The 2 questions I\u2019m most frequently asked as a freelance UX professional are: \u201cHow do you get clients?\u201d and \u201cHow do you sell UX to clients?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
To answer the first question, I must confess that I don’t really have a strategy for finding new projects, but here are my best theories on how I think<\/em> I find work:<\/p>\n By r\u00e9sum\u00e9, I mean that as a metaphor. Rather, clients see the outcomes <\/strong>of my r\u00e9sum\u00e9 \u2014 my skills, knowledge, and experience \u2014 not the actual piece of paper.<\/p>\n Marketing Intern – Jostens<\/strong> Communications Specialist – Best Buy<\/strong> E-commerce Manager – The Home Depot<\/strong> UX Designer \/ Strategist – Atomic Playpen<\/strong> UX Designer – Lifetouch<\/strong> UX Consultant – June UX<\/strong> Since parting with my employers, many of my former colleagues (and past clients) have moved on to various new roles \u2014 client side, agency side, and freelance.<\/p>\n I have been super fortunate enough to work with many of them again: Lindsay, Janelle, Brad, Dan, Becky, Jennifer, Kara, Jim, Maris, Shawna, Matt, Steve J, Steve V, Ron, Shad, Amy S, Amy J-S, Julie, Chad, Suzanne, Mike, and Bob.\u00a0(Love you guys!)<\/p>\n I work silently behind-the-scenes for several\u00a0Twin Cities web agencies. I am fairly certain these projects come about because of one or both of the above reasons.<\/p>\n I’m terrible at keeping secrets, so just keep reading and I’ll tell you.<\/p>\n The short answer: I don\u2019t.<\/p>\n When I respond this way, people are sometimes taken aback. How is it possible that I don\u2019t ever sell UX, and yet all I win are UX projects?<\/p>\n Here is my secret: My clients are organizations that already understand and value user-centered design. I don\u2019t need to sell UX. Instead, I sell my UX process. I sell me<\/em>.<\/p>\n To that, I\u2019ll share my other BIGGER secret: I socialize, socialize, socialize.<\/p>\n Coffee chats. Hallway encounters. Links to articles. Snapshots of whiteboard sketches.\u00a0At the end of every presentation or report is a list of 5 next steps.<\/p>\n Whenever an opportunity presents itself, I establish and build the groundwork for the next big thing I think my clients should be doing or investigating.\u00a0You may call that\u00a0selling. I call it socializing.<\/p>\n It definitely\u00a0requires the long game approach, but, socializing is\u00a0the\u00a0absolute #1 way I win\u00a0new work.<\/p>\n\n\n1) I Have a Good R\u00e9sum\u00e9<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Before graduating college, I interned in the yearbook marketing department at Jostens for 9 months. I wrote and designed 2 different guidebooks for yearbook advisers, plus worked on\u00a0several smaller design projects. To get the internship, I had\u00a0asked my yearbook rep if he would mind calling his contacts\u00a0at the corporate office. (Thanks, Jeff!)<\/p>\n
My writing experience at Jostens helped me get my first job at Best Buy as a writer and editor for internal employee communications. During my job interview for a design position, my soon-to-be new boss literally jumped out of her chair with happy surprise when she saw my Jostens writing experience.<\/p>\n
In the beginning, I managed production for 5 different online catalogs (4 of which were later sold or dissolved). When web development was brought in-house for the one remaining catalog, my role evolved into UX, site optimization, product management, web analytics, content marketing, SEO, digital marketing, and email marketing as well as overseeing a fast-growing team. Within 7 years, the catalog site had grown from $1M in revenue per year<\/em> to $1M per day<\/em>.<\/p>\n
At Atomic, I conducted discovery research and designed user experiences for dozens of Fortune 1000 companies and well-known brands. Soon, I was tagging along to \u2014 then later presenting at \u2014\u00a0client pitch meetings, estimating projects, and determining the scope of work.<\/p>\n
As the lone UX specialist inside Lifetouch, I quickly became proficient at all things UX. I went from occasionally conducting usability sessions at Home Depot or Atomic to facilitating them nearly every week. \u201cSystemization\u201d became my middle name. I also regularly created wireframes and helped my internal clients evaluate their agency\u2019s UX recommendations.<\/p>\n
Today, I work with all size organizations \u2014 conducting user research or usabilities studies, designing user experiences, and developing digital strategies.<\/p>\n2) I Have a Network of Incredible Former Colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3) I Sub-Contract for Web Agencies<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4)\u00a0Shh… That’s a Secret<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5) However, I Don\u2019t Get Work by\u2026<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Behance portfolio<\/del>, Facebook page, Twitter account, Google+ page<\/del>, and am sure June UX shows up elsewhere on the web as well. I\u2019ve never purchased an ad \u2014 in print or online. I know none of these brought\u00a0me new work\u00a0because a total stranger has never hired me. (See reason #2 above.)<\/li>\nHow Do I Sell UX to Companies?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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