Free Logo/Stationery Design

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sosteffso

sosteffso

Free Member
Apr 25, 2017
6
1
Brighton & Hove
  • #1
    Hello All,

    I'm looking to increase my companies brand awareness alongside my portfolio and I thought the best way for me to do this would be through doing some 'free' work!

    I've got a whole bunch of portfolio work already but I'm keen just to add a few more pieces to it, which is where my offer comes in!

    If there are 1 or 2 companies that need a simple logo or some business cards/stationery making up, then I'd be really happy to do it as long as you can leave a review on my Facebook page and also allow me to use your piece in my portfolio.

    Please do feel free to contact me if this is something of interest.

    Thanks,

    Steff
     
    X

    Xtm_Mike

  • #7
    Hi Steff,

    I don't need a logo, but just a little bit of advice about your website. While the 'mockup' shots look great, they don't really showcase your work. I can barely see the your work. The flyers look great, the BAD JU JU flyer really caught my eye, I clicked for a closer look but it's just a slightly enlarged image of the preview.

    May I suggest some extra images to go with the mockups so we can see the design in all it's beauty, as some of it looks really good.

    Good luck
     
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    TotalWebSolutions

    TotalWebSolutions

    Free Member
    Sep 29, 2009
    3,627
    616
    Stockport
  • #8
    Xtm_Mike said:
    Hi Steff,

    I don't need a logo, but just a little bit of advice about your website. While the 'mockup' shots look great, they don't really showcase your work. I can barely see the your work. The flyers look great, the BAD JU JU flyer really caught my eye, I clicked for a closer look but it's just a slightly enlarged image of the preview.

    May I suggest some extra images to go with the mockups so we can see the design in all it's beauty, as some of it looks really good.

    Good luck
    Click to expand...

    To add. If you are going to put more images for full view make sure you protect them! The last thing you want is someone being able to 'yoink' your designs.
     
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    S

    Sevoris

    Free Member
    May 4, 2016
    11
    0
  • #10
    Have to say, I really like your work and your website looks very professional! As has already been mentioned, having high-res images, maybe with a faint watermark over them, would make it even better.

    As far as brand awareness, may I ask what you're currently doing to promote it?
     
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    sosteffso

    sosteffso

    Free Member
    Apr 25, 2017
    6
    1
    Brighton & Hove
  • #12
    Xtm_Mike said:
    Hi Steff,

    I don't need a logo, but just a little bit of advice about your website. While the 'mockup' shots look great, they don't really showcase your work. I can barely see the your work. The flyers look great, the BAD JU JU flyer really caught my eye, I clicked for a closer look but it's just a slightly enlarged image of the preview.

    May I suggest some extra images to go with the mockups so we can see the design in all it's beauty, as some of it looks really good.

    Good luck
    Click to expand...

    Hi Mike,

    Yes, great advice.. thank you - I never thought about the preview being small but now you've mentioned it, it's on my list of things to sort out.

    Again, thank you!
     
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    sosteffso

    sosteffso

    Free Member
    Apr 25, 2017
    6
    1
    Brighton & Hove
  • #14
    Sevoris said:
    Have to say, I really like your work and your website looks very professional! As has already been mentioned, having high-res images, maybe with a faint watermark over them, would make it even better.

    As far as brand awareness, may I ask what you're currently doing to promote it?
    Click to expand...

    Hi Sevoris,

    Thank you! All advice is noted and I'm taking it onboard!

    Currently, I'm not doing too much. A bit of Facebook advertising, friends sharing etc. and then word of mouth is a big one. I'm trying to figure out the best way to target my audience at the moment. Any advice on this is always appreciated!

    Thanks again.
     
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    threenine

    threenine

    Free Member
    Nov 30, 2012
    767
    174
    Swindon
  • #16
    The purpose of business is to sell services and products with the aim of making a profit.

    The main issue with doing work for free is that it only generates more work for free.

    Buy all means give free samples away on your website, but never ever commit to doing work for free. It never creates the Brand Awareness you hope.
     
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    S

    Sevoris

    Free Member
    May 4, 2016
    11
    0
  • #20
    sosteffso said:
    Currently, I'm not doing too much. A bit of Facebook advertising, friends sharing etc. and then word of mouth is a big one.
    Thanks again.
    Click to expand...

    There are three things I would recommend to get the most out of your promotion.

