The demand for graphic designers increases every day.
More businesses look for ways to captivate their audience with content and so the services of graphic designers increases.
If you’re a graphic designer, you may be wondering if you will make a cut to help you grow your business.
Are you a graphic designer interested in learning how to grow your graphic design business?
Graphic design is a competitive field of business, you will need to be dedicated and ready to work hard.
If you want to learn how to become a graphic designer don’t forget to read the articles below:
How to Become a Graphic Designer Without a Degree in Kenya
and Who is a Graphic Designer and What Do They Do in Kenya?
Table of Contents
Is Graphic Design a Marketable Skill in Kenya?
Graphic design is one of the most pursued courses in Kenya today.
I see a lot of youths asking questions about what it is and how they can enter and grow in this lucrative field.
There are many diverse industries that are seeking graphic designers and technology has made it even more demanding.
As many businesses and companies are going online in this digitally connected world, graphic designers are constantly outsourced to help these businesses stand out from the online crowd.
What is Graphic Design?
If you do not have a clue as to what graphic design is all about, we are going to break them down in very simple terms.
The word graphic deals with visuals that are associated with art, imagination and expression, which you can achieve through drawing, painting, engraving or lettering.
Design deals with the decision about the look and function of something before it is made.
Graphic design is the incorporation of visual elements and design principles through a creative process for the presentation of information.
Graphic design uses art and technology to communicate ideas to individuals.
What Does a Graphic Designer Do?
As a graphic designer, you need to have good knowledge and understanding of what you are responsible for.
You will:
- Create visual elements like logos, illustrations and original images for the client.
- Use design elements to achieve an artistic or a decorative effect in order to convey a message.
- Create layouts and choose the right colours,images and typefaces to use.
- Use layout softwares and digital illustrations to create designs.
- Determine the scope of the project
- Present the design to clients or art directors
- Make changes that are recommended by clients into the final design.
- Review the design for errors before printing or publishing.
How Do I Become a Self-Taught Graphic Designer?
Most people usually go the university route in order to become graphic designers.
However, if it is something that you discovered recently, you can teach yourself how to do it and grow your graphic design business.
I am going to give you seven proven steps that you can follow and learn on your own.
Learn the fundamentals of graphic design
Find out what graphic design is all about.
What are the graphic design elements?
What makes a design good and what makes them bad?
There are some courses and YouTube tutorials that can introduce you to the basics of graphic design in minutes.
Go over it and make sure you have mastered the fundamental elements of graphic design, from the spacing, the colours, the shape, typography and texture.
Learn the programs
Once you have mastered the fundamentals, you can start learning Adobe Creative Cloud, which is a suite of Adobe programs that includes Adobe Indesign, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.
- Adobe Indesign is specific to prints and layout in brochures and sometimes packaging.
- Adobe Illustrator is used for logos and for illustrations that are primarily vector based so that when you scale it out, it will not lose it’s quality; it won’t be pixelated.
- Adobe Photoshop works with photos but is pixel based.
Choose what is best for you and make sure that you understand these programs.
Take your time on this because it is very vital for you as a graphic designer.
Apply as you learn so that you do not get lost. Handle each program at a time and take it to step by step.
There are good courses online and also YouTube tutorials that can help you.
You can start with Adobe Photoshop then finish with Adobe Indesign.
There are other programs that you can learn about later on like Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Bridge and Affinity.
Join social media groups
Facebook has a lot of groups for graphic designers.
Here you can find experienced and willing people to help you in starting out your graphic design journey.
You can ask questions or have your work criticised.
You will be given advice and tips on how to improve your skills.
Join a Facebook group and start making connections today.
Practice projects
Now that you know the fundamentals and have learnt the programs, start doing sample projects.
Use Pinterest to get inspiration and find a design that you can duplicate, whether it is a logo or a book cover.
If you are using a logo, use Adobe Illustrator to help you break down how they did that particular logo and master it. Now try it on your own.
Duplicate that work till you feel comfortable doing it by yourself.
Once you have perfected the art, you can move to another category and repeat the whole process.
Choose a niche
The next thing is to decide what you want to focus on. Is it logos, flyers or package designs?
As you were doing the practice projects, there had to be something that sparked your interest or that you enjoyed doing.
Focus on that and create the best samples of your work that you can use to build your portfolio.
Join Facebook communities
This is where your target audience is. Interact with them and offer your services at a discounted rate or for free.
Here, you only want to focus on your marketing skills and how you can grow your business by building your portfolio.
Do not be afraid to tell them that you are just starting out as a graphic designer.
Build your own website
After building your portfolio, you can communicate with your audience and show them awesome design images on your website.
