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The Internet is Changing the Way
Freelance Creative Pros Market their Services and Generate Work
by Brian S. Konradt of BSK Communications and Associates
The Internet is helping freelance creative
professionals "bring prospective clients to their computer screens," and
generate leads, "while they sleep," says Brian S. Konradt, owner of
http://www.FreelanceWriting.com, a
Web site for writers and creative professionals.
According to Konradt, more and more freelance
creative pros are establishing their own Web sites as a cost-efficient way to
market their creative services to different parts of the U.S. and generate leads
24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"Many freelance creative pros design their Web
sites to resemble multi-component portfolios," says Konradt. "These online
portfolios usually contain their samples, descriptions of services, list of
clients, fee structures, and additional information which are used to
persuasively sell themselves to prospective clients."
Because a Web site is like an "independent
marketing machine that can generate leads on its own, freelance creative pros
are cutting back their day-to-day traditional marketing and using the extra time
to work longer on billable assignments and projects," says Konradt.
In addition, freelance creative pros are also
relying on their Web sites for other valuable functions, such as:
- Locating work in lucrative markets.
"An advantage of having a Web site-presence," says Konradt, "is if a
freelancer can't find work locally due to fierce competition or recessive
economical conditions, he or she can quickly and cheaply lure prospective
clients in other lucrative markets to his or her Web site and initiate a
sell."
- Saving money on traditional printing and
marketing costs.
"These days when a prospective client calls up a freelancer to request
samples or information about his services, the freelancer gives out his Web
site address," says Konradt. "A prospective client can view the freelancer's
samples and additional information online in a matter of minutes without
leaving his office."
This approach, notes Kontradt, has not only helped freelancers respond to
the needs of prospective clients faster, but also it has helped freelancers
cut burdening marketing and printing costs associated with reproducing their
slick multi-component promotional packages and mailing them to prospective
clients.
- Soliciting specific information about the
prospective client before initiating a sell.
Web sites can contain HTML-coded response forms to request specific
information about the prospective clients problems and needs. When the
prospective client completes the online response form ("it's much like a
direct mail reply card," says Konradt) and submits the contents, the
information is e-mailed instantly to the freelancer's e-mail address. The
freelancer can then evaluate the information, drum up workable suggestions on
ways to solve the prospective client's problems and fulfill his needs, and
plan out a strategy to turn the prospective client into a paying client―all
before the freelancer speaks one-on-one with the prospective client.
- Increasing client communications
"Working conditions between the freelancer and the client are improving
with the Internet," says Konradt. "A client can e-mail the freelancer long
documentation and detailed instructions about a project, and the freelancer
can e-mail the client daily or weekly progress reports to keep the client
posted with the project's progress."
- Sharpening traditional marketing tools for
increased results.
Freelancers are not abandoning traditional marketing―they are learning to
blend traditional marketing with Internet marketing to sharpen their response
rates. Today many freelancers advertise their Web site addresses on their
business cards, letterheads, ads, direct mail pieces, premiums, article
bylines and other promotional materials to lure prospective clients to their
Web sites. "Now a business card can potentially lead the prospective client to
the freelancer's Web site where a lot more information can be gathered
quickly," says Konradt, who also adds: "The freelancer also gets a second
attempt to turn the prospect into a paying client with the persuasive,
subtle-selling content at his Web site."
Brian Kontradt is the owner and operator of
FreelanceWriting.com, a Web site
dedicated to help writers master the business and creative sides of freelance
writing. Mr. Konradt is also the principal of BSK Communications and Associates,
a communications/publishing business in New Jersey, which he established in
1992.
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