Networking: Developing a Balanced Strategy

Something happened a few weeks ago that really got me thinking about the importance of networking, and more importantly, developing a solid strategy for it. I was at an event, and I was introduced to a group of college students from a local design school. I talked with them for a while, and before I left, I gave them each my business card. In design, like many fields, connections are crucial. The people you meet today can open a door for a job or project tomorrow. By giving them my card, I was offering myself as a connection and resource--knowing they will eventually graduate with the goal of finding a job.

After I left, I thought to myself whether I'd hear from any of those students. Unfortunately, I doubted it, and so far I've been correct in my assumption. This really made me think. What happened to the traditional rules of networking--to following up after a meeting, sticking your foot in the door, and creating a memorable connection? Are these rules obsolete in a society whose natural, everyday forms of communication, connecting, and maintaining relationships are online?

I don't think so. I think they're
more important than ever.

We talk with our clients about the importance of developing a solid strategy for marketing their businesses--both online and off. The same applies for marketing ourselves as individuals. Whether you're a student about to embark into the professional world, a professional looking for new business, or a seasoned business veteran, we each need a strong, balanced strategy for networking.

So, how do we strike a balance between online and in-person networking to create a well-rounded approach? The key is to realize that there's an appropriate place for both, and one or the other will be a better fit in certain instances. You can't discount the value of a face-to-face meeting when it comes to making a first impression, forming a new partnership, or presenting a new idea. Conversely, your online social networking is great for staying top of mind, staying in touch, or even for generating leads.

There's a lot of chaos in the online world these days, and it's important and necessary to separate yourself with more personal, memorable connections. Talking in-person or even over the phone can be necessary to stand out. Successful networkers have found a balance of both--utilizing the tools available online for convenience, speed, and efficiency but relying on personal, in-person contacts in those cases where an impression must be made.

Unsure where to start on either front? Here are a few tips for standing out both online and in-person:

In-person networking:
Aim for real connections. Form real, memorable connections by remembering details from past conversations and meetings.

Mind your P's and Q's. Always ere on the side of etiquette and politeness. You only get one first impression, so use it wisely.

Remember that it's a small world. Don't talk poorly about your colleagues or company. It only reflects poorly on you.

Be prompt with your actions. If information is exchanged, don't wait too long to respond with a "nice to meet you" email or phone call.

Be proactive. Unless it's specifically discussed, always aim to make the first contact after meeting someone new.

Online presence:
Carefully select your outlets. Online networking can take off quickly, so choose your tools and determine your strategy in advance.

Be proactive with your online presence. Stay top of mind with someone by following them on Twitter, commenting on their blog articles, etc.

Audit your content daily. Make sure your content is appropriate and relevant to your personal and professional image and goals you're trying to achieve.

Be dependable. Online networking tools are most effective when you actively maintain, respond, and post fresh content.

Use online tools to your advantage. Online tools are great for finding new connections and can provide an excellent transition to an in-person meeting.

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Designing a Unique Holiday Gift2nd Annual Adopt-A-Family

Our second annual Miles Design adopt-a-family was a success, and we are so thankful for the opportunity to participate again this year. We learned quite a bit about the process and strategy from our experiences last year, and this year went off without a hitch--it was truly a team effort from start to finish.

This year, we adopted a family of five. Besides mom, there were two girls (one and fifteen) and two boys (nine and seventeen). After talking with them, we learned that they lost their home to a fire last year at Christmas, and they've been working to rebuild their lives over the last year. Their lists had everything from pots and pans, dinnerware, and clothing to a basketball, games, and movie passes.

With lists in hand, the entire team took over Walmart on Friday morning, Dec. 4--dividing and conquering. Josh, Eric, Brian, and Cookie shopped for the boys' gifts and toys while April, Lauren, Meg, and I worked on the household items and girls' gifts. It was a great time, and I was impressed with our efficiency--although I'm positive we could have spent all morning putting together cute outfits and shopping for toys! When it was all said and done, we managed to get everything on our list in one stop, and we came out on budget!

Here are some photos from our shopping adventure:













The afternoon of Dec. 10th was dedicated to wrapping all of the gifts (and Eric's cell phone). The finished stack of presents was an awesome sight and took up most of the conference room table--very impressive!







Now, what to do with all that leftover paper? Any ideas? Hmm…



The entire office made the trip to deliver the gifts, and the family was very kind (and probably overwhelmed) as we all piled in their living room! It was such a rewarding experience to participate in this program during the holidays. It can be such an overwhelming season, and it feels really good knowing that we were able to ease the burden of providing for a family of five at Christmas. And, most importantly, we worked together and had fun doing it!

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Give the gift of Viral:A New Twist on the Holiday Card

The Holiday Greeting card that encourages you to pass it on...



Every year, even creative types like us enjoy a love-hate relationship with Holiday greeting card design. Although we've designed a few award-winners in the past, that only serves to push us to a higher standard for what to do for an encore. This year we wanted to create a greeting card that the recipient was encouraged to immediately re-gift.

So this year instead of designing just one card, we had everyone from our office design their own card. We committed to a color palette, size, paper, and production restrictions (just like a client project) and had everyone work on their own concepts. We then packaged the final set of seven designs up with instructions to "share the love this Holiday." We even created a custom rubber stamping system to embellish the corrugated mailing envelope.


