Sweet-ness. Apt Design was nominated for Douglas County Business of the Year from the Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce. Other nominees include Merrill Orthodontics and the Wenatchee Valley Mall, some pretty big players! But one-person businesses are certainly a trend in the new workplace, and I’m happy to be representing (really) small business.
I’m thrilled to even be nominated, it is a great validation of the 4 major things I try offer my clients: great communication, unique design, professionalism and a personable relationship. Plus it would be cool to win an award called a “Wenny.”
Local Chambers can be a huge help to any business, I know I’ve benefited tremendously from being a part of the one here. They are a great resource, advocate and networking opportunity. I’ll see you at the networking event of the year – the 2010 Wenatchee Valley Chamber Banquet.
original image by drewbsaunders
Recently at my house we’ve made a few small changes: rearranged the couches in the living room, moved a light in a bedroom. Little things really, but it made the whole house seem new and different. We have plans for some bigger changes on the way, but for now just those little things are enough.
It got me thinking about making little changes to keep things fresh. In business, not changing means you’re not growing. Not changing oftentimes comes from a static mindset. And that kind of mindset can often be changed by just doing little things.
Even small changes can make a big difference – in your mood, in your employees job satisfaction, in what you offer your customers.
What are some small changes you could make right now really quickly? Maybe rearrange your desk just a little bit? Be more ergonomic, more minimalist? Add a plant? If you need some help try this quick ebook from ZenHabits.
Get in the habit of keeping things fresh, fluid and organic and your business will reap the benfits.
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Speaking of change, I’m currently working on a redesign of my website that should be launching here shortly.
02/19/10
When I started Apt Design there was a local writing conference that was starting around the same time. Write on the River became one of my first, favorite, and most longstanding clients. I’m excited to announce that this year I will be a presenting speaker at the conference! After talking with some members of the board we decided that some of my knowledge of blogging, social media and the internets at large could be extremely useful for writers wondering about what blogging and social media could do for them. Thus my workshop, “Blogs and Social Media: What Every Writer Should Know” was born.
Here’s a description of the workshop, from the Write on the River website:
The web is no longer a fad for part-time HTML hobbyists. Authors as much as anyone need to look at how they can leverage the internet to connect and communicate. This workshop will begin by exploring one of the basic building blocks of the internet – the blog. We’ll look at the advantages and disadvantages blogs hold for writers. After finding out if creating a blog is right for you, we’ll look at how you can choose what to write about. We will also look at ways social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more) can benefit authors. We’ll examine ways writers can make money using the web, including the feasibility of income from blog-writing. Practical tips will be given as the important differences in writing for a web audience are considered. Lastly, we will touch on new experiments and opportunities for writers in an ever-changing online world.
I’ll be presenting May 15th at 2:15. Terry Brooks is the keynote speaker this year! So come in for the workshop or drop me a line here if you have any topics you’d like me to make sure and address.
Just a note to let you know that I have some upcoming times when I’ll be unavailable.
My whole family is coming into town this year for Christmas (drawn to what I wonder?) and like many of you I’ll be taking off work to spend time with family. For that I’ll be unavailable from December 24th – January 1st.
I’ll then jump right back in and be happy to help you finish up some projects and make sure everything is running smoothly. I will then be taking another break to recharge, work on some personal projects, look at my business over the past 2.5 years, and plan for times ahead. For that I will be unavailable from January 14th – 20th.
After that I look forward to providing you with more great design service that connects you to your clients!
I hope you have a relaxing and restful holiday break as well. (Don’t ignore it – You Need a Break)
Now, when you buy an Apple product you get a little bit of a warrantee, but if you want extended coverage and help that’s worth anything you have to pay for it. Is it worth paying a premium for something you may never use? Let’s see…
A Broken Mac
A few weeks ago my Apple MacBook Pro went on the fritz. I did have the AppleCare Protection Plan, so I called up my special number and let them know the problem. After trying a few fixes my support guy decided the laptop needed to be sent in for repairs. The next day a return box was dropped off at my house. I pulled out a few tabs and had a package that custom fit my specific computer.
Apple paid the for overnight return to them, and I could track exactly how my repairs were progressing online at all times. On the third morning a box showed back up at my house with my perfectly fixed computer. Wow, that was worth paying for.
The Moral of the Story
The moral of this story?
If you have a premium service or product it better wow those paying extra for it.
Your products and services should always be excellent, that’s how you draw customers and clients in. But if someone is paying extra for a premium service or product they deserve extra speed in your step, extra value in your service, extra quality in your product. Make sure you are providing them with it and you’ll go from just having customers to having loyal fans.
