How to Get Started in Graphic Design: The Steps to Take

As the world continues to become more and more digital, more and more brands need good marketing. One of the big components of a successful digital marketing strategy is good design.

Good design is aesthetically pleasing, resonates with customers, and builds a consistent brand. It’s hard to find the perfect balance of all three, which is why graphic designers are now in high demand.

If you want to capitalize on this career, you need to learn how to get started in graphic design. For that, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’re going to go over the steps that you need to take as you learn how to become a graphic designer with a successful book of business.

Take a Course

First and foremost, one of the best ways to break into the graphic design industry is to take a course. The right course will help you understand the technicals of creating good design, a necessary component of your skillset.

In addition, the right course may also come with free licenses to special software tools and family tree templates that you need to do some simple graphic design. Finally, a course could also result in a certificate, which is a valuable credential when you’re a new designer just getting started, trying to create a name for himself/herself in the industry.

Build a Portfolio

The next step to take once you have the graphic design basics down is building a portfolio. To build a portfolio, you’re just going to have to do a lot of design.

Consider doing some pro bono work for nonprofits or just experimenting with different designs in your spare time. Both of these ways will be beneficial to building a portfolio, which is an ultimately crucial tool if you want to get clients.

Find Clients

Last but not least, it’s time to start finding clients. This step can often be the hardest one in the entire process. You have to convince businesses to take a bet on you, who may have never had a graphic design client before.

That’s where a solid portfolio will come in handy. And if you have good references from the pro bono work that you did, that’s only going to increase your marketability.

You can find clients on freelance job boards, or you can also try directly approaching clients with cold emails and cold calls. This outbound sales effort may seem unappetizing initially, but it can yield significant results down the road.

How to Get Started in Graphic Design, Made Simple

There you have it. Equipped with this guide on how to get started in graphic design, you should now be far better informed about the steps you need to take to make this a realistic career for yourself.

For more career advice, be sure to take some time to check out the rest of the articles available on the website!