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4 social marketing ideas (that aren’t Instagram)

Person looking at website

It’s always nice to have more of a good thing. Here are some lesser-known social strategies that are excellent for promoting your small business.

 

1. Get old-school on forums

Before Facebook, before Google even, the social internet was made up of forums. Messageboards dedicated to interests, places or demographics, filled up with conversational topics and threads. Today’s best-known example is probably Mumsnet, a place to find answers and stories about parenting.

As a business using forums, it’s essential to make sure you’re coming across as a genuine business person with a human voice, rather than a promotional account. You also need to be strategic in developing your presence. One option is to target your market, identifying one or two forums that match closely with your brand and products. Another approach is to work across many forums, zeroing in on topics that are relevant to you using a tool like Boardreader, a specialized forum search engine.   

2. Find your niche on Reddit

Reddit is infamously resistant to advertising and marketing, but even the biggest brands like Amazon have managed to melt the hearts of the site’s cynical and web-savvy users. In partnership with Nissan, Amazon asked Redditors to name the craziest thing they could purchase on Amazon.com, and then sent one lucky person a new car in a giant Amazon box

If you have no cars to give away, no worries. Being a small business could work in your favour on Reddit, making you more human and authentic than a multinational corporation. The site has a culture of asking and answering questions, which is a fantastic way to make connections using your business knowledge and skills. Especially true if you have a practical skill like crafts or cooking. If someone’s looking for advice or experiences about your trade, jump in and provide it, while raising awareness of your brand at the same time.

3. Be beautiful on Behance

Calling all designers – you should have this place on your radar. Behance is an Adobe-owned network of sites geared to self-promotion for visual artists and designers. Its big advantage is that it really gives you space to spread out, with portfolio sites and individual project galleries that can be effortlessly scrolled through and commented on by visitors. It’s also an amazing source of inspiration from other artists.

4. Work your beat on blogs and video channels

Like forums, blogs are a venerable online format that pre-date most social media. The comments beneath posts and videos are a great place to get your name known and broaden the reach of your business. Many bloggers and YouTubers have been around long enough to have huge reach, as the current trend for influencer marketing proves.

As with forum and Reddit contributions, the golden rule is to be authentic and bring something genuinely relevant to the conversation, rather than emphasizing promotional messages. Show, don’t tell, why you’re worth checking out in your own right. By regularly contributing thoughtful, relevant comments, you can make yourself known to blog owners as well as their audiences. There are 10 more tips on commenting as a marketing strategy in this piece from SEOmoz.

Don’t forget the ancient art of offline marketing – use our lush Flyers to spread the word about your small business.

A different design on every Business Card? Yes please! Get inspired by these mega-awesome designs.

Want to print your favorite work and carry a mini portfolio in your pocket? Or what about showing off your bestselling products to anyone, anywhere? Maybe you fancy getting creative with with name tags and labels for your next event or exhibition? No problem!

With Printfinity, you can put a different design on every Business Card, MiniCardPostcard, Flyer or Sticker in a pack. Good, eh? And, there’s no special option or secret handshake to learn – just start making – but before you do, get inspired by these awesome customer designs.

 

Nicole Mueller

Nicole is a visual artist and painter, currently based in San Francisco. She paints large abstract murals and colorful collages, that “celebrate order and chaos, dissolving boundaries, and worlds in flux.” Nicole has always been an artist and entrepreneur, working as a mural painter, college admission counselor, and in galleries and museums in the past.  She’s currently focusing on building a sustainable freelance career and hosts a podcast called Beyond the Studio alongside her studio practice which focuses on the business of art.

  • Nicole Mueller artwork
  • Nicole Mueller postcards
  • Nicole Mueller postcards
  • Nicole Mueller postcards in various designs

Nicole has taken 3 of her large-scale paintings from a recent series, shrinking them to create Postcards. She went for a matte finish on one side so that she could use the other for writing messages: “the space allows me to write a short note and I can also include my name and website info. I love that you can add a different image to the back of each Postcard – it helps others get a sense for the breadth of my work.”

