July 9, 2015

Marketing Ideas for Freelancers: 20+ Real-Life Examples

Marketing Ideas for Freelance Creatives - Real-Life Examples

20+ Marketing Ideas Actually Used by Freelance Creatives

Borrow, steal, mix and stir these tried & tested marketing ideas! These ideas are all used by freelance businesses (or small creative businesses). All run by real-life, established graphic designers, illustrators, web designers or photographers.

To read more about the specific marketing example, click the round images! To visit the website of the freelance creative or small creative business behind it, use the “used by” links.

Marketing IdeaCase StudyUsed byCategory
Ask NYC's top creative directors for a job when they Google themselves, $6 campaignMarketing Ideas for FreelancersAlec BrownsteinGoogle AdWords
Build your local authority by organizing your own workshopMarketing Ideas for Freelancers - Workshop - Molly MasonMolly MasonPublic Speaking
Build your email list and retargeting list with Google AdWordsMarketing Ideas for Freelancers - AdWords - Andrew AkinyedeAndrew AkinyedeGoogle AdWords
Build your email list with a first-project discountMarketing Ideas for Freelancers - First-Project Discount - Reliable PSDReliable PSDCall to Action
Buy promoted tweets to get your CV directly in front of potential end clientsMarketing Ideas - How $200 on Promoted Tweets Got This Freelancer a 6 Month ContractBary McGeeTwitter Marketing
Focus your marketing by picking a nicheMarketing Ideas for Freelancers40+ examples of niches actually pickedIdeal Client
Generate leads by sending 500 paper letters to hand-picked prospectsMarketing Ideas for FreelancersDavid LaMartinaDirect Mail
Get publicity by making a badass business cardMarketing Ideas. Get publicity by making a badass business card.Chad MichaelPR
Get publicity by marrying your design project with a inspiring storyMarketing Ideas for FreelancersOskar PernefeldtPR
Get your prospect's attention by drawing their portraitMarketing Ideas for Freelancers - Drawing Your Prospect's Portrait - Dawn SchreinerDawn SchreinerFacebook Marketing
Get your prospect's attention by illustrating their tweetMarketing Ideas for Freelancers - Illustrating Your Prospect's Tweet - David Michael MooreDavid Michael MooreTwitter Marketing
Get Google traffic to your website by focusing your SEO & contentMarketing Ideas for Freelancers - SEO - Brent GallowayBrent GallowaySEO
Connect with prospect's by a nostalgic Wolly Willy with your own bald headMarketing Ideas for FreelancersJamie ReedDirect Mail
Keep yourself top-of-mind by sending out promo postcards regularlyMarketing Ideas for Freelancers - Promo Postcard - Nick IluzadaNick IluzadaDirect Mail
Keep yourself top-of-mind by sending a branded keep-sake gift Marketing Ideas for FreelancersTouchwood DesignDirect Mail
Make an epic first impression by sending out 400 action figures of yourself Marketing Ideas for FreelancersJens LennartssonDirect Mail
Get a meeting by purchasing the .com names of top creative directors and hold their page ransomMarketing Ideas for FreelancersGrinter SpencerDirect Mail
Showcase your creative skills by creating illustrated, animated GIFsSelf-Promotion Example for Graphic Designers. Cute, Illustrated GIFs Got This Graphic Designer 9 New Clients & 10,000Marta BerzinaPR
Start the sales process by offering an 1-hour strategy talk to your newsletter subscribersMarketing Ideas for Freelancers - Strategy Talk - New TricksNew TricksCall to Action
Get busy art directors' attention by sending out a paper zine based on someone's diary Marketing Ideas for Freelancers - Paper ZineEsther Pearl WatsonDirect Mail

Want more ideas? Go here for 100+ field-tested ways to get web design clients.

Do you have your own real-life example of a successful marketing idea for freelancers? Any other nifty tips for how a creative business can find new clients? Do share! Shoot me an email!