The secret to get steady freelance work
For UI/UX designers, developers, or anyone working on the web
Whenever I introduce myself as a UI/UX design consultant, I always get asked “How do you get your clients?” “Do you use websites like Upwork or Freelancer?”
Heck no. Those websites enslave designers with their 5$ logo and 50$ website tactics. I tried them once when I was desperately looking for work. It felt more like getting paid to generate designs rather than applying my expertise, with no emotional connection with a valuable client.
People are desperately charging less and less to get more projects done. It doesn’t feel right to me. I’d rather starve than get desperately cheap.
We deserve more than that. If you have good unique skills that make you stand out, then you should charge what you’re worth. But charging higher can be challenging. So what’s the solution here?
It’s all about your online presence.
You need to establish a unique online presence that stands out from the rest. When people see your name online, they should recognize you as “X the designer”. They should be the ones looking for you.
Sounds nice? Then you need to start treating yourself as a business consultant, rather than someone that makes nice designs. Someone who helps people reach their business goals.
So what are the steps that will help you get valuable clients?
1. Have a decent website
Let’s get things straight, you can’t be a web designer (or doing anything on the web) if you don’t have a website that represents your work. No excuses.
So make sure to make this your priority and get some free time to design and build your own website.
In your website, the most important thing you should focus on is what you do. This should be clear from the first 3 seconds of a user’s visit.
The simpler the design, the better. And your unique brand (logo, colors, style, typography) should be clear and consistent
Keep it minimal and only show what we need from you:
- what you do (your expertise)
- what you’ve done (your portfolio)
- how we can contact you (contact form or e-mail)
One thing to note is, try not to look like you’re desperately looking for work. Don’t just say “I’m looking for a new project, call me”. Keep your self-confidence high and use call to actions like “Request a quote”.
Now if you’re someone who’s stuck in the “I don’t have a portfolio therefore I don’t get clients. I don’t get clients therefore I don’t have a portfolio” loop, then the next one’s for you.
2. Build a portfolio
Listen, would you go to a restaurant without seeing some pictures of the food first? In order for a potential client to contact you, they need to see some previous work you’ve done. They need to see if the type of work you do is aligned with their needs, and if your style suits theirs.
You could be one of two: you either have previous work to show or you don’t.
If you have previous work to show, make sure not to display those projects that might not be interesting to your potential client. For example, if you’re looking for UI/UX design projects and you’ve worked on logo design and business cards in the past, ditch them. I’m sorry, you probably worked your ass off to create those stationeries but if they’re not directly related to the work you do now, then there’s no point keeping them in your current portfolio.
Quality over quantity.
Stick to the projects you like only, the ones that truly describe your brand. If you’re not proud of a project you’ve done, simply don’t share it. Even if you end up having just a couple of projects, that’s fine. As long as you’re comfortable showing them.
The easiest way to show your portfolio is to setup a Behance or Dribbble account and add your projects there, then show your recent projects in your website and link them to your Behance profile. Keep in mind that a lot of people search for freelance designers through Behance, so make sure to keep it updated and maintained.
Now, if you‘re a beginner or you haven’t had the chance to practice your skills on a real life project yet, it’s okay.
You can design fake projects.
Choose a website you already know and redesign it. Find its weaknesses and make it better. It could be an app you use, a website you saw on Dribbble, or your own original idea (the last one is the best!). From this, you’ll practice your design skills, challenge yourself and you’ll have something to show. Win-win!
3. Setup a blog and start writing
This might sound irrelevant at first but when you talk about what you do through blog articles, people will know you’re good at it and will contact you to work with them. This could be potential clients or fellow freelance designers that need someone on their team.
I’m sure you have something to say. It could be anything, sharing your experience of a conference you attended, a use case about your latest design project. No matter what it is, it’s always a good thing to write about what you do.
- You learn while doing it
- You share your knowledge with others
- People know about you
The best way to start blog writing is right here, in Medium! It’s the best, easiest, and cheapest option you’ve got. If you want to have your own blog domain, simply create your own publication and use the custom domain option, like me!
4. Submit your website to design galleries
If you think you have a good looking portfolio website and you’re proud of it, then you can submit it to website design galleries like One Page Love, Awwwards & others.
Wait, what does that have to do with anything?
I submitted my website in some collections and I often get e-mails from designers and clients who want to work with me saying “I saw your website on X and I really liked it”. I even found out later that it also got featured in Web Designer Depot’s 20 Best New Portfolio Sites.
- Your website will get popular, which means your name and brand will be recognized around the world
- There’s more possibility for your website to reach potential clients. They will see your website and if they like your style, they will contact you
- You get a nice ribbon to place on your website which helps you get the recognition you deserve
- If your website gets awarded in award-winning websites like Awwwards, you’ll get even more recognition
5. Share your updates on social media
Your social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, whatever you use) should clearly say that you’re a passionate designer, without directly saying it. Showing your passion towards what you do will keep you motivated and will clearly show that what you do is great.
You can do this by sharing things like:
- projects you’ve worked on
- conferences you attended
- design blog news
- your design recommendations
This will make people remember you when someone mentions that they need a UI/UX designer, and they will refer them to you. They will say “oh yeah I know this designer on my Facebook who looks like they know what they’re doing”.
Again, don’t seem desperate. Don’t just publish a Facebook post saying “please hire me” or “will design for food”. Keep it as smooth as you can.
Your LinkedIn profile matters.
LinkedIn is a great place for business opportunities. Make sure to keep your profile updated with your recent job experience. Add your current position as “Freelancer”, but I prefer “Consultant” or “Self-Employed” as it makes you look more like a business rather than someone who just designs stuff.
Add only the people who are interesting to you, and make sure to grow a network of people in your career and area.
By doing all of the above, you will give your name a brand. The key here is for you to be well known for the quality of work you do and get referred by friends, previous clients or just followers. That’s the secret to get steady work.
Keep in mind that this is a process and it might take you some time to land projects, but don’t give up. Keep on working and loving what you do. I wish you best of luck!
Are you a developer? Then check out
’s article about the 7 steps to get more clients as a freelance developer.If you liked this post, make sure to give me some 👏 below and follow my blog for more design related articles.
Become a UX designer: The complete design course for non-designers
I made an online course for overwhelmed beginners who want to kickstart their design career. Want in? Sign up on Awwwards Academy!