  • Nicole Mueller postcard
  • Nicole Mueller postcard
  • Nicole Mueller postcard

As well as using her Postcards as thank you cards, Nicole pops one inside her packaging, along with the original painting: “they’re just like mini prints and I love them. I also keep them on display in my studio for  when I have visits, and make sure I’ve got them with me at shows – I love having something people can take away with them.”

Create mini Postcard prints

 

By Anna Bay

Anne van den Berg is an illustrator from the Netherlands. She creates “soft and sweet minimalistic worlds” out of paper and things she finds around the house. Anna aims to show that soft does not mean weak: “vulnerability is the source of all joy and small things can have the biggest impact.” Anna’s love for “little things” started from a young age: “I began making my own stamps, clothes for my barbie dolls, tiny clay figurines and mini collages.” She later went on to study illustration at the Academy of Art and Design St. Joost where this was propelled.

  • Anna Bay art in progress
  • Anna Bay art
  • Anna Bay bird artwork
  • Anna Bay seagull artwork
  • Anna Bay bike artwork
  • Anna Bay artwork
  • Anna Bay art

Since completing her studies, Anna has been working freelance and still focuses on making things as small as possible: “it comes naturally to me – I love the difficulty that creating small brings – it makes for the most beautiful flaws and really brings a design to life. And to top it all off, the concentration that’s required to make tiny objects puts me in a meditative state of pure joy. What more can you ask for while working?”

  • Anna Bay business cards with examples of artworks
  • Anna Bay business cards in various designs
  • Anna Bay business card
  • Anna Bay business cards

Anna prints a different design onto each of her Business Cards: “I always have a portable portfolio with me. People can pick a specific image that they like, which gets them involved and makes it feel like a gift – a few of my contacts are even collecting my Business Cards! I always get a really enthusiastic response from people when I show them my cards and I’m often asked where I got them from. I love the Original matte paper – I chose it the first time I made an order and it’s become a tradition now.”  

Design your own collectable Business Cards

 

Gordon Leverton

Gordon is a full-time mixed-media artist living in Hamilton, Ontario, “a former steel town in the heart of the rust belt.” After years of working in the music business, Gordon started working from home so that he and his wife could start a family and in between the feedings and naps, the genesis of Gordon’s art career began.

  • Gordon Leverton artwork
  • Gordon Leverton art

For Gordon, designing a painting is much like designing a building: “the first consideration is the composition – like the foundation for a building – if the composition isn’t strong, the rest will suffer.” He likes to “break down the city into component parts – shadows, buildings and skylines, all become part of the same plane and transform into pieces of a puzzle.

This method is reflected in the way Gordon designs his Business Cards too: “I like to dissect little strips of paintings to create new compositions.” When it comes to printing his cards, Printfinity is key for Gordon – he loves creating “limited print runs of certain designs” and being able to “showcase his portfolio at shows and events” and added “people find it hard to choose one design – I might have to start charging!”  

Get your own pocket portfolio

 

Like what you see? Check out the awesome ways these designers are using MiniCards to make a big first impression.

This artist, designer and all-round good egg finds inspiration in everything from Kanye to heartbreak – and we are here for it. We met him to explore his passions and why he thinks design is a practice, not a profession.

Routine, for Timothy Goodman, might as well be a dirty word. His job sees him travelling worldwide, working on installations, or tucked up in his studio in New York City. With a schedule that sometimes needs to encompass client meetings, and others calls for the kind of all-nighters that so many creatives will recognize, he thrives on the mix-and-match professional life he’s built for himself. He told us, “It’s always changing. And I enjoy that.”

Meetings are the death of creativity

It’s this restlessness that’s inspired our latest artist collaboration – Timothy’s designed a limited edition Notebook with us, featuring his graphic style captured in this tongue-in-cheek text, picked out in silver foil: meetings kill creativity.

Like most of us, though, he recognizes the constant conflict in the necessity of these time-sucking appointments. “As a creative person, I loathe meetings. Yet, as a business owner, I need to be in them a lot. I loved the irony of people using my notebook while sitting in another boring meeting, so I wanted to fight back with the art.” Just the kind of attitude we like.

