Build a Website
Let’s be honest and very realistic... If you don’t have a website, you can’t expect to stay in business as a freelance graphic designer! Seriously. There is absolutely NO reason in today’s world NOT to have a webs ite. You can get hosting for less than $50/year, a domain will cost you $20 or less per year, and as a graphic designer you should be able to design a kick-ass-looking site. Not a web designer? Then buy a “template” site from someplace like Perfectory.com or TemplateMonster.com, or better yet have one of your web-designer friends create a basic portfolio site for you and, in return, do some free work for them. No matter what the case, get it done or you’ll have no chance of competing with other designers, getting new clients, and staying in business no matter what the state of the economy.
Now, there are rules you should abide buy when building your website.
Rule #1: Keep it clean and professional. That means no misspelled words, foul language, or declarations that you are so cool that everyone who visits your site should buy you a beer (I actually know someone who did this, and they truly wondered why they weren’t getting any clients).
Rule#2: You MUST include portfolio pieces. Don’t have any? Then you shouldn’t be freelancing yet. Get some real-life experience and some real-life portfolio pieces before you try freelancing. This is a very competitive industry and in order to give you the best chance at success, you HAVE to have quality portfolio pieces. This is what clients will look at first and ultimately make them decide whether or not to contact (or hire) you.
Rule #3: List the services you offer and make it clear to the client what you do and how you do it. If you are strictly a web developer who specializes in CakePHP, JAVA and other specific types of development, then say so. If you’re strictly a Print designer and your specific strengths include logo design or catalog development, then say it. If you do it all, then say you do it all and make a list of everything you can do.
**TIP: If you say you can do it, then back up your claim by putting that particular piece in your portfolio!
Advertise Your Services
Once you’ve accomplished the phenomenal feat of building a quality website and getting it uploaded, it’s time to tell the world you’re open for business and accepting clients! And how do you do that? Well, there are many different ways to advertise your business – both for free as well as for a price – and just about all of them can be done online:
1. Your local Chamber of Commerce is a great place to start. The easiest way to become known locally is to get a membership to your local COC. Sometimes memberships are cheap, sometimes costly (depending on your area) but nearly all of them will have local networking events such as luncheons and business after hours, and include your business listing on their website (often with a link back to your own site). Other benefits will sometimes include exclusive referrals, business card and literature displays, and admission to seminars and workshops. It’s always great to get involved in your local community, as well as get to know other local businesses who are also members. Your membership to a local COC will not only give you benefits from the Chamber itself, but also from other businesses who are associated.
2. Professional Graphic Design organizations such as the AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) offer National as well as some Local chapter memberships and, similar to the Chamber of Commerce, includes many benefits. Benefits to joining the AIGA include heal th insurance discounts (which can be very beneficial to those of us who need to purchase our own healthcare coverage), view full job listings, getting a listing in the AIGA Designer Directory and discounted rates to conferences, events, design competitions, books and more. The down side to joining the AIGA is the expense – they expect a yearly investment of over $300 for those individuals who have practiced design for 4 years or more. Do the benefits outweigh the cost? Maybe, maybe not, but if your interest is in getting clients, a national organization as big as the AIGA probably won’t help much.
A better suggestion, in my opinion, is to join a smaller, local chapter of an Artist’s Guild or Advertising Federation. For example, there are a ton of local chapters of the American Advertising Federation (such as the “Boise Advertising Federation” in Idaho or “Ad 2 Phoenix” in Arizona, to give you a couple of examples) who offer memberships at less than a third of the cost the IAGA charges (I’ve seen them as little as $50/year and up to $95/year), and they give the same benefits of online listings, seminars, luncheons, networking events, discounts and local exposure. I’ve found these smaller organizations to be more advantageous to getting new clients and businesses referrals. Whichever you prefer, just do an online search for different graphic design and advertising organizations in your area and join the ones that fit you, your business and your budget the best.
