Essential Questions

Found this article and loved it and had to share!

If you find yourself in front of a lengthy form with questions that make you wish you had a ‘forward to’ option in your brain – there are some ways to deal:

1. Write about yourself in third person

Create a glorious review as a bride you recently met with, a couple you recently photographed, how would they describe you? How would they describe working with you? Imagining you from the outside perspective is a great way to fine tune your professional demeanor, and it will give you a more detached approach to writing about something so heartfelt and personal as your goals and ambitions as a business.
(Small tip, this also works in terms of interviews!)

2. Talk it out

Get in a place where you can blab out loud without the fear of being judged as a crazy person. Hearing yourself speak about the goals, desires, and how you wish to be perceived will help you break the ice in terms of being inhibited about speaking about yourself in a proud and determined way. It is allright to say one over the other (whatever we are currently defining in this instance, that is) for the purpose of branding, one has to be decisive! Before the branding process it can be all things at any given time, but it is through the framing of the individual’s tastes that things begin to become refined, and decisions must be made. Talking it out may help you bring that decision making skill to the forefront.

3. Ask around

When I have a dilemma surrounding a choice and I have thoroughly explored talking to myself (I have no qualms about being viewed as a wackadoo), writing it out, or yoga-ing to my great answer place, I send it off to be discussed and dissected by those I love. My friends and colleagues have no problems sharing their opinions, and likewise I would never hold back one of my own to share with them. What I love about getting others opinion and feedback is I get to counter in all of the perspective I would never have noticed, this makes me feel more “well rounded”, and that I have considered all of the options- and not just the ones I was currently swamped with.

This option encompasses the other two I mentioned, but I saved it for last to bring up an important point: While other peoples opinions are great and absolutely valid for success in a global market, it is the most important thing that you choose the direction that best suits you, and most assuredly NOT to appease others; be it your mother, best friend, or even your pushy designer that wants your opinions.

3.5/Maybe 4. Ask Questions Too!

What I always find funny with clients is the idea that branding/design is a one way street. While in design school this may have been the naive designer’s dream, I think it’s a fascinating reaction. If I have a question about something (like let’s say, I don’t understand what the client is wanting) I turn around and say “Hey! I don’t understand this! Let’s talk it out”.

The receiving side of this also has the same privilege! Instead of sending something half completed, email the sender with the issue. “I am working on ____ and I really got stuck with ____, can we talk about this?” Reaching out when there is a disconnect ––be it between client and designer, photographer and bride, contractor and internet man, is always going to allow the two people with the issue to come to a middle ground to help work it out.
We learned it in grade school, there are NO stupid questions and the same is true for adulthood.

I hope that I helped calm some of the overwhelming confusion and fears when asked to think about personal things in an objective way, but getting through this learning curve will only strengthen your ability to be direct in your communication, leading to more success and an awareness that can help attract the specific clients you are wanting to work with.

via @  jne