Hi all. I hope everyone is doing well! This is my first post. Let me give you a little background about me and my business:
For 2.5 years I worked under the title of "Project Director" at a financial services company in Nassau County, Long Island. In that position I was really the graphic designer/marketing coordinator. I had experience in both prior to that position, and I had worked my way into that spot within that company, starting as an administrative assistant. I gained a lot of knowledge about how to (and not to) run a business while I was there, but not how to start one, as the company had been around since the late 1980's and the owner was a self-made millionaire long before I came on board.
Well, long story short, I was becoming increasingly miserable at that job and suddenly was laid off on July 16th, 2007 for "financial reasons" (go figure), and took it as a sign from above to try to begin my company while I had what little unemployment I could get to tide me over while preparing my business.
On a personal note, I do not have a lot of money at all right now, so my marketing and advertising plans need to be super inexpensive. After the lay-off I've had to pay my medical insurance 100% out of pocket (I am a Type 1 Diabetic on an insulin pump and I am a cancer survivor), and it's very tough to pay for that and my other debts, like student loan payments and the like. Also, I am almost 26-years-old (will be in January), and I fear getting the "Young Wipper-Snapper" treatment sometimes based on looks alone, while doing face-to-face marketing. I'm a very mature young woman, I swear!
I'm also very personable, as you can probably tell by the way I write.
So, as you can read in my profile here and on my web site (http://www.nmcreations.com/), NightMyst Creations is a full service design company. Web design, print design, corporate branding, 3D design, animation, PowerPoint, etc. I may have a lot of skills (not to toot my own horn), but I am only 1 person. I live on the northshore of Long Island, eastern Suffolk County, almost 100 miles east of NYC. Now, being a home-based yet online-based company, I don't need to stick to just near-by clients. I am absolutely willing to work with people all over the US.
I guess what I want is to be able to get enough clients to make a living, while not bringing in too many at one time that it becomes overwhelming for me while taking away the treatment my clients deserve because I am too busy to give it to them. Does that make sense? I mean, I should be so lucky to gain interest from so many parties, right? Haha However, that is a fear I have. What if I begin marketing and it's too strong and I get a flash-flood of interest?
Currently I have advertisements on some of my clients' web sites for a percentage off of their package costs, I've submitted the site to major search engines, developed my META tags for other engines to catch the site on a natural search, and I am beginning some major networking events next week. One of my clients who I have an on-going maintenance plan with (I update his site once a week for a monthly fee) allows me to ask if anyone who advertises on his site wants my company to design the ad, so that is a plus as well, although I haven't had any takers yet.
Anyone have any ideas of what I can do to get the word out to specific markets (a.k.a. businesses, and if you all have any suggestions for other ideas I am totally open to them) without putting up fliers and going door-to-door? I know direct mailing is not really considered a great idea sometimes, but what if it was in letter format with some research on the company? I don't know, I am just thinking aloud.
Any help would be very much appreciated!!!
Erica
Designer/President
NightMyst Creations
For 2.5 years I worked under the title of "Project Director" at a financial services company in Nassau County, Long Island. In that position I was really the graphic designer/marketing coordinator. I had experience in both prior to that position, and I had worked my way into that spot within that company, starting as an administrative assistant. I gained a lot of knowledge about how to (and not to) run a business while I was there, but not how to start one, as the company had been around since the late 1980's and the owner was a self-made millionaire long before I came on board.
Well, long story short, I was becoming increasingly miserable at that job and suddenly was laid off on July 16th, 2007 for "financial reasons" (go figure), and took it as a sign from above to try to begin my company while I had what little unemployment I could get to tide me over while preparing my business.
On a personal note, I do not have a lot of money at all right now, so my marketing and advertising plans need to be super inexpensive. After the lay-off I've had to pay my medical insurance 100% out of pocket (I am a Type 1 Diabetic on an insulin pump and I am a cancer survivor), and it's very tough to pay for that and my other debts, like student loan payments and the like. Also, I am almost 26-years-old (will be in January), and I fear getting the "Young Wipper-Snapper" treatment sometimes based on looks alone, while doing face-to-face marketing. I'm a very mature young woman, I swear!
I'm also very personable, as you can probably tell by the way I write.So, as you can read in my profile here and on my web site (http://www.nmcreations.com/), NightMyst Creations is a full service design company. Web design, print design, corporate branding, 3D design, animation, PowerPoint, etc. I may have a lot of skills (not to toot my own horn), but I am only 1 person. I live on the northshore of Long Island, eastern Suffolk County, almost 100 miles east of NYC. Now, being a home-based yet online-based company, I don't need to stick to just near-by clients. I am absolutely willing to work with people all over the US.
I guess what I want is to be able to get enough clients to make a living, while not bringing in too many at one time that it becomes overwhelming for me while taking away the treatment my clients deserve because I am too busy to give it to them. Does that make sense? I mean, I should be so lucky to gain interest from so many parties, right? Haha However, that is a fear I have. What if I begin marketing and it's too strong and I get a flash-flood of interest?
Currently I have advertisements on some of my clients' web sites for a percentage off of their package costs, I've submitted the site to major search engines, developed my META tags for other engines to catch the site on a natural search, and I am beginning some major networking events next week. One of my clients who I have an on-going maintenance plan with (I update his site once a week for a monthly fee) allows me to ask if anyone who advertises on his site wants my company to design the ad, so that is a plus as well, although I haven't had any takers yet.
Anyone have any ideas of what I can do to get the word out to specific markets (a.k.a. businesses, and if you all have any suggestions for other ideas I am totally open to them) without putting up fliers and going door-to-door? I know direct mailing is not really considered a great idea sometimes, but what if it was in letter format with some research on the company? I don't know, I am just thinking aloud.
Any help would be very much appreciated!!!
Erica
Designer/President
NightMyst Creations
I can't believe I never thought to try to get into that community. Direct-to-print makes authors responsible for providing everything...I still can't believe I never thought of that. Haha Great stuff!!!
