New to the forum

[John/Logo-Mechanix]

Hi all, I'm new to the forum her but have run my own freelance graphics business for many years and have alot of experience with logo and t-shirt design. I am also very experienced in print design and can design and print numerous items as well as experience in promotional products. I can help out with questions in any of these areas. John

__________________
If you come to a fork in the road take it.
Logo's, Identity Design. Print Advertising, Your Project from Design to Print. www.Logo-Mechanix.com

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Hi John, Welcome. Do you have any samples of your designs you can post and share with us?

__________________
- Subscribe to my Lawn Care Marketing Blog Feed and get daily tips sent to you. Free!
Download your Free trial of Gopher Lawn Care Software.

[John/Logo-Mechanix]

Sure, heres a link to some samples of my work.
http://www.logo-mechanix.com/customart.html

[Steve]

Hi John,

Great work! How did you get started in this business?

[John/Logo-Mechanix]

Thanks for the compliment, I have been an artist my whole life, and have been creating custom illustration for various things like t-shirts, signs and print advertising since I was a teenager. I started my own freeelance business a few years back and have begun offereing different services such as not just the design but the printing or silk screening also and I now offer promotional products as well.

[Steve]

What have you found the toughest to deal with in running your business?

What have you found most enjoyable?

Also, have you thought about putting in your company contact info in your signature so others reading your posts know how to contact you?

[John/Logo-Mechanix]

I would say the toughest part for me is the being a one man show, my wife helps with the business aspect somewhat but 80 - 90% is just me. While I have no trouble with the artistis aspect trying to do all the other stuff can sometimes be a tough balancing act.

The most enjoyable is seeing something you created from scratch going to print and the customer loving what you have done.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]trying to do all the other stuff can sometimes be a tough balancing act.

As a businessman running a graphic design company, what 'other stuff' do you find being the tough part?

Is it the marketing or advertising?

It is interesting to see how your industry is similar or differs from ours.

[John/Logo-Mechanix]

I think the business aspect of it is very similar, I have to have effective advertising as well as invoices, billing, finding certain products for people like just the right pens or hats or a certain color shirt for silk screening. The art part is no problem I have been doing that since I could hold a drawing instrument. But finding the time to design my own advertising is not easy, I have been working on a brochure for the longest time to mail out to potential customers. My wife says if I have so much work that I can't find time to drum up new work maybe I don't need it, but we all know how business works, you better have as much as you can handle, you never know what tommorow will bring.

[Steve]

How do you do your marketing? Who is your target audience?