Tips on Becoming a Creative Freelancer

Freelancing doesn’t exactly have one straight path to success, and usually, a lot of creativity is involved in getting the gigs you want. However, there are a few tips and tricks that can be helpful along the way.

Meredith, a high schooler going into the art & design field, emailed me asking a few questions about becoming a creative freelancer. Since she might not be the only one wondering, here are how I answered her questions on getting clients, getting paid, and getting mural jobs. Enjoy!

1. How did you get your start with regards to building up your client base?

Client base is simply built up over time, so the sooner you let people know about your artwork or services, the better. My client base started in my hometown with friends and family and then traveled by word of mouth, which is the simplest form of advertising. Many jobs I get are from people who saw my stuff years prior, and now have a project in mind.

2. What is your advice for getting noticed as a freelance artist?

 Relentlessly, put out and show off the work that you want to get noticed for, especially on social media. If you want to be known in a specific space, no one is going to market your art or creative services for you, you have to be prepared to put in the work. A big trick is to sell outside of the art industry, meaning: do work for companies that aren't just in the art space. For example, maybe you are the creative designer for a big tech start-up and become the tech designer go-to person. Combining interests is always a win-win!

3. How do you assign a value/price to your work? In addition, did you work your way up price-wise? (As in, did you start selling your work for lower prices then raise them as demand grew?)

Pricing often depends on location and what you're selling (ie. Do people in this area value this work? People in Ohio won't value surfboard art as much as people in coastal Cali would) My prices started low as I was still developing skills and increased as I became able to create faster and had more knowledge. It's always smart to sell for whatever you value your work & time as (which should go up over time), but it's also good to determine what others in your space are charging. Occasionally I've set a low price to try and get more clients, but then end up resenting the whole process because I'm not being paid my worth, and the client who wants a deal is often hard to deal with! Ironic. Remember: not everyone is going to be able to afford your services or art, and it's good to know the type of clients that do want it and market towards them. 

4. What led you to doing large mural works?

Personally, I enjoy the mix of business and art, and doing murals for companies was a perfect combo for me in that regard. I continued doing them because I like the process, enjoy the business model, and love traveling to do art.

5. How did you get commissions in places across the world?

The projects I've done abroad were all for worldwide corporations who are actually USA based companies. This makes it a nice way to get your foot in the door abroad. I also got to know artists that work worldwide and worked as an assistant abroad also. Besides this, I contact many international companies, but you have to remember, most countries don't pay as well as the USA and therefore, the budget you need might not be possible.

For more tips and tricks about becoming a freelancer and working for yourself, make sure to join my e-mail list below.