How will I promote myself – what do they want to hear?
To promote myself in the best possible way, I will design and publish a website showing a selection of my best work and the kind of clients I work with, and the skills I provide. I have looked at many of my favourite design agencies and designers websites, they all seem to use their websites as their main source of promotion. There are also other host websites that you can upload your work to that potential clients can view such as ‘Behance Network’ and ‘Finalcrit.’ This will help clients find my work in many different areas on the net.
My website will have to be slick and simplistic to capture and keep the ‘viewers’ attention. From the websites I’ve seen, I have noticed that they state where their work has been applied and what clients they have worked with particularly where they are well-known. This all demonstrates to their clients that they are professional and committed.
The ‘place’ of my services will be as a freelance graphic designer but I will have broader skills than other designers I know. They may have additional skills to me in different fields that maybe useful on certain projects, but this may develop into a ‘collective’ of designers. By doing this I will, for example, have access to photographers and other illustrators that I may be able to use to bring additional expertise to a brief. This will also bring an extra dimension to the work for my business and may impress my clients.
I will also explore other means of promotion, with regular mailers to potential clients to gain work or gain more from existing customers. This maybe in the form of an email or maybe a more personalized option of a printed mailer such as a card. Direct mailing will help update clients on places that my work is being exhibited and recognized and make them think of me as their first option for design work and confirm their commitment.