As I’ve been doing a major office cleaning, I discovered that I have a small crate of Bodoni shirts in both black and white left. And, the less I have to move, the better! So, this week I will be running a special with all Bodoni shirts marked down from $22.00 to $16.00. SHOP HERE!
Mouse ears, Disneyland
Glasses, Oscar + Fitch
Zipper dress and tee, H&M
Leggings and bow belt, Forever 21
Helvetica necklace, Star
Wedges, Michael Kors
Bag, Miu Miu
Packing Up. My office is looking more empty by the day. I’ve been slowly but surely packing it up because I am moving very, very soon! My brother, Lee and I will soon all be under one roof. I’ve lived with all guys for the last 15 years so I think I can handle it!
Those Glasses. They’re just so good. Basic, solid and stylish. Oscar + Fitch really delivered!
Shoes. I never realized how many light colored shoes I own. Grays, whites and silvers are a great way to lighten up for summer.
To Do. It’s the obsessive Virgo in me that makes a to-do list every day and crosses off each task as it gets finished. It’s the only way I can keep track of what to blog and where to be at any given time.
Inspiring Meetings. Earlier today I had a meeting at Stumptown (on Belmont) about the possibility of doing my own workshop around the topics of marketing yourself as a designer and the role of blogging & social networking in a designer’s life. I’ve been wanting to do this for so long and now that the opportunity is presenting itself, I’m so excited!
How was your week?
• A vintage collection of Coke cans with pop-inspired designs. Why oh why don’t they still look like this?!
• As a freelancer, you often have to figure out what a client’s feedback really means and Five Common Client Phrases Decoded can be a tremendous help.
• The 3/50 Project: Pick three local businesses that you’d hate to see close and spend $50.00 at each.
• The Old Coupons Set on Flickr is a trip down memory lane!
• Dieter Rams’ 80s-era a list of Good Design in 10 Commandments still holds true.
• A look back at some of the classic covers of THE FACE magazine.
• How to make the web work for your business in 5 steps.
• I adore these Lolita-esque photos.
• Alphabet Keychains…I’ll take one of each, please.
• Find out who’s responsible for the largest bankruptcies in U.S. history.
• Checking out the Guardian’s Changing Face of Everyday Design chart is an absolute must. It covers everything from changes in telephone designs to The Queen’s hat choices!
What are your favorite links of the week?
Over the last few weeks, one of the self-initiated projects that I have been working on is a 2009 media kit for my freelance design business and blog, Nubbytwiglet.com. Today I want to address why I decided to make a media kit and how it can be beneficial for promoting yourself and your ventures but I’ll start first by showing you the work in progress. My goal is to have the remaining pages finished and ready for download by next Friday:
Media kits are are often used by magazines and other similar businesses because they contain the information that’s necessary for advertisers and sponsors including a quick introduction to the company, stats, frequently asked questions, ad rates and more.
It’s not very common for an individual to make a media kit, but I decided to do so as a marketing experiment. I wanted to create a media kit to give prospective clients and advertisers some insight into what Nubbytwiglet.com is and to explain the ways that they can benefit from my services.
As a designer, you are in charge of not only design-related tasks but also marketing yourself. How are you going to convince potential clients that you are up for the challenge and can assist them with their needs?
I’ve met many amazing designers with work that was totally mind-blowing. But more times than I can remember when I’ve asked those same designers where I could get more information about their work and if they had a website, I’d be met with a vacant look. The bottom line is that it doesn’t matter how brilliant your work is, how great your client list is or how polished your portfolio is if people don’t know how to find you!
As a designer that mainly works with clients remotely via email and phone contact, it is important to build a personal connection, to show them that there is a face and soul behind the facade of a website. By providing them with details about your background including a client list and a brief overview of your history as a designer, you’re giving them that human link that reaches beyond the cold confines of a digital existence.
Though my media kit is still a work in progress, here are some of the things that I’ve decided to include:
Introduction
Blog-related information including stats
Advertising rates
Design services, client list and FAQ
A few examples of my designs
Contact information
Though a media kit isn’t for everyone and a resumé along with a peek at your portfolio will usually suffice, sometimes it’s fun to step outside of the box and to experiment with different formats. It’s exciting to develop new ideas of reaching out to potential clients. It’s okay to be bold, bright and original. Show the world that you’re willing to take a unique approach as a designer.