This can be done in a number of different ways, but usually involves making a decision about whether to seek out new clients or upsell and strengthen your relationships with the clients you already have. We go over the pros and cons of each strategy so that you can determine which is right for you.

In the meantime, check out some of these freelancer-client relationship posts previously published:

• 5 Ways To Tame Difficult And Problematic Clients
• How To Work Better With Your Clients
• 5 Ways You Are Losing Your Clients
• What To Do When Your Clients Turn Against You
• How Bad Chemistry With Clients Can Break Your Career

Market Health

In the past decade, the design industry has been both a buyer’s and a seller’s market. More individuals and businesses are seeking professional design services, while the number of working designers has also increased. This creates abundant opportunities for designers who specialize in a specific niche.

To refine your client base, regularly assess whether your current clients align with your desired market niche. If they don’t, it might be time to let them go and focus on attracting clients that better fit your expertise and goals.

Finding the right clients is essential for business growth. Explore trust-building strategies for small businesses to establish strong relationships. Additionally, consider implementing strategies for attracting ideal clients that align with your design niche. With countless potential clients out there, the right approach can help you thrive in the competitive design market.

Focusing Outward

Focusing on acquiring new clients requires more time and effort in terms of marketing and reaching out. But it can result in a more lucrative freelance career. Not just because you can raise your prices with ease as you accrue experience, but also because you’re constantly exposing yourself to new people to work for, who also bring with them new possible opportunities.

Say you do some work for a brand new client that’s really nothing special. But that client happens to be closely associated with another influential person in your niche that you’ve been dying to be introduced to for a while, but who has eluded you thus far.

Well, impress client A enough and scoring an introduction to potential client B will be a breeze.

Shrinking Budgets

Sometimes, clients cut back on the number of design services they accept due to financial reasons. In this situation, it’s helpful to seek out new clients, rather than simply hoping your current clients pick up steam again.

This way, you’re not left hanging if one of your important sources of income suddenly dries up, which I’ve seen happen to a lot of designers. The moment you catch a whiff of things heading south, dust off your business cards and find some new business.

However, do keep in mind that the best clients are always the ones you form real relationships with. If you’re not doing your best to provide value and create a raving fan in each new client, then there’s no point in seeking out new business.

You’ll get stuck with one-offs and clients who don’t really care about you. They see you as merely a commodity – an Adobe technician for hire – which is the absolute worst place for a designer to be. Commodities can’t negotiate or make a good impression, and they always must take whatever work or compensation is offered.

Getting Referrals

Don’t overlook the potential of your existing clients when it comes to growing your business. You can encourage them to refer you to others by providing additional value that shows appreciation for their loyalty.

Since you already have established relationships with your current clients, it’s easier to request client referrals. However, many designers hesitate to ask, fearing rejection or feeling it’s an imposition. In reality, most clients are willing to help when they’ve received exceptional service.

Occasionally, you might encounter a client who is reluctant to refer you, which can be a sign to reassess the relationship. Remember, leveraging client testimonials and asking for referrals are integral parts of the freelance process. If a client is unwilling to provide this support after benefiting from your services, it might be time to move on and focus on clients who recognize your value.

Conclusion

In conclusion, choosing between new clients and existing clients is a matter of personal preference and what makes sense for you. It all depends on your individual situation and the relationships you have with your clients. However, it’s wise to always maintain a watchful eye for new opportunities, so you won’t fall victim to any sudden, nasty surprises.

The post Which Clients Matter More: New vs. Existing? appeared first on Hongkiat.

Today, we’re examining the ineffective ways designers often try to market themselves and exploring alternatives that have a much higher success rate.

What Doesn’t Work: Endless Social Media Followers

While social media can be a great way to connect with other designers and professionals in your industry, it usually provides pretty dismal returns compared to other methods of getting yourself noticed. Many popular designers have thousands of followers on Twitter or Facebook, yet the majority of their business comes from elsewhere.

You may get a few clients trickling in through social media, especially if you have a substantial following. However, if you want to attract the most ideal clients best suited to your business, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

What Works: Email (And Snail Mail) Marketing

You have to go to where your clients are. These days, there is no better place to reach potential clients than in their inbox. Creative, opt-in email marketing is an easy and effective way to promote just about any type of business, including freelance design. If you’re targeting brick-and-mortar businesses, this tactic can even extend to snail mail.

An interesting mailer showcasing your abilities, even if you specialize in web or digital design, can catch the attention of the person who sorts the mail at the company. And if you think mailroom employees don’t share interesting things with the rest of the office… have you ever worked in an office? Trust me, they live for that stuff.

What Doesn’t Work: Guest Posting About Design

Guest posting is a popular strategy for gaining recognition within the design community. However, its effectiveness is limited when trying to attract paying clients — the ones who are interested in hiring you for your services.

Think about who typically reads design blogs: other designers. In other words, your competition. Unless your services include writing about design, continuously guest posting is unlikely to significantly aid in winning more design projects.

What Works: Getting Seen On Prominent Design Sites & Curated Lists

Design clients, by and large, don’t spend much time reading industry blogs. However, they do spend plenty of time looking through examples of beautiful design work. Sites like Dribbble and Behance, as well as top curated lists on platforms like Tumblr and Ffffound, attract potential clients in large numbers.

Image source: Behance

If your work is showcased on these prominent sites, you have a much better chance of being discovered by someone looking to hire a designer.

What Doesn’t Work: Blogging For Other Designers

If you have your own website, it often follows that you have a blog as well. Blogging can either help or hurt you in the search for clients, depending on the type of services you offer and, more importantly, what you choose to blog about.

If your blog mostly covers new developments in the design industry or offers tutorials and tips for fellow designers, you won’t be speaking to potential clients much. These types of topics are of less use to clients than they are to other designers.

What Works: Blogging For Your Actual Clients

To capture clients’ attention through your blog, focus on topics that interest them, not other designers. Subjects like how to hire a designer and key considerations when negotiating a freelance contract are what potential clients want to read about.

Clients are also interested in understanding the impact of design on their specific industry, making it crucial to have a defined niche to cater to.

What Doesn’t Work: Business Card Free-For-Alls

Consider how many business cards you’ve collected over the years. Now, think about how many you’ve actually used. Probably very few.

Most of the time, business cards end up sitting at the bottom of a drawer or languishing in wallets, bags, or pockets until they are discarded months later. This waste of paper rarely results in gaining work. It’s often just a waste, period.

What Works: Being More Selective

The business cards that get used effectively are those with a genuine connection attached to them. They weren’t handed out indiscriminately to anyone who requested one or forced on people who didn’t express interest.

