way to make money online and quickly. If you’ve already done graphic
design work of some sort, this is a definite plus; however, if you haven’t,
don’t worry. It’s still possible to make money online doing graphic design
work.
For now, I will assume that you don’t have any prior experience. In that
case, it is essential that you begin by accumulating items to put in your
portfolio, which you will show to prospective clients. At a minimum, you will
want to create the following objects: 1) an e-book cover; 2) a banner; 3) a
small business logo; and 4) a payment button.
If you’re not skilled with Photoshop (or GIMP, the free analog to
Photoshop), this type of work probably won’t be easy initially. You’ll probably
do very poorly on your first few banners, but with a little work, you can get
better.
If you plan to sell banners, one good way to start is by going to the
following site: http://mybannermaker.com. This
site will allow you to create a banner by
uploading a background image, inserting text, and tweaking a few
options. It’s
easy to do; and it is also free. One good way to approach this process
is to edit each component individually in GIMP or Photoshop before you insert
it into the banner using http://mybannermaker.com. Once the editing is finished, the only step
that remains is to combine everything using the site.
Remember, since all of your work is likely to be used for commercial
purposes, it is critical to use “stock photos” and photos that are in the
public domain. Otherwise, you could be violating someone’s copyright.
Once you have created a small portfolio of items that are sufficiently
attractive
and well-polished. It’s time to begin marketing your work through
various
channels. I personally suggest that you use the following three
channels.
Channel #1: Elance
As I mentioned earlier, Elance is a good place to pick up freelance
writing and
editing projects. It is also a good place to find work if you are a
freelance graphic designer. All you have to do is post your portfolio in your
profile, bid reasonably on projects, and then wait for people to accept. As you
gain credibility, your acceptance rate will rise.
Channel #2: Sitepoint.com and Warriorforum.com
Site users at both of these places require a great deal of graphic
design work;
and if you want to make money as a graphic designer, you should take
advantage of this. Start by making an offer people cannot resist. For instance,
offer to make site logos for $3 (or free) for one week. If you actually
produce
high-quality logos, the forums will be buzzing about your work by the
end of the week; and future work will come flowing in without your needing to
do anything else.
Channel #3: Craigslist.org
As I mentioned earlier, Craigslist is a great place to find freelance
writing
projects. This is also true for graphic design projects. Just keep in
mind that you can search for jobs in any Craigslist city site, since many of
them do not require you to work on-location.
Summary
Freelance graphic design work is an excellent way to raise cash quickly;
however, it is important to keep in mind that submitting low quality
work may very well ensure that you never get a project. So, before you get
started, work out all the kinks until you can create an acceptable portfolio.
After that, go forward with your work and also ensure that you match or exceed
your clients’ expectations.