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Foot in the door

Thread title: Foot in the door
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08-29-2004, 05:16 PM
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derek|L is offline derek|L
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  Old  Foot in the door

I've got a couple questiosn for those already freelancing.

As of now, all my webdesign experience comes from personal projects - attempted graphics community here, fan pages there, band website, forum skins here, friend's website there.... countless attempts at making portfolio/compny sites...

So, I've got work to put into my portfolio that can say "here's what I can do" (which showsit pretty well) but, I'm looking for advice to get potential people to even boher looking at what I can do. After landing a couple jobs, word of mouth can get your name around, but what advice can you guys gives to attract those first couple clients?

There's always saying "I'm going to do freelance design so I don't have to flip burgers" to your friends in school showing them in the hopes, word could get passed aorund or overheard. OR going to networking events for IT people and getting my name out. Any otherr sugestions?

08-30-2004, 01:27 AM
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Picard102 is offline Picard102
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I got my first clients through a business contact (Fromer Employer and Friend), and Trade Shows. Word of mouth only goes so far, Unless you have a large share of the local market word of mouth wont be enough, you need to get out and find new clients. Go to business's in suits, pretend to be buying something, they might ask what the suit is for. Thats when you make up something about a meeting for your company's latest project.. it should follow from there.

01-14-2005, 04:35 PM
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you could try doing things for many different companies on the web, there are lots of forums were people are looking for someone to do various things for them. Some pay well some don't but if there use your work then thats more stuff for you to put in your portfolio. Even if they don't use your work it can still go into your portfolio. I would say everytime you have an idea do something for it, the most stuff you can show the better. Guess it depends if you want to do something local or anywhere (the web is good for that).

01-14-2005, 05:32 PM
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Originally Posted by crazyfish
Some pay well some don't but if there use your work then thats more stuff for you to put in your portfolio. Even if they don't use your work it can still go into your portfolio.
Have you read articles on Spec work and Priceing wormhole?

01-14-2005, 05:57 PM
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The best way to actually get noticed is by designing a popular/well known website for someone. Take for example this community, tarun designed this and he has recieved dozens of work from it and has also moved onto doing another skin for another website.

It's the same with anything, deplex did banners2go and had so many people e-mailing me asking "who did your design?".

I would suggest getting your name out there on certain large communities and showing what you can do. If it's good work to a high standard offer a totally free design for a reputable brand/company...once that is finished you will have a platform to launch off.

Other than that....advertise, forums, perhaps even some banner adverts or pour some money into google adwords. Try your local market first, post flyers through your local neighbourhood advertising your services and ring up local small businesses.

01-14-2005, 08:55 PM
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Michael is offline Michael
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Door to door flyers/brochures, great way to go !

01-15-2005, 08:46 AM
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Door to door flyers/brochures, great way to go !
To save some time....use the phone book or local directory to establish where business owners live. That way you can target your market rather than wasting time delivering leaflets to 90 year old women!

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