So you’re serious about being a fulltime freelance designer. You’ll probably never have the brand imprint of Leo Burnett. Don’t worry. You don’t need it.

But to be competitive and create a lucrative design consultancy, you do need to build a strong, consistent brand. Here are five ways to build your brand and some big mistakes to avoid along the way.

1. Position yourself

I like the basic positioning statement exercise made famous by Procter and Gamble:

For your audience, your product/service name is a category name which provides main benefit unlike primary competitor which provides competitor’s main benefit.

This gets you thinking about who you sell to, what you sell, how it helps your clients, who you sell against, and what competitors really offer. You can tweak this exercise to include your primary competitors, not just one. Include the types of competitors you typically sell against.

2. Leverage your industries

Too many freelancers—and small businesses, for that matter—avoid accurately defining who they serve. They’re afraid they’ll be limiting opportunities. Actually, the opposite is true. By defining the industries you serve, you’re better positioned to take advantage of a smaller number of better-fit projects. You’ll have a higher win ratio.

We all know that if you can design marketing materials, websites, ads and digital art for a manufacturer, you can do it for a consulting firm, or an appliance store, or a nonprofit.

That’s not the point. The point is perception. Clients want to buy from a designer with domain expertise in their industry. It gives them a warm and fuzzy feeling that you know how to motivate their buyers.

So capitalize on the industries where you have the strongest track record, and with the best opportunities for growing your business. Position yourself as an expert for one, two, or—at most—three industries.

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One more thing: ]When possible, lead with big brands. Buyers love to go with service providers who’ve supported brands they’d like to grow up to be. Don’t be afraid to name drop when defining your brand. People remember the big guys.

3. Don’t be a dessert topping and a floor wax!

Freelancers frequently fall into the trap of positioning themselves for every opportunity. When you try to be all things to all people, you end up being nothing to nobody.

Take a stand. Boldly build your brand to include the industries you serve and the niche services you provide. Focus on what makes you different, not what makes you the same.

I know you don’t want to miss opportunities. If you’re still not convinced, consider this: When a printer tells you he provides the full range of printing services, you think, “Ok, another printer,” and forget him moments after you meet him. But, if he tells you they can do high end packaging and you’ve been looking for this, you remember him. And he’s on your short list for packaging.

Apply this to your freelance design brand.

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4. Focus on the business, not the creative

Business decision makers don’t buy creativity. Even if you’re the most dynamic, mind-blowing designer in your zip code, they won’t cut a check for creative.

Decision makers buy tools and techniques that will help them grow their business. Your brand should speak to how you advance businesses. The creative will speak for itself when you show them your portfolio.

5. Don’t sell on price or turnaround

I was recently contacted by a copywriter who told me he can deliver at a lower price and in less time than just about every other copywriter. He can even turn sizeable projects over the weekend.

I appreciate his work ethic, but he strikes me as a tad desperate. This isn’t someone I’d want to trust with my projects.

If you’re looking to build a viable, long-term business, never sell on price or how quickly you can deliver. The kinds of companies that will build your business won’t buy the cheapest solution. And they certainly won’t buy it just because it’s the cheapest. Cheap is often seen as least capable. And that’s no way to build a brand!

It’s one thing to say you meet tight deadlines when needed. But never position yourself as the Speedy Gonzales of design. Grown up businesses looking to build long term relationships won’t buy from the designer who can develop their website in two days. Credible organizations know they need a website three months (or more) before they hire you and allow for proper strategic direction and design.

Follow these five tips and you’re well on your way to developing a compelling, memorable ROI-driven brand.

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About the Author
Becky Sheetz-Runkle is a marketing strategist and copywriter, and an advocate for measurable marketing. She’s based in the Washington, D.C. metro area and can be reached at bsheetz@q2marketing.com.