Method to the Mayhem

Mayhem Studios contributes to an article, Marketing Your Pro bono Work: It’s All About You, for BoDo, written by wordsmith Thomas Stephan.

Stephan shows how to promote and make your pro bono projects work for you, using press releases, blogs, e-newsletters, forums, social networking and social bookmarking web sites. When writing press releases it should consist of the "Five W's," Who, What, When, Where and Why.

Calvin Lee, of Mayhem Studios, gives his thoughts about self-promotion.

"If you’re a freelancer, self-promotion is a must. How else do you expect a potential client to know about you? Most new designers—even some pros—don’t view self-promotion as an option. Many frown upon self-promoting, as it’s bragging and name-dropping. In a way, it’s bragging but to me it’s more about letting people know who I am and what I can do to help them.”

You can read the full article at Bodo: Marketing Your Pro bono Work: It’s All About You

About Bodo
BoDo: Business of Design Online, blogs about the business of design including: starting your own design business (online or off); marketing; dealing with clients; working with printers, photographers, copywriters and other surrounding industries; pretty much anything to help a design business grow.

About Thomas Stephan
Thomas Stephan carries more than a decade of experience in non-profits of various sizes and venues, and has freelanced for the past 5 years in various creative areas including copywriting, web design, custom graphics for print and web and marketing. He has designed for TT Electronics, The Texas State Aquarium, The University of Texas Law School and Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, and has written for the Art Museum of South Texas, The University of Montana, Korby Imagery and the United States Navy.

Stephan current position is Director of Communications with the largest non-profit social service agency in the state of Texas, where he manages content on four websites, print design, marketing and public relations for seven satellite offices, three residential treatment centers and three retirement facilities, not including the identity and promotion of five annual fundraisers.

Thomas Stephan can be contacted at dyer9380_at_gmail.com for any wordsmithing.

Labels: BoDo, Calvin Lee, Design, Mayhem Studios, Networking, Press Release, Pro Bono, Social Bookmarking, Thomas Stephan

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, June 09, 2008 | Permalink | Comments

Calvin Lee, Principal and Creative Director of Mayhem Studios, a small award-winning design studio located in Los Angeles, was interviewed by the FreelanceSwitch website written by Kristen Fischer, Self-Promotion Made Easy: An Interview With Calvin Lee. The interview discusses self-promotion and spec work with the designer.

The Studio would like to also thank Jeff Fisher, Jeff Fisher LogoMotives for writing about the Studios FreelanceSwitch interview on his blog, Identity Crisis. It's very much appreciated!

About FreelanceSwitch
FreelanceSwitch is a site for freelancers. Whether you’ve been freelancing for years, have just started or are considering making the switch, this is the place to get all the information and support you need.

About Kristen Fischer
Kristen Fischer is a freelance writer living at the Jersey Shore. She began writing Creatively Self-Employed: How Writers and Artists Deal with Career Ups and Downs during 2004, after experiencing many trials and triumphs while forming her copywriting business. She released her second book, Ramen Noodles, Rent and Resumes: An After-College Guide to Life in Spring 2007.

Labels: Calvin Lee, Design, Design Competition, Design-Awards, Freelance, FreelanceSwitch, Interview, Jeff Fisher, Kristen Fischer, Marketing, Mayhem Studios, Self-Promotion, Spec Work

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, May 12, 2008 | Permalink | Comments

Mayhem Studios is recognized for its logo design work. The Studio' are among the contributing artists, agencies and designers for inclusion in David E. Carter's, The Big Book of Logos 5. The Big Book of Logos 5, a collection of logo designs from around world. 12 logos from the Studio' are among the winning logo designs that will be featured in the book, now available in book stores.

Mayhem Studios clients include Downtown Entertainment, ET Products, Baca Sigala & Associates, Applied Dialing, All Sport, Sports Bar, Dermatologic Laser Institute, Calvin Lee Design and Southeast Student Film Festival are among the logos featured in the book.

Labels: Business, David E. Carter, Design, Logo Design, Marketing, Promotion, The Big Book of Logos 5

Posted by Calvin Lee at Sunday, April 06, 2008 | Permalink | Comments

When starting out in your business, it's very important having your logo, business cards or stationery looking professional. It's equally important having forms that help in organizing and running of your business, like a contract or creative brief, which I have talked about in previous posts.

