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10 Steps To Become A Productive Freelance Designer
1. Brand yourself. Nearly any firm or corporation falls apart without an established style. Without a notable personalized logo you will just fade into the background where literally hundreds of freelance designers wander.
2. Develop an effective online portfolio. It is almost impossible to achieve success in graphic or internet design without having an impressive online presence. Any possible clients or bosses will need to see your work and most of them will prefer to type in a URL and click on what they wish to see.
3. Develop an equally effective print portfolio, business cards, resume, etc. This is somewhat a combination of the other 2 steps. Make sure you create an impressive concrete portfolio which you could give to people who want to see your work "in person". Also use your branding and identity to make business cards, stationery, et cetera. Any time you could slap your personal brand on something, do it.
4. Be brave, daring, and professional. Don't be scared to call people, offer services, email businesses and more. Not too long ago, I was printing a job for a customer and at the printing shop, a person complimented me on the design of the piece. After engaging in friendly conversation, he asked me for a few tips about the piece he was printing for his own business. Though I was short on time, I was happy to help him and once I got ready to leave, I offered my future services then gave him a card. Have confidence that people will recognize your skills.
5. Go the extra mile for your prospects. Word of mouth is an important tool you have. Nothing could help you or hurt you a lot more than rumors and compliments shared by people for whom you have done work before. About 90% of the freelance work I do comes from word-of-mouth publicity.
6. Get the smaller jobs first. Doing well at a small job for somebody may also help open doors for your customer to do bigger, better things. I entered a logo contest for a particular group and out of the 4 logos I entered, 2 tied for first place pick. They were so impressed, I offered to design their online page also. Comparable offers can be made for an organization's stationery, business cards, etc. Find a niche and then take courage and offer much more.
7. Never underestimate yourself. This goes together with Number 4. Be sure to believe in yourself. Nobody will ever get a designer that thinks he might not do as good a job as the next guy. Be sure to reflect your self-confidence in your pricing. If your work is excellent, charge good money for it.
8. Network. Graphic and web design are quickly changing. Every day new methods and styles are made and the designer found sleeping on the job is left in the dust. Join social networks like twitter, linkedin, facebook, digg, and more. Create a weblog and regularly add meaningful comments on others' websites. Making a reputation for yourself in the design world takes some time but could be achieved using social networking sites.
9. Practice, practice, practice. Nothing will help you increase in self-confidence and skill more than practice. If work is a bit slow, nail down some of those personal tasks you've been meaning to complete. Be a part of a group at school or in the community where you can freshen your own abilities. Take part in design forums, contests, and workshops. Nothing can take the place of real life application and experience.
10. Pay attention. I like to carry a smaller pad around with me. Every time I see an advertisement, photograph, building, person, etc. that influences my artistic thinking.
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