Enterprise: Task 5

"Write 10 short but informative statements that identify your distinctive ‘positioning’ as a Graphic Designer." 

1. I am a type driven designer, focusing on layout within my work.
2. I am willing to collaborate with other professionals to gain a unique outcome.
3. Music is part of my life and will always be a passion of mine.  My personal work will always reflect it in some way.
4. I strongly believe that every event in life should be reflected and learned upon, good or bad.  This goes for every piece of work that I produce.
5. Colour is something that should be considered, well thought out and applied carefully.  It shouldn't be left as an afterthought and added just because it 'looks nice'.
6. Illustration isn't a strong point of mine, and I will never claim it to be so.  Working to my strengths is something that I will always adhere to, I will never give my clients false promises.
7. Freelance is something that I want to explore, but working in a small studio is something that I aspire to.  It promotes creativity and gives clients more options when choosing the designer they want to work with.
8. I will focus my practice around good customer service.  Without clients there is no work and no income.  They are the core to my practice, and by treating them with respect I will create a reputation I am proud of and, hopefully, returning clients.
9. I feel that I have good verbal communication skills, which can be constantly built upon through meeting clients and speaking with professionals.
10. As a freelancer, I will always charge competitive prices that reflect the work that I produce, without being negotiated down to a price that isn't representative to the work the client will receive.  I will make sure the client respects my skills as a designer.

Enterprise: Task 4

"Based on the principles that have been introduced in lecture 4 of the Enterprise module and your responses to the previous tasks, evaluate the Strengths and Weaknesses of three practitioners or design agencies as objectively as you can."

http://www.allelementsmedia.co.uk/#

Strengths
Professional looking website, user friendly.
Up front with their prices, packages and deals - no hassle.
Offers own printing, limiting the number of contacts that the client needs to arrange.

Weaknesses
No obvious full portfolio, shop still under construction.
Established in 2011, fairly new and inexperienced.

Opportunities
Can use their 'fresh' image to their advantage, appealing to nightclubs and student events.

Threats
Not receiving their planned amount of client work.
Failure to promote their services as well as planned.

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http://brandingboss.com/

Strengths
Clean website, user friendly.
Persuasive language used within the site.
Clear gallery, easy viewing.

Weaknesses
Located in Morley, not so central to other major cities if there was a business enquiry somewhere outside Leeds.

Opportunities
Can receive work from returning clients from their decent backlog of previous work.

Threats
Potential business could be lost through location.


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http://www.halfheaddesign.com/

Strengths
Predominantly web based, specialist design.
Offers MySpace work, a social network popular with bands.
In depth portfolio with description of project.

Weaknesses
Specialist status also reduces client range.
Limited opportunity for real-world presence through exhibitions etc.

Opportunities
Being web based also allows for easier global expansion.

Threats
Modern coding that won't work with some of the clients' customers' browsers - could lower reputation without being at fault.

Enterprise: Task 3

"Based on the principles that have been introduced so far in the Enterprise module and your findings in previous tasks, evaluate the most suitable marketing methodologies for your own practice and the most effective methods to reach your potential customers."

The people that I am trying to appeal to are those in the Music Industry.  It is full of young talent, competing to supply bands, gigs and venues with constant material that reflects upon the client's ethos in a visually representative way.

To get to these customers, it is vital that I advertise, promote and partake in personal selling & direct marketing.  Advertising my services through social media, by setting up an online blog and encouraging discussion from the public will generate interest in the Music Industry in particular.

I would have to get directly involved with the industry, through public relations.  Writing articles for up and coming bands, generating a general interest in the Music Industry will help establish myself as a specialist in this sector.  If clients see me as passionate as I am about music, they will be more likely to employ my services.

Through this, getting contacts within the Music Industry and attracting people that share the same interests, I can sell personal work of mine, whether that be t-shirt designs for example or wall posters.  Running side projects will keep the creativity flowing and promoting more interest in me as a designer.

Personal work can also be exhibited and up for sale by selling them at print fairs.  As long as it has a link to the music sector, then I will attract the right kind of people - even if it isn't potential clients I will still promote public interest which is always good.  This would strictly be side projects for personal promotion as a designer, and will help to spread my name around the Leeds Area.  This is an example of how I would directly market myself to the public and potential clients through direct interaction, rather than as an online presence.