It’s essential to make people eager to have your contact information. People value information much more if they are the ones seeking it out.

The post How Freelancers Can Maximize Their Work Exposure to Attract Ideal Clients appeared first on Hongkiat.

Even if we aren’t the target audience, there’s a lot we can learn from things we initially reject. By understanding the core elements that make these innovations appealing to their intended audience, we can apply these insights to our own work and achieve significantly better results.

A Little Experiment

To see this theory in action, let’s conduct a little experiment together. Pick three extremely popular things that you find yourself criticizing. Don’t hold back! Whether it’s a product, service, media offering, or pop culture phenomenon that you just don’t get, jot them down. Choose anything that makes you cringe or fills you with confusion or righteous anger.

If you’re having trouble thinking of three things, make a list of possibilities. Focus on things you can easily and cheaply (or freely) partake in. Yes, partake. You can guess what’s coming next, right?

Don’t worry – this is all for a great cause: helping you attract better clients, sell more with your designs, or whatever else you’re aiming to improve.

1. Partake

Alright, here’s the “fun” part. I want you to become a user of the three things you picked. Watch the TV show you dislike. Read the book you think is awful. Try the fad diet you think is silly.

If you don’t want to spend money on this (and who could blame you?), borrow what you need from a friend or just interview some diehard fans.

Don’t judge or criticize at this stage. In fact, don’t even ask any questions. Put aside your preconceptions and allow yourself to fully experience it. Yes, it might be unpleasant, but try to set that aside for now.

2. Evaluate Objectively

If you can’t enjoy it, at least try to view it neutrally. Another good approach is to read other people’s assessments. Blogs, news articles, interviews, opinion pieces – all of these can help you gather a wealth of knowledge about what you’re studying.

Be like a sponge for now, open your mind and let the essence of the experience wash over you.

3. Observe

Now it’s time to start analyzing what you’ve experienced and ask questions. Not just “why did I do that?” but meaningful questions that will help you understand the appeal of this thing.

First, start with the basics. What did you notice? What stands out to you as significant? Any specific colors, camera angles, music, sound effects, compositions, or written copy that you found eye-catching or compelling? Why was that? What patterns are emerging?

4. Ask Questions

Next, ask yourself what value you can gain from the data you’ve gathered. Is there a tactic or approach used by the creators that you can adapt for your own marketing efforts? What, specifically, do other people see in it?

Ask these questions with genuine, open curiosity. Be open to learning something new and hold off on judgment until the end.

Still Hate It? That’s Okay

You don’t have to find some newfound appreciation for the product through this experiment. That’s not the point. The goal isn’t to start loving things you didn’t love before; the idea is to stop irrationally hating them.

If you find that you still can’t stand it after repeated and intense scrutiny, that’s okay. But it doesn’t benefit you as a marketer, freelancer, or designer to simply decide that you hate certain successful things without at least examining them to understand why people love them.

Through this exercise, you may uncover a powerful tactic or strategy that you can apply to your own work, helping you attract more traffic or clients and grow your career.

The post How to Turn Skepticism Into Success: An Experiment appeared first on Hongkiat.

Our brains tend to devalue products or services that are priced too low, even if they’re actually valuable. This is why it’s important not to be perceived as the cheap option if you’re a designer.

Once you’re seen as the budget choice, it can be tough to change that perception. But don’t worry, we’ll guide you on how to overcome this challenge so you can attract the quality clients you deserve.

Ask Not What Your Client Can Do For You…

Here’s how most freelance designers attempt to raise their rates. They start with a nice, slightly timid email that goes something like this:

• Hi so-and-so, just wanted to let you know I’ll be raising my rates.
• Sorry to have to do this, but well, you know how it is.

Okay, maybe it’s not exactly in those words, but that’s a general idea.

There’s a reason why this doesn’t work well with many clients, and it’s not because they’re all cheapskates who don’t understand the value of your work. The reason this approach rarely succeeds is that your client has mentally locked you in as being “worth” a certain amount of money.

What’s Your Value?

They probably haven’t done this maliciously, but regardless, that’s how they see you. Your value is tied to X amount of dollars. To overcome this, you need to approach your clients from a value-based perspective rather than a money-based one.

Instead of just announcing that you’re raising your rates, think about the kind of value you can provide your clients that would make them willing to pay you more.

Client Surveys

If you don’t know the answer, ask them to fill out a client survey. If you’ve done client surveys before, make this one a bit different. In this survey, you’re trying to figure out what your client’s major concerns are in their business.

Focus on what they need and ask what you could do to make their business more successful.

A Little Bit More

After you’ve learned what, specifically, your client is looking for in terms of value, it’s time to send them an email detailing your rate change.

Gentle Reminder

First, remind your client exactly what you’ve already done to provide value. This is crucial to establishing yourself as a freelancer who has been an important asset to your client’s success. (This is your time to brag, so be specific). You didn’t just design a website, a logo, or a branded image. You revitalized their business: helped them improve their traffic flow, increased their visibility, and helped them make more money.

Based on your survey results, which hopefully you’ve done with all of your current and recent clients, you will have gotten a sense of the general things the majority of your clients are looking for. The next thing to include in your email is some sort of acknowledgment of this need.

Trial Run

This will be your ‘bait’, so to speak – you’re going to reel the client in on the strength of this next offer. If your clients are really looking for a specific way to get more Twitter followers, for example, try offering them that one service, free of charge. That’s right, this is one time where working for free will actually be a benefit.

The purpose of this offer is not to give away valuable services for free. You’ll want to restrict it to just one service offer, for a limited number of hours. Just a taste of the value they’ll be getting at your newly adjusted rate.

If this is a good client whom you’ve had a good run with, be sure to let them know that. You’ve helped them with some very important parts of their business – their online presence, their brand, their reputation with their customers. This makes you and your client part of the same money-making team.

Make The Announcement

So now you’ve detailed exactly what you’ve done for your client so far. You’ve offered to provide even more value going forward. You’ve laid the foundation to announce your new higher rate. Be clear about what your rates are now, and what they’re going to be in the near future. This is no time to get wishy-washy or timid, no excuses or apologies are necessary – or appropriate.

You work very hard to provide a valuable service to your clients. If you really believe you deserve a raise, your client will believe it as well. If you don’t believe you deserve a raise, they’ll believe that also. So be firm and give a solid ‘no’ to any offers to haggle. If this means you lose a client or two, then so be it. Perhaps you can refer them to another service provider who is more in line with their price range.

The Icing On The Cake

But don’t just stop there! There’s one more important step to clinching the deal and making your clients thrilled to give you more money. The final part of your email ought to include some sort of plan of action you intend to take in the next 2 weeks, 30 days, 3 months, or whatever block of time you feel is appropriate to the work you do.

