Who are they and how will they find me? I'm over here

The recession obviously affects all industries, and on the surface it seems as I would be that this industry would be hit as hard as any other. The current economic climate, therefore may have an effect on my clients. Cutting back on the marketing budget of a business seems to be the first action to take when cutting costs. However, according to some online sources the industry seems to be managing quite well.

David Airey is a freelance graphic designer who I look to for advice via his website www.davidairey.com. He frequently posts news and info regarding all aspects of graphic design. This article on the recession shows his, and some others, point of view on the subject directly from inside the field of graphic design.

David writes

The third and fourth quarters of 2008 have shown a significant upwards curve, and given the international reach of my online business, I’m quietly confident this trend will continue into 2009.

I am, however, remaining cautious, and not spending outwith my means — though to be honest, that’s my usual approach to finance

Airey's online business means his overheads are small enough to attract business all over the world and price his work competitively. Another freelance designer mentions that she works out payment schemes for customers to help them.

My most common payment structure of taking 50% in advance, with the remainder upon completion — and just before original artwork is supplied — has meant I’ve not seen any of this, but I wonder if you’re experiencing anything different.

Talking of trading all over the world there are barriers that I will face when competing for work abroad whether that be surrounding issues such as costings and payment or design related issues such as language and trends. To really compete in a market you have to research into it, whether that be a local, national, european or transnational market. Luckily, I have a variety of online resources to hand to inspire and provide knowledge of traditions in certain areas. Being able to trade online internationally and send files digitally cuts out a lot of cost on transport and postage, as well as being eco-friendly. The only downside to this if I were to design for print. I would have to either have printer contacts all over the world or trust a printer in a certain country will publish my work in the way I want without me being their for press pass, where I could check the prints before they are finished. Technical issues could also arise with document layouts, like bleed, and imposition.

A technique I can use for identifying the structure of my environment is a PEST analysis which I have done below.

Political - environmental issues would affect print based media and my local correspondence with clients in terms of emissions and paper usage. However, when trading abroad these issues should not become an issue. One major political issue is undoubtedly legislation regarding copyright, and in particular international copyright laws and design legislation. Further research into the transnational market on these issues would need carrying out.

Economic - The state of economy and how much people can afford, on the evidence of what I have found out, shows that the market is strong despite the downturn. Transnationally this may be different but when one economy declines another gets stronger.

Social - The social aspects involve how often my business is used and also involves my consumer buying patterns. Trends and fashion may also play a part as I would need to keep ahead and interact with the market to keep up with these trends, which would hopefully add to consumer interest.

Technological - Technology plays a huge part in my business, as computers and internet access are vital to my working life. This is not only the easiest way to perform and administrate my work, it also is the most cost effective.