The world is coming to an end! I just got off the phone with a buddy of mine who told me there will be 385,000 patients critically ill from the Coronavirus. This is going to be the largest and longest depression in our history. 

Well, he told me this among many things. As we discussed further, he suggested we are hopefully not as bad as China. We have had 785 deaths from the novel #coronavirus (sorry, I only see it these days in hashtag format).

I hung up and put my head down.
 
As I thought about our conversation it dawned on me that we always focus on the worst. Someone talks to us for 15 minutes and what I remember is the worst part of the conversation. Why? I even catch myself doing this as a husband, father and friend. Focusing on the wrong things, the wrong moments in the conversation. 

How annoying!! 

As I wrote about earlier this week – “this too shall pass.” When it does, where will we be?  

This time in human history is a study in human psychology. We all watch the news for hours and only remember the worst stuff. Gavin Newsom’s prediction: More than half of Californians could be infected with the fast-moving sickness in a two-month period. 

Nobody heard anything else in that press conference except the worst. Wow I thought, sure enough, my group text lit up with his quote. It was nice to read experts say it’s ridiculous! But it underscores the point that we merely focus on the bad news. 
​
Ignore it! Lou Holtz once said that “things are not as bad as they seem, things are not as good as they seem. Somewhere in the middle lies reality.” 

At the time of this writing we are working on current client projects, many of which are overdue. Talking to prospects. Quoting jobs. Ramping up our social media presence because EVERYONE is online right now. Building our business. Getting better today than we were yesterday. 

​Here is your prescription – turn off the news, put your head down and focus on how you can get better. This too shall pass and we will wish we had made the most of this time. 

This was one of our favorite projects to date. Results delivered, budgets hit and happy customers!! Here is how we did it.  
 
Our client was in a waiting period on an updated signage package. They had recently spent the past 8 months repositioning the main entrance and amenities throughout the property.  
 
They are in a beautiful 75 unit apartment complex located just blocks from the beach in Southern California. The competition surrounding them was tough, they were all properties that had up to date amenities and appeared to have been built “many years” after them.
 
The client had inked a contract with a highly professional environmental architecture firm and were waiting on a signage package for this property among others.
 
They didn’t want to spend much money knowing that they are going to get all new signage throughout the property at a later date.
 
The client reached out to DWJ Print (dba DWJ Electric Sign) and said…

​We quickly gathered the team, went to the property to take pictures and gather measurements. #measuretwicecutonce  ALWAYS do a site survey before quoting, designing or installing any signage.
 
We discussed a vinyl banner to hang over the stucco wall, but the client ultimately decided to go away from that idea. We all agreed that it would not reflect the brand of the property nor tell the story of how beautiful the new amenities now are. The team also felt that the vinyl banner would not reflect the hard work the staff had put into the remodel.
 
We were off, we have worked with this client for several years, so we knew what information they wanted, needed and the correct font style they need. We proposed a ½” Black Acrylic laser cut letters mounted directly to the stucco wall. We would easily be able to get the ½” Black Acrylic material to stick to their timeline. As well, we could easily cut the acrylic on the laser machine in a matter of a day.
 
We provided the client a quote and proof. They quickly signed off on the project for approval and we got to work.
 
Before we move forward on cutting materials or begin sign fabrication, we create a paper pattern exactly to size. We print the pattern on 60# uncoated sheet using a Mimaki 72 in Large Format Printer Eco Solvent Outdoor Wide Printing Plotte. We then take it to the job site and are sure to tape it up to the exact location we will install the sign. It gives the client a great chance to look exactly what will go up and how it will fit.
 
The community manager came out and gave us the thumbs up.
 
Back at the shop we began cutting. And cutting and cutting. Until finally the acrylic was cut and ready for installation.
 
From that point, the DWJ team of technicians got back to the apartment complex and went to work on the installation.  
 
Today the sign looks beautiful and is a welcome home for all the residents and their new home.

​As I pulled into the office this morning, I couldn’t help but notice the banner we hung on city property has gone untouched. The surrounding industrial community and LA Metro station landscape can bring unsavory personnel past our business.
 
