The reason a small handful of design principles and devices stand the test of time is that they’re broad and non-prescriptive, helping us solve an unlimited number of visual problems.

White space is one of them.

It’s been a long time since a client asked if I could “get rid of all that white space.” Even so, I was surprised recently when a government client asked for a lot of white space. I felt like a kid in a, well, linen store.

The average person is becoming more sophisticated about design, and, perhaps due to content overload, has arrived at what artists and designers have long known. That is, how crucial white space is to a reading or viewing experience. Far from being leftover or empty space, white space, at its best, is intentional, helpful and often dynamic. It’s active, not passive. In reality, white space is a beautiful paradox because in all its lacking of content, it makes us pay more attention to the content that is there.

White space:

• Frames images and text (and the notes in music in the form of silences) drawing attention to them.

• Creates contrast, a critical device that wakes us up and makes us pay attention.

• Separates like bits of information from other clusters of information, helping us focus on one thing at a time.

• Creates a breather, the space to absorb information more easily.

Flickr unleashed not only a new website, but a backlash. Change incites naysayers and you can’t please everyone, but this designer thinks Flickr went overboard.

The old Flickr design had too much white space of the leftover and non-intentional kind. And, thumbnails were too small, requiring the user to click through every one, which was slow going.

There’s no arguing the “wow” factor of a face full of pretty pictures. But think about the last time you strolled through a museum. The generous space between pieces of art was deliberate, framing and drawing your attention to the art in front of you. There was a chance to exhale before moving on to the next painting.

The new Flickr design sacrifices not only the ability to view an image and its related information, but it bombards you with all the images at once. Now, image trumps everything, overlooking how many users, including myself, use the site. Having tested a typical search I might do for a project, I can already see that load times for search results are much slower.

Pinterest, with its wall-to-wall content, has a lighter, less oppressive feel than Flickr, even though the general layout is the same. Images are large enough to see, you can focus more easily on a single image and you can find an image’s related information without scrolling.

What do you think of Flickr’s new design? Is it going to make it easier or harder for you to use?

What to do with a surplus of leeks

More elegant and refined than an onion, leeks become silky and sweet when cooked. They’re the base of soups or risottos, partner to fish or potatoes. There is no shortage of recipes for leeks. But just in case you come into a surplus, as I just did in my garden, here are a few ways to use them in a hurry.

Dry leeks

Rehydrate them later for use in recipes. Here’s an oven method for drying leeks but you can also use a food dehydrator.

Freeze leeks

Clean and chop leeks. Pre-freeze them on a cookie sheet on a single layer (to prevent sticking together). Then put them in a freezer bag.

Make stock

With leek recipes, you generally use only the green and light green part. But don’t toss the dark green parts. They’re great for making stock. There are a million variations on vegetable stock. The easiest is to toss leeks, potato, carrots, celery and garlic (for starters) into a pot with water and salt. Simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and discard the vegetables.

Nip the bud

As if having too many leeks weren’t enough, you might also have let yours begin to flower (the Dr. Seuss-like tips shown above), as I have done. Like garlic tops (or garlic whistles), leek tops are delicious grilled or roasted. Chop them up and add to green, grain or bean salads. Toss into eggs or pasta. Or just eat them like an asparagus spear.

Let ‘em bloom

Forget eating, leave some leeks in the garden and let them bloom. The long flower stems are just what the Dr. (Seuss) ordered for a wacky and wonderful look.

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Why wait to make pesto when the basil is abundant. You can put to work those long-awaited bundles of asparagus. You can pesto just about anything using a basic recipe as a guide and substituting similar ingredients. Here in the Northwest, I like to substitute hazelnuts for pine nuts to give dishes a more local flavor. Mint makes this pesto even more bright and springy.

Asparagus Hazelnut Mint Pesto Recipe

1 bundle of asparagus (trimmed* and chopped into 2-inch chunks)

1-2 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste (remember, the Parmesan is salty)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

6-8 fresh mint leaves (or more to taste)

1 T fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Steam or boil asparagus until tender but not mushy. Plunge into cold water to stop the cooking.

