#70 Today, stop and look at something differently.

Everyday we wake up, hit the snooze, workout…well, maybe…and make our way to our job. We go through whatever routine gets us going in the morning. Tea, coffee, check the email, and so on. We may have had this routine for several months or several years. So my question is, when is the last time you switched things up? Taken a different way to work? Went in early, or late (or on time)? Switched from coffee to tea, had pie for breakfast, pulled over to watch the sunrise?

If we think about it, routine permeates our lives. Sure, we may have crazy schedules that change from day to day, but we’ve developed certain ways of responding that have become habits. Maybe trying something new would change our the way we live and work for the better. Do you ever look at your work upside down?

Try these things for a new view: dust off your sketchbook. Or, sketch with crayons instead of pen or pencil. Actually take a lunch. (Some of you may, and for that you get a high five.) Share a project with someone. Take a walk. Work at Starbucks for a part of the day. Or, to look at your day upside down in a literal sense, lay on the floor to sketch or brainstorm. By doing these things, you’ll get an outsider’s view on your work life, and you’ll see much more clearly how you can improve things.

For starters, try this exercise. we will be posting more like this, so stay tuned!

It looks like a scribble. With a blank piece of paper and a pen or pencil, close your eyes and scribble all over the paper. Make the scribble as random as possible and scribble for as long or as little as you like. Open your eyes and look at what is on the paper. Now comes the fun part! Turn that scribble into something recognizable. Look at the positive AND negative space. Identify the shapes within the shapes. Recognize repeating patterns. Use you imagination and have fun! Thanks to pal Stefan Mumaw for exercise help - see more here.

What do you do to switch things up? We want to hear.

I would be willing to guess most of us think that a creative retreat is a good idea. Whether it’s just you or the whole team, it’s worth more than anything it would actually “cost” you while out of the office to take the time to recharge, get inspired, and to just have fun and be creative. Sadly, more times than not, it just doesn’t happen. Here are some thoughts to change that and help your retreat be successful.

1) PLAN IT
Just having the idea for a retreat or getting together with some Play Doh is not going to make your getaway successful. Plan it like you would a project. Set a goal, a strategy, a time line, and create a great structure to the day. Most importantly, get a date on the calendar so it actually happens, and plan your projects around it.

2) INCLUDE EVERYBODY
Once you have your plan, share some of your ideas with the team. Get their thoughts and suggestions and allow everyone to be a part of it in someway. If you have a big group, consider splitting the day up and let different people own different activities to help run the day. The more involvement and organization the better your retreat can be.

3) GET OUT OF YOUR OFFICE
Equally important to the agenda, planning and goal of the day is the location. Whenever possible, go off site. Some places may have a slight fee, so be creative with where to look if that is a hindrance. Consider a local park, library, community center, museum or favorite restaurant. If those aren’t right for the whole gig, add an extra little field trip to the retreat to foster team building. Consider bowling, outside creative assignment, or a great place to eat.

4) PRIME YOUR TEAM FOR INSPIRATION
Once you have the day planned, send out an agenda to all participants to get them excited. Additionally, depending on your goals, you can start promoting the day by asking questions, giving early assignments, or telling them what they need to do to prep. This will help all involved realize that this is a day to take seriously, but also one that will be fun.

5) ALLOW ENOUGH TIME TO DISCUSS, REVIEW, AND HAVE FUN
Like most things in life, your retreat will only be as good as you plan it. And a bad retreat will do more harm than good, so take it seriously. In fact make sure that you have all involved give you feedback on the day. Ask them what they thought, what they enjoyed and what they would change for your next one. Use those suggestions and ideas in planning your next retreat.

In the coming weeks we will share some activities for a retreat or creative exercise. Until then, tell us if you have retreats. If so what are some tips, or maybe some missteps from your experience?

#69 Have you done a personal inventory lately? Have you asked if there is something you want to do, change or learn? What is stopping you?

We think the hardest thing to do is the strive for balance: balance of your time, desires, dreams, work, friends, family, and the list goes on. In the day-to-day onslaught of life, it can be hard to even think clearly enough to see where you can improve. The sheer fact of the matter is that nothing will improve, though, unless you take some personal time to look at your life make a list of things that you would like to learn, change, or add.

Set aside some time this week to make your list. We recommend writing it down so you can visually see what you feel you’re missing. Then you can take a realistic look at those items and see how hard they would be to integrate into your life. Some may be be easier than you think to incorporate, while for others you may need to make some tough decisions. For those, you’ll definitely need to work out a plan for change, but in the end it will be worth it.

We tweeted recently ” The future you see is the future you get.” - Robert G Allen. So this may seem trivial, but make your list and start planning where you can work on changing or growing.

At a conference like AIGA’s Make/Think Conference, it’s impossible to boil down the few precious days into one sound byte, but there has been a quote going around that, if we were to be so bold, could come close to summarizing the very purpose and reason the conference exists:

“Creativity is a habit. It’s not something the happens in the shower.”
Read the rest of this entry »

#68 Utilize your social media outlets for research. Ask your connections via LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. Also, think about Twitter as a search engine.