  • Timothy Goodman notebook
  • Timothy Goodman notebooks
  • Timothy Goodman notebook cover detail
  • Timothy Goodman notebook with yellow central pages
  • Timothy Goodman notebook detail

“Approach graphic design as a practice, not as a profession.”

From painting walls to painting on walls

Timothy’s background didn’t start, like many of his peers, in fine art or graphic design, but rather a more domestic kind of painting, After barely graduating high school, I started working for a guy named Dave Suster,” he told us, “who ran a painting and home improvement company in Cleveland, Ohio. For three years I worked full-time painting homes and doing faux-finishing on walls as I took night classes at a local community college.”

This large-scale experience has carried through to much of his work today – as well as bold graphics, Timothy’s recognized globally for his thought-provoking murals.  “Later, I moved to NYC to go to design school at the School of Visual Arts (SVA). After connecting the dots, I see how much I really enjoy the physicality of creating murals and transforming the way a space feels through my work.”

Making that move from commercial to creative isn’t something easy, though. We asked Timothy about how he managed to make such a huge transition. “I’m a big believer in having mentors, and I think it’s paramount to find someone that will help guide you in a way that teaches you more about life. I’ve been lucky to latch on to many people through the years. I always tell my students at SVA: don’t worry about what you want to do as much as who you want to work for.” Timothy’s also really clear on another thing – that design isn’t just a job: “Approach graphic design as a practice, not as a profession,” he insists.

“Don’t worry about what you want to do as much as who you want to work for.”

A point to pivot

But sometimes, a single project can change the course of your entire professional life. The major breakthrough for Timothy came during his full-time position at Apple, based in San Francisco. “Six years ago, I made a decision to get my hand in my work more,” Timothy told us. “It all started when I had the opportunity to do a mural for the Ace Hotel in NYC. I locked myself in this hotel room for 3 days with a paint marker and I never looked back. That project has since changed the trajectory of my entire career from being a more traditional graphic designer working in branding to working for myself creating a variety of murals and installations for clients all over the world.”

This variety means a broad range of inspiration too – and we’ve never worked with someone who has pulled out quite such an evocative list of influences. He cited: “Movies, documentaries, politics, reading biographies, music, Bob Dylan, Kanye, the history of jazz music and how it impacted the fabric of America, music producers, NBA basketball, writing, traveling, airplanes, falling in love, getting your heart broken, making mistakes.”

Sign. Us. Up.

What makes you tick?

‘Passion’ might be a cliched word when you’re talking about an artist, but it’s no surprise that this range of influences leads to a strong, well… passion. Timothy believes powerfully in the impact that great design can have – something that’s close to our hearts too. “I’ve learned that the greatest joy I personally have as a designer is connecting to other human beings through my work,” he relates. “I also believe that sharing your personal stories is a sort of activism. I want to bend and twist and shake and squeeze the most out of my work without getting too caught up in the end game or the failures along the way.

Whatever the project, though, Timothy is always aiming to keep his eyes on his overall goal – the things that drive him. “My focus is trying to make work that both stimulates me and that also emotionally connects to an audience in big and small ways,” he explained. “As designers, I feel we have unique abilities to tackle topics in ways that haven’t been explored before.”

“As a creative person, I loathe meetings. Yet, as a business owner, I need to be in them a lot.”

But how does he do this – create something that expresses an idea in ways the language alone cannot? By keeping an eye on the words themselves. “I always try to create work that is driven by an idea or the content, first. I’ve always loved writing, and through the years I’ve pushed to author my own work—whether that’s a mural for a large corporate client like my Target murals, authoring my book Sharpie Art Workshop, making art for Instagram like my Memories of a Girl I Never Knew series, or creating projects like 40 Days of Dating and 12 Kinds of Kindness with my creative partner Jessica Walsh. It’s all centered around writing and authoring work via my own voice. That’s what I did for the MOO notebook, too.”

And what else does Timothy have coming up in his schedule? “I love my clients, and I want to continue working for more great clients – but I also want to continue to make robust personal projects that are important to me and others. My friend Amélie Lamont and I just launched People of Craft, a resource website showcasing all kinds of people in design. Furthermore, I have a major collection of t-shirts & bags launching with Uniqlo this winter that I’m very excited about.” BRB, we’re just clearing our wardrobes…

MOO X Timothy Goodman – the Notebook

We were so pleased to have this opportunity to work with Timothy, and we couldn’t be more delighted that he is too. “I’ve always been a big fan of MOO, I’ve ordered postcards and business cards through them many times in the past. I was super excited to create a custom notebook together!” Aw. Timothy. You’re making us blush.

