College student looking to start up advertising agency for socially conscious businesses

**fabalyss211** · 05-15-2008 11:46 PM

Hi Everyone

My name is Alyssa, and I'm a nineteen-year-old college student at University of Wisconsin looking to start a boutique advertising agency out of my home this summer. I'm studying Journalism and Mass Communications with a concentration in Strategic Communications (PR, Advertising, Event Planning etc.), and would really like to get some experience in these areas. After graduation, I'd like to own my own agency focusing on providing services for non-profits and other socially and environmentally conscious businesses, groups etc. I realize that this industry is one where connections and experience can make all the difference, so I figure that now is the time to start building both by starting my business, or at least an early version of it, now and offering my services free of charge or for a small fee. At least initially I'd like to offer a variety of services (PR, Advertising, Marketing, Event Planning, Consultation, etc.) so that I may be appealing to a greater variety of businesses and figure out what I may like most/be most talented at.

What I'd like to do is set up a website and some basic promotional materials explaining my purpose and then distribute them to small businesses in my hometown (Green Bay, WI) and also find clients online. I'm confident that I'll be able to come up with at least a few clients through family connections and contacts I've made on forums. I have some experience in the field as I've helped family members with promotion of their businesses and am pretty proficient with web design and Photoshop, but mostly this will be a learning process for me and I will need to find clients who understand that. As I have a full-time summer job, this will just be something extra for me to gain experience and pursue something that is right now a hobby but that I hope to eventually turn into a career, so making a profit is not imperative.

Does this seem like a feasible idea? Would I reasonably be able to charge anything for my services or should offer them on a donation basis to start? How would I move from free to cost services?

As this will be a small start-up with little profit motivation, at least at first, I shouldn't need much start-up capital, but I'm thinking of applying for a Youth Venture (they're a sort of venture capitalist firm for young social entrepreneurs) grant to help fund production of my original promotional materials.

Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated! I'm very passionate about socially conscious business as well as strategic communications and just want to begin pursuing these things actively. Sorry for the length of this message!

Thanks for your help,

Alyssa

**TheCEOandPresident** · 05-16-2008 01:12 AM

Greetings from Chicago. First off I want to say I enjoy UW-Madison. Hope your year wrapped up the way you intended. Now down to business. Your idea seems to be well thought out and you say you're well connected and knowledgeable when it comes to creating a website. But I'm concerned that with you having a full time job this summer you won't be able to dedicate too much time to a business that needs a lot of care and maintenance. I would first figure out how much time you can devote to your project first, and it sounds like with your experience and the help from your family and contacts the rest should fall in line. This is a brilliant idea and I think you should start off by charging a small fee for your services or on donation basis, but if you REALLY deliver and do an exceptional job the transition from free to cost services shouldn't be too hard b/c returning clients won't mind paying for your amazing service. I truly appreciate the idea though and I wish you the best of luck. If you don't mind keep me updated with how things pan out.

Respectfully,
Tommy D

**drewevans** · 05-16-2008 01:38 AM

it's a great idea.

I don't know what sort of services you offer exactly, but we could swap services for free - although i'm in Australia so don't know if that would be appropriate.

I could design your corporate stationery and will display them on my website, which would include a link to your site and a concise description.

Can you email me at
brisbane@drewevans.com.au
We may be able to produce some form of agreement?

as for TheCEOandPresident comments

"but if you REALLY deliver and do an exceptional job the transition from free to cost services shouldn't be too hard b/c returning clients won't mind paying for your amazing service."

I completely agree, because of this, i was able to raise my prices substantially to get a good continual wage - i'm only 21 so good maybe subjective..hehe.. but still... it's ok.

I am currently sponsoring an Australian sports company which is run by someone who won gold at the Sydney Olympics [client confidentiality i'm afraid].

I will be painting a mural, and also doing free design work for a corporate events day - in return, they are going to drop their current designer, and give all future work to me given my prices.

Because of their current designer, they were reluctant to get anything designed because the prices were too expensive - therefore, i come in, undercut the price, but also raise my own benchmark and then they are more likely to get continual design work at an affordable rate [hope that makes sense]. It didn't take long, plus, i now have [or when finished] permanent advertising in the form of a painting.

anyway, please send me an email or visit my website
at
www.drewevans.com.au

Cheers,
Drew

**jasaunders** · 05-16-2008 10:00 AM

Not sure if you went to Madison, but I'm a Madison alum, so welcome to the board. It sounds like a good idea. There is no one direction that is right or wrong. You could offer free services or charge a nominal fee, it is really insignificant. sometimes it is harder to sell free services than cheap services. As a suggestion, you should do some more research and lay your ideas out on paper including the exact resources you will need, prospective customers, services you will provide, marketing research, and your sales strategy to attract these customers.
But overall, you are correct in saying the industry is all about connections (many industries are, but PR and communications even more so), so good plan to get started early.

**fabalyss211** · 05-16-2008 10:43 AM

I do go to UW-Madison for those of you asking, and love it. I wish I was still there this summer

. Thank you for all your encouragement and advice. I'm planning on drawing up a rough business plan and getting going as soon as I can with just one or two projects so I won't be too overwhelmed with work. If I do decide to charge a nominal fee for my services, how would I figure out what is reasonable/what prospective customers would be willing to pay? I don't want to turn anyone away because of my cost since, as I said, making money isn't my biggest priority here right now. Thanks again!

**jasaunders** · 05-16-2008 02:05 PM

"how would I figure out what is reasonable/what prospective customers would be willing to pay? I don't want to turn anyone away because of my cost"

If this is really the case, be straightforward to your clients and say "I am running this business to gain experience and enhance my communication and PR skills and knowledge of the industry. My services are free, but if at the end of the summer you have been satisifed with the service I have provided you, I would appreciate any payment you think I fairly deserve."