Clients!?

[Guest freefordesign]

clients clients...

How to get clients?

[Guest firemind]

Unfortunately it all boils down to the network you have. Companies you've worked for, friends in companies, friends of friends, etc. That's why freelancing is a bitch without having a nice broad network.

[Guest memyselfandi]

It's takes money and time to get clients, apart from what firemind said. You need to get out there and show yourself at happenings, conventions and things like that. A good start is to talk to people, leave your buisness card and kiss some serious ass.

[Guest ged]

agree with everything except the ass kissing . Being over-reverant to possible clients could actually go against you , would you want someone working on your projects who is going to tell you yes just to keep you happy? wouldn´t you want someone who had the guts to say if something was wrong?

Just another angle.

My advice , be yourself , and have an excellent portfolio.

[Guest grinner]

1. The client is due at 9. Get there at 8. Have some coffe, surf the web, listen to some tunes and chill. a good vibe is a requirement.

 

2. Make sure they are comfy. Buy lunch and be happy about it. Cover any couriour/shipping costs. People love being pampered and love free stuff.

 

3. Keep conversation going. This person can find great quality at a great price anywhere in town. They better have a good time with you.

 

4. Pour on your specialty. Don't hesitiate to hang back off the clock to get that look just perfect. You won't always have to do this... round down hours. You do have to impress at first though. There is just no better way than to have finished product that freakin rocks the waaay before the deadline.

 

5. Sink the deal. The single easiest way to get them to return is to book it that day. Simply ask them when their next project is and if there is anything you should do to prepare for it. Not only is it ok to assume thay are coming back, it's good to show your confinence.

 

6. Again, round down. You worked for 22 hours. Note it on the invoice then charge for 20. Often this makes the check writer happy and often the check-writer is not the producer at all.

 

7. Above all, have fun. If you love it it will show. If your happy people will garvitate toward you.

 

Best of luck.

[Guest Scorch]

These days email is the best weapon for any freelancer, because it is free, and you will only get responses from people who are genuinely interested in hearing or seeing more. In the email, describe what you do in a couple of sentences, and specificaly ASK whether they would like a copy of your showreel. (If you ask a question you are putting pressure on them to respond)

 

Make sure you find out the name of the person you are emailing too. It'll take about a week to find and send out 500 named email addresses. From this, expect 30 response, 10 of which will want to see you.

 

I recently sent out 700 emails without first names and got 2 replies, neither of which were interested. A couple of demoralising months later I decided to find out first names, sent out 750 emails, and got 64 replies, 28 requests for showreels, and, in the end 4 new clients.

 

Get a website, and make it a good one, quick, easy-to-use and well designed. It should contain just enough information to get them wanting more.

 

Make the most of any big name clients you have worked with in the past, no matter how small a part you played, people like a track record.

 

NEVER do work for people who want something for nothing. There'll be plenty of people who might say "if you do this one job for us now for free, then we'll give you lots of work really soon, when we're busier...etc etc". I did 3 or 4 jobs for people who had "a really tight budget" or "tryng to get the commision" when I first started out, and I found them to be unreliable and unprofessional. 9 times out of 10 you'll be left with a portfolio filler and nothing more. Remember, when you start freelancing you are effectively running a business, not a charity. (occasionally, if a job comes along that you really like the look of, with no money, and you don't mind spending some of your spare time on it, then go ahead. If your reel is weak, then it can only help you to get more work in the future, but be aware that working for nothing can make you look like a pushover, prepared to do anything to keep people happy)

 

For every client with no money, there are plenty who will pay you what you ask (as long as it is around the going rate). In the long run they will be more reliable clients with more money and professionalism. The big fish in this industry wont try to get something for nothing.

 

When you do get a client interested, persist, but only to the point where you make them fully aware of what you can offer. Don't phone them and hassle them repeatedly, if they like your work, then they will call you.

 

When you send them a reel (VHS or DVD ideally), include some printed stills of your best work, as it will encourage them to watch your reel sooner (many reels dont get seen for weeks or even months). Keep the covering letter short and relevant.

 

The most important thing is to be good at what you do, and KNOW that you are good, really believe it. Confidence impresses people as it means you are more likely to be capable of working on initiative, asking questions, and not being afraid of having opinions.

 

And finally, don't to give up, keep plugging away, sending out reels, emails etc. It's a bit like farming....the more seeds you sow, the bigger your harvest (hmmm...quite a philosopher

 

good luck

[Guest editx]

I tend to agree with the former posts on this matter...good work+good attitude=return business.

 

There is a site: www.elance.com

 

This is a paid service, but it allows you to bid on literally thousands of graphic jobs. Everthing from print to web to video. Seems as though the client tends to get more for their money than they would have had they gone a more conventional route. However, it looks like a good way to get paid to build a portfolio. Check it out.

 

Jay

[Guest Nhowe]

this is a great post... excellent feedback! thought id bump it...

[Guest Sao_Bento]

Get involved in your local design community. There might be special interest groups for video production, graphic design, or even motion graphics depending on where you live. That's where I got my start, at a thing that used to be called the "ITVA". After going to meetings for a few months, I knew everyone who was a mover and a shaker in the local post production industry, most of whom then farmed out graphics and animation work to me.

[Guest dlogic]

Scorch, great post !

I couldn't agree more. One thing I could add, when sending reels/cover letters to clients/employers, remember you're a designer, so attention to small details like packaging, labels, etc. is really important. Be creative about what's in the box, but also outside of it. Good and caring clients see it and pay attention to it.

[Guest chrisfig]

good stuff in this thread. my only comment would be that i've had horrible luck when it comes to elance and related sites, the project bids tend to be extremely low-balled with people looking for way more than is reasonable for the pricetag, the best person with a decent price does not necessarily get the job. don't expect a lot of high dollar projects and be reasonable in getting something for your time.

 

chris

[beau+++ 0]

It's been a few years since the last post, so BUMP.

 

Most of my American clients are dropping like flies right now, so someone suggested Elance to me. I'm reluctant obviously, so can anyone reaffirm my belief that these sites wind up paying super low for lots of work so I can put it out my head? Or is my thinking outdated, and these sites actually do get some decent gigs?

[guera 0]

Really good post guys... a lot of good stuff here.

 

Scorch said all "The most important thing is to be good at what you do, and KNOW that you are good, really believe it. Confidence impresses people"

It is really important... I know a lot of good designers that don't belive and don't get a lot work.