You should tell them who you are and give them a few samples to evaluate your work. Do not show them everything.
How to Grow Your Own Graphic Design Business
How to Grow Your Own Graphic Design Business
You may want to start growing your graphic design business from scratch or perhaps you have already started and are looking for ways to improve your business performance.
Here is how you can grow your graphic design business.
Find a niche
Focus on a particular area of graphic design that appeals to you.
This allows you to work on it and perfect it as you grow your graphic design business.
It also helps to be a bit flexible to switch up to different niches especially after you have exhausted one particular niche.
Choose a sustainable niche.
Know and improve on your skills
You have to know the skills that are needed for you to grow your graphic design business and hone them so that you can market your services and be efficient.
Market your services
Your clients need to know about you and what you offer.
You can go on social media, create a website or write blog posts to drive traffic to you and inform your clients about what it is that you do.
Use the best templates to attract clients.
Know how to price your services
Pricing your services is very crucial because, at the end of the day, your business has to be profitable in order for it to grow.
Stay motivated
You have probably been told that since the competition is stiff, most designs get rejected by art directors and clients.
Do not fear rejection because this is part of the journey towards your growth.
You will get to learn a lot of things about graphic design through criticism as you grow your business.
Treat design like a business and client
Spend time understanding and growing your brand
Ask for help/network
Choose a graphic design name
Keep the name of your graphic business simple
Is the name available?
Do you love the name?
Does your business name speak your vision?
Get/have a website
Have a plan
What services will your business provide?
Who’s the ideal client?
What are your earning goals per month?
How/where will I find design clients?
Be a communicator with your clients
Deliver high-quality projects
Ask for referrals
Set your prices
How much will you charge?
Do people recommend you?
How do people recommend your work?
What kinds of projects do you get hired for and how many?
Don’t be afraid of rejections
Use rejections to improve your work and not give up.
Fuel your motivation
Have fun
Learn from mistakes
Understand and polish your skills
What Equipment Do I Need to Start a Graphic Design Business?
Graphic design needs the necessary software and hardware if you want to be reliable. You can buy them from scratch as you are starting out or for an upgrade.
For your hardware, you will need
- A laptop
- A cloud printer
- A reliable hard drive
- A swatch book
- A notebook
For your software, you will need
- Adobe Creative Cloud, where you can subscribe for Ksh. 1000 per month.
- An antivirus software, for example bitdefender antivirus.
- VPN software
- Productivity software, for example GoogleDocs
What Skills Do I Need for Graphic Design?
These skills are critical when you are starting or growing your graphic design business.
Time management skills
As a graphic designer, you will be working on multiple projects so you have to make sure you beat deadlines
Analytical skills
You should be able to look at your designs from the customer’s viewpoint and come up with something that is acceptable to them.
Communication skills
You should be able to communicate with customers and clients so that you make sure that the design reflects the information they want to be put across.
Artistic skills
Graphic design is all about art.
You should be able to create attractive designs that clients and customers love.
Computer skills
Since you will be using different software and hardware to prepare designs, you must be efficient when handling computer systems.
Creativity
Think of unique and attractive ways to communicate ideas to customers on behalf of clients.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Graphic Designing?
Getting a Bachelor’s degree in graphic design usually takes 4 years. If you wish to pursue it to a Masters level, it will take you an additional 2 years.
If you are not looking to spend too much time in school, you can spend around 6 to 12 months learning and perfecting your skills.
The time you take to learn graphic design, however, is relative to the following aspects.
- The time you are willing to commit to the process; if it is an entire day or you schedule it into your routine.
- How you decide to learn; whether you are taking the university route or you will be self taught.
- Your current skill level will also determine how long it will take you to learn other concepts.
- Your job search as a freelancer or if you are working for a company.
What are the Expenses of a Graphic Design Business?
The startup costs for a graphic design business will be around Ksh. 100,000 or more depending on what you own.
For example, you have to invest in computers, storage, software.
This is inclusive of the hardware you will have to buy and the software subscriptions you will make if you are self-employed.
How Do I Attract Clients in My Graphic Design Business?
So you want to find clients for your graphic design business.
Your target audience is most definitely online. Basing your market search only offline is not a wise thing to do especially in this digital era.
This is how you will find clients for your graphic design business.
Social media
Leverage the connections you have online and use that to get clients for your graphic design business.
Create a business account and update it with your business information including the contact details and email address. Use Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn for this
Create a website
Creating a website informs clients about who you are and what designs you create.
If a client is happy about your designs, they will inquire about your services through phone or email that is available on your website.
Blog
Writing a blog about your graphic designs is one way to drive traffic to your website.
