What you really want from your graphic design company?

HappySad

Hello.. I am a mother of 2, disabled with BiPolar and I am to start a graphic design company and I want to know, what you would want from this sort of company? I would be designing business cards, flyers, shop front, adverts for press etc.... How can I make your business life better from the service I offer? I am not actually offering my company services to you; but locally in my area. What services does your graphic design offer that you think is really great!! What service did you get that was not so good?

Ideas I have are so far...
-Offer integrated leaflet drops and that I design,print and drop the leaflet locally for them as a package.
-Offer customer site design - where I bring my laptop to customer site and we work together to design. Saving the customer time in going to my office.
-.Would offering some marketing advice be wanted? I would be able to help the business target their design better? Could I also offer this service separately?
-


Many thanks

ukbill69

Send me a pm with your email and I might have a few projects coming up.

But a good idea is to start a website. I could maybe do a deal on one.

But other things would be good is sign design. Maybe offer your services to printers in the area and go round companies offering them a better logo and stationary.

Charity_Dalek

HappySad

Sorry to hear about your children.

Remember that leaflet dropping is quite an expense for the return. Generally you only get 1 reply for 100 postings.

Some other ideas, get your business card/flyers in the local stationary shop, wedding dress company, fancy dress hire company, card shop, corporate events company, hotels, function rooms, local village halls, etc.

Mail drop some small local companies, you might get lucky.

Join the local Business Forum, if you have one. It's who you know that will get you more business.

You will need a portfolio of the work that have done or can do.

Get a website up ASAP.

Do you realise that you will need a fairly good pc/mac with special software to create some of these graphic designs?

Do you feel that you have the talent to be creative (no offense intended, just a point).

It will taken at least a year to get the business off the ground.

I have just been through the same process with a relative get them started.

Robert

DKLS

An online portfolio is a must, I wouldnt consider a freelance GD without one.

HappySad

Charity_Dalek wrote: »

HappySad

Sorry to hear about your children.

Remember that leaflet dropping is quite an expense for the return. Generally you only get 1 reply for 100 postings.

Some other ideas, get your business card/flyers in the local stationary shop, wedding dress company, fancy dress hire company, card shop, corporate events company, hotels, function rooms, local village halls, etc.

Mail drop some small local companies, you might get lucky.

Join the local Business Forum, if you have one. It's who you know that will get you more business.

You will need a portfolio of the work that have done or can do.

Get a website up ASAP.

Do you realise that you will need a fairly good pc/mac with special software to create some of these graphic designs?

Do you feel that you have the talent to be creative (no offense intended, just a point).

It will taken at least a year to get the business off the ground.

I have just been through the same process with a relative get them started.

Robert

From what I have heard its word of mouth that gets the results. Yes- I need a portfolio and a website. I will work on them both and get some free/low cost work from friends/community to produce a portfolia. My partner can get the website up for me.

Love networking and I will see what local Business Forums - exhibitions that are available. Knocking on door with business is something I have done before so will see how that goes along too.

Have a mac with photoshop an old version so I need to see about getting a more uptodate version.

I found out about printcarrier.co.uk offers low cost printing and I can use them..
I am currently reading business books...........there is a lot to get done.

I reserved a place in nursery for the 2 year old in September so I until then I am doing what I can to prepare during my son't sleep time and when my partner is at home.

Steel_2

Charity_Dalek wrote: »

Remember that leaflet dropping is quite an expense for the return. Generally you only get 1 reply for 100 postings.

That's because many businesses don't do them properly. They throw any old rubbish on a leaflet and distribute them widely without targeting their audience properly. Most just try and foist on you the service that they want to offer rather than doing their homework, and then they wonder why they get no takers.

I suspect HappySad will be more successful as she's bothering to find out what her target audience really wants from a graphic designer.

By the way, at the moment HappySad website design is booming - more companies are paying attention to their internet marketing in the credit crunch. Perhaps think about teaming up with a few website designers to offer a professional designed website package?

dacouch

I notice you mentioned liking networking and forums, try going to some breakfast clubs as they are great for networking as every one is there to network but its informal.