The banner is a tribute we made to honor the passing of Los Angeles great, Kobe Bryant. It has been up for several weeks and looks still brand new. I couldn’t help but think what would Kobe be doing in these times?

Obviously, the answer – setting goals to keep him focused. Therefore, that’s exactly what we are doing.
 
As we all know, right now everyone is on lock down trying to protect our elderly citizens from getting sick. At the time of this writing we have 40,550 total cases with 473 deaths. A 1% death rate if you test positive for COVID-19.
 
The chance of you getting COVID-19 is very low and even lower that you are going to die.
 
BREAKING NEWS - you are going to live!!  
 
Therefore, we better make it a point to be prepared for the days following this virus outbreak.  
 
Here at DWJ we are challenging each of us to put together our goals over the next 30 days. Come April 23 here are the goals I hope to achieve.

​The average consumer sees around 300 ads per day. How do you make yours stand out from the crowd? Here are a few things to remember!
What’s your story?
When it comes to branding, a picture really is worth 1,000 words. Potential customers are likely to see your logo before they read anything about you so it needs convey your story. A good graphic designer will understand this and work with you to create design elements that present an image in line with what you want to achieve for your brand.
 
Be prepared for that conversation by having your brand story ready to present. Once that foundation is in place, you will be better equipped to provide feedback on how well the designer is achieving it. This goes for redesigns, too—a new design should continue to tell your brand’s story as well as the previous one did. Otherwise, the consequences can be brutal.
 
Inspiration is everywhere
One advantage to seeing so many marketing messages each day is that there’s no shortage of inspiration out there. A good brand is always evolving and adapting to new trends, rather than staying with the same-old, same-olds.
 
Seek out design ideas you like by cutting clips from magazines or adding links to a board in Pinterest. Choose examples of things you like and things you don’t so your designer will have a complete picture when it’s time to create design elements.
 
If at first you don’t succeed…
Because design elements are so critical to a brand’s public perception, it’s crucial that you are satisfied with the finished product before it’s added to your website or print collateral. Again, a good graphic designer will understand this and work with you until you are satisfied.
 
If you have a solid understanding of you brand story, examples of what you want to achieve, and the perseverance to stick with it until you get what you want, you may be rewarded with a strong design and brand visibility! It may help your brand rise to the top of the marketing fray that your consumers are bombarded with each day.

The answer? Very. You only have one chance to make a first impression on new clients or customers, and the quality of your logo and other design elements says more than even the snappiest written copy can. Here are ways that graphic design can make or break your business!
 
Professionalism
Well-designed logos signal to the public that your business is organized and professional. If your brochure or website design looks like it was put together by an amateur, why should a prospective client or customer take you seriously? There’s a ton of competition in any industry, and consumers are more demanding than ever.
 
Internal unity
Your design affects your employees just as much as it does your customers. Your employees are walking ambassadors for your brand, and they should feel confident about how that brand is represented on their polo shirts, business cards, and other collateral. If your employees are not confident in how the brand is represented, they won’t be as confident when interacting on your company’s behalf.
 
Message clarity
Good design should work in conjunction with written messages, not against them. A strong logo can communicate ideas or feelings that words just can’t describe. The last thing you want is for a customer to look at your product and see conflicting messages between what the logo says and what the corresponding words say.
 
For example, think about how much is said just by looking at iconic symbols like the Nike Swoosh or the Apple on every iPhone, iPad, or MacBook. The clean design elements compliment the clear and compelling copy that consumers have come to expect from these brands.
 
Long-term rewards
As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. That can be especially true with graphic design. While you may need to pay a little more upfront for a quality and professional-looking logo or other graphics, you will reap the benefits of increased sales and visibility in the long run. A good designer should be able to quickly and efficiently turn your ideas into reality and work with you until you are satisfied with the results. Anything short of that will result in spending more of your hard-earned money on starting over with someone else.

​Below are a few tips for keeping your business-associated New Year’s resolutions:
 
Visualize resolutions
Locate a nice, peaceful place to sit, shut your eyes, and picture the objectives you wish to achieve. Mentally walk through them, imagining that you are going through the motions, which eventually will bring you higher levels of success. You are essentially training your brain to take the necessary steps to attain your goals.
 