A few resources of free forms to use for your business

+ Creative Business
+ Entrepreneur
+ BoDo
+ AIGA

Labels: AIGA, BoDo, Business, Creative, Design, Entrepreneur, Forms

Posted by Calvin Lee at Friday, February 29, 2008 | Permalink | Comments

The Studios latest blog post, On-Line Copyright Infringement is featured on Create Magazine's February 18th Create Cast, Podcast, Blog Spotlight. The article explains 4 simple things you can do to have work stolen from your site removed.

Be sure to check out Create Magazine's website. It's a great free resource to help promote yourself. Create Magazine gives you many free tools: posting your portfolio, your latest news, blog posts and the opportunity to network with other creatives.

Listen to the Create Cast Podcast now!




The Create Cast
Create Magazine's free weekly podcast, provides interesting interviews with leaders in their particular creative field. The Create Cast is another way for Create to fulfill on our mission to inform, connect, inspire and educate the creative community.

Create Magazine
Provides creative professionals with an insider's perspective on the people, news, trends and events that influence the local advertising and creative production industries. Articles and features, written by local creative leaders and influencers, keep Create readers well-informed about the changing climate of business and competition. The magazine prides itself on not only its content, but also by the way that it is displayed. Create is published bi-monthly and gives creative professionals a great medium for sharing information that facilitates strategic partnerships and career growth within their respective communities.

Labels: Blog, Copyright, Create Cast, Create Magazine, Design, Infringement, Marketing, Podcast, Promotion

Posted by Calvin Lee at Sunday, February 17, 2008 | Permalink | Comments

If you're on the internet and post your articles/designs for blogs or websites. Sooner or later the work will ripped off and/or even posted on the thieves website and claiming it as their own.

There are 4 things you can do to have the work removed.

1. Send a friendly email to the site owner, requesting the stolen material be removed. Give them a few days to respond. If there is no response, go to the next step.

2. Send a Cease & Desist letter to the site owner with a deadline for removal of the copyrighted material and will be contacting their host if they don't remove the material. If there is still no response, go to the next step.

3. Send a DMCA Violation Removal Request to Google, requesting a removal of the links from the index.

4. Also send a DMCA Violation Removal Request to their host. Under DMCA, they're required to shut down the site, if you've followed the above steps and they have not responded.

Labels: Business, Cease, Copyright, Design, Desist, DMCA, Google, Infringement, Stealing, Thief

Posted by Calvin Lee at Sunday, February 03, 2008 | Permalink | Comments

Every Christmas over at the HOW Design Forum, we have a Secret Santa gift exchange. It was fun waiting to see what I would receive and from whom.

The Wait Is Over! Thanks Tess, Jasmine and Karma for all the gifts.

• The Creative Business Guide To Running a Graphic Design Business
• Walking Robot Pencil Sharpener
• 9th Wonder Heroes TV Show Tee

Labels: Christmas, Design, Graphic Design, Heroes, Holiday, HOW Design Forum, Promotion, Robot

Posted by Calvin Lee at Sunday, January 06, 2008 | Permalink | Comments

Most of the time you never get to meet friends you've met on-line. Recently some of us from the HOW Design Forum got together for dinner, drinks and good times.

This is our 2nd annual get together. It was great seeing everyone again from our 2006 get together. I hope we can get together a couple times a year instead of just annually.

Labels: Design, Friends, HOW Design Magazine, HOWie, Networking

Posted by Calvin Lee at Sunday, December 16, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

Mayhem Studios published in the Nov/Dec issue of Create Magazine, Scoops Section, reporting on the Studios latest accolates. Contributed to an article for Home Business Magazine, 12 logos published in the Big Book of Logos 5 and 3 website designs in 500 Simple Website Hints, Tips and Techniques.

About Create Magazine
First published in 2001, Create Magazine is an award-winning, bi-monthly publication that provides creative professionals with an insider's perspective on the people, news, trends and events that influence the local advertising and creative production industries. With five regional editions nationwide, each issue features articles by local community leaders who are the trusted source for information and commentary on the Advertising, Design, Printing, Photography, Film and Video, Animation and New Media industries.

Labels: Articles, Create Magazine, Design, Home Business Magazine, Marketing, The Big Book of Logos 5

Posted by Calvin Lee at Sunday, November 25, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

Jeff Fisher's latest book, Identity Crisis! 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities Into Successful Brands, featuring two case studies by the Studio, is now available at your local Borders book stores, Barnes and Noble or online at Amazon.com.

