5 reasons too many design businesses fail (but anyone can fix!)
1. Generic Messaging – It’s hard to succeed if your message blends into the crowd and no one can remember what you do or who you do it for. Seriously Happy business owners find ways to stand out from the crowd. They aren’t afraid to find a niche and become the go-to expert in that niche. They offer so much value in that one niche that even their colleagues refer them! The goal: Targeted messaging.
2. Brand Inconsistency – Seriously Happy business owners walk their talk. They make sure that how they present themselves, what shows up on their website, how their team represents the brand, and how they deliver their service, from the brand colors and marketing materials to meeting deadlines and communicating effectively, all springs from the same Core Values. The goal? Brand consistency!
3. Lack of Focus – Long-term success is impossible if you keep jumping from one great idea to another, or trying to juggle and promote a dozen different websites and business concepts. Seriously Happy business owners may have lots of good ideas, but they don’t let ShinyObject-Syndrome get the best of them. They identify what they are good at, get Great at it!, and then commit to delivering that service at a near-perfect level so their customers come to know and trust them. The goal? Committed focus!
4. Failing to Show Up – If you and your website aren’t out there letting folks know what you do and who you do it for, then ain’t nobody gonna find you. Seriously Happy business owners know that being in business means showing up (and sometimes putting some financial skin in the game). That means creating the best website (with the best SEO) that you can, showing up to networking events, sending out newsletters, posting on social media, etc. Yep, it’s work, but that’s the business of being in business. The goal? Get out there!
5. Overpromising and Underdelivering – The best way to destroy client trust and brand value is to overpromise and then fail to provide the promised service or meet the promised deadlines. Seriously Happy business owners make sure they only make promises they know they can fulfill, then they not only make good on those promises, they also find small ways to surprise and delight their customers by going just a little above and beyond what was promised. The goal? Underpromise and overdeliver!
Hi! I’m Rebecca!
When I closed my design biz to move to Paris I discovered how hard it was for me to refer my clients to other designers because I couldn't tell what the designer did, who they did it for, or what they delivered!
Now I'm on a mission to help designers nail their niche and set clear client expectations.
It's all about being able to clearly communicate what you do, who you do it for, what they should expect, and what they'll get, and it's the #1 key to getting hired by clients you love to work on projects you're proud of!