  • Timothy Goodman notebook
  • Open Timothy Goodman notebook
  • Timothy Goodman notebooks with silver foil design
  • Timothy Goodman notebooks in cases
  • Timothy Goodman notebook
  • Timothy Goodman notebook

Want the Notebook? Get it here

If you run a 6-11 business alongside your 9-5 job, every hour counts. Use these tips to get a surprising amount of awesomeness out of your daily journey.

1. Top up your skills with a MOOC

On the train, bus or tram? It’s the perfect time to study with a Harvard professor. Just fire up your tablet, laptop or smartphone and explore the world of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). Offered by universities, colleges and other institutions, MOOCs are a type of distance learning that’s accessible to everyone, sometimes free of charge.

You can work at your own pace through pre-recorded lectures and videos, and most MOOCs come as a series of modules, so they’re excellent for dipping into during a regular commute. Check out Lynda.com, Coursera and edx.org for courses on everything from accounting to photography

2. Become a podcast connoisseur

If you drive to work or have to stand on the train or bus, podcasts could be the answer. They were once a bit of a niche interest, but podcasts have exploded into popular culture thanks to addictive hits like Serial. In 2008, under 1,000 podcasts per month were launched on iTunes, rising to around 6,000 in 2015, according to sociologist Josh Morgan . Comedy, chat, reportage, fiction, drama and dispatches from deliciously nerdy corners of culture such as video games, grammar and woodworking.

Apps like Stitcher give you a world of free podcasts to explore on your smartphone. And some streaming services like Spotify have podcasts included in their subscription packages, so you don’t even need to download an extra app to listen.

3. Do some micro-exercise

Tone your body and generate some feel-good endorphins, even in the tightest of spaces. You may not be able to get any cardio routines going – unless you have some very understanding carriage-mates – but you can stretch and work muscle groups like your core, lower back, pelvic floor, calf and thigh muscles while standing or even sitting still. Here’s a list of 12 on-the-go exercises from Active Times.

4. Plan your working evening

As soon as you board your ride home, flip open your Notebook  or open a notes app on your smartphone and plan out the time you’ll spend on your 6 – 11 business that evening. It’s not only a great way to shake off the working day and focus your mind, it gives you something to refer back to after you’ve stepped through the front door into 1,001 distractions from pets, family, cooking or mail. A bullet journal is a great way to accomplish this if you’re short on time.

5. Create a memory palace

If you do the same old commute every day, you could use it as the foundations of a memory palace. It’s a technique that dates back to ancient Rome, and has been used by fictional super-brains like Sherlock Holmes and Hannibal Lecter, but it’s really easy to do.

To build a memory palace, you associate facts with physical locations, either in reality or in your mind’s eye. If your commute includes certain stops, landmarks, buildings or people, you can use them as ‘locations’ to leave useful information, like your PIN number or password, words in a language you’re learning, or happy memories you’d like to look back on. Creating a weird and wacky mental image at each location acts as a ‘key’ to open the memory palace doors.

6. Try some bite-sized meditation techniques

You don’t need to be sitting on a meditation cushion among clouds of incense to add mindful awareness into your day. As little as 10 minutes of meditation a day can help boost mood, soothe aches and pains and improve sleep, according to mindbodygreen.

Sitting on a bus or train isn’t necessarily peaceful, but you can put on some headphones and use white noise as a backdrop to your mindfulness practice, or download some guided meditation recordings to use. There are a whole host of 5 and 10 minute guided meditations on YouTube.

Get your ideas down on (beautiful Munken Kristall) paper – wherever the day takes you.

Event season is magical. It’s filled with inspirational keynote speakers, networking with interesting people, and free food galore. Yet if you’re not careful, you can outspend your budget, get a stack of business cards from forgotten faces, and miss out on some golden opportunities.