Give your client something to look forward to, so that they can immediately see the benefit to keeping you around. How long would it take them to find another designer as organized and dedicated as you are? If they are a valuable client, they won’t be interested in finding out.

Why take time out of their schedule to find someone cheaper to do an inferior job when they have a superstar offering them the perfect solution right now? When your clients know they are getting real value, saving real time, and making real revenue, they’re less likely to quibble on price.

In Conclusion

If all of this sounds like more work than you may have signed up for in the beginning, that’s a good indication to re-evaluate your relationship to providing value for your clients. If you think about it, you’re already getting paid a certain rate for the type of work you do.

Logically, there is no reason to request more money for the exact same thing you’re doing now – going above and beyond your current level is the only way to confidently ask for a raise. As the saying goes, the more you give, the more you get; and nowhere is that more true than in the freelancer-client dynamic.

The post Freelancers: Tips for Increasing Your Rates appeared first on Hongkiat.

Concerned about the ethics? Don’t worry. I’m here to guide you on how to, ethically and justifiably, charge any rate you deem fit for your services. Curious? Great! Let’s explore how you can achieve this.

Charging What You Want: Really, Anything at All?

Let’s clarify what it means to charge “whatever you want.” Many designers feel bound to conform to industry-standard pricing because they believe that’s what the market expects. Here’s a reality check: the concept of “the market” is more flexible than you think.

The value you provide can vary greatly from one client to another – one might pay $100, while another could see the value at $10,000 or even $100,000. It all depends on your positioning and the unique value you deliver.

So yes, when I say “whatever you want,” I mean exactly that. But remember, there are crucial considerations to keep in mind. The first rule is that you must…

Stand Out from the Crowd

Imagine we’re entering a chic, new restaurant in any town you like. You’re hungry, excited, and a waiter swiftly ushers you to your table and hands you the menu.

There’s an item listed as Poule et l’Orange Supreme de Chef de Cuisine. You might not know what it is, but it sounds enticing. The price is steep, yet because it’s presented as a premium dish, you scarcely notice the cost amidst your anticipation.

… And Deliver an Exceptional Experience

Consider another scenario: a visit to Disneyland or Disney World, where everything seems overpriced. Disney can command such prices because of their renowned brand and the unique experience they provide. At Disney parks, paying $12 for a bottle of water feels justifiable because of the immersive, magical experience offered.

Elevate the Client Experience

As a designer, you have the liberty to set your fees if you redefine your service offerings on your own terms. By transforming basic concepts into exclusive experiences, you disrupt client expectations, including price perceptions.

By crafting a distinctive, luxurious experience, you set your services apart. Invite clients into your bespoke world, avoid the commonplace, and watch as you’re able to command higher fees than your competitors.

Building Relationships, Not Just Transactions

High-end business coach Jay Abraham emphasizes the significance of referring to buyers as “clients” instead of “customers” or “users.” This terminology shift is more than semantics – it’s about perspective.

As a freelance designer, engaging a client isn’t merely about delivering a product and receiving payment. It’s about fostering a relationship and ensuring they receive the utmost service under your guidance.

This level of care should extend to all interactions, whether in person or via a website you designed. Clients should always feel that there is someone dedicated to their success behind the scenes, someone who cares deeply about their needs.

Demonstrate Your Expertise

To command premium rates, you must not only be skilled but also ready to showcase your expertise. Don’t hesitate to provide clients with insights that extend beyond the project scope, especially if it can enhance their profitability.

If your knowledge can help them generate more revenue, share it. Your ability to offer unique, valuable advice can set you apart from other designers.

Offer better solutions than those requested. As the expert, it’s your role to ensure clients are well-informed and equipped to use your services independently, further enhancing their experience with your brand.

Target High-Value Clients

At the top of the market, clients are prepared to invest significantly in top-notch services – sometimes more than you might anticipate. After dealing with clients who negotiate over small fees, receiving a large sum upfront can be a revelation.

These high-end clients are different. They have substantial budgets and value quality over cost, understanding that good design is worth the investment. They also tend to grant you more creative freedom, allowing you to focus on your craft without frequent interruptions.

It’s commonly understood that the less a client is willing to pay, the more demanding they might be. However, those who recognize the value of design often facilitate a smoother, more productive working relationship.

Your Thoughts?

In case you were wondering, Poule et l’Orange Supreme de Chef de Cuisine translates to “chicken with orange slices, prepared by the chef.” This example illustrates the power of presentation and terminology.

Do you have strategies for increasing your design fees? What are your views on finding the right price point for you and your clients?

The post How to Charge Clients Any Amount You Want for Design Work appeared first on Hongkiat.

This transformation, often perceived as magical by clients, turns their complex design challenges into seamless solutions. When you receive praise and payment for your work, it’s a win-win. However, beyond the essential professional chemistry, there’s another type crucial for success: personal chemistry with your clients.

Understanding Freelancer-Client Dynamics

The diversity of clients and their demands – from endless revisions to input from unexpected sources like a CEO’s mother-in-law – can be overwhelming. Amid tight deadlines and the pressure to pay bills, many freelancers neglect the crucial aspect of building a strong personal connection with their clients. We’ll discuss three reasons why overlooking this connection is a mistake, how it can harm your career, and strategies to improve client relationships.

1. Choosing the Right Foundation

Establishing good personal chemistry is essential for a thriving freelance career. In the realm of chemistry, mixing two elements can result in three possible outcomes: a beneficial reaction, a disastrous one, or no reaction at all.

Obviously, we aim for a positive reaction, much like combining hydrogen and oxygen to create water. This begins with choosing the right “elements” – the personal and temperamental qualities that define both you and your client.

Building Positive Relationships

To foster a positive outcome, start by understanding your own personality. Are you nurturing, assertive, or perhaps creatively sensitive? The characteristics that define you will shape how you interact with others.

Begin by assessing your temperament not just professionally, but as a whole person. This self-awareness will guide your interactions and influence your professional relationships.

Establishing Effective Partnerships

Consider the types of clients you usually work with and reflect on your ideal client profile. For instance, pairing two highly assertive individuals often leads to conflict. Instead, seek out clients who complement rather than clash with your personality.

It’s usually counterproductive to work against your natural tendencies. While there are exceptions, generally, successful partnerships are those where personalities harmonize, enhancing collaboration and project success.

