Designer 49 - How to Give Yourself the Gift of Time

designer, edition 49

Greetings!

Is it just me, or did our summery October just make our snowy November feel that much harsher? And now we look at the calendar and realize that the holidays are fast approaching. All of us with so much to do and so little time to do it - I decided the best thing I could do for you this month is share some ideas for saving time.

Please also take a moment and check out the dates of our holiday closure as well as the exciting new addition to my family.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Amy Perzan Merrill

Give Yourself the Gift of Time

Some of you may recall my recent newsletter regarding the angst I have experienced in my quest to find good support staff and subcontractors.

introducing... edison_VA

edison_VA

EDISON CHETTY, Virtual Assistant

I have to say, I'm pleasantly surprised by the knowledge level and professionalism of my new Virtual Assistant. And for $7 per hour, a steal of a deal for the small business owner who needs a hand with admin duties. Check it out for yourself at TasksEveryDay

Referral

Annual Holiday Closure

Meringue3.14 will be shut down for the holidays from Dec 19 through Jan 3rd, so no new orders will be processed in that time. Print orders placed on or before Dec 18 will likely be ready for pickup the first week of January.

My husband, son and I recently welcomed a baby girl to our family (see below) and I am going to be slowing down a bit for an "unofficial" mat leave. I will be working part time in January and February but will have the full time help of my great support staff, so please do continue to send your jobs our way and expect to see them processed with our usual care and attention to detail - just give us an extra day or two!

marshall_rayne

Marshall Rayne Merrill

it's a girl

Marshall Rayne Merrill
November 25, 2010
5lb, 13oz - 19.5" long

Amy Perzan Merrill is a graphic designer in Calgary, Alberta. Her company, Meringue 3.14, specializes in creative branding and cost-effective print solutions for small business.

For more great tips on how you can turn your material into powerful marketing and communication tools, subscribe to "Designer", Amy's monthly ezine.

for all your design and marketing needs

In This Issue

The Gift of Time - Hiring a Virtual Assistant

Annual Holiday Closure

Save Time - Build Templates

DESIGNER TIP #49

Templates Work.

If you find yourself stressing out about creating funky new marketing material to the point of not getting anything done, let yourself off the hook.

Marketing material (not a term I'm a huge fan of but have succumbed to using due to popular demand) should be based on your strategic marketing plan. A good marketing plan should outline key brand components and corporate messaging. These are NOT items that change with the wind, so why should your website/brochure/flyer need a fresh look continuously? The answer - they don't.

If you invest up front in properly designed material that showcases your brand and delivers your key message, you can use the template over and over as a medium for more timely messages. For example, devote one small area of your website to be a weekly or monthly piece that you update - design stays the same but content changes. This will keep your clients engaged without keeping them guessing.

DOUBLE DUTY ALERT
Using a properly designed template not only saves you time and money, it builds brand recognition.

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