PushingSnowballs

I’ve talked in the past about the value of emphasizing content marketing over high-volume cold calling, but in that same post I also recommended that you consider creating a “prospect wish list” that includes potential clients that you will proactively pursue.

Why do designers blog? I’m not asking this rhetorically, and I’m not asking it in a pejorative fashion, like “Why do designers waste their time with blogging anyway?” I’m posing a serious question about what people are trying to achieve with their blogs.

Do you do pro bono or “low bono” work for non-profits? Many, if not all, creative firms do at one time or another. Designers and ad agencies will create identities or marketing materials for free, and architects will do work that, while usually not free, is certainly far from profitable.

Some RFQ/RFP processes are pretty involved, with very specific requirements. But what about the other end of the spectrum? To create a successful RFP response without much guidance, you need go after it like you really want to win it. And sometimes that means knowing when to break the rules.

For creative services firms, cold calling as a new business tool has always been a frustrating enterprise. Unlike people selling consumables, or services that are purchased on a regular schedule, creative services marketers very rarely reach a prospect when they have a need for what they’re selling.

The heyday of the social media gurus may have reached its zenith, because there’s a new, contrary, position gaining momentum. It’s the “who the hell are these people to call themselves experts” movement, and it is spreading all over the web.

You may already work as a subcontractor to big agencies, but there’s also a second, less common, way to get work from these connections. And this method may pay actually pay bigger dividends in the long run. You want to get them to send prospects directly to you, hopefully to become your clients.