Finding New Work

"So, how do you find all of those wonderful clients and projects, Daniel"? Well, there are some sure fire ways to find new clients and projects. And there are some not so great ways that just annoy folks. You just have to know where to look, how to approach and sometimes how to just leave it alone. So, I'll go over some of the ways to find and approach your next gig. At least this is what works for me, and might just help you too.

I. Word of Mouth Is Your Best Friend

Yes, almost all of those folks that you know, know at least one person or company that is interested in or has talked about having a website, some postcards a brochure, logo, etc. And who better to sell for you than your friends, family and business acquaintances? You know, the people that love you and honor your friendship. When I got back into freelancing this last time, I sent out a humble, humorous and brief email to all of my applicable contacts. I asked them that if they knew of anyone that is in need of graphic or web work, just give me a reference. And sure enough, slowly but surely, people began to email and call me about helping them out. And why did they do this? Because a friend of a friend told them about me. And for that, I'm extremely grateful. As you will be too, if you get to it.

II. Craigslist Is Also A Friend, Albeit A Strange One

If you've spent any time on Craigslist, you know without a doubt that it can be a crazy place. However, it can also be a profitable place if you look in the right spots and reply accordingly. There are many spots on the site in which folks are looking for your help. I have a few pieces of advice when dealing with people on Craigslist.

1. Never assume that you're talking to someone that has your best interest in mind. Be open and polite obviously, but keep in mind that there are scammers, cheats and sketchy people abound on the site. Some want you to work for free, some just won't pay and some need mockups before even considering giving you work (another topic all together, as your portfolio of work should be enough to get you the job). Go at replies slowly and with caution. Don't be rude or sketchy yourself, but just be careful and feel out the situation before committing.

2. Reply to emails in a professional, yet personable fashion. Never reply in a freehand. It will almost never get you replies from serious clients. And be specific to the ad you are replying to. Let the client know that you are interested in their project in particular, as opposed to just copying and pasting your resume in a very sterile manner. They won't feel important, which won't make you important.

3. Get payed! I can't stress this enough. Some freelancers like to get half up front, and half after completion. Some take a small deposit. And some wait till completion to get payed. I personally am a half up front kind of guy. I've been burned several times by doing a bunch of work, and the client just refuses to pony up to the agreed upon amount. Again, this is Craigslist, not your grandmother or cousin. Don't assume that your best interest is their interest at all. 

III. Direct Mail

This can be tricky. There are positives and negatives, as with most everything. The positive is that you can put your name in the hands of clients. The negative, is that they don't even look at your mail and simply toss it in the trash. Postcard style works best for graphic and web designers, I've found. Also, it is best to focus on a broad range of your services, but to leave a good bit of room to write a personal note to the client as well. As in, on one side they see what you do with some portfolio pieces, and on the other, you write a personal note to the client by name, and tell them that you are specifically looking to earn their business if the need arises. 

IV. Give Your Services Away For Free

Ahh yes. The ol' "give away my services so that my name will get out there" trick. Two words... It Works! Especially when you are just starting out. Give away your services to your family, friends, coworkers and whomever else will be giving you a good referral. Maybe you have a cousin with a landscaping business, or your mom sells a bunch of stuff on eBay. Get them and yourself rolling, and get your portfolio rocking.

In conclusion, there are obviously a ton of ways to get new clients. It is just that I have found that these messages are particularly good and have worked for me. The main thing is to just keep getting your name out there. It is pretty hard in the beginning, but before you know it, you'll be up to your teeth in work.

I think my next post will be over the different client types, and how to deal with them, based on my own experience.

Why I Freelance?

Well, that's a pretty interesting topic, if I say so myself. And I do! There are certainly many different reasons why I freelance. But perhaps I'll shed some light on the major pros and cons of what I choose to do for a living. And from there, perhaps I can better relay just why I do what I do. I said do twice. Do do... I'll never grow up, I think. Well, I know. At least that's honest, I suppose. Ok, enough of my complete lack of professionalism.

Here are 5 general reasons that make my career worth while.

