Freelance Marketing: Distribution

This is the fourth article in a five-part series that details exactly what you need to market your freelance business and make it a success. Your distribution process directly affects the success of your freelance business marketing efforts. Fortunately, there are some tried-and-true marketing distribution techniques you can employ to boost profits this year.

Direct mail is one of the best ways for freelancers to establish a relationship with potential customers. It puts your message right at their fingertips, and if you're a freelance designer or copywriter, it stands as a testament to your work. Showcase your freelance portfolio and pitch your services at the same time with direct-mail marketing. Freelance direct-mail marketing success also hinges on repetition. Don't settle for one postcard blast when you can focus on generating sales from a targeted group with repetition, visibility, and versatility.

Week One: Send a brochure that introduces your company and details how you can solve your customers' problems or otherwise make their jobs easier/lives better.

Week Six: Send a flyer or newsletter that highlights recent news about you as a freelancer.

Week 12: Mail a booklet that details your service offerings and includes case studies about the success past clients have had working with you.

Week 18: Send a targeted calendar for 365-day, year-long visibility.

Week 24: Send a direct-mail postcard that invites customers to join an e-mailing list so you can send email newsletters every day, and print newsletters every month.

Week 30: Send a follow-up greeting card thanking respondents for their interest in your services. Offer to speak to them at any time to see how you can help them achieve their goals.

Word of mouth is the most powerful advertiser, so make sure friends, family and colleagues know what you do and are prepared to spread the word for you. You should consider handing out stickers and business cards to everyone you know for distribution. Place flyers, posters and advertisements in hot spots such as:

• Yellow Pages
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Radio
• Television
• Billboards
• Banners
• Trade journals
• Community bulletin boards
• University, office and industrial hot spots
• Online

Test, track, and tweak your freelance marketing campaigns to identify what works.

• Test different variations of your printed marketing materials on small portions of your mailing list before launching the full campaign. Sometimes a single word change can make a big difference in your return on investment.
• Track response rates and record who responds to further refine your target demographics.
• Tweak your printed marketing materials to cater to your audience.

Keep a database of customers and respondents, and evaluate recognizable trends so you can customize offers and make business decisions based on proven statistics and not assumptions.