How's your business doing?

Great question, Kaya. We had a lull in the late fall, but December has actually been quite busy.

I think that initially businesses freak out and think they need to cut marketing budgets, but the smart ones realize that investment in marketing helps them gain market share by staying in the forefront of their customers' mind.

It is certainly a time to be tracking your results, tinkering with strategies and focusing on what is working. I love to see clients who are pleasantly surprised when their investment in marketing improves their bottom line. Very gratifying.

Hello Kaya!

I experienced a bit of a lull in late November through mid-December, but things seem to be picking up now. With the new year just around the corner, my clients are ready to roll out their new products and marketing strategies.

Somehow, a new year seems to infuse people with renewed energy and purpose. I know I'm ready to move forward and am excited about new projects and possibilities!

Historically, over the past 30 years, my business is at its best when the economy is at its worst - for a variety consistent reasons I've written about previously. 2008 has been no different. Usually December is a bit slower than other months - in fact, in some past years I have closed my office in December - but as soon as I planned a two-week December 2008 vacation things got incredibly busy. Most new clients were agreeable to waiting until after the first of the year so, I will be starting 2009 with multiple new clients, several magazine articles to write, and a new book contract in place.

Much of the constant work flow, even in bad economic times, is due to marketing myself aggressively ALL of the time - not waiting until no work is coming in the door.

Best of luck to everyone in the new year!

Jeff Fisher | Jeff Fisher LogoMotives | Tweet! Tweet!

Great additional advice Kaya. Many of the tasks you mention are part of the reason that I have no client contact on Fridays. I tell clients that my office is closed and I do not answer their calls, emails or work on their projects. Fridays are MY time - to market and do all the other business "things" that need to be completed on a timely and regular basis.

Jeff Fisher | Jeff Fisher LogoMotives | Tweet! Tweet!

I quadruppled my access to resources by relocating in the end of 2008...I am rareing to go in 2009...

A few words that pulled me through...

Love, Life, Health, Happiness

Value, Connections, Resouces

Joy to You and Yours, Celeste Ray MTCM

Business was slow this year, but our internet sales were up.

Once we stared advertising in smaller venues with lower prices, our sales increased. We are also advertising for longer periods and I am optimistically looking forward to seeing how our sales are in 6 months.

Creativity and new opportunities have been our saving grace.

2008 was a good year . . . especially 4th quarter. No idea what 2009 is going to be like, but there's lots of projects on the horizon.

Hi Kaya - Our industry typically does well during economic hard times because tough times boost crime. In 2007, 134 intruders were apprehended at Sonitrol Pacific customers' sites and in 2008 it was 166. (And these are locations with great security! Makes me wonder what the numbers are for unsecured businesses) When times are hard businesses can least afford to take a hit and business owners do what they can to minimize risks of loss.

2008 was a fantastic year for me, but I really have to thank my clients for that and their constant positive referrals to new clients throughout the year. I also expanded the range of my services by investing in rental equipment which has been a great added service to my clients and helps make me a one stop shop for everything they need for their projects.

This has been the first holiday season since I started my company that I've had a little bit of downtime which I been taking advantage of by blogging, marketing, meeting people, and working on a redesign of my website. We'll see how 2009 goes, but January is lining up to be a decent month and I actually welcome any slow down as an opportunity to take some time to make some new connections.

It's too early in my case to tell. Not being a year old in this business, I'm still unsure. I certainly hope it will get better as this year progresses.

Kaya,

I agree. Businesses must market or die. It's a mantra that a mentor shared with me years ago, and despite it's somewhat negative tone, I've found it to be completely true.

My clients that continue to market, and stay top of mind in the marketplace, are doing well. Clients that are pulling back are suffering.

With my own business I have aggressively stepped up marketing initiatives and the return on investment has exceeded expectations. We have landed lucrative new contracts, established promising new relationships, and are looking forward to a very strong 2009. I'm excited about the possibilities that lie ahead!

Hi Kaya,

Well, the name Nocturnal Graphic Design Studio came about years ago when I was doing some freelance work in the evenings when I'd get home from my "day job". When I left that day job to start my own studio I had actually built some equity in the name Nocturnal, so I kept it.

Thanks for asking :)

I am the VP with a collection agency that specializes in the media industry. Businesses would have more money to invest back in their business if they were to use more wisdom in their accounting area. To begin with they should get money in advance. Many businesses today are using credit cards. That is a good idea and could help you save on emotional drain in the future. If you haven't gotten cash in advance you need to invoice your clients quickly and send out monthly statements. If a client honestly can't you, you might work out a reasonable payment plan with them. If you have called them and/or E-mailed your client three times in 3 weeks and they haven't responded, you need to get the account to a B2B collection agency that has integrity and will give you at least three references. Every contract should have a clause that says if your client doesn't pay that they will have to pay collection fees and/or attorney fees and/or court costs. It is your money, you have worked for it and you deserve to have it.

Iris,

Great advice! We have always required a project deposit, and long ago learned the hard way that collections clauses are sometimes an unfortunate necessity in contracts.

If a client is having genuine difficulty we are more than willing to work with them to make finalizing payment as easy as possible, within a reasonable time frame. But, I am continually astonished by how many people in business simply don't take their payment commitments seriously, and how often we have to make a stand to get paid for work that was completed correctly, professionally, in a timely manner, and under contract!

The good news is that the mere "threat" of collection fees, legal fees, and commensurate copyright infringement penalties (we're a design firm, so we get to tack that on as well) is typically enough to get somebody to put the check in the mail.

Yes,

We advice our clients to let them know that will be contacting them so they will know our call is legit. Sometimes that is all it takes and of course they save our fee which is 15% to 20% depending on the amount.