2. Managing Volatile Client Dynamics

Establishing good interpersonal chemistry with clients is crucial for fostering long-term relationships. Relying on quick, one-off projects might seem beneficial when finances are tight, but this approach is detrimental in the long run. These tasks often require more effort to secure, tend to be less profitable, and offer no ongoing benefits, leading to more work for less pay.

Value of Repeat Clients

Repeat clients represent a valuable asset, providing steady work and personal connection. They appreciate your work and recommend you to others. However, when relationships with such clients sour, it can turn stressful, even resembling a nightmarish scenario. High-maintenance clients, for instance, may demand around-the-clock access, leading to significant stress and potential burnout.

Careful Client Selection

While a bit of unpredictability can be exhilarating, excessive volatility from clients can exhaust your mental resources, preventing you from delivering quality work. It’s crucial to curate your client base to those who align with your working style, helping to preserve your well-being and professional enthusiasm.

3. Avoiding Negative Interactions

The initial tone in client communication greatly influences the relationship’s trajectory. A rude approach can lead to defensiveness, while a friendly demeanor encourages positive interactions. These social dynamics are critical and form the backbone of effective communication.

A poor first impression can jeopardize the entire relationship. Conversely, maintaining a consistent, genuine persona can foster more meaningful and lasting connections.

Authentic Communication

Although adjusting your communication style can be useful, authenticity leads to more valuable professional relationships. Sometimes, this means distancing yourself from potential clients who clash with your personality. Remember, there are plenty of opportunities out there, and you shouldn’t settle for clients who don’t complement your professional style.

In Conclusion

While the ideal “golden” client – who provides a beneficial, long-term partnership – may seem elusive, they won’t find you by chance. Like mining for gold, you must actively seek them out. The clients you mesh well with will likely share similar traits and values, offering services to those they trust and respect. They, too, seek a personal connection, not just a generic service provider.

Engage clients by being genuinely yourself, and you may find that they respond in kind. What experiences have you had with clients who either perfectly matched or clashed with your style? Share your stories!

The post How Poor Client Relationships Can Derail Your Design Career appeared first on Hongkiat.

However, what if you feel underappreciated by your current clients and find that hourly rates are no longer satisfactory? In this discussion, we’ll tackle the challenging topic of accurately valuing and pricing your design services to ensure mutual satisfaction in every transaction.

Understanding Value in Design

Value is subjective and varies from one client to another. Some may highly prize your unique design style and are willing to pay more for it, whereas others might appreciate your adaptability and problem-solving abilities more, compensating you better for these qualities.

Reflect on what you value most in your work. This introspection will help guide you toward the clients who are the best match for your services.

Aligning With Client Values

Should you find that most clients prioritize functionality over other design aspects, it might indicate that your offerings are not addressing their most significant needs adequately.

People are willing to invest in solutions that resolve substantial issues for them. If you’re focused on aesthetic appeal but your clients are indifferent, it may be time to either seek out those who value what you offer or realign your priorities to address the more pressing problems that concern your current clients.

Why Flat Rates Maximize Value

Choosing between flat and hourly rates involves weighing various pros and cons, which can differ significantly across design disciplines. Opting for a flat rate, however, usually reflects a high degree of trust and professionalism, attracting clients who value and are willing to invest in quality and certainty.

Hourly billing, while precise, can lead to disagreements over the specifics of time spent and other minor details, potentially straining client relationships.

Adapting to Increased Efficiency

As designers become more skilled, a common dilemma is how to maintain earnings when efficiency improvements mean tasks take less time. How can you sustain your income if you become quicker at your job? Is the solution to falsely claim it takes as long as it once did, or is there a more ethical approach?

One option might be to handle more clients to fill the time saved, but this can lead to burnout. Increasing your hourly rates is another approach, but there’s a ceiling to what the market will bear before you become too expensive for your niche. Would clients choose you at $1000 per hour if there’s an alternative offering a sensible flat rate?

Justifying a $20K Website

You are aware of your ability to complete tasks quickly due to your experience, but this isn’t something the client knows. They’ll expect a project to take a certain amount of time, and a steep hourly rate can be daunting for first-time clients.

Understanding the broader value of your work will enable you to provide consistent and fair pricing that reflects both your skill and the market.

Specializing Your Client Base

Many designers struggle with pricing because they cater to a broad array of clients, from small businesses to large corporations. Such diversity can be beneficial in the early stages of freelancing but can disrupt your pricing structure and self-valuation over time.

Should you charge a small dental office the same as you would Coca-Cola or Microsoft? Clearly not. It’s crucial to narrow down your target market as quickly as possible. The more focused your niche, the more precise your pricing strategy can become.

Concentrating on Design Rather Than Finances

Opting for flat rates creates a dependable and straightforward compensation structure. Designers charging flat rates are able to dedicate themselves fully to delivering top-notch work, confident in the knowledge that their clients will appreciate the value provided and not quibble over the cost.

There’s a well-known adage: “When you don’t need the money, people are keen to pay you.” Setting a flat rate eliminates any hint of desperation and meticulousness often associated with hourly billing.

Believing in the inherent worth of your work encourages clients to perceive it as more valuable.

The post Designers: How Flat Rates Can Elevate Your Worth appeared first on Hongkiat.

If you’ve been facing this dilemma for some time, you might start to wonder if something is amiss. Indeed, there could be several factors at play preventing you from landing the design jobs you desire. Let’s explore some common mistakes you might be making and discuss how to fix them.

To learn more about identifying the right job opportunities, check this post on how to create your ideal client profiles.

1. Your Work Isn’t Good Enough

It might be tough to hear, but sometimes the quality of work just doesn’t cut it. Many designers believe they are producing professional-quality work when, in fact, they are not. I can personally relate – early in my career, fresh from college and overly confident in my limited skills, I faced a harsh reality. Clients were not shy about laughing at my high prices given my inflated self-esteem. It was a wake-up call that I had much to learn.

Even seasoned designers can fall into this trap, becoming overconfident and blind to their shortcomings. Some may even try to dominate client interactions, pushing inappropriate designs that don’t suit the client’s needs. This arrogance can alienate clients, costing you valuable work opportunities. Being more receptive to feedback and realistic about your abilities can prevent this.

2. You’re Not Sharing Your Thoughts on Design

Or more precisely, you’re not voicing your opinions or writing about design for the wider community that’s eager to listen. Blogs and social media are prime platforms for broadcasting your insights and establishing your authority in the design field.

The more you engage with and inspire others, the more they’ll respect you as a designer, opening up opportunities for connections and invitations to events or groups that were previously off your radar.

In today’s market, simply being a skilled technician isn’t enough if you aim for the top design positions. Being part of the ongoing dialogue about design is expected, in whichever form feels right for you.

