业务比技术更重要

Learning design principles and programs are easy enough for anyone dedicated. The Web has given us unlimited resources from detail tutorials to communities helping us improve as designers. This love for design sparks a business idea — a way to monetize our design skills.

学习设计原理和程序对于任何专心的人来说都非常容易。 Web给了我们无限的资源，从详细的教程到社区，帮助我们提高了设计师的水平。 对设计的热爱激发了一个经营理念-一种通过我们的设计技能获利的方法。

The problem: Getting clients.

问题：获得客户。

This low-barrier to entry is also one of the freelance design challenges. If everyone can learn design principles, then everyone becomes your competitor. How can you land clients when so many are willing to work for free or rock-bottom prices?

这种低进入门槛也是自由设计的挑战之一。 如果每个人都可以学习设计原理，那么每个人都将成为您的竞争对手。 当这么多愿意免费或以最低价格工作的客户如何找到客户？

Let’s explore that question and the ways you can attract (paying) clients.

让我们探讨这个问题以及吸引(支付)客户的方式。

奠定基础：掌握工具和原理 (Laying the Foundation: Mastering Your Tools and Principles)

The end goal of this post is you having built a , featuring design work you can be both proud of and that attracts clients. There are many tools that’ll get you there with no particular “best option.”

这篇文章的最终目标是您建立了一个 ，其中包含您可以为之骄傲并吸引客户的设计作品。 有许多工具可以助您一臂之力，而无需特别的“最佳选择”。

What are the design tools you should consider?

您应该考虑哪些设计工具？

• Adobe Suite: The full suite, but especially Photoshop, Audition, InDesign, and Lightroom, as these provide robust design and photo manipulation tools. These are the industry standard meaning mastering them now will place you in a perfect position if hired-on for gigs.

  Adobe Suite ：完整套件，尤其是Photoshop，Audition，InDesign和Lightroom，因为它们提供了强大的设计和照片处理工具。 这些是行业标准，这意味着如果立即进行演出，精通它们将使您处于理想的位置。

• Online Visual Tools: Many small businesses need basic images for their social feeds. Tools like Canva, Vectr, and PicMonkey handle the work without high costs. These are very easy to learn and use to deliver top-notch work for your future clients.

  在线视觉工具 ：许多小型企业需要基本图像来进行社交订阅。 诸如Canva，Vectr和PicMonkey之类的工具可以无负担地处理工作。 这些非常容易学习，可用于为您的未来客户提供一流的服务。

Ask fellow designers which tools they use to get a good understanding of which direction to take.

询问其他设计师，他们使用了哪些工具来更好地理解该朝哪个方向发展。

Mastery is half about understanding your tools and the other half is about . Even if you don’t agree with trends, your clients probably will. Follow design influencers and tutorial blogs to keep challenging and growing your design skills.

精通一半是关于理解您的工具的，另一半是关于 。 即使您不同意趋势，您的客户也可能会同意。 关注设计影响者和教程博客，以保持挑战并提高您的设计技能。

发起想法：创建潜在客户生成投资组合网站 (Launching the Ideas: Creating a Lead Generating Portfolio Website)

There are numerous ways to go about building — this includes:

建立方法有很多，其中包括：

• Online Frameworks — Provide online, visual site building tools featuring domain, hosting, and plugins. This is ideal for quickly launching your portfolio if you’re not inclined to code.

  在线框架 —提供具有域，托管和插件功能的在线可视站点构建工具。 如果您不想编写代码，这对于快速启动您的产品组合是理想的。

•  Content Management Systems — Like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal require extra work configuring the site but give you a lot of flexibility if you’re the type to frequently make changes.

  内容管理系统 -像WordPress，Joomla或Drupal一样，需要额外的工作来配置站点，但是如果您经常进行更改，则可以为您提供很大的灵活性。

•  Done-For-You — As in sourcing freelancers and fellow designers to build the site. This has a higher cost but will be crafted to your specifications.

