A graphic designer seeking good marketing ideas

Hello

I am a graphic designer that is experienced in Corporate identity design (logos, letterheads, envelopes, businesscards), book covers design and illustrations.
From the reviews I am getting I believe that I am a good designer, but what I am not is a good marketer.
Therefore I decided to ask this question here in hopes of getting good ideas.

What are the best ways for me to promote myself and actually -get- customers and not just advertise with no use?

Thank you!

 

Hi MordM,

There are lots of things you could do - the biggest piece is to build-up your portfolio that shows varied work and styles (unless you want to specialize but diversification is typically better to help generate more potential clients) and secondly to have overwhelmingly positive testimonials from your client. I am a marketer who has hired designers over the years and I look at their portfolio to see if their styles suit a particular client I may be working with as well as reading the testimonials to see the kinds of things that are being said. For example, is the designer said to be attentive to clients needs, do they offer their own ideas to help, do they go beyond what was asked to deliver exception value, etc.

Some specific promo ideas:
-setup and sell your services at Elance, ScriptLance, Odesk, etc.
-ask your clients if they know anyone that might need your services and would they recommend
-have clear promotion copy in signature of every email you send
-find local business associations or networking events where you can go and hand out business cards that really read more like mini-ads about your services
-consider giving away something for free (limited number) to gain attention
-offer to give a seminar to local business group - "2012 Corporate Identity Trends and What You Need To Know"

Best wishes in your efforts!

 

promote your service, you can post it on forums and blogs, or some free ad websites.

 

You asked "What are the best ways for me to promote myself and actually -get- customers and not just advertise with no use?"
You could create a Youtube Channel and do a few videos showing what you are good at. You will get traffic that way.

Ian

 

Thanks alot, those ways are quite hard to do but I am pretty sure they will get customers, thank you for the time and ideas!

Thats what I've did so far...

Could you please explain a bit more about this? sounds like a -very- good idea!

 

Here are 30 things you can do to get started today.
1. Write a press release on a new product or offering and send it to some free press release distribution sites. Follow their guidelines for submission so you don't waste your time editing and re-doing work.

• 24-7PressRelease.com
• PRLog.org
• 1888PressRelease.com

2. Send the press release to your local media outlets, or any niche media outlets that may be interested in what you do.


3. Update your Google Maps Listing, make sure the information is accurate, and then have them verify your ownership via mail or SMS message.


4. Find a social media site that pertains to your niche, sign up, make a profile and participate. Don't start off trying to sell your product – you'll be tarred and feathered. Be a
helpful part of the community first, mix in brand messages later.


5. Join a forum and contribute to your online community. Use indirect messages for sales such as a forum signature or your forum user name.


6. Talk to the locals or others in your business – this is a great opportunity to request and share some link love.


7. Comment on blogs that are relevant to your Web site's topic and be sure to leave your URL. Even if a nofollow tag is attached, you could gain a bit of traffic.


8. Submit your site to DMOZ.


9. Check out your niche on Wikipedia, WikiTravel, and other wiki sites, and see if you can get a link. Don't be "salesy" or try to game the system; the editors will just delete the information. Instead, provide appropriate information and follow the rules for linking on the site.


10. Write a "how-to" article that addresses your niche for Work.com. This is kind of fun and a good resource for getting mentions and links. Looking at your product or service in a step-by-step manner is often enlightening in several ways. It can help you better explain your products and services on your own Web site.


11. Write unique HTML page titles for all of your pages.


12. Share your photos at Flickr – get a profile, write descriptions, and link to your Web site. Don't share photos you don't own or have permission to use.


13. Start a blog. There's nothing wrong with getting the basics of blogging down by using a free service from Blogger or WordPress.


14. Set up and verify a Webmaster Central Account at Google.


15. Make sure your Yahoo Local city listing is up to date.


16. Update and optimize your description and URL at Yellowpages.com. They'll try to get you to spend money on an upgraded listing or some other search marketing options. Don't bother with that, but make sure the information is accurate and fresh.


17. Submit a product (or 20) to GoogleBase.


18. Make a slideshow of your products into a video and upload to Youtube or MetaCafe, making sure to optimize your title and descriptions. Once it's uploaded, write a new page and embed the video on your own Web site.


19. Try a new free keyword tool for researching Web site optimization, then see #20.


20. Add a page to your site focused on a top keyword phrase you found in #19.


21. Build a Facebook Business Page and start a community focused on your niche.


22. Install Web analytics on your site, if you don't already have them. Google Analytics is pretty good and it's free. Something is better than nothing.


