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The Design Inspirationalist

~ Inspiring Ideas | Spectacular Creations

The Design Inspirationalist

Category Archives: Art & Design

Biz Talk: Getting Paid

24 Tuesday Jul 2018

Posted by melissaoconnor in Design in Business, life

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Tags

biztalk, businesstips, design, gettingpaid, girlboss, graphicdesigner, letstalkmoney, momboss, moneytalk, quotes, rates, selfemployed

Being self-employed, I’ve always had to take care of all aspects of the business on my own. I have never had help or an assistant, nor have I ever hired professionals to handle certain things for me. And I have done pretty well. The one thing I really don’t like talking about or dealing with is money. Way back when it was more of a confidence issue and not asking for what I was worth. I outgrew that, thankfully.

Now I feel the issue is more about clients understanding the reasons behind a quote. Most don’t get the actual amount of time it takes to finalize a project or all the elements that have to come together for it to be successful. And that is why the fine line between cheap and expensive gets blurry. If you are self-employed, consider these when deciding your rates:

  • the amount of time the work will take
  • the expertise of the professional (you)
  • the quality of the work
  • the value of the work to the client

    I keep these in mind and I am always fair. Over the years I’ve learned my lesson undermining my skills and selling myself short, I’m sure we all go through that. But after 12 years of working in this business, I realized that being your own boss isn’t fun all the time. When it comes to money and getting paid, you have to be serious. Be confident in what you decide and know that the service you are offering is worth every penny.

Design Services – Marketing

29 Friday Jun 2018

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, Design in Business

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Tags

design, designservices, graphicdesign, marketing, marketingtools, promos, promoteyourbusiness

There are a lot of ways to promote your business. Marketing doesn’t have to be complicated or hard to figure out. And it also doesn’t have to be crazy expensive. These days social media is a top platform for featuring your services and unless you decide to pay for an ad, it’s free!

Think of marketing as using the right tools to put your business on the center stage. Focus on these three key elements:

  • A stunning image to capture your audience
  • Informative text to keep them reading
  • Contact info for people to learn more

Obviously, without marketing, no one would know your business exists. Whether it’s word of mouth, online ads, mailers, flyers, newsletters, or tv – it’s essential to grow your business. I offer a variety of services that cover all your marketing needs.

Click here to learn more.

Stylish Ways to Hide and Organize Your Kid’s Stuff

20 Sunday Aug 2017

Posted by melissaoconnor in Crafty Ideas, Everyday Design

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Tags

kids storage, organization, organize kids stuff, storage solutions, stylish storage solutions

I have always been an organized person and keeping my home tidy is big deal. Now that I am a mom, I’ve had to make room for our son’s toys and other stuff that take up space. I always see parents showing the mess in their house they just don’t have the energy to clean up, mostly because the kids just make a mess again so they see it as a waste of time. This is not me, lol. There are a bunch of ways to store toys and not let them overcome a space. And it can be done in style! Here are a few tips to help you get your home in tip top shape and have the play areas your kids need. If you don’t have children, you can also benefit from these helpful suggestions too!

Bins and baskets are always a win win. Not only are there so many options out there, they are pretty affordable and tend to go with all types of styles.


Image credit: marthastewart.com / tinyme.com


Image credit: housebeautiful.com

Boxes and crates are cool too because you can stack them and design your own structures. Plus, they immediately turn your storage items into accessories, so you will want to use items that are nice to look at. This may help your children to get involved in cleanup time too!


Image credit: tinyme.com


Image credit: tinyme.com / sadecor.co


Image credit: pinterest.com

Containers you can see through are nice when you need to keep smaller things tidy. And its another opportunity to incorporate a little bit of fun into the space.


Image credit: diyncrafts.com / pinterest.com

And then you have old fashioned shelving. You can never go wrong with these. Whether they are on the wall or stand on their own, arranging shelves is always fun. Put pretty things on display and keep it fresh.


Image credit: homedit.com


Image credit: houseofjadeinteriors.com / whitehouseblackshutters.com

Newsletter Update

03 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, News

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

design tips, design tools, etsy shop, gray star news, monthly newsletter, news, newsletter, sales, sign up, special offers, updates

After a two month break, my newsletter has been redesigned and will now include lots of new goodies. Along with news and shop updates, you will also find design tips and great design tools I may find over the course of the month (designers these are for you!). I have also decided to feature an Instragram feed I love to share more inspiration. And of course, as always, my subscribers are the first to know about special promotions, sales and giveaways. If you haven’t signed up yet, this is the perfect time to jump on board. I hope to see you there!

You can sign up at: http://bit.ly/graystarnews

New Newsletter1

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