Xmas Shopping @ Magnolia Square Malvern Town Hall Melbourne
Artist Chris Chun
Chris Chun 's Stall
Crayon Chick- Michelle Harvey
Love, AJ - Amber Yates
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Your Personal Branding
Your Personal Brand Promise.
“A brand is a promise, a commitment. You need to know yourself to know your brand” ~Vinh Van Lam
As an up and coming designer how you present yourself, and how you’re perceived, is going to be a critical factor in your success.
Your brand is literally your essence. It builds on who you are and what you stand for.
Rather than pretending to be someone you’re not, or adopting some fake persona, we’d suggest that the easiest way forward is to consider your “Personal Brand” as the promises you make to people... Promises about yourself... Promises about your product... Promises about how people will feel because of you,your product and services.
Making Promises are the keys to build your brand, It keeps you honest because it forces you out of imagination and into action. You become known by the promises you
deliver.
Successful designers make lots of promises. Lots of promises to lots of people. The more promises you make and fulfill, the stronger your personal brand becomes.
Promises and commitments are how we build our identity. We make promises to people every day: We loan them a book, or deliver a job, or a call back.
You are the commitments you make and the promises you keep. That’s how you become known. So, be careful what you promise.
So, now that we’ve established the easiest way to consider our personal brands; how do we go about deciding what our personal brand promises could be?
Let’s look at five key elements that you can use to construct your personal brand in some more detail.
Where do you personally stand in relation to these five key elemental areas? What’s important to you? Who are you? Who do you aspire to be?
Attitude - Understand that you can accomplish virtually anything when you think you can. You will always get what you expect to get. Positive attitude manifests positive attitudes and serves to attract people to your brand. Perhaps you’ve heard of the law of attraction? “Like attracts like”. If you’re a person that keeps their promises; you;re likely to attract others that keep theirs too.
Belief - With faith in yourself and a firm believe in your brand, you can always persevere through all sorts of trials and tribulations. With an outwards showing of sincere confidence and belief you’ll be surprised by synchronicity. Circumstances and people will come to you, like a magnet. A sincere belief in yourself will draw people to your personal brand.
Values - These are the principles that inspire you everyday. Your values are the driving forces that make you want to live your life to the fullest. To have fun, to be authentic, to have lots of energy, to live a life full of joy, and to deliver on your creative promise.
Integrity - This critical element of trust is how you commit yourself to the promises you make to yourself, and the promises you make to others. It’s how you hold yourself accountable to yourself and to others.
Commitment - When you are fully committed to your purpose, to your integrity, and to your values, you take on a sense of urgency that’s hard to beat. When you show a complete and full commitment to what you do, you’ll begin to find that other people start to share your beliefs in your brand.
Want to learn the practical steps to develop your “Personal Brand Promise” the Quantum Compass way?
It’s as simple as 1... 2... 3...
2: Come along to the next “Personal Brand Promise for Creative Professionals” workshop. E-mail Quantum Compass: PersonalBrandPromise@QuantumCompass.com.au ) for details of the next half day session near you.
3: Contact Vinh for a no cost, no obligation coaching session on 0410 636 138 or : www.quantumcompass.com.au/free-coaching.php )
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Cashflow Concepts for Artists & Designers
Have you heard the phrase "a starving artist".
Isn’t the notion of the starving artist such a cliche? Yet why does it persist? Why do we have the expectation that artists must "suffer for their art"?
Well, we're here to tell you that it doesn't have to be that way.
You can be an artist and also live well!
The first step along that path is to acknowledge that you're actually deserving of living well. Yes. it's something that seems obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many artists and designers that we've worked with start off with a belief that they can't (or shouldn't!) make money for following their passion and doing what they love.
It's been our experience that the subject of finances and "cash flow" is generally low on the list of priorities, if not avoided altogether.
At Quantum Compass we work through a simple "cash flow concepts" formula to help our clients start on the path of increasing their wealth and generating the incomes that they truly deserve for simply doing what they love.
At the start we work with you to get a clear understanding of your current cash flow. Ask yourself these questions: Where is your money going right now? How do you generate income?
Once you have an understanding of what's happening for you right now, you have the perfect opportunity to make some real decisions.
Are you happy with the ways you spend your money? Is your income sufficient for your current lifestyle? What will you need to sustain the lifestyle you aspire to?
