Being in the graphic design business is very competitive – you have to learn to swim or you will sink fast. I have been a graphic designer for 12 years and I would like to share the journey I took to own and build a successful graphic design business.

One of the first things I recommend to help develop skills and learn tricks that
never learn in school is to get an internship. I had my first contact with the graphic
design in high school and in my senior year I was working as an intern for a small
graphic design firm and also a printing company. I took an active role in my work to learn how
as much as possible by asking the senior creative director lots of questions and also
to the press officer of the printing house. My skills and thirst for design blossomed from
there. I majored in graphic design in college and got a very high profile.
graphic design internship and learned a lot of tricks of the trade
highly skilled designers.

The next thing I would recommend is reading. Read as many books as you can find
in graphic design and soak up the industry as much as you can from the people
who knows better. A friend of mine always says that the only thing he does to you
stand out from your competition is the knowledge you gain from the books you
read. I am a visual learner, so I like to collect books that are informative like
as well as give examples. I use design books as inspiration for many of the graphics.
design work I do.

Having confidence in your ability and being able to apply that to your business is
essential to the success of your business. When I started my business, I was nervous,
but confident in my ability to run my business with class. I dove right in with
both feet by developing a business plan, company name, website, and logo. ounce I
With the logistics in place, I began the tedious task of marketing. Marketing is the
the hardest part of being a small business owner and requires a great deal of trust
and strength of character to do it well, but if done effectively it will catapult your
business to success.

Sell, sell, sell. Building a successful graphic design business is all about selling and
market yourself. You can never stop selling, no matter how busy you are, you
You have to keep marketing at the forefront of your mind. Every person you meet is a
potential client. Every contact you make has a sphere of influence that they might need
your services, and all the providers you work with may know someone who needs
your help. Some practical ways I have marketed my business are: joining my
Chamber of Commerce, building a strong website that is properly optimized,
adding numerous reciprocal links to my website, handing out business cards that
function as a mini brochure, join a leadership group, join special interest clubs,
attend trade shows and conventions, and network with other businesses
professionals. The key to marketing your business effectively is to be well
known in your community by attending any and all networking opportunities that
have. Marketing is all about building relationships with others and then capitalizing on
in the opportunity to sell their graphic design services.

Customer service is key to your success. The customers you win and the customer
the service they receive from you is imperative to their success. I have learned from myself
customers who appreciate a quick response from me every time. I recommend
that you are available to your customers by email, phone and fax at all times. I make a
special effort to respond by email to my clients within 2 hours 6 days a week. I try
return phone calls even sooner if possible, even if it’s just to say that you
received their call and will contact them a little later. Each client has a sphere.
of influence and its reference will depend on the customer service that
receive from you at all times. A quick response is a good indication of solid
design work and will give confidence to your client in your services. If your client has a
pleasant experience with you, they will gladly recommend you to all people
around them. In the beginning, referrals are the fastest way to build your
business on the mainland and with minimal costs.

The last thing I would recommend is to keep your costs to a minimum as much as you
can. I built my business by starting to work from home. the big deal
about graphic design is the ability to get the job done from the comfort of your home and
this is a great way to minimize costs. Operate debt free, paying for all
your business expenses with cash. You can still use earlier versions of the software to
build strong designs without your customers knowing the difference and without
the constant cost of updating. While working from home, plan to meet
with your customers at a local coffee shop or at your workplace. send design
email proofs instead of printing them on expensive paper. In fact, most of my
the business operates through email. I send invoices, vouchers, contracts and budgets through
email so you don’t have to pay for paper, ink, envelopes, and postage. There’s a
lots of corners you can cut to save money.

I hope this article has helped you by giving you some practical ideas on how to build a
successful graphic design business with minimal costs.