potential Dissertation: The Marketing Plan of Illustrators and Graphic Designers

   I have drilled down my dissertation focus. I’ll spare you the process, and it might yet shift again. The overarching consideration is that it become more specific. I still have some tightening to go, but I think I’m headed in the right direction (so stay tuned). Meanwhile, close as I can, an article a day or there about seems malleable. So, for now, the dissertation is this blog posts’ title.
   In an initial foray to begin exposing myself to this specific material I happened upon an online article: Developing Your Marketing Focus, by Elizabeth R. Whelan.
   Right out of the gate she acknowledges trending all that produces income and distilling the numbers. She then affords some nice questions to reassess the various focuses of the business. After such a reassessment, if a re-vamp is in order, she then suggests including “your team”.

   This is all valuable, academic information for an established firm or studio (yet nonetheless echoes what might be a model for the entrepreneurial practitioner). However, the calculation guides from the Missouri Business Development Program website for overhead, pricing and their percentages would prove valuable even for someone first starting out. The organic nature of re-assessment and trending is a useful admonition of effort to begin integrating. And the willingness to not be allergic to numbers is a welcome left brain activity, usually dropped out from right brain conversations.

   Apparently, Ms. Whelan is a sharp and altruistic sort. I thank her for insight. And if she reads this I want her to also know that I was moved to tears by her acumen; as an illustrator she’s a journeyman of the first caliber. I hope to scour her site further soon.

Elizabeth R. Whelan

http://www.elizabethwhelanillustrator.com/resources.htm

[the article] http://www.elizabethwhelanillustrator.com/resources/profit.html

studio@elizabethwhelanillustrator.com

508.693.6986

Martha's Vineyard, MA