Week 5: Promoting my offer
Introduction
Last week you identified who you want to sell your product, service or idea to. This week you’ll focus on the best way to do that, developing your pitch and investigating a range of marketing tactics and techniques.
Watch this short video, in which several of the freelance creatives explain what they’ve learned about promoting their businesses.
Download this video clip.Video player: Video 1
Transcript: Video 1
CASSIE LEEDHAM:
This transition from saying, hey here's a thing I'm doing to saying, hey buy this product from me can be tricky.
JOHN SIMPSON:
People have said to me that I'm not very good at promoting myself and I get that. And I think that is a trait that a lot of creative people suffer from.
CASSIE LEEDHAM:
I've tried advertising online it didn't work for me. I think people-- I'm better when I can engage with people, and make them interested in me and my work together.
JESSICA ROWE:
I think social media works wonders in terms of people sharing it and it just having a big reach. But that goes part and parcel with good marketing as well I think that if you've got some really good strong images of what you do and if it sells it in one go then you've got people hooked.
ZAKIA RASHID:
I'm naturally I'm an introvert and so, networking and going out and talking to people like that is actually, it's not uncomfortable, but it's not something I enjoy. So I would get into character and I would put my sales hat on and put on my biggest smile and kind of just get out there, and just talk about my business as if it wasn't mine as if I was selling it for someone else.
CASSIE LEEDHAM:
It's not about saying this is why I'm better than all the other artists. This is why you want to pick me that's not why people like creative things and ultimately they're looking for something, some connection with creativity. So if you're being yourself and being a bit more open then I think that's what gets people interested.
JOHN SIMPSON:
If you give them the story and you give that interaction between them and they can feel it. You've got them, you've got them and you can't do that on the internet.
CASSIE LEEDHAM:
I've never been great at the marketing myself side I find that really difficult. But I think the more I've allowed myself to be myself and less of a product the better it's got.
Video 1
Interactive feature not available in single page view (see it in standard view).
By the end of this week you should be able to:
- identify what makes your business idea or ‘proposition’ stand out
- pitch your offer effectively to your target audience
- understand how social media and online marketing can be used to generate interest.
You’ll begin this week by considering how your idea might stand out from others.