Start-up cost: $7,000–$20,000
Potential earnings: $35,000–$75,000
Typical fees: $75–$150 per hour, a monthly retainer, or a per-job basis
Advertising: Networking, ads in trade publications, participation in
local chamber of commerce, and a Web site that is a true
showcase of your company’s talents
Qualifications: Knowledge of design, layout, and typography; writing
skills; experience working with businesses on brand and
identity development
Equipment needed: Cell phone (with or without hands-free accessories);
computer with Internet access and full suite of presentation
and design software; high-resolution color printer,
scanner; digital camera; fax; copy machine; business cards;
letterhead; envelopes
Staff required: No
Hidden costs: Your high-end Web site will defi nitely cost you some
money to design and host, but it’s worth its weight in
gold for helping you quickly secure a high profi le in the
marketplace
What You Do
You’re probably not going to be doing the Cadillac ads for General Motors in
the beginning, but if you are motivated and highly skilled you can build up a
home-based ad agency serving clients in a specialized area. To get a foothold, you’ll
need to have at least some experience from a larger agency or a list of potential
clients who already know you and your work. Your participation in activities such
as indoor soccer or squash, etc., could be your lead-in to a small but profi table
market. Or you could specialize in one type of store, one product, or a type of
service. You will get to know your client organizations well, and you will draw on
all of your creativity, both written and graphic. New ways of getting a commercial
message out to the public, including targeted e-messaging, high-end Web sites with e-commerce and exciting new brand-building capabilities are revolutionizing
the advertising fi eld, so creativity extends into the nature of the business itself as
well. Very few businesses can succeed without advertising in one way or another,
so your creativity and awareness of market needs has many possible customers.
You’ll need to educate your clients about the value of advertising, even when things
don’t seem to be going very well for the company. In fact, that’s when they need
you the most.
What You Need
High-end computers with the graphics and print-production software now available
enable small agencies to produce outstanding ads that once required an entire
art department. Setting up this equipment is expensive, though, and could cost
from $3,000–$5,000. Bill out between $75–$150 per hour, or determine your
rates on a per-job basis that takes into account how much work is actually involved
in the project. Many ad agencies also work on monthly retainers of $500 or more;
again, look at the workload and the time and expertise involved in each project.
For presentations, you might also fi nd a laptop especially helpful, which could cost
another $2,000–$3,000.
Keys to Success
Advertising is a rewarding occupation because it relies so heavily on ideas and
inspiration, connected directly to business results. Successful ad agency personnel
(in this case, you) develop close relationships with their clients. You’ll be serving
an area or group that you know about and enjoy, and you’ll be using all of your
talents to do so. As a one-man (or one-woman) band, you must be able to do all
the facets of the advertising process, from sales to writing, design, and promotion.
But remember that it may also be very wise to partner with a good Web design
fi rm to add to your portfolio of services without adding a regular, full-time staff .
While this is a fun and always challenging business, its one downside is that the
pressure never lets up because the competition for clients can be shark-like.
Potential earnings: $35,000–$75,000
Typical fees: $75–$150 per hour, a monthly retainer, or a per-job basis
Advertising: Networking, ads in trade publications, participation in
local chamber of commerce, and a Web site that is a true
showcase of your company’s talents
Qualifications: Knowledge of design, layout, and typography; writing
skills; experience working with businesses on brand and
identity development
Equipment needed: Cell phone (with or without hands-free accessories);
computer with Internet access and full suite of presentation
and design software; high-resolution color printer,
scanner; digital camera; fax; copy machine; business cards;
letterhead; envelopes
Staff required: No
Hidden costs: Your high-end Web site will defi nitely cost you some
money to design and host, but it’s worth its weight in
gold for helping you quickly secure a high profi le in the
marketplace
What You Do
You’re probably not going to be doing the Cadillac ads for General Motors in
the beginning, but if you are motivated and highly skilled you can build up a
home-based ad agency serving clients in a specialized area. To get a foothold, you’ll
need to have at least some experience from a larger agency or a list of potential
clients who already know you and your work. Your participation in activities such
as indoor soccer or squash, etc., could be your lead-in to a small but profi table
market. Or you could specialize in one type of store, one product, or a type of
service. You will get to know your client organizations well, and you will draw on
all of your creativity, both written and graphic. New ways of getting a commercial
message out to the public, including targeted e-messaging, high-end Web sites with e-commerce and exciting new brand-building capabilities are revolutionizing
the advertising fi eld, so creativity extends into the nature of the business itself as
well. Very few businesses can succeed without advertising in one way or another,
so your creativity and awareness of market needs has many possible customers.
You’ll need to educate your clients about the value of advertising, even when things
don’t seem to be going very well for the company. In fact, that’s when they need
you the most.
What You Need
High-end computers with the graphics and print-production software now available
enable small agencies to produce outstanding ads that once required an entire
art department. Setting up this equipment is expensive, though, and could cost
from $3,000–$5,000. Bill out between $75–$150 per hour, or determine your
rates on a per-job basis that takes into account how much work is actually involved
in the project. Many ad agencies also work on monthly retainers of $500 or more;
again, look at the workload and the time and expertise involved in each project.
For presentations, you might also fi nd a laptop especially helpful, which could cost
another $2,000–$3,000.
Keys to Success
Advertising is a rewarding occupation because it relies so heavily on ideas and
inspiration, connected directly to business results. Successful ad agency personnel
(in this case, you) develop close relationships with their clients. You’ll be serving
an area or group that you know about and enjoy, and you’ll be using all of your
talents to do so. As a one-man (or one-woman) band, you must be able to do all
the facets of the advertising process, from sales to writing, design, and promotion.
But remember that it may also be very wise to partner with a good Web design
fi rm to add to your portfolio of services without adding a regular, full-time staff .
While this is a fun and always challenging business, its one downside is that the
pressure never lets up because the competition for clients can be shark-like.
