In design school designers are taught design but not how
to run a practice. They often start their practices with no business knowledge
and no idea what skills and systems are required. Many have been successful in
building a good practice by learning the basics on their own. Often however
their practice reaches a plateau and they are not able to grow their revenue.
The following is a list of common mistakes these designers make. Even one of
these mistakes will interfere with the success and growth of a practice.
1. They have no
written business plan.
Most designers have thought about how they want to run
their practice. The ideas are in their heads but rarely written down. Because
these plans float around in their heads they are subject to change frequently
and goals are nebulous. Having a written business plan is the first step in
having a successful practice. (If the designer is an associate in a design
firm, it is very helpful to work as though he/she has his/her own business. The
associate can write a plan for what he/she are going to contribute to the firm
during the year and work the plan.)
2. They have no
marketing plan.
A marketing plan is part of a business plan and should be
written down too. Whether the designer is in a firm of his/her own or working
for someone else the designer needs to have clients of his/her own. How does
the designer plan to attract them? What will he/she do during the year and on a
weekly basis to develop the practice? How will the designer know what type of
marketing works for him/her? By having a marketing plan and following it the designer
will know exactly how he/she wants to market him/herself and will be able to
track what is effective for him/her and what is not.
3. They don't use
the marketing plan (if they have one) and/or only do business development when
their practice is slow.
Erratic marketing will not provide a steady flow of
clients that an designer needs to have a growing practice. If the designer is
working in a design firm that steady flow can lead to a million dollar plus
book of business which makes the designer attractive to other firms and to
his/her own firm. Erratic marketing means the designer cannot track his/her
success rate in one particular type of marketing because he/she hasn't done it
enough to have valid data. There is a chance the designer will continue to do
marketing that is not effective because there is no data to indicate that a
change is needed.
4. They give up
networking after only one or two tries.
Establishing a relationship takes time. If the designer
meets someone who seems like a good referral source or potential client, he/she
will need to follow up frequently to insure that he/she is top of mind with the
prospect or referral source. Networking means meeting people and working to
establish a relationship. That relationship may take several meetings, phone
calls and emails to establish. Sometimes a person an designer met years ago
shows up when he/she least expects it because over the years he/she has stayed
in touch. It is important to stay connected with people.
5. They believe
they must do everything themselves.
Early on in a practice startup funds have to be managed
carefully. This often means doing everything by him/herself. Later designers
continue to feel they must do everything themselves rather than hiring anyone
to do the work for them. The more non design work a designer does i.e. typing
documents, fixing computers and loading and learning new software, the less
time he/she has for design work, practice strategy and marketing. In their
practices designers need to do the work only they can do and delegate the rest.
6. They allow
frequent interruptions from people, phones email etc.
Design work, marketing and practice strategy takes time
and concentration. To do it successfully a designer needs a block of time that
is uninterrupted. Every interruption slows the work down for the time the
interruption takes plus the 10 minutes it takes the designer to get back to the
place he/she was before the interruption. Interruptions are often stressful and
may impact an designers’ health.
7. They do not
differentiate themselves from other designers.
It is important for the designer to be able to articulate
his/her uniqueness. What does he/she offer that other designers with the same
specialty do not offer? With so many designers in a geographical area and
practice area, competition for business is keen. To insure that clients choose
the designer over others, he/she must differentiate him/herself. Potential clients
are looking for a reason to hire someone. It is up to the designer to give them
the reason!
8. They do not
send out their bills regularly.
Cash flow is important in a design practice and when
bills are not sent out, funds do not come in. This is a problem because it may
prevent the designer from paying the necessary fees for a client case, buying
some necessary equipment or software, and/or paying employees or themselves.
Clients don't like it either because it means they will get a very large bill
rather than several smaller ones. In addition if a very long period goes by the
client may have forgotten the details of the matter the designer worked on and
question the time billed or the entire bill.
9. They don't use
their bills as a marketing tool.
A bill must be clear and understandable. Bills with only
one entry with no detail are the ones clients are likely to question.
Additionally there are events that the designer may choose to write off such as
phone calls or emails. Showing the client these items on the bill with the
normal fee and then reduced fee, lets the client know that he/she has been
treated fairly.
10. They don't
cross market or refer to others.
To maximize their time designers should use their time on
the phone with clients to cross market (discuss other services offered).
Clients are often unaware of these services. Designers can also refer work to
other designers or professionals if the client has needs that the designer cannot
satisfy him/herself. If an designer wants to receive referrals, then he/she
must also give referrals. Talking to the client about all his/her design needs
can often yield leads for the designer him/herself and other designers.
By Alvah Parker
Alvah Parker is a Practice Advisor (The Attorneys' Coach) and a Career
Changers' Coach as well as publisher of Parker's Points, an email tip
list and Road to Success, an ezine. Subscribe now to these free monthly
publications at her website http://www.asparker.com/samples.html
and receive a values assessment as a gift. Work becomes more meaningful and
enjoyable when you work from your values.
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