It's been over a month since I last blogged, so I thought I would check in to explain why... It's time for some changes to Mr Yen, in both branding and things that I create - which will affect what I blog about, how I blog and how I work. Hopefully this new way of working will mean more regular posts here and more free time for freelance design projects.
New Branding:
I'm planning to fully launch the newly branded Mr Yen early next spring and I'm currently working away on these changes to make sure things happen when they should! (as you can see from some of the changes already happening with the
shop and this blog)
Earlier this year I created a Six Month Plan for all things Mr Yen, which I've found extremely helpful in making my goals successful, so I'm applying this process to a whole year of planning everything I would like to achieve for 2012.
This year has been a great year, but it has had it's ups and downs. I feel I have achieved some fantastic things, but there has also been low points too. To be honest, the low points are mostly from the first six months of the year - when I didn't plan anything, but the last six months has also had some low points too. These low points mostly relate to cash flow (which again can be linked back to improper planning on my behalf) or potential features of my work in various publications which fell through at the last minute.
What I've learnt over the last year:
This year has been a huge learning curve where I've enjoyed both good and bad points as it has opened my eyes to what needs to change and how I need to go about changing them, while being thrown in at the deep end, as most of the things I have done have been the first time I have had to do them. I feel this first official year of business has been a sort of test run and practice for the real thing.
This year I've experimented with various products, promotional techniques, advertising methods, press opportunities and things to focus on as a business, which has really helped me hone in on what I want to be creating, for who and how to get my work infront of the right people. I feel so much more prepared for the upcoming year and as I've learnt so much this year I feel it's just a matter of putting everything into practice.
For some reason, while planning things that I want to achieve in relation to my business, I always feel as though I should be keeping an eye on what everyone else is doing and as though I should plan for things at the last minute in case I want to change my mind. For example, when I hear people complain that August is too early to be preparing for Christmas (when really it's too late!) it makes me question myself, so I put things off for a few more weeks (or months) when really if I trusted myself and went with my instincts I would start planning Christmas in early spring time. I've realised that constantly looking at the way other people conduct their business is not the way to go about organising my own business so I need to change the way I plan and organise things. This year I will hopefully be starting the year with everything I need to make my business successful. From business plans, accounts and promotional/marketing plans to having a whole years worth of papercut designs, photo shoots and catalogues completed.
Marketing and Promotion:
This year I have left marketing and promotion of my products too late due to being unorganised and not getting things like an actual physical press pack made up (or a digital one either!) leaving me to rush something together at the last minute when people ask for information, so I don't have the time to get an image of a product on a white cut out background for example. Again, as I have learnt from missing out on several opportunities this year because of things like this, I now know what needs to be done from the start. I also feel that having a clear focus of things makes a business run smoother, so things like planning a years worth of marketing and promotion will be extremely beneficial as I will know what needs doing each month to keep on track - which then helps me to know what needs to be done on a weekly and daily basis too.
Throughout the year I've experimented with ways of promoting my work through channels such as blog banner adverts, contacting blogs for features, paying for adverts on blogs and websites and using social media such as twitter, Facebook and this blog which has made me focus in on what works best for me and my business...next year I would love to see Mr Yen products in magazines and newspapers!
What's to come in the new year for Mr Yen:
The Mr Yen blog - I will be changing what I blog about, how and when I blog too. I will also be changing the weekly posts that I have schedule at the moment, such as "Thursday Finds" to things more appropriate to what products I will be creating next year.
The Mr Yen shop - I will be focusing in on large scale papercuts, while taking inspiration from all things floral and natural. I have wanted to focus on botanical designs and themes with my work for a while as these are the things I love, so I will be stopping the majority of my other papercut pieces to focus on these new designs.
Mr Yen & social media - It's time I changed the way I used twitter and facebook in conjunction with my work and this blog, so there will be a more definite focus on what I mention on these platforms from next year.
One last thing...
Mr Yen Customers - This year I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing and friendly people, as customers of the Mr Yen shop and as people who I have created design work for - without you all I wouldn't be able to do what I love and develop my ideas and designs, so I would just like to say thank you for all the support and kind words that you have given me over the last year.
I hope you will join me on my journey next year in making Mr Yen bigger and better and I hope you all have a very merry Christmas!
See you in the new year!