That’s why we’ve compiled the ultimate guide to getting the most out of event season.

1) Be selective

There are hundreds–– okay, thousands–– of events for your business to choose from. That’s why it’s important to decide what your top priorities are for the season. If you want 50 new leads, steer clear of the panel-filled conferences with a short happy hour at the end. Instead, opt for an event in your field that includes a lot of networking time. If you want to help your staff gain new skills, then find something that includes lots of hands-on workshops. Looking for some great name recognition? There are plenty of large shows and events for you to get some great brand recognition.

2) The power of partnerships

If you want to show of your product, prioritize events with a trade show area or marketplace. That way, you get the most eyeballs possible on your new release. Even better, apply to speak at an event––and then work on a product demonstration. Afraid of the big stage? Having product demos at your company booth can be a great way to engage with potential customers too. At the very least, invest in some announcement materials to hand out to key contacts.

3) Boost your booth

Buying space at an event can be pricey. Dazzle attendees by making your booth memorable. (For starters, check out our post on building a better booth.) Your booth should be both functional and engaging. Have interactive elements to make better experiences for leads to take away with them.

4) Have a social media presence

Maker your presence known to your social media audiences. Sure, you may have sent out a newsletter to your prospects announcing your attendance, but posting regularly on social media at the event can maximize your visibility. Make sure to write posts that include the event’s hashtag, as well as the handles of speakers that you’re particularly excited to see. (And, let’s be honest, the people who you want to think about your company.)

If your budget allows, bring a team member to post about the event in real time throughout the day. If you want your brand to be top of mind for event attendees, there’s no better way to do it than to be a consistent presence in the event’s social feed.

 

5) Did someone say giveaway?

We did!

Every company on the floor will be handing out branded pens to attendees. To stand out, give away a big hero prize that appeals to the target demographic at your event.

People’s business cards can serve as their raffle tickets–– which means you immediately have leads. Plus, since your prize will be enticing, they’ll be more likely to post about it on social. And the person who wins? You know that’s going to be all over their Instagram. Hello, earned media!

6) Consistency is key

When you’re traveling around the country for conferences, you don’t want to rush around finding a last-minute printer for business cards. Instead, stock up on your branded print materials in advance. That way, everyone who represents your company will have consistent branding–– and limitless networking opportunities. Got employees around the country? An online portal for ordering business stationery is a quick and convenient way to ensure brand consistency.

Event season can get stressful. Follow these six tips, and you’ll be on your way to a better business year.


As for MOO? We’ll be at Adobe MAX in Las Vegas, October 17th through the 20th. Be sure to swing by and say hi! For now, find out more about MOO Business Services and get all of your business stationery before your next event.


About MOO Business Services

At MOO, we’ve been helping people make their mark in the world with amazing quality print products for over a decade. And as our customers have grown, so has our service offering. That’s why for bigger businesses—with 10+ employees—we now offer MOO Business Services. It’s MOO + benefits. MOO Business Services combines dedicated account management with an easy online ordering platform and expert design services. It’s a complete package for businesses to give you more brand control and consistency—while saving you time, stress, and money in the process.

Fill out the form here and a friendly Account Manager will reach out to you.

For seriously covetable Business Card designs, that include hidden treats head this way.

We just can’t help but let out an excited shriek when beautifully designed Business Cards cross our path – and that’s exactly what we did when we saw Tyler’s, Kane’s and Xavier’s awesome creations. Find out what influenced their designs and which paper they chose to help them stand out from the crowd.

 

Tyler Pate

Tyler Pate is based in Charleston, SC. By day, he’s an illustrator and art director at Blue Ion – a digital marketing agency. By night, you’ll find Tyler working on freelance design projects. Tyler has always had a passion for art and design but painting was his real driving force. After high school, Tyler went on to study visual communication at college which introduced him to new mediums and new ways of working.

