AJC Marketing

No matter the project, the main thing I need to know is all about your business, when it started, how it started, what your values are, what types of customers you have and who you're targeting. I love to learn each businesses story, as every single one is unique and builds a real picture into your company's life.

Once I've learnt all about your business, I like to then find out what your aim is for your project, what are your overall company goals, what do you want to get out of this particular project? For example, new leads, new sales, increase brand recognition, increase digital presence...

I would then ask you to provide a few examples of things you like - i.e. for website design I would ask you to send me a couple of links to websites you like the look of and point out parts you do and don't like. For logo and branding design I would ask you to share a couple of logo's you like the look of.
Also, for websites I would need to know if you already have a website and what the link is for that.

Once I've been given a few examples of what you like/don't like and had a discussion about your business, I would start doing further research to help with inspiration and then would start sketching or jotting down ideas - layouts/colours/text styles. Just really rough ideas to start giving me a feel.
Then once one or two sketches/ideas trigger inspiration in us both, I will then play about digitally to explore those ideas further.

I like to have ongoing engagement with you, especially at these points, because it helps me to further understand your approach and preferences and find the best solution to your project.

Once we have an idea that seems to be a winner, I then start to perfect this idea and create the finished piece.

Throughout this process communication is key and at any point, even towards the end of finalising something, there can be a need to tweak or change things and that is ok, especially with websites, as it is all part of the process of creating something that you truly love in the end.

For all projects, the more I know about your business the more I can understand and help you to get the best outcome possible for your project. I have included a few general info needs for starting specific services below -

Design Work (logo, marketing collateral, digital marketing) - A few examples of things that you like, your own preferences, any things to steer clear of completely, your deadline.

Website design - Examples of websites you like/don't like, company description, branding guidelines (including font names and brand colour codes), logo files (all versions).

Social Media - Company description, contact details (for adding to social accounts), logo files (all versions), branding guidelines (colour codes, font names etc),

I love all things creative, but I especially love the feeling of starting a project from scratch, where a client doesn't really know what they want, and then gradually building something that they absolutely love at the end.

Helping self-employed and smaller businesses to really improve their business, I love what a significant difference a few small marketing suggestions or implementations can make to them and I love being able to learn all about so many different industries :)

Going out freelance is something I wanted to do for a long time before I eventually took the leap. Although I had extensive marketing experience, I could never quite justify leaving a steady regular income for the unknown, but then the pandemic hit!

I was furloughed for a while, which provided me with an opportunity to really focus on helping my two beautiful kids with the new challenges of home-schooling and being in the first lockdown. But also, because I suddenly had so much more time on my hands, I started to really focus on what I wanted, and I began to help out a few friends and family with their digital marketing.

It was doing those first few projects for my family and friends that really inspired, and gave me the confidence to believe that I was really capable of starting up on my own. So when the inevitable happened and I was made redundant, I had already made a plan and started preparing myself to start up my own business.

Things I love about working for myself...
By working for myself now, I have control over my earnings, I am able to be more flexible with my hours to juggle work and family and I get to work with a variety of people from different backgrounds with different expertise, I am constantly learning new things now more than I ever did before!

I put my heart and sole into every single project that I take onto my books, no matter how big or small.

I provide a true personal touch, which more often than not, goes on after a project. Every single client that I have worked with so far, knows that they can pick up the phone and just ask me for advice or a quick question, no agenda, no strings attached, just a chat and some free advice. And many of them have done, and still do this now.

Although I do offer retainer based contracts for those that do not have the time or inclination to manage their website or social media. I am of the opinion of "teach a man to fish"... all of my services (design work aside) will include training based on your requirements, with pdf how to's that you have access to, for referring back to long after the project and training has been completed.

Absolutely! That's the beauty of digital marketing, it's all digital!

We can keep in contact via zoom, teams, phone calls, emails, or a combination, whatever works for you.

Details of your communication preferences can be agreed on before the project begins.

As a digital service provider I am able to keep things completely contactless, with all services and contact carried out through digital means. Where I may have previously met clients for a coffee meeting in person, I am now requesting all communication is digital until the government confirms that it is safe to meet in person once again.