| How you look affects your self esteem and how | | | | including the finished work in his or her portfolio. A |
| your business looks affects your bottom line. But | | | | letter from you verifying your satisfaction with his |
| what if you need to improve your business image | | | | or her work is a help, too. |
| but have minimal staff or budget to support | | | | 2. Post the job on a freelancer site and |
| those changes? | | | | subcontract the work. Search with your favorite |
| Not to worry. There are some simple tips you | | | | browser for freelance graphic designers, publish |
| can apply that cost nothing or next-to-nothing and | | | | your proposal and determine from the bids you |
| that can get almost immediate results. So where | | | | receive what works best. (These sites can be |
| do you start? First, you need a plan. | | | | global marketplaces so determine if terms of |
| Plan Your Brand | | | | agreement are acceptable before you post your |
| A facelift, also known as an *identity* plan | | | | proposal.) |
| deserves detailed thought because it involves | | | | 3. Barter services with a designer whose work |
| more than your logo and letterhead. Having a plan | | | | you know and trust. For example, if your business |
| assures that everything you put before a | | | | is landscaping, offering to rid the designer of |
| potential customer carries a unified image so that | | | | yard-weeds in the spring may be enough to |
| the customer can identify the product or service | | | | offset what you need. |
| with your business. This identity becomes the | | | | 4. Offer to introduce a designer to two other |
| brand upon which you build future business, so | | | | clients who would agree to use his or her |
| putting optimal resources toward your brand | | | | services. The business referral may be seen as |
| development will provide the best return. | | | | equity for your own work. |
| Revamping your brand may be as simple as | | | | 5. Buy an already created set from a software or |
| updating a logo or as complex as creating a | | | | shareware company. Add your business |
| many-page website with double opt-in lists, links | | | | information and voilà, you have got a new |
| and affiliations. Because you will likely be living with | | | | look. |
| your choices for a long time, you will want to | | | | Some Words of Warning |
| consider selecting the image that is not only the | | | | Although it may seem like a good or convenient |
| most acceptable but the one you believe will | | | | idea to have a family member or friend do the |
| enhance your success. It is always a good idea to | | | | design work for you, it usually turns out to be far |
| solicit feedback from others when creating | | | | more costly not only financially, but also with |
| something as critical as your identity. | | | | relationship conflicts. So, weigh the potential |
| Five Ways to Find the Services You Need at a | | | | outcome before you ask. |
| Fraction of the Cost | | | | Finally, make sure you have the electronic file |
| How do you find someone to help with your | | | | formats and copyright permissions (or ownership) |
| identity plan? Five ways come to mind: | | | | you need for the work you purchased. After all, |
| | | | you do not want to be seeing your image |
| 1. Offer a high school or college art student the | | | | anywhere but on your business face. |
| chance to design what you need in exchange for | | | | |