Jun 26, 2015 | Clients, Graphic Design, Uncategorized
Frank L. Williams
Client Profile
So, for the last few months I have been going back and forth with revisions, edits, sizes, social media proofs and more with a really awesome client named Frank Williams, who was finishing up a book called After the Republic.
Here is a synopsis of the book:
Chaos. Conflict. Lawlessness.
An uncertain future in a strange place. The American republic has crumbled. Joshua Winston, a reluctant leader who had hoped to enjoy a quiet, peaceful retirement from politics, is forced off of the sidelines. Now, he must lead a group of Americans determined to survive in the dangerous new world they face. He takes great pains to steer his group clear of the chaos that reigns after the republic, but fears that the conflict will inevitably find its way to them.
Sound exciting? It is.
The book was officially released a few weeks ago to some really great reviews, and I would review it now, but we will have to wait a few days because I could only review the first 75 jaw dropping pages. I would also say that I cannot put it down, but thanks to things like running a business, well… you get the idea.
When Frank asked me if I would design the book cover and associated social media graphics, I was honored, but I must say a little nervous as well. Though I have been playing with graphics and design for the last 20 years, only in the last 3 have I been doing it professionally. On top of that, just about all of that has been for the web. The social media graphics would be easy.. The print for a book? Well, I was initially hesitant.
One of the things JVI Mobile prides itself on is being “obsessed with engaging awesome social relationships”. No really, it’s our company motto. I knew that I could design a book cover that would be indicative of the quality of work that would help Frank sell his book, and that we would be proud and honored to have in our portfolio.
So I went to work.
Revision 1…
Revision 2…
Revision 3…
The best part about it was that with each revision,
something magical was happening. I realized that this was becoming a very real experience and that I would help Frank reach his goal of having a successful book. Also, it didn’t hurt that I was working with a very creative client who had a clear vision for what he wanted and had just wrote this literary masterpiece (well, the first 75 pages at least, lol).
In May, we finished our collaboration and the book went to press. In that time, Frank also had me working on social media images in various sizes for ads, Facebook, Twitter, and banners.
That part was easy, given my years of experience in designing marketing graphics.
So, after a few months and 7 (or so) revisions, and years of Frank’s hard work, sweat and tears (I would’ve said blood, but not sure unless he got some paper cuts along the way), After the Republic went to press. I was happy to order a copy, see the kind attribution on page 1, and start reading.
I told Frank that I can’t wait to give him a review of the book real soon, and that I would share this with my clients and friends. As a fellow marketing-minded business owner, he was excited and sent me some links to share. It is available on Kindle or paperback. I will be recommending paperback of course in this instance!
Here is the final product and I think you’ll enjoy it as much as I have so far.
For more information on how we can grow your business online, or if you need design (rhyme), please contact us today!
Jay Vics is the owner and president of JVI Mobile, a full service small business digital marketing firm in the southeastern U.S.
Jun 26, 2015 | Clients, Uncategorized
Frank L. Williams
Client Profile
So, for the last few months I have been going back and forth with revisions, edits, sizes, social media proofs and more with a really awesome client named Frank Williams, who was finishing up a book called After the Republic.
Here is a synopsis of the book:
Chaos. Conflict. Lawlessness.
An uncertain future in a strange place. The American republic has crumbled. Joshua Winston, a reluctant leader who had hoped to enjoy a quiet, peaceful retirement from politics, is forced off of the sidelines. Now, he must lead a group of Americans determined to survive in the dangerous new world they face. He takes great pains to steer his group clear of the chaos that reigns after the republic, but fears that the conflict will inevitably find its way to them.
Sound exciting? It is.
The book was officially released a few weeks ago to some really great reviews, and I would review it now, but we will have to wait a few days because I could only review the first 75 jaw dropping pages. I would also say that I cannot put it down, but thanks to things like running a business, well… you get the idea.
When Frank asked me if I would design the book cover and associated social media graphics, I was honored, but I must say a little nervous as well. Though I have been playing with graphics and design for the last 20 years, only in the last 3 have I been doing it professionally. On top of that, just about all of that has been for the web. The social media graphics would be easy.. The print for a book? Well, I was initially hesitant.
One of the things JVI Mobile prides itself on is being “obsessed with engaging awesome social relationships”. No really, it’s our company motto. I knew that I could design a book cover that would be indicative of the quality of work that would help Frank sell his book, and that we would be proud and honored to have in our portfolio.
So I went to work.
Revision 1…
Revision 2…
Revision 3…
The best part about it was that with each revision,
something magical was happening. I realized that this was becoming a very real experience and that I would help Frank reach his goal of having a successful book. Also, it didn’t hurt that I was working with a very creative client who had a clear vision for what he wanted and had just wrote this literary masterpiece (well, the first 75 pages at least, lol).
In May, we finished our collaboration and the book went to press. In that time, Frank also had me working on social media images in various sizes for ads, Facebook, Twitter, and banners.
That part was easy, given my years of experience in designing marketing graphics.
So, after a few months and 7 (or so) revisions, and years of Frank’s hard work, sweat and tears (I would’ve said blood, but not sure unless he got some paper cuts along the way), After the Republic went to press. I was happy to order a copy, see the kind attribution on page 1, and start reading.
I told Frank that I can’t wait to give him a review of the book real soon, and that I would share this with my clients and friends. As a fellow marketing-minded business owner, he was excited and sent me some links to share. It is available on Kindle or paperback. I will be recommending paperback of course in this instance!
