A day in the cold, hard world....

[zacvin]

It is great to be back to my computer and design books! I spent yesterday at a big home and garden show, talking (or trying) to business, offering them my business card and brochure. It just really sucks when you are the salesman! I might have a lead or two, but man, it is a lot of work and rejection for a few bucks! I guess it would not be so bad if people did not look at twenty-year-olds like they should have be having a hangover this early in the morning. Being young just causes people to think that you are not professional, or that you not capable.

Dose anyone have any good suggestions on ways to advertise? I have a good site, great business cards, a brochure, an add in the paper, and yet I can't get much. What I really would like to do is get more clients from different locals vie the internet, instead of business locally. Any suggestions?

-Zach

As always, sign my micro-guest book bellow!

[sploenk]

Hi there,

I have got the same problem. I'm 23 but I look more like 18
I've got my own advertising/design business for 1,5 years.
The best way to find clients are looking in your own region
You'll be surprised how much work there is. Ask your friends, your friends friends, family and other familiar people.
It worked for me cause after a half year I'm drowning in work.

Best of luck, Seeya

[jelve]

Hey guys!
I'm 51 but I can pass for 49 any day!

My advice: persistence, try to get business from friends (as sploenk says) - face it, until you've got a few good sites in your portfolio, it's hard to attract clients. Often, your friends or acquaintances will be willing to take a chance on you when strangers won't.
Offering some free work to a non-profit or charity can be a good way to get a real URL in your portfolio. You can often get a tax deduction, too.

BTW, don't lament your youth too much. I actually find that my age is a disadvantage, too. Some people think that you can't be 'with it' enough to do web-type work if you're not in your twenties or early thirties.

Cheers,

[zacvin]

Thanks for all the advice everybody. I guess that I will try to use all my off time to increase my portfolio. The problem with doing free work (I have done quite a bit of it too) is always that people either are not very interested about quality, or they think that you can (and will) do any thing that they like, even when you know that it is poor design taste. Plus, most "free sites" that people what you to build don't have a lot too them. If they where only bigger, in terms of content, they could look more like what many business want.

It sounds crazy, but I think people treat you better (most of the time) if they pay YOU, than if you pay THEM!

But anyway, I would would not mind doing more free work for my portfolio if it was for a business or non-prog. org. that knew what they wanted.

Later--and everybody, don't forget to sign my micro-guest book bellow!

[sploenk]

Hi,

your absolutly right. These non-profit organisations don't care about design or quality. Just a few days ago a non-profit organisation wanted me to make a website. (I don't give you all the adres because it's terrifying) the came with a few illustrations made with pen and it looks like a 5 year old made it. They want me to put it on the internet.
Conclusion: If people don't respect your work or don't care about the quality, it's hard to make something good, for yourself i mean. I'm not satisfied with this sort of clients so I don't try to attract them.

See you guys

[creep06]

let our work portfolio speak of you than you speak, thatz what i do!

prem
http://www.bprem.com