Moving to the next level is all about having a plan, and increasing the number of ways that your art & design practice can be making you money.
We’re very clear that it's certainly not about "selling-out", or making some crass compromises. Many artists & designers assume that they somehow have to change their art to be successful financially.
In fact, we're very clear that the opposite is true. You don’t necessarily need to change your art; you need to get very clear about who you really are, and find those things that are unique to you.
Cash flow is one of the key fundamental elements of a design practice that we focus on during the Quantum Compass ArtShine Coaching Program.
Why?
Because financial stress doesn’t usually enhance creativity. We believe it’s critically important for designers & artists like you to understand the power of financial control.
Financially successful designers & artists focus on what you’re good at; your art and creativity.
Successful designers also understand and use “cash flow concepts” to manage finances and leverage the analytical help of advisors like accountants, agents, business coaches, IP advisors, etc as they're needed along the way.
Want to learn more about “Cash Flow” the Quantum Compass way?
It’s as simple as 1... 2... 3...
2: Come along to the next “Cash Flow Concepts for Creative Professionals” workshop. E-mail Quantum Compass: CashFlowConcepts@QuantumCompass.com.au ) for details of the next half day session near you.
3: Contact Vinh for a no cost, no obligation coaching session: www.quantumcompass.com.au/shine
Sunday, November 1, 2009
What is Eveleigh Market ?
Some of the stallholders include Faint Impressions,Silvermonk, The Near Future, Flatbird Design, Bornagainbooks , The Print Room, and Allegria to name a few.
The Artisan Market is ideally crafted opposite Carriageworks, the bold new art centre dedicated to the development and presentation of the contemporary arts.
Eveleigh Market’s commitment to fostering sustainability and authenticity is attracting stallholders who design using recycled materials and those inspired by the natural materials.
The undercover venue provides the ideal showroom for designers and is destined to grow in popularity based on the success of the weekly Eveleigh Farmers’ Market.
While you’re there, grab a freshly roasted coffee from the cafe,and delecious Turkish gozleme or take away Yum Cha.
Eveleigh Farmers' and Artisans' Market is to open in Historic Sydney Building Inaugural Season Event. Traditional Christmas Farmers’ Market Saturday 13 December 8am – 1.30pm.
Faint Impressions- Beautiful Handbags
Who are you really? And who do you really “sell” to?
In this section you’ll begin to define your target market.
The simple truth is that if you try to be all things to all people, then you’re likely to be nothing to everyone. And you may end up with no customers because of it!
Getting very clear about who you are, and who you appeal to, is probably the most critical step in designing your successful Business LifeStyle.
Why “narrow the market”?
One of the biggest issues we’ve faced with clients is that they want to have the widest market as possible in the belief that if they appeal to the widest possible market then that will generate the greatest interest in their product or service.
We don’t disagree that this strategy has a valid place, it’s just that we’re yet to see it work with clients like you in the context that you live and work in...
What we do see with clients who follow this strategy are people who are constantly flipping their focus, trying to be something they’re not, for people they don’t like, creating work they don’t love, and most sadly; creating work that they feel has compromised their own personal integrity.
We don’t know about you, but that’s not how we want to live and work... What’s important to you?
Being very clear about who you are, what you do, who specifically you appeal to, and who specifically you desire to attract means that you’re only taking action that brings you those things. And you’re not wasting time and energy to bring yourself the people that you don’t really want to work with and serve.
The advantages of further narrowing and re-defining your “Niche”
· Narrowing your market and building genuine expertise in a narrow field means that you can become an expert in what you do, instead of being a “Jack of all trades; Master of none”.
· Deeply researching your particular niche group in order to learn more about what they want and need means that you can also test-market your products or services.
· It makes it easier to communicate with potential clients and customers because you can appeal specifically to this narrow group instead of to everyone. Your target market will be attracted to you instead of pass you by. Your marketing materials can now be targeted and now add very real value to your audience, instead of being “generalised”, and just a little bit useful to everyone.
· Using this “Attraction marketing” method you can set up marketing campaigns purely to target this specific group and communicate directly to them. This means you will attract the right customers and referrals.
· Because your target market is aligned to you, and who you are, you’ll find yourself enjoying networking and ‘hang out’ with them. Your interests are their interests. And it’s a more natural fit.
· You can achieve more credibility than your competitor who appears to handle everything.
