Story: Design and business

There are many industries and occupancies, but you choose the web/graphic designer as a career somehow. Because you like design (assume 🤔). We are blessed, because we found what we like. We can work anywhere we want. In addition, we can contribute to a client’s business as a web/graphic designer.

Even so, many people are struggling. Because your passion and income do not match. You may find a client on Fiverr, but they ask you for a brand identity or website for $100. You don’t want to do that and you are waiting for the next client. I know how you feel, but please do not complain. The market decides your value, not yourself.

I watched Flux on YouTube and Ran Segall was talking with Brett Williams who is the founder of Designjoy. I am developing a more sustainable design business. For that, I am maximizing contracts with design agencies, professional businesses, and companies instead of 1-time projects. So, subscription is a similar direction and a fresh concept for me.

I searched and learned how subscription works for design.

DesignJoy

©DesignJoy

Structure
– Value proposition and simple CTA
– Interaction visual images
– Credibility
– What it is / How it works
– Review/Credibility
– Value
– Benefits
– Recent work
– Credibility
– Freebie
– Availability/capability
– Price and call/referral
– Upsell
– FAQs
– CTA
– Credibility
– Footer

Opinion:
– Understand who is the target audience
– Understand what’s the pain points
– Understand the objections

Good or bad for design is subjective. Everything is okay if a client likes it. I learned his design thinking and wow factor. I thought I can find the middle ground between DesignJoy and other design subscription services below.

Charging Subscription For Design Services: (w/ DesignJoy)

©Flux Academy

– Alone
– Unlimited design service
– 30% in the United States
– 3 prices table
– Rule: one request each time
– Project management by Trello
– Landing page in 2 days
– Simple brand identity package in 2 days

Comparison:
– Agency: Reliable, good work, slow, expensive
– Freelance: Everywhere, affordable, agile, not reliable

– Market fit
– Working with clients month to month in 2017
– Launched website and post at Product hunt?
– Worked as a full-time and freelance
– Share info at Indie Hackers(community)
– Only 1 operator
– Too many clients and delayed
– Reduced the number of clients
– Hire and scale(management) or keep own business
– Sick = refund
– Vacation = refund
– Day by day at least right now
– The design subscription service is everywhere, but still works
– Niche is better
– Access to design service quickly rather than freelance marketplace ✓✓✓

I am still wondering how to manage the projects in 2 days as 1 operator. If I have 10 subscription clients and ask me to work at the same time, I cannot do it by myself. I do outsource for sure. Anyway, his user-center thinking is great. Find a target audience and get rid of their issues before launching a business. Good learning.

Bonus: Become A Lead Generation Machine (Easy Way To Get More Clients) Masterclass w/ Joana Galvao

©The Futur

– How to be a fully-booked designer
– Running a design business in 7 years
– Right marketing
– Who is the ideal client?
– What is the ideal project?
– How to connect with the right client
– Word of mouth
– Spent 30K for a marketing agency, but no fruit(this is insane…)
– Always planting seeds
– 900 potential clients list
– Dream client’s email list
– Connecting potential referral partner ✓
– Connecting people without agenda
– Work for free(up to you)
*Someone may take advantage of you(don’t expect a good result)
– Communicate your credibility
– Copywriter/videographer/photographer etc need designer
– Package your service(built to sell)
– Landing page for 1 specific service, 2-3 price tables
– Sales pipeline
– Sales call(I assume that the majority of the designer is weak for it.)
– Focus on flow, why this, why now, why me?
– Automate the process
– Delivery
– Make client delight, card, email etc
– Documentation all processes = make a system
– Delegate
– IPO, information, permission, outcome
– Value pricing or package pricing
– Maintain relationship
– Personality fit, right attitude with partner
– 1 years profit which she can pay the team a year without the project
– Firing employee is tough
– Charge more, work less
– Prioritize profit
– Don’t spend all the money on expensive coaches or consulting
– Don’t spend the money on TheFutur 😆

The Studio – GiF Design Studios

This is a more traditional way to expand the design business. Do marketing. Her approach and effort are great. Many CEO who is running a design agency must have a sympathy.

Competitors research(deliverable and pricing)

I searched how people/companies provide a design subscription service. I don’t have to compete based on the price. I won’t be able to win people who live in 3rd country. I am not the best. I am just willing to be better, contribute client’s business, and pursue the client’s satisfaction.

Structure
– Value proposition(Unlimited Graphic Design) and simple CTA
– New feature, Canva
– Review, case study
– Benefits/feature
– Credibility
– How it works
– Review, credibility
– Blog for SEO
– CTA
– Credibility
– FAQs
– Credibility
– Footer

Structure
– Value proposition(An Affordable Unlimited Graphic Design Service) and CTA
– Availability/capability
– Why us?/Feature 1
– Feature 2
– How it works/process
– Review
– Guide book(how to use the service)*
– Footer

Structure
– Value proposition(Unlimited Graphic & Video Design.Flat Monthly Fees. Go Bananas.) and simple CTA
– Credibility
– Price table
– Features
– How it works
– How it works
– Review
– Blog
– Free trial
– Review with video
– Case study
– Credibility
– Booking
– Support
– FAQs
– CTA(free trial)
– Footer

Structure
– Value proposition(Elevate Your Graphics) and CTA(what we can do is good)
– Who we are?
– Availability/capability – top 2
– Availability/capability – all
– Review/video
– Feature?
– Credibility
– Credibility
– Footer

Design Subscription Service by Open Bookmarks Co.

Learn to execute. I developed a beta version(MVP) of the design subscription service. I tested it with 5 customers.

Conclusion: Design business in summer 2022

These 2 videos are enough to mindset for my design business. It was a good process to think about the pain point of the client and what they need. I understand value pricing, but packaging has also demand in the business. Some pain points are:

– Too expensive
– Unoriginality and extra costs
– Take time to start work or find
– Low quality
– Low communication ability
– Don’t meet deadlines
– Do something unpredictable

If I fairly evaluate myself, I am expensive, but I am not categorized to other pain points. I do dedicate myself to a client project. I do set a rational deadline before starting the project. I can guarantee the quality of work.

I assume that many designers are still looking for a direction in 2022. If you are learning every day from others, you will be able to find what you want to be as a web/graphic designer. Keep up the good work!

Reference:

Medium: How to choose the right design subscription service for your business