Most Designers and Creative people dream to work on their own. In a creative environment getting good commissions and concentrating solely on the creative process and their passion for design and art. This can be achievable but other skills need to be acquired.
You will become a marketeer, start to looking for areas where you can make your art sell. For example galleries, ebay etc. You will learn negotiation skills and start talking in marketing terms. You will find yourself when you are in bookshops and the library strangely being drawn to the business section. Also you will find that suddenly you have to become an accountant. Start learning about tax and spreadsheets.
The Freelance life can turn into a nightmare if you don't keep a keen eye on the finances from day one. A good business plan and realistic financial goals will help you no end. You have to be very focused. I find that I would get so wrapped up in the design side of things it is so easy to forget the other things. I reckon a freelancer spends about 25% of the time on the design work and the rest of the time sorting out all the other logistics that go with running a business.
For some people they have no choice but to enter the creative design world as a freelancer. Maybe your work is of a nature that does not fit in with the 'right company to work for structure'. You might be a graduate who has had a creative director saying "you have no experience, we need people who will make money from day one and I have no time to show you". I was told that when I left Art School. You may have been have been redundant and have a some redundancy money and thinking you will go for the freelance way of life. You might be tired of working for companies and just need to go it alone.
Starting on the road to Freelancing
Building the Freelance network
I think that most work comes from referrals and repeat orders. It has certainly been the case with me and the companies I have worked for. So it is important to give that extra effort with every commission you take on. Friends and family are good starting point. Show them what you can do and get them working as a mini sales force. They will be keen to help you out. For example a few years a go I put my details on Friends Reunited. I got contacted from someone I was at school with. He had a company and was starting others and I managed to get to design the Logos, promotional material and websites for the companies. Also he has referred me to other companies. Network with as many people as possible.
Building a good contact directory sounds like common sense but can be neglected. I made this mistake, I used to write numbers down on small pieces of paper and lose them. People would say "I might be interested in six months time so call me then". You need to store these reminders. Names, Email contacts etc. A program like Filemaker Pro would be a good way of doing this.
Email spamming is not a good idea, If you want to do an email campaign to promote your work I would recommend setting up a email permission based newsletter for subscribers from your website. Another good way of getting contacts is to call companies that you want to do business with and ask who is the Marketing director or the best person to send promotional material to. Then follow up with a call to try and arrange a meeting.
Once you are face to face you can show them what you are really about. Also it will give you a chance to suss them out also. They might necessarily be the right client for you. Get in touch with as many business schemes and free courses as possible. Princes Trust and Business link are good for the UK. |