3. Freelance portfolio/graphic design listing websites are all over the web these days. These sites are becoming more and more popular as businesses search for freelancers in all specialties and mediums, and it can only benefit you to take the time to join, fill out all the necessary profile information, and upload samples of your portfolio. The more exposure you have on the web, the easier it will be for potential clients to find you. Here’s a list of some of the more popular and effective websites I’ve used:
a . www.freelancedesigners.com: On first inspection, this website appears poorly designed, outdated and highly confusing, but don’t let this discourage you. I, personally, have received my best clients through this website and it’s very likely because a visit to any search engine under the words “Freelance Designer” will give you this website on the top of the first page. Freelancedesigners.com gives you a free listing when you sign up, and a free listing is all you’ll need to start with. You have the option of spending money and increasing your listing areas (they catalog all members by city/state), but test the waters and see how you do with a free listing first. You can decide from there if it’s in your budget and your better interest to increase your area.
When I started freelancing, this was the only site I was listed on (using their free listing services) and I received an average of 30 hits per month to my website. You may receive more or less depending on the area you’re listed in, but if you receive only one new client thanks to this service, it makes the time and effort you put into the listing very worth it. I have had a free listing on this website for over 5 years and still, to this day, receive quality leads.
b. www.creativeshake.com: Creative Shake (previously known as portfolios.com) is similar to the freelancedesigners.com listing service, but with some big differences. First, you can actually show off your portfolio with a free listing on this site. It takes more time to fill out all the required listing information and you’ll have to spend some time creating portfolio images according to the upload specifications, but once it’s done you don’t have to go back unless you want to update your portfolio every now and then. CreativeShake also has an area specifically for job postings that you can browse through and apply for, as well as news feeds and creative awards competitions. The downside to this website is that it doesn’t seem to be well-known enough (or get high enough rankings from search engines) to get many quality leads. When I first joined this website I actually started out with a “Titanium” membership which is one you pay for, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to end up in the first 5 pages of results (often the first page, if you play by the rules and “update” your listing weekly). Unfortunately, after one year of my paid membership listing, I received only a small handful of contacts that came directly from CreativeShake… all of them other designers with questions, comments or compliments.
Over time I suppose the website could gain popularity, but having received no quality leads that actually lead to a paycheck, I decided it was best to let the paid membership expire and downgrade to a free listing. Still, I advise you take the time and get your business listed – you never know where your next client will come from and, again, the more exposure you have, the better. 4. Freelance job listing websites are available to join as well. These websites focus less on the creative person’s listing and more on the connection between businesses searching for services and the service providers. The best example of this type of website is www.elance.com. Elance allows businesses to post exactly what type of job they need done, and then members who provide those types of services are encouraged to “bid” on those projects. The client then chooses the provider they feel meets the skills of the job required as well as the monetary compensation desired. Overall, it’s a great system for a graphic designer who’s looking to put a few bids out and get some extra work now and then, but there are some drawbacks. Because of its increasing popularity and international attention, there is a LOT of competition in the bidding process, and often with designers from other countries who are just as talented a designer as you, but charge far less. On top of those challenges, tack on the fact that companies who are seeking services from Elance are often looking for a deal – decent design at a cheap rate – and are not likely to be repeat clients unless they enjoy paying the added fees that go along with posting a job through Elance (which most do not).
Another Freelance listing website to check out is www.limeexchange.com. LimeExchange is very similar to Elance, but one feature I like in particular with this website is its “LimeStand” projects. Those are projects where designers are not bidding on projects – they’re design ing to win the project – sort of like a mini-competition. Let’s say a new social networking site is coming out soon and the developer is looking for a logo. He has a budget of $100, so he posts a LimeStand project on LimeExchange, giving the specs for how he wants the logo to look. As a designer, you can spend an hour (or more) designing a logo, then upload it according to the LimeExchange network guidelines for the client, as well as other designers, to see. The project “closes” after a certain amount of time (could be a week, could be a month – it’s up to the client) and a winning logo is chosen, giving the winner the $100 award. Sometimes hundreds of entries can be made, but if your entry is chosen as the winner, you get paid. The downside, of course, is if your entry is not chosen… then, of course, you don’t get paid. Again, like Elance, companies are looking for good design at a cheap rate, so these types of sites are not that great for long-term clientele and are at the very high end in terms of competition internationally, but good if you’re in bind and need some work. Who knows? Maybe a client will like your design so much they hire you for additional work later on. That’s why I advise you to sign up with these types of sites and place some bids when you’re looking for work. 5. Networking sites are another great place to get the word out about your business. Business networking sites are an excellent way to do that, as well as get recommendations from past colleagues and join specialized groups who can send business your way. Some of the most valuable sites for our industry include:
a. LinkedIn.com: LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking site that connects “trusted” contacts such as businesses, past/current colleagues and industry-specific groups. LinkedIn is a great way to get recommendations for your services published online for other businesses to see and has a very good reputation for professionals.
