marketing tales

Besides our "back to school" postcard, I haven't done much marketing this year.  Between having a baby and working on book assignments, I just ran out of time.  The last postcard that I sent on my own was this holiday piece from last December.  I hope to send more next year, they have been a great way to generate interest.

marketing tales..

This is the latest postcard that I sent out.  I think postcards are a wonderful way to promote ourselves. They are small, handy, easy to flip through and easy to file or pin up. A great way to remind editors and art directors that we exist!

For this postcard, I wanted to convey an emotion. I wanted to tell a story. I wanted to keep in simple and keep it sweet. I think this image has all those things and that is why I chose it. 

I honestly don't know if it has worked at all. I guess only time will tell... in the mean time, I'll just cross my fingers and wait.  Well.. I'll have to uncross them every now and then in order to keep on working. ;o)

marketing tales

My artist's rep, Christina Tugeau, does promotional mailings a few times a year. Most recently we sent out flyer sheets, 8.5 x 11. It was nice to have so much room to play with! I used this as an opportunity to show character development. I did drop the ball in one area though - I left the back blank. What a missed opportunity! It never even occurred to me to print on the back. I was really busy with deadlines at the time and I put this together in a big hurry. I won't make that mistake again! Next time, I'll use both sides.

Marketing Tales

Here is a double-sided mailer I made for my agent's spring mailing this year. You can often get double-sided printing for just a little more than one-sided printing. I took advantage of it for this mailing. It was nice to have designated page for traditional media and a designated page for digital. I also liked that one side was horizontal in composition, and one side is vertical. It's good to mix things up sometimes.
Now, looking at this months later, I'm thinking I need to create a real logo for myself. It's something I've thought on, on and off, for so long. But just like the people who do your taxes are the last people to do their own, so am I when it comes to creating my own logo.
*sigh*... Maybe next year!

Marketing Tales

Having a rep that I trust has helped immensely with my marketing efforts. My main priority right now is to produce work that will help her get me more assignments. Doing a self critique, I realized that my portfolio was lacking. I need more storytelling, expressions, humor and children. My rep added to my list with requests: religious, multi-ethnic and historical.

I've been transitioning to a new medium this year (digital felt) and it has opened up a whole new world to me. I feel like I have a lot more freedom to explore color and composition and I'm looking foreword to the challenge.

Marketing Tales

Currently, promotional postcards are my biggest marketing tool. The above was my third card last year since I started sending them, but the first to get me book and magazine illustration work! Even though I felt like I was taking a big risk by NOT showing kids (or even animals) it felt uniquely me in both the humor and content. The idea came to me probably 6 months earlier, and sat as a scribble on a sticky-note on my desk until I decided I just HAD to work on it. At the end of the day, you are selling your unique style and point of view - and that can be the key to getting noticed!