Seven crucial top tips to succeed as a graphic designer
Rach posing with a gorgeous bunch of flowers at our brand photo shoot in Cornwall
How to start out & succeed as a graphic designer (without losing your mind or soul): people often ask us for advice on how to get going as a designer in the creative industry. Many individuals will be excited to embark on the journey of being a freelance designer, but often find themselves slightly lost in the sea of opinions about getting going, so we’ve put together our top tips.
Although we write as a branding and website design studio, this advice applies to any creative designer, including garden designers, landscape gardeners, landscape architects, interior designers, interior architects and interior architecture studios. This blog originates from a question from a brand identity designer who was looking for a part time graphic design role. He wanted something that provided the stability for to experiment with setting up a grpahic design business with the remainder of his time.
In our response to this sort of quandary, we consider how best to use of your time if you’re hunting for your ideal role; also, what the best places are to get projects or to go about that process; plus related tips and ways to creat opportunities for yourself as a designer starting out in the industry.
Wildings is a design agency in Devon. Our studio is based in Torquay, South Devon, and we provide branding for creative, hospitality and lifestyle businesses across Devon and the UK (like garden designers, interior designers, architects, floral designers). If you’d like to find out more, explore our branding for small businesses or contact this branding agency in Devon →
1. Plan your graphic design career around your lifestyle
This is what’s known as lifestyle-centric career planning, which has been popularised by Cal Newport, of whom I’m a big fan
It's basically about asking 'what do I want my life to look like?' first and then working back from that
This helps you to avoid fixating on a particular job or a big salary etc. which don’t actually bring you happiness in the long run
Essentially, think about what you want to do in every aspect of your life, particularly the things that bring you most joy
Then work out the money and career you need to fuel that; build. your career around the things that really bring you alive
This will bring you more happiness in the long run
For example, if you like the freedom of being able to travel, go for sunrise jogs or go surfing, what work do you need to facilitate that?
That goes for housing situation and all the other bits - if freedom means it's sufficient to have a really nice campervan so you are more mobile, work may not require you have an employed position (instead freelance) or an ultra-high corporate salary (which would tie you down anyway)
Avoid fixating on the job you need to do, but get clear on your vision for life and then put the foundations in place to make that happen
I highly recommend the Cal Newport Deep Questions podcast for more on this
2. Who are your ideal clients as a graphic designer?
It's critical you start to figure out who your ideal client is, what they look like and their needs and problems
Otherwise you will end up working on the same kind of projects you currently do (unless that is your dream work!)
We found it was really releasing when we aligned our ideal clients around our personal interests, which is why we've specialised in brands in the homes, gardens and interiors space
It may take a while to figure this out, but always keep it in mind as you continue your design journey
Once you're clearer on who your ideal client is you can then ask 'where do they hang out?'
That might depend, but wherever it is, that should guide where you do all your marketing
For us, our client base are generally female and gravitate to Instagram, hence that's where we spend 90% of our marketing focus
I do maintain a presence on LinkedIn, but our ideal people are very noticeable by their absence there in contrast
3. Develop your standout style that signals your graphic design
Although it's tempting to position yourself as someone who can deliver lots of styles and variety, really you need to get known for a particular aesthetic
You can always vary that standout style in your work, but to get well known, there needs to be a point where people recognise your work and come to you for that look
This is why you’ll often hear people talking about finding a niche
It’s the same thing with graphic design, but more to do with the style that you become known for
It’s tempting to say that you’re flexible and can fulfil any style a client has, but you’re much more likely to build a reputation based on what people know, recognise and trust
Practically, have a look at other work and designers out there and ask what are you drawn to? What is it about those styles that appeals to you? Use that to develop a style that is unique and authentic to you
4. Attract graphic design clients with passion projects
A great way to develop your standout style as a graphic designer is through passion projects
These are fictitious design projects where you set the brief and get to do exactly what you want
You use them to populate your portfolio - like work attracts like client
Conversely, a wrong portfolio attracts the wrong kind of client - it's a self-fulfilling process
A passion project is also helpful when you are trying to break into a particular sector
You can also broker a deal with a particular client if that allows you to gain specific experience in a particular industry: for example, when we delivered branding and website design for an interior architecture studio in London
If you've not necessarily worked with a client in that sector before, you can use your passion project and portfolio to demonstrate expertise
Avoid showcasing itty bitty design projects and work from your previous life if that's what you're trying to break away from!
Remember, the aim is to be known for a particular style that marks you out and that people want - your niche; being capable of a multitude of styles means you simply blend in
5. Know your worth & costings as a graphic designer
Self-confidence is a massive factor in breaking out as a designer - perhaps the biggest key to unlocking ongoing success
You've got to inspire confidence in clients that you can do likewise for them
More often that not, you're fully capable of doing good work, it's only your self doubt that holds you back
Equally, there are a few things that will give you a boost
Make sure you've got a good handle on the costs of your business
How much does it cost to run your business?
What are your fixed overheads you need to cover per month?
What do you need to earn in order to cover those as well as meet your personal obligations (I take it you'll want to eat!) and hopefully a small salary
Don't forget to include a cost for your design time too!
Avoid charging at or just above what it costs to do business
What you do should bring value, so charge yourself out accordingly
If you're too cheap, people will subconsciously wonder why or assume what you do is not that valuable
Don't charge by the hour! Your minimum project value should be a day rate
Always find out what someone is prepared to invest in a project and then shape your offering around that
Don't send estimates or proposals into the ether without first presenting them to prospective clients!
6. The three vital processes a graphic design must master
It's tricky being a one-man-band, and so you're going to need to be slick
The main three things you need to cover are:
Marketing
Sales
Delivery
Read more on this in Sales on a Beermat: Self-Study Training Workbook by Mark Southon.
If you're not working on those in some way on a regular basis, you're going to struggle
If you're not marketing yourself, no one is going to know about you and you won't have enough leads in your pipeline - stress!
If you're not nurturing your leads, you're not going to convert enough of them into projects - more stress!
If all you're doing is marketing yourself and closing those sweet deals, you're going to have a lot of angry clients - no sleep!
Having a robust delivery process will also give you peace and calm to be able to focus on your design as there's a framework to follow
Don't work with people who are not prepared to follow your processes!
7. Create a media kit: your graphic design secret weapon
A media kit is a great tool for setting out what you do and for whom - again, your ideal client
It's also known as an enquiry brochure or service guide
Use it to prepare prospect clients and demonstrate your value before you get into the nitty gritty of calls and estimates
Don't lead with prices; show how you solve people's problems and speak to their needs first
Anything else I should know on how to succeed as a graphic designer?
Here is some suggested reading to help you build on the issues raised above:
'So Good They Can't Ignore You'. Cal Newport: the principle of 'career capital' and using that to get to the job/role you love
'Company of One', Paul Jarvis: helpful for understand how it's good and healthy to be a small operator and how to go about that
'The Psychology of Price', Leigh Caldwell: good introduction on how to price your work and services
Also, check out the Style & Substance podcast too by Fiona Humberstone & Elizabeth Cairns.
So there you go, if you’re a budding graphic designer or want to break into branding and designing visual identities for small businesses, these are our top tips to avoid being part of the 90% of business that fail in the first year or two. You’ll need luck, resilience and determination, but these leg-ups won’t hurt your chances. If you’d like to learn more from us on branding or get visual inspiration, follow @wildings.studio on Instagram or read more of our blogs below on branding.
