We recently connected with Hannah Batkoski and have shared our conversation below.
Hannah, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about how you got your first non-friend, non-family client. Paint the picture for us so we can feel the same excitement you felt on that day.
When starting out, that initial step of finding your first client can feel so intimidating and difficult. When I first decided I wanted to begin freelancing years ago, I remember feeling overwhelmed, not really knowing where to start.
I decided to reach out to my online circle – asking my personal instagram community if anyone was in need of brand identity services at a discounted rate. I was ecstatic to have scored my first 2 paying branding projects because of that, one of which I still work with on a regular basis today!
Admittedly, I charged next to nothing for my services those first few projects and have since been able to steadily raise my rates to reflect the quality and value of my work – but they were truly incredible clients and I’m so thankful for those experiences that jumpstarted my creative entrepreneurial journey!
My advice to other independent creatives looking to gain new clients would be to begin creating personal projects that reflect your unique style and the types of industries you would like to work with. Consistently showcasing your process on social media and simply getting your work out there is an extremely powerful way to attract paying clients that resonate with your approach.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?
Being interested in the arts ever since I can remember, my creative spirit has always been a defining characteristic in my life. When I stumbled upon the idea of pursuing a career in graphic design whilst in college, merging my love for creativity with tangible problem solving felt like such a natural fit.
Fast forward to opening my own studio, I’ve dedicated my focus to working with ambitious businesses across a wide range of industries who are in search for connection with their community and positive impact. We work together to create strategic brand identities and visual experiences that help them stand out amongst a sea of competitors, amplify their voice, and ultimately help them pursue their ventures with intentionality and confidence.
Design is an incredibly powerful tool, that when done well, can completely transform a business. And in a digital world, the need to visually set yourself apart is vital now more than ever. Design has the ability to impact growth, increase revenue, solve complex problems, reach new audiences – the list is truly endless!
The trust my clients place in me is a responsibility I do not take lightly. I am so incredibly proud to have partnered with countless talented, passionate, people who are pursuing their callings purposefully and boldy. My goal is to give them visual tools that help them thrive.
Does your business have multiple or supplementary revenue streams (like a ATM machine at a barbershop, etc)?
In efforts to not only create passive income, but be a better resource for the community I’m fostering, I’ve created a library of quality products that are more accessible than my big ticket custom packages.
Along with a collection of creative Canva templates geared towards the everyday, I currently offer a complete collection of business templates thoughtfully made for designers to streamline the design process & elevate the client experience.
It has taken years to fine-tune our client process and craft an experience that optimizes efficiency and maximizes value delivered to our clients. These templates have personally proven to be invaluable tools – helping easily guide clients, continuously establish expertise, and communicate with confidence.
I’m so excited to have these resources accessible to my community and am continuously building upon The Shoppe to create other avenues of support.
How did you build your audience on social media?
The social media landscape has changed drastically since I first started marketing my business years ago – but one thing has remained consistent: the longing for authentic connection.
When I started my business, Instagram was the primary way I gained clients and connected with the design community – it’s where I showcased my process, latest works, shared my story, and the lessons learned along the way. In 2020, I boarded the TikTok train which proved to be a huge asset to my business and reach as well.
Throughout the years, I’ve made it a priority to be a resource of design education and a space for encouragement –all while ultimately staying true to myself. Doing this consistently over the years has attracted a wonderful melting pot of designers, small business owners, and people in pursuit of a connective, uplifting, inspiring community – and I could not be more thankful for them.
For those of you hoping to grow your audience and expand your reach, my advice would be to focus on 2-3 platforms (mine are currently Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest.) Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – but also don’t overwhelm yourself trying to keep up with too many social media avenues – that will quickly lead to burnout (no thank you!) Stay consistent and focus on the community you have – take time to serve and interact with them, stay true to who you are while sharing your knowledge and perspectives. You inherently hold so much value – if you continuously to share it, in time, your people will find you!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://duendedesignco.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/duendedesignco/
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@duendedesignco?lang=en
Image Credits
Jessi Lancaster Photo