{"id":23003,"date":"2017-06-26T12:30:43","date_gmt":"2017-06-26T12:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getflywheel.com\/?p=23003"},"modified":"2024-06-30T21:52:23","modified_gmt":"2024-07-01T02:52:23","slug":"avoid-freelance-designer-mistakes","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/resources\/avoid-freelance-designer-mistakes\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Subtle but Success-Stifling Mistakes Every Freelance Designer Makes (and How to Avoid Them!)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nobody likes making mistakes.<\/p>\n

Sure, there\u2019s that whole \u201cfail faster\u201d thing where you convince yourself that failure is a good thing because you can grow and learn and now you won\u2019t waste your time on something that\u2019s ultimately going to fail.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not what I\u2019m talking about, though.<\/p>\n

What I\u2019m talking about are the flubs. The dumb mistakes you make. The lost opportunities because you didn\u2019t know better (or couldn\u2019t have cared less).<\/p>\n

Mistakes like that can be devastating for your work if they\u2019re left unchecked. And \u2013 as awesome as freelancing is \u2013 the inherent nature of freelancing is that there\u2019s no one checking behind you, so pretty much everything you do is left unchecked.<\/p>\n

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When you\u2019re consistently making mistakes without a second glance backward, you\u2019re cutting yourself off at the knees. You\u2019ll get a lot of rejection, deal with a lot of frustration, and possibly (probably) even go through the humiliating process of being fired.<\/p>\n

There are common mistakes that freelance designers make all the freaking time that land them in hot water and get them nowhere good. These are the \u201cbad\u201d kinds of mistakes \u2013 the ones that cost you time, gigs, and money.<\/p>\n

Recognize these mistakes that freelance designers make, learn to avoid them, and see your business start reaping the benefits. (Don\u2019t worry – this shouldn\u2019t hurt too much!)<\/p>\n

1. Dropping Invoice Bombs<\/h2>\n

One of the things I tell prospects when they ask for my rates is that I have my pricing model set up so there are no nasty surprises<\/em>. I\u2019m all about clear expectations in terms of cost and budget, and I\u2019ve heard a ton of horror stories of clients receiving invoices that were way higher than projected, with no warning.<\/p>\n

Do not be the designer who goes beyond the estimated number of hours to complete the job with no warning. Do not.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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When you do this, you\u2019ve essentially punched your client in the gut and then laughed.<\/p>\n

Let me be clear: I\u2019m not suggesting that you work for free. What I\u2019m saying is, don\u2019t drop bombs after the fact.<\/p>\n

What should you do instead? Check in!<\/p>\n

The very minute you realize that you\u2019re going to need a lot more time than you expected to do the project, let the client know<\/em>. Come up with a new estimate, and then suggest a plan of action.<\/p>\n

Now, I won\u2019t tell you that giving a heads up will save you from having uncomfortable conversations. I will tell you that it will absolutely be better than just doing the work and then sending an invoice that\u2019s three times what the client was expecting.<\/p>\n

When you check in the minute there\u2019s an issue with the estimate, you communicate clearly that you respect the client\u2019s time, budget, and trust. You\u2019re working together, and that means you have a relationship. Not dropping financial bombs protects and strengthens the relationship, and having that trust will benefit you and your clients in the long run.<\/p>\n

2. Searching Far and Wide for Clients<\/h2>\n

One of the eternal debates for freelancers of any stripe, but especially web designers, is whether (and how) to niche down and pick a specific market to serve.<\/p>\n

The fear is that by targeting only a specific type of client, you\u2019re leaving good opportunities (and good money) on the table. It\u2019s like FOMO, but with work instead of life.<\/p>\n

But fear of missing out will suffocate your business before you even really have a chance to get off the ground.<\/p>\n

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I\u2019m a big fan of picking a niche because I\u2019ve found in my own freelance work that having some sort of boundary around where I look for clients and what opportunities I pursue is incredibly freeing. Many web designers have experienced the same thing.<\/p>\n

Instead of taking any and every opportunity to land a client, think about the types of clients you actually want to work with. Your best market could be clients in a particular location (e.g. your town), owners who run a specific type of business (like fitness professionals or life coaches or Etsy stores), or people who have a certain approach to their work, whatever it is (like vibrant and energetic, sophisticated and stylish, or nature-based).<\/p>\n

[twitter_link]When you design for a niche, your clients will know you understand their needs.[\/twitter_link]<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Once you can zero in on who your best people are, you can focus on finding them and working with them \u2013 and leave everyone and everything else behind. Your clients will be thrilled to find a designer who really gets them and their business, and you\u2019ll find tremendous satisfaction and business success.<\/p>\n

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3. Downplaying Your Own Value<\/h2>\n

I see this all the time. You\u2019ve probably seen it too…possibly in your own self.<\/p>\n

This whole tendency to undervalue yourself plays out in any number of ways, all of which come across as insecurity. Some common mistakes include:<\/p>\n