Build Your Niche
Once you focus on an area of expertise, and begin specializing, you will have a niche market. You may specialize in iconic logos, or corporate identity. Whatever you choose, this will allow you to focus your talents and abilities to one particular area, in which you will eventually become the expert. A narrow field of expertise is good, because you become more specialized, and this will help build your brand.
Take the knowledge and experience in creating logos and brand identity for other companies and apply it to your own brand. Brand identity in the design industry will do the same thing for you that you are helping other companies achieve. Follow the branding process to build value in your services. Start with a logo, build name recognition through repetition. To be successful in today’s world, you absolutely MUST have an internet presence. What a great place to showcase your work, and build trust and confidence through your website
Where did you go to school? What does your portfolio consist of? How long have you been designing? These are all choices that you can make, that will affect the path you’re your logo design career takes.
Design is Your Business
If you manage your design projects like a business, you will be more successful. There are a few things that will help you maximize your profit, in design.
Organization
Customer relationship management software (CRM Software) can assist you in managing clients, projects and time. This will increase your efficiency, and in turn help you determine pricing and cost for your projects. It is essential to track your time carefully, when designing.
Charge by the Design or Project
This is the most profitable way to charge clients, as long as you are organized and accurate in determining bids for projects. This is not an effective way to charge, if you tend to take longer on projects than you anticipate, or are slow to produce winning designs. If you can accurately and precisely determine the amount of time that you can spend on a project, you can profit more on each project. However, as an artist, there are some projects that you may work on and hit a “wall.” This can end up being costly if you are having a hard time reaching the perfected final design.
The best way to determine your price is based on your skills and time. Ultimately, you have the opportunity to make more money if you base your pricing on the project, and not charging by the hour.