Need to increase revenue in your graphic design business? We‘ve got 10 ideas you can implement right now.

An untapped resource that we have seen this time and time again is that our lovely designers are not contacting their current and past clients to offer them their services.

It is far more expensive and time-consuming to get a new client than to keep an existing one. To experience respectful, long term relationships with our clients, we need to contribute to their vision with our thoughtful suggestions for new projects— reminding them of what we bring to the table to help them realise their goals.

Show up as the ultimate graphic design professional (and partner!)

We love being thought of as collaborators in our client’s businesses. High-end brand designers create brands with big vision, we never stop thinking about the brand’s potential.

We constantly look at the bigger picture and dream up wonderful ways our clients can elevate and grow their businesses.

Yet all too often we are too polite and wait until we are asked. Hoping they’ll think of us…hoping they’ll realise they have a design problem that needs fixing.

We’d like to flip that on its head and suggest that you do the asking. Yes, be brave! Be bold! We strongly believe you will be doing your clients a favour by offering up your fabulous, discerning and conceptual ideas! They will be so impressed that you have their business top of mind.

We’re just about to enter December and with that comes this universal end-of-year deadline—a sense of urgency builds and the energy gets frenetic. It’s a phenomenon we’ve noticed time and time again throughout our long careers as graphic designers.

Often our clients are in overwhelm. The focus has shifted from them being able to work on their businesses to them having to work in their business. 

At this time of the year, it’s even more important to show up for your clients. This is an ideal time for you to place yourself front and centre and remind them of the value you can bring to their business.

Highlighting promotional ideas and marketing opportunities that your clients may not yet have considered is a fabulous way to maximise revenue. Of course, you can do this any time of year, but our clients love being taken care of—especially during what can be the ‘silly season’.

We have 10 items to ‘upsell’ as additional services or products your clients may not have considered!

Again, not just seasonally, these tips can be used all year round! There is never a wrong time to promote your business and increase sales via thoughtful and conceptual up-selling or highlighting ; )

Clients love having solutions presented to them. Present your solutions in a way that is easy and actionable. 

Here are 10 upsells you can offer your clients 

1. Social media templates—with Christmas just around the corner it could be 21 days of Christmas, for example. FB Timeline cover photo
2. Email campaign
3. Uniform guide
4. Stationery update—is something missing from their stationery suite? Like a thank you card, greeting card or gift certificate etc?
5. Customised slide decks and presentation templates—Google Slides, PowerPoint etc
6. Animated gifs for your client’s socials 
7. 1/2 or full-day brand or web intensive—ensuring your client is ready to hit the ground running in 2021
8. Flyer or postcard for an upcoming promotion
9. Signage (if they already have existing signage it could be short term custom window design)
10. Promotional/branded item for gifts to staff and clients

The 10 items above are also a fabulous list of promotional ideas that you should consider for your own business. 

It’s all about being seen beautiful designers, telling your clients that you are here and you are ready to elevate them.

But how on earth do you ask?

You simply do it.
Make the call.
Send the email.

“Is there anything you need help with?” or “I drove past the other day and noticed your signage could do with a refresh.”

Give an air of urgency and exclusivity, for example, “I have limited availability and my calendar is booking quickly. Get in before the end of April.”

We want to challenge you to bring some extra money into your graphic design business over the next month.

Make a list of all your clients, past and present. Make notes of what they could possibly need to enhance and support their current branding.

This might feel intimidating and totally out of your comfort zone. But when you try something bold and audacious, you just might astonish yourself.

On our last podcast episode, we talked how sometimes it just takes 20 seconds of insane courage to achieve something great.

Send that email. Make that call. Booyah!

Your clients are potentially in seasonal overwhelm and, you could do with the cash injection. It really is a win-win!

It’s all about keeping yourself in the front of their minds. Reach out. They will appreciate that you have been thinking of them!

With love,
Kris & Don xo