For more information, please visit Identity Crisis Book

About Jeff Fisher
Jeff Fisher, author of the "Savvy Designer's Guide to Success" is the Engineer of Creative Identity for Jeff Fisher LogoMotives. He has received over 550 regional, national and international design awards for his logo design efforts. His work is featured in over 85 books about logos, the business of design, and small business marketing. Fisher serves on the HOW Magazine Editorial Advisory Board, the UCDA Designer Magazine Editorial Advisory Board, and the HOW Design Conference Advisory Council. In addition, Fisher also writes for CreativeLatitude.com and HOW Magazine.

Labels: Case Studies, Design, Identity Crisis, Inspiration, Jeff Fisher, LogoMotives, Marketing

Posted by Calvin Lee at Tuesday, October 30, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

The Sept/Oct issue of Create Magazine with our 5 page design/layout featured article, "Agency Roll Call," hit news stands. The layout only appears in the West Coast regional issue. I received my copy the other day. It came out looking great!

You can read the article from the downloadable pdf.

Labels: Ad Agency, Create Magazine, Design

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, October 01, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

Mayhem Studios is among one of the creatively self-employed contributors interviewed in Home Business Magazine, "How Young Artists, Writers and Other Creative Types Embrace Self-Employment," written by Kristen Fischer, author of "Creatively Self-Employed: How Writers and Artists Deal with Career Ups and Downs."

It’s inspiring when you hear about people making their dreams a reality. Even more so when they’re doing it before they even turn 40.

You can also download the article HERE (3.91 mb).

When Fischer was promoting her book, "Creatively Self-Employed: How Writers and Artists Deal with Career Ups and Downs," she found that most interviewers were more amazed by her than the 65+ creatives she interviewed. They seemed stunned when Fischer told them that she was 28 when the book was released, and started working on it at 25. She didn’t think it was a big deal at first, but  then realized what a profound thing she had done by writing that book—and how astonishing it was because she hadn’t even hit 30 yet.
 
This led her to become intrigued by others around her age who are doing extraordinary things. It’s hard enough to do it as a mid-lifer, but to do it just out of college or with only a few years of experience in the traditional working world? That is really awe-inspiring! So, how do they do it? And are more people considering this career platform?

For more information, please visit Kristen Fischer's website at www.creativelyselfemployed.com.

About Kristen Fischer
Kristen Fischer is a freelance writer who specializes in creating marketing collateral for a wide array of businesses. After more than three years of working 9-to-5 jobs, she started her copywriting business in 2003. She has contributed to Men's Health magazine, Philadelphia magazine, Skope magazine and College Bound magazine. She lives in Manasquan, New Jersey.

Labels: Creatively Self-Employed, Design, Home Business Magazine, Kristen Fischer, Marketing, Mayhem Studios, Writing

Posted by Calvin Lee at Friday, September 14, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

Los Angeles, Calif. – The work of Mayhem Studios, an award-winning Los Angeles-based design firm, will be featured in Create Magazine's Sept+Oct 2007 West Coast issue. The Studio designed the 5-page West Coast regional feature article written by author Jaimy Lee, “Agency Roll Call: West Coast Agencies Purvey The Changing Landscape of The Advertising Industry.”

The article and design showcases local agencies, getting the scoop on what they are up to and their philosophy on the future of the ad biz.

Create Magazine prides itself on choosing talented contributing designers through out the country to represent their region,” says Kristen Schaeffer-Santoni, art director for Create Magazine. “Calvin embodies that sentiment and it was truly a pleasure collaborating with him for the feature. His passion shows through in his work, and his vision adds to the story for an easy and interesting read.

The Sept+Oct issue hits newsstands in September 2007. To find out more, visit Create Magazine at www.createmagazine.com.

About Create Magazine
First published in 2001, Create Magazine is an award-winning, bi-monthly publication that provides creative professionals with an insider's perspective on the people, news, trends and events that influence the local advertising and creative production industries. With five regional editions nationwide, each issue features articles by local community leaders who are the trusted source for information and commentary on the Advertising, Design, Printing, Photography, Film and Video, Animation and New Media industries.

About Jaimy Lee
Jaimy Lee spent nearly two years as a reporter for a local newspaper in San Diego County until she quit her job for five weeks of Eiffel Tower photos, Oktoberfest steins and Roman rainstorms. After returning, she has worked for a freelance writer out of San Diego, contributing to the “San Diego Business Journal,” “San Diego Home/Garden & Lifestyles,” the “San Diego Union-Tribune,” Today’s Local News, Carlsbad Magazine and 944 Magazine. The Point Loma Nazarene University graduate has covered sports, arts, business and hard news and still isn’t sure what her favorite topic is to write about.

