How do I advertise as a freelance Makeup Artist?

[lolarlove]

I've been a Makeup Artist for about 6yrs and I'm still trying to gather clients. Please can anyone tell me how best to put myself out there?

[carrot123]

create a website. or a blog

[Makeup-Forum.com]

you could try putting area specific advertising on facebook

[mnrulz]

dear I would suggest that you do free makeup for some clients and whoever comes nd gets it done from you, if like your wokr they will come back to you and will refer you to their frnds...the best way is post an add on gumtree about the free makeup session..you will get loads of people by that and then whoever comes you say them that on bringing or suggesting friends you will give them 25% disocunt for every client. HOpe u liked the advice..by the way i have started my own channel on youtube please view and subscribe here is the link...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG09WRyjj9I

[themodestkingdom]

There are tons of sites like Model Mayhem, one model place and even facebook that could help you create a page for free and hook you up with ppl in your area.
Also if you check the imats vancouver page of exhibitors there is now a website that allows makeup artist to have the outlet to post and look for work: i think its called makeup artist posting.

[Nat]

I've been a Makeup Artist for about 6yrs and I'm still trying to gather clients. Please can anyone tell me how best to put myself out there?

What you need to do is list yourself on different webdirectory's .
Right now when clients are looking for a MUA in a specific area they just type
that in google which will pu up different listing. I recommend
www.makeupartistdirectory.com
This website has a lot of traffic almost 1000 visits per day
And is very popular right now. I get most of my client through
this website. Model Mayhem is a great site, but it is for proffessionals only
It's perfect for collaboration with other artists, it will not bring you clients.





Good luck !
Nat
Good luck !
Nat

[Kirsty@Rouge]

I've been researching this for a long while now as I'm planning on becoming freelance once settled back in the UK and there are so many ways to advertise yourself, but some depend on what area you are in. Are you a Wedding MUA, Fashion/print MUA, TV/Film MUA?

Check out your local library for loads of books about self promotion for small businesses and the self-employed. There's only one or two that I've found so far actually aimed at people in the MUA world, but most of the advertising and promoting things they talk about are easily transferable to any line of work.

Some basic points mentioned in all the books and by Pro's everywhere are:

Always have your business cards on hand. This way whenever you meet someone/introduce yourself you can grab a card and hand to over to them. Don't be pushy, but hand it to them and if they try to give it back just politely say they can keep it

Have a website. Everyone goes online these days so if you're not there, they wont see you. A simple blog with regular posts about special offers, projects you've worked recently, pictures of clients and an info/contact page is a good start if you don't have to resources to put up a whole website.

Get yourself into any and all directories (there's some free ones and some paid for ones).

Get a Facebook Fan page. Everyone has a FB page now-a-days! Get everyone you know to "like" the page and link it to your webite. Put up some interesting images of work done, you at work, etc so that there's something for people to look at. Write comments regularly so that your name comes up on poelps walls/home pages regularly so that you are seen (but don't just through random/spam comments out as people can become annoyed/bored and "unlike" the page. Don't use FB as your only mode of promoting and always link to more info such as your website/blog).

Create a contatcs list of all clients past and possible. Sent out emails now and then with special offers and deals.
One book I read (wish I could remember the name of it, sorry!) told about a small business owner (a cloths shop owner) who sent a single sock through the post to all the customers in his books, offering the other sock with their next perchase within (say) three weeks of recieving the first sock. His books showed abit increase in sales those weeks. Cute, huh!

Hope these are helpful.

[maybelline]

My advice is to work for free at beginig. You do some makeup to your friend and people you now but as a favour they must recomend you to their friends. Thats how to spread your buisnes with a word of mouth.
And you can take a photo of every single customer and make your self a portofilio of your work.