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What is wrong with my marketing plan?

by ainsoph
4 replies
Hi, new user. I found this place in search of some assistance, if this isn't in the right place, please direct me!

Ok. So a few years ago, I started, and currently run my Illustration/Design business. As far as my work goes, I am extremely confident with it, and compare subjectively to industry leaders. I feel it matches up pretty well, I'm just not getting the work I need to be getting out of it.

What I'm attempting to do:

Reach name brand companies, and show something visually different. I combine photography, CGI, illustration and more for advertising/image creation. With the small companies I've worked with, and in-house positions I've held, I've consistently pleased clients. I've won numerous awards. No I am NOT tooting my own horn, just assuring the problem is not the product.

So my "plan" so to speak was getting 100 very nice books of my work made, and sending them out to these large companies, in hope of doing some of their ad work. The companies I'm targeting work with freelancers often.

My days consist of googling said companies Creative Directors names, and trying to pitch myself, or at least get an address so I can send the book to them. Problem is, no one ever seems to answer their phone before, or after I send. In theory, I'd like the business on the first call. I understand that's unlikely. Or at least get them interested in seeing the product and schedule a call-back for after they receive it.


So my question is, am I going about this in the completely wrong way? Do I need to just keep trying? Is it actually a good plan? Because I honestly am not sure at the moment.
#marketing #plan #wrong
  • Profile picture of the author savidge4
    The book sounds awesome, but price wise I am sure its not something you can just "throw" around. I have found over the years dealing with the more artsy types... ( I don't mean that in a negative sense - I'm a redneck from West Virginia please forgive me! ) that you want to match the mailer to the recipient, or as I will comment on matching the mailer to the context of what you are selling, and in your case its YOU.

    I have a client that is apparently a pretty well known painter... or at least the price of his work would suggest as such. He has showings in New York, and Paris, and South America etc. We normally produce some hi gloss fancy shmancy piece for him to send as invites to his opening parties.

    Early last summer he invited me to his house, and I could tell he was in a bit of a panic. As I recall, I heard the words "I am freaking out" about 15 times in the first few minutes I was there. As he takes me out to his studio and says "You will see" ( And I am thinking ok whatever... )

    We get there and on his wall are his normal bright reds and blues, and strikes of yellow and orange.. then off in the corner I see it.... A collection of rust and green and browns... I look at him and say "What have you done?!?!" He turned white as a ghost... I seriously will probably never forget that moment...

    So I go over and look at the pieces one at a time and say nothing. He is SHAKING at this point. ( It was awesome ) I then turn to him and say.. "So you went organic?" He didn't know what to say... I think he was mad... he started Speaking Portuguese so fast that I am not sure there was no beginning and end to his words... they just flowed together. He stopped... took a deep breath, and said "You Think?"

    And I said "Well, Rust Orange and Greens and Browns vs your normal bright vibrant colors, seems organic to me, so why am I here anyways?" He needed invitations. He didn't know what to do.. they had to be "Different" I asked how many.. and said give me a few days and I will bring you a sample.

    I did what any normal sane individual would do.. I went home and cut the grass. Afterwards I proceeded to make grass paper. ( A liner note here to anyone that has never done this... don't do it in your own kitchen... it takes D A Y S to boil down grass to make paper - and the smell... oh geeze )

    So a few days later I had this binding fold piece that was matte black with his "Primary" image on the front, some images of other pieces on the inside cover and then the Grass paper with a opaque vellum overlay with the date time place and all that good stuff. He ok'd the piece.. and I went home and cut my lawn again, and my neighbors lawn, and my in laws lawn, and some little ol lady that was using a old style push mower.. did hers as well

    He sent out 200 invitations. 530 people showed up. From what he says it was a mad house. ( I reference his idea of a mad house to the opening of this post - it probably was not "that" crazy ) I am in no way going to take any credit in the amount of people that showed up, but I will take some amount of credit for delivering a piece that "Felt" the way the images looked.

    So after that little story... the idea I am trying to convey is that you want to match the piece to you specifically. A book is GREAT, but I would think it may be a bit on the formal side. kinda stuffy? <wince> You are an advertiser by trade, I would produce an advertising piece about yourself.

    I have a link for you to look at. More specifically a link to an image. I actually look at this image from time to time for inspiration. I think its genius!

    http://s3images.coroflot.com/user_fi...dycq1eEENC.jpg

    Actually kinda right up your alley. I just think it has that right mix of professionalism, and the artistic flare. - justa thought

    Hope That Helps



    Originally Posted by ainsoph View Post

    Hi, new user. I found this place in search of some assistance, if this isn't in the right place, please direct me!

    Ok. So a few years ago, I started, and currently run my Illustration/Design business. As far as my work goes, I am extremely confident with it, and compare subjectively to industry leaders. I feel it matches up pretty well, I'm just not getting the work I need to be getting out of it.

    What I'm attempting to do:

    Reach name brand companies, and show something visually different. I combine photography, CGI, illustration and more for advertising/image creation. With the small companies I've worked with, and in-house positions I've held, I've consistently pleased clients. I've won numerous awards. No I am NOT tooting my own horn, just assuring the problem is not the product.

    So my "plan" so to speak was getting 100 very nice books of my work made, and sending them out to these large companies, in hope of doing some of their ad work. The companies I'm targeting work with freelancers often.

    My days consist of googling said companies Creative Directors names, and trying to pitch myself, or at least get an address so I can send the book to them. Problem is, no one ever seems to answer their phone before, or after I send. In theory, I'd like the business on the first call. I understand that's unlikely. Or at least get them interested in seeing the product and schedule a call-back for after they receive it.


    So my question is, am I going about this in the completely wrong way? Do I need to just keep trying? Is it actually a good plan? Because I honestly am not sure at the moment.
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    Success is an ACT not an idea
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    • Profile picture of the author DABK
      Wouldn't you be better off placing an ad in their trade magazine, inviting them to ask you to send them the book?

      I'm asking because it sounds to me that you're not qualifying them enough. I don't think it's enough that their companies work with freelancers and you're contacting the person with the right title.

      If not an ad, maybe you should send them letters first (making sure it passes the gatekeeper: perhaps a FEDEX-like envelope that has a letter for the gatekeeper and another envelope, for the director. The first letter is for selling the gatekeeper on the idea of giving the envelope to the marketing director, the other one on getting the marketing director to ask for your book.)
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  • Profile picture of the author joelraitt
    Rk has some good points - these people probably have 100's of people clambering at them for 'business' every day...they see it as annoying and a waste of time...

    If anything, find something you see of there website or images that you don't like. Re do it how you would have done it....and send that to them...tell them why yours is better...show you;re serious about working with them...

    Just some thoughts....lots of work though
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    Work smart, work hard, never give up. Learn with me here: http://www.joelraitt.com

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