  为您而做 -在寻找自由职业者和其他设计师来构建网站时。 这具有较高的成本，但将根据您的要求进行制作。

What should you have on the portfolio site?

您在投资组合网站上应该拥有什么？

• A welcoming  homepage featuring who you are, what you do, and how to get in touch

  一个欢迎您的主页，其中包含您是谁，您做什么以及如何取得联系

• A portfolio section showing off your best work and giving a behind-the-scenes look at how you work

  投资组合部分展示了您的最佳工作，并在幕后介绍了您的工作方式

• A blog to share your expertise, build search traffic, and to give you something to share on social

  一个博客，可以分享您的专业知识，建立搜索流量并为您提供一些可以在社交网络上分享的东西

• A services page collecting what you offer and how people can inquire about your services.

  服务页面收集您提供的产品以及人们如何查询您的服务。

Have a look at what fellow designers do for their sites and replicate common features. Then, make it unique through great pieces, content, and of your own.

看看其他设计师为他们的网站做什么，并复制通用功能。 然后，通过出色的作品，内容和自己的使它变得独一无二。

无处不在：传播您的名字并建立渠道 (Being Everywhere: Spreading Your Name and Building a Funnel)

Building the site is easy with the right tools. Your work shows value and confidence.

使用正确的工具轻松构建网站。 您的工作显示出价值和信心。

But… how do you actually get people to the site and reaching out to you for services?

但是……您实际上是如何吸引人们到站点并与您联系以获得服务的？

Try these:

试试这些：

• Create Targeted Content: Write industry-related topics, tutorials, round-ups, and guides to attract the type of client you want to attract. Provide something valuable and funnel the visitor to your services page.

  创建目标内容 ：撰写与行业相关的主题，教程，综述和指南，以吸引想要吸引的客户类型。 提供有价值的东西并将访问者引导到您的服务页面。

• Be Active on Social: Turn your existing social media accounts into lead generation machines. Rework the accounts giving them a professional tone and appearance. Share your portfolio’s content, build relationships, and pitch ideas or offer help to others to get on people’s radar.

  积极参与社交活动 ：将您现有的社交媒体帐户转变为潜在客户生成机。 重做帐户，使它们具有专业的语气和外观。 分享您的投资组合的内容，建立关系并提出想法，或向他人提供帮助以吸引人们的注意。

You could also explore online advertising and marketing through these channels but your content and social media will be significant lead generators on their own. Master those two, like your design skills, and you’ll have clients coming through.

您也可以通过这些渠道探索在线广告和营销，但是您的内容和社交媒体将自己成为重要的潜在客户。 掌握这两个技能，就像您的设计技能一样，您将获得客户的青睐。

最后的想法和有用的建议 (Final Thoughts and a Helpful Suggestion)

Don’t let competition deter your business ideas and goals. There are many people out there who are willing to work for free or rock-bottom prices — let them have it. Place your sights on businesses willing to pay well for skills and quality work.

不要让竞争阻碍您的经营理念和目标。 有很多人愿意免费或以最低价工作—让他们拥有它。 将目光投向愿意为技能和优质工作支付高薪的企业。

Try this: Quote double your typical asking price.

试试这个：将您的典型报价加倍。

It’ll seem like you’re charging too much… but not really. Understand businesses spend thousands on advertising and marketing — they can surely afford a quality designer like yourself. Plus, you’re not selling yourself short and will have wiggle room to negotiate.

看来您要收取太多费用……但事实并非如此。 了解企业在广告和营销上花费了数千美元-他们肯定可以负担得起像您这样的高素质设计师。 另外，您并不是卖空自己，而是有回旋余地进行谈判。

So: Master your tools, build that portfolio, and be everywhere! Go get ’em!

因此：掌握您的工具，建立产品组合，然后随处可见！ 去拿吧！

翻译自:

业务比技术更重要