Can you confidently say, “Graphic design is my passion”? If you can, then you will be glad to know that graphic design is now one of the most profitable skills that is marketable both online and offline.
In fact, this is now an in-demand expertise among businesses and those in the advertising field.
If you take pride in your passion for graphic design, there are several things you should know for this unique skill of yours to be turned into something profitable.
How to Make Money as a Graphic Designer
To claim that graphic design is your passion is no longer enough these days. You need to learn how to make money as a graphic designer. Here are some ideas you can try:
Start your own graphic design business.
One of the best ways to make money as a graphic designer is to start your own business.
You can serve businesses and help them with their ads, make designs for their company giveaways, create shirt designs, and more.
Sell your skills online.
Just like offline businesses, online websites also need assistance with their designs for ads, website buttons, icons, blogs, and more.
Create designs and put them up for sale online.
There are websites where you can sell your graphic designs and arts.
Blog owners usually buy graphics and photos for their design needs. You can also create vector designs and images then post them on sites.
You can make money once people pay for every download of your designs.
Join the Membership that is helping graphic artists to be successfully unemployed.
Teach others.
Since you have the confidence that graphic design is your passion, why not grab this chance to teach and share your expertise with other people? You can start an online tutorial and make money out of it.
You could also write manuals and guides.
These are only some of the things you can do if you want to know how to make money as a graphic designer.
How Can a Graphic Designer Make Money Fast?
There are many other things that you can do if you want to make money fast through your graphic designing skills:
Earn cash from your unused files.
If you’ve got some files that you weren’t able to use or weren’t loved by previous clients, you can cas
h in on these unused designs by selling them on marketplace websites. But before selling off your work online, make sure that you double-check every file you are selling to ensure that they are not under the rights of your previous clients.
Give consulting a try.
Consultants have become valuable professionals these days. If you think you’ve got the skill that others need or want in the field, you can offer consulting services where you can teach fellow designers using your expertise.
Position yourself as an expert through blogging.
If blogging wasn’t on your to-do list just yet, now is the perfect time. Blogging may cost you time, but it will pay off for itself big time. You can use your blog for sharing helpful design tips for businesses. You can also publish design tutorials that can serve as a guide for others.
Having your own spot online where you put all of your knowledge and insights is an incredible way to position yourself as a field expert, nurture new relationships with your fellow designers, and attract referrals all at the same time.
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Charge what you think you are worth.
In case you already did speculative work for a specific client and they have now decided to enlist your services, don’t be afraid to charge the rate you know you are worth. Most designers, particularly young ones, fail to charge enough, or they undervalue the true worth of their work.
Refrain from doing this.
Listen to the Graphic Design Is My Passion Podcast Episode with Mitch Bowler of Pencil Kings
To charge more is a great way for you to retain a high-quality clientele.
Take note that your clients don’t pay you for your time alone. They also pay you for your experience, expertise, equipment, and training. Set your pricing and stand by it at all times.
Do Graphic Designers Get Paid Well?
There are plenty of factors that are taken into consideration when assessing the salary of graphic designers. A graphic designer’s earning potential depends on various elements, including education, experience, job setting, specialization, geography, and more.
In 2018, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that the median annual salary of graphic designers was $50,370. Putting it side by side with the average salary of $38,640 for all occupations, these professionals earn quite a respectable living.
Once again, remember that there are still many advanced positions within the field that graphic designers could work toward to further improve their earning potential.
For instance, application developers, art directors, and animators often receive higher levels of compensation.
How Much Can You Make as a Freelance Graphic Designer?
One of the best things about the occupation as a graphic designer is that there are plenty of choices that await you. You have the option to pursue a job position in a corporation or a firm. Or better yet, you can also choose to work as a freelance graphic designer and enter contracts with different companies at the same time.
But while freelancing comes with different benefits, it is important that you consider the bigger picture.
You can enjoy better flexibility and target clients within the industry of your specialization. However, you can’t expect your clients to pay for the materials you will need to complete the project.
Some professionals find it easier to decide by considering the areas where earnings are the highest. Professionals who are employed by companies enjoy a steady salary with benefits.
Freelancers, on the other hand, charge their work per hour, ranging from $67 to $74, depending on the location.
They can also increase their charge for complex projects and ask for a rush fee. These rates are higher compared to the rates for in-house graphic designers, but it is important to keep in mind that there might be some slow periods as a freelancer.