b. Ecademy.com: Another exclusively “business” social networking site, Ecademy prides itself connecting business people through its online network, blogs and message-board chats.
c. PixelGroovy.com: This is a pretty cool website that allows its members to write tutorials for other members to use. This site is mainly for web designers and developers, but provides a great resource for both learning as well as promoting your own company.
d. Facebook.com: Although Facebook is known more for its social-networking chatter, it has also become a place where you can create a page for your business and attract “fans”. Keep it professional and you’ll get a lot of exposure and maybe a few referrals.
e. Craigslist.com: Desperate times can happen – they always do – so don’t feel ashamed if you have to advertise your services on Craigslist. Really. It’s free, it reaches thousands of people a day, and you never know – it could mean the difference between eating Mac ‘n Cheese or Steak that night.
6. Something else you’ll want to look for are link-backs. A link-back is a link to your site from someone else’s. Web designers, it’s not uncommon at all to include a small link at the bottom of websites you’ve designed, so if that’s part of the deal when you make your contract with the client, I highly recommend you do it. It’s also great to get other companies to link their websites to yours – for instance, if you’re a print graphic designer and commonly work with one or two web developers, trade links. It’s more and more common now for companies who need one to be looking for the other, so it can mean more business for you and your “code-geek” buddy to post links to each other’s websites.
7. Old Fashioned Print Ads & Public Relations: Some say print is dead. I say, in reality, print is not dead… yet, at least… and advertising in local publications and newspapers can still create a valuable source for potential clients to find you. The biggest problem in print advertising is cost. When you compare the cost of purchasing a print ad that gives you minimal local exposure to doing any of the online advertising I’ve already outlined, you’ll see the value really isn’t there. But if you can get a write-up (that is, an article written about you or your business) through some public relations (PR) campaigning, then the value can be enormous. Local exposure among your community will be one of your biggest assets, because many companies prefer to hire freelancers who are local – even if you, the freelancer, work from home. Why is that? Well, think about it this way. If you own a company and you need some help with PR, where would YOU start looking? Chances are, you’ll start with a local search because local PR experts know the publishers, newspapers, editors, etc. that they work with on a daily basis. Just like a company who is out to hire YOU will look to you for local knowledge on printers and publications. Don’t get me wrong – you’ll very likely have people from out of state (or even out of country) contact you for work if you’ve advertised effectively online, but you can count on getting at least 50% of your business from local companies, so use it to your advantage. Tell your local newspaper that you’ve opened your doors for business and ask if they’ll do a write-up. If you know how to write a press-release or have a friend who can help (maybe barter some free graphic design work?), send out periodic press releases to your local papers. ANY kind of exposure will help you gain referrals and work, so tap all of your resources.
8. Word of Mouth/Referrals: One of the easiest forms of advertising is word of mouth. TELL your friends and family you’re ready for work! The more people you tell, the more people they will tell, and it’s just a matter of time before one of them comes back to you with a referral. If you meet someone new – maybe a friend’s husband who’s a programmer or web developer – tell them what you do and “network” with each other. You never know when a casual meeting could turn into a huge client. Here’s an example. Your wife is getting her Master’s degree and makes a few friends while attending school. She brings you along to a barbeque where you meet the husband of another student who happens to spend his days working for a major web developer. You, as a freelance graphic designer, tell him what you do and you both compare/contrast job experiences as well as phone numbers in case any freelance work opens up for the other. A few weeks later you hear from him and he tells you he’s given your number to an associate who’s in desperate need of a freelance designer. You get a call from the associate, he hires you on the spot at your premium hourly rate, and you’re working 30 hours per week for the next 9 to 12 months. Sound far-fetched? Well, it isn’t. This actually happened to yours-truly and it could just as easily happen to you. Moral of the story: Be friendly, be outgoing and social about your job, and be willing to network with people even if it’s in a casual setting. If you’re unfriendly, standoffish, or simply don’t get out of the house once in a while you could see your clients and business drop. Always be on the lookout for potential networking, and take advantage when the opportunity arises.