  • Tyler Pate art
    A selection of Tyler's personal work
  • Tyler Pate artwork
    A selection of Tyler's personal work
  • Tyler Pate stickers
    A selection of Tyler's personal work
  • Tyler Pate art
    A selection of Tyler's personal work
  • Tyler Pate artwork
    A selection of Tyler's personal work
  • Tyler Pate art
    A selection of Tyler's personal work

Tyler recently worked on a project with Blue Ion called ‘Outpost’ and the Business Cards he created really caught our eye! “Outpost is an initiative that focuses on exploring the essential connection between people and nature”, Tyler told us. “It’s all about getting ourselves outside and into nature more. As professional marketers, writers, designers and programmers we spend too much time indoors, sitting in front of a computer screen. We’re part of a larger project that encourages people to strike a balance between doing the work they love and refilling the well – and we wanted to be part of the solution.”

  • Tyler Pate spot UV business card
  • Tyler Pate spot UV business card
  • Tyler Pate spot gloss business cards
  • Tyler Pate sticker

When working on the Outpost creative direction, Tyler was inspired by “the rugged textures you get from lino carvings, along with the simple and clean badges you might find in the Boys Scouts.” Tyler printed his Business Card designs on Super and added a spot gloss finish: “I had these exact specs in mind way before I even started designing the look of the cards. The Super paper is a great weight and I’m a huge fan of spot gloss – I love pushing simple designs with subtle attributes. And, for those who appreciate the details, like myself, the spot gloss designs are hopefully a hidden little treat bringing everything to a whole new level of awesome!”

Add hidden treats to your designs with Spot Gloss

 

Kane Ordonez

Kane Ordonez is an industrial design student at San Jose State University in California. He’s going to be graduating at the end of this year and can’t wait to get into the design industry. Kane’s interest in art and design started from a young age – he was always been drawn to crafts and DIY projects. In high school, he was introduced to digital media design and graphic design but it wasn’t until college that Kane discovered industrial design (also known as product design). This opened up new doors for Kane, allowing him to innovate whilst creating his ideas in 3-dimensional forms.

  • Kane Ordonez design
  • Kane Ordonez design
  • Kane Ordonez interior
  • Kane Ordonez interior
  • Kane Ordonez

Industrial design has taught Kane to look at the world differently – taking in the smaller details and recognizing shapes and patterns in everything. His inspiration comes from the Mid-Century Modern era: “I really appreciate the simplistic furniture design, colors and pattern that can be seen throughout the era and I aim to bring these influences into my work.”

  • Kane Ordonez spot UV business cards
  • Kane Ordonez spot UV business cards

As Kane is coming towards the end of his studies, he wanted to create his own branding and designed Business Cards in preparation for his senior project show: “I designed my own logo – I wanted ‘K’, the first letter of my name to be the focus – the 4 lines represent the four letters in my name and I took inspiration for my color pallet from the Mid-Century Modern era. Kane loves the “matte, soft touch quality” of his cards and the thickness of the Super paper adds a “premium and sophisticated feel”. Kane included his Business Cards on his presentation table at his senior project show – they were a real hit, helping him to really stand out on the day.

Brand yourself with Super Business Cards

 

The Last Dodo

Xavier Segers is a freelance graphic designer based in London working under the pseudonym of The Last Dodo. Before going freelance, Xavier was working full time as an art director in a brand activation agency. He’s always focused on his attention on graphic design, with logo design and illustration being a particular passion for as long as he can remember. Xavier loves visiting art galleries and exhibitions – it’s his chance to “have a peek at the creative journey that other people have made and see which thought processes and results they use.” He also sees it as an opportunity “to get out of your creative bubble and to tap into somebody else’s.”

  • Xavier Segers business cards
  • Xavier Segers spot UV business cards
  • Xavier Segers sticker
  • Xavier Segers stickers

Xavier uses MOO for both personal and client projects – his most recent being a branding piece for a startup called PROEF who coach professionals in the restaurant industry. Xavier created a hand-painted logo using aquarelle textures and wanted a “quality print” that worked in harmony with the subtle tones. PROEF’s new identity was a “major success” and gave them “the boost and recognition” they needed. Xavier also told us that MOO’s “budget friendly options were perfect for a fledgling business” and products like Stickers “allowed PROEF to brand things that were not yet possible to customize in the startup’s early stages.”

