frantic freelancer → systematic solopreneur
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The short answer is you have to try lots of stuff to figure it out.
And there is no “one” thing.
It changes a lot over time.
I was a product designer,
then an architect then a web designer
then a marketing expert
then an SEO then a combination of those
now an educator then a writer.
I still create, design, and build things so I’m still some of those things.
Last year I was interviewed by the BBC about my career, and I told them what helped me navigate my big shift:
Your thing will naturally emerge over time
Doing is the most important bit.
Set aside time to think about your life and what you want, yes…
But don’t just think, you have to take action to figure it out.
Honestly, your design tools don’t matter.
The apps or specific programmes you use don’t matter either.
All the tools you learn now will have changed in 5 years anyway.
There are a huge no. of tools available,
and the ease of these tools and templates available makes it too easy to run before you learn to walk.
Instead spend time on tools,
start learning the foundations.
I see a huge number of freelancers never learning the fundamentals.
If you’re a designer, focus your time learning about heirarchy, composition, balance, contrast etc.
I’d spend 80% focus on Typography, this is the quickest way to elevate your designs to the next level.
secret cheat:
copy others.
Take the time to actually recreate what they’ve done, and depick it:
why have they used that letter spacing?
why those colour shades?
why that padding?
You’ll learn by muscle memory the correct spacing, structure and layouts to use.
And of course, lastly time.
It just takes a lot of time to learn what will eventually become second nature.
People get stuck a lot on niche.
Another way to think of niche is a problem your ideal customer is having, your package or set of services are the solution.
It doesn’t mean you won’t do anything else, but pick something your going to promote to and aim your messaging and content at.
You’ll need to position yourself as the authority who helps those people,
so the narrower you can make it the easier it’s going to be to sell to them.
Research and find out what those customers struggle with the most,
this will inform the services you focus on.
This will take time and you may need to work with them first before you know this.
Doesn’t hurt to ask them, in person or on social though.
The best way to go about this is gather data on social media. what are your customers struggling with the most.
what do they complain or talk about the most?
These issues are what you’ll want to solve with your offer….
Remember,
Instead of listing the services you offer,
list the problems your customers have.
Then link those to the results that your customers
Example for brick & mortar stores wanting a logo.
(Shop is empty on weekdays => I want more customers)
(There’s someone doing it cheaper !=> I want less competition / stand out from competition)
Example your high ticket package could be
“everything you need to stand out on the high street and pack your shop full”
free consultation, shooting plan to prep your place in advance, staging, half day photography and video session, branded asset package, social media package PLUS follow up consultation so you know how to use the materials”
👆 Instead of a list of services, this is a result,
What you want to do is package your services and abilities into tiers.
Every business is different.
There’s also no immediate right answer.
You’ll be tweaking and experimenting with the messaging, the package, the pricing etc for ages to get it right.
As a rule of thumb for packaging your services.
Your “core offer” is the big problem you solve for your ideal audience:
remember to focus on the result, that’s what they are really paying for:
Standing out from competition, charging more etc, increase sales etc.
You don’t really need to be “unique”.
Most successful businesses aren’t doing something new.
You don’t have to be new, you just need to be 10% better than your competition.
Provide a really good service that the client gets value out of. Always provide amazing value.
I don’t mean be cheap, I mean do things that the customer will get value out of by saving time, or getting more customers or making their life easier.
Do what your competiotrs are too lazy to do.
that’s how you’ll set yourself apart from others
Your job is to communicate the above,
so the client knows how you’re different from other designers.
Position yourself as the “expert” so that you’re guiding them to what they need instead of them telling you what they want.
It’ll be a more trusting relationship.
Present yourself as an agency for higher pricing. But be the face of the agency to sell.
Both!
The only difference between an agency and a freelancer is the way they talk about thsemselves.
Design Hero, my 6 figure solo business, is a “micro agency” with only one employee.
But I present as an agency and I pitch at the same level as many agencies with 20-30 employees.
“Agencies” will always be able to charge more simply because of the perception.
You must convince the customer that your size is an advantage.
and it is.
You don’t need 40 ponytailed creatives sitting about on beanbags, eating avocados and playing table tennis…
A small team of experts will usually get a much better result.
The way do it is to be the agency for one speciality,
and you are the individual who runs the agency, with a personal brand as the expert for the niche.
So the answer:
People buy from people, not companies.
For social media, you’ll want a personal brand.
It helps build rappor, and future proofs your brand, by not being tied to one thing.
But branding as an agency will help you charge more, as it lends you legitimacy.
So present yourself as an agency for higher pricing. But be the face of the agency to sell to people
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