Since this June, I've had 4 clients, with 1-2 being long-term but without consistent demand. Without a steady flow of clients, I feel I can't raise my rates, so adjusting pricing seems tricky. I also put a lot of effort into each project, making it hard to balance marketing and project work at the same time. When I have clients, I struggle to find the time and energy to secure new ones, leading to some gaps without any projects.
Compared to the income I could make working in-house as a UI/UX Designer or Product Designer or , I'm starting to doubt the long-term viability of running my own design studio. That said, I've been updating my resume and portfolio and applying for jobs as well. Still, the overall experience of running the studio and the variety of projects I’ve worked on over the past three months have brought me much more happiness than a company job ever has.
Right now, I’m in a bit of a limbo. I’d love to hear your thoughts and if there are any other paths I might not have considered.
I’ve only made 3K in three months—should I keep going with my one-man design studio?
byu/Agreeable_Dog7535 inEntrepreneur
Posted by Agreeable_Dog7535
11 Comments
Try working white label for other studios. It can help you create some more stable income.
One word, outsourcing.
Probably best to get a job and do the freelance design work on the side. As for business development, finding the balance between working in the business vs on the business is huge. Good leverage is to showcase what you’re working on (before vs after) on social media and build a following. It takes time but it’s effective.
It takes time to get the hang of things. Give it another 3 months. You’ll probably do better. After that give it the rest of the year. By that time you’ll probably think I did alright but doing another year I now know what to do and things will just keep getting better and better
Yiu can still be one-man, but you cant do everything. If you want to have some butter on the bread, start creating around you a cycle of people whom you can delegate some things.
You can do that with tries and fails only.
Only you can make that decision. $1000 a month is more than many start out at. If income is steady or trending upwards, and you enjoy it, keep at it and focus on growth.
This is normal focus on the long term vision make sure it’s worth it. You’re either going high complexity and dealing w mid market to enterprise companies or you need volume.of.yoire dealing with small businesses.
I went through the same thing I went from maybe 1500 a month to 50k a month. It’s worth it if you stick with it but it’s hard and you need to figure out your vision and long term plan.
Marketing should be the first thing always when funds are low.
I run a hardscape a fence buisness. I tend to put all focus on Google ads and Facebook ads. Yes it’s a slow process depending on your marketing.
Were on the high end market of installs so my only goal is to close 2-4 clients out of 30-40. We don’t give discounts depending on who the client is but no discounts.
Out of the bids they get were always told we’re the highest. If they decide not to move forward doesn’t matter, back to marketing. If we close the client doesn’t matter back to marketing.
Also have to influence people using your ad, remember your selling something people aren’t looking to buy.
How have you been contacting clients this far?
The problem sounds like what many solo agencies face:
**Having a commoditized offer** which is a race to zero.
Like really…why should someone choose you over someone who can do it for a fraction of the cost?
And with this, the solution becomes clear: You have to differentiate yourself, otherwise, there’s no reason why I should choose agency A over B when they both offer the same thing.
Rather than selling design work, sell future outcomes.
• 20%+ increase in conversions in the women’s beauty space
• Optimize their home pages to get more leads for a law firm
• Get more tree cutting service clients
People want outcomes, not services. You can still sell exactly the same thing you’re selling right now, the only thing you have to do is reframe/reposition how you’re presenting yourself to the market.
This guy changed my life by helping me understand how to turn our skill (design) into a BUSINESS (not a commodity, where we’re price competing) —https://www.profitabledesigner.com
I signed up a few years ago when he was <100 students and have lifetime access. His marketing has changed, and I’m not sure it would make me want to sign up today if I found him… but trust me, I have never invested better money in my life. (That’s university and all schooling and other coaching included).
I shied away from the agency model because I was really heart/headstrong about a particular niche, but ~3yrs later I’m moved back towards the agency model.
After taking a really honest look at my efforts and my results and looking to other success-case studies, I’m realizing how much better some companies did once they found a really compatible partner to compliment each others skill sets…
That’s where I’m at. And would love to find someone who’s the peanut butter to my jelly to take things to the next level 💕