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Work
at Home Ideas - Desktop Publishing
by Angella Kay,
The Light Keeper.com
Small business newsletters, brochures, sales flyers, promotional
mailings - what do these things have in common? All of them are
made by desktop publishers! Desktop Publishing is a great field
for someone with computer skills and an eye for good design.
Tools you'll need:
The first step to creating good newsletters is to find out what
a good newsletter looks like. Go to your library or our favorite
bookstore, Amazon.com, and
look for books about newsletters and desktop publishing (you'll
find some recommendations on the left of this article). Pick out
designs that appeal to you. What do you like best about the design?
What attracts your eye? If you want to practice, try recreating
the design in your desktop publishing program, or use some of the
pre-installed templates that come with the program.
When you're comfortable with your skills, you'll need to build
your portfolio to show potential customers. One good way to do this
is to contact churches or non-profit organizations (such as your
child's preschool or a local women's shelter) and offer to do a
newsletter for them. Don't take on too much, though - a monthly
newsletter of two to four pages is a good place to start. Family
and Christmas newsletters, brochures and business cards are all
good ways to help build your portfolio. Don't forget to do your
own brochures and business cards!
Getting Clients
Once you have your portfolio, business cards and website set up,
it's time to start searching for clients. Research what other desktop
publishers in your area are charging and price yourself competitively
with them. Don't go too high - you don't want to overprice yourself
- but don't go too low, either: business people generally understand
that "you get what you pay for" and the cheapest isn't
always the best. Emphasize the uniqueness of your product, how quickly
you work with clients and offer a satisfaction guarantee.
Some ideas for finding clients:
Join a Referrals Group or the local Chamber of Commerce.
These are great groups for finding leads and getting your name out
there in the business world.
Approach businesspeople you know. Your dentist, your local
flower shop, your favorite small bookstore - all of these people
use desktop publishing materials in their businesses.
Ask for referrals. If a client loves the work you did for
them, let them know you'll offer a 10% discount on future work if
they refer new clients to you. Word of mouth is one of your strongest
assets.
Good luck in your career as a Desktop Publisher!
DTP Links
Finding
a Desktop Publishing Job - an article from Jacci Howard Bear
of About.com's DTP site.
Desktop
Publishing Ultimate Resource
TJobs
- The Desktop Publishing section at TJobs.com
8
Ways to Get Clients for Your New DTP Business - by Jacci Howard
Bear
Business
Plans for Desktop Publishers - from About.com
Pricing
DTP Work - from About.com
Desktop Publishing Books, eBooks and Materials
Web
Design and Desktop Publishing for Dummies by Robert C. Parker
Author and marketing consultant Roger C. Parker introduces
the fundamentals of design for both print and Web documents, and
he gives you the tools and knowledge you need in order to make dynamite
publications, either for print or for the Web
How
to Market Your Writing or Editing Skills by Dana K. Cassell
- instant download!
Developed from nearly three decades of being a successful,
independent writer, Dana's e-book is filled with real world tips
and Web resources you can use to get your serious writing or editing
career moving.
How
to Start a Home-Based Desktop Publishing Business by
Louise Kursmark
Packed with all the information a graphic designer needs to start
and maintain a business, this guidebook shows how to establish relationships
and exploit untapped areas of the desktop publishing market-from
your house. 46 worksheets, charts, & desktop samples.
Angella Kay is the webmaster
at The Light Keeper.com, a website for at home parents. Sign up
today for The Light Keeper's Journal,
a free weekly newsletter highlighting at home parenting!
Copyright 2002 by Angella Kay.
Reproduction without permission prohibited.
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