However, if you’re an amateur graphic designer who is still looking for a way to find clients, it may be difficult to establish your voice in the industry. Even with a high demand for graphic designers, there is also a lot of competition. You are not only competing with artists who have more work experience, you might be also competing with graphic design businesses that have larger marketing budgets.
Mark Alvarado, an established freelance graphic designer, discusses 5 ways to market your graphic design business even on a low budget.
How to Market Your Graphic Design Business on a Shoestring Budget
1. Create an impressive portfolio with substantial examples in your niche
As a graphic designer, it is important to have a visual portfolio that showcases your work. It doesn’t have to be actual work that you did for another business. It can be something that you made, like a hypothetical product design or a marketing visual you can produce for a company. Place around 10-20 portfolio works on a portfolio website such as a self-hosted one, in Portfolio Box, or in LinkedIn. If you’ve already started out as a graphic designer, you would only need time as an investment to create a portfolio set. A professional-looking portfolio will help you land clients if they are impressed by your work.
2. Targeted social media advertising
One of the most cost-effective ways to advertise your graphic design business is through targeted advertising. It can be divided into several categories: you can target by location if you plan on looking for work within your area, or you can target per niches such as a children’s book graphic artist, or digital marketing graphic design. You can start your campaigns for as low as $1 a day, and will be guaranteed views in your advertising. The recommended amount is around $5 a day to get profitable results on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. The most effective social media posts now are visuals such as images and videos. If you can create a video advertising media that features your graphic designs, this can create more engagement.
3. Content marketing through blogs and videos
Content marketing is another cost-effective way to market your services. This can be done by creating blog posts that speak to your target audience. For example, you can blog posts about how T-shirt companies can benefit from freelance graphic designers or a video that features the different graphic design marketing trends and showing your personal examples. This can be done by using a self-hosted website or making use of social media outlets such as Youtube. Take note though, that this type of marketing has a slow initial growth–you cannot expect instant results overnight. Creating content takes time and effort to build, and consistency is key.
4. Instagram marketing using hashtags
One of the most powerful tools that graphic designers can have is through Instagram. According to recent studies in social media platforms, Instagram users have the most engagement, mainly due to the fact that Instagram is a predominantly visual tool. People enjoy the micro-content that others share on Instagram. You can leverage the power of this tool by adding your designs and placing a good hashtag that other users can find. Some businesses also make use of direct messaging in Instagram to promote their services. You can also do this for Instagram accounts of potential businesses that you think may be in need of a graphic designer.
5. Looking at Company Directories
There are several company directories online where you can find email addresses of CEOs and directors that you can get in touch with personally. You can send them an email explaining how your service can benefit their company and show them a sample of your work. This is called “cold-emailing” and is effective for companies who are already looking for graphic designers. You can tell if a company is looking for graphic design services if they have posted on job sites such as LinkedIn, Indeed, or even Craigslist. In this technique, you need to be persistent and present your best work to impress potential clients.
“Having an established graphic design business is possible if you learn how to market yourself in the right way,” Mark Alvarado mentioned. “The key is finding your specific niche, providing value, and learning to market yourself to companies who will most likely avail of your service. Lastly, do not be impatient with results. People who want to succeed in business must learn the value of waiting and striving in order to witness success,” he added.