Freelance graphic designers are passionate about their craft. They love creating new graphics from scratch. This group of freelancers enjoys coming up with designs that leave their clients amazed. Equally, they also take great pleasure in making money. In fact, most freelance graphic designers have financial goals, which they pursue each year or on a monthly basis. Because of all this, the freelancers have to find ways of keeping track of their finances. The graphic design RFP can be a useful tool for motivating freelance graphic designers to grow their income each year.
It is upon freelance designers to make themselves as marketable as possible. For this to happen, they have to find ways of impressing clients. The goal is to make yourself the best choice for clients who need the services that freelance designers offer.
Fortunately, you can achieve this without much difficulty. As you will discover, most clients already know the kind of freelancers they need. Therefore, you have to make sure that your name is on top of their lips. Make it impossible for all clients to ignore you. Use the graphic design proposal template to do this.
How will the design RFP make you the first freelancer clients choose for their design projects? How does this happen?
1. Stay away from stagnation when replying to a graphic design RFP
Stagnation is a skill killer. Freelance graphic designers cannot afford to stagnate in their chosen careers or professions and should constantly be accepting graphic design RFPs to find new opportunities. Otherwise, if this trend continues, then it would only be a matter of time before the finances follow a similar pattern. Why does inertia occur? Primarily, this happens for a couple of reasons. First, many freelancers stop marketing as consistently as they should. Two, the designers believe that they are capable of handling all the projects, thus see no need of hiring new staff to help them.
Remember, freelance work is a business. That is how you should approach it. Let everybody who interacts with you know and understand that you are in business. Train everyone to treat your business as seriously as you do. For this to happen, however, you would have to formulate a strategic plan. The plan should include marketing. It should also tackle the issue of hiring other freelancers to help you. Typically, you can seek help on a project-by-project basis or get people to work with you permanently.
The latter works if your business has grown significantly to a point where it can support hiring new staff. Alternatively, you would have to seek fresh capital to pay the hired help. Otherwise, they may have to flee and seek better opportunities elsewhere if you delay with their salaries. In some situations, you would be perfectly in order to outsource some of the work to fellow freelancers and pay them when clients pay you. By doing this, you would be quickly on your way to adding or growing your yearly income. Consider building your own freelance team too.
2. Calculate your income before replying to a graphic design RFP
The graphic design RFP can be effective at helping you to calculate your income. How much should you earn from your freelance graphic design services and skills? In the United States, you can make over $50,000 as your annual income. Is this amount enough to meet your needs? Should you settle for it or seek ways of growing that income? Nobody else can answer this question for you. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that several factors affect your annual earnings. These factors include the following:
- Niche
- Experience
- What you charge
- Marketing ability
- Level of expertise
For all this to happen, you will need to find new clients. Upon finding them, you would have to put in a proper shift of between 8-10 hours daily to come up with the types of graphic designs your clients need. Divide the hours between actually working on the designs and marketing. Failure to do both could lead to serious problems down the line. Remember that in freelancing, marketing is everything. Any freelancer who ignores the marketing aspect will soon have no consultancy to go back to or run.
In conclusion, the graphic design RFP is a powerful and highly effective asset in the hands of a freelancer. With it, the freelance designer can keep growing his annual earnings. What is more, the document helps the freelancer to stay focused on the most important aspects of the business. A focused mind can make find ways of making more money easily. Use graphic design RFP to go out of your way and ensure that you remain fresh, highly motivated, and inspired in running your freelancing empire.
3. Provide as many details as clients need when replying to a graphic design RFP
Typically, the RFP is not a lengthy piece of document. Most freelance designers and clients prefer limiting it to a page or two. However, that space is all you need to equip clients with all the details they need. Here, the most important issue is your ability to do the job. Therefore, fill the document with a link to your portfolio site where they will gauge your ability themselves. On top of that, do not forget to talk about the problem that clients need you to solve through this project. Other similar graphic design contract details that must appear on this document include:
- Pricing
- Turnaround time
- Terms of payment
4. Provide samples/portfolios when replying to a graphic design RFP
Secondly, the design RFP must include samples and/or portfolios. In fact, you should never wait for clients to ask you for samples, not unless you have never handled similar projects to the ones they want to be done. Even if that is the case, you should invest in a website that contains your portfolio. Such a website is crucial for freelance designers who lack the necessary job experience that clients are looking for. Read this article if you are wondering if a portfolio is mandatory for a freelancer.
5. Ensure excellent communication when answering a graphic design RFP
Third, you have to be an excellent communicator. Now, be careful not to overdo anything. Instead, ensure that you relay messages to clients on a timely basis. Avoid a situation where clients are not aware of the project’s status. Do not leave your customers in the wilderness. Provide them with regular updates. Ask questions where necessary too. Ask for clarifications for problems that arise while the project is ongoing. Good communication is all about effective customer service and wonderful client experience.
6. Properly reply to a graphic design RFP enhances your personality
Your personality can be an asset or a liability when you start looking for new clients for your freelance design business. Most of your clients will give you work if they feel that your personality matches or is compatible with theirs. Otherwise, they would move to a different consultant. For this reason, you should not hesitate to use the design RFP to let clients in on your personality. Charm them by being yourself. Impress them. Wow them until they are fully convinced that you are the best option for the project they have in mind.
Freelance clients are likely to warm up to you if you display the following traits:
- Purpose-driven
- Hands-on
- Long-term outlook
- Self-disciple
- Confidence
- Detail-oriented
- Efficient communicator
- Tenacity
- Deadline-driven
As shown above, design RFP is an excellent tool for wowing your prospective clients. It also works well with all your existing customers. Use it to show your clients that you are interested in the services they offer. More importantly, display your competency as a freelance designer on the document. As you do this, your freelancing business will grow as more clients spread the news everywhere. Additionally, your reputation will also receive a major boost, which then means more projects – and money – for you.
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