How will i promote myself...

To make sure that i am able to give the best possible view to my clients so that i am able to promote myself in the best possible light i will have to be able to talk to them in the tone of voice which i think they would talk in, this would require me to do some background check on there website and maybe even speak to them over the phone so that im able to get a grasp of there conversation.

This would then lead me onto the next question of what would they want to me to say to them, this would be similar to the style above however i think that i would be able to make sure that communicate this message over the work and the meeting that i would have with the client, as they is currently being taught to me over the course of my university degree, this is what i would be prepared for when i come out of university 

My work would then communicate with them on a visual and mental level so that it sticks in there head enough for me to remember them and also enough for me to leave an impression so they do not forget me a soon as i leave the room. 

Conclusion

There are a range of ways which i could use to promote myself, these are a mix of web based mainly as this is the easiest way to share your work around as its simple for someone to copy a link of your blog to a fellow worker who can then also see your work.

This could be produced from a range of medias, this would be a perfect time for me to set up an online presence so that im able to make sure that the best possible impression when people ask to see the work which i have been able to create for the clients

i would be able to promote myself at a decent rate which wouldn't demand a high income so that i am able to make the most out of something which i can then really start to increase my rates as my work becomes stronger. but too start i think a rate of £12 an hour would lead me to be able to live comfortably and manage to have an income of work which can support the lifestyle that i currently live without unneeded pressure.


To get myself started i would have a blog and a website to get my online presence known but i would then also go to as many social networking events as possible to get myself known so i would then be able to display my talents and work to other professionals and this way would then lead to collaboration work and this is what would help me progress down the design career path.

How will I promote myself ?

To make sure that i am able to give the best possible view to my clients so that i am able to promote myself in the best possible light i will have to be able to talk to them in the tone of voice which i think they would talk in, this would require me to do some background check on there website and maybe even speak to them over the phone so that im able to get a grasp of there conversation.

This would then lead me onto the next question of what would they want to me to say to them, this would be similar to the style above however i think that i would be able to make sure that communicate this message over the work and the meeting that i would have with the client, as they is currently being taught to me over the course of my university degree, this is what i would be prepared for when i come out of university 

My work would then communicate with them on a visual and mental level so that it sticks in there head enough for me to remember them and also enough for me to leave an impression so they do not forget me a soon as i leave the room. 

Conclusion

There are a range of ways which i could use to promote myself, these are a mix of web based mainly as this is the easiest way to share your work around as its simple for someone to copy a link of your blog to a fellow worker who can then also see your work.

This could be produced from a range of medias, this would be a perfect time for me to set up an online presence so that im able to make sure that the best possible impression when people ask to see the work which i have been able to create for the clients

i would be able to promote myself at a decent rate which wouldn't demand a high income so that i am able to make the most out of something which i can then really start to increase my rates as my work becomes stronger. but too start i think a rate of £12 an hour would lead me to be able to live comfortably and manage to have an income of work which can support the lifestyle that i currently live without unneeded pressure.


To get myself started i would have a blog and a website to get my online presence known but i would then also go to as many social networking events as possible to get myself known so i would then be able to display my talents and work to other professionals and this way would then lead to collaboration work and this is what would help me progress down the design career path.

Who else is out there - how good are they?

The Surgery, London. 

This is a design agency that really tickles my fancy, the problem with this one is that its based in london which is miles away from the area which i would like to work, this is good that these will not come as competition towards me, however there work could branch up this high as they are already a well established business

Strengths

-Already well established business

-Will already have a giant client base

-Have a strong team set with knowledge of editorial and layout to a high level

-Offer a range of illustration, editorial, branding and information graphics

Weaknesses

-Located down south so there business cant reach the north as easily

Lono, London

This is another design agency that creates work that i think could really change the way in which i work if i was to work with these, this would then help me to develop and increase the range of skills which i have and then how i could make these work alot better overall

Strengths

-A vast range of work

-A vast range of clients 

-A strong team which alot of knowledge on graphic design 

-Already established business

Weaknesses

-There work seems to be rather samey (similar style when it comes to business cards on website)

