>clients ask to do a logo/announcement for them >no prob

>>312681
You don't have a logo or wordmark you use to brand yourself?

You don't know how to google "marketing pamphlets" or "sell sheets?"

Being creative is anxiety-generating for you? You don't collect inspiration or personal experience to draw upon?

You're probably in the wrong field.

>>312681
Why do you suddenly need to brand yourself, anon?

If this is a source of anxiety for you, then don't do it, keep doing client work and think about it on the back of your head.

There is a saying: If you're anxious, don't do it. If you are gonna do it, don't be anxious.

Bottom line is, you need to know WHY you need to self-brand. If you know the reasons, you shouldn't have any anxieties besides some performance anxiety which is natural and can be overcome with ease if you plan well in advance your steps and then just go for it.

>>312685
my clients know me by recommendation

>>312690
I'm offering a new kind of service and I'm looking for more clients because I'm poor as fuck right now. I think I'm anxious also because I need to study and give attention to crazy gf at the same time. I don't have performance anxiety if I'm designing stuff to promote others, but since it's myself I think I need to pop out something better than any job I have done so far. I mean, who would hire a guy who doesn't advertise himself amazingly?

>>312694
I am currently following this youtuber who gives out Graphic Design know-how and even stuff like how to work with clients and business-side stuff. Sounds like this channel would help you out a ton:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-b3c7kxa5vU-bnmaROgvog

BTW I am in process of creating a web portfolio to myself to advance from in-house desiger position to agency designer one, and need to create a sort of brand to myself too. I've been procrastinating on this a lot, but I've finally gotten my ass to work on it and learn new skills or useful information needed for this.

I wish I could give you better advice, but I am pretty much stuck on same level as you, so I don't know any better either. Best I could tell you is ask yourself these:

>What is the impression you want to leave on your potential clients? Professional? Creative? Social? etc. If you don't know, then remind yourself how have your clients described you in the past.
>Which kind of shapes, combinations, fonts, etc. communicate best the traits you got, or who you are as a designer?
>How can you best communicate what kind of service do you plan to offer to your potential clients? Build your website around your main service/strengths.
>Determine the set of skills you need for your upcoming set of tasks in building your brand, and determine if you need to learn something new. How can you connect your main service/new service together with your brand identity?

>>312697
>charging depending on how much the client can pay

that guy is a dick
most of my clients know each other, no way in hell I'm going to do that

>>312698
He has a really big-time agency, he is almost like Elon Musk of Graphic Design. You don't have to take his advice literally if you are just starting out. Charging a lot checks out well if you are looking to make an ambitious start, I guess.

>>312700
>Elon Musk of Graphic Design
So he makes billions at tax payer expense?

>>312707
Why so snappy? I just wanted to say he is one of the big names in Graphic Design.

>>312698
"how much they can pay" is kinda iffy, but "how valuable it is to them" isn't.

a new logo for Dave's Auto Repair is him contracting you to bring in five or ten fresh clients a month. a new logo for Coca-Cola is them contracting you to bring in five or ten million new clients a month. if you charge Dave like you charge Coke you won't get the contract, if you charge Coke like you charge Dave you won't make rent.

there's also a huge perception issue where it's considered far more acceptable to phrase things as a discount for being poor (special rate for nonprofits and startups) than an upcharge for being rich.

>>312719
This. Chris Do is certainly not advising people to either charge a shitload from Dave's Auto Repair or walk away, he certainly meant charging more from at least mid-level companies up to corporations like Wendy's, Walmart, Coca-Cola etc.

He is just saying that since his company is pretty up there, he asks a high rate, but he is not saying for start-up guys to do the same. He is just asking them to ask higher rates whenever appropriate, given the amount of work, because it's a good way to signal to the client that your business values it's work and can offer more value to high-paying client.

>>312720
>>312719
that works until coke asks dave how much you charged, or if the guy who you made the logo for his band recommends you to someone he knows who needs a logo for his company

seriously this only works for big cities and not if you are working

>>312722
Obviously this works in big cities only. In smaller towns, you are more dependant on long-term contracts with a handful of clients.

>>312724
even in smaller towns, your pricing can vary by client tier and should unless you're an "every client must be my BFF" cuck.

the local diner chain is doing more with your design than a garage band. they understand they're getting more value, and they understand they're going to pay the designer's best guess of the value they're getting. undercutting yourself is just a good way to eat ramen for your whole life.

>>312726
I was the other anon, but this was the exact point I was arguing though. I applied to my job and some other girl from art school was applying to the same opening, but I got the job simply because I asked more pay.