Starting Your Own Graphic Design Side Hustle
Are you good at editing? Are you creative? Do you know how to use programs like Canva, Picmonkey, and Adobe? Do you have an eye for design? Small business owners everywhere are looking for someone to make fliers, business cards, table tents, mailers, posters, logos, and online graphics to represent their brand, their sales, and their most recent million-dollar idea. This is where you come in by offering your services to help with graphic design needs. This makes you an invaluable resource, and people are willing to pay for those resources, and this is how you get started with your own Graphic Design side hustle.
There are a few basics that apply to starting any side hustle.
- Identifying a problem.
- Solving the problem.
- Selling your solution, by obtaining clients
Let’s chat about obtaining clients.
Create an ad. This could be a graphic image or just a short blurb about the services you are offering. Remember you could have the best service business in town but if people don’t know you exist you can’t sell your service.
Seek out local small business forums, Facebook groups, Craigslist, and post about your services.
Network. You never know when you’ll overhear a conversation, or be asked for advice on a subject that will lead to a sale. Keep your business cards on you at all times.
Word of mouth will eventually be your best marketing strategy. Happy clients who would like their friends to also utilize your services. So make sure you keep HAPPY clients!
There’s An App For That: Graphic Design
There are several apps and websites that can be used to hire graphic designers, some popular ones include:
- Upwork: A platform that connects freelancers with businesses and individuals looking to hire them.
- 99designs: A crowdsourcing platform that allows businesses to hold design contests and choose the best design from multiple submissions.
- Fiverr: A platform that connects businesses with freelancers offering a wide range of services, including graphic design.
- Behance: A platform that allows designers to showcase their work and connect with potential clients.
- Dribbble: A community of designers where you can find and hire graphic designers for your project.
- CreativeMarket: A platform that connects businesses with freelance graphic designers and offer pre-made design elements like logos, templates, and more.
- Hirable: A platform that helps businesses find and hire top graphic designers, developers, and product designers.
- Crowdspring: A platform that offers a wide range of design services, including graphic design, and connects businesses with a global community of designers.
- Toptal: A platform that specializes in connecting businesses with top-tier freelance graphic designers and other professionals.
- DesignCrowd: A crowdsourcing platform that allows businesses to hold design contests and choose the best design from multiple submissions.
- PeoplePerHour: A platform that connects businesses with freelance professionals offering a wide range of services, including graphic design.
- The Creative Group: A specialized staffing agency that helps businesses find and hire graphic designers and other creative professionals on a temporary, project or full-time basis.
- LinkedIn ProFinder: A service offered by LinkedIn that helps businesses find and hire professional service providers, including graphic designers.
- Guru: A platform that connects businesses with freelance professionals offering a wide range of services, including graphic design.
Please note that the above list is not comprehensive and there are many other platforms and websites available for hiring graphic designers.
Even though these apps and sites exist many small business owners won’t be aware they exist. Some may also prefer someone to come in person to discuss their ideas and show proofs. However, as a freelance graphic designer, you can work where and whenever you want so your client could be literally anywhere in the world and it wouldn’t affect your ability to work together. These apps could work to your benefit, you may be able to contact them and offer your services through the apps.
As with every side hustle make sure to keep your receipts. Track your supplies, mileage, and other expenses. You’ll also need to track your income from your side hustles so that you can file your taxes appropriately at the end of the year. Please consult your local tax professional for details.
Graphic Design as a side hustle can be lucrative most design rates start at $40 per hour. So if you’ve got the skill, eye for design, and communication skills this might be a great side hustle to add to your bag of tricks.