Nick Bell Designs 

This is a website which caught my attention ever since Nick Bell came and did a talk with our university since the day he came into our university, his work from him and his company are really strong and i think that this is something that has caught my attention. I don't feel like this is really my style of work but its still really creative and could lead to other design style work which can be linked into my work

Strengths

-Creative design work which can inspire 

-Original and fresh work by young designers

-They offer a vast range of work

Weaknesses

-Based in London

-Not really editorial work so not too much of a threat too me

Conclusion

 

 When i look at the above companies i feel that my work has the potential to go above and beyond this stlye of work and this then will lead me into believing that i am the better designer which i think i could be if i really knuckle down and get on with the work which will help me to become this.

They all seem to offer a range of processes to create the best and strongest pieces of work which really give the clients what they are wanting, this is something that i will have to compete with as i need to make sure that i am able to give the best possible solution to the brief and also beat them in any of the work which they can produce so that i am able to get the work in.

When they are compared against me then you see that our work is very different as it would be with alot of designers as we all have a varied base of work, this could then be a way to sell myself as i will have fresh creative ideas which they will not have on there team, it comes down to if i can fill the gaps with the qualities that i have

Where are they – How will they find me?

Where are my potential clients/employers located?

For the time being my main clients and employers would be mostly located in the northeast and west, this would be due to the fact that this are the only areas which are in a decent area for me to travel too and to make the most of the whole scenario, Anything down south is rather hard for me to get too and this would create some problems when it comes to travelling and completing what we would be expected to get done! 

Leeds and Middlesbrough would prove the best places for me to have business clients at the current time, this could also be more ranged if they were willing to communicate over email and skype as this would allow me to speak to them on a personal level but at the same time make sure that the work can still be produced to the standard that they would want. 

What media do my potential clients/employers use?

As i would be looking into doing things such as editorial then i would be using a mac based for design, this would be the same style of design for there work as well, so they would use digital media and web design, however they would still use print based work which could really show off the skills which i have and this would then mirror the work which they produce and make them more keen to view my work

What do you need to communicate and how does it match what your clients/employer need?

I would look into the range of work which my employer/client would like to achieve and what they actually want to get done, this could range from any of the political, economic or social views that they have so that i get straight into there good books when they look at my work, i would want to look to give a fresh new look of work which really gives off that new designer feel however i would want to have a attitude and work ethic which would fit in with the people that work in the industry there and see how things work out

My work is very type based so this would be the style of work which i would focus on to then communicate with what they would be looking for on a professional basis, this could only lead to one thing... EMPLOYMENT

my work would mirror there work and this would then inspire me to create more of there style design with my own creative flare in there as well.

How would there location effect my delivery?

i would have to consider which style of delivery i would have to use to get the message across to them in the best possible light so that i can show of my style and make sure that i think that the best possible outcome for my work was shown in the best light to give me the best opportunity of receiving the design brief

Samples of Work

1 - Baseline

Baseline are an typographic magazine who have been the leading magazine for many years, there work is unique and always high in quality. Baseline have a vast range of ways to display there work and branch out to the graphic design industry. They have an online presence where they range from social networking sites and there own website, they also send out freebies and flyers upon request and also throw events where you can attend to see the work in a gallery or large scale scenario. 

Strengths - Four experimental ways to make sure that they have covered the internet and the post ways of covering there clients needs. Their already achieved success will get them most of there credibility.

Weaknesses - Due to them being print based, there are only previews online and no actual downloadable files, and there target audience is rather limited due to it being only typography based.

Opportunities - Room to expand much further with all their promotional aspects 

Threats - Typography is a very broad area of graphic design. If they don't cover all angles it could be easy for another company to compete and over achieve them.

2 - Two Times Elliot

Two Times Elliot are a design firm which i plan to contact about their work and if i would be able to send them some of my own. I love the style in which they design and would love to get feed back from these designers. They also use a range of social networking sites to display their work, Behance being how i first came acorss these designers, then i was linked towards there website where you can easily find there contact information. Finally they have a Facebook and Twitter page, with these two sites being the largest for social networking they would be stupid not to imply these to getting there work out there. 