About Mayhem Studios
Mayhem Studios is a small, award-winning design firm located in Los Angeles, California, developing identity and brand recognition for the business sector across the nation. The Studio uses strategic and creative design with effective messages targeted to the client's specific audiences to produce identity and branded collateral pieces, annual reports, brochures, logo design, advertising and interactive web sites.

Calvin Lee, principal & creative director of Mayhem Studios is a graduate of Platt College and serves as a member of the Platt College Advisory Board for the Visual Communications Department, NO!SPEC Committee and on the Creative Latitude Management Team.

Labels: Agency Roll Call, Article, Create Magazine, Design, Jaimy Lee, Marketing, October, Promotion, September

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, August 29, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

I would like to give Jeff Fisher a big Thank You for dedicating a blog post to me and my press release, Identity Crisis! Contributor 'Toots' His Horn. On his blog, Identity Crisis Book. Regarding using press releases to promote yourself.

Jeff's Fisher's blog, Identity Crisis Book is promotion for his next book, Identity Crisis! 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities Into Successful Brands, will be released in September 2007, by HOW Design Books.

Identity Crisis!' takes a fresh look at 50 before and after case studies by exploring the process of redesigning existing identities to help businesses refine their image, communicate with customers, and find success.

Readers will get an inside look at the challenges of redesigning identities. They'll see the creative and strategic thinking behind fresh design work as well as have a powerful tool to show clients what a difference a professional can make to their image.

For more information, please visit Identity Crisis Book.

Jeff Fisher, author of the "Savvy Designer's Guide to Success" is the Engineer of Creative Identity for Jeff Fisher LogoMotives. He has received over 550 regional, national and international design awards for his logo design efforts. His work is featured in over 85 books about logos, the business of design, and small business marketing. Fisher serves on the HOW Magazine Editorial Advisory Board, the UCDA Designer Magazine Editorial Advisory Board, and the HOW Design Conference Advisory Council. In addition, Fisher also writes for CreativeLatitude.com and HOW Magazine.

Labels: Design, Identity Crisis, Jeff Fisher, Marketing, Promotion, Redesign

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, August 06, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

I have a good friend James Tadeo, Web Developer who's been drawing little doodles of his experiences with clients during his lunch time breaks. They are quite funny since it rings true for most designers dealing with clients. I thought, it would be great to share it with you guys.

James has a whole collection of doodles and growing daily. So check out his doodles at Lunch Time Comics.

James Tadeo, Web Designer and Programmer works with design companies, ad agencies, and in-house marketing departments promote products and services by helping them to produce and plan integrated campaigns consisting of print, multimedia, and the Web. Specializing in integrating ASP or PHP server side code to add intelligent and useful functions to Web sites.

Labels: ASP, Business, Clients, Comics, Design, Fun, James Tadeo, Lunch Time, Marketing, PHP, Promotion, Web Design, Web Development

Posted by Calvin Lee at Friday, June 22, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

Mayhem Studios is recognized for its logo design work. The Studio' will be among the 130 plus contributing artists, agencies and designers for inclusion in the publication Branded and in David E. Carter's, The Big Book of Logos 5. Branded and the Big Book of Logos 5, a collection of logo designs from around world.

12 logos from the Studio' are among the winning logo designs that will be featured in the book, which will be on sale, Summer of 2007.

Mayhem Studios clients include Downtown Entertainment, ET Products, Baca Sigala & Associates, Applied Dialing, All Sport, Sports Bar, Dermatologic Laser Institute, Calvin Lee Design and Southeast Student Film Festival are among the logos featured in the book.

Lori Hobbs, M.D., Dermatologic Laser Institute, gives high praises for the Studio’s production.

"Calvin Lee, Mayhem Studios, thank you so much for helping me in the design of my logo. I love it! It is exactly what I wanted. Your patience and expertise made my new endeavor comforting and exciting. Calvin evoked professionalism and care to my project which I wholeheartedly appreciate. Calvin is fantastic!"

Mayhem Studios Published In The Big Book of Letterheads

Two of the Studios' works, Mayhem Studios stationery design and Calvin Lee Design stationery design are among the winning entries featured in David E. Carter's next book, The Big Book of Letterheads, now available by Harper Collins Publishing.

The Big Book of Letterheads includes nearly 400 letterhead sets, all selected for their ability to inspire the reader and provide countless brainstorming ideas.

