[b]Business Development[/b]

[bhorvath]

Hi I was wondering... For those of you with successful design businesses out there what advice do you have to get business. If you don't have any bucks for advertising, does anyone have any ideas from drumming up business other that cold calling. How do you persuade people that they need YOUR services when there are a million design companies and allot of very good or great ones?

Do you now of any websites or forums out there specific to owners of design companies and or business development.

[D-Frag]

Well I did the whole cold calling thing, and let me tell you that is really tough. The best thing for your money is find local chapters that hold networking events for small businesses, the Chamber of Commerce, being one of the big ones. But also the AIGA has memberships, try technology networking events. There are a TON of local networking clubs and chapters here in Phoenix AZ, I think we even have one here for makeup artist and models. Do some research on the web in your area, and im sure you will find something. I have been in business for over a year succesfully with NO advertising whatsoever, I dont even have a real logo yet. hehe


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[DeleteYourself]

Check out advertising organizations, too. It's a good way to meet people across the board who are in or work with creative industries. I joined the Advertising Federation of Greater Fort Lauderdale, and instantly met a ton of people.

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[court6478]

I'm doing the cold call thing right now with ad agencies, going through the yellow pages. But then I have a specialization (hand lettering) that piques their interest and gets me in the door. I also have a friend that does marketing and PR but not graphics that refers clients to me. Get connected with a few PR and Marketing people, individual or small shops. Solicit those that solicit work but don't do what you do. It's working for me and you sometimes get big-client exposure.

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The 'Lettering Guy' says: 'It's not only what you say, but how well you say it.'

[D-Frag]

Also, get in really really good with your print vendors, I know after I sent a couple jobs to several printers, they started refering work back to me, just make sure you have a positive friendly relationship with your contact at your printhouses.


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[Silence04]

you may want to look into what the government offers for small buisness starters/owners.
if my memory serves me correctly, the government grants up to $20,000 to small buisness starters... you just have to find the right way to go about doing it.
my friends father was telling us all about it a couple years back, thats how he started his own construction company.

Taylor

[D-Frag]

yeah, looked into that whole 'government grant' thing.....I dont know where the stories are coming from, but I asked my bank manager, a person working at the state for small businesses, and my CPA about it, and they all looked at me like I was crazy....im pretty sure the government doesn't do anything for small businesses., which is a shame, because I believe the last report put out, said that small businesses were going to support the economy until things pick up again.


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[Debz]

Very good info.. I was also told to goto Flea Markets because a lot of Small Business sell there.. Just pass out your card and tell them about what you do, etc.

Right now im in the section where I want to register a fictious name, but money is tough and coming up with a name!! Someone has the Webaddress to the name I was going to take. :(