Also try https://www.businesslink.gov.uk or pop into one of their offices. They are run by the government and are designed to assist businesses. Their help is totally free.

I'm in sales and now is a great time to sell your products as businesses are looking to save money. Where as a year ago they would have said they are not interested as they are happy with their current supplier now they want to cut costs so are open to new suppliers tendering.

The recession is also a good sales pitch for businesses as how are they going to win new business and survive? They do it by investing their money sensibly in marketing to gain new customers

Perhaps bearing in mind the type of business you are running an onnovative marketing campaign would impress your potential customers?

chalkie99

I would suggest having a look at this popular business forum where you will find loads of graphic designers offering their services. It should give you some idea of what they offer and their rates.

Also, on that forum, check out this thread on Print Carrier and search the other threads on them too. They seem to attract very bad comments.

Services like leaflet printing are hugely competitive and, as mentioned above, the success rate of leaflet drops is tiny.

Finally, I really think the idea of taking a laptop to customers premises and doing the design with them is a non-starter. I have seen this suggested in my own trade (sign making) and in practice you will really get your best ideas having walked away and thought about the brief in the cold light of day. Additionally, the customer will either be a one man band who will not concentrate on the job in hand and waste a lot of your time, or, if a buyer for a larger company will just want you to get on with it.

Do have a look at the other forum though to get some ideas.

HappySad

Steel wrote: »

That's because many businesses don't do them properly. They throw any old rubbish on a leaflet and distribute them widely without targeting their audience properly. Most just try and foist on you the service that they want to offer rather than doing their homework, and then they wonder why they get no takers.

I suspect HappySad will be more successful as she's bothering to find out what her target audience really wants from a graphic designer.

By the way, at the moment HappySad website design is booming - more companies are paying attention to their internet marketing in the credit crunch. Perhaps think about teaming up with a few website designers to offer a professional designed website package?

Thanks for your advice. My partner can do design and we are hoping that in the future for me to develope my graphic skills and match that up with the web design too.

It is good to here that the web is booming. I have a friend who says that he is getting more work especially as he can offer good work at a reasonable price.

HappySad

dacouch wrote: »

I notice you mentioned liking networking and forums, try going to some breakfast clubs as they are great for networking as every one is there to network but its informal.

Also try www.businesslink.gov.uk or pop into one of their offices. They are run by the government and are designed to assist businesses. Their help is totally free.

I'm in sales and now is a great time to sell your products as businesses are looking to save money. Where as a year ago they would have said they are not interested as they are happy with their current supplier now they want to cut costs so are open to new suppliers tendering.

The recession is also a good sales pitch for businesses as how are they going to win new business and survive? They do it by investing their money sensibly in marketing to gain new customers

Perhaps bearing in mind the type of business you are running an onnovative marketing campaign would impress your potential customers?

Thanks. I have been watching working lunch on BBC2 and business are confirming what you are saying in that firms are now open to look at other to do business with. Sometimes their supplier has gone bust or they want to cut cost. I will be running the business form home with as low over head as possible so I will be able to pass on the saving to my customers.

I am self studing by reading books on business (startup, marketing, selling, finance etc). I will goto the business link and see about networking breakfast clubs. As my customers are other business I need to be able to find ways to meet face to face with other businesses.

HappySad

chalkie99 wrote: »

I would suggest having a look at this popular business forum where you will find loads of graphic designers offering their services. It should give you some idea of what they offer and their rates.

Also, on that forum, check out this thread on Print Carrier and search the other threads on them too. They seem to attract very bad comments.

Services like leaflet printing are hugely competitive and, as mentioned above, the success rate of leaflet drops is tiny.

Finally, I really think the idea of taking a laptop to customers premises and doing the design with them is a non-starter. I have seen this suggested in my own trade (sign making) and in practice you will really get your best ideas having walked away and thought about the brief in the cold light of day. Additionally, the customer will either be a one man band who will not concentrate on the job in hand and waste a lot of your time, or, if a buyer for a larger company will just want you to get on with it.

Do have a look at the other forum though to get some ideas.

Great!!! I have registered with them... ;0)