Topic: Online promotion
After scumming around on the internet last night, I realized there a few examples of art directors despising email promos from photographers. I am starting to assume this is true for illustrators as well?
Please feel free to share your thoughts on promoting your business through the internet. What is ideal? Are email promotions rude? Do they do more harm than good? Have emails from online services truly "opted-in" to receiving email? Is receiving email worse/better than a print promo?
How about Twitter or Facebook? Is it rude to follow/interact with other creatives who you have never worked with/met?
Please share your thoughts openly (or anonymously) for what can hopefully be a discussion that benefits everyone.
Thanks, and I hope this can lead to more discussions on this site.
Enjoy the Day,
Chris
Recent Posts
Posts
7 comments:
I have "only" used online marketing for over 7 years and it's worked beautifully for me. Traditional marketing has done nothing for me. It saved me money, time, and allowed me to reach art directors more directly. I think both methods work, but it depends on your approach. I know plenty of people who swear by traditional methods and they work for them just as well. I don't think either should be written off....it just really depends on how you approach the art directors. :)
Also, facebook and twitter have been great. I've actually become friends with certain art directors by conversing with them through social media. :)
I've gotten the most response from email promotion. It seems like the easiest way for them to get to your website and respond to you. I could see it being annoying for ADs with a ton of emails piling up, but they also are looking for illustrators to work with. So I see it as something they just deal with. I'm also new to this, so I can't say for sure.
Leslie/Tin, how would you describe a normal email promo? I assume it's pretty straightforward... introduction, love your publication, etc. attach jpegs and link to site.
You guys go any further than that?
@Scott, I usually don't attach any images. I've learned that if art directors see the little 'attachment' icon from an e-mail they're unfamiliar with, they're less likely to open it. So I'll send samples if they request additional work later on, but for the first-time contact a link to my portfolio has always been sufficient. I keep my e-mails pretty short. I list a partial list of my clients and briefly introduce myself. The shorter the better, but you also want to make an impression. I never mention their publication. I feel a more casual approach works better. Keeping things too standardized is not necessarily the best method. You want to give them a reason to write back. Think of it as a movie 'teaser trailer'. Give them a sense of your professionalism...as well as your personality. If you're funny, don't be afraid to express that attitude. If you're shy....there' no need to shower them with words. :)
I've tried so many different methods...some really embarrassing..and the most effective have been the simplest, most direct e-mails. :)
* and by standardized...i meant things like praising their publication and saying how much you'd want to work for them. It's not necessary to say any of that. :P They already know how you feel about them if you're sending them your work. :)
Post a Comment