Mayhem Studios Works Featured In American Corporate Identity 2008

The Studios' works ET Products Stationery Design, Fagerholm & Jefferson Law Corporation Stationery Design, and Dermatologic Laser Institute Logo among the winning entries featured in David E. Carter's, American Corporate Identity 2008, available November 2007.

Several hundred creative design firms have work included in American Corporate Identity 2008, ranging from the well known to the up-and-coming. Many trendsetting styles have first appeared in this series since its inception, making this book a must-have reference for every corporate identity designer’s bookshelf.

Labels: American Corporate Identity 2008, Branded, Business, Design, Logo Design, Marketing, Promotion, The Big Book of Letterheads, The Big Book of Logos 5

Posted by Calvin Lee at Sunday, June 17, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

I was looking through Craigslist the other day for some potential clients. I came across a post from an unknown designer expressing his feelings about how the general public views designers/creative services, NOT BEING OF VALUE. Employers promising fame and fortune in return for free designs, which you sign all your rights away to.

This person is dead on. I totally agree with him/her. I'm posting it here to help educuate designers, employers, potential clients and the general public. I encourage you to repost this on your blog and websites.

I know it's a little long but well worth the read. The original post from Craigslist have been deleted, no surprise.

UPDATE:
Since reposting it on the HOW Design Forum. It's gotten a great response of support from Designers. Many Designers reposting it on their blogs.

NO!SPEC: I Wish I Had Written This
Designers Who Blog: NO!SPEC Looking For Craigslist Author
Adventures In Blogging: Free Graphic Design
Delineate: I Wish I Had Written This
Position Relative: Craig’s Pissed
A Little Hut: Preaching to the Choir
Plush Cadillac: Who Wants Free Design Work?

It landed on the front page of UnBeige. They picked up on the Criagslist posting I reposted on a local design meet up group/email list I belong to, Kernspiracy. Which Alissa Walker, editor of Unbeige is also a member.

Every day, there are more and more CragsList posts seeking "artists" for everything from auto graphics to comic books to corporate logo designs. More people are finding themselves in need of some form of illustrative service.

But what they're NOT doing, unfortunately, is realizing how rare someone with these particular talents can be.

To those who are "seeking artists", let me ask you; How many people do you know, personally, with the talent and skill to perform the services you need? A dozen? Five? One? ...none?

More than likely, you don't know any. Otherwise, you wouldn't be posting on craigslist to find them.

And this is not really a surprise.

In this country, there are almost twice as many neurosurgeons as there are professional illustrators. There are eleven times as many certified mechanics. There are SEVENTY times as many people in the IT field.

So, given that they are less rare, and therefore less in demand, would it make sense to ask your mechanic to work on your car for free? Would you look him in the eye, with a straight face, and tell him that his compensation would be the ability to have his work shown to others as you drive down the street?

Would you offer a neurosurgeon the "opportunity" to add your name to his resume as payment for removing that pesky tumor? (Maybe you could offer him "a few bucks" for "materials". What a deal!)

Would you be able to seriously even CONSIDER offering your web hosting service the chance to have people see their work, by viewing your website, as their payment for hosting you?

If you answered "yes" to ANY of the above, you're obviously insane. If you answered "no", then kudos to you for living in the real world.

But then tell me... why would you think it is okay to live out the same, delusional, ridiculous fantasy when seeking someone whose abilities are even less in supply than these folks?

Graphic artists, illustrators, painters, etc., are skilled tradesmen. As such, to consider them as, or deal with them as, anything less than professionals fully deserving of your respect is both insulting and a bad reflection on you as a sane, reasonable person. In short, it makes you look like a twit.

A few things you need to know;

1. It is not a "great opportunity" for an artist to have his work seen on your car/'zine/website/bedroom wall, etc. It IS a "great opportunity" for YOU to have their work there.

2. It is not clever to seek a "student" or "beginner" in an attempt to get work for free. It's ignorant and insulting. They may be "students", but that does not mean they don't deserve to be paid for their hard work. You were a "student" once, too. Would you have taken that job at McDonalds with no pay, because you were learning essential job skills for the real world? Yes, your proposition it JUST as stupid.

3. The chance to have their name on something that is going to be seen by other people, whether it's one or one million, is NOT a valid enticement. Neither is the right to add that work to their "portfolio". They get to do those things ANYWAY, after being paid as they should. It's not compensation. It's their right, and it's a given.

4. Stop thinking that you're giving them some great chance to work. Once they skip over your silly ad, as they should, the next ad is usually for someone who lives in the real world, and as such, will pay them. There are far more jobs needing these skills than there are people who possess these skills.

