Once as an independent designer has worked, profoundly experienced the domestic design industry market of all kinds of harsh environment, low-cost competition, a set of templates to deceive customers, plagiarism phenomenon, bullying customers unknown truth and other phenomena, really detest, in such a harsh environment, designers how can there be good works of appearance? happen to see the article "5 Ways to Add Value to Your Work as a Web Designer", it is this situation, so specifically to the 5 methods directly extracted from the inside, I hope colleagues can encourage. If you can feel authentic, please click below to view the original.
1. Stop the bad price competition stop racing to the Bottom
Now you can stop thinking about the "dime" in front of you and try to focus on those who are more willing to pay for something good. They can give you better profits, and you can have enough space to choose the customers you like. But the most important premise of all of this is whether you are a "wrist".
A few days ago I was in a few industries with the more excellent designers exchange found that no matter the market downturn, they can get a better income in the industry, and sustained growth.
It sounds exciting, but it just shows that if you're always in the leftovers, the end result is that you have leftovers, except leftover food. Why not give up these "paella"? Stop spending your energy on a price war, sift through your customers, concentrate all your energy on your work, and give better work.
2. Differentiated services cater to a specific demographic
As you all know, if your price is high, you must provide equivalent design/service (deceptive design company ignores), one of the best ways to be convincing is that you are an expert in a design field.
If you are good at Mini-sites mini stations (e.g. feature pages or vcard stations), try to become a professional mini-sites mini-station designer, and if you're good at blogging design, sell yourself as a blog design expert. If you are more proficient in the enterprise station, then quickly actively to the enterprise customers to sell yourself.
Are you thinking, if you can provide a lot of services, people can not be all in my design? Yes, but that's just your idea. Real customers are not what you think, they prefer to find more professional design, not omnipotent, just like if I need to design a logo, I am more like to find a professional logo designer, if I need to design a blog, I will find a professional blog designer.
So if you're good at something, it's better to put you in that field than generalists, so you'll get more attention in your target market.
3. Care what the market needs Know What Your Market wants
If you're going to start looking for your client now, it's important to know in advance how to provide good service. For example, for Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, it is important to know how to focus on high conversion and optimization, for example, to make books look better for writers.
And one of the things that really surprises me is that I see some designers who are looking for more "mail subscriptions", "Buyers", "RSS feeds" rather than doing their best to design. What I want to say is that the data does not necessarily bring you customers.
One more thing, your client doesn't necessarily know all the designers, they will consult you about things you should not reject, don't be afraid to share your knowledge, there are many cases that will make your client trust you more, even if not, you have to remember "you are an expert – keep your manners".
4. Note the details Don ' t forget the Little things
Outside my day, I also have a few selling all kinds of e-books and learning tutorials, when I was planning these shops, I am very concerned about products, logos, whether and the overall site to match. But I wonder how many designers will take into account the details of the site when they receive a design ebook. For a long time, most designers have only designed what the client arranges, often ignoring that the client is not a professional.
There are small details that are often overlooked (opportunities often come from the details):
Web Banner
Marketing in SNS (Twitter background board and self introduction page)
Avatar for external use
Icon design of the product
e-book, stationery and other template design
Your clients must not be professional enough to know that these places will also need design, so you should be proactive in helping them to consider and accomplish these things.
I'm not asking you to do this, but honestly, if you put your position in the customer's shoes, you know what they need? It's far more important than what you can offer.
5. Follow-up Follow up
I don't know how many designers have missed the most important part of the whole process. When you've done all the work, designed great works, made money, but you forgot to follow up.
Why?
Because customers are your assets, they will not only give you feedback, but will also be your best repeat customer.
Is there a contact form for your customer in your email list? If not, how do they know about your new business and new business?
Your old customer may come to consult, ask some questions about their website, this must pay attention to, give them actively to provide help. Believe it or not, good designers, in addition to good works, but also need to work slowly out of the heart, people are willing to deal with the same good people.
Consulting, after-sales service is such a good way to establish Word-of-mouth marketing, your customer satisfaction, but also bring Word-of-mouth, even in their blog may have you a pen.
Remember, word of mouth can help you win good customers, besides letting you wait for business to come.