Say resolutions each morning
To meet your resolutions and goals, you must keep them inside the forefront of your mind. By repeating them to yourself each morning, you are reminding yourself they exist. It’ll help set you up to take the necessary steps within the course of your day to turn those goals into reality.
 
Share goals with others
Telling other people about your resolutions helps you accomplish them at a higher rate because it’ll cement your commitment. By saying them out loud to another person, you aren’t offering yourself an out. You could also take this step up a notch and share your goals on social media, and announce to a bigger audience what you’d want to accomplish.
 
Create a strategy to accomplish them
Whatever business objectives you have set for 2017, make an actual strategy to attain them. It’ll require sitting down and planning specific actions you must take.
 
Pay close attention to any progress
When there’s a hefty business goal, it’s easy to get distracted by how much work is right in front of you. But rather than concentrating so intently on how far you need to go, pay close attention to how far you’ve come. By recognizing all of your efforts and how they have paid off thus far, you will be more than likely to want to continually move forward.

A crucial tip in business building is to stay in touch with loyal customers not only on social media, but in their inbox. Here are some ways to boost your next business newsletter!
 
Be informative
A newsletter should be full of valuable content—something that makes the reader feel special for receiving the information in their inbox. Below are a few examples of informative content to include in the newsletter:
 
          •         Fan photos
          •         Recipes
          •         Testimonials
          •         Videos and/or webinars
          •         Infographics
          •         Company news (volunteer projects, awards, etc)
          •         Resources
          •         Contests
          •         Photos
          •         Reviews
          •         Interesting facts
          •         Holidays, dates to remember, events
          •         Third party news/industry news
          •         How-tos, tutorials, tactics, tips
 
Lose (sales) hype
People who signed up for your newsletter enjoy being informed of sales, yet selling should not be your primary focus of the email newsletter. Send the offers within promo-specific e-mails.
 
Keep it short
The point of the newsletter is not necessarily to make a sale, but to build up a relationship with the audience, to educate and inform, and to snag a few clicks to your website. Visits to your site may lead to sales or more readers for your blogs and event updates.
 
Have compelling opening line
In the “From” label, clearly state whom your email newsletter comes from. Usually, using the company name is recommended. While crafting your newsletter subject line up, do not use generic lines such as: August Newsletter, This Week’s Newsletter, Your Monthly Newsletter, The Insider, etc. Also, be certain that you take advantage of the pre-header, which can act like your secondary subject line.
 
Allow an easy opt-out
An individual unsubscribing from a newsletter is a fact of life, and it isn’t anything to take personally. If the “unsubscribe” button is hard to locate, it may be easy for readers to mark your e-mails as spam. Allow your readers to go easily if they want, and make the unsubscribe link simple to locate. Otherwise, sitting inside a spam box only will cause the delivery, open, and click-through rates to decrease.

A company’s marketing materials, such as business cards, magazines, and brochures, can make a lasting first impression to potential customers.  As a company, you may want to take time and careful consideration in designing your marketing materials, as they can determine how your potential customers understand your brand message. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
 
Keep It Simple
Keep your company logo and message simple across all marketing materials. Too much text can be overwhelming to readers, and can be messy or overcrowded on a page or printed material.
 
A complicated logo can confuse a customer, causing them to simply move on from learning more about what your company is about. Keeping your concepts direct and to the point can help to immediately draw in potential customers, and it can also send a clear message of what your brand is.
 
Great Photography
Visuals are everything in today’s world, and they’re usually the first thing people notice before reading more information. Interesting and quality photographs within your marketing materials show that you’re an established organization, and gives an impression of value to potential clients and customers.
 
Low quality photos incorporated into marketing materials can display amateurism and unprofessionalism, and can be a downfall to a company’s marketing campaign. Investing in good photography can help customers see your company as a professional and trustworthy business.
 
Find The Right Style
Tie in your color scheme, logo, and typography within your brand goals and overall feeling in each of your marketing materials.
 

• Color Scheme: Choose colors that are contrasting, as they attract immediate attention. Dark colors against light colors create such an effect, and stand out to readers. Be sure to also choose a color palette that is both visually appealing and ties in with your overall branding.

