ERA404 NEWSLETTER

SEASON XXIV, ISSUE I

Bing Image Creator: Dusty dimly lit design studio with cobwebs on desk lamp and old fashioned computer monitor.

We haven't gotten a new client in years.

APRIL 04, 2025  |  NEWSLETTER

Happy 4/04!

It's true! And we don't mean it facetiously. We seriously haven't.

When we first hung our shingle in April 2001, we worked like crazy to find new clients. We launched our web site and created those new-fangled "social networking" accounts. We printed stationery and flyers, handing out business cards everywhere we went. We published news articles, press releases, and information resources to try and get traction through search engine results pages. We submitted every project to contests and launched mini-sites for the holidays. We were obsessed and worked tirelessly to get our name and portfolio in front of anyone and everyone. And, eventually, clients started to find us.

Those were interesting years, jumping from project to project, contract to contract, industry to industry, never knowing what we'd work on next or if there even was work to be done. We were young and hungry and eager to prove ourselves. We were excited to work with new clients and learn new skills. We were ready to grow and expand our capabilities. We thought that the measure of a studio's value was the large amount of clients in their roster.

But, as we matured, we started to realize that the real work was to continue nurturing existing relationships with clients. We slowed down publishing newsletters, articles, and press releases. We maintained social media accounts, but didn't see much value in adding new followers or posting anything beyond updates to existing work. We started recycling older projects in our portfolio, rather than pushing new ones. In fact, if you pop by our web site, you'll probably notice there hasn't been much of an update since we relaunched it in 2012. To the outside eye, it could appear that ERA404 not only stagnated, but might be on permanent hiatus.

But, I'm happy to report it's quite the opposite. We've been fortunate enough to have a number of longterm relationships with clients spanning decades that have kept us busy, challenged, and engaged. And focusing on these clients has allowed us to prioritize our days creating and building, rather than marketing and selling. The transition has been slow, but absolutely worthwile.

ERA404 isn't the young buck it used to be. And, to be fair, neither are we. But the ambition and drive we had when we first started are still there, just refocused on what we now know is the most important:

You. Our clients. Our partners. Our collaborators. Our friends.

As always, thank you for your continued support and patronage and we look forward to collaborating with you in our 24th year.

Sincerely,

ERA404