Talk about everything you are learning about and more people will ask for your services in no time.
Have a credit line on your graphics
Once you have designed something for a client, you can have a credit line on the graphic so that people will know about you.
How Many Hours Do Graphic Designers Work?
The hours you work as a graphic designer will depend on the company’s demands, your skills, the number of projects and how complex the projects are.
When you are working for a company, you will be required to work Monday to Friday, although it is typically not a 9 to 5 job.
The hours will depend on the type of project; you can spend around 6 hours or more on a project.
When you are self-employed and working on freelance graphic design projects, you will be scheduling your own time and that will mean setting aside time to meet with clients, look for projects and keep up with the trends.
How Do I Price My Graphic Design Work?
You have to know how you are going to charge for your graphic designs and make them profitable for you.
Pricing graphic designs are more about pricing your artistic services than the actual design.
It can get a bit tricky when you do not know where you stand and how much money you want to charge.
I recommend that you be professional about it.
Do not do a one-off fixed charge for everyone.
Charge according to the amount of work and always start the pricing once you get a client.
Setting up a fixed price on a website will drive away traffic because high prices may drive people away and low prices can indicate you do not value your work.
How Do I Present Graphic Designs to Clients?
Once you are done with your graphic designs, you can present them in the form of a PDF file or as a JPEG to a client.
Has it been watermarked to avoid the client using it without paying you?
How Much Money Can I Make From Graphic Design?
The starting salary for a graphic designer is around Ksh.100,000 or more depending.
Some designers make up to Ksh. 1,000,000 or more from a single design.
If you want to earn more, you should also work more.
What Industries Do Graphic Designers Work?
As a graphic designer, you can work in the following areas.
- Advertisements and promotion agencies
- TV and Motion graphics
- Magazine layout
- Web designing
- Public relations
- Marketing
- Branding
How Do I Promote My Graphic Design Business?
Once you have learnt the art of graphic design, you will have to market your services and let clients know about you to grow your business.
In order to reach your target audience
Use business cards
You can put your contact information on the business cards or brochures and hand them to people.
Use social media
Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram and ideal places to promote your designs as a graphic designer.
Have a referral program
Happy clients are the best sources for new customers, so you can ask them to help you get more clients.
Blog
Write blog posts about your services in order to drive traffic to your website.
Advantages of a Graphic Designer
These are the perks of being a graphic designer.
Self-employment
As a graphic designer, you can choose to work on freelance projects, thereby meaning that you are your own boss and you set your own pace of work.
Work from anywhere
So long as you have the tools for graphic design, you can literally work on a bench in the park!
You express yourself
Graphic design is all about creativity and what better way to express your emotions through art.
Many career options
Being in graphic design means you can pick on either advertising, publishing, tv and film or corporations to offer your services.
You can be employed anywhere
Businesses today want an online presence so you can be employed anywhere to help set up a company’s website online.
Quick training
If you are dedicated enough, graphic design will be easy and quick to learn.
Disadavantages of a Graphic Designer
These are some of the challenges you will face being a graphic designer.
Demanding clients
Some clients will ask for too much and are very strict on the deadlines so you need to do everything you can to please them if you do not want your work to be rejected.
Pay may not be as satisfactory
At the start, especially if you are a beginner, you will only be paid according to what you deliver.
Stiff competition
Everyone wants to be a graphic designer.
You need to keep up with the trends, software and computer technology in order to beat the competition.
This can be a bit daunting.
Tight deadlines
Tight deadlines interfere with creativity and you may end up producing low-quality designs.
Multitasking will make you pay less attention to important tasks especially if you do not prioritize the multiple projects that you have.
What are the Qualifications for Becoming a Graphic Designer?
To be qualified as a graphic designer, you will need to have the following things that prove your services are legitimate and can be trusted.
Certifications
Companies will ask for your certifications to show that you have thorough knowledge about graphic design before they give you work.
If you have a degree in graphic design, that’s an advantage.
For self-taught graphic designers, having a good portfolio and an extra course in graphic design will put you in the best spot.
Portfolio
Let your work speak for you.
Building a portfolio is important if you want to land a job as a freelancer or an employee for a company.
Select the best of your works and present them to your client.
License
To start a graphic design business, you will have to comply with the legal requirements in your state so that you do not end up having your services shut down.
How Do I Become a Successful Graphic Designer?
Here is how you can become a successful graphic designer.
Find inspiration
There are a lot of sites online where you can find inspiration about graphic design, one of them being Pinterest and through Google search. You can look at what people are doing and use that to strike your creativity for the next design.