For some of you this will be old news. Or perhaps you have thought about it, but have yet to utilize your networking resources in this new way, as a research tool. Let’s say you’ve built a small (or large) army of connections on various social networking sites. Use them! Ask them a question or throw out an idea to see what kind of response you get. Your network will hopefully give back some honest opinions, insights, and other thoughts to consider. To make the most of it though, remember: be honest with what you’re looking for, participate if someone else asks you, and don’t get carried away. (No one wants to be your personal opinion survey).

Also, consider Twitter’s search function as a powerful tool to find live trends on any key word. To search, go to search.twitter.com. Type in your word and get ready for real time thoughts of what the masses are thinking. For more on this concept, read this article from Tech Crunch.

For more great Twitter thoughts, check out our last post on Twitter here.

How are you participating in your social networks? How are you using them? New business? Research? Or what else?

For some, working away from the office is no big deal. But what about for those of you who haven’t tried it yet? The good news is that it can work, but it does take some planning and flexibility.

The reasons for going remote are numerous. Perhaps you feel the itch in your office for some flexibility in this area, or maybe in this challenging economy you need to downsize and transition to having your employees work from home. Our particular scenario began when a member of our team got married and needed to move to where her husband was working. I was bummed to lose such a great friend and creative, but then we decided to try working remotely. It has worked out better than expected, and here are some things we have done and suggest:

1: Access, Access, Access
Creating a central online schedule such as a Google doc, iCal calendar, Basecamp, etc. is essential for open communication and tracking. Also, set up a VPN or a separate FTP to make sure all parties have easy access to files. The key is consistent communication and file transfer.

2: Say Hi Everyday
This may seem obvious, but daily face-to-face chats are a must. Using iChat or Skype, go over the day’s schedule, questions, and define expectations. It helps everyone feel like they’re part of both the culture and the day to day office happenings. Also, don’t downplay instant messaging: it’s a great tool for immediate check in.

3: Drab Won’t Do
For the remote worker, try to make yourself an inspiring work place. Is there some piece of the studio you can bring with you to feel a part of the team? Some favorite design posters to hang on the walls? Set aside a couple days to add creativity to your space. It will be well worth the investment.

4: Change It Up
Although a bunny slipper commute might sound nice, working from home can get stifling at times. Take walks, get coffee, read a new book, maybe even take a cat nap. Go to creative events (try your local AIGA chapter). Talk to your boss about sponsoring it or adding a couple magazine subscriptions as part of your employee package for an extra creative boost.

5: Keep the Conversation Going
In the end, make sure both parties talk about what is working and not working. It’s essential to talk about the smallest to the biggest concerns, as well as being open to a little change. This will only work if you commit to it; so be honest, flexible and ready to try something new.

Tell us what you think about working remotely, on either side of the equation. Or what suggestions do you have?

#67 Taking time to rest is an essential part of your day. Do you take time to unwind, kick back and enjoy your day? If not, start now.

I don’t know about you, but the current economic climate is not exactly conducive to getting consistent full nights of rest. Trying to stay on top of details, getting clients to pay in a reasonable amount of time (or just to pay at all), and staying motivated, inspired and creative can be very draining. Pile on that any other parts of your life, such as family, hobbies, etc. and you are worn out.

So how do we balance everything? Well, it doesn’t matter if we can’t keep our eyes open, so this tip is very simple - GET REST. That’s right, rest. Take some downtime every single day. Nap at lunch if you have to. Go to bed before 11pm. Take your vacation days. Take walks. Being refreshed and energized makes anxiety easier to handle and invites inspiration to come out and play.

What do you do to relax or chill out? Try one of these bad boys -they really work: http://tr.im/ppyO

As Justin pointed out in the last Designer Sobriety post, submitting your work to design shows can be a great way to market your company. The big question is how can you stand out in a crowd of hundreds or maybe even thousands of entries? Simple: make your entry easy to judge. Judges are reviewing tons of work and if yours is the easiest to read, review, and toss into the win pile, then you have a greater shot at winning. Below are a couple tricks from @Rule29:

1.) Follow the Rules - this is the easiest way to make sure you get in. Scour the rules and follow them to the T, double- and triple-checking your work.

2.) Envelopes Galore - Give each entry its own envelope. This will make sorting your entry easy and ensures that the corresponding forms will not get lost. Try ordering from Envelope Mall.

3.) Seal It With a Sticker or Two - Print out a label with the title of the entry and correct category, again for easy sorting. Also be sure to seal the envelope with an additional sticker. We do this not just for security but for an additional branding opportunity.

4.) Post-It Tape - Always adhere your entry forms to the back of each piece. Use an x-acto knife and nice tape for the exact measurements. Be sure to tape down every side as if you are framing your entry form. It will look nice and won’t fall off!

5.) Additional Entry Forms - Always include an envelope with a copy of all of your entry forms, receipt for payment, and business cards nicely clipped together. (We like clipiolas.)

