Designers and photographers create self-promotional pieces to win new clients and lure past clients back. The best way to accomplish these goals depends on the individual creative professional; in fact, if your promotion looks like someone else's, you've lost your chance to distinguish yourself.

But many successful promotions do have a couple things in common, as you'll see in two examples from well-respected firms Modern Dog and Red Canoe. First, they reflect the creators' style, services, and even sense of humor. Second, the pieces make a strong impression -- they're not likely to go into the garbage can. If your promotional pieces do the same, you're well on your way to convincing potential clients to become paying customers.

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Excerpted from The Art of Promotion: Creating Distinction Through Innovative Production Techniques by Lisa L. Cyr (ISBN: 1-59253-010-9). Copyright 2003, Rockport Publishers. All rights reserved.