Advertising?

Kilty_2

Hello,

Can anyone offer any hints and tips for effective advertising for a start-up freelance web designer?

I'm now listed at Yell.com (despite them spelling my company name wrong, looking into that now and will be in June 2007 printed Yellow Pages). Would like some other suggestions. Money is tight though, so as cheap as possible.

Thank you.

Mark7799

Business Cards - an essential
Your own website?
Build a portfolio?
Direct contacts/networking at business clubs?
Thomson

Kilty_2

I have business cards now, and my own website.

Building a portfolio is a problem at the moment 'cause I have no clients. Negotiating some work at the moment though, fingers crossed

Thank you.

Mark7799

What about some voluntary stuff (or expenses only) for clubs/societies/charities?

save-a-lot

Hi

Go to a business forum and make the offer of reduced price/free design there - I can recommend ukbusinessforums.co.uk as a starter, this way you could get plenty of referrals if you do a good job.

save-a-lot

Hi

Register on scriptlance.com et al and bid on some projects, bid low on projects that would suit your skills and the portfolio you want to build, build up a portfolio quick and then you have real projects to show future clients. On S/L you would work for peanuts, but you would build up a portfolio damn quick.

jayneinhudds

check out https://www.vistaprint.co.uk . I have a small business and i get all my marketing stuff free. Business cards are always free. They have offers on each month which change every other week. I have just ordered 250 business cards, 100 postcards, a rubber stamp and ink pad , a personalised note pad and some fridge magnets. Total cost £7.15. If you select the slow delivery option which is 3 weeks they arrive quicker. You can download your own company logo or they have hundreds to pick from.They send you regulat emails with all offers and if their servers are busy when you try to create items they email and apology with an extra offer . :j

Kilty_2

I have Vistaprint business cards but they were £7.71 for 250 (including custom art upload). Premium ones though, without branding on the back (I couldn't bear to hand those out to potential clients )

save-a-lot

Hi

If you can do good css then why not put together a good template and submit it to OSWD (google it)

May get some referrals from doing that

Kilty_2

Thank you for all of the helpful suggestions, save-a-lot. :T:T:T:T:T

And thanks to Mark7799 and jayneinhudds too

Keep the suggestions coming, I'm considering everything

CrustyMcMuffin

networking is the key, we started up just under a year ago and went all over scotland to networking events and met some very useful contacts that way.