Marketing/Advertising Advice

[Jock]

Hi there, quick question for you guys regarding marketing/advertising.

I've been freelancing for about 6 months now and things are going well, I've got enough jobs to keep me going most nights with a few off here and there but my problem is that I would seriously like to make more of this and the idea is to someday be able to cut hours down at my full time day job and apply more hours to the freelancing side of things. I really want to be at the stage where I can't handle the work load anymore because then that means I do what I want and cut hours in my day job.

At the moment all my work comes from just 4 clients, all of whom are people I've worked for or alongside in the past so when I started I just phoned them up, told them what I was doing and they sent work my way.

With regards marketing, first I took the approach that I would meet people face to face, show them my reel and have a discussion but got shot down in flames when no one would entertain me, just getting past the secretary was a job and a half. I found it quite frustrating because in one example I know the quality of their current work isn't too hot, and although I don't know the prices they get charge, I didn't even get a chance to tell them mine, so for all they knew I could have been considerably cheaper. Though as frustrating as it is, I can understand it because I have done it myself in the past with reps coming to my office and I just get rid without giving them a chance to explain anything.

So then I started doing mail shots. I got my reel onto DVD and along with a covering letter, started sending off to numerous companies at about 30 at a time. Out of several hundred letters, I've had one phone me up and ask for prices, and I've never heard back.

I'm guessing I'm approaching this whole thing wrong and obviously failing bad somewhere or other. I was kind of hoping some of the more experienced guys on the forum may be able to share some wisdom as to how you would approach getting new customers.

Many people also talk about word of mouth being best but maybe I've just not being doing it long enough to see any impact on that side of things, but at the moment I really need to change my direction with marketing but the question is...to what.

[Jonathan Sanchez]

It's no easy task for a freelancer to get constant work and there is really only one key formula that I've learned works and its TIME and DEDICATION. I thought (like have many others) that I would just be able to make a couple phone calls, mail a couple of fliers, and work would start coming in like there is no tomorrow. Boy was I wrong! Time is the key for a freelancer, time to build up a client list, time for word of mouth to spread, time to develop business relationships, time for website to grow and expand ect ect. Add in ALOT of dedication to the formula, dedication to continue marketing, working, growing ect ect. and in time you will see how you'll find a new client here and there, maybe every couple months(maybe even years) and work will flow in.

Edited December 23, 2010 by sancheuz

[mattclinch]

here is my advice. all based on my opinions obviously.

 

- cold call marketing is time consuming and isn't effective. people want connections and personal insight if they take on a freelancer. someone they know and trust.

 

- get social networking. twitter, linkedin, societies (SAI etc), forums, all help potential clients find out more about you and also builds a more substantial online presence. this also helps create industry contacts who can find out a bit more about you, and gets your name out there.

 

- get yourself to industry events (that means architecture as well as 3d) and chat to people. don't be overeager to thrust cards into everyone's hand, but discuss their upcoming projects and mention what you do.

 

- speaking of online presence, typing "rogue pixel" into google and you're third - behind an american architectural visualisation studio, and a uk creative agency. talk about confusing the issue. considering changing your name to something more discernible and unique. trading under a name i have always found more personable and reassuring (the old 'if someone is prepared to put their name to it, it must be good' theory).

 

- google analytics. find out whose looking at you. 4 companies in the bristol area looked at your website this week? time to push marketing there. limited mailshot.

 

- follow up. cold calls will stay cold unless you chase them up with a phone call. avoid phrases which sound like you are trying to squeeze money out of them - "got any work you can give me" etc, and try more collaborative "team" sounding phrases - "any projects where you think having a visual would be helpful?" etc.

 

- a 'reel' is wrong for architecture unless its animation specific. architects aren't used to sitting through videos, especially a video of a series of still images. most won't even really understand what a 'reel' is. they want a hard copy portfolio of images they can flick through at their own pace and at their leisure. have a nicely presented a3 portfolio you can show if you get called in to meet with them and think about having 'project sheets' - single A4 sheets you can leave with them which each highlight and talk about a specific project, with a brief description and background and beautifully presented images. always good to leave behind and also good if you do need to send something.

 

- persistence, and a thick skin. you're going to get knocked back. its all about presenting yourself professionally.

Edited December 23, 2010 by mattclinch

[Iain Denby]

One thing of note, is that the standard return on mailshots is around 0.5% - so if you send out 200 mailshots, you'll get one positive response. I didn't beleive that...until I tried it!

[Tommy L]

When I started on my own I came out of the blocks like a hare on steroids with the cold-calling, mailing and networking. Forget the first two, they are a waste of time. You need strategic partners. You will find them (if you are lucky) via networking, but most likely you will meet them accidentally through a connection base of real-life relationships built slowly and organically. So no, having +500 connections on LinkedIn and a massive email list will not help.

Everyone's success will arrive in different ways. I was lucky, I knew a couple of junior/mid-level architects and they recommended me to their bosses. I moved into space with a retoucher and we went into business together. All my work has come by co-incidence. I don't chase anything now, it just comes to me. I make sure my clients are happy and word of mouth does the rest.

One word of advice, treat every job like a promo piece. Accept a 10k job for 2k because you're desperate? You do it to a $15k standard. The budget of the project is never spoken about when your work is shown in your absence, you cant say "yeah, well that was done for 500 bucks, I can do better than that". You will be judged.

 

So to summarize, its blind luck. Your work is good enough, you'll find work.

[jinsley]

...treat every job like a promo piece...

 

very true and often forgotten.

 

If the budget is an issue, then you shouldn't be doing it... and if you take on a project, always create the media to live up to your standards, regardless of the fee. It represents your company and more importantly you. The effort will pay for itself.

[Iain Denby]

I agree with the above. Once the fee is agreed, it's agreed. So weather you do a quick mediocre job or a fantastic one, you'll get the same money. you might as well do a fantastic job -have something for your portfolio and web site, leave an impression on the client (Ooo, a pun!), and you'll probably learn a lot from it too.

[brianzajac]

Overall great advice above. Iain, James, Thomas, Matt & Jonathan are all doing the same thing here - giving their expertise and making plenty of posts in forums. In turn, they network (people see their web site signature, they can get Private Messages) & that networking can turn into a job. That job can even turn into a COI (center of influence) that leads you onto other jobs.

[Jock]

Excellent guys, cheers for the help.

 

Some real stuff to take on board. Its funny sometimes you can think and think about a problem and cant seem to come up with an asnwer then when someone tells you its seems fairly obvious and leaves you thinking 'why didnt i think of that'

 

Also i think the point made about company name etc is very valid, and something i'll give some serious thought to.

 

Thanks guys.