I normally try to find clients from Craigslist ads, or when I am lucky, I get a client referral. Occasionally, I am a masochist and I will spend countless hours working on a public entity RFP (still have not landed one, not for lack of trying).

A contact of mine suggested trying the National Business Expo, so I thought I would give it a try. 

In that effort, I am investing a bit of time and money on my own brand. 

Updating My Website

Man, I have been updating me website, and I did not realize how many older samples I had on here. Surely, I can find some new design samples to sprinkle through my web pages.

I have been updating some of my website theme, one bit at a time. I do like the overall feel of my website still, but some things need updates.

• I have polished up the mobile menu, and may still change out the icon.
• I applied light-dark CSS. I do this for my clients, but I just haven’t gotten around to it for my own website until now! I just did the device-based light or dark preference. Perhaps if I have more time later, I can put on the toggle switch too. For now, if someone’s device asks for dark mode, they will get it.
• I updated the multi-image-metabox plug-in; it had stopped being compatible with the newer versions of WordPress at some point, and I simply did not have the time to update the code for compatibility. The plug-in author seems to not have plans to make updates, so I did it. I am trying to add to my company portfolio and I use that plug-in for that purpose. I know I have that plug-in on some client websites, so I may bring up updating that to them after I finish fixing up my website good enough.
• I also am checking the mobile CSS and tying up and loose ends on WCAG weak points. I noticed the flex slide loop for my portfolio lacked an alt attribute one the image, so I had to put that on for WCAG compliance.

I have ordered new business cards.

The design is basically the same, maybe adding/removing one line of contact information. 

I want offset cards, but I may have to settle for a digital print job. I think my former go-to printer could have done the offset at a good price, but after weeks of asking for a quote, I have no choice but to ask other printers. Apparently, I head my normal printer that I outsource too seems to not own a printer anymore, so it is rather confusing how they were printing anything recently without just being a middle man for mark up.

Updates to Double Gate Fold Brochure

Some of my service offerings have changed, so I needed to add a few new screenshots and paragraphs of text to my brochure. I sure do want to make sure the brochure looks fun, to spark ideas in prospects and remind them what a designer can bring (VS a DIY solution).

Tradeshow Backdrop

I ordered a new tradeshow backdrop. It’ll be my first one. I debated between a few different designs. 

Illustration Only

Text Only

Text and Simple Illustration

Final Choice

I decided to go with the illustration heavy design, and put in some hints of the text services. I am not entirely sure if the text services will be too legible, but I wanted to keep the focus on the fun-style illustration. I know with tradeshow graphics, sometimes people get too wordy and nothing is read, so if they only read one sentence, this design assures they read the solo sentence on the design.

I actually did not realize the backdrop was coming from China, which kinda scares me. (The last thing I accidentally ordered from China was a scam and it took months and 12 long phone calls to get the charge reversed. I do hope this thing arrives on time, as I won’t have time for an alternative. That shipping time from China is kinda long.

Tradeshow Giveaway Coloured Pencils

I wanted to find something useful, and that has a chance of not quickly being thrown away. I also wanted a giveaway that had some relavence to my brand or industry.

I had considered buying some lighters, since they are useful and might play into ‘sparking’ ideas.

I ended up going with coloured pencils with a little sharpener. I thought it felt creative enough, and it emphasized my angle of “creativity starts by hand,” as a jab at AI design that someone may consider. I want to attract clients who value quality and handmade designs. There are plenty of other places to get design fast and cheap (cheap quality and price, lol).

I was a bit disappointed with the print job on that. The online preview made it look like the ink would be printed onto the container directly, but instead a bright white sticker with ink on it was wrapped onto the pencil container. It looks kinda cheap, but its done, so I will hand them out.

New Equipment

Printer

I have also bought a new 13×19 printer. My old one kept bleeding the black ink into the colour print heads. I was having to waste half a tank of ink cleaning the print heads to get one adaquate print, and then having to do that again the next day. A full set of ink is about $200, so that is not sustainable. 

I still haven’t had a chance to set the printer up. 

I am on the fence with what to do with the old printer and sealed inks. I might try to print some black only things on it until the cartridge runs out. Maybe I will sell the printer for a few bucks, or just give it away. I may be able to sell those brand new inks since they are still sealed in the box.

Headset

I know my office chair wheels rolled over the cord of my headset a few times. Maybe a month or two ago, one of my cats was happily playing with something: it was the dettached plug part of the headset. Well, I guess that belongs to him now. I don’t know if he yoinked it off, or I did it in with my office chair. I bought another headset from ebay to replace that one exactly, as I like the feel of the headphones on my ears. Other headphones I try hurt after some minutes. Even those these Creative Fatality headphones aren’t manufactured anymore, they are the most comfortable ones I have used. I don’t use headphones much, but they come in handy for music production so the audio I need to hear live feeds into my ears only, and doesn’t loop back into my microphone.

Current Equipment / Inventory

I have some company branded pens.

 

Still do Do

I am not sure if I want to hassle with a CRM or just wing it. I have quite a lot on my plate and managing lists doesn’t sound like a fun way to spend my time. (Hey, I gotta work on my movies too.)