Jri
Member
Hi all,
I've been here for a few years and have found the site to be a great resource, so firstly, a long overdue thanks to everyone.
As an update on where I'm at, I started in a fairly grim, low level position a couple of years ago (not long before joining here) before gradually getting into a more modern agency recently (which I really enjoy).
On the side - I've freelanced throughout, with limited success. The main hurdles to sustained success (I feel) have been the following:
A) I dabble heavily between illustration and design, not committing.
I feel like I have pretty high competence in both areas, but I go back and forth between the disciplines so much that I don't feel like I occupy any kind of niche long enough to make progress in that area.
B) In general, I undercharge significantly.
This is because most of my clients are friends/family who I enjoy helping, and would feel awkward charging - I haven't put myself out enough to gain non-family clients. It's entirely my fault, but typically any non family jobs I have are ones where I spend a lot of time and effort doing logos that frankly aren't worth the peanuts I charge for white van men (no disrespect to white van men intended). The process is generally exhausting, and these types of client have no interest in branding - they just want a logo, frequently grumbling about being able to get something cheaper by some copy-paste jocky site which must not be named.
My plan to remedy this situation is as follows:
1) Want to stop dabbling and start specialising in the area of illustrative branding - aiming for work with clients that ideally market to the 18-30 demographic (As an example of work I love, which is similar to my own - I have been geeking out on these guys recently: Brethren)
2) As my portfolio is lacking the type of work I want to attract; I want to do some limited amounts of pro-bono (i.e. free of charge) branding work for local companies whom I feel occupy the area described above.
3) To flesh out the pro-bono stuff, I have also considered doing some 'ghost brand' work. By which I mean: making up a brand (I have made up tons of these over the years) and doing a full branding case study.
4) Hopefully, by doing the above, I can create a nice portfolio and in an ideal world garner a degree of social media interest (I have no illusions about the scale of this, but it can't hurt to try).
5) Examine the pro-bono process and come up with supporting documents that both determine what a prospective client wants (a questionnaire perhaps?) and also outline specific proposals, deliverables and price.
6) Once these foundations are laid down, perhaps I could start to pro actively seek work by pitching ideas to clients I want to work with - this will also involve turning down the low-pay-high-hassle jobs in favour of juicier offers?
-
My portfolio is full of daft stuff that won't fulfil these goals, so I am essentially starting from scratch (hence the pro-bono and ghost brand work I mentioned in 2 and 3).
Does anyone have any input, suggestions or even criticism of this approach?
I've been here for a few years and have found the site to be a great resource, so firstly, a long overdue thanks to everyone.
As an update on where I'm at, I started in a fairly grim, low level position a couple of years ago (not long before joining here) before gradually getting into a more modern agency recently (which I really enjoy).
On the side - I've freelanced throughout, with limited success. The main hurdles to sustained success (I feel) have been the following:
A) I dabble heavily between illustration and design, not committing.
I feel like I have pretty high competence in both areas, but I go back and forth between the disciplines so much that I don't feel like I occupy any kind of niche long enough to make progress in that area.
B) In general, I undercharge significantly.
This is because most of my clients are friends/family who I enjoy helping, and would feel awkward charging - I haven't put myself out enough to gain non-family clients. It's entirely my fault, but typically any non family jobs I have are ones where I spend a lot of time and effort doing logos that frankly aren't worth the peanuts I charge for white van men (no disrespect to white van men intended). The process is generally exhausting, and these types of client have no interest in branding - they just want a logo, frequently grumbling about being able to get something cheaper by some copy-paste jocky site which must not be named.
My plan to remedy this situation is as follows:
1) Want to stop dabbling and start specialising in the area of illustrative branding - aiming for work with clients that ideally market to the 18-30 demographic (As an example of work I love, which is similar to my own - I have been geeking out on these guys recently: Brethren)
2) As my portfolio is lacking the type of work I want to attract; I want to do some limited amounts of pro-bono (i.e. free of charge) branding work for local companies whom I feel occupy the area described above.
3) To flesh out the pro-bono stuff, I have also considered doing some 'ghost brand' work. By which I mean: making up a brand (I have made up tons of these over the years) and doing a full branding case study.
4) Hopefully, by doing the above, I can create a nice portfolio and in an ideal world garner a degree of social media interest (I have no illusions about the scale of this, but it can't hurt to try).
5) Examine the pro-bono process and come up with supporting documents that both determine what a prospective client wants (a questionnaire perhaps?) and also outline specific proposals, deliverables and price.
6) Once these foundations are laid down, perhaps I could start to pro actively seek work by pitching ideas to clients I want to work with - this will also involve turning down the low-pay-high-hassle jobs in favour of juicier offers?
-
My portfolio is full of daft stuff that won't fulfil these goals, so I am essentially starting from scratch (hence the pro-bono and ghost brand work I mentioned in 2 and 3).
Does anyone have any input, suggestions or even criticism of this approach?