How to be a Freelance Product Designer

freelance Product Designer

A product designer is an individual who has the expertise and creativity to create product designs for clients who belong to a variety of industries. These individuals work for companies and under the supervision of their employer. On the other hand, a freelance product designer does not work for a company but gets in touch with clients on his own or independently. These individuals enjoy the freedom of choosing the designing projects that they want to work on and suit their schedule, preferences and skills.

A freelance product designer, like other product designers must hold a valid degree or certification to take up client projects or work in this field. The job duties or freelancers of this field remain almost the same as that of a regular product designers and even the skills needed to do this job are more or less the same, with the difference that freelancers need to be on their toes at all times in order to bag jobs and find work opportunities through a variety of medium. If you wish to be a freelance product designer, then you can read the following given information and make the process easier for yourself.

Freelance Product Designer Jobs

Every freelancing job has more job duties than a full-time job but with the benefit of more flexibility.  Same is true for the job of a freelance product designer. As a freelance product designer, you will have to perform a string of job duties and responsibilities. The following are some of the major duties of a person working in this field:

  • To produce convincing product designers, on the basis of the specifications and requirements of the clients.
  • To use computer aided design software or other tools to create powerful designs for the client.
  • To contact with clients and take their input about the product and what the product is meant to fulfill.
  • Keep the client in the loop and take feedback about primary product sketches or designs.  Make changes according to the feedback of the client, if needed.
  • To find work using online platforms or other mediums by sending proposals, creating a strong CV and providing estimated cost of project fee.
  • To promote product design services by using a professional website or webpage where he/she can give the resume, profile and some sample designs.
  • To build a network of supporting service providers such as engineers, manufacturers, design groups etc.

Skills:

As a freelance product designer, you will need to possess several skills which will help you move forward in your career and bag maximum preferred jobs. Apart from technical designing skills, one must also possess creativity skills and ability to think out of the box. The following are some of the most important skills:

  • A freelance product designer must possess exceptional creativity to be able to produce new product designs which are unique and stand out from others.
  • He/she must also possess an artistic bend of mind which also considers the usability and practicality of the product and serves its purpose at the same time.
  • Should be proactive and have the ability to sell best product design.
  • Good marketing skills and sales ability are also important and crucial skills which a freelance product designer must have.
  • He/she must also have good communication skills to be able to deal with clients, negotiate prices and put a price across.
  • Exceptional online researching and network abilities are also needed to be able to build a strong network and research new designing ideas.
  • Excellent work ethic is also needed to retain clients and deliver work in the most satisfactory way.
  • Excellent computer skills to be able to use various software and computer based tools that are used for designing.
  • Ability to think out of the box, try new bold designs and experiment with vivid and imaginative designs.

Being Successful As A Freelance Product Designer:

Freelance product designers are available in plenty in the market, where each one is trying out new things to attract clients.  In such a scenario, standing out from the crowd and creating our own brand may be challenging for an aspiring product designer. But by following a few tips and suggestions, you can make it big in the field:

  • After completing the necessary education qualifications in product design and completing the formal training process, you can get hands on experience by joining an internship program at a company. This will give you the required exposure and help you learn about industry standards.
  • Make sure you compile your portfolio in such a way that it manages to impress clients.  You can also include product prototype designs as samples to showcase your work in a glimpse. It is your portfolio which will help you stand out from other designers who are trying to impress the same client.
  • You can create a social networking webpage or a professional website to showcase your designs, your CV, your profile and other details so that prospective clients can have a better look at your work.
  • Build yourself a network of supporting people who might be handy during projects.
  • Try to stay active on freelance work websites such as Elance, O-desk; PeoplePerHour etc. as thee attract many clients looking for freelance product designers.

product designer salary:

On an average, you can expect to earn a yearly salary of $56000 as a freelancer in the field of product design. The exact figure may depend on many factors such as work opportunities, project scales, client portfolio, the number of jobs you bag and complete and also on your marketing and networking abilities.  The figure also depends greatly on the industry that you work for.

Finding Work:

Freelance product designers are needed in all the major industries and manufacturing companies. Be it technology, sports, furnishings, interior decoration, food or electronics, product designers are needed in plenty. Thus finding work can be easy if you know where to look. You can either apply to companies by sending your CV and portfolio or register yourself at freelance work sites such as Freelancer.com, Elance.com etc. where thousands of clients from across the world hunt for service providers.

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