Strengths - Beautiful work and a very simple yet effective web design, all work and information are easy to find

Weaknesses - everything is internet based, there aint any direct mail or post outs so some target audiences could be jeopardised.

Opportunities - Room to expand on their weaknesses. 

Threats - Not getting their name out there and this could lead to them being left behind or being forgotten about when a client is looking for work 

3 - Analogue

Analogue are a full service graphic design agency, they design work for clients who need to be branded or need some online web design doing. This can be a massive range of things that need to be enhanced when it comes to the design work of everything. These have used the normal way of social networking sites, however they have also combined handing out free products to the public and also Vimeo, as there work can be movie based online, this is the perfect way to communicate their designs through a format which makes sense.

Strengths - Offering a strong website design and easy to find work, using a new media which would be video to express the design work they do.

Weaknesses - Everything is online and no mail outs get sent so it leaves it completely down to the client to find their site 

Opportunities - They could throw events to project their work largely onto the side of buildings or even create tv adverts to advertise their work.

Threats - Being forgotton about as it took me a while to find these on the internet.

4 -  Job Wouters & Roel Wouters

Roel Wouters is a designer who uses video to promote himself and create something that would catch the eye of the viewers. The work is very different to what you would expect and try to achieve as a normal graphic designer. However i think that the way he used the video below to express collaboration styles with, he has done this in such a manner that its worked perfectly in his favour.  

Strengths - Very quirky video which was entertaining to watch and made me remember his name and the style of work that he produces. He has also used a lot of the online ways to get his name out there as you can see below under the video.

Weaknesses - all video and online work again, needs some print based work

Opportunities - obviously got a design based mind. So could become creative with expanding his media range.

Threats - Collaborations can be dangerous and jeopardise your work and output.

5 - Eighty8 Design

Eighty8 design are a design agency that specialise in the design work for web based clients, however they still use a range of ways to make sure that they get there name out there, the one which im most interested in would be the radio side of things "LAST.FM" this would be something that could be quite new and interesting to tune into and see what was going on with them.

Strengths - strong design concepts, and the way in which they have thought about the work and how they gone about producing it 

Weaknesses - The website is not very diverse with how they have explained their work and the examples which have been placed online.

Opportunities - To expand more with the style in which they are creating. The work could be posted more around the general area of which the studio is placed in and this could then make something work more towards how everything should fit together

Threats - Not enough work on the website or able to find to really give the client a good judgement of if this is what they wanted or not. 

6 - Tubbyphunk

Tubbyphunk uses a unique way to get there interest brought in through a new online phenomenon, this being Pinterest. This has only just started to get large around the internet and this is a way that their company have used to link there blog and that site together so that when you find the work there it draws you towards their site and makes you want to look at their work as long as that is what you are looking for.

Strengths - Very strong website design, easy to follow links and links out to there social networking sites. 

Weaknesses - However its all online based again. There is no information about how they can get there work out via direct mail or any other theme such as these. 

Opportunities - Create some direct mails to get the word out there and also create some more work online so that it shows your diversity more.

Threats - Missing target clients and leaving it down to the public to find their website which limits there opportunities.

Enterprise Group Meeting One

Meetin Date: 1st Decemeber 2011


We got together for our first group meeting to talk about what we want to do and how we plan to progress over the coming months...




Our Group. 




Charlie Crosby 
Strengths - committed, great at planning, strong design skills on illustrator and confident presentation skills
Weaknesses - Indecisive, visual thinker, researching
Extra - had work placements 


Lisa Whitaker

Strengths - Excellent background in this area, tenacity, excellent time management, strong at research
Weaknesses - Lives out side Leeds, shy at presentations


Claudia Winkleman 
Strengths - good with words, intelligent, strong illustrator, makes a good cup of tea, organised, easy to get along with, 
Weaknesses - No career direction, easily not motivated, research 


Marty Edwards
Strengths - Confident, layouts and visual thinker, good presentation, cool
Weaknesses - Bad organisation, bad punctuality, 








Plan of Action..




Individually think about where we want to go and what we want to achieve and be located. 


Gather a business plan and bring to the next meeting.


Bring research of other business of that we think what we want to be involved in so we can then model ourselves on parts of each business