As of late, you may have noticed southpaw offering many fun new services such as web design, graphic design and motion graphic production. That was my way of announcing I now do motion graphic development and production - stay tuned for samples. But, if you are one of the few people who actually saw my face in a class in PR school, you are all "Whaaa..? Megan hated graphic and web design and well, didn't do it." You would be correct. So how do I offer these services without actually having the marketable skills to build a website or colour within the lines? I partnered with a great graphic and web designer who needed to be able to offer strategic content development, writing, marketing, communications, social media etc to her website clients. Clever, right?
The same could be said for the motion graphic videos. Obviously not a talent of mine (why the hell can't I embed a youtube video into powerpoint?!), and yet here I am - able to offer clever, fun, creative video creation to my clients as part of the actual implementation of the amazing communications strategies I wrote for them.
The key is in partnering with other small businesses to offer complementary services. The take home message here? If a customer asks you, "Hey, do you guys offer elephant preg checking?' You think to yourself: Can I make money offering elephant preg checking? If the answer is yes, then you respond to said customer, "Why of course we do!" Then you spend the next hours googling the hell out of elehpant preg checkers who will sub contract with you. Point made? I mean, don't go out of your way to offer completely irrelevant services because some Joe Blow asked you to help him plant a windrow of poplars around 30 acres, but make sure you don't limit yourself to your specialized service if you are just starting out. Wal-Mart is popular for a reason - its convenient and it has everything. So, if you can offer the services you are recommending clients use, or offer the services they are asking for - perfect. They are that much more likely to see you as a solution than a quick-fix.
That being said, I do not YET offer elephant preg checks. But, if you run a small business where your clients need help to market, promote and communicate to their audience, let me know. Chances are I have a need for you as well. Or if you are in an industry completely irrelevant to mine - this should still have some bearing on you. Don't try to do it all yourself. You are successful because people pay you to do what you do well. Pay them to do the same, and make yourself look good at the same time.
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