PROS:

I. Making My Own Hours - Believe it or not, this is honestly my favorite thing about working as a freelance web and graphic designer. I can wake up when I want, work in my jammies when I want, exercise when I want, vacation when I want, lounge around when I want and all that jazz. And let it be known that all that jazz is quite important. But yes, I can do all of this at my own leisure. Provided that I get my work done in an appropriate amount of time, that I've designated to my clients, the rest of the time is mine.

II. I Choose My Clients - Unlike working for someone else, I can pick and choose whom I will work for and with. As in, if a potential client comes to me with a project and I don't feel comfortable with it, I may very well choose to pass on it. But if I worked for someone else, I would not have that luxury. I'd have to bite the bullet and struggle through it, even though it may be detrimental to their company.

III. I Get To Be Creative - With the exception of the direction a client wants to go, I have carte blanche to be as creative as I want to be. I see an end-goal, and just whittle it down to something that just works. If I worked for another company, I may have several people whom would put their input above mine before I send it to the client. That's not to say that I don't take advice or criticism, (I love both actually), but at least I get to present my vision before anyone else touches it.

IV. Possibilities Are Endless - The sky is the limit when you work for yourself. There are endless clients to work with, countless ideas to explore and an unset amount of prospects to investigate. In fact, as cliche as it sounds, the only limit is truly yourself. Not your boss's.

V. It Just Makes Me Happy - When I combine all of the above, it generally makes me feel fantastic. I've worked in the corporate world for a while and it just wasn't for me. I came back to freelance because it is a perfect fit. I may not make millions, but at least I have the satisfaction of knowing what I'm doing and where I can go. And that is important to me.

Well, as with anything, there are certainly some bad things about working for yourself. And I'll tell you all about some of the worst things below. 

CONS:

I. The Hours Can Be Hectic - As much as I applauded all my free time to do what I want... well... there is certainly a flip side. As in I have to make sure to get all of my clients' projects done, seek new clients and projects, make graphic and site updates, put out tech fires, making sure billing goes smoothly (I just recently got completely burned by a client) and much more. Even on vacations it is hard for me to be completely free. And weekends? Haha, what are those? Basically, you have to fight to be a 9-5 worker when doing freelance. And you certainly don't always win.

II. Clients Are Not Always Easy To Come By - As much as I want to say that the world is my smoked oyster, it isn't always so. There are very dry periods in this business. Some months I can get a huge influx of clients and projects, and some, well, not so much. It comes and goes in waves it seems. And it is when it is in the goes phase that you have to really buckle down and find new work. This can certainly be straining and will burn you out. But, you just have to work your way though it, learn some lessons and just keep at it.

III. Creativity And Direction Is Subjective - As much as I elaborated about my fun with creativity and focus; it is certainly subjective. Sometimes I am working with a client and I absolutely know what direction we should go in. However, the client has an idea of which direction they want to go, and they will be damned if they are going to let someone tell them otherwise. I certainly feel that it is important to protest and make sure my ideas are heard or at least considered. However, that isn't always what I get. And that is fair enough, as it is certainly their project, money and ultimately call.

IV. Sometimes It Just Plain Sucks - There, I said it. Sometimes it is just no fun not knowing where your next paycheck is coming from. Sometimes it feels like your mind will explode because you have so many projects due at once. Sometimes it is frustrating to know that you'll receive a call or text from a client when you are done for the day and trying to relax. Sometimes, the benefits and security of a 9-5 job seems like it would be much better than all this effort. Sometimes clients don't pay, like recently. Sometimes the creative juices just don't flow, and you are in a designer's block. And sometimes, just sometimes, it is just no fun to be in this business at all.

But, even with all of that negativity that can come from the cons, I am absolutely doing what I want to do. I can't imagine doing anything else right now. Perhaps that will change someday. And that's ok. But for now, I'll soldier on. There aren't many folks in this world that would attempt to do what I do. And that makes it all the more sweet. Are you one too?

In closing, I'll give it up to Al Green who said, "for the good times".