We recently connected with Karlie Svebakken and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Karlie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright, let’s jump into one of the most exciting parts of starting a new venture – how did you get your first client who was not a friend or family?

If I had one piece of advice to give about getting your first client, I’d say don’t ever ignore the power of word-of-mouth marketing. I say this all the time, but I truly owe all the success of my business to my older sister. I told her that I was planning on starting a branding and website design business, so she mentioned it to someone she knew, who then mentioned it to someone they knew, and so on. And eventually, my very first client came directly from that word-of-mouth trail! Even now, I can easily trace back through the tree of clients and see how they’re all connected from that very first referral from my sister. So tell as many people as possible! Tell your friends, your family, your past coworkers, your old teachers, whoever! You never know who might know of someone that needs your services.

Karlie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’ve pretty much known ever since high school that I was interested in doing freelance design work. I was lucky enough to be in an independent study design course, where I would often be offered design jobs here-and-there from the community (usually in payment of a $5 gift card). As much as I wanted to run a successful design business, I knew I still had lots to learn, so I told myself I’d wait until I was graduated before I really started. But then graduation came around, and I told myself I should probably finish college first, and then I’ll start. But before I knew it, I was a college graduate and found myself working a typical 9-5. Was I disappointed? A bit. But running your own business is a scary risk, and being employed in an average office job is a lot more comfortable.

Eventually, 2020 came around – and we all remember what happened then. I won’t bother going into all the details, but after the infamous work-from-home era, I was pretty much presented with an in-your-face, now-or-never, perfect opportunity to quit my job and take the leap. And as afraid as I was, I knew it was time. If I didn’t try now, after years of putting it off, I knew I never would. I even remember calling up my sister Kaylan in a frenzy, telling her what I wanted to do, and pretty much asking her if it was a stupid idea. But she immediately became one of my biggest supporters. She told me to go for it, how great it could be, supported me, and how I’ll eventually have clients lining up around the block (needless to say, she’s a pretty good hype-man). At the time, I didn’t quite believe her, but I thought, “What’s the worst than can happen? If it doesn’t work out, I’ll just go back to a normal job.”

Skipping to present day, that was probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I love my job, and I love my clients. I work with all kinds of entrepreneuers, solopreneuers, service-providers, you name it, to help bring their branding and websites to life. Lots of people come to me feeling like their brand or website just isn’t doing their business justice, how they don’t feel like it’s accurately representing who they are as a business – and that’s where I come in! I love getting to know my clients, their goals, their business aspirations, etc., and pouring that into their branding designs. We come out the other side with something they can feel proud of, and something that professionally showcases the heart of their business. Brands are more than just logos or slogans – they’re about building relationships with customers and clients. A strong brand helps you make connections, deliver value, build trust, and stay consistent so you can deepen that trust over time. And making sure to take that branding into a well-crafted website makes all the difference in your relationship with your audience.

I say this all the time, but when working with my clients, I always try my best to be a business partner, not just a designer. Potential clients might be thinking, “She’s just doing her job, she doesn’t actually care that much about me and my business.” And that couldn’t be further from the truth! I’ve spent hours perfecting my client process and project strategy, so that it can serve my clients and their business in the best way possible, even after our project is completed. Even from our very first Discovery Chat – I’m listening to clients’ business goals, needs, frustrations, you name it. I’m not going to sell them something they don’t need or won’t help them with your goals. And on the other hand, if I have an idea that I think will help them in their business, I’ll make sure to let them know! My point is: as a designer, I’m in your corner. Think of me as one of your advisors in your boardroom – bringing solutions when I can, offering advice when you need it, and applauding your milestones when you hit them.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

When you’re in this kind of business, you hear all the time, “Every journey is different! Find what works for you and don’t compare yourself to others!” As cliche as it sounds, there is so much truth in it.

When I first started out, I went deep into research mode. I put my head in the sand and spent the better part of two weeks researching anything and everything I could about starting a freelance design business. I read blog posts, watched Youtube videos, listened to Podcasts, you name it. Even though I was told by multiple people, “Don’t focus too much on what others are doing, you’ll learn a lot on the way and that’s okay.” I pretty much ignored them.

And while some of that research was definitely helpful, I wish I hadn’t been so focused on following the “perfect path.” I got so swept up in what all these other successful designers were doing and how I could follow in their footsteps, that I gave myself almost no room for error or learning along the way. I know now, after coming onto almost two years into my business, that that mindset was terribly unrealistic. I’ve made mistakes, adjusted my process, pivoted my goals, and even had some failures – and that’s okay! I wish I could tell my old self that the journey to success is not linear, but you’ll adapt as you go. Just because it didn’t work how you originally thought, doesn’t mean that you failed! And remember, every person’s version of success is different. You might have a lower client goal than others, or a lower income goal, and that’s okay, too. Like they say, find what makes you happy and what works for you.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I touched on this earlier, but it’s worth repeating: word. of. mouth! This has BY FAR been my most effective strategy when it comes to growing my clientele. Get the word about you and your business spread as much as possible! Whether that comes from you spreading the word, or your clients spreading the word. The more people you tell = the more people talk = more potential clients. I read once that 64% of marketers agree that word-of-mouth is the most effective form of marketing, and I’m not surprised. People trust people! And if people they know and trust are recommending you? Jackpot.

Implementing a referral program is one of the best ways to ensure people talk about you. I’ve seen a few different ways designers go about this, but the majority of referral programs offer participants a certain amount of cash after referring you to a client. I started this early on in my business, and I’m so glad I did. Giving people an incentive to talk about you to other potential clients is one of the easiest ways to grow your client base. I’m not lying when I say that 99% of my clients have come from word-of-mouth or direct referrals from past clients.

However, I do want to also note that, in order for clients to spread the word about your services, you need to give them a great experience. People are much less inclined to refer you to others if they didn’t enjoy working with you or the outcome. The better your service is = the happier your clients are = the more they’ll rave about you. I truly believe that the growth of my clientele and reputation is also due to all the hard work I spent perfecting my client process and skills. And that never stops! There’s always things you can improve, no matter how long you’ve been in the business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://karliesvebakken.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designbykarlie/
• Other: Pinterest: https://pin.it/75FXeWD

Image Credits
Lindsey Morgan Photography