I am hosting a FREE masterclass on April 10th on how to get amazing design clients on LinkedIn. If you are a brand, graphic, or web designer, this is for you, and you can register by clicking on this link – aventiveacademy.com/linkedin.

In today’s podcast episode, on The Profitable Graphic Designer podcast, we’re covering why LinkedIn is such a powerful social media platform that not many designers utilize. It’s a B2B platform that has a lot of potential clients. Yet, many designers stay away from it.

My first $10k client came from LinkedIn. And since then, I’ve gotten $15k, $25k, even $29k design clients through this powerful platform. And in today’s podcast episode, I talk more about it. Tune in, and I hope to see you on April 10th at 10 am CST (recording available).

 

Listen to the episode here:

Spotify  –  Apple Podcasts  –  Amazon Music  –  Google Podcasts

 

Resources:

Getting Design Clients on LinkedIn – April 10th, 10am CST – https://aventiveacademy.com/linkedin/

 

---

TRANSCRIPT:

0:00
My first $10k design client came from LinkedIn.

It’s a platform that not many creatives use because it looks boring, like maybe you don’t know what to do with it and how to use it, but it’s a B2B platform where business owners don’t scroll, just a scroll.

0:17
They’re looking for value or to hire someone for what they need.

And so if you’re a brand graphic or web design business owner, you have the opportunity to leverage this business platform and land high-paying design clients just like I’m doing.

1:51
Before I even start, I want to let you know that I will be hosting a free master class on April 10th on how to get amazing design clients on LinkedIn while using it only one to two hours a week.

The link is in the show notes and you can also visit aventiveacademy.com/linkedin.

2:11
OK, so I am so passionate about this LinkedIn topic because even now like I just got a $29,000 client because of LinkedIn.

Not directly the but hear me out a few years ago I really wanted to try LinkedIn.

2:29
I just felt that not many creatives use LinkedIn and posting on Instagram would just take me so much time, you know, creating care results, coming up with topics, then writing the captions.

2:44
And even when I posted like the post kind of expires in just a few days or now it’s even just a few hours and the engagement was low and I was just not getting the clients or the type of clients that I wanted to get on Instagram.

2:59
And I feel like you can relate to that as well.

Sure, there are many amazing clients on LinkedIn and TikTok and Pinterest, but your time is better used or spent when you are on LinkedIn.

So LinkedIn is a B2B platform, meaning it’s for business professionals and every single person on LinkedIn is there to do business.

3:25
But let me tell you how I got this $29,000 client.

So as mentioned, I didn’t get them directly, but a few years ago I was on LinkedIn and I reached out to as many people as possible and I did cold DMING.

3:41
But I didn’t reach out to my target audience.

I reached out to people who have the same target audience.

So I stumbled upon this guy, I I just forgot his name.

But I reached out to this one guy and I was like, hey, we’re in the same industry.

3:58
We offer similar services to the same target audience.

I think it would be great to connect.

I am in Austin, TX.

I see you’re in Dallas, you know, just kind of like connecting and chatting.

And he responded like, Oh yeah, there is an amazing in-person networking event for our target audience and it’s in Austin.

4:19
Maybe you should go check them out.

And so I found the link to RSVP, you know, showed up to these events, and I kept going every single month.

And I started getting clients through these events.

And I know for a fact that I would have never heard of these events and met all these amazing people and get all these clients if I haven’t reached out to this one person on LinkedIn.

4:47
Now, of course, you can reach out to people on Instagram and TikTok and now Threads and Twitter and whatnot, but LinkedIn was where I was easily able to find the right connection, the right people, because of their amazing search and filters.

5:06
Now this $29,000 client didn’t come even from these events, but it all together helped me land them.

So here’s how they found me.

They found me through Google.

Yes, I put a lot of effort in the past in SEO and we still work on it.

5:21
But basically they searched for branding and design agency here in Austin that specializes in their industry and they found my website.

They reached out and when we got on the call I was able to tell them all about their industry, All about branding and marketing.

5:42
All about like the end results that they’re looking for.

So when we talked, I told them, oh, I go to these amazing networking events and I think you should go with me next month as well.

And they were like, OK, you know, like this is a different approach than when they’re talking to all, you know, like random.

6:03
And I I called them random.

But like when they’re talking to all the random designers out there, the way I was able to position myself as the best possible option for them was by talking about networking events, about their industry, about knowing people who can help them.

6:22
And so ’cause I I was connected to so many people through these events, and so I told them, hey, I can also connect you with a marketing expert.

So once I design A logo and a website and all of this for you, I can connect you with people.

6:38
After that come after me.

And that would be, you know, a website, copywriter, marketing person, a person I can even like.

It’s funny though.

I can even connect them with their competitor and they love that because I told them I already know someone who does the same thing that you do that you want to do.

6:59
I would love to get an opportunity to introduce you to and see where that conversation will go to.

Like are you open to that?

And of course, they said yes.

And so even when I asked them like what was the decision maker, how they decided to work with my branding and design agency because I was like way above what other people would charge them.

7:22
You know, $29,000 is not a small amount and they said it was a no brainer to work with me because they saw how connected I am with others.

And again, it’s all started from LinkedIn and this is just one example.

Let me give you another quick example and this was a few years ago, someone posted, hey I’m looking for a website designer this is and I know it sounds like it was so direct, but they were like I’m looking for a website designer.

7:49
This is what we need.

And long story short, someone who knew me, I knew that I’m acting on LinkedIn, just left a comment, hey, Katie Sandal can help.

