How will I promote myself – what do they want to hear?

Promoting my services is going to be an important factor and has to be addressed in the right way. This means using a strategy that is not only right for me but also suits my style of business. Personal selling, public relations, advertising, direct marketing and the internet are all relevant ways of promoting my services to a potential client or series of client bases.

Advertising is the most obvious example that a graphic designer can utilize. Small advertisements inside dedicate magazines such as Computer Arts, Creative Review and Design Week could get me noticed. The longevity of an issue of Computer Arts is more favourable as more people are likely to see it. That said, with an open style of marketing such as advertising in this way you have no control on who sees it and whether they are the right kind of people.

Online advertising is a cost effective way to promote my services, either through a full website or a simple online portfolio system like Indexhibit.org. Online advertising is great way to display a lot of visual material in a short space of time. Almost every practicing graphic designer or agency has a website. The internet is a massive sales tool and needs to be used effectively, so a poorly designed website can harm my chances of finding new contacts. Of course, the other side to the argument is that the website needs to be seen by the maximum amount of potential clients (website maximisation). Search engines are vitally important to this and get your website on the first few pages of search results means increased traffic. The cost effectiveness for me is an important factor, particularly if I was advertising my freelance graphic design services to a large number of potential clients. An advertising article on Businessballs.com states

Advertising cost per thousand includes cost of origination (design), production (printing if relevant) and media (such as local radio, display advert, list procurement and postal fulfillment). Generally you will pay a higher cost per thousand for better targeted methods, but in return you should expect a higher response rate, so the cost per response can be lower than cheaper methods.

This means if I was targeting new business for the first time, I would not spend £100's on printed material to sell my services in the form of a mailshot. I have to be realistic and target in a way that suits.

Direct marketing is a method I can use when targeting specific client groups. I can send emails on mass tailored to suit the client base, which would appeal to them. The way in which I can tailor this kind of approach is through the content of my emails in terms of the samples of work I supply and the language I use. This form of direct marketing can help me build relationships with contacts in which I could gain work from or be referred on to other contacts in the area I am targetting. Using email appeals to me as it is a less confrontational approach that can be followed up by a telephone call. This can lead to face to face meetings where I can start personal selling based on the client.

There is a number of ways I can promote myself whether it is through advertising in a dedicated magazine, building my online marketability or printing business cards ready for face to face potential client meetings.

The place in which I advertise is governed by the channels of advertising I choose. As previously stated graphic design magazines are a good place to start. Producing emails to suit my target market would mean the content is tailored toward a particular market and the work samples I include are relevant to them. For example, targeting a magazine publication company with web based video graphics samples would not be appropriate.

I could also let a sales agent handle my marketability. The advantages of this would be the wide variety of contacts they have already accumulated, and they can aim my work at the right type of people. This potential weight off my shoulders would enable me to work creatively knowing my advertising campaign is in safe hands. The disadvantage is that I would have to pay more for something like this without guaranteed results.