10 Steps To Becoming A Successful Freelance Designer

1. Brand yourself. Practically any company or organization falls apart without an established style. Without a notable personalized brand you will just fade into the background where literally hundreds of freelance designers wander.

2. Develop an effective online portfolio. It is nearly impossible to achieve success in graphic or online design without having a formidable web presence. Any possible clients or employers will wish to see your work and many of them will prefer to type in a URL and click on what they need to see.

3. Develop an equally efficient print portfolio, business cards, resume, et cetera. This is somewhat a combination of the other two steps. Remember to develop a formidable concrete portfolio which you could give to those who need to see your work "in person". Also make use of your branding and identity to create business cards, stationery, et cetera. Any time you can put your personal brand on something, do it.

4. Be brave, bold, and professional. Don't be afraid to call people, offer services, email companies and more. Not too long ago, I was printing a job for a customer and at the printing shop, a man complimented me on the design of the piece. After engaging in friendly conversation, he asked me for a few tips on the piece he was printing for his own business. Although I was short on time, I was happy to assist him and after I got ready to leave, I offered my future services then handed him a business card. Trust that people will appreciate your skills.

5. Go the extra mile for your prospects. Word of mouth is a very powerful tool you have. Nothing can help you or hurt you a lot more than rumors and compliments shared by people for whom you might have done work before. About 90% of the freelance work I do comes from word-of-mouth publicity.

6. Take the smaller opportunities first. Doing well at a smaller job for somebody may help open doors for your client to do greater, better things. I entered a logo contest for a specific organization and out of the 4 logos I entered, 2 tied for first place pick. They were so impressed, I offered to make their website as well. Comparable offers can be made for an organization's stationery, business cards, etc. Find a niche and then take courage and offer much more.

7. Do not underestimate yourself. This goes together with Number 4. Remember to believe in yourself. No one will ever employ a designer that thinks he may not do as good a job as the next guy. Make sure to reflect your confidence in your pricing. If your work is good, charge good money for it.

8. Network. Graphic and web design are quickly transforming. Each day new techniques and styles are made and the designer found sleeping on the job is left in the dust. Sign up for social networks like twitter, linkedin, fb, digg, and more. Create a weblog and regularly add significant comments on others' websites. Creating a name for yourself in the design world takes a while but could be accomplished using social networking resources.

9. Practice, practice, practice. Nothing will help you increase in self-confidence and talent more than practice. If work is a little bit slow, nail down some of those private tasks you've been meaning to complete. Be part of a group at school or in the community where you can freshen your own talents. Participate in design forums, contests, and workshops. Nothing could take the place of real life application and experience.

10. Pay attention. I like to bring a smaller pad around with me. Each time I see an advertisement, photograph, building, person, etc. that influences my artistic thinking.