2. Add all ingredients except cheese and lemon juice to a food processor and process till smooth.

3. Add cheese and lemon juice and pulse just till combined.

Serve on bread, toss with pasta, spread on a sandwich. Enjoy!

* To trim asparagus, hold each end of a stalk and bend until it snaps. It will snap naturally where the tough end meets the tender part.

Your self-imposed plan to tweet once a day will slip. You’ll fail to write that weekly blog post. You’ll get the monthly newsletter out late. It happens.

You want to spend your time doing the work you’re meant to do.

But even if you hire a professional to get your brand off the ground, you have to be the steward of your brand, taking it where it needs to go.

The playing field is more level now. Small businesses have an array of advantages over big companies. Even so, many businesses resist the obvious benefits that a more connected economy brings. They are overwhelmed by pressure to participate, to do more “work.” They see having to develop ongoing relevant content as a new burden, which is a shame because we all carry information and experience that someone wants and needs.

A connection economy
Big companies have to work hard to earn trust and not be seen as an impersonal enterprise. Small businesses can more easily share what connects like-minded people—values and passions. Some businesses focus solely on higher search engine rankings instead of creating meaning for people through good content. The former might seem like an arrow to a target, while the latter seems mushy and ill-defined. But the beauty of the latter is that you can choose when, how much, where and what.

Free (or nearly free) venues
Using one of the many venues (LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, blogs and webinars), you can engage people in a more organic way, fueled by what you like and care about without having the deep pockets of larger companies.

Love of local
Capitalize on the hopefully never-ending wave of interest in keeping dollars local, which small businesses can do much more easily than a big company.

Agility
You have to have a clear sense of who you are and what you stand for. But you also have to remember that when you’re small, you can shift gears more easily later on. The foundation of your brand should be solid, but how you express it can evolve.

Authenticity rules
Customers want to be heard. They want to know your values, They’re hungry for real. A small business can build trust because it’s backed by a real live person whose success depends on authenticity.

Everyone’s an expert
If you’ve worked long enough in your field, chances are you are full of information that someone wants. You can find gems of content every day that you take for granted. The common problems that come up over and over for people. The “pick your brain” questions. The frustrations. The best content comes from your deep personal experience and intuition.

Minding gaps
There seems to be a correlation between ever-expanding choices and that one thing missing in the marketplace. Where’s the unequivocally honest mechanic or the funny accountant? Somewhere, there’s a gap in your industry. It might be small and quirky or it might be profound and significant. Small companies can seek out and fill that gap better than a cumbersome big company can.

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If all you have is the desire to get picked, that’s not sufficient.

—SETH GODIN

Wandering the aisles at a craft show a while back, I was surprised that the same styles and motifs appeared over and over. Most likely, each artist thought of himself as different. But why didn’t anyone want to stand out, especially in a creative industry?

It is said that there are very few original ideas. But there’s plenty of room for a different kind of originality. Put two or more existing ideas together to form a new product or service. Put a new spin on an old idea. Use your voice. If you’re an independent business owner and you’re not putting your unique voice to work, you’re overlooking the one tool you have that no one else does.

What is something more?

Do something your industry doesn’t normally do.
• Be the only reliable and responsive contractor in your area.

• If you’re an accountant, offer free quarterly gatherings to answer burning tax questions. Better yet, host a burn-your-10-year-tax-documents bonfire.

• Add humor to an otherwise humorless industry like this South African airline.

• Buck convention like this LA acupuncturist does. I guarantee he’s booked solid, due in large part to talking about his industry as few would be brave enough to do.

• Offer customized services if standard packaged are the norm, or packaged services where custom is the norm.

Openly state a promise in your marketing materials.
You have to be able to stand by it, so make it something you’re really able to do.

Surprise and delight.

• Send a gift after every project, every baby you deliver, every bathroom you renovate.

• Call a client a week after you give them a chiropractic adjustment just to see how they’re feeling.