Here's a sample press sheet. All seven designs were printed using the same set of five inks, on one sheet of paper.


Here's what the set looked like together.


We created our own custom stamp to embellish the corrugated envelopes.




And here's another view of the complete set.

And finally, we created a website under our infamous microsite, HolidayCow.com - wherein visitors can gain further insights behind each unique design. We also have a few other pics up on our Miles Design Facebook page.

If you've not received a set, we still have a few left. Just send us your mailing info. In the spirit of "viral season", pass this along to everyone you come into contact with. Happy Holidays!

We welcome your feedback...

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PRIME: Celebrating Design Excellence in Indianapolis

Good things are happening for the Indianapolis design community and Miles Design! PRIME--the first annual AIGA Indy Design Awards Show--is opening to the public this Friday, and we're excited to share that four of our entries were chosen to be included in the show.

For those of you not familiar with PRIME, or AIGA Indy for that matter, here's a quick background on both. AIGA, the professional association for design, is the oldest and largest professional design organization consisting of more than 22,000 members and 64 local chapters across the country. Our local Indianapolis chapter represents design students, professionals, and educators all across Indiana--providing a mix of events, initiatives, outreach programs, and more.

This is the first year for PRIME, and it's been a long time coming! The pieces honored this year were selected for their visual excellence and demonstration of strong design processes and real-world, measurable results for the client. The judges, no doubt, had some very tough decisions to make, and I don't envy them one bit! Accepted work will be on display until Thanksgiving at Dean Johnson Gallery in downtown Indianapolis. After that, a book showcasing the work will be created and distributed both locally and to AIGA chapters across the country.

Miles Design is honored to be recognized among our peers, and we're even more excited that we can be a part of a show that celebrates the great design happening in and around Indy. There's a lot of talent here, and we're thrilled to be a part of it! If you're free Friday, November 6th, we hope you'll have a chance to mix and mingle with us at the show opening. And, if you find yourself downtown before Thanksgiving, take some time to stop by the gallery. We promise you won't be disappointed!

PRIME - First Friday Opening
Friday, November 6
5:00-9:00 pm
Dean Johnson Gallery - 646 Massachusetts Avenue

Accepted entries from Miles Design include:
1. Knozone - www.knozone.com
2. Miles Design - 2009 New Year's Card
3. Kevin Kennedy Associates - Identity System
4. BRAND PHOTODESIGN - Identity System

Congratulations to all the designers with work on display and to all of the companies, clients, and individuals being recognized along with them.

For more information on PRIME and AIGA Indy, visit www.indianapolis.aiga.org

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MD News updates

Much has happened in the past four months. A new office, new baby, etc... So in the interest of catching everyone up quickly, here's a recap in bullet point format:

07.01.07 - MD moves into new offices at the Precedent, complete with a fourth floor view of "Lake Precedent." (To date, no geese have chased Josh into the new office. Stand by for further updates.)

07.01.07 - Long time MD collaborators, Wired Ground, agree to share office space with MD.

08.15.07 - Meg Taylor Miles
Born 1:37 am
7 pounds, 10 ounces
19.75 inches long
Eyes - grayish... maybe blue, but too close to call.
Hair - short brown
Hands and toes - long and thin

09.01.07 - Two MD entries have been selected to appear in Graphic Design USA's design annual, due to hit newsstands in January. The selected pieces were the redesigned brand identity for Surroundings, and MD's own holiday card from 2006.

10.01.07 - After much delay, MD finally settled on printing new business cards on plastic. Cool stuff.

10.22 - Brand identity design specialist Brian K. Gray joins the team at MD.

10.27.07 - MD designer Amanda celebrates her nuptials with husband Joe, in quaint New Harmony IN.

11.01.07 - MD remembers blog, updates past four months.

11.04.07 - Did anybody catch all of that?

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When designers (pro)create.

Designers love to create. Sometimes we even procreate. And that can be intimidating.

I'm not the first to suggest that jumping into parenthood comes with many new pressures. It's just that as designers, we tend to put a little extra pressure on ourselves. Never mind the whole am I ready to be a parent? line of thinking. This is a different kind of pressure.

Our friends, families, and even our clients expect a certain level of cool factor when we have babies. Most of all, we place this pressure on ourselves. The baby's name. The nursery decor. The clothes. The birth announcement, and so on...

You may have figured by now, my wife is 18 weeks pregnant with our first child. We're nearing that time when many parents find out, and begin decorating the child's room. We've been discussing colors, themes, crib bedding, paint, and other miscellaneous decor. Add to this, we have decided it will be fun to not find out the sex of the child. (For the record, I'm feeling boy.)

Our friends have already started joking that we're going to have such a mod baby, but we're the ones who are feeding that. We can't pick up just any crib bedding, it's gotta work with the baby's brand. Ridiculous? I don't think so. How many times have you looked at a car, or a shirt, or a pair of shoes and thought... that's just not ME. You quickly sized up that item, and how appropriate it was/wasn't for your personal image. When it comes to our children, especially a designer's children, it's even more evident.

In the end, all I really care about is having a healthy, happy baby... and happy, healthy mommy. But for now (pressure or not) I'm having fun thinking about our growing family, and creating a new brand... baby.

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