Hi everyone this is Graphic Designer Roberto Blake and in today's media I'm gonna talk
about how you become
a freelance graphic designer if you're just tuning in for the first time I
usually do new graphic design videos
every Monday so make sure you're staying tuned and subscribe so you can get all
those
so today I want to talk about the steps you need to take to become a
freelance graphic designer
not talk about what actually takes to work as a freelancer be successful at it
but I thought about the equipment and tools you need and the habit even
develop to be
a freelance graphic designer and how it differs from working for a company
or working for an agency to get started freelance graphic designers don't just
work for one company
or one client in most cases they work for as many clients as they can take on
usually acquire these clients themselves or through an affiliate network up
sometime
or through representation either through a headhunter
a talent scout a recruiter or some other type of scenario
primarily freelance web designer don't just get the new graphic design more
because their running their own business whether full-timers a side business
they have to actually go out and get their clients I do a whole video on
where you can find those
in my fine graphic design job video so if you wanna go to specific website
aside from the ones in the description below check out that video and maybe
some more advice on how to find clients
as a freelancer but that is a very important thing
is to be a successful freelancer since you don't have the consistency
are some I who works for a company or print agency is a9 to 5 job
left actually spend a lot of your time generating
your own clients you're only need in order to stay in business
this is why you have to have the right mentality if you're gonna be a freelance
graphic designer
most freelance web designers had a part time job
or a full-time job and freelancing is a side business
Ward something that brings them extra income or make some happen the revenue
most freelancers cannot use that to generate
are eighty to ninety percent up there income my
income majority overwhelming majority comes from my
are graphic design work but I work as a group are due amount studio
I transition from just freelancing
I'll explain that in a whole different video but are
there's a big difference in terms in the business model and the way you go about
it
but ultimately the majority of my income still comes from
freelance graphic design it comes from other freelance ventured by that
photography and video
obviously passive income for my youtube channel and a few
other products that have out there so thats are the difference
is if you're going to be a freelancer and you wanna be successful at it make
that ninety percent of your income or all of your income
then you're going to have to constantly be generating new client any opted
figure out how you're going the price to make that work
if you're only charging two hundred dollars her project recalls what type of
project that is
then if you want to make a living off that you happily getting
15 to 20 clients a month but if you charge higher rates for you things then
maybe you don't need many clients much consistent business
in order to survive as a freelancer for example if you're doing
are five hundred dollar-plus project that made you only need five or six by
month if you doing thousand-dollar 2000 our project maybe you only need two or
three
it just depends do you really need to think about what you got charges a
designer
Wayne you decide that you owe me a freelancer because it will affect how
much time you planning in
and how many clients you need to be able to find
in order to generate that in up so obviously to get clients
you can do a lot of different things you can either network locally starting with
family and friends get referrals and do that
which is how most people do it for you can use web sites
hugh fine really think that people are posting whether they be individuals or
companies
can also leverage social media but one the most important things you being a
freelancer
is having a strong purple we have work having your own website set up so that
you can generate leads to you can point people to that website to view your work
avapro believe that you can show in person whether that's on your mobile
device
your tablet your laptop whatever or print purple yellow
and I have several videos that can help you with that I have a whole video on
how you can go about getting a freelance website develop if you don't have to be
a web designer it's still not a problem you can use all kinda different
solutions you Squarespace
you can even use Behance dot net
and showcase your work there and just get a domain and a common point to that
so that you're doing your own personal branding as far as having your own dot
com
so there's just a lot different ways you can approach it and I cover that
in my web design proponent video to make sure you check in net out
if that's something that you feel your weekend you know the thing that most
freelancers neglect is that there is a salesmanship component to being a
freelancer and that mean closing that means getting clients that means
convincing people
on your value and two are your prices and the value your work
and to choose you over someone else seen even know how to properly market and
promote yourself as a designer
in order to attract new business this might mean that you need to focus on
specific area design and figure out what you do better
that most people or what you're most comfortable dealing and
you oftentimes for a lot of people that will be logo design
what will be print design for the web or maybe a week low to manipulation he
artwork it very difficult for people to do everything I'm not a jack of all
trades web designer even though I do a lot of everything
it mostly focused around advertising and brand development
so that's my specialty it just happens the cover a broad range of skills
and abilities and that's kind of where I go with it
and why can't offer so much and because I have over a decade in experience in
just about all these different things because well I don't have much of a life
most that the socializing most of the things I do when I go out still some way
tie back to what I'm doing
usually either whether it's video or photography or talking about aren't
allowed the events I go to our photography in aren't they
that the community of people that I hang out with and that actually worked out
very well for me because
it means them constantly in a position to market myself promote my work because
it's such a part of my personality
and what ideal cell you know if that's not necessarily
who you are then it might be more challenging for you
to find a way to are work your everyday life
into being way to generate new client in new leads so you might have to dedicate
some specific time to it if you're not
always aw going in some the business aspects a freelancing
if you're not be a freelance designer then you need to set up your
you rate card necessarily have to give that on your website argued that quite
what you need to know how much
are charging for things a need to figure that out and again I have a whole video
on what you can charge is a graphic designer so you might wanna check that
out
are you also need to you figure out whether you want use
are general agreements for contracts you can use a book called
other visual artist died to are legal advice
I have that link in the description below are there are all kinds
other resources you can use are LegalZoom exit row
up you're just make sure that you know you're taking the proper steps to
protect yourself
arm and maybe even walk in SoCal where a lot of people will do that
for free or you can go to your local small business association
and you can get some help and advice on how to properly set up your business