• Let every 100th person who walks in the door of your bakery see the inner workings of the kitchen.

Create a unique high standard you never compromise on.
Christopher Kimball of Cook’s Illustrated has never and swears he never will put advertising in his magazine. He does this to remain neutral and trustworthy when doing product reviews, a key magazine feature. A unique high standard will also help you say “no” to business you don’t want.

All these ideas can be fundamental parts of your brand story. If you were to pick one of these ideas, what would your something more be?

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(Image: Christina B. Castro)

I do it. We all do it. But it’s easy to forget that some people make their living problem solving and using strategic thinking. I’m flattered when someone asks to pick my brain because it means they desire my opinion. The key word here is desire. Desiring and valuing are two very different things. We value what we pay for. Giving away too much of your time affects not only you but the people you aim to help, not to mention the people who do end up paying for it.

It’s a challenge to draw the line, especially for do-gooders. Bernadette Jiwa puts it beautifully here why it’s important to value yourself enough to put your energy towards high-impact work. If the goal is to help people, you can’t very well do that if you don’t value your time and expertise. The little dribbles of advice here and there don’t add up to much…for anyone.

There are two scenarios:
• The standard pick-your-brain session.

• A prospect to whom you give a trickle of advice and time.

The advice below applies to both scenarios without slamming a door. Don’t assume the worst when people ask to pick your brain. In many cases, the person who can’t pay now might be able to pay later.

Create criteria for meeting
• A good question is as valuable as a good idea. Craft a set of standard questions that will help both you and the prospect take a next step. A serious prospect will be happy to put in the work. To generate a good set of questions requires strategic thinking, a form of free advice in itself, and which the client will benefit from.

• As Sy Simms said, “An educated consumer is our best customer.” Send reading material that will help them learn more about what you do and how you help people. If they’re not interested, they don’t deserve your time.

• Ask specifically what they are trying to figure out. It’s your job to focus the purpose so it doesn’t spin out of control.

• Time out of the office for a consultant is time not paid. If you do decide to meet, take the opportunity to decide where, when and for how long a meeting will take place.

Slow down the process
A person in a rush to meet is usually looking for a quick fix to a problem that requires a thoughtful approach. They aren’t likely to value the time you put in. And most likely, they’re casting a net for anyone who is willing to meet quickly. You can’t be effective in a rush, especially with a new client. Politely decline and offer to meet again when there’s more lead time.

Do what you can
• Instead of saying “no,” offer up a quick email exchange or a 15-minute phone call. You can learn and help a lot in a short amount of time.

• Be a general source of good information: I often find the solution to someone’s specific problem and send them a link. Or I’ll point them to general resources like user forums or other good places to ask a question or get training. I also like connecting people who could be of mutual benefit to one another.

• Barter if you’re interested enough, and you feel that it would be an even exchange.

In general, be an ongoing source of good information in the form of blog posts, e-newsletters, webinars or free group gatherings. These are things over which you have control, that benefit you in the long run, and go a long way towards helping people succeed. Most of all, value what you bring to the table.

We all need to express alarm or enthusiasm on occasion.

The operative words are “on occasion” to avoid the one-who-cried-wolf syndrome. Alarm or enthuse too much and you’ve numbed your audience. Even one exclamation point should be a rare thing.

But what are your options in the face of information overload from every corner? How do you get people to pay attention long enough to click to read more or to stop scrolling for a minute to see what you have to say?

Exclamation points are a like the heat of a pepper. They say nothing about the flavor of the pepper. Exclamation points are hollow in meaning because they don’t deliver any nuance or describe what’s unique or why your audience will benefit from what you’re offering. In fact, by using exclamation points you’re making your audience guess what’s so great. That’s your job.

With the blurring of lines between business and personal on sites like Facebook, it’s easy to forget to connect with your audience and build their loyalty and trust. Overuse of exclamation points says you’re too lazy to say something that interests me. It can also give the impression that you’re not confident enough in what you have to offer. The best option is to hire a professional. It might not be practical for all your content needs but that person can create messaging for you to reuse and reword as needed. You’ll have a foundation for style and tone to work with.

