How To Register Yourself As A Freelance Designer
How to Market Yourself as a Freelance Architect
Do you want to be able to market yourself as a freelance architect? If aye, so this weblog postal service is for y'all. We will comprehend how to become the discussion out near your concern and make certain that people know who y'all are.
In our previous post we explored how to find piece of work as a freelance architect. We explored different platforms and means to find work, nurture leads and brand connections.
Hither, we volition delve into the marketing side of your freelance business.
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When you have the logistics of your freelancing business all ready, it's fourth dimension to move to the marketing phase. You need to make sure you are easy to find, and when people do observe you, they similar what they encounter. Presenting your work and profile in a manner that is professional and appealing will help yous win new clients.
Online presence
Information technology is important to have a strong online presence – it'south up to y'all which platforms yous cull to get involved with. The ideas beneath are just that, you don't need to engage in them all. However, it's of import that people can learn about you, what you practice, and see examples of your work, and then a LinkedIn profile and an online portfolio would exist a proficient starter.
Too consider where your potential clients might exist. Are you looking to work with other architects providing architectural back up? Or wanting to design for clients directly? This will make up one's mind where you might spend your time promoting your services.
Allow's have a bit of time looking at some of the dissimilar ways you tin create your online presence.
Portfolio
Every bit an architect or technologist, we all know how important the portfolio is.
Giving potential clients the opportunity to see your work, and empathise how you might fit their requirements is primal if you are to win work.
There are a number of options to consider with an online portfolio. Firstly the platform itself – where will the portfolio alive? How will it be hosted, and viewed? Where volition it become most exposure, to the right people?
While some opt for a portfolio on their ain website, others choose to utilize existing platforms to showcase their work. Whichever you go for, make sure the viewing feel is easy, and works well. If a potential customer experiences any barriers to viewing your work, you can consider them a client lost.
Some online portfolio sites include:
Behance
https://world wide web.behance.net
Behance is considered 1 of the best places to showcase your portfolio. You can upload your projects and create links that you can share on your social media or anywhere else on the web. URLs are non custom so your portfolio web accost volition ever be associated with Behance – at that place is notwithstanding a paid Pro option where y'all tin select your own domain.
While Behance is bully, it is oft used by other creatives for inspiration, and to share ideas.
Adobe Portfolio
https://portfolio.adobe.com/start
Adobe offer a free portfolio service with templates you can use to get started. It has integration with Behance and the portfolios are optimised for use on whatsoever device. You can also have a custom domain name for your portfolio.
Issuu
https://issuu.com
Issuu is a platform where you tin share content usually in a flippable book format. This allows you to create a portfolio in a pdf format, and the user can then flip through it on Issuu.
There are lots of great examples of architecture portfolios on the site already, and you are non restricted past size or orientation of the document.
You tin can likewise embed the portfolio on your own website.
Coroflot
https://world wide web.coroflot.com/
Coroflot is some other online portfolio service. While the layout is not very flexible, information technology all the same seems to be popular option.
Website
Creating your ain website is some other adept mode to show your potential clients who you are, what y'all do and showcase your piece of work all in one place.
While it might be more labour intensive to create your own site, information technology is in your control and you can update and amend it as your concern grows.
Yous can use options such as Squarespace (https://www.squarespace.com), WordPress or Portfoliobox (https://www.portfoliobox.net/) to get things set up up pretty quickly. Squarespace is a pop selection with creatives.
What to include in your website
Key information to include in your website (this will vary co-ordinate to your target client):
- Name and contact details
- Data well-nigh the services your provide – don't be vague
- Include your main skills
- Share your interests
- Portfolio
- Include a telephone call to action – tell visitors to the site what they demand to do next (this could exist 'send me an email', 'connect on linkedIn', 'give me a call to discuss your project' that kind of thing.
Spider web blueprint tips
As a new freelancer it is likely you are on a shoestring budget and will be designing the website yourself. Here are a few key things to consider:
- Show your brand – logo/profile picture and tagline should exist clearly visible
- Go along your visual elements consistent – colours, fonts, sizes and then on.
- Show your personality – you are providing a personal service as a freelancer, let that bear witness through on your website.
- Brand sure the website is mobile friendly
- Make sure the website is like shooting fish in a barrel to navigate
- Include a contact page, or contact details so that potential clients can easily contact you
- Include social media icons if appropriate
- Make sure all links and buttons work correctly
- Images – make certain yous are using images of your ain or have creative commons license
LinkedIn is a powerful business to business networking tool with over 660 million users. Creating a professional profile on LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to communicate your expertise and value to prospective clients. Here we will run through some of the chief points to consider when setting up/updating your LinkedIn profile.
