Abracadbra

I've been reading "The Wizard of Ads," by Roy H. Williams. You can get his "Monday Morning Memo" for free on his site. It has great insights on advertising and marketing.

I do a lot of graphic design work. Print. Web. Video.

I hadn't really thought of myself as a marketer. I've had a couple of sales jobs in the past.

I hated them.

Sales jobs were always about trying to make the customer walk out having bought more than what they came in for.

"Would you like to sign up for AOL (now that you just spent a thousand bucks on a computer in our store because you didn't realize you could order something better for your money elsewhere)?"

"Do you have one of our club discount cards? No? Are you familiar with the benefits of the... I can shove it where, sir?"

Roy has a chapter in his book called "Cecil, Charlie, and Lagniappe," (Chapter 38). It is about the something extra. It's not about a customer walking away feeling like he and the shopkeep are "even." It's about the customer feeling like they got something extra... even if it cost more.

However, in graphic design, or as I like to think of what I do, media design, the designer (hopefully with the cooperation and support of the client) brings to the public or the audience (because those aren't necessarily the same) the image... the idea... the first taste of the experience.

The designer shapes the first interface with the experience of the product. He builds a frontline of the marketing effort.

So, what am I saying? Am I a marketer? Am I a salesman (after all)? Am I a graphic artist?

Yes.

I want to make my clients look good.

What will that look like?