ForumsShop Talk

Now your advertising skills are coming through!
Nice marketing technique with the pair of movie tickets.
I look forward to working with you in 2008.

CC08

I feel like we're a couple of proud parents.
Our little girl is growing up. :wipes eyes:
Just playing Amy

CC08

Thank you for your feedback. Don't tell anyone else but I prefer my work at home power jammies to a suit but I agree. I am need of a recent picture because all the ones I have are from late 2005 to early 2006.
As for my the photos on my sight, what would you suggest? Should I use high quality stock photos?

Amy, I'm not suggesting that the following viewpoint is more "right" than Sirebral's, but it is different.

When I looked at your site as a business owner, I saw a work-in-progress -- something that is emerging and evolving. Specifics regarding N&D are still unclear to me, there are misspellings and grammar errors on the site (not something I'd expect from an established bi-weekly publisher) -- BUT THAT'S OKAY for now because it seems perfectly consistent with you and the story you tell.

In other words, if the personal image you tried to create was "business suit," I'd see an incongruence. To me, a suit says, "I want you to believe that I'm a major player in this field, an expert at what I do, and I'll handle your projects with total perfection and unequaled efficiency." But that's not what all the other evidence says would happen, so my reaction would be, "Who are you trying to fool?"

By linking who you really are to what you're doing, the mental image I get of both you and N&D are a match. The image is, "I'm making some of this up as I go, I'll make mistakes (but I don't think I already know everything so I'm willing to learn from them), N&D will be redefined continually for awhile -- and I'll get better at what I do every day." And perhaps most important, "I'm not just talking about this, I'm doing it." For me, a young lady with a big smile and power jammies says all that much better than a suit. And personally, I consider someone who is inexperienced (yet honest about it) to be a far better partner to do business with than someone who is trying to pull one over on everybody.

Again, just a different viewpoint. Best wishes for future success.

Happy 2008, Hope this helps, LUCKIEST

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Yes, that is a great point that I think we have all tried to make on this forum. Image is everything.
I had a potential client who I had spoken on the phone with a few times and arranged a meeting with.
He sounded very professional and very ambitious. (similar to LH's story)
He showed up 1hr late to our meeting, and when he showed up...he was in pajama pants and a tshirt that said "I don't discriminate...I hate everybody."
He proceeded to walk right past my secretary and into my office while I was on the phone and sat down at my desk.
How do you feel the perception was on this individual?

We are not in any way saying that you are this way.
However, what we are saying, is you need to look at how you present yourself and your business.
Even on your time off, you need to remember that people who see you will associate you with your business.
With that said, my second point comes from another story from my past.
I had a client who I did a lot of work with. He was always professionally dressed and always professional in his nature.
One night I went out to a bar with a colleague for a drink and heard a commotion across the bar from us.
I look down to find my client on the bar dancing and acting like a fool.
Not somebody I would want to associate my business with.

Hope this helps you understand perception.

CC08

Again, perception...
The guy in the park in his shirt, jeans and flip flops is fine.
It is his time off and he is in his normal attire.
He is not dancing on a bar making a complete mockery of himself and those around him.

CC08