Are you planning to set up your design business in the near future?
First of all, kudos for your courage and ideas. Not many designers choose to open an actual business. Whether they lack the career or the guts, they work solely on freelance projects without any big plan in mind.
The intertwining of design and business can be very fruitful for you. You can do what you’re passionate about and use your knowledge to expand the client list and spread word of mouth about your brand. However, setting up and sustaining a successful business in this industry requires some carefully thought-out steps. Here is what it takes to dip into this game.
1. Research (and Then Research Some More)
Walt Disney formed his first animation company in 1921, but he had to dissolve it because he was unable to pay his rent. When this happened, Disney tried, again and again, learning from his errors and researching the market. Now he’s been nominated for 59 Academy Awards and is one of the most successful people in the world.
What does this tell you?
Even the most successful people in the world have failed several times before they achieved their goals. They also spent a great deal of time revising strategies, trying to figure out what went wrong with their last attempts, and find the best way to achieve their goals.
Today, many of the mistakes of the past can be avoided with some preparation – and thanks to analytics. No one can guarantee that your strategies will succeed, but preparation goes a long way for creating a successful business.
Before you start your business, do your homework. Research the target audience, the market, your competitors, tools that can be used in your business, sources of funding that might help you, sites where you can promote your services, etc.
With a clear idea of all this, you can better:
- Invest your budget in promising areas
- Streamline the services and products in a way that appeals to your target demographic
- Find the most engaging ways to reach out to customers
- Know which tools to use to grow your business
- Pick the best method to create brand awareness
2. Develop a Good Design Business Plan
Based on what you uncover during your research, you need to create strategies for your business. Sure, you can go into this blindly. Many people do. They are eager to start their business and they believe that courage and some cash are enough to get them started. So, they find an office, think of a nice name, pay someone to do their website, and wait for clients to start knocking on their door.
If you’re one of the few lucky ones, this might just turn out well for you. But, if you want to be smart about it and increase your chances at success, as well as find ways to attract more clients faster, you need a good business plan.
According to Excellent Business Plans, this gives you a 30% higher chance of growth. That being said, can you afford to skip this step?
Business plans come in different sizes and forms. Most people haven’t done these before and they see the process as overwhelming and unnecessary. However, the planning stage for the company does not exactly have to be thorough. You need to research the market a bit and make sure that you have what you need to get to a certain point. Business plans are changed all the time.
In your initial plan, you should consider things such as revenue goals, financial abilities, expenses, potential expenses and income, services you’ll provide, prices you’ll charge, as well as methods for finding clients and employees.
3. Choose the Right Software
Technology is a driving force for businesses nowadays, especially since the pandemic when most companies were reliant on online communication and remote work. This is even more emphasized for design businesses. Even without an actual business to run, your career is already highly reliant on technology.
First and most importantly, you’ll need software to do your design tasks and work on your projects. This is where Foyr comes into the picture. Foyr is a professional interior design software created specifically for this purpose – to help you deliver original and high-quality designs that meet the needs of your clients.
Once you have this handled, you need to consider the remaining tools that are essential for running the company.
Chances are you’ll need all kinds of software to establish the brand, communicate with clients, and perform everyday tasks. Thankfully, there are tools for everything from portfolio creation to time management and automated email marketing.
When creating your business plan and assigning your budget, make sure to leave a portion of it to cover software expenses. Decide on which software is crucial for your operations, communication, and marketing strategies. There are many affordable and quality options like Foyr for design and MailChimp for email marketing, but costs will increase as you add more tools to your work.
4. Make an Unforgettable Portfolio
For a person who works in the creative industry, this is a must. Most people, if not all of them, will want to see some examples of your work before they hire you. It goes without saying that without proof, your design business will lose many potential clients.
What does a portfolio do for your business?
A good portfolio will showcase your skills and creativity to potential clients. It will serve as proof of what you’re capable of and have to offer. Instead of broad promises on social media and your website, focus more on delivering amazing samples for interested parties.
You should definitely aim to create engaging and quality content across your marketing strategy, but before it, all, create a portfolio that shows people how worthy you are. Unless you do this, people will think twice before they hire you – regardless of how great your site looks or how amazing your online presence is.
Publishing your work online, whether it is on the website, different platforms, or other places creates an irreplaceable promotional tool for you as a designer. This is why you need not only to create but maintain an amazing portfolio.
When creating the portfolio or a dedicated page to your projects on your website, make sure to follow the most recent portfolio trends. Whenever you have a new project ready, one that you are proud of, update it.
You shouldn’t simply toss things in a portfolio hoping that clients will like what they see. Your items need some content and description telling them what you’re showing, how you’ve done it, what were the requirements, the purpose of the project, and more.
5. Maintain an Active Online presence
If you want to make the big bucks and attract a client base that’s further than your local area, you need an amazing and constant online presence. Platforms like social media and Craigslist are an ideal way to search for leads and promote your services. That being said, your next step is to find the best designer platforms and get out there for everyone to see you!
This includes much more than simply creating a website with a quality portfolio. You want your website to be found, which is why you must focus on SEO, create original and engaging content, and publish content on other sites and platforms as well as your own.
On one side, you have social media platforms that are frequented by nearly 50% of the population every single day. These are amazing places to get some brand recognition and attract more people to come to your site. On the other side, you have platforms, forums, and websites where you can post your services and portfolio. Such websites serve to help both designers and clients find each other.
6. Focus on Customer Service
Communication is key to business success these days. It won’t do you any good to attract a client just to make them wait for your response. People are busy and lack the patience they used to have in the past. This is why you need great customer service and communication system.
This goes beyond listing an email address or a phone number on your website or in your resume. It includes responding to questions and comments on your website and social media platforms, replying to emails in a timely fashion, and having the right, professional answers to all your clients’ questions.
People won’t just expect quality designs from you. They’ll also expect you to listen to their requests, even if they are too silly or messy. Part of the job of a designer is to meet his client’s demands. This is why communication is key for a designer business.
Final Thoughts
Opening a business is challenging and overwhelming. However, the prospect of building a successful designer career is attractive to many. With the right tools, strategies, and people on your side, you can make your dreams a reality. These tips should help you get started and widen your brand’s reach in a timely manner. Good luck!
