It's ALL About PASSION, DREAMS, and GENEROSITY!
Build Your Business with Integrity
by Graphic Artist and Businesswoman Trina Clark

My husband can tell you that building my customer base, therefore my business, is ever-present in the forefront of my mind.  We can be on a weekend get-away, sitting in front of the television, riding horses, taking road trips, or whatever...but my mind is occupied by the question, "How can I grow my business?"  It's a passion, nearly an obsession, with me.  So, I've spent hours upon hours researching the best ways to invest my advertising dollars, my time, and my talent.  Failed miserably with some ventures, but found great success with others.

Here's what I've come up with so far.  First, you need to establish a quality product or service that will allow you enough profit to be generous.  As many of you know, I invent reasons to nearly give away my products.  Customers are constantly thanking me for the great prices I offer...but I'm still making money as well!!!  If you're around very long, you're going to hear me quote Zig Ziglar, "You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want," and "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." Luke 6: 38.  Why will you hear me say it so often?  BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT and my husband and I both live by it!

Generosity does not go unnoticed or unrewarded.  We are living testaments to that statement.  Give more than you have to, work harder than you need to, make sure that you're providing a service or product that you would want to have yourself...at a lower cost than what you would want to spend.  But make sure that you're also getting paid for what you do.  Sounds like a riddle, and many times, it can be tricky to accomplish all of that at the same time.  An example of a way I found that I could be generous is in my Terms of Use.  See, it doesn't even have to be a rock bottom price that you give your customers, it can be an added service, a small gift, sound advice, etc.  LOOK for ways to go above and beyond!  People WILL remember you for that.  My Terms of Use are the most liberal of any I know for use of graphics.  I believe that if someone purchases the graphics, they should, for the most part, be able to USE them...and they don't have to purchase a Commercial License to do so!

My overhead is very minimal, which allows me to be more generous than someone who produces tangible items.  My husband, for instance, is a glazier.  His business is installing mirrors, shower doors, storefront glass, etc.  He can't afford to be as generous as I am. He has material cost and when he invests x amount of hours and material into a job, he gets paid for that investment...and that's it.  In my line of work, I can create one graphic collection, invest several hours into it ONE TIME, and place it up for sale.  Then, I'm basically finished with that collection, but it can earn money for me indefinitely.  Not everyone has a skill that will allow them such a return on invested hours.  Just food for thought.

Another point I'd like to make is that managers can be more effective than producers.  Granted, we have to have producers, or nothing would get done.  But if you can take a manager's attitude, you can accomplish more than if you have a producer mentality.  I was visiting my brother in Oklahoma once, and he was showing me some of the houses he had purchased to remodel and re-sell (a very nice business he has, too).  He stopped at one house and, almost with regret, said, "I didn't have time to put the roof on this house, so I hired someone else to do it for me...and I only made x amount of dollars for that job."  He  didn't pick up a hammer, and yet, he was now that much more money to the good!  What's wrong with THAT?  While the other guys were putting that roof on, my brother was free to do work on another house...making more money than he could have if he had spent all his time on the roof.  He now pays other people to do a lot jobs, because he doesn't have time to do it all.  He has become a manager, not just a producer.

My heart is especially for women who want to stay home and raise their own children.  But it does go further than that.  I have a driving passion to see people find the freedom to pursue their passion and be able to earn an honest living in doing so.  Many people want the security of a weekly paycheck, and if that works for them, that's great.  But more and more people today are finding that they're in a never-ending rat race.  They work 40 hours a week, earn a just-enough paycheck, and employers are getting all the money for the employees' efforts.  Does that sound like a double standard?  I'm suggesting that you become a manager yourself...where does that leave the people who work for you?  Again, I refer to my earlier quotes about helping others get what they want, give with the same measure that you want it given back to you.  Good managers produce good managers, and they're not insecure about doing so.

While you're paying someone else to work for you, you can also focus on how to make that person a manager of his/her own dreams.  Ask questions about their passions, find out what occupies their minds when allowed to drift, encourage them to pursue deep-seated, hidden, suppressed goals.  All most people need is a cheerleader!!!  They just want someone to believe in them and their abilities.  Worked for me!  My first marriage was to a man who thought my passions were "child's play."  When he decided to divorce me, I met and married an opposite man....my soul-mate, my best friend, my greatest supporter, and most avid fan!  He was amazed at my talent, thrilled with my work, and sold out to the fact that I could use my gifts to touch lives AND make money!

My first marriage was to a man who insisted that the security of earning a $200.00 weekly check in a job that I hated was better than daring to dream that my God-given passions and talents could earn a much better living.  In contrast, my best friend/husband/soul-mate could see immediately that my work and talents had the potential to make much more money than I would have ever earned out there in the "real world."  It started slow, and I got discouraged, and I wanted to quit, and depression set in at times.  But my husband wouldn't let me give up.  Because of his encouragement and support, we are now realizing a very nice income from my work.  I personally know people who work two full-time jobs (that require a college degree) and they aren't earning as much as I do - with one passion, doing EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO DO WHEN I WANT TO DO IT.  Ummm, I have a grand total of 16 college hours under my belt.  LOL!  Isn't it funny how we buy the lie that college is everything and that the natural, inborn gifts GOD chose to give us are second best and not to be relied upon???  Disclaimer: Yes, there's a place for college, but it's NOT for everyone...nor does it absolutely guarantee financial freedom.  Not only that, but I once worked for a millionaire who only finished 8th grade.  That's a whole rags to riches story that I won't take the time now to tell.

Finally, I want to address the treatment of customers.  This just goes without saying, but I'm going to say it anyway.  I've been appalled at how some of my peers treat their customers.  On occasion, I'll receive an email from one of my customers who visited other graphic sites and was, for one reason or another, ripped up by the site owner.  It's beyond my ability to comprehend how a site can be successful when their treatment of customers is so brutal.  Some of these sites have actually been ones that I've referred customers to, until I discover their lack of respect for my customers.  Once discovered, though, you can bet I won't send anyone else their way.  I'm all about promoting other graphic artists...there's room for all of us!  But ill-treatment of customers is inexcusable!  This goes for any type of business.  When I know that customer service is top priority for a business I've dealt with, I'm confident I can send others their way and expect they'll get the same treatment.

Points to ponder:

1. Be generous
2. Know your passion
3. Dare to pursue it
4. Love your customers

May the work of your hands be blessed beyond measure,

Trina

Xango Juice,  Trina Clark - Independent Distributor
www.xipxang.com