I wish someone told me 4 years ago…

Are you a web designer looking to turn your passion into a profitable business? In today's digital age, businesses of all sizes need an online presence, and web designers are in high demand. However, success in this field requires more than just a keen eye for design. Our small web design business, Applet Studio, turned 4 this year. We worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs, launched two courses, and coached a couple of dozen people! Below are 18 tips for someone who is starting their journey as a Squarespace designer - or as a web designer for any other platform!

Learn fundamentals of graphic design

It’s common for newbies to think they need to learn some aspect or part of the design trade to be able to create cohesive, visually pleasing websites. The truth is graphic design rules are the same across print, web, and social media. We are talking about the universal rules for typography, color, and composition. Learn them once and you can apply them to any design work! Take courses in graphic design!

Don’t focus on one platform - if you learn Squarespace and web fundamentals, you will learn any platform

There’s no such thing as a “Squarespace designer”. Yes, we use Squarespace for implementation and we know the platform inside and out! But it doesn’t limit our ability to design custom websites for any other platform. Once you learn one platform or app, it will be much easier for you to quickly grasp another tool. They are all pretty much the same as they are using similar web concepts. So don’t limit yourself to Squarespace only!

Design around the platform’s constraints

Designing specifically for Squarespace means you know how to work with the platform’s constraints. For example, certain designs are available for sliders and testimonials out of the box (without adding any CSS). Learn how to use these tools and design around the limitations. Your design process will be faster, more efficient, and more enjoyable.

Hone your business skills

Being a designer and running a design business are two completely different things. I wish I could spend 80% of the time designing, but I am doing something else. Do I enjoy it? Yes! If you want to run your own business, you will be multitasking a lot! So hone your other business skills - content creation, marketing, project management, etc.

Become a T-shaped professional

As you get more clients, you’ll find yourself wearing more hats. Here’s a thing - nobody needs just a designer. A designer is often a business coach, a copywriter, and a marketer while being the same person. Sometimes my clients use me as a “business therapist”! Become a T-shaped professional and make it your “signature” service. For example, I am a website designer who understands content, funnels, and marketing tech. Inventing your own “secret sauce” will draw more clients to you.

Don’t quit your day job

Going all in is scary. You should grow your business from a place of integrity. In the beginning, when you are getting your first projects, you shouldn’t depend on the money to pay the bills. Clients sense your weakness and will micromanage you, and stretch your boundaries. Scope creep is real! Unless you are confident and can say “no” to a client. Saying “no” is nearly impossible when you are under financial pressure! So don’t quit your day job until you have enough savings or a consistent stream of leads.

Believe in yourself - business success is a science, if someone did it, you can do it too

Business is a science! It’s not just mere luck! So, here’s the truth - no, you didn’t just get lucky and it’s not a fluke. When you look at designers who have been running businesses for 10+ years, you think they are like gods. They know something you don’t. Well, in reality, they have repeatable proven processes that they honed with a lot of trial and error. You can do it, too! For instance, we can’t influence lead generation but we have control over actions that stimulate lead generation. Keep posting your work online!

Create digital products

I can’t stress this enough! You are a designer, a creator of things. Create for yourself! When you don’t have the constraints of a client project, you can create incredible things! Your digital products work as a portfolio of work that is also making you money!

Use freelance platforms

Instead of sitting and waiting for clients to come, take matters into your own hands and search for clients on freelance platforms like Upwork or Fiverr. It’s so easy to get a first client there! Treat it as a funnel: If you send 10 proposals - you’ll get one job. Register as a client and post a fake project and see for yourself how many mediocre freelancers will contact you. In many ways, freelance platforms are a “race to the bottom”. Yes, but you can find some very good clients there! You just have to filter them!

Study your customer

If you want to run a design business, you should be constantly studying your clients and clients of your clients. You design for a specific group of people. I like to think of my clients as myself, but a few years back, when I knew less about design. This was my starting point when I opened this business. From that, I iterated and pivoted as I gained more experience in working with clients I liked. Each client brings something different into my process. I also know the types I don’t like, the red flags are always there! Approach client work with an open mind and heart. 

Focus on one signature service

A web designer who also offers social media management, huh? Cooking, cleaning, and knitting are all vastly different services. Find one service and get really good at it. Create a repeatable process for your service before you add more layers of complexity.

Learn professional design apps

Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD are just a few of the apps used by professionals. Learn professional design. Stop the DIY nonsense - there’s no way you can create a website without graphic design aids. Even if you use Canva - I don’t care. Use a graphic design app before you move the design to Squarespace.

Get a mentor

Building a business is a bumpy road. You need a shoulder to lean on and run your ideas by. If you feel like you have no idea what you are doing, get a mentor or a coach. A couple of years ago, when I was pretty burned out from client work, I got on calls with 4 different people in various stages of business. Sometimes it is just good to pick someone's brain. You don’t have to invest in a crazy 10k business coaching program! You just need someone more experienced to give you some advice.

Don’t ask people around you what they think

You should ask for advice from people from your industry or people who have more business experience than you do. If you ask your relatives for their opinion, it doesn’t mean you’ll get something really valuable from it. On the contrary, people around you might think you are crazy and suggest that you get a “real job”. You want to feel supported and seen by people you love but oftentimes they are not qualified to give you advice. 

Collect beautiful things

A designer is a collector. To train your eye for design, you should be collecting inspiration! Professional designers don’t create from scratch - they collect inspiration and synthesize it. Synthesis gets automatic, it’s like a habit! Each day, I check Dribble and Pinterest for inspiration. My phone has more screenshots than I can handle! Look at as much beautiful work as you can, and you’ll start seeing the compound effect.

Learn basic psychology and personality types

Psychology lies at the center of human communication. Learn different personality types - it will help you understand your clients better. For instance, if your client is messy and wouldn’t send content on time, it means you need to be more persistent at communicating your boundaries. Or, on the contrary, pushing too hard might have a reverse effect - it depends on who you are dealing with. We all process information differently! You should slightly adjust your communication style for each client! 

Don’t play mind games with clients

I learned this the hard way. You should treat your clients with grace and kindness and expect the same treatment in return. Your time and effort are valuable. There are certain personality types that attempt to play mind games with their designer. For example, they would ask for several rounds of revisions absolutely ignoring the feedback that they already provided, sending you conflicting information. If you come across a client who says that they have a big vision but you fail to understand them, even after several iterations of the project,  they are playing a “yes, but no” game with you. While it’s tempting to impress a picky client, you should protect your psyche and walk away. It doesn’t matter how much money you might lose, it’s not worth your mental health! If after 2-3 rounds of concepts (and I am very generous at the stage of idea generation) my client doesn’t like anything and their communication gets weird, we part ways.

What if web design wasn’t just moving pixels on the screen? If you hire someone to paint walls in your house, you don’t ask them to re-do it multiple times with different colors of paint. They bring swatches and you choose - designers should be treated the same way! If you feel powerless and talentless when communicating with a client, don’t work with them in the first place!

Keep going because it’s working

You have no idea who is looking at your website and Instagram profile. Keep showing up with the best energy and quality of work. One of my clients has been following me for 2 years before hiring me. Silent lurkers are the best customers! You have no idea they are there. Keep posting about your work online - it’s working! They are watching! Don’t forget about the cumulative effect. Your work and impact accumulate!

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