Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who should take the Graphic Design Success program?
A: Anyone who wants a career as a highly paid graphic designer while enjoying the freedom and satisfaction of being your own boss. AWAI’s Graphic Design Success program tells you everything you need to know to start a freelance graphic design business, for the direct mail industry, from virtually anywhere in the world. No more commutes! You don’t need a college degree or design license or certification.
Q: To be successful in the program, do I need any prior graphic design or desktop publishing experience?
A: Absolutely not. Designing for the direct mail industry is very easy. In fact it’ll probably be easier for you to master if you don’t have a design background. That way you are starting with an empty slate.
The only thing required of you is the dedication to learn your craft. It will happen sooner than you think since we’ll let you in on the secrets to producing effective, money-making designs.
Q: What is direct mail?
A: “Direct mail” means any type of mail selling a product
or service directly to consumers. The old-fashioned term for it is “mail order.”
As a graphic designer of direct mail, you are a partner in the communication process.
You know the “big picture” of every assignment. Your design helps generate immediate
cash flow for your client. That makes you a very important person in the direct
marketing world.
Q: I cannot draw a straight line to save my life. Can I still take this program?
A: Yes. Direct mail graphic design isn’t about being talented, artistic, or even creative. If you’ve got those qualities, that’s great. But they are not required to make a big splash in this business.
As a direct mail graphic designer, you’ll never have to fuss with three-dimensional design … animation … or other advanced techniques. And that makes this type of graphic design much, much easier to learn.
If you can lay out pages in an organized and logical manner, you are well on your way to success. Direct mail design is not pretty or fancy. Graphic Design Success will show you step-by-step how to successfully layout sales letters and other direct mail pieces.
And remember, direct mail design is much easier than general or “Madison Avenue” type advertising. The designs we use in direct marketing are more basic and simpler than in general advertising and promotion.
Q: How much can I expect to make as a graphic designer?
A: The average hourly rate for freelance graphic designers ranges from $50 to $100 or more. If you put in 40 hours a week at $50 an hour, that’s $100,000 a year.
Earning a six-figure income is not uncommon for a direct mail graphic designer. Direct mail graphic designers are paid so well not because they are talented, creative or resourceful, or even because they get their designs in on time. They are paid well because their designs make their clients money!
More than 50 billion pieces are mailed every year and almost half of the adults in this country buy products through the mail. Each year, more companies use direct mail to sell their goods and services. Here’s the main point: Depending on how much you want to work, you can make $50,000, $75,000, and even $100,000 a year or more without leaving your home and without killing yourself – even if you are not a natural artist.
Q: What sets Graphic Design Success apart from other graphic design programs?
A: This is the only comprehensive learning program specifically for designing winning direct mail packages. It gives you everything you need to succeed, including: Rules of DM Design. Designing letters like this one isn’t hard – once you know the common sense rules of direct marketing design. You get the these rules step-by-step.
- Training exercises. You don’t just read; you work. Exercises strengthen your core knowledge and sense of what works and what doesn’t in desktop design.
- Examples. Clear “wrong vs. right” examples – and plenty of ‘em – illustrate what works best, and what to avoid. Once you see good and bad design side-by-side, the right way becomes obvious and second nature. It will feel totally natural and comfortable.
- Sample assignments. You’ll work through sample assignments just as if you are the graphic designer working for a client, giving you hands-on experience and the beginnings of a design portfolio.
- Sample files. Your course includes dozens of samples of some of the most successful direct marketing ads and direct mail packages running today. In direct marketing, we judge work by results – if it’s selling, it must be good. And these samples are so great, they are still being mailed or running continuously. You’ll quickly get a sense of what separates the ordinary from the superb.
- Secrets of the Masters. A special bonus section where the direct marketing industry’s top desktop designers, the heavy hitters, reveal their trade secrets for boosting response to every ad, insert, or mailing they produce.
- How to Get Clients Fast. You’ll hear – from both the freelance and the client side – everything you need to know to successfully market your graphic design services, get clients, negotiate your fees, get paid, make clients happy with your work, and generate lucrative repeat business and referrals. Not only do we show you how to be a good graphic designer; we also show you how to make much more money in this business than the average “graphic artist” can ever hope to earn working in the corporate world.
Q: How many assignments are there in the Graphic Design Success Program?
A: Graphic Design Success has three
assignments:
Assignment #1: Savage Storm
of Profits
Assignment #2: Forever Young
Assignment #3: Main Street
Millionaire
Q: Are direct mail marketers really looking for freelance designers?
A: Direct mail marketing is a $1.86 trillion industry. The reason it’s so large is because direct marketing is a highly effective way to sell products and services.
Even though direct mail graphic design is much easier than general advertising graphic design, the field of direct marketing is much less competitive.
The reason is simple: Most graphic artists are drawn to “Madison Avenue” style marketing. They think doing national magazine ads for a big soap company…or an automobile manufacturer…or a flashy dot.com is “glamorous.” So they are all competing for these few jobs.
Many of these same graphic artists look down upon direct marketing design as lacking in creativity. Which means there are far fewer designers going after direct mail assignments. The result is that the demand for direct mail graphic design services far outweighs the supply.
And the best part about working in such a large industry is that, as far as graphic design is concerned, the market is virtually untapped! This is great for the relatively few designers who are in direct marketing. It means that they will always have all the work they can handle. And there is room for thousands more direct marketing graphic designers.
Q: Do I need to purchase any special software for this program?
A: You need a computer with some sort of desktop publishing software. It does not matter what hardware and software you use. You can create appealing, easy-to-read pages with inexpensive equipment just as well as you can with the latest and greatest program. A simple word processing program like Word for Windows or WordPerfect will allow you to design sales letters and other direct mail pieces. All 3 program assignments can be designed in a word processing program.
Q: What are people saying about the Graphic Design Success program and the people behind it?
A: "AWAI as an organization has given me the best learning experience I've EVER had, providing me with encouragement and support every step along my journey toward a new career. In short, you folks are great. You've helped me see plainly what I need to do to succeed and given me the roadmap, information, and support I need to get there. I can't thank you enough." -- Sharon O., Oakland, CA
"I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I'm enjoying the Graphic Design Success course. The lessons are detailed, easy to follow, and explain exactly how to apply design concepts in real-world direct marketing projects. My favorite part of the course is the send-in assignments. I can't think of a better way to learn this skill than by getting specific, thorough critiques from professional designers." -- Vanessa K., Tacoma, WA
"I am excited about learning direct marketing graphic design and I have found the course has exceeded my expectations. I am going to school full time for multimedia and I have found that what I have been learning so far in the Graphic Design Success course has influenced my projects at school and they have taken on a more professional look." -- Lonnie K., Cincinnati, Ohio
"If my memory serves me right, AWAI's Graphic Design Success is the only graphic design course that solely deals with direct marketing. The tuition for the course is less than a semester of college, so it's very affordable! So far, I've learned quite a bit of useful information, that can be used for an enjoyable lifelong career!" -- Deric N., Havre, MT