Startups Stack Exchange Archive

Aqcuiring Clients

posted by: JourneyManDesigns on 2015-09-29
tagged: networking, freelancing, email-marketing
score: 1

As a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, other than emails what is the best alternative method and techniques for getting art directors and publishing companies to notice and acquire interest in me? I have already done social media, online portfolio sites, online networking, and online marketing.

Answer 7447

posted by: pkeogan - BackOffice Thinking on 2015-09-30
score: 1

You need to network. Here are some thoughts

go to former clients or colleagues and ask them to review your latest work, don’t ask them for business, develop the relationship first.
go on linkedin and find people with military experience that are influencers in your field, connect with them, and ask them for a meeting
volunteer at a couple nonprofits and do some graphics for free - I’ve been on several non profit boards and have had several designers provide free work for events in exchange for a sponsorship and a free event ticket. Once you’re in the room at the event, most nonprofits will thank you and you’ll get a nice intro to a lot of people.

Hope this helps

Answer 7450

posted by: Elegant.Scripting on 2015-09-30
score: 1

Someone very dear to me works in a large advertising agency and hires a lot of talent all over the USA for large scale jobs.

I spoke with her, and verified that these are four things you should consider:

If your work isn’t good, no amount of self-marketing will get you hired. You need a product that speaks for itself, so that you’re required to do barely any talking.
From what I can tell, everything you’re doing is online. Screw online. You said you have a portfolio, go to some of the large portfolio reviews where creative directors, licensing agents, and plenty of industry experts would be willing to look at your work and critique it.
Don’t get emotionally attached to your work. Even if you’ve spent three months hacking away at it. Nobody in the industry cares about that stuff. They just want good work. So take criticism and readjust willingly.
Differentiate yourself. Once you’re absolutely sure that your work is great and you’ve gone to some portfolio reviews and the reviewers agree, find a way to differentiate yourself. Why should people care about you? What do you do differently?

And last, keep working at it. Don’t stagnate. If Jony Ive were still designing Macs the way he did in the 90’s, Apple probably would be out of business by now.

But he never stagnated. It was a constant growing experience for him, and with that growing experience came growing pains.

You’ll get them too. Just don’t stagnate.

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