If you really want to move someone, do it with good old-fashioned, well-chosen words. Instead of, “This event is going to be amazing!” tell me why.

Will it build my confidence? Erase my fears? Give me tools to embrace what makes me remarkable? Leave me weeping with joy?

Every time you’re tempted to use an exclamation point:

• Replace a blah verb with a more confident, compelling one. Use a thesaurus.

• Make passive sentences more active. Flopping the order of words makes a more commanding sentence and eliminates the need for an exclamation point.

• If you must use one, reserve it for one very short phrase, perhaps at the beginning or end. The longer the phrase, the more awkward an exclamation point is.

• Shorten all your copy. When it’s shorter, it’ll have more impact.

• Pay attention to your own enthusiasm level. The more bored you are, the more exclamation points you use. Take a break. Look at it with fresh eyes later.

Good luck!

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(Image: Alison Felus)

These fragile decayed Chinese lantern blossoms are like miniature bird cages, each home to a red berry. How thrashing rain, snow, ice and winter wind left them intact is a beautiful little mystery.

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Sam, White House Deputy Communications Director played by Rob Lowe, takes one look at the intro written by a NASA public affairs person and wants to change it. The NASA person resists, but President Bartlett, once he sees the intro, also wants it changed.

(It’s a great dialog. You can read it here.)

Bartlett begins to read:

“Good morning! I’m speaking to you live from the West Wing of the White House. Today we have a very unique opportunity to take part live in an extremely historic event which…” Whoa, boy…

Then critiques the NASA person’s efforts:

“Unique” means “one of a kind.” Something can’t be very unique, nor can it be extremely historic.

Bartlett instructs Sam to take over. Sam speaks as if filled with the awe of space travel:

“Good morning. Eleven months ago a 1200 pound spacecraft blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Eighteen hours ago it landed on the planet Mars. You, me, and 60,000 of your fellow students across the country along with astroscientists and engineers from the Jet Propulsion Lab in Southern California, NASA Houston, and right here, at the White House, are going to be the first to see what it sees, and to chronicle an extraordinary voyage of an unmanned ship called Galileo V.”

There you have story.

A story that includes you and me and really smart people. The craft has weight. There’s a broad span of time contrasted with the immediacy of the event. The generic “we” now has form and definition.

And then there’s Galileo the man.

The power of story was not lost on him. Wanting to bring his theories to light but squelched by the Catholic Church, Galileo would cloak his theories in the form of plays. He knew his devotees (his target audience, if you will) would find the messages hidden in the plays. Here was a scientist with a sense of humor who also understood there was more than one way to get a point across.

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Storytelling is the newest hot topic even though it’s as old as the heavens. Successful organizations have been noticed and remembered using story in the style of Sam’s rewrite long before we called it story. They know that people want to be taken to a new place, to be delighted or dazzled, to be part of something. Organizations that do this the best, however, are often selling us stuff we don’t need. The with the best stories to tell tend to think their mission or vision is enough. That we should care. That we don’t need to be delighted or dazzled or taken to a new place.

If you don’t know to tell a better story, take the one you usually tell and then give it some weight and some shape. Make it less generic, give an example and flesh it out. Put the example into an interesting context. Helps us care. Take us to the moon.

Branding, at its core, is defining in a deliberate way what differentiates you from others, making it easier for people to find you and make informed decisions about buying your product or service.

Branding, by itself, doesn’t compromise ideals; at its best, it reinforces them.

People in professions driven by ideals can suffer from viewing their services as too precious to be tainted by deliberate business activity.

But in the case of therapists, in order to heal, they have to get people in the door. The care starts before a client walks through the door by making it easier for them to find and choose the best person to work with. The challenge then is to describe who you help and what your philosophy is in their terms, not yours.

The resistance is understandable.

A fear of new territory.

A fear of more work.

A fear of taking a stand.

It’s far easier to think your work should speak for itself. But if you really help people through your work, you have to put your ideals to work in ways you hadn’t considered before.