out and scraping off, and then trekking - carefully, of course - through this nasty weather. Those days are over. Granted, there are still many, many people who had to do that today, but there are increasingly more people telecommuting to work these days - some doing so everyday, while others save that option for days like today.

Because of the convenience of technology, I have numerous clients who I've never met, and even some who I've never even spoken to, as all of our communications take place via email. On one hand, it means I can work with clients all over the world (as distance is no longer a factor), and in any weather. But on the other hand, it does lose that "personal touch." So we have to connect with our clients in different ways.

Now that the holidays are upon us, it's the perfect time to start connecting, but of course, you don't have to limit it to just the holidays! A marketing specialist I met recently, JD Moore, with Marketing Comet, has a great way of adding that "personal" touch with his clients, that he, too, often may not meet face to face. You can read his article "A Powerful, Inexpensive, High-Touch Small Business Marketing Tool", and start making that personal connection yourself today!

Speaking of connections, how are you connecting with your current and potential clients/customers on a daily basis? Is your image/identity easily recognizable and on EVERYTHING that reaches the customer? Even a simple little "Thank you" or "Nice to meet you" card needs to have your logo on it. Your emails - whether it's an eNewsletter or just a one-line response - need to have your contact information, a link to your website and if appropriate, your logo. Even how you answer your telephone is representative of you and your business, and could be the deciding factor in whether or not some decides to do business with you.

So, with that in mind, how are you connecting with your customers, and is it effective? Do you even know? Well, what you need is a Corporate Identity Audit. The first step is to look at everything that reaches the customer - your business card, brochure, direct mail pieces, emails, website, outdoor signage, etc. - and make sure that it CLEARLY displays your brand. Then, evaluate everything for consistency. If you're a high-end retail store, targeting a high-end clientele, is your marketing collateral representative of that? If it is, fantastic! You're ahead of the game. If it isn't, then some adjustments need to made.

While you can certainly do this yourself, TAMAR Graphics is pleased to announce the addition of Corporate Identity Audits to our list of services. If you're not sure how effective your current marketing collateral is at reaching your customers, TAMAR Graphics can help. We look at all of your materials, research your competition, check your search engine rankings, and compile a report listing your company's marketing strengths and weaknesses, as well as provide you with a game plan for turning those weaknesses around. Schedule your audit now, and start 2006 knowing exactly where you stand, and how to improve! Contact us today!

Until next time...

Tamar Wallace
TAMAR Graphics

Making Time for Marketing

2005-12-02T11:49:00.000-05:00

Marketing is essential for every business. I stress the importance of marketing regularly to our clients, and offer marketing consultations in addition to design services.

Recently, while reading an article on - you guessed it - marketing, I realized that I spend a lot of time recommending and reiterating the importance of marketing your business, but have neglected my own. How's that for not practicing what I preach?

So, I decided to start focusing more on marketing TAMAR Graphics. I began by reading more and more articles (which I will continue to feature both on our website, and here), and then started finding some amazing resources! One of my favorites is TeleClass International - a site promoting many FREE hour-long classes over the telephone. Sound difficult? Well, it really isn't, and there are some fantastic marketing teleclasses available. Some of my favorite teleclasses are led by Sue Rasmussen, Marty Marsh and Michael Losier. I have gained a tremendous amount of marketing tips, strategies and techniques through these free classes that have already been put to good use - not only for TAMAR Graphics, but for our existing clients, as well.

One of the most significant tips I received through these classes was to schedule marketing for my business like I would schedule a project for a client. Marketing your business is just as important as taking care of those paying clients or customers. If you aren't marketing yourself or your business regularly, you will be more prone to that dreaded feast-or-famine cycle. But that can be avoided easily by setting up a regularly scheduled time to just market. I've taken that advice for TAMAR Graphics, and rather than trying to fit an hour or so of marketing in every day, I took Marty Marsh's suggestion, and implemented "Client-Free Fridays." (Thank you, Marty!)

So now, I work Monday through Thursday for clients, and Fridays are dedicated to working on TAMAR Graphics. I'll be honest, it was difficult to do the first two Fridays. In fact, I felt a little guilty. But, what I eventually noticed was that from Monday to Thursday I am able to work on client's projects more productively, because I know that the "extra" stuff - invoicing, paperwork, website updates, etc. - will be taken care of on Friday. This easier-than-it-sounds strategy has helped me work more efficiently for our clients, and at the same time increased business, simply because I've made time for marketing.

Need a little help setting up a marketing schedule, or wonder what kinds of things to include in your marketing calendar? Feel free to drop me a line or, you can join our mailing list and receive a FREE 2006 Marketing Cycle calendar which will help you keep track of where you should be with your marketing schedule throughout the year.

Until next time...

Tamar Wallace
TAMAR Graphics

Everyone else is doing it...

2005-12-01T21:10:00.000-05:00

Okay, it's official. TAMAR Graphics has a blog. I fought it, boy did I fight it, but after doing my research, I decided (or rather, realized) that some benefit can really come of this.

Not only can I use this as a way to keep my clients and prospects better informed, but I can also spotlight a client each week - or month - giving you additional exposure. And, it's a great way to share tips, tricks, information and articles that I think you will benefit from.

So...let's get right to it.

First of all, the TAMAR Graphics website has undergone some changes. I've simplified the site considerably, dumped a lot of the "fluff" and made it easier to find samples of my work. Now, just clicking on "Graphic Design," "Website Design," or "Marketing Solutions" on the left-hand side will take you immediately to the samples pertaining to that category. And even more importantly, I've included a list of our services on the homepage, as well as added a new service - Corporate Identity Auditing - that I'm really excited about!

I've also updated the "about us" section, which now includes an interesting little tidbit about the design of our logo. (By the way, I've spent a lot of time considering a redesign of the TAMAR Graphics logo - I'd love to hear your thoughts on this in the comments section.)

The "articles and news" section currently contains some great marketing-related articles, and I will be updated that regularly. If you saw an article that you liked, but it's not there any more, be assured, I'll have a link to it here.

And lastly, if you have checked out the "future projects" section, you noticed that we've got some REALLY exciting projects coming in the New Year.

Now, the TAMAR Graphics website is not all that is undergoing changes. The company is making some major changes, as well, so check back here often to get the latest news. Or, you can sign-up here to join our mailing list and receive a free 2006 Marketing Cycle calendar - to help you through every stage of your self-promotion.

Well, I've done it. I have posted my first blog. Now, I'm off to find useful, relevant content so I can keep this site updated regularly - even when I don't have exciting TAMAR Graphics news to share.

Until next time...

Tamar Wallace
TAMAR Graphics