Giving yourself the right title

29th June 2010 | Business, Freelancing | 2 comments

Upon graduating from University I jumped straight into the realms of self-employment. One of the things I have learned in this time is the importance of giving yourself the right title and branding yourself successfully.

I have always described myself as a web designer and since I work for myself, a freelancer – but does this best reflect firstly, my abilities as a designer and secondly, what I have to offer my clients?

Like many freelancers, word of mouth recommendations are a large part of my work flow. This is all well and good until I realise I’ve been mis-sold. For instance, an existing client recommends my services to a potential client describing me as the “website designer guy”. The potential client then gets in touch expecting me to write them a custom CMS, or re-create Facebook from scratch. Sure I have some development skills, but the time it takes me to educate the client about the differences between designer and developer is cringe-worthy; usually ending with said potential client disappointed that I can’t develop their application for the same price the recommender’s WordPress design and build cost.

On the flip side of the initial cringe-worthy situation, this is still a lead that I would not have had. With a bit of project management, outsourcing and explanation to the client on my part I could still get these requirements fulfilled – budget and time frame dependant of course.

Upon reflection and relating this back to giving yourself the appropriate title, I think the client’s vague perception of a “web designer” is actually a plus point in getting new work. Granted some people will leave the initial discussion disappointed but sometimes things don’t work out and you won’t win a project, it’s just part of the industry.

The importance of the right title is again highlighted when dealing with design agencies. Obviously a company looking for freelance creatives will know the difference between someone describing themselves as a “web designer”, “web developer”, “illustrator”, “photographer”, etc. Assigning yourself the most relevant job title will more than likely make it easier for them to find you, thus leading to potential new work.

Tangent alert!

But then this got me thinking. Is giving myself the “freelance” title and using my own name the best way to advertise my services as a whole? Should I consider creating a brand for my business and work under the guise of “we” rather than “I”? I think this might be an option as in my experience, people like to think they are working with an orchestra and not just a one man band.

More on this from me a little further down the line.

In conclusion

As creatives it’s pretty much impossible to summarise our entire skill set with a single title. Most designers will at some point have strayed away from their bread and butter. For example, I’ve delved into print design on a few occasions, with web design being my day to day job.

I think the most effective strategy is to create a company identity but not forget the importance of your name and title as a brand in it’s own right. By running both in parallel, you are casting the net over a larger number of potential clients and jobs. The smaller (project, budget and personnel) clients who prefer to work one to one and larger companies who like to think they’re dealing with a 10-strong design house.

On a personal level, I have spent the last year building up my personal brand. Thus, starting to look at the bigger marketing picture is my next step to gaining more clients and ultimately growing my business.

Additional reading

http://www.metanym.com Jon Williams

Great post Tom.

As someone who has seen several versions of my company, I can definitely vouch for the fact that some clients want the one to one approach, and some like the reassurance of a large team with different skills. I think everyone wants personal service though – that should never be lacking – whether it’s as project manger for a larger team, or as sole provider.

The other point I wanted to make is that there is a happy medium – the networked company. That’s the way we operate now (as you know) and it works very well. Sure, you need a focal point, someone who the client deals with, but I find no shame at all in saying, when clients ask “so how may are there in your company” in telling them that I work with three or four key people on a regular basis, but that they are not employees. The key here is being able to deliver, which is why when I find reliable people to work with, I am keen to work with them as often as possible.
http://tomhirst.co.uk Tom

Thanks Jon, I’m glad you enjoyed the post and you make two very good points.

I guess every client will have different requirements and it’s a case of tailoring our approach to suit.

In regards to “the networked company” – I completely agree. There is no harm in delegating areas of a project to external contractors, as long as a quality final product is delivered to the client.