Unemployed Talent Can be a Boon for Small Businesses’ Bottom Line

By Dexter Julius,
Freelance Art Director

While the economy may be showing some slow signs of recovery, unemployment remains at its highest in years. The market s to be saturated with professionals who are given pink slips daily because of lack of work, not lack of talent. Hit particularly hard are the marketing services sectors of advertising, design and public relations — industries that are among the first to feel the budget crunch when corporate sales decline. With the onset of slashed marketing budgets and agency downsizing, some of the of the country’s greatest talent have found themselves out of work.

Ironically, while the prospect of regaining employment in these areas remain dim for most, it does present a unique opportunity to small and mid sized businesses looking to grow. This recent crop of out-of-work marketing experts is now affording companies the opportunity to take advantage of valuable talents that were once beyond their budgets.

I myself am the perfect case study. Unable to regain employment as an art director in these tough times, I began to seek out some freelance work before my savings dwindled to pennies. With a little self-promotion and networking, I’ve managed to thrive by working on various marketing activities for small- and mid-sized organizations across the country.

To this point, finding the right freelance talent can help a small company achieve their bottom line while allowing them to forgo high agency fees — and this goes far beyond finding a professional graphic designer to replace those rudimentary desktop publishing programs that so many depend on. A skilled freelancer has the necessary know-how to create strategic concepts designed to deliver results. Complete high-end, revenue-driving activities including advertising campaigns, direct marketing tactics, corporate identity and Web design are now within reach.

Furthermore, freelance services are not limited to design and marketing. I have a good friend in public relations that began his own boutique operation after being laid off by his agency — an agency that was charging up to $350 an hour for his services. Today, he’s establishing credibility for small- and mid-size companies via successful media and community relations programs at a fraction of that hourly rate.

Whatever your business objectives and goals may be, finding the best freelancer for the job is not difficult to do. The truth is, there are heaps of them out there that want your business. The Internet is a great place to begin your search. The Web site for a well-respected design industry magazine, Communications Arts (www.commarts.com), has hundreds of online portfolios for graphic design artists across the country to sift through. The American Institute of Graphic Artists, one the industry’s largest associations, also has similar listings on its Web site at www.aiga.org.

As any experienced graphic designer should have a feel for both concept and design, your situation might require some more strategic thought. If this is the case, you might want to seek out the expertise of an art director. In addition to graphic design skills, art directors have more experience in creating complete marketing programs to maximize return on investment.

While art directors might be harder to come by, they are also lurking about on the Internet sites mentioned above. You may also find them on brainbid.com, ifreelaners.com and ubidcontract.com, which allow buyers to open their projects up for bid by multiple service providers. At no cost, anyone can list a description of the services they desire and, in a matter of days, choose from the best proposal at the right price. Of course, more traditional methods work just as well. Consider taking a reasonably priced ad in the help wanted section as the talent you seek is certainly scouring the Sunday ads weekly in search of work.

No matter where you find a freelancer, don’t let geography be a deciding factor in hiring someone with superior skills. The digital age makes it possible to handle these sorts of dealings from anywhere. I have completed projects from all over the United States, from concept to design, revisions to delivery, via the Internet — in some cases without even having to pickup the phone. Once you do locate a few freelancers with the talents that match your needs, here are some things to consider before making the final decision. Don’t be afraid to bargain. Most freelancers are hungry for business and are working out of their home with no expensive overhead.

Furthermore, freelancers rely heavily on word of mouth, so make sure to ask for some of their other clients as references. When checking these references, ask about what kind of results the freelancer’s work is yielding. Is the client experiencing greater sales and brand recognition?

It’s also very important to ask about schedule adherence. A good freelance professional is able to deliver quality work on a reasonable deadline. Question them about additional services they can help you with. Most freelancers know how to get the best deals on additional services that include printing, Web hosting, list acquisition and bulk mailing and will even manage the process for you. Some even team up with other professionals to offer multiple service packages. On occasion, I’ve enlisted my pal in public relations I mentioned earlier to deliver a more robust program for clients.

Most importantly, don’t forget to ask for samples. Any established professional is going to have a strong portfolio containing the concepts and campaigns they’ve worked on and should be able to send you sample files via email.

Finally, don’t fret that a one-man show might mean a limited level of service. I myself experience a much higher level of creative freedom being unchained from the agency cubicle I was so used to. Without answering to a higher power, I know that the work I do reflects on me and only me. There is no other name on the door but mine, so you can bet I’m going to give it my all, as most freelancers will. All things considered, the potential in working with a freelance marketer is much better than the alternative trip to the local copy center where the success of your business will depend on a concept developed by someone making minimum wage.

Dexter Julius is a freelance art director and graphic designer based in New York City. •