And then I got that notification and I was able to respond immediately.

And that’s how we got connected.

8:05
And so it was kind of like a referral, right?

And it was a warm lead because it’s coming as a referral.

And I believe that things like this are possible on LinkedIn only.

Yes.

Sure, they can happen on Instagram as well, but LinkedIn is where it’s at.

8:22
And on LinkedIn, you’re getting high-quality clients all the time versus on Instagram where people can even price shop and send you DM like how much for a logo or how much for a website, how much for a business card.

LinkedIn is different because as mentioned, it’s a B2B platform, meaning business to business and you’re going to meet a lot of business owners that you can do work for directly or they know a lot of your target audience and can send you referrals.

10:28
The other thing is that a lot of creatives simply don’t use it.

So you have the competitor advantage, like there are not many creatives using LinkedIn because you know, it’s not as visually appealing.

It looks boring.

People just don’t want to use it it you know they think it takes time to learn it but it really doesn’t you know what you need to do on LinkedIn is really optimize your LinkedIn profiles so high-paying.

10:54
You know like 5 figure design clients or really any clients can easily find and book you without even considering your competition.

You need to work on your LinkedIn feed which is just knowing the strategy for posting and commenting to boost engagement which will then help you grow your design business.

11:12
And then also, you need to learn how to cold pitch and DM without sounding like you’re spamming them or offering your services.

And this is really the key to consistently landing amazing brand web and graphic design clients through LinkedIn.

11:28
Because you know, I know that you’re not getting the clients you want on Instagram, TikTok, nor Pinterest.

And if this is something that you want to learn from me, then I highly encourage you to join me April 10th, where I will teach you every single thing I just mentioned.

11:44
You know, it’s very easy to use LinkedIn and creating content is not time-consuming like Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and whatnot.

It’s really not.

It’s not because on LinkedIn you’re besides being a content creator.

12:00
Like yes, you have to post, but you don’t have to post as often 2 * a week.

That’s that’s it.

You don’t have to post even that much once a week.

Of course, the more you post the better results you’re going to get.

And I was just talking to someone who who has built over $1,000,000 in design services.

12:20
He was posting on LinkedIn for six months every single day and now he doesn’t even use it anymore because he connected with so many people and he’s getting referrals all the time.

While on Instagram you have to consistently and constantly post and post and post and hope that something’s going to happen.

12:42
While LinkedIn is different, it’s about building that meaningful connection with others and I’m going to teach you how to build that relationship so that you don’t have to waste your time in creating and posting all the time.

On LinkedIn, you connect with people directly, one-on-one when you’re on Instagram or other social media platforms.

13:05
I’m using Instagram as an example because I know that many designers are constantly on Instagram and then frustrated by not getting amazing clients that they want to get.

So I’m using Instagram as an example because of it.

But when you’re on LinkedIn, you’re connecting with people again directly one-on-one versus on other social media platforms where other business owners can hire social media managers.

13:30
And then even when you reach out to them or comment or something, you’re actually communicating with a virtual assistant, not with a business owner directly versus on LinkedIn, they have their own profiles.

It’s not like they’re going to give their login information to their virtual assistant or to their manager.

13:52
Sure, their manager or social media manager or virtual assistant can post for them using a third-party platform like a buffer or something like that later or whatever those platforms are.

And we use buffer in my branding and design agency, so my manager would schedule all the posts for me so I don’t have to do even that.

14:13
And then people would comment, connect with me and all of that.

And it’s not that they’re connecting with my manager, they’re connecting with me because it’s my profile.

It has Kady Sandel and it’s me, right?

The same is with your target audience.

14:29
If you want to work with, I don’t know, let’s say a spa owner or a fitness trainer or whatever, you find them on LinkedIn and you connect with them, or even better, you connect with people that they’re connected to and then you can get referrals and get clients that way.

Again, I’m going to cover it all in my LinkedIn master class.

It’s called Getting Design Clients on LinkedIn.

I’m hosting it on April 10th and it’s going to be awesome.

We already did this kind of workshop in 2023 and we got nothing but amazing feedback and that’s what we are doing it Again.

15:07
We had over 500 people and I think that this time we’re going to have even more.

And you know, I just really want to see you there.

I know you’re going to benefit from it.

It’s going to be totally free.

It’s up to one hour.

You’re going to learn every single thing you need to do on LinkedIn in order to get amazing design clients in 2024 and beyond.

15:30
The URL is below in the show notes or visit aventiveacademy.com/linkedin and just a quick reminder of what I will cover in the master class is the key to consistently landing amazing brand web and graphic design clients through LinkedIn while using it only one to two hours a week.

15:50
Proven strategies for posting and commenting on LinkedIn to boost engagement which will help in the growth of your design business and then also how to optimize your LinkedIn profile so high-paying clients can easily find and book you without even considering your competition.

16:08
Hope to see you there.

I’m so excited about this one because I know how much it has helped me and not just me but my design students as well.

In, you know, in terms of the business growth, we were all able to get 5 figure design clients way easier than on other social media platforms.

16:26
And really LinkedIn is where it’s at.

Trust me, you just have to try it.

It’s so profitable.

It’s so simple and it’s so easy to use it.

And you will once once you get addicted to LinkedIn and see how easy it is to build your business through LinkedIn, you will be like, why did I waste my time with other social media platforms?

16:49
How didn’t I know about this before?

And all the good stuff.

So yeah, hope to see you there again April 10th.

Link is below in the description.