Enterprise: Task 2

"Based on the principles that have been introduced so far in the Enterprise module, as well as the previous tasks, investigate, analyse and critically evaluate where your potential clients are located" 

The clients I would aim for would mostly be promoters, bands and venues.  These are predominantly based around metropolitan areas, large bustling cities such as London, Birmingham and Manchester.  Because I am based around the northern sector of England, for now at least, I think my main clients would be based around Leeds, Sheffield and Wakefield - also looking at other smaller cities such as Barnsley, Doncaster and York.  I would also look into cities that are located slightly further away but with a large client base, such as Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle.

My client group traditionally use printed materials and TV & Radio adverts to promote their material.  Although I can't produce the latter two, printed material such as posters, flyers and magazine ads are all key parts of their promotion.  In recent years, new media has come through that allows for further promotion of my client group.  The internet has introduced social media, Youtube videos, online blogs, music streaming sites and many more to raise awareness of bands and music gigs.

I need to communicate a sharp awareness of the industry, current trends and efficient design work to match my client's ambitions.  I have researched into Leeds based record labels, where there will be a good number of clients that I can offer my services.  One that caught my eye were Squirrel Records, who feature The Cribs as part of their list of bands.  I decided to apply the PEST analysis to these:

Political:
Supports bands who have the right to make songs that reflect on government standards.

Economical:
Boosts local economy around the Leeds area by supporting local bands.

Social:
Promotes a social aspect on the bands and encourages discussion and interaction through music.
Events that the bands will play brings people together.

Technology:
Uses new media to advertise their bands through social media and website design.

http://www.squirrelrecords.co.uk/
http://www.leedsmusicscene.net/links/record_labels.html

Enterprise: Task 1

"Based on the principles that have been introduced so far in the Enterprise module, investigate who you are as a creative in relation to who is out there looking for creative talent."

A list of key client groups that use graphic design:

• Retail
• Music Industry
• Film & Theatre
• Bars & Clubs
• Publishing
• Government
• Councils
• Clothing
• Charities
• Online Stores
• Online Services
• Travel
• Food & Beverage
• Independent Stores
• Gaming
• Comic Books/Illustrative Journals

The client groups that reflect my current ambitions would be Gaming, Film & Theatre, the Music Industry and Clothing.  As I think it has a broader set of possibilities, I have decided to focus on the Music Industry, as groups such as Bars & Clubs and Clothing could be classed as sub-categories.

One of my strengths in design is with type, and I feel like I can benefit the most through editorial design.  I have always had an interest in creative layout design, and would be interested in pushing the boundaries in this sector of graphic design.

An ability to create quick mock-ups are needed, which I need to improve on.  Drawing isn't a strong point of mine, and upon improving this I believe that I can perform better as an overall designer.

I have a basic understanding of the software used in publishing and editorial, so expanding on my knowledge of InDesign and Quark is vital in progressing in my professional practice.

I aim to be an expert on type, to learn the "science" of layout and to have an understanding of how viewers respond to different editorial designs.

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What skills do I have that reflect on the Music Industry?

What skills are needed and what skills do I want to develop?

What are my professional/creative aims and how do they relate to the needs of the Music Industry?

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PRODUCT, PLACE, PRICE & PROMOTION

One of the reasons that the Music Industry reflects my current ambitions is the fact that it is a huge part of my life.  I have a direct interest in this client group - this will encourage a more enjoyable experience for both me and the client that will produce the highest quality work that I have to offer.

By getting direct experience in the market, I will be able to determine prices that are both competitive and sufficient for me to earn a healthy wage.  This is a skill that I aim to develop further into my practice, by talking directly with designers that work within the industry and carrying out the necessary research on the web.  I will also have to consider inflation, and be aware of these changing rates.

Although designs for the music industry are featured in entertainment stores through album covers and posters etc. there is a growing demand for music online.  This means that clients require web-based content more than ever - websites, email designs and interactive material is something that I will have to consider when exploring this client group.

It would be beneficial for me to look into HTML and web design, as well as other coding languages such as CSS.  This would give me an advantage over other competitors if I offer this as part of my practice, by offering high quality, fully functioning design for both web and print.  It would open up the possibility to bundle my services, for example offering a client a poster design, album cover and web page for a slightly cheaper price than all 3 separately.  It would give the client a better deal, and would give me a bigger lump some and a better income.  The pricing deal would be a better incentive for other potential clients to buy in bulk, and would attract more business and build a healthy client list faster.