Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
you are already very focused and aware of your
possible market, you might simply research individual
prospects.
Depending on why you are creating a portfolio,
you may pause at, stop on, or skip directly to any of
four progressively more detailed research stages.
Most people aren't able to identify
anything specific about their cli-
ents. For years, I've asked, “Who's
your customer?” and got “every-
body” as the answer. My favorite
“everybody” came from the owner
of a chain of stores that sold tires
and wheels for lowriders. So I said,
“You're telling me that obstetricians'
wives from Encino are going to drive
down to get light pipes put on their
Mercedes?” It turned out that
“everybody” was 19- to 25- year-old
males—85% African-American, 15%
Latin-American. . . somewhat
1. Do basic market research.
Savvy creative professionals always ask, "Who's
your customer?" of their clients. Design and advertis-
ing are driven by market forces. Each individual mar-
ket needs to be approached in a unique way. We all
know—or we should—that it's hard to develop a good
logo, design effective communication, or create a kill-
er game if you haven't a clue about who you need to
sell to, speak to, or impress.
We may complain about our clients' myopia, but
we can be guilty of the same career crime. Although
you can do every type of work for anyone, you are
probably better at some types of projects than others.
The end result is more satisfying and better produced, and you're proud to show it.
Why not make yourself more attractive to people who can offer you such a project?
When you aren't consistently getting the work that you would like, you either
have to look closely at yourself (as we did in Chapter 2, “Assessment and Adaptation”)
or your working environment. If you're not sure how to define your audience or what
type of audience matches you best, the “Market assessment” sidebar provides a list to
spark your thinking.
Which of these items is most important to you? Priorities matter because your
ideal situation may not exist. Refer to your self-assessment in Chapter 2 to help you
prioritize and narrow your focus.
You might not be sure of how some factors play out—company size, for exam-
ple. A large corporation may put you to work on one mammoth project, giving you an
overview of process and production. Or if you're looking for clientele, you may have
prior experience with certain demographics. Should you look for a client that sells to
that market? If you're not sure how some of these topics affect your job or client
search, you've found a good subject to research.
For example, let's say that you want a better idea of how company size is likely
to impact your project opportunities. You could move forward by selecting a small
group of companies that do your type of work—half large (advertising companies or
design firms listing more than one branch) and half small (firms with a single princi-
pal's name or with a creative or unusual identity are often small, personal concerns).
more
specific than “everybody.”
—Gunnar Swanson
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