Being self-employed, you also need to cover all operational costs on your own.
There are many ways for you to make money as a freelance graphic designer.
If you are looking for additional income sources and you’ve got several extra hours every week, you could share your graphic designs on different platforms.
Can You Make a Living as a Graphic Designer?
Once you have proven that graphic design is your passion, you might be curious to know if you can make a living as a graphic designer.
Well, the answer is yes, you could make a living out of your talent and creativity.
You can work directly for a specific company wherein you can be part of a creative team that handles different projects.
You can also design web pages for various clients as a freelance graphic designer.
No matter what type of work you choose, your main role is to come up with digital visual elements for building brands or promoting specific products being released.
If you are a graphic designer by heart, one of the things you should know is that graphic design is a type of professional service required in different industries, making it a secure job these days.
Wages reported in certain industries are higher compared to others. Advertising companies and computer system design companies usually give the highest pay in the field.
Security brokerages, aerospace manufacturers, scientific research service companies, and telecommunications companies have also been reported to pay the biggest amount to the graphic design professionals they employ.
Websites to Make Money as a Graphic Designer
Below are some of the best websites to make money as a graphic designer and establish your career:
Fiverr
I personally use Fiverr all the time. I think I’ve spent at least $5000 on Fiverr hiring many people.
- Graphic Designers
- Podcast Editors
- Video Editors
- Writers
- Editors
- And many others
It is super simple to get set up. Join fiverr
Creative Market
Creative Market is among the best websites where graphic designers can sell their web designs such as templates, logos, and more. Here, you can create your shop and earn through selling your designs.
Once you become a shop owner, you can create your products and upload them anytime you want.
These will instantly go live once you publish them. The best thing about the platform is that you won’t be penalized even if you sell your designs to other sites.
Inkd
Inkd is the online marketplace that caters to print designs including logos, pamphlets, menus, cards, and more. The company was launched back in 2009, and today, it has more than 2,000 original and unique design templates.
After you sign up, you can build your storefront where you can showcase and sell your templates and designs. Choose the specific type of product you’d like to build, and download the template from the site to follow the standards.
Once you finished the design, upload it to your storefront. People will then review it to check the quality and approve the job. It will then be offered for sale on the site.
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48hourslogo
48hourslogo is a large marketplace where you can buy and sell logos. The company launched in 2010 and has grown to boast of 40,000 clients and over three million logos.
However, this specific site caters more to professional graphic designers than newbies. If you wish to establish your career as a graphic designer, it is important to have a high-quality portfolio.
Every time a client needs a logo, they will start a contest for logo design.
Once this goes live, designers can join the competition and design their logo within 48 hours. The client will then choose out of the different designs submitted.
AwesomeWeb
This freelance site caters mainly for website designers and graphic designers. The company started in 2014 where entry-level designers could build and grow their portfolios.
This is a great place to kick start your career as a graphic designer. You just need to sign up, choose your skills, and then upload your projects. After your profile is made, clients can send you a message and hire you directly.
All accounts on the site undergo quality control before they go public and get hired by clients.
99designs
99designs is one of the best websites for freelance designers. Since its launch in 2008, it has grown to become one of the biggest platforms for selling designs with more than $200 million worth of sold designs to date.
All you need to do here is create your profile and make it available for clients to see. You can then look for contests you find interesting and submit your designs. This lets you build your portfolio and customer base as you join contests and engage with customers.
Entry-level designers are allowed to join 10 contests every month.
Join the Membership that is helping graphic artists to be successfully unemployed.
Can You Make a Passive Income as a Graphic Designer?
Graphic design is a great option if you need passive income. It might sound too good to be true to get paid even as you sleep, but a lot of designers have been able to use their skills to achieve just that.
However, passive income is not an easy and no-sweat income.
It requires solid commitment to not only design and sell your products but also market them effectively for you to enjoy the results of your hard work.
Below are a few ideas on how you can make a passive income as a graphic designer:
Sell design templates
Sell shirts and other print-on-demand products
Sell fonts
Sell stock photos
Sell Adobe add-ons
Sell WordPress themes
It is now time to stop saying, “Graphic design is my passion,” and start looking for ways to make money out of it. Use the tips above to kick start your career as a graphic designer.