15 Top Tips For Starting Your Own Graphic Design Agency

For the vast majority of graphic designers, there will come a time when they are tired of working for others. You want more freedom to choose your projects. Choose your clients. Be your own Boss! When that moment arrives, you’ll want to be ready to transition smoothly from employee to freelancer.

It can be a thrilling feeling to make the decision to go it alone and start your own business. As a freelancer, you have complete control over your job and have to be your own boss. But, in a highly competitive environment like graphic design, how do you make sure your jump doesn’t end in a crash?

The Brutal Reality

Fresh graduates and salaried professional designers are turning to the freelancing industry in greater numbers than ever before. While changing careers can be exhilarating, the reality is that many first-time freelancers fail. This failure might be caused by a variety of factors. When you have the freedom to establish your own work hours, you may discover that staying motivated becomes a difficulty. To build your customer list and get your name out there in the design field, you’ll need a lot of perseverance. You might also discover that dealing with real consumers isn’t as glamorous as you had imagined.

Whatever potential obstacles are in your path, a little planning can help you get beyond it straight away! You may develop a great career doing what you love in the area of graphic design by properly preparing yourself!

The Secret to Success

We’ve already discussed the potential issues that graphic designers face when starting their own businesses. But you can do much more than simply avoid the common mistakes of your competition. We’ll go over 15 steps to building a successful creative design agency below.

Step 1: Make sure you have everything you need in your toolbox

The first step for any aspiring graphic designer is to ensure that they are utilizing the appropriate software. Out-of-date software will only make the procedure more difficult and put you behind the competitors. You need to know how to use your design programs in addition to having the latest versions.

Spend some time determining what programs are required for your specific specialization. Trying to attract high-profile clients and offering a diverse range of services? Then you are generally going to desire more robust Professional Design programs, such as Adobe Creative Suite. Don’t forget the essentials, such as a powerful computer and a sketchpad!

Step 2: Research! Research! Research!

Formal education is fantastic and all, but in this information age, you would be amazed how much you can learn through internet tutorials and articles! Particularly when it comes to cutting-edge styles and trends, the important teaching often takes place outside of the classroom.

Another benefit of thoroughly researching other designers’ tips and tactics is that it is extremely cost-effective! Many successful design gurus are ready and willing to share their techniques with eager followers.

There are numerous tools available to designers who want to brush up on their abilities or learn something new. Members and non-members alike can access a wealth of how-to articles and videos on sites like Digital Arts and others like it. Even novices can learn cutting-edge ways for creating engaging, eye-catching content easily on YouTube.

Step 3: Get Involved

It’s never been easier to freelance than it is now, thanks to the reliable internet! You may choose whatever freelancing platforms you want to use, with most of them being entirely free to register. Also, don’t feel obligated to stick with only one freelancing site. You need to be able to reach as many potential clients as possible in order to succeed.

Make sure you put some effort into each profile, as they really will be your selling feature for any services you wish to provide. It’s always a good idea to include lots of items in your portfolio to show off your personal style and capabilities.

Top 5 Freelancing Sites You Need to Start Using:

Fiverr.com

Upwork.com

PeoplePerHour.com

Freelancer.com

Guru.com

Step 4: Make a Portfolio

As previously said, aspiring freelancers should bring a large portfolio of their work to the table. So what do you do if you don’t have a lot of completed projects?

If your prior work has been insufficient, create a series of mock-ups to demonstrate how sharp your design eye is. And it shouldn’t have to be a hard process. With tools like Adobe Creative Suite, you can make a plethora of imagery for a variety of purposes, so there’s no reason to have a small portfolio.

Step 5: Make Your Own Website

You’ll need your own page to direct clients both on and off the freelancing platforms. The nicest part of creating your own website is that it allows you to demonstrate your abilities to design a cohesive look. Focus on who you’re trying to appeal to in terms of style when building your website.

When it comes to the graphics on your own page, it’s equally critical to resist the impulse to be excessive. Afterall, you don’t want it to look like an explosion in a paint factory! A simple color design will draw attention to your portfolio more effectively than a cluttered palette. Allow space for your work to shine through on your website. Try to visually express your personality through it’s design.

Step 6: Dive Right In!

It’s time to start looking for jobs once you’ve completed your website and online profiles. It’s normal to feel nervous when submitting your first few applications, but keep in mind that you have nothing to lose!

Prepare to send, send, send! In all seriousness, you’ll apply for a lot more jobs than you’ll get hired for. It’s a numbers game… the more proposals you send, the more jobs you will get! However, consider this a learning opportunity. You may find that as you become more comfortable with the process, you begin to show more of your true self. This is an important aspect of sticking out in a crowd, so use it as inspiration.