5. Students DO need "experience". But they do NOT need to get it by giving their work away. In fact, this does not even offer them the experience they need. Anyone who will not/can not pay them is obviously the type of person or business they should be ashamed to have on their resume anyway. Do you think professional contractors list the "experience" they got while nailing down a loose step at their grandmother's house when they were seventeen?

If you your company or gig was worth listing as desired experience, it would be able to pay for the services it received. The only experience they will get doing free work for you is a lesson learned in what kinds of scrubs they should not lower themselves to deal with.

6. (This one is FOR the artists out there, please pay attention.) Some will ask you to "submit work for consideration". They may even be posing as some sort of "contest". These are almost always scams. They will take the work submitted by many artists seeking to win the "contest", or be "chosen" for the gig, and find what they like most. They will then usually have someone who works for them, or someone who works incredibly cheap because they have no originality or talent of their own, reproduce that same work, or even just make slight modifications to it, and claim it as their own. You will NOT be paid, you will NOT win the contest. The only people who win, here, are the underhanded folks who run these ads. This is speculative, or "spec", work. It's risky at best, and a complete scam at worst. I urge you to avoid it, completely. For more information on this subject, please visit www.no-spec.com

So to artists/designers/illustrators looking for work, do everyone a favor, ESPECIALLY yourselves, and avoid people who do not intend to pay you. Whether they are "spec" gigs, or just some guy who wants a free mural on his living room walls. They need you. You do NOT need them.

And for those who are looking for someone to do work for free... please wake up and join the real world. The only thing you're accomplishing is to insult those with the skills you need. Get a clue.

Labels: Craigslist, Design, Free Work, Graphic Design, No Spec

Posted by Calvin Lee at Tuesday, January 23, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

Mayhem Studios, award-winning design firm is recognized for its graphic design excellence. The Studios' works featured in David E. Carter's next book, Creativity Awards 36, released Summer of 2007 by Harper Collins.

Two of the Studios' works, Family Medical Clinic Banner and ET Product Stationery Design are among the winning entries featured in the Annual. This year’s quality was unprecedented, the Studios entries were chosen among the submissions from over 38 states and 29 countries.

The Creativity Awards competition honors outstanding work done each year by creative professionals in every discipline. Awards are based strictly on the quality of the submissions, not the size, nor reputation of the firm.

Labels: Award-Winning, Creativity Annual Awards, David E. Carter, Design, Graphic Design, Self-Promotion

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, January 22, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

Since this is the start of the new year. I thought it would be appropriate, the first post of 2007 would be about getting the word out and finding potential clients. Here are are few tips to let people know who you are, what you do and finding potenial clients.

Press Releases/E-Newsletter - Have some exciting news or completed a successful project? That's a good reason to send out a Press Release or E-Newsletter. Send the E-Newsletters to current and potenital clients. Send press releases to media outlets (on-line, local and industry related papers/magazines).

A few on-line resources to post your Press Releases.

PR Log - free
PR Leap - free
PR Web - a fee
Free Press Release - free

Blog - Start a blog, write articles. Makes you an expert in your field. Potential clients will see, you know your stuff and trust to hire you. It's all about building trust and relations.

Design Competitions - Enter your works in design competitions. International advertising if you win and get in to the book.

A few resource of design competitions.

Graphics Books
Rockport Publishers
Roto Vision
American Design Awards
Summit Awards
Communication Arts
How Design Magazine
Print Magazine

Join a Networking Social Events - Lets people know who you are and what you do.

Let friends and family know what you do - Potenial referrals from friends and family.

Ask For Referrals - Ask Friends, family, clients: current/previous, printers, paper sales reps, pre-press houses for referrals.

Volunteer - Volunteer in your community and non-profits. More about networking and building trust.

Local Papers - The local news papers, business section. Often print the names and addresses of those applying for a business licenses.

Keep Your Eyes Open - Look for new construction or businesses moving in. Get their information. A good chance they may need creative services.

Find a Niche Market - Specialize in an area of expertise that other companies may not be filling the need for.

Chamber of Commerce - Chamber of Commerce may have a list of their members info for free on-line. Joining the Chamber of Commerce is another option for networking and potential clients.

Business Cards - Bring business cards with you everywhere you go. Strike up a conversation with people when you are out.

On-Line Directories - Get listed on free and paid on-line directories.

Forums - Post on forums, design as well as business and related markets you are targeting.

Signatures - Have a signature of your contact information on all correspondence, emails and forum posts.

