I was recently asked by one of my readers, who is venturing off into the “wonderful world of independency”, how a graphic designer NEW to freelancing should go about networking – more specifically, how should one go about it and where do they find people to network with?
Not only was it an interesting question, but as of late I’ve noticed a few design books, magazines and articles stressing the importance of networking as a freelance graphic designer, but not appointing too much detail on how you go about it. It’s easy to say “Network, network network! It’s important!”, but doing so is a lot easier said than done — So I thought I’d ask my readers…
Feel free to comment on the various ways you go about networking and generating more business? Where do you meet your prospects and how do you connect with them? What’s some advice you would give to a new freelancer looking to find work or what would have you done differently when you first start networking?
UPDATE: Business of Design Online (BoDo) has wrote an interesting article about building your media list, which talks about how to build your prospect list and find more clients.
Author Neil Tortorella, discusses how simple things like checking your local newspaper, business magazines and local book stores can serve as a valuable resource for networking. Relates perfectly with the “Hows and Wheres” of networking as a graphic designer.
I’ve had decent success with referrals from past clients. Also we all have friends with a family member or friend who wants to get online. I’ve found a fair number of jobs that way.
I also like to give a nice finder’s bonus to the person connecting the job. This keeps them motivated to make sure communication doesn’t drift off.
To follow Zach’s comment, one easy way to start out is by sending out a mass e-mail to everyone you know: family, friends, friends of friends announcing your freelance business. For many people this is a good initial foundation that gets a result.
here are a couple of things i get up to:
* leaving comments on other design-related blogs
* linkedin.com
* business cards that i give out to all sorts of people
* blog (hopefully) information rich posts
* one free favour per friend then they get my name around
So far I’ve been able to keep business coming in just by referral. My clients’ sites tend to introduce me to potential new clients.
I spend a reasonable amount of time trying to network on blogs, and I do VERY little cold emailing to try and generate leads if the situation makes sense.
I’ve found that the best way to generate business is to be available and to be helpful almost to the point of giving services away (as long as you know where to draw the line between lending a hand and being taken advantage of).
-Jason
I try to hit up every networking event in the area through sites like meet up and professional associations. It doesn’t always pay off immediately, but eventually something comes out of it. So find and attend things regularly, establish yourself as the designer of the group of regulars, and you’ll come to mind hopefully when they need some work done.
I would have to say referrals are good they say a lot. Using social networking is good, I have actually picked some work as a result of people coming to my site through twitter.
Finding places and people to network with like local events, I have even gone to local design firms and let them know that I would be available if they needed to outsource work, even if they don’t use you right away you are getting you name and your work out there.
Those are a couple of things that have worked for me.
~ Aaron I
One Word: Twitter!!!!!
Other sources for quick work and portfolio building:
http://www.99designs.com
http://www.elance.com
http://search.twitter.com
I’ve been freelancing for about 2.5 years now. I had to tackle not only starting out freelancing from scratch, but also in a completely new city where I didn’t really know anyone, so networking/building up a client base was definitely a challenge.
These days, a great many of my new clients come through referrals from other clients/printers that I work with consistently, or people who find my website by whatever means. It should be noted that if you are a freelancer, the two absolute must-haves are a website and business cards. Other identity materials can wait, those can’t.
When I first started out, sites like Craigslist and iFreelance were so helpful for both posting business ads/profiles and finding projects to bid on. Also, leaving a small pile of business cards at local places (coffeeshops, diners, etc.) that have community message boards or something similar can be useful – my chiropractor even let me leave a small stack at his office.
Joining a design discussion/social group isn’t a bad idea either – groups organized through places like Meetup.com can put you in touch with other designers/freelancers that you can either collaborate with on larger projects, or exchange projects with if something comes up that isn’t their specialty, or even just get together with and whine about difficult clients to people who can actually sympathize fully. Or even other interest groups where you can bring up your profession – I am part of a writer’s group, and have gotten a lead on a client from a fellow member.
Twitter is surprisingly useful just for keeping tabs on other designers and their work, and also for exchanging projects or ideas. So are local events like lectures on design or art exhibits.
If you have good friends that are also designers or programmers or some related field, and they have a website, exchange links with them.
One other idea, if you can afford it, is doing work for non-profits at a discounted or free rate, with the condition that your name/website can appear on the piece – you help a good cause, get your name out there, and more often than not also get referred to other people/groups as thanks.
I will say I don’t like going to meetings/groups that are specifically JUST for networking – you hear about these networking luncheons where you wear a name-tag and have speed-networking. Blech. That has way too much of a sales atmosphere for me. But things like design lectures or interest groups or even talent agencies like AQUENT should all be explored.
This is longer than I intended, but I hope it’s useful.
Amanda,
Great comment and excellent feedback. Fortunately enough when I started to pick up freelance work, it was through contacts I met through working at various agencies, so I never really had to go out much and search for prospects. A majority of my work typically comes via referrals.
Business cards, like a few of you said, are a MUST. Try to hand out as many as possible to everyone you know. I usually hand then a few so they can pass them out if they want.
Personally I haven’t give Meetup.com a chance, but now that a few of you stated it, I might have to ;)
Very insightful feedback everyone. Thanks
It seems that word of mouth is definitely the way forward and I’m yet another to agree with people on that, however I do also suggest that you carry on doing what gets you those referalls in the first place so you can broaden the type of work you do. I say this because although I get referalls they all seem to be for the same thing if they come through a specific link or contact. i.e. if i do a site for a friend that friend will recommend me for the same type of site i did for him/her .
Obviously you still have to pay the bills and if your just starting up, any work is good so you’ll take on projects, but making sure the type of work you get in is varied is important, otherwise after a while you start to loose some fizz and stimulus to be at the edge of your game. I had to basically quite promoting myself as a web dude and only focus on my print work only just so I could expand my portfolio. The web work still came in but now in a position where I’m balanced and can promote both sides of my work. Its better if you could just get this right first time.
Check out the following :
On Networking ( or maybe not ): http://tinyurl.com/yraqnk
On turning down work ( why you should ): http://tinyurl.com/367ryj
Word of mouth definitely helps, and I’ve gotten a few clients because they saw the work that I posted on Facebook. I also keep an open eye for ideal clients: people with a good sense of taste involved in a unique business that emphasizes quality over low prices. If and only if I see an interesting and helpful way that I can contribute to that person’s business, then I’ll approach him or her with my ideas.
Join a word of mouth marketing group where you are your only category and no one is competing with you. BNI (Business Network International) is an excellent referral network. It has had the BEST return on what I put in. They even teach you how to network effectively so you don’t have to know all about networking before you go in. I’ve been in a chapter for over 5 years and it has been the biggest factor of bringing in qualified clients. bni.com check it out, it’s not a multi-level marketing. just other businesses who want to pass referrals to you.