Increasingly, businesses, especially innovative startups, are on the lookout for a designer who not only understands their vision but is also enthusiastic about making a significant impact on society. You can’t be that designer without contributing to the conversation.

3. Building Insufficient Connections

Most job opportunities arise through networking. Knowing someone who knows someone in need of a designer can quickly lead to new projects. Therefore, it’s crucial to expand your network both within and beyond the design community. Surprisingly, the most effective strategy for finding design work often involves interacting with non-designers who might connect you with potential clients.

This approach also benefits others: if you can introduce a designer friend to a potential client, both might greatly appreciate it. This not only helps them meet their needs but also enhances your reputation as a well-connected professional.

4. Not Supporting Other Designers

Providing value to both clients and peers is essential, especially in terms of technical skills crucial for thriving in today’s competitive design industry. The adage that the best way to learn is to teach holds true here – assisting others not only enhances your skills but also cements your status as a competent designer.

Creating tutorials or writing articles can significantly boost your visibility within the community. By sharing useful resources and how-tos, you establish yourself as a go-to expert, which can attract both peers and potential clients. If you contribute to external websites, make sure to promote your contributions to direct more traffic to your work.

5. Ineffective Self-Promotion

This topic warrants its own discussion (which I’ve already explored). However, the crux is that you need to actively market yourself – if you want people to recognize your capabilities, you must showcase them boldly and broadly. The approach to marketing will vary widely among designers, and there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy.

Assess your strengths and how you prefer to communicate your ideas. Utilize this understanding to amplify your message and extend your reach within the industry. All strategies discussed today can double as effective marketing techniques.

Conclusion

The design community is more interconnected than you might expect, and word gets around quickly. By building a reputation as a helpful and skilled designer, you’re likely to secure more job offers than you can manage.

The post Why You’re Struggling to Attract More Design Projects (5 Reasons) appeared first on Hongkiat.

This guide aims to show you how to navigate these disagreements by persuading your client to consider – and often accept – your more suitable design proposal, all while maintaining a respectful and ethical approach.

Is Your Design Actually Better?

Before engaging in any discussion, it’s crucial to assess with certainty whether your design solution genuinely surpasses your client’s request. While designers typically have a more refined sense of what makes a design effective, it’s impor

tant to remember that this isn’t universally true.

Design with a Business Perspective

There are times when a designer might believe they are enhancing a design, but the client has every right to be upset about the modifications. It’s essential to remember that effective design goes beyond attractive fonts or graphics – it must align with the client’s business objectives and support their financial goals.

For example, if you’re working for a pediatric dental clinic that aims to attract young patients with a playful, cartoonish brand identity, you might find their vision unappealing. However, attempting to overhaul their concept extensively could lead to disagreements.

Understanding the Bigger Picture in Design

If your design preference leans towards a more minimalist and refined style, you might find yourself trying to apply your own design standards to a client’s project without fully considering the target audience they intend to engage. This oversight could rightfully lead to the client’s dissatisfaction.

Although your design could be deemed “superior” from a professional standpoint, it might completely miss the mark in addressing the client’s needs (such as making dental visits less intimidating for children). It’s critical to always prioritize the client’s business objectives, even if they’re not explicitly mentioned in the project brief.

Exceeding the Brief

Let’s revisit the scenario with the dentist client, but this time, examine a different aspect of the challenge. You grasp her objective – to make dental visits less daunting for children. You’re confident you have a solution that can achieve this more effectively than her current concept. So, how do you convince her to see things your way?

Before proceeding, be advised that the approach I’m suggesting requires more time and effort than you may be accustomed to. However, it promises significantly better outcomes in persuading your clients, earning you their commendation long after the project concludes.

Adhering to the Design Brief

The strategy begins with doing precisely what your client asks for. That’s right – you start by developing her “ideal” solution, as ghastly as you may find it, following her explicit directions. It may not be aesthetically pleasing to you, but it’s vital to complete this step.

Arriving at a client meeting without having fulfilled her specific request will likely upset her, and negotiating with dissatisfied clients is a no-win situation. So initially, meet the brief’s requirements.

Pitching Your Concept

Once you’ve delivered on the client’s request, it’s time to showcase your alternative solution, the one you believe surpasses her original idea. This step involves more than just presenting a new design; it’s crucial to effectively pitch your concept to the client.

If your client has an eye for design, merely comparing the two proposals might suffice to sway her opinion. However, convincing often requires more effort. Highlight the distinctions between her idea and yours, focusing on how your proposal more aptly addresses her needs and contributes to her business objectives.

Clients are generally impressed by potential financial benefits, so if you have supportive data or metrics, this is the moment to present them.

Securing Approval

Engaging in a project involves more than technical skills for most designers; it also includes an emotional commitment. It’s common to feel a bit protective over your design decisions, particularly when you’re convinced your client might not fully grasp their impact.

Occasionally, you’ll encounter clients who seem immovable in their stance. In such scenarios, it’s often best to satisfy them as much as possible, finalize the project, collect your dues, and move forward. However, many clients are open to persuasion, provided you approach them with the right rhetoric.

Effective Communication is Crucial

The saying goes that communication is key, but let’s refine that idea: the right kind of communication is crucial. It’s not just about speaking; it’s about conveying your thoughts in a manner that resonates with your client, ensuring you maintain a position of influence.

This isn’t about manipulation; it’s about focusing on the client’s business needs and finding the optimal solution to enhance their profitability. Most clients will value your meticulous approach and dedication to discovering the most effective strategies. Such commitment is what high-quality clients seek in a designer and what will lead to the enthusiastic testimonials and referrals you aim for.

Setting Aside Personal Bias

To put it plainly, if you propose significant changes without your client’s prior consent and they react negatively, it might be a reflection of your own ego at play.

Throughout my experience, I’ve encountered a few designers whose self-importance and inability to collaborate effectively made them challenging partners. They seemed to believe that their involvement alone was a privilege for me, treating any modifications they made to the project brief as unequivocal enhancements.

You do not want to be that type of designer.

This attitude is universally disliked, and word of mouth among clients can significantly impact your reputation. While clients aren’t looking for mindless conformity, striking a balance between leveraging your professional insight and respecting your client’s knowledge is crucial.

In your experience, how do you navigate disagreements over design with your clients? Are there insights you’ve gained that you wish you’d had earlier?

The post Winning Over Your Client: Strategies for Designers in Disagreement appeared first on Hongkiat.

Many clients feel compelled to involve themselves in the design process, whether it’s appropriate or not. What drives this behavior, and is it justified? In this article, we will explore this complex issue and discuss strategies designers can employ to manage it.

