If you have a flair for design, I’m jealous. I’m creative with words, but I can barely draw a stick person. Thankfully, I’ve built a career on my love for writing and the good news is you can do just the same with your ability to create beautiful images.
Creativity can be a deeply personal thing and it takes great courage to open the doors to one’s world and let others in. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that; you have probably spent years creating works of art behind closed doors purely for your own pleasure.
However, I’m gong to ask you to pop a brave pill and open those doors, because there’s a very good chance you could make a healthy career from the thing you love doing.
In this post, I’ve got 5 tips that could help you turn your love for design into a web-based career.
1. Start A Blog
We live in an age where we can all become publishers by utilising fantastic tools such as WordPress. Starting a blog is a brilliant way to ease your way into self-promotion. Post your latest designs and add a few words about the inspiration behind the work. Share your posts via social media and you’ll gradually build a following.
2. Have A Go At Consulting
Consultancy has enjoyed something of a boon in recent times with people leaving their long- term jobs in order to impart their knowledge on companies in need of assistance in their area of expertise. You can do the same. You could easily set up a profile on PeoplePerHour and offer to help businesses brand themselves or redesign their website, for instance.
3. Make Smart Use Of Social Media
Get yourself on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn if you’re not on there already, and start promoting your work. You don’t need to shout from the rafters about your talents, but you can share what you’ve been working on. If it impresses people (invariably, it will), they’ll comment, share and build your social standing for you. You’ll get noticed in time.
4. Cash In On Old Files
Chances are, you’ve got a folder full of old work and files you have simply left to fester on your hard drive. Why not drag them out and make some money out of them? Websites such as ThemeForest and Graphic Leftovers may be interested in what you have to offer.
5. Give Stuff Away
Giving genuinely free and useful stuff away is regarded as a fabulous marketing tactic, and as a designer, you can do the same. It doesn’t have to be your best work, but if you offer a free design to people visiting your blog, you’ll begin to build relationships with prospects who will, eventually, want to pay you for further work.
Summary:
The benefit of a web-based career is that it can, generally, be conducted from the comfort of your home. Combine that prospect with the tips above and you’ll hopefully be more inclined to show the world just how brilliant a designer you are – and start making money from your hobby!
