People rarely keep an eye on every website they’ve ever found interesting, so occasionally they need a prod to get them surfing. A regular e-newsletter will do that for you. People always check their emails, so if you actually are doing something interesting they’ll come around sharpish. However you need to keep the content concise and interesting and not just all about you the wider context of your work and your studio.
Think about it: what’s one of the first things people look for once they’ve clocked a masterpiece? The signature. Be discreet with it but try to do it whenever possible. by tying your name and work together, people will begin to get a better picture of what you do and therefore when they should call you for help.
If you can’t get there yourself, why not send a little something to keep your work fresh in people’s minds? First, think about who you’re trying to reach and what they might enjoy receiving, as the expense of producing and sending an item will be wasted if it’s inappropriate or feels like junk mail. With that proviso, people love getting stuff in the post. Plus sending out physical mailers is a good excuse to ring the person. maybe set up that face to face.
Publishers sometimes invite open submissions for their titles, so submitting work to these books and magazines is a great way of getting your work into people’s hands. This item then becomes a useful promotional tool in itself. And if your the kind of restless creative mind who produces all sorts of self-initiated work, it’s not even going to demand a great deal of extra graft.
Always be prepared to stand up for what you believe in, but make sure you’re the kind of person people enjoy hanging out with. Don’t just pick fights for the sake of it. If you are a pleasure to work with then your clients will enjoy the experience and they will recommend you. It’s as simple as that. Recommendation is a great way to get work and if you stick to your guns clients will also respect and trust you too. As long as your right that is.
You can’t just expect others to notice your inherent brilliance. No amount of social networking can replicate the power of human contact. Meet people face to face wherever possible and explain what makes you different. It’s impossible to convey your passion through the written world alone, so get yourself along to your favourite studios, press some flesh and put your face about.
If your promotional efforts are going to pay off, they have to be leading to a consistent point – that is your brand. Colour schemes, typography, logo and tone are a few examples that can be used to bring consistency to how people perceive you. You have to know what you’re selling. Once you have that clear in your head, it will be much easier to devise clever promotional campaigns.
all this sitting around indoors while pondering our digital presence can easily bring on a bout of solipsism. There is a simple way to fix this: go out and find some like-minded people to talk to. Never hesitate to attend exhibition launches, award shows or festivals. In the days before Facebook, events like those served as networking hubs and that role still persists. They are overrun with creative types, many of whom you could work with or for.
If you have a lively blog with interesting content, it can be a real winner in more ways than one. Let people see the projects you’ve been working on and the different ways you’re working is a great idea. Use the show and tell process as a catalyst for new work and experimentation. This, hopefully will create a virtuous circle as people keep coming back for more.
Granted, you might put in a lot of effort and get nothing in return, but that’s the nature of competitions. You never know who might see the work and which drunk creative director you can talk into looking over your portfolio as he staggers around the after-show party! Plus there is a school of thought that believes there’s something to be had from taking part. If that’s too much of a stretch, you can always rant about the unfairness on your blog.