23. Start Twittering – it's a great way to network with like-minded individuals.


24. Set up a MyBlogLog account for your new blog (see #13).


25. Set up a feed reader and add good marketing blogs, then skim headlines and read applicable items when you have time. Gaining and maintaining knowledge is a great way to invest in the future of your Web site.


26. Try a new way to write an ad for a struggling PPC (define) ad group or campaign.


27. Set up a CrazyEgg heat mapping test for your most important pages, then analyze where the user's eye finds and clicks on information on your Web site. Consider moving things around accordingly.


28. Set up a map for your storefront or area at CommunityWalk.com and then embed it on your "how to get here" or "about us" page.


29. Find out who's linking to your competitors and e-mail them asking for a similar opportunity. Be careful not to act like you're "entitled." Look for opportunities for a mutually beneficial partnership, and suggest some things you can do for their business in exchange for their help with yours.


30. Read the small business SEM column at Search Engine Watch – yes, I know, it's a shameless plug.

Hope that helps

 

You can make a lot of money creating graphics for sales pages (copywriting). Here is a cool example that I like.. wordbuzzmarketing.com

 

linkedin, Facebook, freelance.com

 

Now the big question is online or offline marketing. Lets start with offline. This is a direction you should take when you know you have a good following and have already established yourself among your peers in the offline word. One you are known it is a good idea to start posting in newspaper classifieds, and magazine classifieds the responce to this kind of marketing is much greater than the online world, but don't get me wrong there are a lot of online classified submissions sites to go to. I just think offline is better for classifieds. After the classifieds but together some flyers you are already a designer so this should not be that hard. Spread your flyers throughout your neighborhood and where you think business owners would be likely to hang out so you can get their attention. If you have the money to spend I would look into full page ads, and half page ads in magazines related to design. I am not an offline marketing expert, but those are my 2 cents.

Now to online marketing. This is my area an expertise. First you are going to want to build yourself a website that really shows off all your design qualities and your personality. You need a domain and hosting for this which is very cheap. This is where you are going to build your online brand. Since you are a designer I am sure you already have a logo and a company name, if not get one and make it catchy so people are attracted to just the name. In the online world your goal is to build authoritativeness and trust within your niche. You want to start driving traffic to your site with many different marketing methods. There are two ways to get traffic paid or free. The free traffic you pay with your time and the paid traffic of course you pay for.

Free traffic

Article writing
forum posting
blog commenting
social network marketing
social book marking
Press release
Q and A sessions
...much more

Paid

Media buys
solo ads
PPC - pay per click
PPV - pay per view
Contextual Advertising
...The Basics

Once you start generating traffic you need to leverage that traffic within your site to sell your design idea's and service. The best way to do this is to build a list from the traffic that is coming to your site. Some traffic might want to buy right away, but others need to be convinced that you are an expert within your field, you do this with email marketing or what I call follow-up advertising. It takes the average person to be reminded of your presence at least 7 times before they are willing to buy email marketing makes this very easy.

I could go on into a lot more detail, but I have some marketing of my own to do this evening. If you are interested in learning more just click the link in my signature and I am sure you will be impressed.

Cheers
-- Will Skinner

 

I'm a graphic designer by trade as well and have been doing it for years, though I've always had a marketing background (tertiary qualified) but never really thought about combining the two skills up until a few years ago when I started to work out that the REAL money is when you can integrate both skills together and bring it all online.

The key is to focus on what your client needs, what's in it for them. It could be as simple as the wording on your website/blog - not just telling them how good you are. People expect us to be good, but on a business level, the client wants something for them.

Build relationships and talking to fellow marketers is my best advice.

 

Hello Friend,

First of all promote your website and services, you use to search engine optimization services (on page and off page).

 

Join in design related networks as DeviantArt, Behance, Dribble, LoveDsgn and Forrst. Participate in designer freelance sites/markets as 99designs or CrowdSPRING. Show your work on ConceptFeedback and wait for critiques and reviews.

 

try craigslist.com, backpage.com and qwikad.com

 

Make a website, and build some nice portfolia to advertise. Also post some signature links.

 

visualcv.com

 

Simplest solution to your problem is to have someone else do the marketing for you. At the very least, have someone advise you. That's a lot more sure than simply going through forums and asking for advice here.

 

Here is an aggressive yet strategic offline marketing technique. Offer your existing clients both active and inactive clients other marketing solutions that you can do for them, such as: banner ad designs, email newsletter, Facebook fan Page Designs, Twitter page designs. Or maybe they need to update their catalog, brochure or website. Sometimes you just have to pick up the phone and call them to ask if they need any design jobs, you'll be surprised how effective and how much business you can get with that simple phone call. I used to run a branding and design company for 8 years.

 

You can learn marketing strategies yourself or hire someone to do it for you. You got some good suggestions above.