As more people leave their 9-5 jobs to pursue their passions in a post-pandemic world, the demand for logo design is at an all-time high. This demand creates another self-employment opportunity to help entrepreneurs and business owners bring their brand vision to reality.
Logo design is a viable career option for those with a graphic design background. Here are five tips to help you jumpstart your career as a logo designer and get more clients.
Develop Your Online Presence
Digital marketing is the way of the world — if your business doesn’t exist online, it doesn’t exist, period. Establishing your online presence is an essential first step for jumpstarting your career as a designer.
Set up social media profiles for your design business, focusing on visually-driven platforms like Instagram and TikTok. You’ll also want a LinkedIn profile to connect with businesses and showcase your talents.
Create consistency across your social media profiles, using this as an opportunity to highlight your understanding of brand cohesion. You can use profile pictures to showcase your own logo and design and upload a LinkedIn cover photo that represents your brand.
Contrary to popular belief, having a website isn’t necessary to get started. You can use social media as your primary touchpoint for engaging with customers. However, if you hope to scale your business and implement automated flows or email marketing, you’ll need a well-designed site.
Connect with Introductory Clients
Once you have your social media platforms set up, post a few samples of your work. Use these as a starting point to reach out to introductory clients, offering your services. Many new designers find success in offering a deep discount or free logo in return for a testimonial and recommendation.
Use your personal connections to tell everyone what you’re doing and ask them to share with their networks. This approach will help you connect with others outside your circle and get a foothold in the market. The people you reach may not require a logo. However, they’ll remember your name if they meet someone else who needs one. Word-of-mouth marketing is a powerful thing.
Outline a Workflow
Systems and workflows are essential for continued success as a creative entrepreneur. Your workflow will help you create boundaries with your clients and manage expectations while keeping you productive.
Outline a workflow regarding how you’ll onboard your clients, what information you’ll collect, turnaround times, and revision protocols. The clearer you make these details, the less likely you are to experience conflict or frustration. As you navigate your new business, these guidelines may evolve or change.
Put Contracts in Place
Legally speaking, someone agreeing to pay you for your services is a contract. However, you must be able to prove the “contract” occurred in a court of law for it to be valid.
While including pertinent details in an email train does provide a paper trail should conflicts arise, it’s better for all parties involved to have a detailed contract in place. It doesn’t need to be fancy; it just has to outline the scope of work and payment terms.
Consider having a legal professional overlook your agreement and make recommendations. Starting an LLC and investing in basic insurance will also protect you should a client conflict arise.
Continuously Develop Your Skills
Many creative professionals feel confident in their abilities starting out, then look back at their early work and cringe. Why? The beauty of continuous growth and development.
Dedicate yourself to becoming a better logo designer by taking courses and staying ahead of the latest trends. Practice your skills in between the clients and use your mock-ups for your social media and portfolio. There’s always room for improvement.
Use these five strategies to jumpstart your logo design career, then enjoy the beauty of watching your business grow.
