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In a previous post, I said this: “When you’re considering your next print job, ask yourself how many you think you really need, and then divide by two.”
It seems so many of us small business owners tend to overbuy our printed materials. I myself am a recovering print-addict. When I had my maternity boutique, I wanted to get my brand exactly the way I had in my mind. I feverishly worked with my graphic designer to get everything just right. I had her do revision after revision. Some things just never panned out. Others I absolutely loved and were right on the mark.
And then I closed my store 15 months later.
In my defense, there was a major financial crisis and housing meltdown in my small town, which even the Wall Street Journal reported on...but all of my beautiful branding was gone.
I don’t know how many times I’ve met a business owner with stacks of outdated cards. We tend to overbuy, thinking we’re saving money by buying bulk, only to end up crossing out an address or suite number, adding a new email address or having a wrong phone number.
No.
The whole point of getting your brand and business cards just right is to make a lasting first impression. Remember that, people! This is no time for sloppiness.
Keep your batches small and your information current.
And you know that font or color you’re trying to get *just right*, or the back and forth you might be doing with your graphic designer to get a logo perfect—Stop. Now.
If you’re at 90-95% satisfaction (some would say 80), that might be all you need. In a year, you might have changed your business focus and need a new logo altogether! It’s expensive going back and forth with a designer and it costs you time. Get your best foot forward (not always your most perfect, ideal foot forward), get your branding together and then get back to your business. Don’t go for perfection. Everything can be changed (and will have to be to stay modern) in marketing!
And to make any design process quicker, try to round up a few examples of items you really like; websites, business cards, pictures, Pinterest board, whatever. Show those to your designer as a starting point so they aren’t guessing for your first rounds. Keep the process moving and don't worry about perfection. That's the best way to stay focused on the success of your business!