Here is the final product and I think you’ll enjoy it as much as I have so far.
For more information on how we can grow your business online, or if you need design (rhyme), please contact us today!
Jay Vics is the owner and president of JVI Mobile, a full service small business digital marketing firm in the southeastern U.S.
Jun 24, 2015 | General, Uncategorized
Getting Traffic to your Business Blog
If you wish to use your business blog to increase and engage your audience, you’re going to have to find ways to get the traffic to a point where someone other than your immediate family is reading it.
Done correctly, a business blog can have a multi-faceted benefit to your business. It can not just bring you new customers, it can help shape and define your brand, establish authority, amplify search rankings, enable social sharing and much more.
Yet if this is taken up haphazardly, or even worse, indifferently, you’re likely to be preaching to the choir, and wondering why you started this dumb blog in the first place.
To help get the blog going and develop some momentum, many bloggers turn to paid traffic to get the ball rolling. It can be a modest, yet wise investment. Let’s look at several places you can make this happen.
5 Of the best places to buy paid ads
Outbrain – You’ve seen these ads, usually following content on major websites. Outbrain’s Amplify is great for showcasing your best blog posts, and it carries the added benefit of getting your content on major sites with massive readership you may not have been able to otherwise. (Tip: Partner this with a retargeting ad on Facebook for killer results!)
Facebook Ads – Maybe the best paid traffic opportunity currently available, mainly for the ability to precisely target your audience without spending a fortune. Their audience insights tool alone is worth the price of admission!
Google Adwords – While they have been around forever, Adwords can still be useful if you know how to use it well. Otherwise, you’ll be paying far too much for what you’re after.
LinkedIn Sponsored Updates – If you have content that appeals to professionals in any sense, this could be a goldmine for you. People on LinkedIn are more businesslike, and a bit more engaging, so if this one fits, don’t hold back!
Pinterest Promoted Pins – A relative newcomer to paid ads, Pinterest can be handy if you have a great graphic and are appealing largely to females. If you do, prepare for hordes of enthusiastic visitors descend upon your post!
Jun 23, 2015 | General, Uncategorized
JVI Mobile is now Yext Certified
We can now make sure your business is “Power Listed” on over 50 of the biggest Listing Directories online!
Call us today at 910.233.4484 for a free, no obligation strategy session to determine how we can best grow your online presence!
Jun 17, 2015 | Uncategorized
This is an article Mike Cooch wrote for Entrepreneur.com.
I’m just like most other entrepreneurs I know – I have at least three new business ideas before I get out of bed in the morning. And the ideas just keep coming throughout the day.
Thankfully, after years of trial and error as an entrepreneur, I’ve learned to evaluate my new ideas carefully to determine if they are actually an opportunity, instead of just an idea.
Even more importantly, I’ve learned to evaluate if it’s a good opportunity for me and the lifestyle I want to create for myself.
I do that evaluation by asking twelve questions that I’ve found are critical to determining if a business is right for me. If I have more than a few ‘No’ responses, I can immediately cross the idea off of my list and forget about it. If it’s all ‘Yes’ responses, I know I have an idea with real potential.
Here’s the list of questions, with some of my thoughts explaining why each is important to me:
Will this business support the lifestyle I want (income, ability to travel, flexible work time, etc.)? I work to live, not live to work. I also love to travel and have flexibility in terms of when I get my work done. That immediately disqualifies many businesses.
Is there proven demand for the product I am going to sell? Creating demand is hard, slow and expensive. I’d rather capture my share of already existing demand.
Is there a clear value proposition that will make my product unique in the marketplace? Business is no fun if I don’t have some sort of competitive edge.
Is there a very clear way to market and sell my product or service through existing channels? Leveraging existing sales channels is the fastest and easiest way I’ve found to get a business off the ground profitably.
Can I leverage online marketing and social media to grow this business? These are two of the most powerful business-building forces of our time; I want to be sure to take advantage of them.
Will this business have gross margins of at least 50% and/or net margins of at least 20%? At the end of the day, a business has to make money.
Can this business become a sellable asset? The big win often comes from being able to sell and exit your business when you are ready, but not all businesses are easy to sell.
Can I automate the majority of the operations of the business? I try to take advantage of as much automation as possible to reduce the overhead of operating a business.
Can I easily find someone to successfully run the business for me? Eventually, I’ll likely want someone to run the business for me. Is this a business that can easily be handed over to someone else, or does it require my specific knowledge and talents?
Is this a business that I’ll find fun and interesting to run today? Yes, life insurance is very profitable, but it’s not fun. Profit is not enough; I want to be in businesses that I actually enjoy.
Is this a business that other people will find fun and interesting? I’ve found that it’s much more enjoyable to be in a business that other people think is fun and interesting.
Is this something I’ll still be willing to run seven years from now? The reality is that most businesses don’t grow as quickly or as profitably as I’d like.
If I am still running this seven years from now, will I still find it enjoyable?
Use these twelve questions to evaluate your business ideas. You should be able to answer ‘Yes’ to the far majority of the questions.
If not, drop the idea and be thankful that you didn’t invest your time and energy into something that ultimately wouldn’t fulfill your entrepreneurial dreams.
Now, go build something!
Mike
Thinking of starting a business? Already have one, but haven’t created the lifestyle you’re looking for? Download our free guide to creating a business that gives you the freedom to decide where, when and who you work with.
