Even experienced graphic designers may find the process of
obtaining new clients to be challenging. There is no doubt that it can be
challenging, but contrary to what you may think, it is not as challenging as it
appears. You have several options and ways in which you can gain a graphic
design client if you wish to do so. Depending on the situation, it could be
anything from how you submit proposals to how you build and maintain
relationships with your clients.
Getting clients for graphic designers can be challenging, especially when you are just starting out. Clients can be gained in a variety of ways, including outreaching to clients on your own. Throughout this guide, we will describe eight effective methods for obtaining freelance clients.
8 Tips To Get Graphics Design Clients
Here are 8 tips on how to get clients as a freelance graphic designer. If you want to get clients, you should read these tips and put them into practice.
- Know Your Niche
- Get Referrals From Four Previous Clients
- Provide your expertise for free when appropriate
- Upwork
- Fiverr
- Collaborate with influencers and agencies
- Create Decent & Attractive Content
- Networking
1. Know Your Niche
The first step to accepting innovative projects as a beginner is, to begin with a generalist mindset. Once you have a generalist mindset, start to focus on establishing a new clientele base.
The niche you choose will determine your business' success. There are animations for gaming, health and welfare for established brands, and brand outlooks for startups and entrepreneurs.
You may also choose to work as a freelance graphic designer to gain extensive experience in the field of graphic design. Taking on different projects as a freelance graphic designer can provide you with a steady client base. A niche is a great way to display your expertise and gain repeat clients by showcasing your expertise and gaining repeat clients.
2. Get Referrals From Four Previous Clients
It is appropriate to request a referral from a previous client if you have worked with them previously. The most important thing is to be honest and open with the clients and let them know that you are always looking for new clients and that you would appreciate their recommendations. As a graphic designer, you can really boost your credibility when you receive a referral or review from one of your clients.
This can be a great way to enhance your credibility as a graphic designer. The practice of asking a client for a referral, recommendation, or review is quite normal in this day and age, even though it may seem uncomfortable for both you and your client. Recommendations are an important part of building long-term relationships with clients and business partners.
3. Provide your expertise for free when appropriate
It may be controversial in the design industry to work for free, but if done right, it can leverage future opportunities. If you want to help your client solve a specific problem, you could provide a quick visual branding audit, a website analysis, or a free consultation. You can offer a free resource or tool in exchange for a prospect's contact information.
If your clients are looking for free eBooks, mini online courses, or website templates, you can share them while showcasing your expertise and knowledge. Once you have their contact information, you can follow up personally, or continue to share helpful resources that position your company or agency as an authority to hire.
4. Upwork
Upwork is heaven for new freelancers. Since Upwork is the world's largest freelance marketplace, you can be pretty confident that you will be able to find work here The thing is, it will take you some time and persistence to get started. However, honestly, that is going to be the case for most of these methods as well.
Success rarely happens overnight. Simply create an account in Upwork, provide the necessary information, and then create a project about graphic design. Your portfolio should contain examples of your previous work, so don't forget to add them. Complete your profile, then search for Graphics designing jobs and apply for them.
5. Fiverr
Just like Upwork, Fiverr is also a good freelancing website that you can use for starting your freelancing career. It will take some time for you to set up your profile. A single account can have a maximum of five gigs. Before you publish your gig, make sure that you include relevant keywords in the description.
You should keep in mind when creating a gig that you should set a lower rate than others of your skill in order to attract more clients. Once you begin receiving clients on Fiverr, you can increase your hourly rate.
6. Collaborate with influencers and agencies
Be open to working with agencies if you are a young freelance graphic designer. Small agencies have smaller budgets, so they outsource to you. To start, check out what creative agencies are looking for, and check if you have any connections there. Visit their website to see their graphic designs and determine whether your background is compatible. If the stars align, then get in touch and see what happens.
A company that funnels work to you consistently can also provide you with a sense of security, which is rare for freelancers. However, working directly with companies can take the freedom out of freelancing. Conversely, if you're an experienced designer, look for opportunities to collaborate with influencers, who essentially are walking advertisements on social media. Explain what you do, compliment them, and let them know what you want from them.
7. Create Decent & Attractive Content
A freelancing platform's success depends largely on the quality of the content it offers its users. Creating and posting online content allows you to share your knowledge, demonstrate your process and tell your clients about your latest projects and all the ideas that you have. Additionally, when people find your content, they will learn more about you and may wish to work with you as a result. Optimize your content for the keywords your ideal clients are searching for, or add a transcript to your videos and podcasts to make them more easily accessible.
The content you write should be shared on a variety of well-known sites, such as Dribble, Behance, YouTube, and Medium, as well as on your own website. These sites often appear on the first page of Google, so you'll be found more easily. It is imperative that you use these well-established sites to send traffic back to your work and portfolio sites, so make use of them.
8. Networking
Finally, networking also plays a major role in obtaining clients for freelancers who are in need of graphic design services. During this time, you will have the opportunity to make contact with a lot of people who may be interested in the kind of service that you have to offer. Putting yourself out there is one of the best things you can do as a beginner. The idea is to expand your reach and expose yourself to a larger audience.
Your chances of getting lucky will be greatly increased if you do this. Getting your hands dirty at design hackathons can be a great way to learn new skills and meet new people. In addition to this, they also give you a great opportunity to come into contact with many interesting people in the industry in addition to helping you gain a better insight into real-life situations.
Final Words
I hope you found this information useful in helping you understand how to get clients for your graphic design business. The above mentioned tricks and tips are effective in attracting graphic design clients. Getting your first client doesn't mean you have to worry about pricing, processes, or proposals. Once you get the work, you'll be focused on getting the job, so you'll learn the rest as you go.
Related Guide: Can You Do SEO Without Access To Cpanel?