 

• Logo: Create a logo that is captivating and appealing to a wide range of people. Make sure to hire a professional graphic designer that understands the importance of marketing, and take your time in choosing the right look for you logo. This is the forefront of your business, the identifier of your brand, and deciding on a logo should be taken seriously.


• Typography: The font your company uses within marketing materials can either invite a customer in to read more, or push them away altogether. Choose a font that is aligned with the styling of your logo and that is easily readable, ensuring that customers can read it without any difficulty.


​Enlist A Literature Manager
In any company, there are constant changes, new product launches, and new marketing material to be presented to customers. For this reason, it can be useful to enlist the help of a literature manager to stay on top of all changes that shift from each marketing tool.
 
The manager should be responsible for ensuring that all changes are consistent with brand style and flow, and they should be constantly looking ahead to future ideas and for upcoming projects to market

Reaching new customers can be almost as hard as keeping the ones you already have! That’s why it’s important to constantly be looking for new ways to engage and grow your customer base. Here are a few tips on building a customer base for a small business!
 
Social Media
Build your online presence through different social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or LinkedIn. It’s important to spend equal time campaigning on all platforms you use until you’re able to see which one has more influence than the others, and what works best for your company.
 
Find out which social media outlet your target customers engage in the most, and become part of their online activity there. Interacting with followers, sharing your content as much as possible, and providing great online customer service can help to build up your customer base and also spread brand awareness.
 
Partnering
Choosing to partner with other businesses can help you learn a great deal about growing a customer base. It can also help you to gain access to new potential customers.
 
Collaborate with businesses in co-sponsoring events or complimentary services, causing both sets of customers to interact with both companies. Create referral programs that can generate awareness for each company, and offer incentives for customers who spread the word about your partnering business. Your business, as well as your partners, could benefit greatly from the exposure.
 
In-Person Networking
Although today’s market relies heavily on online marketing, it’s equally important to network face-to-face. A conversation in real life can provide feelings of trust and connection in ways that an online presence cannot. Human beings are primarily social, and an in-person dialogue or interaction can help contacts to become more invested in your company.
 
Networking with people in-person can also help create a lasting impression on potential customers, and it’s important to represent your business well when conversing. Take an interest in who you talk to, ask genuine questions, and listen intently to what each potential customer has to say.

Developing a brand for your small business may seem overwhelming, especially if you don’t have a huge budget for marketing. Fortunately, building a successful brand for your small business can be accomplished without breaking the bank! Here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Understand brand power
A strong brand provides your small business with power and advantage. Taking the time to create a brand that generates an immediate and definitive relationship with your customers is the goal of successful branding.  When people see or think of your niche industry, their immediate thought should be your business brand. As your brand wields its power, your business can also benefit from Google’s SEO benefits.  

Unique brand style and voice
Know your brand’s style and voice, and keep it clean and simple. This will help people to quickly recognize and remember your brand logo. Learn to find the balance between simplicity and showcasing your business and what it stands for. Avoid ambiguity and phrases that have lost their wow factor. Use clear imagery, language, and a smart logo.

Protect your brand
Monitor your brand to protect it from being copied in part or fully. Be proactive in monitoring how and where people use your brand. If not protected, you may find yourself fighting with competitors who’ve taken your brand and adjusted it slightly. You may find websites using your logo without linking back to your business. Worst case scenario, you could find yourself pursuing legal action for brand infringements.

Be consistent
From your website to your social media presence, make sure that your brand message remains consistent. This will prevent confusion among your customers and prospective customers. This consistency needs to incorporate your products, services and brand presentation (name, logo, design, marketing, etc).
The more consistent you are in your message, the more familiarity people will have with your brand, which can help generate trust. Trust can help convert prospective customers into loyal customers!

Always add value
Regardless of the level of your success, be sure to keep maintaining excellent customer service and creating good products. Continue to analyze your products and services for what distinguishes your business from that of your competitors. Scrutinize your brand from all angles to ensure that you are giving your customers benefits and value.

The more value you add to your brand through products, services, and customer care, the more likely your customers will remain loyal and share your brand ideas and product to to their friends and followers!