  • Xavier Segers postcards
  • Xavier Segers art

Xavier has also recently created a series of Postcards featuring his personal designs that he now sells in shops. Because of this, Xavier chose Luxe: “I wanted the Postcards to be firm, not flimsy when people picked them up. Like with all of my work, I want to achieve a certain level of quality and I think this heavy weight paper contributes to that.” For Xavier, his Postcards symbolize the “new, creative freedom” that he now has in his life and it’s got him thinking of ways to extend his range. We can’t wait to see what he comes up with next!

Brand EVERYTHING with Stickers

Textile designer Hannah has only just launched her design career but she’s already rocking it! Find out how she’s got her style started – and where she gets her inspiration from.

Hannah Ottolangui is a freelance textile designer and illustrator from Leeds. Her bright, bold, beautiful designs mix everyday objects with a touch of humour. The result? Fabrics that make you instantly happy! She recently graduated from the Leeds College of Art as a mature student, and now she’s in the process of starting her own fashion and jewellery brand – and she’s rocking it! Find out how she’s been building her freelance career, her tips for setting up a craft event stand and why Business Cards are a crucial part of her branding.

How did you get into illustration?

I’ve always done creative courses – I actually started a Fine Art degree but it was a little too broad and conceptual for me. I knew I wanted to do more print based work so I took some time out from studying, and researched printed textile courses – I felt this would suit me better and allow me to do everything I wanted.

I’ve drawn for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always been interested in how illustration translates to print, so the course I took at LCA was perfect for me!

You have a fabulous and instantly recognisable style – what are your influences?

Other cultures have always been a huge inspiration for me, particularly Japanese youth culture. Japanese street style is the best thing ever – it completely struck a chord with me! I always felt like I didn’t really fit in anywhere, but when I saw this stuff, I thought wow, this is my dream. So, I went to Tokyo last Summer – I wanted to absorb the rich coloured surroundings and take in all the context.

Pop culture in general is a huge influence too. I take a lot of inspiration for my colour palettes from films – my current collection is Americana themed. I looked for films set in Vegas to get that kitsch American colour palette and shows such as True Romance gave me a lot of inspiration for this collection too.

  • Hannah Ottolangui art
  • Hannah Ottolangui digital art

Since starting university how have you seen your illustration style develop?

I always knew what I was interested in and what my style was – that hasn’t changed – I’ve just improved at generating ideas.

When I started university, I couldn’t use Photoshop – I taught myself over time and it’s changed my process tremendously. Trying to screen print all of my different motifs and designs would be awful. Photoshop gives me the ability to print my designs whilst refining the colour so that it’s exactly how I want it to be.

Some of your prints have now been made into garments and are being sold on ModCloth. How did this partnership come about?

During my second year at uni, we got taken to Première Vision in Paris – a huge fashion trade show. We all designed a collection to be sold specifically at the event. I went on to sell two prints to a company called Alexander Henry Fabrics – they produce lots of different illustrative prints and then sell those fabrics on to other companies. ModCloth bought the fabric from Alexander Henry and later went on to make garments with it.

I didn’t know ModCloth had created garments with my fabric until someone messaged me on Instagram asking if the print was mine. It was amazing, but a little weird as nobody really knows that it’s actually my print. One of the reasons I want to work freelance is so that I can get my name out there on my work.

What have you been doing to build your freelance career since graduating?

At the moment I’m in the process of contacting people to collaborate. I also exhibited at New Designers – a design fair in London – it was great for networking and getting my work in front of the right people.

Do you have any tips for setting up a successful stall at craft fairs and events?

That’s a tough one – apart from exhibiting at New Designers – the International Women’s Day craft fair was my first one. I think my main tip would be to make sure that your stand really reflects your aesthetic. I decided to print my designs onto tote bags and made perspex jewellery as well as having some prints on display. I laid everything out and pinned a few bits up – I didn’t want to invest too much in my first stand as I wasn’t sure how it was going to go down but I went on to sell loads of stuff which was great!

Craft fairs are a great way to get your work out there and hear first hand feedback on your products. Having Business Cards on my stand was a huge help as they acted as miniature prints of my work. People who weren’t buying were still taking a card which led to new followers on Instagram. People don’t always want to buy things immediately, so give them the ability to remember you.

