How to Find Photoshop Gigs for Freelancers
Hey freelancers! Are you looking for Photoshop gigs but are having trouble? It’s not surprising, as these kinds of jobs are spread all across the internet and there is heavy competition for them. In this article, we’ll cover how to find the jobs you want, and the jobs that pay you what you want.
Watch the full video below:
empty_separator
Freelance Job Boards
It may seem intimidating to use online job boards that have a mountain of competition. But they are some of the best places to find a wide variety of work. You’ll find countless job opportunities in a variety of fields and from a ton of different types of clients. Getting gigs on freelance marketplaces can be difficult, but very profitable!
Fiverr
Fiverr allows clients to come to you. You create a gig offering your services, then potential clients can order your services. But, clients can also put out gigs that go out to a wide audience of compatible designers who can then apply for the job. You can set up different packages that cost different amounts of money. This lets you charge different amounts for logos versus posters (for example) and charge extra for multiple revisions, multiple file formats, or any other value-adds you can think of. Fiverr really tests your ability to market yourself and get creative with your offers. Fiverr also gets very granular with the type of graphic design a client needs. From brand fonts to social media graphics to character modeling, Fiverr has a specific category for any type of design you might bring to the table.
Upwork
Upwork is a freelance gig platform that will let you search for the perfect job for you. Their search function allows you to search for gigs based on tags like “Graphic Design”, but you can also filter by experience level, price, and how many freelancers have already submitted proposals for the gig.
Dribbble
Dribbble is a freelance and networking site for graphic designers, and because it’s specifically made for designers, you’ll be sifting through less irrelevant jobs as compared to Upwork and Fiverr. This freelance job board connects clients and designers, and thousands of jobs are posted every month. You need to subscribe to their service, though, but for a small fee you can be sure that you’re wasting less time sifting through unqualified jobs. You’ll also get new leads in your email every day.
Find Photoshop Gigs on Dribbble
Behance
Behance lets you find specifically graphic design gigs. It’s also a platform where you can showcase your creative work in a portfolio. You can narrow your search by keyword, but the platform already has a good filter that keeps the total number of jobs low but high-quality.
Find Photoshop Gigs on Behance
Referrals
Once you get your first client or two and impress them with your work, you have one of the most valuable things a freelancer could have. And that is happy former clients! These clients can offer two things. The first is repeat work. A happy client is likely to call you up next time they need design services, rather than going through the process of finding a new freelancer. The other thing they can do is refer other people to you. This is especially helpful if you’re not very good at networking – just let your former clients do the networking for you! A client that was impressed with your work will think of you first when their friend or colleague needs design work. You’ll come with a good recommendation and be almost guaranteed to get the gig.
If you’re not getting any referrals from former clients, feel free to ask them directly. If the relationship was a good one, you can expect them to happily let their colleagues know you’re looking for work. Finding that first client can be difficult, but the work tends to snowball from there. Make sure you dazzle your early clients, and you’ll be well on your way to a profitable career.
How to Capture New Clients
Regardless of where you seek out new clients, the same rules apply when trying to charm them.
- Be clear about what you offer: Don’t be vague about the value you bring to the table or your skills. A client may want to know about specific skills you have, so make it easy to figure out.
- Keep your portfolio up to date: Make sure you add new work to your public portfolio. While you’re at it, be sure that there are a variety of skills showcased in your portfolio.
- Leverage prior clients: A recommendation or testimonial can go a long way.
- Use social media: Keep your social media profiles (especially visual ones like Instagram) updated with your work. Also try creating content like behind-the-scenes videos or personal updates, to show that you’re more than just your work. And of course, keep your contact information up to date!
- Follow up with proposals: Don’t be afraid to reach out to potential clients with a follow-up to remind them that you exist and to show that you’re invested in the working relationship. Just don’t overdo it and appear desperate.
- Find a niche: If you can become really good at a specific technique or look, you can become known for that niche and be recommended by others.
- Ask questions: When you’re interviewing or getting details for a job, make sure to ask enough questions. You don’t want to misunderstand anything and end up wasting your time.
Generate Passive Income
As a freelancer, your work can be a bit random and unpredictable. That’s why it is valuable to have passive income streams. This serves the dual purpose of making your name more discoverable while also making you money during slow periods. For graphic designers, you can sell your Photoshop templates on various platforms, such as through the FilterGrade Marketplace. You can create new designs, or repurpose rejected designs from old projects. No need to do double work! If you want to put in the work to be an influencer or content creator, you can also try to build up a following on YouTube or Instagram. This will allow you to eventually make money from advertising or from sponsorships.