Check on new trends
Technology keeps on changing every day.
You have to keep up with the new software features if you want to develop something unique.
Practice, practice, practice
Practice makes perfect. If you want to grow in your business, make sure you dedicate time to hone your skills before you start marketing your services.
Learn from the best
Look at the works of the best graphic designers in the world and see how you can create what they have. This will open up your horizon to a new set of ideas about graphic design.
Develop the skills
Make sure that you have mastered the skills that are needed to grow your graphic design business so that you can be as successful.
How to Create a Good Graphic Design
I have seen a ton of articles giving tips and advice on graphic design and I want to give you the best tips on how you can develop the best designs when you want to grow your graphic design business.
When you want to create a good graphic design, you have to focus on making the key visual elements in graphic design as attractive as possible.
Colour
When you are focusing on colour, have a colour theme, a colour palette and do not forget about using the psychology of colour that can evoke an emotion from your graphic design.
Lines
Use lines to guide a viewer’s point of focus on your graphic design.
Typography
When you are using fonts, the general rule of thumb is that you do not use more than three fonts in your graphic design. If you are using more than one font, make sure you know how to pair them to create a perfect look.
Spacing
Spacing is very important when you want to create balance in your graphic design. You want to make sure that your elements are aligned, balanced and complement each other. I recommend using white spacing to allow that.
Form
You do not have to spend a lot of time working on three-dimensional graphic designs. More people are embracing the use of flat designs.
How to Find Graphic Design Ideas
These ideas will help you develop very attractive designs for your business.
With many people being in this field, you have to have a competitive advantage over them and there is no better way to do that than knowing what to design based on the current trends and how you can find these ideas.
Are you running out of inspiration? You will get creative ideas in these ways
Through social media
Go to Pinterest and collect the best graphic design content and place them in their categories.
Take classes
You will get to learn about new trends and ideas hence boosting your creativity.
Look at other people’s designs
This will help you look into their creative skills and find out how you can add a little twist to their design and make it unique.
Look at your old designs
This will help you see if you could change something in your previous design and what that would be.
Interact with other designers and learn something from them about how they do what they do
It will widen your scope.
What Graphic Designs Sell Well?
Do not just focus on designing logos, billboards and posters with your skills.
There are some project ideas you can take on that sound very interesting.
For example:
- A colouring book.
- A travel guide.
- Postcards with messages.
- A reinterpretation of classical work.
- An inspiration of pop culture.
FAQs on Growing a Graphic Design Business
1 Is graphic design a growing profession?
Yes, graphic design is a growing profession.
2. Are graphic designers rich?
YES, graphic designers are rich.
3. How do I get my first job as a graphic designer?
You get the first job as a graphic designer by:
Applying for jobs
Work in-house
Have a portfolio
Get experience
Nail the interview
Network
4. How do graphic designers get noticed?
Graphic designers get noticed by:
Have a portfolio
Getting portfolio reviews
Social networking
Word of mouth
5. How long does it take to be a graphic designer?
It takes you a number of months to years to become a graphic designer depending on the niche you choose.
6. Can I learn graphic designing by myself?
Yes, you can learn graphic design by yourself.
7. What skills do you need for graphic designing?
The skills graphic designers need include:
Creativity and innovation
Time management and organisation
Attention to details
Keeping up with the trends
8. Does graphic designing require coding?
NO, graphic designing doesn’t require coding but the knowledge of HTML, Javascript and CSS is desirable.
9. How do I make graphics of better quality?
You make your graphics have better quality by:
Pairing contrasting fonts
Match colours/contrast fonts
Use white spaces
Consistency
Use icons
Think of the audience
Keeping it simple
10. Do graphic designers work from home?
YES, graphic designers work from home.
Graphic design is a perfect work from home job/location independent job.
11. Where do graphic designers find work?
Graphic designers find work on platforms like:
Upwork
99 Designs
Google search
Have a website
Starting an agency
Aggressive marketing on social media.
Resources Related to Growing a Graphic Design Business
How to Become a Graphic Designer Without a Degree in Kenya
Who is a Graphic Designer and What Do They Do in Kenya?
Graphic design is an interesting and rewarding business for people that love challenges.
In a graphic design business, you won’t work the same task over and over so your work won’t get boring ever.
The graphic design industry has competition like any business.
Start from and with a niche to become a guru/an expert.
Get prepared to face the problems and challenges with a clear mind and trust the process.
If you want to grow your graphic design business, apply all that you learn.
Make sure to keep tabs on the current technological trends and graphic design ideas to know and understand what customers want and are looking for.
Are you a graphic designer?
Are you wondering how to grow your graphic design business?