set up your contract set up your general agreement your usage rights
are making sure you protect yourself and that you can keep things in your
portfolio after you're done with a client eccentric so just make sure you
taking the proper steps and you're doing
the proper business practices for where you live the other thing is you need to
make sure that you charging
and not to be able to invest back into your business and cover your expenses
alive graphic designers take for granted that the is a cost
associate with the way they do business arm you need to be able to you
get stock photos new bonds are things like that
every single year you're gonna have to get these things in order to conduct
your business the need for how much
a month on average are spending on those how much a project you're spending on
those
you need the work that into your billing model and your fees
and also how much money you're holding in saving back for expenses
you need to have a bond so that you can replace your computer if you absolutely
need to you
if you're using Adobe Creative Cloud you need to make sure that you have the
money for your subscription set aside
every single month out what you're doing arm you know
a lot of people are against taking out lines of credit but I think they can be
very helpful if you're just getting started scrap desired offset some your
expenses
as long as you have a plan for make sure you pay it down things like that don't
get in over your head
but you know this is an investment doing a business investment there's a cost
associated with it so
don't hesitate if you're not having the money to do something up front
means you would miss an opportunity they need overcome that fear
and just go ahead and invest in your ability to be successful so
you know that's just my personal advice are I will probably do
another video specifically about that how to invest in yourself as a creative
professional
so are that'll come later cuz I think it's important you understand that you
know what I mean
doing even if YouTube channel I had to spend over a thousand dollars in the
equipment that I
are used to produce all these videos and that paid itself back
return on investment multiple times over I can tell you by how much
more than ten times over in the time since I got itself
it was a good idea and you know what I used my Amazon
our credit card to do a lot a bit and I've never read the decision
so just kinda keep that in mind to some other tools I think
absolutely new as a freelance web designer is you need some have software
to you
are do your time tracking and your productivity need some kinda Task
Manager software
I highly recommend using arm something like Evernote
or Microsoft OneNote to keep yourself organized
aren't being organized is essential to being a freelancer I can't stress that
enough
arm you know you really need to be able to keep track up
your clients your to do list your due date
your invoicing need to make sure you have a good invoicing system in my
twenties
software for that unless you can get a manual accounting yourself might even
want to consider taking on
accountant You Think You Can more that are you in a high enough level to
business
so you need is something that you really should keep in mind in terms of general
pools in the trade
at RA diagrams I'm video on pools obviously
are I recommend using awaken tablet you probably need a laptop
and a desktop computer are you are going to need a good printer
you don't have to get a Mac a lot of great designers think that you have to
get a Mac
in order to graphic design if you're using the Adobe programs or even the
corral sweet there's absolutely no quantifiable difference between using
a Mac and PC I constantly talk about this it's a matter of preference
the matter what your company with and what you can afford there are some
things on the hardware side
but you know what your will be just fine with include aces laptop
arm Dell is doing some great things again I know there are some issues in
the past but they're
back and
Mike Bell got involved and their cleanup body products again
that you want all in one computer that compare both when I'm at maybe you get a
Dell
opera laptops again I highly recommend aces are
HP and absent a great printers if you doing more photography may be why Canon
printer
to go along with your canning video cameras or your DSLR photography
I used Nikon equipment myself personally but I've used Canon in the past before
I think they're both great so on you know just used your own judgment there
and maybe go into the arm you know camera system that most your friends
have so you can borrow lenses and batteries and equipment and things like
that but
yeah a camera would probably be very good for you to invest in as a freelance
graphic designer or a web designer because
up when you do print work when you do branding stuff
or even when you want to promote or advertise yourself having good quality
photos to be able to tell your story in market yourself
can be extremely useful and can engage client if you're not advertise on
Facebook in Craiglist
or even Twitter for any other social media photos do a better job of selling
you then
anything else so you can nap all the best written copy in the world you want
but a
photo is usually go into you sell it a lot easier so make sure you doing that
so some final thoughts on being a freelance graphic designer
arm why the things as you happy absolutely absolutely
manager time affectively because you are in a 95 environment don't have a
supermarket visor
you don't have our coworkers you are answerable to anyone but your clients
but that means that you let the manager time effectively
you have to stay on topic your deadline if this thing costing communication
with your quiet when a project is active I probably
touch base with a client everyday or every other day sometimes multiple times
a day if that was needed
well that the phone or email when you want to work with clients and they want
changes or revisions
make sure the absolutely put everything in emails that you have it in writing
you have documentation you can always go back to them with
you know what you guys spoke about if you're working with a group
a client's if it's a team or company try using something like free conference
call that com
so that everybody can get on conference call there's also a playback features
that you can dial in
you can hear every
analysts said get it exactly are written down
and you know it's documented recording so you know exactly what was said about
the stated
there's no confusion it's clear and you can go back to them later if there's a
problem
you know what the most important things in being a freelance are probably the
most
absolute in most important thing in being representing your is having a good
strong communication building strong relationships
with your clients they're going to be what makes or breaks you there now refer
you to other people around you testimonials you can use their website
or in link
in so you need to make sure your strength in a relationship with them
they might be repeat business with you again they might bring other people to
you
so that absolutely important it's not enough just to do good work
but importantly recognized in doing that good work
and for other people you advocate and promote the good work that you did
anyway I hope you guys enjoy this video I hope you learned a lot more about what
it means and what it takes to be a freelance web designer
if I didn't answer all your questions be sure to leave them a comment section
below
I'll either an issue directly world what Bollywood video to this with more
information tips on being a freelancer
maybe I'll even make this a regular series anyway
like this but if you like it don't forget to subscribe share it with
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as always you guys thanks for watching and don't forget
create something awesome today