TIP: When someone gives you a referral that leads to more actual business for you, it’s always a great idea to extend some kind of referral gift. Whether it’s a small floral bouquet or a deluxe basket from Harry & David, a bottle of local Wine or an engraved pen, think of a kind and creative way to send your thanks. It may or may not lead to more business, but it definitely shows an appreciation for the friendly word of mouth and will only increase your reputation as an honorable, respectable businessperson. Plus, it’s just a nice thing to do. A gift doesn’t have to be expensive – just enough to give a devoted “Thank You”.
Competitions
Another fantastic way to boost your reputation as well as your visibility is to enter, and ultimately win, design competitions. But don’t put your whole life and career on the line if you don’t win one immediately – there are so many types of design competitions out there with judges who are looking for certain aspects of design, that it can often be nearly impossible to win on a National or International scale. I’m sure you’ve seen what I’m talking about – Print and Howmagazines are notorious for their outlandish and non-real-world design winners, even though the magazines themselves are great to use for inspiration on your own designs – so if you do pay the $35 to $50 fees to enter one of those and don’t win, it’s nothing to fret over.
If you want like to enter some competitions, do your research and find competitions that seem to reflect your personal style, or better yet, competitions that are put on by your local chapters of the AAF (American Advertising Federation) or AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts). If you’re a member of these local chapters, they’ll keep you informed of what competitions are happening when, and you’ll very likely be given some sort of discount for entering.
My Dad once gave me some great advise about playing Slot machines in Las Vegas. He said, “Play the quarter or dollar machines with the smallest payout. They hit their jackpots more often, and you’re more likely to win something.” The same advice can be put to use regarding design competitions. Want to win a few? Of course you need to enter a quality design, but to increase your chances of winning then you should enter the smaller-scale competitions. You’re more likely to be chosen as a winner for competitions with fewer participants than the larger ones with tens of thousands of participants, so pump up your resume and gain the recognition you deserve! Once you’ve entered some of the smaller competitions and get a feel for what they look for in the winners, you can start entering the larger-scale International competitions.
To help you get started, here are some good online resources for open competitions that are nearly always accepting submissions of some sort:
www.graphiccompetitions.com: This site has a very easy-to-read list of open competitions in the US. Simply scroll down the list and review the latest contests, their deadlines, any submission costs that may be associated and of course, the prize. www.allgraphicdesign.com: All Graphic Design is an excellent resource for articles, forums, blogs and open competitions for the graphic design community. Their competition list is long and includes contests for both graphic designers and web developers. www.designerscontest.com: This site is relatively new compared to the first two, but is a very easy site to navigate and a great place to gain exposure. Simply click on the “Find a contest now!” link and you’ll be directed to a list of design contests (and corresponding prizes) to choose from. If you have some free time to submit some entries, this may be a good way to gain new clients as well as build up your portfolio. Another great place to look for competitions is on major brand websites. For example, PepsiCo opened a competition over a year before they were going to roll out a new Pepsi Logo and Can design. The competition was open to anyone and everyone who wanted to design a Pepsi can. They gave users tools to use directly from the website, so those with no professional design software could still enter, as well as having the option of downloading a template for designers to come up with their own submissions. I followed this competition closely, and have seen very similar competitions for Mountain Dew, Glade and Hugo Boss. The Grand Prize winner of the Pepsi “Design-A-Can” competition was awarded $10,000 for their design. What wasn’t made so public until later was the fact that about 15 other submissions were chosen and used on various Pepsi cans and bottles for the following year before the final rollout of the new logo emerged. Those designers received $5,000 each – and it’s very likely they put less than 2 hours worth of work into their submissions. Pretty nice pay-day, and Pepsi was kind enough to include the designer’s initials and city/state on the back of the label.
My point is, keep your eyes and ears open. You never know when or where a competition will pop up, and a few hours of work is certainly worth it if you’re the winner of a good chunk of cash!
