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The final week of the competition has seen us completing the work on our first e-newsletter ready for publication and distribution, finalising the design of the postcard that will help launch and promote the e-newsletter, looking at photographic images (mine and some stock photos at Steven’s suggestion) for inclusion on the Therapy Masters website, and a rethink of the way the website is currently constructed.
We got to have our one-on-one session with Steven from Link this week. No flu or rain or thunder or wind would stop him!! We appreciate him venturing out to our neck of the woods at a time that was more convenient. He shared his thoughts and advice on how we can improve the Therapy Masters website, and gave us feedback on how he found the usability of the site. Neither Dave or I are web designers, and it was valuable information coming from someone with Steven’s level of experience and knowledge.
We also finalised the design for the postcard. I have found this to be a challenging process, as I am not used to other people having creative rights to my business. As Rowena from Striped Mouse said at our first meeting, part of the Blitz competition, is for us as the competitors to be challenged and pushed outside of our comfort zones. Allowing Clint and Steven to design the postcard has definitely taken me outside of my comfort zone and triggered my control issues! Being a small business owner normally gives you control over every tiny detail of your business. Generally if you don’t think of it and implement it, it doesn’t happen. When you start to deal with other professionals to help with your business, you start to give up some of that control to them.
Let me just say it hasn’t been easy from my perspective. Part of me wanted control for control’s sake, part of me was missing not being involved in the creative process (because to date I’ve designed everything at Therapy Masters – from the layout and decor of the treatment rooms, to the colour and design of the logo) and part of me just likes to learn new things so I can get better at everything I do – maybe that’s another sign of being a control freak!?! :) Anyway, by explaining and clarifying my position on some design aspects, allowing Clint to teach me the value of goal setting around marketing plans and Steven sharing his design and graphics expertise –I think we have come up with a winning look and feel for the first piece of “professionally generated” promotional material for Therapy Masters. At Steven’s suggestion we’re also adding a specific redeemable campaign to the postcards so we track how well they are taken up, once distributed.
I’ve also had a number of emails and phone calls with Clint as we finalise the content for the e-newsletter and start the process of extracting email addresses from our new client database. Initially we have to confirm that people want to opt in for the email due to the implementation of the anti-spam laws. This is something that we had overlooked (but now rectified) as we have only considered sending e-newsletters in the past few months. Clint will send in an opt-in email for us first, and then with the confirmed list of subscribers we will be ready to send our first e-newsletter! We’ve decided on a basic format that will remain each month which includes: an special offer, a topical piece around massage and the industry – this month we’re looking at the Cost Effectiveness of Massage Therapy, and Therapy Masters in Focus which will highlight a therapist or treatment. In our first edition you can become better acquainted with Richard Martensz one of our talented therapists.
Keep your eyes open for some changes to the Therapy Masters website in the next few days. I’ve spent the day planning out the changes that Steven has suggested and selecting photos for inclusion. Now I’ve just got to persuade my dear husband, and personal chic geek, to make said changes for me. Wish me luck... |