10 Steps To Being A Successful Freelance Designer
1. Brand yourself. Practically any company or corporation falls apart without an established style. Without a notable personalized logo you will simply fade into the background where literally thousands of freelance designers wander.

2. Create an efficient web portfolio. It is nearly impossible to achieve success in graphic or online design without having an impressive online presence. Any potential clients or employers will want to see your work and a number of of them will want to type in a URL and click what they wish to see.

3. Make an equally effective print portfolio, business cards, resume, etc. This is somewhat a combination of the previous two steps. Be sure to make a formidable tangible portfolio which you could give to people that want to see your work "in person". Also use your branding and identity to create business cards, stationery, etc. Any time you can put your very own personal logo on something, do it.

4. Be brave, daring, and professional. Don't be anxious to call people, offer services, email businesses and more. Recently, I was printing a job for a client and at the printing shop, a man complimented me on the design of the piece. After participating in friendly exchange, he asked me for some tips about the piece he was printing for his own business. Even though I was short on time, I was happy to help him and when I got ready to leave, I offered my future services and handed him a calling card. Have faith that people will appreciate your skills.

5. Go the extra mile for your prospects. Word of mouth is a very powerful tool you have. Nothing can help you or hurt you more than rumors and compliments spread by those for whom you may have done work before. About 90% of the freelance work I complete comes from word-of-mouth advertising.

6. Get the smaller jobs first. Doing well at a small job for someone can help open doors for your client to do greater, better things. I entered a logo contest for a specific organization and out of the 4 logos I entered, 2 tied for first place pick. They were so impressed, I offered to design their website as well. Similar offers can be made for a company's stationery, business cards, etc. Find an area of interest and then take courage and offer more.

7. Never underestimate yourself. This goes together with Number 4. Be sure to believe in yourself. No one will ever hire a designer that thinks he may not do as good a job as the other guy. Make sure you reflect your confidence in your pricing. If your work is excellent, charge good money for it.

8. Network. Graphic and web design are quickly changing. Every day new techniques and styles are developed and the designer found sleeping on the job is left in the dust. Sign up for social networks similar to twitter, linkedin, fb, digg, and more. Start a weblog and continuously add meaningful comments on others' blogs. Creating a name for yourself within the design world takes a while but can be achieved using social networking websites.

9. Practice, practice, practice. Nothing will help you increase in confidence and ability more than practice. If work is a little slow, nail down a number of those private projects you've been meaning to complete. Be part of a group at school or in the community where you can freshen your skills. Participate in design forums, contests, and workshops. Nothing could take the place of real life application and experience.

10. Pay attention. I like to bring a small pad around with me. Each time I see an advertisement, photograph, building, person, etc. that influences my creative thinking.

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