hi Robin, long time no see! Love your new avatar >^..^<

read this blog posted by Vikia - some excellent advice here! http://blogs.graphicdesignforum.com/...urse.html#more

Thanks, Morea! That's my Bowie kitty... isn't he booteeful?

I've given up on trying to get an agency gig. The last few interviews I've been on, they've out and out tell me that since I'm on PC, they don't want to have anything to do with me.

*sigh*

Yeah, and I have $3500 in my jeans pocket so I can just buy a G5 with that... oh wait, then I'd have to buy all new software, too, so make that $6500...

*reaches in her other jeans pocket*

oh yeah, I've got that right here, too! What was I thinking?

*smacks forehead*

ooh! maybe I should check MY other pockets...

nope, no money in my other pockets either. D'oh!

I did find some more articles though!

http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/ar...ign_part_1.htm

http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/ar...ign_part_2.htm

Robin, I can certainly relate. Freelancing is all about marketing yourself. Freelancing is all about marketing yourself. Freelancing is all about marketing yourself. Freelancing is all about marketing yourself. Freelancing is all about marketing yourself. Did I mention...Freelancing is all about marketing yourself.

It never stops. Postcarding really helps (do a search on all the posts regarding this).

Also finding the right product that fits your smaller client's needs.

Yep, you are right, high-end printing may not work for small or medium size companies. But a great marketing design in PDF form can still be printed out on demand as they need or can afford them. They can even print them out on their own desktop printers. Sell them on the fact that they too can have an effective quality piece at a lower print price. And they love it when they have the control to print on demand.

Find a way to meet their needs in ways that allow them more flexibilty. Show them how printing brochure shells with a great design can allow them to laser print changing messages on their desktop printer by setting up a template in MS Office or Publisher for them. But you design the shell. They print enough to use for the quarter or year and save money by buying in bulk.
It also gives them an opportunity to coordinate the look of their printed pieces even though they change the content.

hi Vikia,

thanks for the great advice!

when i meant high-end printing, i meant for my personal collateral to hand out, and usually that says to a small/med sized co. "you cannot afford me," or at least, that's what i've been told in the past. gotta keep it simple so they think i don't charge an arm or a leg. kinda applying the whole "design for your client" level thingy.

anyhoo, do you (or anyone else here) belong to your local chambers of commerce? if so, has it helped you get business?

thanks again for all of the great advice!

Well the problem is that targeting small/med sized companies will always put you at odds with the secretary with Publisher or the teenager with the Dell. Slick brochure or not.

What could happen is that if your marketing aims low, you'll never hit high. So if you aim low enough to be accepted by the clients who may end up having their secretary bang it out anyway, you'll certainly not appeal to the kind of clients who will pay you enough money so that you CAN afford the $3,500 G5 plus all the software.

It's kinda like the chicken or the egg.

Also, and I've seen this plenty of times, NEVER assume that small businesses are broke businesses. I'm sure there are plenty of others around here who have done cheap jobs for supposedly poor small businesses, only to have those businesses turn around and spend TONS of money on marketing or design with some larger or mid-sized firm once they "got serious".

Once you're pegged as the person who'll "work for peanuts", you'll never get the "real" projects.

The last cheapy job we did was 3 years ago, after we had been in business for a year. We did a cheap -- but nice -- website for a small, one person consultancy. About a year later, I spoke to a mutual acquaintance who shared with me that my client had just moved into a HUGE new home in a VERY expensive suburb!

So why was *I* giving THEM the break when THEY are the one living in the huge, expensive house and not me? LOL!

Never assume that just because they're small that they're poor. Better yet, don't even CARE! Now I don't even listen to the sob story! This is what it will cost. Period. Since we stopped giving people deals, we've consistently made MORE money and will one day soon be moving into the same neighborhood as my client!

No more breaks. No more bargains. Let 'em go to Walmart! ;-)

Well said!

Thanks Morea.

It's just another example of how we sell ourselves short as professionals. WHY should we even care if they are a small business enough to ASSUME what they can't afford?

None of the accountants I ever used has ever bothered to ask if I could afford their services. When I bought a car, same thing. My cable company never asks, nor does my cell phone company. When I call my lawyer, he sends me a bill for the time we spent on the phone. PERIOD.

Why are designers so conflicted about this? Small business, big business. Who cares? If they want my services, it's THEIR problem how they pay for it, not mine. Take out a loan. Get a line of credit. Hock their family jewels. I could care less. I'm not saving them money and eating costs so that THEY can grow their business and mine can stagnate.

I'll drive a cab first.

In my area, you can print a postcard or flyer, and tell the local newspaper(s) which zip codes or neighborhoods you want it included in, and they'll insert it for you. I don't know how much they charge for this service, but it's probably nominal.

Exactly! When you get right down to it, if you discount every job just to get the contract you can end up coming to the unhappy realization that you are actually paying your clients for the privilege of working for them.

All good in spirit, but "loving my job" doesn't pay the mortgage!

Totally agree with you Chris. I don't give discounts either. But I do have the flexibility to serve both high end and low end clients. Like in the case of start-ups, I like to be flexible enough to create a solution for them that is within their budget.

But I definitely do not discount, if it takes me 15 minutes, they get billed...period.