6.) Many Business Cards - Be sure to attach a business card to your forms and toss one or two more into the box. This will help the judges get a hold of you with any questions or additional requests. Plus, you never know where your card may end up, so toss a couple in.

7.) CD Label & File Structure - If you are entering a show that requests digital files be sure you use a CD label with your contact information on it along with a list of the contents included. Additionally, make sure the files are easy to find. Perhaps they are organized by category or entry number. Also be sure to include a .TXT file with your contact information on the CD.

8.) PDF Form Detection - Even a designers’ hand writing can be tough to read! With most show entry forms being available in .PDF, you can use the Acrobat Pro auto-form detection tool. By using this, you’ll be able to type every entry form to be sure it is legible and easy to read. You can even take it one more step and use your brand’s font across all forms and labels.

Some of this may seem redundant and maybe even a little over the top, but just keep in mind those judges and the large amount of entries they have to judge. The entry process is just as important as the work you are submitting. Do not wait until the last minute and try not to rush!

Do you have any additional tips? If so, leave us a comment!

#66 Promoting through design shows can be a good marketing, PR & team boost. Some shows cost money, some are free, like books. Start local.

There are a variety of opinions on this topic and there are a couple simple rules of thumb. For starters only enter shows you can afford or that you think your work has a chance of winning. Beyond that we think design shows or design books are a great way to create reasons to talk about work. And we are not talking about for your ego, we are talking reasons to reach out to clients and talk about accomplishments. Clients like to work with successful people. They also need to hear from you on a regular basis, and having the opportunity to mix in accomplishments with project news is a great way to stand out. Another reasons to enter, other than for marketing or PR, is to pat you and your crew on the back. Even though we think ego should take the back seat to new business we all like to be recognized for the work that we pour our hearts into. Employees like being recognized and being a part of a company that cares about doing great work and is recognized for it. Additionally it is a great way to attract future employees!

Ready to get started? or to look at more shows to add into your marketing plan? Well we suggest looking at your budget and the time you have available to enter first. There are endless shows and books to be a part of. Where do you start? Our thought is start with shows or books that align with the ideal types of work you want to be recognized for, or are really passionate about. Additionally some markets have market specific shows, those are also great because you can then say you are a leader or recognized in that particular space. Along those lines, entering local shows are typically more cost effective, if that is a concern. However, those shows are more likely to get you additional local publicity with clients and potential clients. Always be honest with the work, look at past show winners, is your work at least that good? If so enter it.

Here are some links for design shows: HOW, PRINT, CA, GRAPHIS, American Design Awards, GD:USA, Coupe, AIGA

Here is a site with design shows listings: Dexigner, Notes on Design

Some great resources to follow on Twitter: @HowMag, @Dexigner, @LogoMotives

Here are some publisher & paper company links for calls for entries that are FREE: Rockport, Crescent Hill Books, Neenah Paper, Appleton Coated - U Be the Judge

Tips on how to enter design shows, or things to know are coming up next week. In the mean time what shows or books do you participate in? Any stories of how they have directly brought you work or new employees?

The Meeting. It’s an essential part of everyday business. Whether you are gathering to pitch your work, discuss a project, or just have a friendly update, here are our top ten tips for making a good impression at your next meeting.

1. Bring One for Everyone - Oftentimes when meeting potential clients for the first time, you will bring samples of your work, brochures, business cards or other swag. Be sure you know who is attending your meeting and always pack a few extras so no one is left out.

2. Allow Time for Setup - Getting to the meeting location on time is one thing… But walking across a large campus and setting up takes time as well. Give yourself enough time so that your meeting starts right on time.

3. Always Respect Their Time - At the beginning of each meeting be sure to ask how much time you have to meet. Be mindful of this and adjust your agenda as needed.

4. Never Interrupt - The worst thing to do is interrupt someone who is speaking. Write down your thought and save it for when they’re done. Interruptions often lead to tangent conversations ultimately getting off topic.

5. Always Take Notes (or be prepared to) - Whether or not you intend to take notes, always make sure you are ready to. Take notes of your thoughts, ideas, what others say and what you say. Being able to review these later will help immensely.

6. Stick to the Agenda - Whether your agenda is verbal or written be sure to state what will be covered in the meeting. This will help everyone stay on task and on topic. At the end of the meeting it will be easy to recap the meeting and discuss next steps.

7. Always Allow Time for Discussion - When pacing your meeting make sure you leave time at the end for discussion. Give the opportunity for questions from everyone involved and have a couple questions prepared to ask.

8. Never Chew Gum - Fresh breath is important; however, chewing gum during a meeting is simply unprofessional.

9. Don’t Text - Make sure your iPhone/Blackberry is tucked away and on silent. Texting, emailing, and paying more attention to your phone than the meeting will make a very bad impression.

10. Follow Up With A Thank You - After your meetings be sure to follow up with everyone involved to say thanks for their time. This is a great way to ask additional questions if need be or propose next steps.

Those are just a few simple ways to improve your meeting style. What types of things do you do? Any do’s and don’ts that you stick to? Let us know.