Ok, I’m nearly up to date with my diary.
On Tuesday I went to Bristol and visited a not for profit business adviser. I paid £42 for 90 minutes which is great value and was told they specialize in creative businesses.
I met up with a photographer friend and another designer beforehand to see how they were. The photographer is doing great, steadily building her business year on year and building on her already vast skills.
The designer is in a similar situation to me and had a really positive experience with the business advice people. She’s moving in a new and exciting direction. I really hope for the best for her.
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Afterwards I toddled along to the business centre, filled out a form and met with the adviser.
Firstly, I’m one of the people who when nervous talk at the speed of light and with absolutely no sense. I think I said I was a designer and I was broke and should I just stop?
The lady, all suited in Lloyds bank style get up, took a look at my website. ‘Do you have pictures on real people?’ she asked.
‘Um, well I do but I like the mannequins, and we tried cut outs but they looked cheap. gabble gabble’. from me.
‘You need to make it more professional’. She said. ‘It looks like a budget site’.
I showed her the look-book, and more look-books. ‘Why don’t they smile, they look miserable. Do you use this model all the time? ‘
My response was ‘smile? that would be sick’. A strange thing to say I know.
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She was right about the website, I really do need to make the website and product photography look amazing, not just ok.
‘And you need to get someone to do your SEO’. she said. ‘Take a look at this great site called ‘lipstick boutique’. They used to be Lipsy’.
Ok, I thought, she can show me an example of someone she’s worked with.
Lipstick boutique sell dresses modeled by the sex dolls of TOWIE (the only way is Essex, it’s like a Kardashian or a jersey shordian).
For £25 a pop.
This isn’t my market. The great customers I do have would be horrified!
My heart sank….. but maybe she would have some solid business advice. You know, like business advice.
Yes I need to make my website more slick, but not that kind of sex doll about to pop pvc slick, and yes I must sort out the SEO.
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Next came. ‘We can offer you a business development loan at 6%.’ This is a great offer but I really don’t need to borrow any more money.
‘Do you think my business, or the idea of my business is viable? Is it worth continuing? What do I need to do to improve sales?’ I said.
‘Lets look at the figures on the computer’.
We did a spreadsheet, all based on this loan I was going to take out for photography and SEO at £1500 to a grand total of £5000. I don’t have a clue about SEO companies other than the daily SEO offer spam in my inbox. I don’t want to give them £1500?
She worked out from my imaginary figures of what I wished to sell in the next year that by next July I would turn over £110,000. With a profit of £65,000.
All I needed to do was take out the loan, give it to a photographer and an SEO company.
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I’m still a little pissed off. I wanted business advise.
I wanted her to ask how and where I sell. Give examples of successful businesses she had worked with and their strategies. Advise on PR, on marketing, on realistic targets on bringing in money. Practical, fact based stuff that would apply to any business.
I wanted her to slam her fist down on the table and say you’re turnover isn’t good enough. Online sales work like this. Even say no, you’ve got to give it all up, stop wasting your time. And for me to cry and for her to say, ‘well, if you think you’ve got the balls to prove me wrong then get out there and do it!’ Go Go Go! Here’s some information on what may help with sales. Go, go, go!
Lesson learnt: business advisers don’t necessarily know much about business. Learn from other successful businesses and books.
indiedesignersurvival 