Setting Boundaries for Productive Collaboration

One effective way to address this challenge is by educating your clients on why their interference can be counterproductive. While the adage “the customer is always right” holds some truth, is it essential for clients to grasp the intricacies of your creative process?

Generally, when people hire experts for specialized services like back-end programming, they don’t feel the need to understand every detail—that’s why they hired a professional in the first place. However, design seems to be an exception to this rule. Let’s delve into why this is the case.

The Allure of Design

In previous articles, I’ve discussed how a large number of individuals aspire to be creative, particularly in our modern world filled with eye-catching advertisements, sleek websites, and engaging media. The appeal of minimalistic and elegant designs often leads people to underestimate the complexity behind seemingly simple designs.

Most clients aren’t intentionally disrupting your creative flow. They simply lack an understanding of the hard work that culminates in the final product they admire. While it may be frustrating to articulate the extent of your efforts, it’s crucial to remember that people often undervalue what they don’t comprehend. In the freelance world, this perception of value can significantly influence your compensation.

Misunderstanding Breeds Doubt

Clients can become perplexed by a designer’s objectives, particularly when technical or industry-specific language is used. It’s crucial to minimize the use of jargon when communicating with clients.

Employ straightforward language to provide clients with a basic understanding of the project’s scope, the effort involved, and the time commitment on your part. While it’s important not to grumble, keep in mind that your value is only recognized when you make it known.

Avoid Over-Explaining Your Process

Be cautious not to divulge too much about your working methods to a client. The reason is straightforward: clients may take your detailed process and hand it over to a design student or a relative who they believe can execute it at a lower cost, thereby eliminating the need for your services.

If you’ve never experienced this, consider yourself fortunate. Clients who demand explanations for every minor action are a significant red flag. After all, they engaged a designer, not an instructor. If they’re genuinely interested in design, there are educational blogs, like this one, to which you can direct them.

View It as an Opportunity, Not a Burden

When faced with an overly inquisitive client, many designers’ instinctive reaction is frustration. However, it’s worth noting that these clients wouldn’t scrutinize their gardener or repairperson in the same way. Constantly having to justify one’s work can dampen a designer’s enthusiasm.

When this occurs, rather than becoming irate, see it as a chance to enlighten someone about the intricate world of design. Adopt the role of an “industry advocate” and integrate client education into your workflow. Doing so will not only increase their respect for your expertise but also make future referrals more manageable.

Final Thoughts

While no one appreciates overbearing, self-proclaimed designer clients, it’s also true that clients are not fond of aloof, unapproachable designers. Freelancing is a two-way street, and the more clients understand the essence of design, without necessarily knowing the specifics of your approach, the better the industry will be for all designers.

The post Do Designers Need to Explain Their Creative Process to Clients? appeared first on Hongkiat.

Sometimes, someone at the client’s end, maybe a relative or a colleague who doesn’t know much about design, shares their opinion. Suddenly, your client takes it seriously and there you are, back to square one.

It’s frustrating, especially when you feel these changes don’t actually improve the design, but rather cater to the quirky tastes of these non-designer committee members.

However, it’s important to realize that sometimes our perspective as designers isn’t always right. Today, let’s discuss five important points about design revisions that designers might not always want to accept.

Read Also:  How to Become A High-Demand Designer

1. Not Every Revision is Pointless

Firstly, let’s distinguish between different kinds of revisions. Yes, some are blatantly unnecessary, and it’s obvious when a client is being unreasonably demanding. If you find yourself repeatedly in such situations with the same client, my advice is to consider stepping away.

Enduring the frustration of trying to satisfy someone whose expectations are completely misaligned with your services isn’t worth it.

Who’s Holding On to The Mistakes?

Sometimes, the suggestions you receive can actually make the design better. Perhaps the font really was hard to read for the client’s audience, or the placement of those navigation buttons wasn’t the best for getting users to take action.

There’s a saying: if you can’t find the problem, it might be you.

Before you dismiss their input, consider if the client or someone else might be making a valid point.

2. Are You Really Understanding The Feedback?

Receiving many requests for changes could indicate a problem in communication. Maybe you’ve misunderstood the brief, or your client isn’t clear about what they want, or it could be a mix of both.

It’s easy to think the client doesn’t know about design, but sometimes, the issue could be a small mistake on your part. Correcting this could help align everyone’s understanding of the design.

Read Also:  How to Give Someone Constructive Criticism

For instance, if your client is unclear about design details, it might be because your questions were too broad. Revisit your client questionnaire (you should have one) and refine your questions to get clearer answers. Even if it seems overly detailed – if it clarifies things for both you and your client, it’s crucial for a healthy designer-client relationship.

Read Also:  How to Create Your Ideal Client Profiles For Freelancers

3. Understanding Your Clients’ Needs

To reduce the number of revisions, you need to really understand what your clients want. Doing this can reduce revision requests significantly, often by 80% or more. This is easier when you focus on a specific type of client, so consider narrowing down your target market.

By specializing in serving a particular client type, like I do, you become an expert in their needs and their audience. This allows you to create designs that are more effective and profitable for them.

You should aim to do the same. Use your portfolio as a way to attract the right clients. Be very selective about the work you show online, as it influences the type of clients you attract.

Attracting the Right Projects

Imagine a scenario where a potential client sees a project in your portfolio that you didn’t enjoy and hires you based on that. The problem may not become apparent until it’s too late.

This client will expect similar work, and you’ll find yourself stuck doing projects you don’t like, wondering why you keep attracting these types of clients.

A solution is to invest time in personal projects that you’re passionate about. If you give these projects the same level of dedication as your paid work, they will start to attract clients who appreciate and want that kind of work.

4. Improving Your Sales Skills

Design is not just creativity; it’s also about selling. It’s crucial to effectively communicate and sell your ideas to clients. If you struggle with this, it’s important to develop these skills.

Selling is a part of everyday life, and everyone does it in some form. But refining specific skills like body language, tone of voice, and clear communication can be vital. There are many resources available to improve these skills, but the most critical skill for a designer might just be writing.

Read Also:  6 Simple Tips To Write Your Next Killer Post

Being able to clearly articulate your project goals in writing is key. Before meeting with clients, try explaining your plan to a friend or family member. If a non-designer can understand it, your client likely will too.

5. Considering The Client Might Be Right

It’s a misconception that all clients are clueless about design. Sometimes, they have valid points. As designers, it can be frustrating when clients seem to know more about design than we do. But, being on the receiving end, arrogance or condescension from designers can be equally irritating.

Having experienced both roles, I can say that a designer’s smugness is as off-putting as a client’s ignorance, if not more. As a designer, you’re expected to know better.