You mentioned you’d created Business Cards – why do you think it’s important for small business to brand themselves?

Your branding needs to show new and existing clients exactly who you are – it’s especially important for a Business Card as it’s often the first thing people see. It needs to stand out and say what you’re about otherwise how are you different from everyone else? Having a different design on every card allows me to have a mini portfolio in my pocket.

You have a beautifully curated Instagram account and sell your products on Etsy – is there anything else you do to promote yourself and your brand?

I want to attend as many craft fairs as I can to get myself out there. I feel that people are more likely to buy your products if they can see them as tangible, quality objects. Other than that, I focus my attention on Instagram because of how visual the platform is. As cringey as we might think hashtags are, they’re such a powerful tool to get your work in front of the right demographic. It’s important to have followers who actually engage though, so don’t overdo it.

What do you think are the biggest challenges for small businesses today?

Standing out from the crowd is definitely the biggest challenge because it’s such an over-saturated industry. It’s also difficult, especially in my field, to figure out whether you want to get your work out there by selling designs to companies without your name being attached to it, or going at it alone. Once the rights have been sold you can’t use those drawings again. Social media can also be challenging – while platforms like Instagram are amazing for promoting yourself, your work can get lost as well.

What are your tips for anyone else wanting to start their own business?

Self-confidence and perseverance are key. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and feel confident about your ideas. You’ll always be critical of yourself and there’ll be knock backs but just work through them – and stay true to yourself. There’ll always be people who don’t like your work, but then there’ll always be people who do. And, always remember that you started your business because you love what you do.

Brand yourself with Business Cards

 

Getting a new customer takes work. You took the time to understand their wants and needs and showed them that your product could help make their lives easier. It could even take months before a potential customer actually wants to commit to your business.

Amazing, right? Well, yes… except for the sinking feeling that comes when you realize that you’re not totally sure what happens next. However, there is a way to retain your customers from the very start of your business relationship. And that magic solution is called onboarding.

“Wait, what’s onboarding?”

Good question! The onboarding process is how you welcome new customers to your product or service. This can come in a variety of formats: an automated email, step-by-step walkthrough of your platform, or a phone call from customer service. No matter the method, these practices ensure that your new customer’s first experience with your brand is seamless.

A thorough onboarding process ensures that your customer’s life is easier, and also prevents churn––AKA customer loss––by getting them to use your service shortly after signup.

The 5 Onboarding Essentials

1. Outline your product flow

Before a customer can get comfortable with your product, they need to know exactly how it works. That’s why the flow of your business needs to be communicated quickly and simply. This is the part of your process where conversational copy on your site or platform is key. Otherwise, your customers will be too intimidated, or confused, to continue on in their journey.

2. Create a sample experience

Even after the product flow is explained, your potential customer might still be unsure about making a purchase. This is the perfect time to show them a visual demonstration of what their experience with your company will be.

This step can be a video demonstration, an embedded slideshow, or a walkthrough on the phone with a company representative. For example, MOO has a quick video that shows how to use our MOO Business Services online platform.

3. Call to action

Once you’ve proven how simple the purchasing process is with your company, it’s time to give the customer a call to action. Here, you want them to order now, upload a design, or do whatever you think is the next step in their buying process.

Remember, consistent early engagement will improve the likelihood of a return customer. This was proven in a study done by Appboy, a lifecycle engagement platform for marketers. According to them, 90% of the people who engage weekly for the first month after an app download are retained, compared to only 23% of people who don’t engage in the second, third and fourth week.

4. The follow-up

Don’t leave your customer hanging after the first order. Make sure to follow up, and let them know that you appreciate their business.

It’s important to touch base with your customers after their first experience of your product. This is a crucial time to reach out, request feedback, and answer any questions they might have. This follow-up will build trust and encourage repeated product use in the future.

5. Personalize it

No one wants to get an email that says, “To our valued customer: Thank you for using our service!” That approach, while well-meaning, feels cold and detached.

Instead, use the follow-up message as an opportunity to give your customer some personalized thanks. Bonus points if you include a promo code for a free gift or a discounted service. After all, where would we be without our customers?


Have a successful customer onboarding story? We’d love to hear in the comments below!