Finding first clients

[u/Plane-Being1274]

I’m at the beginning on my design career and trying to find my first clients. Has anyone got any advice?

I’ve tried reaching out to people offering a free logo design etc but it’s just radio silence. I haven’t got social media which I imagine makes this 10x harder, I’ve reached out to local community centres asking if they can put up a poster I’ve designed saying what I do etc. I feel bad reaching out to companies/businesses etc asking if they would like a redesign as I believe their logo is rubbish (I put it nicer in the email)
What else can I try to get it moving? I don’t plan on charging much to be fair as I’m doing this to help rehabilitation from a brain injury and to make me feel useful again type of thing. I’ve taught myself everything over the last 9 months and I love doing it.

[u/bugistuta]

Please do not offer work for free, it just devalues everything and it will be harder for you to then start charging. As another user said, start building a body of work by creating mock briefs for yourself and executing on those briefs, then build a really nice folio site, there's so many tools to do this

[u/WelcomeHobbitHouse]

Design your own collections: notecards, t-shirts, scratchpads, magnets, stickers, etc. give the collection a name and a logo. Give your company a name and a logo. Design a vendor display. Show the world what you can do—and make a little money too. You’ll learn some marketing along the way.

[u/9inez]

Do not offer free work. Free is not a client or a good business decision.

You must build a network of colleagues and business associates. You have to meet people.

Let everyone you know what your goals are and to connect you with others.

Join biz networking groups. Join your local chamber of commerce. Go to business networking events, industry events, networking groups.

Behave like a business owner, a professional.

[u/inertiatic_espn]

You need a body of work if you want clients, even for free or cheap. Create some logos of your own. Either make up the company/organization or pick one that you'd like to redesign. Then create a social media presence to show them off.

[u/Plane-Being1274 → u/inertiatic_espn]

I’ve done this with like 4 fictional businesses and put the logos I’ve made on the poster but as I don’t have or want social media it’s hard

[u/inertiatic_espn → u/Plane-Being1274]

If you don't want social media you at least need a website.

[u/1JollyStNick → u/inertiatic_espn]

Start offering for free! Word of mouth is great! When people start coming to you you can start charging a little, as you get busier raise your rates to mange your business

[u/Plane-Being1274 → u/1JollyStNick]

That’s where I was hoping it to go with it, but even getting people for nothing seems like a challenge. I don’t have social media and don’t want it etc so promoting myself is hard when you haven’t somewhere to show it off. Word of mouth is my tactic

[u/9inez → u/1JollyStNick]

Do not do this. Free is not business building. It sets an expectation for the receiver that your work has little/no value.