We make our path in the forest
Can’t see the forest for the trees is that common expression implying there is too much focus on the details having lost the big picture view.
Yet in our ventures the details do matter.
How well we manage all the puzzle pieces depends on having key skillsets. After all, our capabilities play a huge part in our mission success.
In this decade, we are learning how to manage our many person-to-person interactions along with the various streams of information coming into us.
As well, we see our outgoing communications as more essential than ever during the ever increasing data flows into our human consciousness. Professional tools can help.
Artist • Maker • Performer
Upon finishing a commission, provide a word-of-mouth referral tool.
Cap your in-person meetings with a summary profile.
For exhibit and show interactions, provide a professional brochure.
On social, set up your feed with beautiful flow.
At retail locations, provide a visibility tool.
About Me Card Introduction Card
Lorand Coza Case Study
He had skill, a logo and photos.
After a discovery conversation we distilled his three service offers.
Expert Tailoring
Custom Suit & Jacket Design
Fashion Styling
His first sales tool listed his offers, each with a call to action sentence.
Purpose: These cards now serve as a memory aid to prompt a recommendation, referral or repeat purchase.
While all of his potential tools were designed in unison, just having the business card is enough to increase orders.
Artist At a Glance Postcard
Building off the card . . . we selected the best visual to represent his level of expertise.
His postcard has several distribution options.
Artist Profile Rackcard
The next level is this vertical rack card.
An entire side is dedicated to building Know Like & Trust.
Once consistent cash is flowing, a portion can be invested into this next level sales tool.
“Simply Amazing.
Iris helped me present myself better than I ever could have imagined.”
Order Your Referral Tools
Equip others to help spread the word about what you do.
Past Clients | Retail Partners | Networking Organizations
Training
Add a vital skillset
We don’t know what we don’t know.
Invest in giving yourself business confidence.
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No, it’s not everybody everywhere.
Identifying the top three groups is a key step in creating your success strategy.
A two hour 1:1 session
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Train yourself with the basics of design thinking to be confident art directing your vendors.
See the difference between your personal aesthetic preferences and those of your target audience.
A three hour 1:1 session
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Speaking to your clients’ needs involves describing their layers of pain.
A one hour 1:1 session for each target audience
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Most of us get wrapped up in the ‘great ideas’ of tactics: ‘Hey let’s try this!’ pops into out heads.
We untangle your brain from your emotions on this crucial point of confusion. Let’s keep your endeavor on track by with a logical plan.
A 1:1 session every two months
Design
Brand • Service • Instructional
Get it out of your head.
Package your information to serve; not strain.
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Every target audience now expects a polished, national level logo.
Often a few simple tweaks to your existing identity makes all the difference in how your collateral is perceived.
We review the presentation consistency of your logo use across all platforms.
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Brand Collateral Build
We figure out what you need to say for increased sales referrals.
From business cards to website UX, it all helps with enrollment.
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Offer your potential audience the gift of information in exchange for their consideration.
Give your current clients a tool to easily recommend your services to their network.
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No, It’s NOT just your logo colors.
Take the time to step back and review the perception with which you are presenting your message.
We create a guide to share.
Planning
Cashflow Pathways
See your line extension possibilities.
Take cash flow to the next level.
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For startup owners without prior profitable business experience.
We show you how to see the structure of your endeavor.
We discuss the basic professional networking & technical skill capabilities you may need.
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We brainstorm to see the support materials you’ll need for your referral partners.
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For those with established cashflow that wish to fine tune their offerings at a higher price point.
We discuss and explore pairing products with services and vice versa.
My assistance includes a blend from each category.
The focus is always on pointing out the minimum investment that will generate traction.
For example: Say you need help in defining your target audience for your specific product or service.
Training would start with a subject HandyGuide® followed by a Planning Session to give us direction for the Design and packaging of a test offer.
We stick with this defined effort until a pre-determined boundary has been reached.
In this case, we are testing for the ideal target audience that enhances cash flow for your endeavor.
Resources
Past Clients | Retail Partners | Networking Organizations
Equip others to help spread the word about what you do.
Let’s understand the power of branding
It’s more than a logo
Branding is where design creates the ‘ambiance’ that makes your potential customer feel trust. At least enough alignment to express interest in the communication item they have encountered. Here’s a restaurant retail example.
Have you ever had a wonderful dinner out?
Where the music was soft, lovely and seating comfortable, the temperature just perfect, with a pleasant audio buzz. You subconsciously feel a wonderful ambiance.
Their well thought out service design yielded a magical space for your restaurant experience. Everything was considered and coordinated with careful forethought.
This in turn made you more willing to trust, and therefore consider, everything on their menu!
So why am I sharing this with you?
It hit me that this is the easiest way to explain the power and value of a well thought out, cohesive approach for all our ventures, not just restaurants.
You see, it’s because we are innately wired to seek beauty, simplicity, consistency, and unity in all of life’s encounters. And respectful branding is a basic stepping stone to crafting our outreach.
Now I totally understand if you are super tired of packaging your stuff yourself, or if it’s been frustrating to hire various freelancers piecemeal. Perhaps it feels like you’ll never get all of the puzzle pieces to work together and look pro.
It’s ok, we all start off that way.
And of course you can continue to go for it solo.
However, I’ve been there myself and remember the lengthy learning curves from my endeavors.
That’s why I now coach from this endeavor building experience to help you yield results as well. You can have an easier, faster path to success.
If you’re willing to accept some guidance, we can evaluate the visual and informational materials you are currently using. Together we can do a review of your direct and indirect sales tools. I’m here to help you see how to share what you do.
My questions to you will be:
Are you collecting and compiling testimonials?
What word-of-mouth tools are you sharing with current clients?
How are you making it easy for past clients to speak on your behalf?
What other indirect sales referrals have you developed?
If this is too advanced, or if you’re a DYI type – Test your logo yourself
Print our just your logo on a sheet of paper
Give this print out to a friend
Have your friend ask three others to list three adjectives based on their snap impression
Decide if the nine adjectives reflects the heart of the productized service you are offering
Ask yourself
Am I putting time aside to get organized?
Do I have the mental frameworks to direct all aspects of my mission?
Iris's calm and encouraging voice is what sees me through this pandemic; I would certainly have given up my business by now. But every week she has new ideas and suggestions to help me move forward. Iris teaches me how to find my own voice and make decisions based on what is true to me and what will be best for my business. The beautiful and professional graphic material she's created are exactly what I need to confidently show my business to the world. If you're lucky enough to get one of her mentoring spots, you'll grow as a business and a person in ways you can't imagine. I highly recommend Iris Orsini as a business coach.
Allison Wilmes
Update: Allison has since closed her business to happily help care for her grandchildren.
Give clear direction on behalf of your mission.
I am going to teach you how to build a project objective sandbox.
Reach Out To Build Out
It all begins with a conversation about your productized service. Maybe you want to take your endeavor to the next level; well let’s see what that means. Maybe you want to find a line extension. Or maybe you just have complex information to teach. Whatever it is, packaging your content clearly can make all the difference.
What if you’re low on cash? And you feel like you can’t spend?
I get that impluse very much.
Well then know that we can at least mind-map your current revenue spigots. Let’s list the profit streams you have active and also the ones you are dreaming about.