As a brand and website designer, you might find yourself hitting a plateau, wondering what’s holding you back from reaching the coveted six-figure mark. It’s a common struggle in the creative industry, where talent alone doesn’t guarantee success.
In this blog post, we’ll dive into key strategies that can help you break past these barriers and elevate your business. Drawing from personal experience and insights shared in our podcast, we’ll explore how positioning and marketing, pricing and offerings, and systems and processes can transform your approach and lead to substantial growth.
You can also tune in to Episode 116 on Behind the Design Podcast, diving deep into this topic!
01. Positioning & Marketing
Designers don’t necessarily need to niche down (… I know, hot take), but they do need to know the type of clients they want to work with. There’s a significant difference between new business owners and experienced ones—they need different things and think differently.
If you don’t position yourself to speak to them, you’ll experience a disconnect, leading to feeling overworked or not attracting the right clients. Reflect on the type of design business you want to be, what you want to be known for, and the clients you want to work with. Find the common denominator among these elements.
Your marketing is where you bridge the gap between your positioning and client needs. Stop comparing yourself to others. Marketing strategies for new clients versus experienced clients differ significantly–tailor your approach to the specific group you aim to attract.
02. Pricing & Offerings
This aspect is directly linked to your marketing efforts. Once you know who you’re targeting, you can create offerings that align with their needs. This might sound simple, but it’s a common area where designers struggle, hindering their progress toward hitting six figures.
Align your offerings with what your clients need to achieve their desired results. Simplify your offerings and become known for one thing. Think about your most successful projects—what was the scope, and what kind of client were they?
You don’t need to add a lot of extras to make your clients happy or justify your pricing. This simplification was a significant turning point for me.
Podcast Episodes to Check Out:
03. Systems & Processes
I’m obsessed with systems and processes, and they are crucial for delivering an exceptional client experience, which could be what’s holding you back from reaching six figures. Often, we focus more on acquiring new clients than on taking care of the ones we already have.
Go above and beyond for your current clients—under-promise and over-deliver. Implementing solid systems and processes ensures that your clients have a seamless and satisfying experience, which can lead to repeat business and referrals.
Reaching Six Figures
Reaching six figures as a brand and website designer is not just a dream—it’s an achievable goal with the right strategies. By refining your positioning, tailoring your marketing efforts, simplifying your offerings, and enhancing your systems and processes, you can overcome the barriers that have been holding you back.
Remember, focus on one key area at a time to avoid overwhelm and ensure progress. Take the time to reflect, implement the actionable steps discussed, and watch as your business transforms.
If you’re not sure where your focus needs to be, take the Six-Figure Designer Quiz to pinpoint what’s specifically hindering your growth so you can start your journey towards six-figure success today.
Be sure to listen to the whole episode on the Behind the Design Podcast: 3 Things That Could Be Holding You Back From 6 Figures as a Brand & Website Designer.
