This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
In today's episode, we're going to talk with a talented digital illustrator who's moonlighting their way through the creative landscape, crafting unique content for bloggers, small businesses, social media influencers, all kinds of people who are trying to get the message out or trying to build their own brand. And this digital illustrator is essentially the go-between or someone supplying a tool or resource to help these content creators. Of course, there's just so much content out there all the time. And you know this, if you use Instagram or TikTok or any social network, you just can't keep up. You just like it's an endless sea.
It's an endless scrolling opportunity and you can spend hours and maybe you should or shouldn't do that, right? There's all kinds of interesting questions that are raised by just the plethora of content that's out there. But for somebody who's trying to make money, somebody who has a skill as a digital illustrator, how can they in fact hone this skill a bit? How can they target a market that is ready to pay for it? How can they make the most money in the least amount of time, et cetera, et cetera?
And not just the most amount of money, but how can they do something that they are excited about? Because that's ultimately what we are all about here, helping you do more of what's important to you. So today's question, we're going to hear, how do I scale my digital illustration business? That's coming up in just a few seconds. I want to say thank you to our sponsor, thank you sponsor, and thank you listeners.
Stay tuned. Hey there, I've been moonlighting as a digital illustrator, creating custom avatars and animated illustrations for bloggers, small businesses, and social media influencers. As the demand for unique digital content continues to rise, I'm looking to scale my hustle into a full-fledged business. What strategy can I employ to market my services more effectively, especially to stand out online? Also, how can I use client testimonials and portfolio pieces to attract a broader client base?
Thanks in advance for any advice. Well, you know what I think is needed here? I have a strong opinion. What I think is needed is some sort of retainer model, so that you are getting paid consistently every month, as opposed to doing piecemeal work here and there. And this is going to make a huge difference in separating this kind of freelance business from one that's earning a little bit of money to one that's earning a good bit of money.
The thing is, when you have a retainer with clients, it could be $1,000 a month, could be $2,000 a month, I mean, there's quite a range. It could be a little bit less. I wouldn't want to do too much less than, say, $500 a month. Below that, it's almost like, you know, might as well just do the piecemeal kind of work. But when you have this sort of ongoing relationship, it submits the commitment so much more.
It's going to actually make that person, the client, think more about what kind of content do I want to create? Oh, I'm paying someone for this, so I need to be thinking ahead. And when they're just doing it kind of on a one-off basis, they might get a couple of things made from you, and then they just kind of, you know, proceed with those. And even though they could improve and do other stuff, they're like, what? I've got works.
So they don't really think necessarily about what else they need. But on the retainer model, they do. And if for some reason they don't, you know, for a couple months, well, you're still getting paid because your responsibility is to be available to them under that model. So highly recommend that as my number one strategy in this situation. And I think, let's see here, we also have a question about using client testimonials and portfolio pieces, well, those are just cornerstone pieces of your marketing.
So they should be on your website. They should be, you know, if you're using platforms like Upwork or some other platform, you know, you want to make sure you have those testimonials and portfolio pieces presented. You can also use them on social media. If you're using Behance, for example, that's a great platform for showing off your portfolio. So that is good.
But I think this kind of business mostly develops by referrals word of mouth, which is why having the retainer is another reason why it's going to be good for you. So that's my number one recommendation. I'm sure we could talk about other stuff. But if you do that, I think you're going to be better off than you are without it. Good luck cheering you on.
Listeners, if you have a question, a comment, feedback and experience, a case study, www.sidehustleschool.com/questions. I'm excited to go into the next month. I've got a bunch of cool episodes I've been working on. Can't wait to share them with you soon. New one goes out every day early in the morning, East Coast time.
But of course, then it's available everywhere after that. So I hope you'll continue to listen. It's always free. My name is Chris Guillebeau. This is "Side Hustle School." From the Onward Project.
