My biggest problem is finding clients. I keep hoping to stumble across a client tree and be able to pick them off as I need them.
I know people say referrals will come, and I have begun to get some, but it's still very slow and bills are piling up.
I also know people say to "go where your clients are", which really doesn't make a lot of sense to me. In my mind, this translates to finding a client tree and picking them off, but obviously that isn't an option.
The main places I find people asking for designers are on Twitter and Craiglist, and this very occasionally has led to work, although a lot of times people on these sites expect work for free, which is a whole other issue. Lol.
I have also considered posting fliers around town to try to get local work, but haven't been sure where to post things and/or if this is something that is even done.
I feel like I know what I'm doing slightly more than I used to, as far the business end of things goes, but I still find that this is the most frustrating aspect of the job. I trained to be a designer, not a client-hunter!
-Jennifer
This is an awesome question!
Now, I get my clients from a variety of sources, and one of those sources IS where my clients hang out. I tend to work with small business owners and entrepreneurs, and there are LOADS of Facebook, LinkedIn, and other groups where these potential customers hang out and talk about business--including website woes that I'm able to fix.
But that doesn't work for everyone. Especially if your clients don't spend a lot of time chillin' on the internet. And even if you THINK you know where your clients are, you might be met with a bunch of cheapskates who are looking for a deal instead of a great product.
So where else can you look?
Jennifer's hit the nail on the head with referrals. But the key is getting the RIGHT referrals.
Clients don't necessarily get what you do, or who you want to work with. I've worked with some awesome clients who after their website is complete think they're doing me a favor by sending friends and family members my way. And yes, sometimes these referrals work out wonderfully, but they're really hit or miss.
For example, I might have looooved working on Suzy's photography site, but when she sends her brother to me for a website about muscle cars--it's just not my thing. Or maybe her brother even has an awesome business that I can totally get behind, but turns out to not want to pay my rates and wants to haggle over the price the whole time. Or maybe he's just a flat-out douchebag. Awkward.
So while referrals from clients can be TOTALLY AWESOME and I'm sure are made with the best intentions towards both the designer and the referred customer, they can also be a terrible fit and absolutely awkward to say "no" to sometimes.
The key to AWESOME referrals from clients is to work with clients you want to work with, who are networked with with similar people.
So if you love doing photography websites, and work with a great client on her photography website, don't be afraid to ask her for a killer testimonial (to stick on your website) and to refer any photographer friends your way. If she's a happy client, she'll be happy to spread the word for you!
But my favorite place to get referrals is from other designers.
Why? Because designers understand. They know you're not just making a website for anyone who forks over cash (well, I mean, you might be, but that's not where you want to be with your business), but instead want to work with a niche market with clients you're truly excited to work with.
Maybe Designer X gets a client coming to them who wants a website about fashion. But Designer X doesn't give a hoot about fashion at all--but you do. You are now entering the world of awesome referrals.
I LOVE referring other designers, and I love having other designers refer clients to me. Building up a network of designers (and developers) who get how you work, what kind of clients you like, and what kinds of projects you take on is key to getting awesome clients funneled your way.
Suzy's brother who wants a muscle car website? I'm happy to scoot him on along to you if that's your jam. It makes me feel like a lot less of a bad guy for saying "no," and it gets you a client you want to work with!
Now, how you do referrals is totally up to you. With one designer friend she and I pay the other 15% of the project fee for each referral. With another, it's a flat rate. And with most, we just do it, no fees or expectations of payment.
Referral or "finder's" fees can be a nice way to turn down projects that aren't a good fit without feeling like you're losing a ton of business. But it's also nice to just have a great referral relationship with other designers and know that when they get a client that's a better fit for you, they'll just send them your way.
So long story short, you're totally right. You're not trained in or meant to be spending all day hunting down clients. But you do have to do a fair amount of networking and/or marketing to draw clients in and that's just a fact of running a small business. I've only really touched on networking in this answer, but I'm including some links and more tips below that will help clients who end up on your site actually pull the trigger and hire you.
Question to readers: How do YOU get clients?
Reply to this email and I'll include your answers in the next newsletter!
-Erin