Marketing Websites/Blogs - Check out other marketing sites/blogs, Inside the Marketing Mind and The Marketing Mix.

Labels: Clients, Design, Design Tips, Graphic Design, Newsletter, Press Releases

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, January 03, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

Forums is a great place to network and meet new friends. Sometimes you even get to meet a few forum members in person, which is pretty fun and exciting. This weekend some of us from the HOW Design Forum got together for dinner, drinks and good times.

It was a fun and great time meeting all the members. One forum member even lead us in an arts and crafts, making a mini-book. I hope there will be many more get togethers in the future.

Posted are a few photos of the fun evening and more photos may be veiwed HERE

Labels: Design, Friendship, Graphic Design, HOWie, Networking

Posted by Calvin Lee at Sunday, November 12, 2006 | Permalink | Comments

Los Angeles, Calif. - November 3, 2006 - Mayhem Studios, award-winning design firm featured in Kristen Fischer's new book, Creatively Self-Employed: How Writers and Artists Deal with Career Ups and Downs, published by iUniverse is expected to be released in December of 2006.

The Studio is featured among the 65 real-life stories of how designers, writers, and artist deal with the good and bad of living off their talents, dealing with rejection, building a support system, growing your business and even dealing with the independent contractor loneliness. It offers practical business advice for dealing with unique situations that creatives often find themselves in.

Kristen Fischer, Author of Creatively Self-Employed: How Writers and Artists Deal with Career Ups and Downs, gives high praises for the Studio’s contributions.

"This book exposes what life is like after people have the guts to go into business based on their talents. With more than 65 creatives speaking out about issues such as rejection and isolationism, it's refreshing to have a book like this on the market.

I am pleased to have Calvin Lee, Mayhem Studios contribute, as he had a lot to say about being creatively self-employed. His honesty helped make the book so relatable."

Fischer is a freelance writer who specializes in creating marketing collateral for a wide array of businesses. After more than three years of working 9-to-5 jobs, she started her writing business in 2003. She has contributed to Men's Health magazine, Philadelphia magazine, Skope magazine and College Bound magazine. She lives in Manasquan, New Jersey. For more information, please visit www.creativelyselfemployed.com.

Lee serves as a member of the Platt College Advisory Board for the Visual Communications Department and on the NO!SPEC Committee. Lee is also the organizer and president of the Los Angeles Designers Association.

Mayhem Studios is a small award-winning design firm located in Los Angeles. Developing identity and brand recognition for the business sector across the nation. The Studio uses strategic and creative design with effective messages targeted to the client’s specific audiences to produce identity and branded collateral pieces, annual reports, brochures, logo design, advertising & interactive web sites. Additional information may be found at the Studios' web site, www.mayhemstudios.com.

Labels: Business of Design, Creatively Self-Employed, Design, Graphic Design, Kristen Fischer

Posted by Calvin Lee at Friday, November 03, 2006 | Permalink | Comments

Blogs is a very useful tool for self-promotion and educating the public. I have experienced the power of what a blog can do for self-promotion. In one of my blog posts, "I've been Tagged!" It's a fun little post about listing your favorite things in fours. In turn, you would tag another person that would list their favorites and so. I was originally tagged by a friend of mine Jeff Fisher from his blog, bLog-oMotives

In my "I've been Tagged!" posting it listed "The Greatest American Hero TV Show" as one of my favorite shows. Which was read by M80, a marketing firm working with Anchor Bay Entertainment on releasing "The Greatest American Hero TV Show DVD Limited Edition Box Set." I recently received an email from M80. They offered me a free "The Greatest American Hero TV Show DVD" in exchange for a review of the the TV show on my blog to help create an on-line marketing presence for the dvd.

I agree to the review, since it's one of my favorite shows and a free dvd. How can you beat that? So where are the MacGyver TV show people at?

"The Greatest American Hero TV Show" is a fun show that aired in the 1980s staring William Kat, Robet Culp and Connie Selleca. It's a show about, what if you have a super powered suit with exordinary powers, which is given to you by aliens from outer space, you lose all the instructions on what powers you may have and how to use them. Resulting in a hilariously funny buddy buddy, action comedy and super hero spoof.

It's fun watching the characters Ralph Hanley (William Katt), Bill Maxwell (Robert Culp) and Pam Davidson (Connie Selleca) interact with each other in every episode. Discovering how to fly without crashing into walls, buildings or trees in his tight red suit. The fun part is his discovery of his new found powers and his clumsy crime fighting skills.

This show would be enjoyed by young and old. A great gift for the holiday season.