· You can create specific products and services that appeal to your niche group.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The "BIO" or "Profile"
One of the first and one of the most important promotional tools in your Business LifeStyle is the “profile”, or “personal
There are some things about you that it’s very important that every prospective client knows. And when you start to prepare your own bio; and write about “YOU”, you’ll discover that you have many life skills and experiences that are valid and relevant to your audience. Perhaps your passions and purpose will even
inspire your audience.
Here is a list of things you might consider including in your biography:
· Your DPP (Desire, Passion & Purpose) and what you love doing.
· Specifically what you bring to your audience, and everything unique about you (your “Quirks”).
· All your relevant successes (career, awards, businesses, exhibitions, designs, relationship).
· All your relevant adventures (e.g. travel to around the world, etc).
· All the relevant challenges that you’ve overcome, and all your relevant life and work experiences
· All your relevant training (design courses, diplomas, qualifications, degrees or certificates that are
relevant or show your accomplishments. And don’t discount and ignore on-the-job training, work
experience training, etc either).
· Membership of any relevant associations (Chambers of Commerce, Networking groups, etc).
· Positions on industry committees, etc.
· Charity groups that you support.
Remember... Keep it simple. Two or three paragraphs should be more than sufficient. Please don’t write
anything that doesn’t give you credibility. Writing something that appeals to your audience and that you have the right product or services that suit their wants and needs.
Because you’re keeping is short every word needs to be relevant, interesting and engaging. Two or three powerful lines are much better than a full page of waffle.
As a creative person you want your bio to be fun and inspirational.
If your background and training are closely aligned to your business you can bring up how it was a natural progression. If they are completely at odds with your business you can point out why you have made such a switch and that you are now doing what you love by following your passion.
Try this exercise:
· List the ‘Top Ten’ reasons someone should buy or hire you. What are your strengths?
· List everything relevant that you can think of that you’ve done in your life.
· Eliminate anything that doesn’t add to your credibility.
· Write a half page biography:
o Then edit it down to two or three paragraphs that really describe you well.
· Search the internet and print off three profiles that sound interesting and attractive to you.
o Without copying, use these to inspire ideas and refine your own bio.
· Have family members read it and give you feedback.
· Run your bio past at least three friends and your Business Lifestyle coach.
o Use their feedback and suggestions to even further refine and improve.
· Post your bio on your websites and your blogs
· Save it (ideally PDF) and use it regularly for promoting you and your business.
Once you have the bio that you’re happy with, share it with everyone you know; especially your current and past clients... Ask them for feedback about your products & services and what you’ve written about
yourself.
Ask them to be honest with you... If they don’t agree with what you’ve written isn’t it better to know? And if they do agree... Why not as them to share your bio with their networks?
Monday, October 12, 2009
Goal Setting
“It's your Passion that drives your purpose to achieve your goals”-Vinh Van Lam
There are some basic principals of goal setting:
1. It’s critical that you own your goals and ensure that they have real and genuine meaning for you.
2. It’s critical that your goals written down and put on paper. Think about how you can make
them visible so you can see them every day. That way they’ll always be
3. Write your goals in present tense as if you’ve already attained them.
4.Use positive language. Frame things in ways like… “I will…” I do…” rather than “I don’t…”
“Iwon’t…”
5. It’s important that your goals is D.A.R.E.S:
a. Detailed
b. Achievable
c. Realistic
d. Exciting
e. Specific
6. It’s critical that your goals be measurable and that you establish clear milestones for their
achievement.
Identify your Short , Middle and Long term goals
* STG: Goals that are reachable in a short time in a day, week or within month.
* MTG: Goals that fall in the middle like 6 to 12 months
* LTG: Goals that you have no clues how to get there and they will challenge you. You also feel the fear because they are out of your comfort zone .
· Break down the activities and tasks into small chunks, more achievable action steps.
· Commit a date when you want it to complete
7. Delegate or appoint yourself or some one else to do the task.
8. Validate your tasks and make sure the task is actioned at a specific time frame. e.g. by Wed 15 April
9. Review you goals regular and record you learning from the goals.
At Quantum Compass we’ve been working with clients on what we call the OPIC planner:
OPIC stands for: Objective
Planning
Implementation
Commitment
To learn more about OPIC goal planner please email to:
OPICtool@quantumcompass.com.au
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