Remind People You Exist

The subject of this post might seem strange, but it's very important to do just that: remind people you exist, at least in the graphic design sense. If you don't touch base with clients, ex-clients and even friends and family, many are likely to forget that you are a graphic designer looking for business. A simple email, holiday card or newsletter will keep you fresh in people's minds, so they think of your name next time they need work done or hear of someone else needing design help.

The longer you work in the business, the longer your contact list will get, so organization is key. Keep your contact list up-to-date so it's ready next time you want to send something out. You'll also need a good system to keep your list, whether it's your own solution or someone else's, and a way to contact that list.

• Campaign Monitor: Campaign Monitor is an email marketing service built with designers in mind.
• Emma: Emma is an online service that manages email newsletter marketing, from organizing contacts to creating design templates to statistics reporting.
• Highrise: Highrise, created by 37signals, is an excellent online system designed to manage contacts and communication with clients.
• MaxBulk Mailer: MaxBulk Mailer is a stand-alone application ideal for sending newsletters and other emails to large groups.
• How to Create an Email Newsletter: Five steps to setting up your email newsletter.