The challenge is to recognize when a client’s ideas are valuable and when to assert your expertise respectfully. This is your responsibility. Without honing your design judgment, clients may dominate the process, resulting in a subpar final product.

The post 5 Design Revision Truths Designers Might Not Like appeared first on Hongkiat.

Today, we will explore some methods for approaching fellow designers for collaborations, and discuss how to maintain your sanity once you decide to take the plunge.

Choosing a Partner

You shouldn’t simply choose to collaborate with someone because they are a friend or because they ask you to. Several criteria need to be met by anyone seeking a creative collaboration with you.

First, will this person help you achieve anything specific, whether creatively or career-wise? If you’re a full-time designer, your time is precious, and spending it on a collaboration that won’t bring you any value is not a wise decision.

Second, how does their skill set compare to yours? Great collaborations can occur with designers who are both similar and very different from you. However, it’s crucial to ensure that the two of you can mesh your skills together in a meaningful way.

How Much to Contribute

A collaboration can be a 50-50 effort, with both (or all) parties sharing equal responsibility towards the completion of the project. At other times, however, you might be asked to contribute something small yet vital, such as a type treatment or even just the use of your intellectual property or logo. It’s up to you to decide how much you want to be involved in the creative process.

When I collaborate with someone, I prefer to be actively engaged. To me, unless I’m directly involved in the production of the work – generating ideas, sketching, taking notes, making revisions – it’s not as appealing. Choose the level of contribution that best aligns with your personality and creative goals.

Looking Good

Whatever you work on, any creative piece that bears your name should be an asset to your portfolio, rather than something you’re ashamed of. When I was just starting out as a designer and before I knew better, I would agree to collaborate with friends whose work was sub-par. I did this simply because I didn’t want to reject them or appear snobbish.

The resulting work was always disappointing. I never had as much creative input as I wanted, and, consequently, the quality would suffer. It’s funny how those who are most eager for collaboration tend to be the biggest control freaks, but I digress.

If you can’t be sure of the quality of the finished work, you should probably pass.

Collaboration and Legal Issues

If the project is major or has the potential to generate significant revenue or media attention, it’s crucial to determine the details of compensation and other agreements. A contract may be essential in this situation, and there are abundant resources, both online and offline, that can assist you in drafting one to protect both you and your partner in any conceivable circumstance.

Even if the collaboration is motivated solely by creative or artistic interests, and there’s no expectation of any tangible gain from the project, unexpected windfalls of cash or fame can change the dynamics. One partner might feel slighted or believe they are not receiving as much recognition as the other. Addressing the legal aspects early on can help prevent disagreements from escalating into lawsuits.

Emotional Response

Building on the previous point, what occurs when one partner receives more recognition for a collaboration than the other or others? This imbalance can lead to hurt feelings and resentment, and may even result in legal troubles if the contract is not carefully crafted. Since designers often have sensitive egos, if someone feels slighted, it becomes vital to engage in damage control before the situation escalates.

Creating a strict outline detailing who is contributing what might appear overly meticulous, but in my experience, it has been instrumental in resolving disputes. This method forces one party to recall the original agreement, thus cooling tensions. If someone still feels insulted, there may be little recourse other than making a mental note not to collaborate with them in the future.

Conclusion

Collaborations can be amazing experiences that may catapult your career as a designer to new heights, both professionally and creatively. Having a clear understanding of what to expect can enrich the experience and help you avoid potential disasters before they occur.

The post Collaboration Tips: How to Collaborate Among Designers appeared first on Hongkiat.

Originally, a brain trust was a team of advisors who assisted a political leader in making crucial decisions. The concept dates back to the 1930s, with the first brain trust surrounding US President Franklin Roosevelt. Today, a brain trust is essentially a circle of your accomplished peers. Their fresh perspectives can offer you insights that might otherwise take years to discover on your own.

In this article, we’ll delve into five effective methods to assemble your own brain trust. This will also enable you to join a broader network of knowledgeable professionals who offer mutual support.

1. Leverage Your Existing Connections

Begin by connecting with people you’re already acquainted with. Strengthen your bonds with fellow freelancers, designers, writers, or marketers, and consider including their friends and colleagues as well.

Another excellent source for potential members is your college or university’s associations. Whether it’s alumni networks, fraternities, sororities, or clubs focused on athletics or the arts, these are all fertile grounds for finding like-minded individuals.

Keep in mind that you’re not just expanding your professional network. You’re seeking individuals who may not have the same career but share a common life vision. These are people who are ambitious and desire a supportive community to help them achieve their goals.

2. Express Gratitude Through Thank-You Notes

It may sound old-fashioned, but sending thank-you notes can be a potent tool for networking. A simple, heartfelt note can go a long way in making someone feel appreciated. Whether it’s someone who has inspired you or helped you in some way, a thank-you note often receives a warm response.

It takes very little time to send a thank-you note, but its impact can be significant. This simple act can be one of the most effective ways to build your brain trust.

Even if you haven’t been in touch with the person you’re thanking for a while, the gesture is usually well-received. People are less likely to respond positively to sudden requests for favors, but everyone appreciates recognition and praise.

3. Build Relationships, Not Just Connections

While it might seem counterintuitive, your goal shouldn’t be to merely extract knowledge and experience from others. High-achievers can sense when you’re only taking and not giving. As you build your brain trust, it’s crucial to be someone others can also rely on.

Think of building a brain trust as supercharged networking. To maximize its benefits, become a master connector. Introduce friends and acquaintances to others who can help them, thereby creating new collaboration opportunities for yourself as well.

4. Seek Guidance, Not Just Help

This point complements the previous one. Aim to offer value rather than just taking it. Avoid being self-centered or exploitative; it’s not all about you. Consider how you’d like to be approached and offer the same courtesy to others.

A good practice is to provide at least three valuable contributions to someone before asking for something in return. Interestingly, asking for advice can be a form of giving value. People enjoy offering guidance, especially when they know their advice has been valued and followed.

5. Invest Time and Effort

Building a robust and effective brain trust isn’t an overnight task. It requires months of consistent effort to not only assemble but also maintain your network. Your contributions of knowledge and advice are equally important.

The long-term benefits to your career are invaluable. If you’re looking to escape the negative or critical influences in your life, it’s up to you to find a new circle of supportive individuals who are genuinely interested in your professional growth.

The post Why You Need a Brain Trust (And How to Create One) appeared first on Hongkiat.

They whittle away at meaningless details – such as what font size their name should be on their business card, or whether they should make that CTA button white or blue – and then wonder why they seem rooted in their current situation. They spin their wheels, as the saying goes, without ever making any real progress.

