Overwhelmed

[BabyHopes]

I am right smack in the middle of trying to get all my promotional material together. Including printing items such as business cards, print care cards, digital negatives information, usage license cards, and copyright notice information. I'm also trying to get together brochures, an information packet (with contract) for clients, and post processing packaging materials.

Everywhere I turn someone has an amazing link to a perfectly fabulous place by which to purchase these products. I dutifully bookmark the location with every intention of one day sitting down to figure out who to order from, how much to order, and what the underlying expense will be.

So, today is the day that I intend to finally get a handle on it all, and I'll be honest I'm overwhelmed. I have a host of bookmarked sites by which to shop, and I'm at a total loss. It's not an issue of having no options, but rather too many options.

Gah!

I've been staring at my bookmarked list of photography materials sites and I'm actually having a bit of anxiety about the sheer volume of places I need to sort through.

Any suggestions on where to start and how to prioritize?

[HotHolly]

If you want easy and effective, Id go after Marathon Press. Their stuff is well laid out, easy to order, they even have the brochures online so you can link to it from your website. Easy and efficient. They create a fast and affective print campaign AND they help with branding. Everything has that nice posh lay out thing and it holds cohesion. Flip through their site when you have time.

[boldimagery]

I have found that when you are looking at it on a screen it can be hard to sort through. What I do is print things out. Then I spread them out all of the table (which my wife hates) then things will start to become a little bit clearer for me.

If you have a bad back, pin it to a wall. Either way once you start comparing things side be side things will be come clearer. To personal goal setting will also go a long ways as well. It will help you focus if you have a direction.

Hopefully that helps!

[toverman]

You're on the right track trying to coordinate all your materials. But maybe you need to take a step back and focus on one thing at a time while keeping the big picture in focus.

If you are just starting out, keeping it simple is not a bad plan, either. Some of the information (like print care and digital negative information) can be posted on your Web site, at least at first. Prioritizing what must be printed will also save you a few bucks in the beginning (or this new beginning, if that's what it is).

[Aric C. Hoek]

There is no such thing as time management, only event management.

Make a list of everything you want to accomplish.

Now, make a 24 hour to do list. When you start an item on this list, you do not stop until you finish it. Put all of your energy into the completion of the item. While you are working on the item, do not think of anything else other than the end result. Imagine the success of the project.

If you do not finish an item on your 24 hour to do list, then you will need to push it back to the next day.

Put all your energy into each step. Keep your goals in mind at all times. Failure is not an option.