    1. Business cards

    As a designer you can make a stand-out business card that briefly describes what you do and who you are. Make a bunch of them and make sure to hand them to your existing clients and at any other appropriate opportunity. I'll never forget how silly I felt when I met a prospective customer at a birthday party in a pub of all places and I didn't have my business cards on me to give him.

    2. Send postcard-sized snippets of your portfolio, a kind of extra large business card to prospective customers.

    This is more expensive but if you identify the key companies you want to work with and send them the cards, you can then follow that up with a phone call and inquire about feedback. You can also combine this with email marketing to those same companies, where you send them an additional email with a small portfolio (after first asking for permission to do so of course) and then call back in a day or two for feedback. Just make sure you have a good sales-pitch ready for that!

    Why not just email? Because it's easy to ignore. Sending something physical and then making a call can make all the difference, even if they say they didn't receive the card (secretary binned it,...). You can then send them an email and go from there.

    3. Google AdWords

    You're already using Facebook ads and, assuming that they take up your marketing budget, you could sign up for Google AdWords as well and then run a campaign at each for a month, one after the other. This would give you a comparison to see which works best and you can then use only the one that gives you the best ROI. Not the most scientific way of doing it, but good for a start.
     
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    Jason Mageehan

    Jason Mageehan

    Free Member
    Feb 23, 2017
    93
    15
    Little Bromley, Essex
  • #22
    I started a design agency (a long time ago, stil running) and a photography company .. let me give you some wisdom.

    Creatives will ALWAYS get approached for free work "for exposure"..... NEVER EVER, EVER do it, unless it's a cause that you love and really believe in.

    Like a previous poster said, free work will just breed more free work.

    I like your stuff - but the fact you're putting out work for free tells me one thing - YOU don't believe that you're worth anything. So if I were to approach you, I'd keep pushing you down on price because I know I can....and you will get trampled over.

    Last year, according the the HMRC, there were 5.4 MILLION SME's in the UK. Let me say that again, 5,400,000 Small to Medium sized enterprises - Most of those at some point will require your services.

    So, once you've got through calling all those businesses, perhaps THEN you look at creating a campaign doing this kind of thing...but if you want to grow your business, set a rate and never budge from it. Perhaps you start out being competitive, say £20ph, then after 12 months, you raise to £25....and do a deal with a print company (contact me about that if you like) and use that to bolster your income, you offer to print your business card / letterhead designs etc.

    Hope that helps...be strong.
     
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    A

    Alan

    Free Member
    • Aug 16, 2011
    7,089
    1,974
  • #23
    Valid points although
    Jason Mageehan said:
    Most of those at some point will require your services.
    Click to expand...
    should be

    Most of those at some point will require services similar to yours.

    Jason Mageehan said:
    Let me say that again, 5,400,000 Small to Medium sized enterprises
    Click to expand...

    1,400,000 of those businesses are freelancers, and according to ONS 40% are in design & media, so some 560,000 vying for business, lets assume just under 50% are designers the rest 'other' so leaving 250,000 - and lets assume 1.4 freelancers just don't need designers ( contractors, too tight etc ) leaving 4 million target businesses ... so that is an average of 16 potential clients each ... which means after 4 million phone calls you could win 16 clients .... ?

    Hmm no wonder designers offer free work to try and get noticed.

    ( numbers provided tongue in cheek )
     
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    Jason Mageehan

    Jason Mageehan

    Free Member
    Feb 23, 2017
    93
    15
    Little Bromley, Essex
  • #24
    I disagree - designers often outsource work to other designers, especially if it's in a discipline that they don't like or they have too much work but can provide a good brief to complete the project.

    And yes, there are a lot of freelancers out there - and the problem is that universities TEACH this method of giving work away to build a portfolio - but in my experience it doesn't work in the real world - it might generate work but not cash....and that's what we're in business for isn't it?

    There's always a client around the corner....there will always be competition....the winner isn't always who's cheapest....established businesses want value AND good service and most know this costs money.
     
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    Alan

    Free Member
    • Aug 16, 2011
    7,089
    1,974
  • #25
    You don't disagree - I agree with you.

    Free should only be market of a marketing strategy ( e.g. buy one get one free ) because of the irrational consumer response that free creates.

    If you offer something totally for free - they assume / treat it as if it has zero value
     
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