Why I Support NO!SPEC...

NO!SPEC is a grassroots campaign that is near and dear to my heart. Once upon a long time ago, I fell into the trap of doing design work on the speculation of being paid, should the client deem it worthy (also known as "spec work.")

As a relative design "newbie," I was thrilled at the opportunity to work for a client, and absolutely disheartened when they turned out to be nothing more than someone looking for some free design ideas, vanishing into thin air when presented with an invoice. Had I not had another source of income at the time, it would have been enough to make me consider a career change - a truly devastating idea, as I'd always known I wanted to be a designer and couldn't imagine doing anything else.

After being duped not once, but twice, into providing design work on spec, I became very protective of my services. Just as any other professional expects to be paid, I decided that with my skills, experience and talent, that I, too, deserved to be paid for the services I provided.

I don't just "make things look pretty," I research my clients' industry and their competition, find out what makes them unique, and develop personalized design solutions based on my findings and information provided to me by the client. If the target audience is young and urban, I will design something a bit more edgy, more contemporary. But if the target audience are retirees, the design solution would be completely different, something designed specifically to attract that market. These things take time, experience and skill, and when done well, can make a campaign successful, a promotion a huge hit, and take a growing business to the next level. So it's only reasonable to expect that we, as designers, should get paid for our services.

Which brings me back to NO!SPEC. In February 2006, a group of designers from around the world, who were tired of seeing their peers being taken advantage of by clients wanting work done on spec, banned together to create a website dedicated to educating both designers and clients on the harmful aspects of spec work.

Just as a doctor would not perform an operation on the speculation of being paid if the patient is happy with their performance, and a mechanic would not work on an automobile based on the hopes that the customer will find their work satisfactory enough to deserve reasonable compensation, I believe the majority of business professionals understand the need for designers to be paid for their services, as well.

So here is my challenge to you: visit the NO!SPEC website, download one of the NO!SPEC logos (available here), and put it on your website with a link back to the NO!SPEC site (www.no-spec.com), to show your support. You can also buy NO!SPEC merchandise at the NO!SPEC store, with all proceeds going towards providing information to schools and universities, organizations, and more.

With your help and support, we can get the word out that the design industry is like any other profession and deserves to be recognized as such.





Until next time...
Tamar Wallace
TAMAR Graphics

Some Resources for You...

I'm a little behind this week, so I thought I'd keep my post simple.

In order to succeed in business, you have to find a need, provide a product or service that fulfills that need, and then figure out a way to let those who need it know you can help them. It takes a lot of resources - money, partners, advertising, marketing, manufacturers, etc. - to make all of this happen, and while I can't guarantee the success of every business, I can certainly provide you with a few resources I've come across that have helped with the success of TAMAR Graphics.

One of my favorites, and something I mention often, is Teleclass International. I have gotten so much information about marketing, networking, increasing my business and more, just by taking free one-hour classes over the telephone. Whether business or personal, I'm sure you'll find something that you'll benefit from!

Another great resource is Ilise Benun's Marketing Mentor website, filled with articles and great marketing tips, as well as a place to subscribe to her informative marketing newsletter.

No matter what industry you're in, About.com has a topic for you! Whether you're a Realtor, Song Writer, an Insurance Agent, or a Small Business Owner, what ever your business (or interest), there is some great information to be found in any one of About.com's many topics.

If you're just starting your business, or looking to re-focus your marketing energies, Sue Rasmussen has some great tips on how to find and market to your niche. Her site features informative articles, a niche-marketing quiz, links to her teleclasses and more.

Now I know this might not be for everyone, but my business has benefitted tremendously from learning about the Law of Attraction. And while there are many LoA practitioners out there, I highly recommend best-selling author Michael Losier. In addition to free teleclasses, Michael's website offers books and CDs for sale and you can sign up for his Law of Attraction eZine.

Some additional resources worth noting include Blogger and BlogExplosion, for those of you ready to venture out into the word of blogging. Also, Creative Latitude is a great place for creative professionals, both new and established. And if you haven't checked out your local business journal, many locations give a trial subscription.


Well, hopefully, you've found something to either inspire or inform. And if you have any resources you'd like to add, or topics you'd like to see discussed here, just send us an email or leave a comment.

Until next time...

Tamar Wallace
TAMAR Graphics

A Look Ahead...

As I sit here, thankful that I survived the holidays, and that the leftovers are almost finished, I realized that I am so excited about 2006.

While I am truly not where I'd like to be professionally, I know I'm well on my way. I've spent a good deal of time over the past couple of months learning from marketing experts and business coaches, and now have a plan to hit the ground running in 2006. I have some great promotions coming out, as well as some business ventures - completely unrelated to TAMAR Graphics - that I'm looking forward to sharing with you very soon.

As far as this blog space is concerned, 2006 is going to bring new featured clients, more articles and information on building your own business, how to market yourself successfully (and inexpensively), as well as more links to other blogs and websites that have information I feel you would benefit from.

In addition to wanting to build my own business in 2006, I want to use this space to help you build your business. The information I've received over the last few months has all been free, and I plan to continue to write about it, link to the resources, and share this information with everyone else who wants to learn more about being successful. So please continue to check back every week (at least), or you can sign up here to receive our email newsletter (with discounts and specials not available through our blog), and a FREE 2006 Marketing Calendar.

Thank you for helping to make 2005 such a great year, and I look forward to sharing a very successful 2006 with all of you!

Until next time...

Tamar Wallace
TAMAR Graphics