*PRO TIP* Personalize your profiles! Don’t just copy and paste the same one every time. Make it specific to the job you are going for. Make sure to read the job descriptions fully and understand the scope of every project. This helps with knowing how much you should charge for your time, so don’t just send out template based proposals… trust me, the client will know!

Step 7: Pay Attention to Your Customer

You’ll encounter a diverse range of consumers as you bid on additional jobs. Rather than sending the same, basic information to each possible employer, spend some time getting to know the people you’re competing with.

Do they require regular assistance or just assistance with a single major project? Take action! Is their business professional in character, or do they appear to be a little more laid-back? Make the necessary adjustments to your tone. You should guarantee that your pitch is tailored to the demands of the firm you are attempting to work for by researching the organization thoroughly beforehand.

Step 8: Spread The Word!

While having an internet presence is essential for freelancers just starting out, don’t overlook the opportunities in your hometown! Get yourself some business cards as soon as possible! Also, make sure your design clearly represents your business as well as what you stand for.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about physical graphics. Seeing your work published is the culmination of all your hard work & efforts. It also allows you to give prospective clients something concrete to remember you by. Even if the business card is an oldie, it’s still a goodie, so come up with something clever and spread it like gangbusters.

Step 9: Make Yourself Visible

Calling or emailing clients is not too aggressive, despite how it may appear — it’s simply excellent business practice! The truth is that people put off contacting a designer for a variety of reasons. Many of these potential clients only require a mild prodding to commit to a project. Contact these customers and let them know you’re here, and you’d love to produce the graphics they so desperately require.

Don’t let your clients wait too long to hear back from you, which goes hand in hand with this. Yes, you’re busy developing your business, but without outstanding evaluations and referrals from previous customers, it won’t amount to much. So take a chance and start typing!

Step 10: Don’t Be A Thorn In The Side

This advice applies to everyone in the business, but especially to those who are trying to establish a customer. Nothing turns off a customer like a designer with little experience and a lot of attitude. Accept the fact that they are willing to take a chance on you. Make it clear that you will be present throughout the process and that you will do whatever it takes to do the work correctly.

You can leave your clients entirely satisfied even if you don’t hit the nail on the head the first time if you are good to work with and willing to make improvements and revisions. Always be willing to learn and listen to your clients demands.

Step 11: Never Work For Free

Being difficult to work with can be unpleasant, however, squandering your valuable time is also highly undesirable. Don’t diminish your value by giving away free work! You’ve worked hard to get to where you are.

We’re not suggesting that chucking in a freebie here and there throughout a project is a bad idea, but setting the foundation that you’ll provide artwork without a price tag can annoy you and make securing future (well-paid) jobs more difficult.

Know your worth and don’t be scared to say no to jobs that don’t compensate you fairly. A client that believes in your expertise would gladly pay a fair price for your services.

Step 12: Apply for a Variety of Jobs

When you first decided to work as a freelancer, you probably had an idea of the types of clients you’d be dealing with. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s important not to limit yourself to only the most glamorous employment when you’re first starting out.

A positive review from a low-profile customer is really valuable. The more of these you can accumulate, the more probable it is that you will be able to secure your dream job when it arises. Your reviews speak to the quality of your work, which is often more essential to potential clients than the number of reviews you have.

Step 13: Add New Design Content Consistently

Graphic design is a visual-oriented profession. People are constantly exposed to gorgeous visuals thanks to the dominance of Pinterest and Instagram on their devices. As a result, if you don’t keep up with what’s new, you won’t be able to develop useful material.

You can devote all of your time and effort into making a technically great design, but if the end result appears old, even a little, it will hurt your chances of success. Make sure you’re following visual innovators and drawing inspiration from them on a daily basis.

Step 14: Manage Your Time Wisely

To avoid burnout, you need to track your time properly and ask for payment that corresponds to the hours worked. There are so many awesome mobile and desktop apps that can help you log your hours and manage the time spent on specific projects. Keeping track of these details will also help you in adjusting your prices on future projects.

While you may believe that a project will be straightforward and quick, the truth is often quite different. You will be able to charge fair pricing for your services and will not be forced to work for pennies once you know how long each graphic takes.

Step 15: Life Is A School — ALWAYS something to Learn

The fact that graphic design is always changing is one of the things that makes it so intriguing. Make time during your work week to learn new skills that will help you grow your profession. This will provide you a strategic advantage over your competitors because you will be one of the first to deliver cutting-edge design techniques.

Regardless of how many years you’ve worked as a designer, continuous learning will keep your career feeling fresh and fulfilling.