Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
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140 The Fundamentals of Graphic Design Procuring work
Self-promotion
Graphic designers obtain the bulk of their
commissions through self-promotion. Successful self-
promotion starts with undertaking adequate research
about a client or agency; a designer must find out
as much as possible regarding the nature of their
prospective client’s business and the key contacts
within the company. The following lists the avenues
available for self-promotion.
First impressions
First impressions count for a lot so ensure that
all information is correct – the names of the people
holding your future earning potential in their hands
must be spelt correctly on any communication.
Once sent, always make a follow-up call.
Promotion should not be restricted to potential
clients who you know of. There are various means
to cast the net further and promote yourself to
potential clients you may not have heard of by
submitting work to magazines and journals. All of
the work contained in this book and the others in
AVA’s Basics Design series serve to promote the
creative abilities of various contributors and
design studios.
Submissions for self-promotion must follow
the same basic principles as pitching to clients:
they must be well-targeted and include details of
who it was produced for, so that the writer or
journalist writing the piece can refer to a full body
of information. Magazines regularly receive samples
of work and have limited time available, so it is useful
to submit samples of work where information is
readily visible and available.
Printed mailers
Printed mailers allow a design studio to show
existing and potential clients some of their design,
format section and print finishing capabilities. In the
digital age, there is still immense value in producing
physical pieces that present a permanent and more
memorable message.
Printed mailers allow designers to place a
physical piece of work in the hands of potential
clients, enabling them to feel the tactile qualities
of a piece through the careful selection of stock,
printing and print-finishing processes. However,
the production of mailers brings with it practical
considerations such as format selection, print run,
printing and postage costs.
Mailers must be correctly and clearly addressed,
with the name of the recipient and their company
spelt correctly, and your own contact details easy to
locate. Instead of waiting for a potential client to call,
it is good practice to make a follow-up call after a
mailer has been sent out.
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Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
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Proof Page:141
Self-promotion > Portfolios 141
James Brown (below)
These pieces are from a pack of A6 postcards created by illustrator James Brown,
who works under the moniker of General Pattern. The cards reflect this name and show
the diversity of his work. The postcards are tactile and memorable, but their size gives
them a familiarity that prevents them from appearing flashy; they also invite the viewer
to view his website: www.generalpattern.net.
The Vast Agency (left)
This broadsheet loose-leaf
mailer was created by The
Vast Agency to demonst rat e
the talents of the group
and the photographers and
stylists who they work with.
Producing a mailer is a
subtle way to procure work –
it shows what an agency is
capable of rather than directly
trying to sell its services to
a potential client.
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Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
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Our work
Rebranding
New Brands
Print
AOP
British Heart Foundation
Borkowski Christmas Card
FACT Magazine
Getty Images
Hammerson
Jones Lang LaSalle
Westbury Hotel
Warner Brothers
Editorial
Books
Music
Online
Film
Our clients
The way we work
Contact us
We are Them
®
1
2
3
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Designer websites
Websites have become an integral visual
communication tool for designers and design studios
alike. They showcase work to other studios and
prospective clients, while also providing inspiration.
Websites for design studios are typically directed
towards showing examples of work to a very specific
group of users, such as advertising agencies,
marketing departments or other creatives. Websites
are used to present an online portfolio showing
examples of the creative approaches a studio has and
the different media and sectors it typically works in.
Visual information and text provide details that
support the examples in the portfolio, such as the
client, the format a work was produced in, and the
contact details of the studio. Before beginning
website development, it is important to create a list
of site considerations, which may include:
1 Who is the target audience?
2 How will the target audience use the site?
3 What is the message?
4 Are there any technological requirements
and constraints?
A clear navigation mechanism needs to exist
within a site. Its complexity should match the
experience and background of its target users.
A design studio may present its portfolio by client,
sector or media using a flat structure so that there
aren’t too many levels to click through.
Design studio websites tend to showcase work
in a way that allows prospective clients to obtain
a clear understanding of their capabilities and the
different media used. While most visitors to a design
website are likely to be viewing it on equipment that
can handle complex graphics and animation, this may
not always be the case.
Them (right)
Pictured are images from
a website created by and for
design studio Them, which
showcases their work and
underlines how integral
online portfolios have
become to the marketing
effort of such companies.
142 The Fundamentals of Graphic Design Procuring work
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Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
1ST
Proof Page:143
Self-promotion > Portfolios 143
Shufti (left and below)
The digital showreel below
was created by The Vast
Agency to promote its talents
and those of its designers and
phot ogr a phe r s. Thi s s tud io
specialises in work for the
fashion industry, hence its
target audience is familiar
with fashion magazines. This
showreel takes the familiar
format further by creating
magazines with different
contents and themes. The
magazine is also printed for
distribution and pictured here
are pages from three issues:
Sex in the City, Sunstroke,
and Rendezvous.
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Types of electronic communications
Electronic communications, such as a website or
CD-ROM, are used by design agencies to provide
information about themselves to both prospective
and existing clients. They also provide a platform to
showcase their work, expertise and creativity.
Designers traditionally showcased their work
through printed pieces, but the development of digital
media has allowed them to branch out and extend the
scope of their promotional efforts. Digital and print
media provide different costs and benefits: digital
may not be tactile, but it is immediate, has low
distribution costs and can reach more people. The
work samples showcased can also be updated easily
and regularly.
The development of email and Internet technology
means that people have migrated from emailing a
file to sending an HTML email containing codes to
access files that are stored externally rather than
included in the email. This reduces message sizes
and prevents communication from being blocked
by computer firewalls.
The increasing popularity of blogging provides
another promotional avenue as a design studio can
communicate about its current activities and receive
comments and feedback from viewers.
PDF mail shots
These are image files sent as PDFs, allowing people
to view work. However, they can result in large file
sizes.
HTML mailers
This format is a smaller file size for email; images
are stored externally and accessed by an HTML link.
This means that the communication is not blocked
by computer protection software. It is considered
good practice to allow people to opt out of
receiving these emails.
CDs/DVDs
These methods of electronic storage and transport
are bulky and have higher distribution costs than
email as they need to be sent by post.
Blogs
This type of electronic communication provides
the opportunity to communicate regularly and
informally with the target audience.
144 The Fundamentals of Graphic Design Procuring work
Studio Output (left)
This HTML email from Studio Output allows the recipient
to click on any section to access the relevant page of the
company’s website. The visual qualities of HTML email provide
a clear statement of the sender’s activities that in this instance
are clearly composed, colour-coded sections that aid navigation.
This type of communication now forms an integral part of the
marketing and publicity strategies of many companies.
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