What do you do? Part 2 - Shake the Trees
Author of this post: Justin Ahrens | About Blog Authors »By Justin Ahrens
Illustration by Justin Ahrens
Last post, I talked about creating a designer “farm system” that works for everyone involved. Of course, that doesn’t matter much if you don’t have the work. So, how do you “shake the marketing tree”? First, you need to know that there’s no magic bullet here – and I’m sure you’re aware of the many volumes dedicated to this subject. But, what I’d like to do is share what we have done, and see if it might work for you.
I feel that I have developed a great grasp on the type of work and types of clients we have the best success with, which makes Step 1 easy for us:
Step 1 is know the type of work you want. This is important because you can develop a great portfolio of samples that will promote you to relevant potential clients.
Step 2 is continuing to grow and focus your database. If you’re asking what this means, then we need to have a different talk entirely. Your database needs to be well-groomed and accurate so you’re contacting the appropriate clients or prospective clients. This is how you get the most return for your time. I know it sounds easy, but when we get busy, marketing is sometimes easy to set aside – which leads to Step 3.
Step 3: Pimp yourself continually. Have a plan that keeps you consistently in front of your desired audience. Whether it’s writing for a blog, doing PR, touting your awards, getting published, calling a few clients to stay in touch, updating your Web site, or going to trade shows, you need to be doing something – all the time.
Step 4: Have continuous communication streams to your database. We have several. We have our site, our blog, and a quarterly newsletter. These all remind our clients that we’re always here and give us the chance to say “hi” without hassling them. Communication streams also allow you to track active visitors to your site, and who you might need to call and take to lunch.
Keep in mind that this is just a summary. There are strategies for each item I’ve mentioned, but the point is that you must persistently market. Then when things slow down a bit – and they will – you’ll have a database to lean on simply by picking up the phone. Tell us – what’s worked for you when you get slow?
Want some inspiration? Visit Designer Sobriety and watch the videos from designers around the country. And don’t forget to send us your thoughts.
