It can be very demotivating when you never get client work. It might seem to you that the reason you don't is that you have terrible work. This is almost never the case. I've seen average-looking work attract more clients - and clients that pay more. Even though my work isn't spectacular, I still get clients who have hundreds and thousands of dollars to spend. In no way am I suggesting that my work is not worth what I charge. Nor am I gloating. With these tactics, you can attract more clients and clients who are willing to pay more. Please tweet me if you found this useful or have a topic you'd like me to cover.
1. Reach out to them.
I've seen numerous tweets about not receiving clients. The thing is: they will rarely reach out to you. Unfortunately, some designers do not seem to understand this. Having 100-550 followers, even if you do great work, chances are people won't discover you as often as you would like. Not to say that won't happen. But you must constantly look for new opportunities and reach out to people if you want to get clients. Sitting back and waiting will not do you any good.
I'm not sure where to begin. What are some ways to find potential clients? ; how do I reach out to them properly. There are many ways to find people looking for designs. Reddit and Discord communities, as well as Twitter, are effective resources for finding work - these have worked well for me in the past. You can search for keywords on Twitter (i.e. hiring designers, need a designer, need a logo, etc.). It may take a bit while to find promising candidates, but it is better than waiting for nothing to happen. Besides businesses and creators, you can also look for people who could benefit from your services.
How do you successfully reach out to them? The most critical thing to avoid is being fake, unconvincing, and spam-like. When you reach out/cold message someone, I believe there are two things you should do.
Talk Benefits
You should easily be able to explain what the client will gain by working with you. (i.e. generate more leads/sales, views, subscribers, etc.) Mention this to the client.
Personalize
Rather than just throwing something together and copying/pasting. Take your time to craft something personalized. By doing so, you can increase your chances of connecting and catching their attention. This can be a compliment about a song, campaign, video, etc. Just remember to keep it simple.
Example:
Hello,
Talk briefly about who you are and what you do.
Without insulting them, politely point out a problem/s and how you can provide a solution. (Simple problem/solution equation)
(I like to end with a CTA or Call-to-action. For example, "I'd love to talk specifics", "I'd love to talk more about how this can benefit you and your brand", etc.
Lastly, thank them.
It is short and simple, but it is often effective. If they don't reply, you can follow up. However, I wouldn't do so unless they haven't replied for a day or two. You can also try contacting management members (if applicable) or via other social media. Just make sure you don't spam.
2. Get clients to come to you
You just heard me talk about the opposite: clients are almost never going to come to you. This is 100% true unless you know how to attract clients.
Personal referrals
Client referrals are a very effective way to attract more clients. Most people trust friends' recommendations. The following are two ways to get clients.
Network. Network. Network. Designers need to know how to establish connections. If you don't do this, you are missing out. Networking will not only get you more recommendations/clients, but it will also increase your following and reputation. Network by connecting with friends and family who have businesses, showing an interest in brands, socializing IRL and joining communities.
Ask. Ask for recommendations. If you are providing or have provided a client with a great experience, ask. Encourage them to refer or recommend you, and that you are always happy to work with new clients.
Have an up-to-date portfolio - optimize it.
While on calls with many different creatives, one thing I do when establishing connections with them is to check out their social media. I then navigate to their portfolio only to hear them say "My portfolio is not updated".
People who have an outdated portfolio are losing so many opportunities. Not only should your portfolio ALWAYS be up to date with your best projects BUT it should sell.
I believe Lucas Hogie (amazing value about marketing: twitter.com/LucasHogie) said this best in a tweet. "You should be treating your portfolio as a storefront. It's meant to draw people into "the store" (to contact you so they can become leads...) so you can finally close them and make them your clients."
I believe this is SO true - as Lucas explains in the thread, the formula has 5 steps:
1) explain the value you provide
2) explain how you'll create it
3) visualize it for them
4) provide proof: social proof, numbers, etc.
5) CALL TO ACTION
3. Have good work
This is a no-brainer. You don't have to have award-winning work to get clients, but it helps to have good work. Good designs will speak for themselves and attract clients.
Improving takes time and hard work. Work on your skills every day and over time you will see immense growth.
4. Niche Down
Niching down may seem slightly counterintuitive at times. This is wrong. By niching down, you allow yourself to market yourself as a specialist or expert. If there is a certain niche that you see lacks your skills/services, take advantage of it. As I mentioned in a recent tweet - Choosing a specialty that you are passionate about is the most important. That being said: if the specialty/form you choose has no opportunity to make a profit then don’t choose it, but happiness is #1.
Furthermore, try different mediums, styles or types of design to find your thing. You may normally do apparel but find that UI/UX is fun and has the potential to make a profit.
Summary:
- Reach out to them - find clients and let them know how you can help them.
- Get clients to come to you via encouraging referrals, networking and having a portfolio that is optimized to sell.
- Let your work show for itself - having good work will attract clients
- Niche Down - Market yourself as an expert in a specific field and type of design.