Labels: Business of Design, Creatively Self-Employed, Design, Graphic Design, Kristen Fischer

Posted by Calvin Lee at Thursday, November 02, 2006 | Permalink | Comments

Mayhem Studios recognized for design excellence. The Studios' works will be featured in David E. Carter’s next book, Big Book of Layouts, which will be in book stores soon. The book will feature outstanding design layout works from around the world.

Mayhem Studios contributes to Logo Nation Article, Say NO!LOGO to Speculative Work

Mayhem Studios contributes to an article for Creative Latitude, Logo Notions written by Jeff Fisher, Say NO!LOGO to speculative “contests” and identity design requests. We were honored to be asked to contribute to an article concerning Speculative Work and Contests. How it negatively affects the creative community.

Jeff Fisher, the Engineer of Creative Identity for Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, is the author of "The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success: Ideas and tactics for a killer career. He can often be found preaching what he practices through speaking engagements at creative industry events around the country and writing for various design-related magazines and webzines.

Creative Latitude is a worldwide community that unites various creative disciplines for collective promotion, education and ethical business practice.

Mayhem Studios' recently completed projects

Recruitment brochure/flyer for Santa Monica College and the City of Santa Fe Springs. Mayhem Studios helped Santa Monica College and the City of Santa Fe Springs in developing the right message in their recruitment efforts. Which was a success, resulting in a great turn out.

Energy Contractors Product Sheet. Mayhem Studios helped Energy Contractors design a product sheet which is appealing and conveyed the proper selling points of their products, which helped to increase sales.

Clayton Real Estate brochure for Clayton Reality. Mayhem Studios created a dynamic promotional piece that set Clayton Reality apart from the rest of the Real Estate companies. Which has increased their clientele dramatically.

Labels: Big Book of Layouts, David E. Carter, Design, Design Competition, No Spec

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, August 30, 2006 | Permalink | Comments

Mayhem Studios recognized for its graphic design work. The Studios' own stationery design along with four other logo designs will be featured in David E. Carter’s, American Corporate Identity 2007 Book, which will be in book stores later this year.

Mayhem Studios clients include Downtown Entertainment, Emtek Products, Inc., and the Southeast Student Film Festival. Which are among the winning logo designs that will be featured in the book.

American Corporate Identity 2007 shows the freshest, most inspiring corporate identity work from the best and the brightest design firms in the US over the past year. This reference covers seven categories of design including logos, letterhead, complete identity programs, corporate ID manuals, package design, environmental graphics and signage and corporate brochures.

Labels: American Corporate Identity, David E. Carter, Design, Design Competition

Posted by Calvin Lee at Saturday, April 01, 2006 | Permalink | Comments

The NO!SPEC crusade launched this week with a NO!SPEC Blog.
Say No! to speculative work.

In an effort to educate Visual Communication Designers and those who use their services, on the damaging effects caused by spec work and spec-based design contests, a group of designers from all over the globe banned together, fueled by passion and a lot of caffeine, to bring NO!SPEC to the public.

With legitimate design opportunities turning into calls for spec work at an alarming rate, it is our goal to arm designers with the tools they need to take a stand against this trend, as well as provide businesses with resources and information on why spec work harms our industry, and alternative solutions to their design needs that do not involve working on spec.

NO!SPEC encourage those who are like-minded to support this effort by placing a post a NO!SPEC logo on your site, distributing the Print out our NO!SPEC poster created by top Illustrator Von Glitschka from Glitschka Studios, as well as contributing your thoughts, comments, articles and insights.

It’s time to take a stand! And with the international support of NO!SPEC, we ask that you please join us in promoting professional, ethical business practices by saying NO! to spec.*

What can you do

• Voice your ethics and post a NO!SPEC logo and link on your website or blog.
• Send protest letters to unethical contests.
• Print out our NO!SPEC poster to distribute to design schools.
• Contact Design schools about the NO!SPEC crusade.
• Contact Design Organizations about the NO!SPEC crusade.
• Sign the petition.
• Participate in the NO!SPEC “Have your say” open dialog.
• Contribute to NO!SPEC Surveys.
• Educators - Spread the word, NO!SPEC.
• Students - Practice Safe Ethics.
• Donate your NO!SPEC ideas.
• Translate the contents of this site into your native language.

For more information, please visit www.no-spec.com




*Text taken from the NO!SPEC web site.

Labels: Design, Free Work, No Spec

Posted by Calvin Lee at Saturday, March 18, 2006 |