Make sure yous include a profile picture, and ideally it should be consistent with any profile pictures you may have on your website or portfolio. Make sure you look professional but outgoing. Keep the background simple, and make sure that you stand out – it is viewed every bit a tiny thumbnail on your desktop or mobile, so you should ideally have up about l% of the overall paradigm.
Don't overlook the background photo. This is often left blank but it's a good opportunity to communicate more about yourself or your services. You could use the background prototype to promote your brand, evidence your certifications, testify some of your work, or a picture of yourself at work. Opportunities are countless.
The headline on your profile is 1 of the hardest parts to write. Information technology is pretty express on characters merely this is the commencement affair connections volition encounter, so it needs to exist punchy! Share something more than but your job championship, explain what you do, or how you can help. What makes you different?
Another important part of the LinkedIn profile is your 'About' summary. This is your chance to communicate to your potential customer what you practise and how you can help them. Include who your ideal clients are, how you tin can help and why your work is important.
Once you accept everything set up you can brand connections, share interesting content and engage in groups and discussions. This all takes time but it's a great way to connect with people and find potential new business.
Social
If you lot feel your target client will be on other social channels as well LinkedIn, it could exist worth creating a profile on other social media sites. Brand sure you are committed to engaging in the sites you have a profile on, and then proceed the different channels to a minimum.
Blogging
Writing a weblog can be a powerful tool for online visibility. Write nearly your projects, experience and useful data for your potential clients. Always have in mind the reason for your writing. Having a web log allows y'all to share your content on social media, keep your clients up to date with news and boost your personal brand.
Logo
Information technology isn't necessary to create a logo as a freelancer but you tin can if you wish. For LinkedIn information technology is ameliorate to use a headshot every bit your contour image rather than a logo. However if you accept created a website it could be good to have a logo and some sort of cohesive design/branding across your site.
Reach Out To Connections
We take touched on this in a previous article, only it'south worth repeating. One time your online presence organised and in place, reach out to whatsoever of your existing connections, previous colleagues or associates and let them know what you lot are doing. Fix upwards meetings for a brief informal conversation, and go yourself fresh in their minds.
It is not just virtually the people you know, exist mindful that they might know someone who requires your services.
Consider Local Connections
While an online presence is important, there is certainly a identify for offline connections. If you are looking to work with people in your local area consider whether you should advertise in local directories. This will depend on your target client, whether it is other architects or people looking for architectural services for new homes, extensions etc.
Consider attending any local architectural events where you may be able to run across other architects/potential clients.
Keep In Touch / Nurture Leads
Marketing is a long game. You can't put out a few posts on social media, make a few connections on LinkedIn and expect the work to come flooding in. It only doesn't work similar that.
Keeping in bear upon with your connections is an important part of your marketing plan. This can be washed past picking up the telephone every now and again to cheque in with previous clients, or indeed potential clients. Existence fresh in peoples minds means that if they need a freelancer, the kickoff person they think of will exist you.
You could also ship out a series of emails to your connections, updating them on your news, providing valuable content and reminding them of your services. In time, this could become automated, just initially it might be a manual process.
Set yourself a schedule or note in the calendar to catch upward with your existing connections on a regular footing.
Exist An Practiced
If y'all specialise in a item area, make it clear to your potential clients. If you are an expert in your field you could consider being a guest author on other blogs or websites. Contributing to the community will help yous build new connections and proceeds authorization in your field.
LinkedIn has an option to write manufactures direct on the platform. This could be a good manner to get your content/writing shared and become more exposure.
Get Reviews and Testimonials
Inquire existing and previous clients if they will provide y'all with a review or testimonial. You can either enquire for a written review to postal service on your own website, or enquire that they provide a google review or trust airplane pilot. Whichever you choose, be consistent so y'all tin build up a number of testimonials in one place. Good reviews give potential clients the confidence to work with you.
Enquire for Referrals
Ask your existing clients if they know anyone else you might exist able to aid. Word of mouth is essentially free advertising. If yous are providing a nifty service to your existing clients, they volition be happy to tell their friends or colleagues how nifty you are. Commonly word of mouth recommendations are triggered by a cracking client experience when something goes beyond what they expected. Are y'all exceeding your customer expectations and delivering great value to your clients? If and then, they will exist swell to tell others.
Conclusion
Marketing yourself as a freelance builder is not easy, peculiarly as you are just getting started. In fourth dimension though, as you build connections and outset to get a few regular clients it does get easier. It is important to consider the marketing side of your business concern as a central task, rather than an afterthought. You don't demand to do all of the tasks we accept listed here, simply brand sure you select a few that are relevant to you and commit to working on them regularly.
Source: https://www.firstinarchitecture.co.uk/how-to-market-yourself-as-a-freelance-architect/
Posted by: hendersonreand2000.blogspot.com
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