Shona Creative

www.shonacreative.com.au

1. Tell us about your business

Freelance service providing creative and marketing needs for starting/micro/small business as well as families and individuals. Products and services include: Graphic design, professional printing, copywriting, web and digital design as well as website hosting and some general office/admin.

2. When and why did you start your business?

I started Shona Creatve in 2009 as I had many local small businesses, family and friends asking me to create various digital and print media for them, or write, edit, proof-read and re-create documents as needed. Every customer has been a pleased one and I'm very happy to say the business has flourished from there.

3. On a personal level, what have you achieved with of your business?

Much more than I thought I would when I first started. Within one year I am already fully booked and every single customer has left a fantastic review and referred their friends to me. I have achieved a strong client base and a better understanding of my industry and what clients expect of me.

4. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in growing your business?

I work longer hours than I am paid for and therefore I have to be stricter with what I charge per project - this may deter some possible clients, but I have to keep doing it so that I can pay the rent. It is tough to explain to clients that a design actually takes a lot longer to produce than they assume.

5. What activities have been successful in promoting your business?

Having my website SEO'd and signing up with the yellow pages. Majority of my clients say they found me through google or yellow pages, and the ones that are referred by a friend say the friend found me through google or yellow.

6. What activities were less successful for marketing your business?

Flyers in letterboxes.

7. Name your favourite thing about your business

I choose my hours and can reject a project if I wish (though I haven't yet). If I want to get coffee with a friend or make an important appointment during the day then I can, and just work later when I get home. It also means when I have my first child in the next few years I can work from home. Another thing I like about it is I receive a lot of praise. Since I am delivering the project straight to the client they are always very thankful and open to telling me if it looks good. I think that if I were doing the same projects for a design agency my boss would probably get the praise and I wouldn't.

8. Who or what other businesses or business people inspire you?

Other small design agencies. I like to read through their terms and conditions to learn more about how I could run my business better or look at their portfolios to aspire to their great work. I look at small agencies rather than large ones because for me, they are realistic goals. A business person who inspires me is my Father, building an international partnership with a large IT corporation and running it all with a very demanding family life at the same time. He is always stressed but never shows it and he always has everything under control for members and his employees.

9. What are your plans for the future of your business?

For now I would like to work on my confidence to charge what I am worth per project. Once I am earning a good wage I would like to form a partnership and buy a little white studio somewhere nearby to accept more clients.

10. Share your best business tip with our readers.

100% dedication - clients notice it! I am always available to speak with and always chirpy on the phone. I'm flexible to their needs and very open to their suggestions since it is their product that I am working on. Clients can tell I am passionate not just about my job, but about THEIR job that I'm doing and because of this my business grows. Each client leaves a fantastic testimonial which appeals to other possible customers and they also tell their friends and keep coming back for more! Because I am flexible I also don't pigeon-hole myself - I keep myself open for lots of different aspects of my industry. For example, I accept projects that need many different processes rather than a customer going to three different companies for a design, then the copywriting, then the printing and then the website. Basically, don't pigeon-hole yourself, and keep your personality inviting and understanding - even if you've had a rough day, use all your might to keep a smile in your voice or write something nice in an email to the client. Keep your exhaustion to yourself!

Visit us at: www.shonacreative.com.au