How to Get Your First Clients as a Graphic Design Side Hustler

If you’re trying to land your first clients as a new graphic designer, I’ve got the deets for you here. When I first started in graphic design, finding jobs was my biggest worry.

Turns out, there’s not too much to worry about as long as you know where to look and how to make yourself stand out.

Here are some actionable steps to help you land your first client and kickstart your side hustle.

1. Create a stand-out portfolio

Your graphic design portfolio needs to kick butt and showcase your skills while reflecting your unique personal style.

Here are some key elements to include in your portfolio:

Introduction on yourself, including your background, areas of expertise, and what you enjoy the most about your work
Portfolio examples, which can include logos, branding, web design, print materials, etc.
Reviews or testimonials (if you have any) from previous clients (which can be friends or family)
Provide context for your portfolio examples, including the goals of the project and any noticeable achievements
Highlight your skills in design tools like Adobe, Canva, Sketch, etc.
Include contact information like email, phone number, and/or LinkedIn profile so they can easily contact you
Make a resume showcasing your education, certifications, experience, or awards

2. Get experience – it’s not as hard as you think

You need some kind of experience, even if it’s not paid work. Reach out to friends and family, especially if they have a small business they need help with. People are always willing to accept free work to improve their business. For example, someone in your circle may need a new logo, branding design assistance, social media graphics help, or web design.

You can also volunteer for a nonprofit needing a graphic designer. VolunteerMatch.org has tons of graphic design opportunities. So, while you help a nonprofit get more donors, you also get experience and likely even a testimonial or reference from a nonprofit.

To find volunteer jobs on VolunteerMatch.org, do this:

Type in “graphic design” to find open volunteer listings
Or use the filter and choose skills > marketing and communications > graphic design.

3. Freelance platforms

Finding graphic design jobs online is a lot easier with sites like Upwork and Fiverr. These platforms work in their unique ways. Upwork lists jobs available while you “list yourself” on Fiverr for hire.

However, you can’t apply to hundreds of jobs on Upwork unless you’re willing to spend money to buy Connects. Connects is Upwork’s version of currency, and I think it’s helpful for both the person applying and the person listing the job. Each job requires a different amount of Connects, but I find the average job requires 15 connects per application. At the time of this writing, ten connects cost $1.50. UpWork is always giving out free Connects every month, too.

To find graphic design jobs on Upwork, type in “graphic design” in the search bar. There are tons of filters to choose from, including things like hours per week, project length, experience level needed, pay rate, and how many other people applied.

4. Use free platforms

There are tons of free platforms for designing and learning graphic design.

Here are just a few free platforms with paid versions:

Canva
Figma
Gravit Designer
Vista Create

All of these platforms have tons of free features to help you make incredible graphics for businesses. I recommend playing around with a few to see which one you like best, as they have different features and layouts.

Besides graphic design tools, you can also sign up for free/low-cost graphic design courses, such as:

There are also tons of courses on Udemy, Coursera, and Adobe.

5. Build an online presence

Another way to find jobs is by making yourself known on social media. You can create a website and social media profile on platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.

On your website and/or social media, you can showcase your portfolio, list your services and contact information, and provide valuable information for small businesses.

Using your social media platform as your portfolio, along with giving out tips for small businesses, is a way to be looked at as an expert in the graphic design space. You can post design tips, trends, and insights without giving out too much free information. The key is to get small businesses to hire you because you’re so valuable.

6. Cold outreach

Reaching out to businesses via email is a great way to connect with small businesses that may need your graphic design skills. To get started, identify potential clients by searching local shops, cafes, restaurants, and online businesses in your area. These businesses may need help with branding, print materials, logo, or website help. Look for sites with outdated and poor user experience on their website.

Identify pain points with their strategy and how you can help solve their problems. Examples of this could be improving their social media identity, making social media posts more engaging, or redesigning their website to attract more customers.

This is an example of what your email can look like.

Subject: Helping [Business Name] Enhance Their Branding

Hi [Client Name], I hope you’re doing well! I came across your business, [Business Name], and I love what you’re doing in the [industry]. I noticed that your branding could benefit from a little refresh, especially your [specific area, e.g., logo, website, social media graphics].

I’m a freelance graphic designer, and I specialize in helping small businesses like yours create impactful, cohesive branding. You can see examples of my work here: [Link to Portfolio]. I’d love to offer you a free design consultation or audit of your current branding—no strings attached.

Let me know if that sounds interesting, and we can schedule a quick call to discuss how I can help! Looking forward to hearing from you.

Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Contact Information] [Portfolio Link]

7. Ask for referrals

An easy way to use existing clientele is to ask them for referrals or testimonials. Testimonials help build trust with potential small businesses to hire you. Referrals are great and work well since word-of-mouth is such a big deal these days in finding someone trustworthy.

You can also find a way to incentivize people to refer you to others. An example could be this: Someone signs up for a 3-month graphic design package through a referral and you’d give a free 1-week package to the business that referred you.

8. Deliver quality work

Getting clients may be a tricky part, but retaining them can be harder. This is why you need to deliver consistent, high-quality work to the businesses you work for.

When working with businesses, make sure you fully understand the client’s vision, target audience, goals, and preferences before starting the project. Do your research on the industry and competitors to ensure your design fits their market, while also making sure you stand out.

Stay in touch with the client and promptly reply to their messages. Provide updates, seek feedback, and make sure you’re going in the right direction together.

There should be absolutely no typos or errors in your design. Other key things to look out for included aligned elements, consistent spacing, high-resolution images, and no pixelated or blurry graphics. Use color strategically and ensure that font, line spacing, and contract make the text easy to read.

And ALWAYS meet deadlines.

9. Ask for feedback

Last but not least, ask for feedback from your clients. This is going to help you grow and become the best graphic designer out there. Finding out what your customers like and dislike allows you to make improvements in your business. You may find that you’re spending too much on things that don’t matter and not enough time on things that matter the most.

Asking for feedback also shows you care and that you value your client’s opinions and aren’t doing the bare minimum. This helps build trust and loyalty.

Summary

If you’re looking for remote graphic design jobs, I’m starting an entire serious in this field as it’s the work I’m doing. I’m currently working to build up to full-time hours working in graphic design, and it’s a space I enjoy working! I hope I was of help to your graphic design journey.

Do you want to start a graphic design side hustle?