We’re going to look at some of the most common types of minutiae that seem to trap freelance designers in a never-ending cycle of indecision, and explore some simple ways to break out of them.

Tiny Technicalities

Stop worrying about tiny changes like button size or shape unless your client’s company is big enough that those types of changes matter. Any website smaller than eBay or Amazon probably isn’t worth the stress, because the target customer base will respond mostly the same way to a variety of different UI configurations or CTAs.

Tiny differences in color, placement, etc., are irrelevant, and if they hinder your progress on a project, they can actually be damaging to your career as a freelancer.

Pick Your Battles

Some elements of a design project have speed or budget as the number one priority, like foundational deliverables on a tight deadline. Other elements need to be done as perfectly and accurately as possible. Designers sometimes think that the latter is the most important, but it’s usually the opposite.

If you really analyze any design project you happen to be working on, you’ll most likely find that the 80/20 principle applies to the ratio of quality needed versus quantity.

What Takes Priority?

The elements of a project that absolutely require the most attention to detail are often not what you think they are. Usually, they’re things like copy, where a single spelling error can utterly destroy a brand’s reputation, or the correct indexing of inventory or other offerings to customers. Rarely does the perfect font or color scheme seriously impact your client’s bottom line.

I’m not saying these things aren’t important; they’re just not as important as many designers believe. Unless you or your client have hard data that proves otherwise, it’s better to prioritize what really matters to users.

Stop Revising and Start Selling

You must know how to sell a client on a solution you believe is best, rather than letting them steamroll you into endless revisions. Salesmanship is a vital part of any business relationship.

As the saying goes, every business is a sales business. Whether you’re persuading people to buy your new brand of table salt or convincing a client that your solution is perfect for their problem, you’re always in the business of selling.

Nitpickers Never Prosper

A hard truth in business is that those hired to polish and perfect a project are often the least significant in terms of importance to the team. If you find yourself overwhelmed with making minor corrections or constantly performing the design equivalent of janitorial work, it might be time to reassess the direction your career is taking.

Sure, clients might appreciate your efforts, but do they genuinely value you as a designer? Unless the real solution to your client’s problem involves crossing T’s and nudging elements around a grid, I highly doubt it.

When It’s Done, It’s Done

There’s a quote often attributed to Albert Einstein that goes something like this: “Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler.” Design is about providing the simplest, most elegant solution to a problem that one can, but some designers reach that solution about 3 or 4 revisions earlier than they realize.

If you’re baking cookies, and after 10 minutes they’re golden brown and perfect, you wouldn’t put them back in the oven for an extra 10 minutes “just in case.” Quality is important, and clients certainly care about it, but it’s never wise to belabor a solution that is already satisfactory.

Conclusion

Design as a profession tends to attract people who are highly analytical and can see multiple solutions to problems. This is an excellent trait overall (in my not-so-humble opinion), as it gives designers the creativity and freshness that clients seek.

The challenge lies in knowing when your natural meticulousness stops being helpful and starts becoming a hindrance. It’s crucial to maintain a healthy balance and keep perspective so that your freelance career will grow rather than stagnate.

The post How to Avoid the Trap of Design Minutiae appeared first on Hongkiat.

Personal branding is described as an enhanced version of oneself, refined to highlight everything that’s pertinent to your work and vision. But what portion of this is deliberately planned, and what part is simply a natural aspect of interacting with others? Let’s explore and figure it out.

It only appears effortless

The most effective kind of branding is subtle, or what some might call “no” branding. The goal is to meticulously cultivate your personal brand while making it seem as though you’ve done nothing of the sort.

Overly conspicuous “branding” can be off-putting. However, just because it appears that you’re not actively promoting your brand doesn’t mean there isn’t a significant amount of effort taking place behind the scenes.

Take, for example, a blog about design. You may adopt a playful tone, frequently sharing anecdotes about your friends, your dog, or a recent visit to a favorite restaurant. Readers might be drawn to your blog for the humorous and insightful comments you make, perceiving you as a humble and down-to-earth individual rather than a calculated marketing strategist.

The truth is, you are indeed humble and down-to-earth. Your friends genuinely do make those amusing remarks, and so on. However, there’s also a strategic marketing plan in play, where you emphasize certain aspects of your personality to shape them into a recognizable brand.

Your mission

Your mission, whatever it may be, must be earnest and genuine. Trust me, people can discern if it’s not. Whether abstract or precise, your mission or goal needs to reside at the core of everything you do.

Do you aspire to change the world through design? While that may sound vague, it’s perfectly acceptable, provided your readers truly believe in your intent and can perceive it through your content.

Maybe you aim to educate fellow designers about the rewards and risks of the industry. This goal is also somewhat vague, but it offers ample room for you to interpret and convey the message to your readers.

Internal & External Views

Reconciling who you are as a designer and individual with what people expect from you professionally is essential. It’s akin to the Freudian id versus superego in design: instinct versus external influences.

Consider the example where you are a simple designer who blogs about design and includes random, human details from your life. You are still crafting a conscious brand that people have developed specific expectations about.

If you, the design blogger, suddenly began writing lengthy posts about golf simply because you developed a sudden interest in the sport, it would conflict with your readers’ expectations. This inconsistency could lead them to question the authenticity of your brand.

That’s not to say you can never shift topics or stray from the design-specific subjects you initially wrote about. However, keeping your general goal in mind – clarifying exactly what you want to communicate to your audience – and ensuring your content aligns with this goal is vital for a successful personal brand.

Filter, Don’t Add

Cultivating your public image isn’t about artificially inserting things; it’s about filtering out what doesn’t fit. For instance, if other designers are blogging about a hot design trend that you don’t particularly care for or have any interest in, don’t feel compelled to write about it just to keep up.

Writing about something that doesn’t interest you will lead to burnout, and your readers will detect your lack of passion. They may begin to ignore you as a result. Instead, focus on filtering out the things that are irrelevant to your personal brand’s main goal, whatever that may be.

As we learned earlier, straying wildly from the main drive of your brand – such as posting about golf on a design blog – will turn off readers. It’s not that your message isn’t genuine; it’s that it doesn’t align with what they expect when they visit your blog.

Branding Is Like Happiness

In branding design, we often say that you can’t actually create a brand, just as you can’t create happiness. Think about it: Happiness is a feeling that arises from a memory of something good, whether it’s spending time with people you care about or engaging in an activity that brings you joy.

It’s the experiences that make you happy that lead to happiness. Similarly, it’s the experiences your clients and users have with your designs that build brand loyalty.

The post Is Personal Branding Misleading or Essential? appeared first on Hongkiat.