Turn Your Design Skills into Profit: Insider Strategies with Teri Chambers
Can your design skills generate a steady income stream? Meet Teri Chambers, a multi-talented creative force. She built a successful business by focusing on a specific niche: the legal field. Her artistic vision, combined with an understanding of law firm marketing, makes her an invaluable asset for her clients.
Join us as we reveal some of Teri’s strategies that helped her find success. From identifying your ideal niche to offering services that truly drive results, she shares her pro tips for building a thriving creative career.
Finding a Profitable Niche
Don’t be afraid to specialize! Choosing a niche demonstrates expertise and lets you command higher rates. Analyze the competition – are there underserved markets where your unique skills could shine? Also, consider your ideal client: what types of projects and people bring you the most satisfaction? A niche should be both financially rewarding and align with your interests.
Teri’s unique background gives her an edge in understanding the complex world of law firms. This makes her a sought-after website specialist. “My journey began with a diverse clientele,” Teri recalls, “but I quickly found myself drawn to lawyers. My law school experience was a surprising advantage – I understood their language and marketing challenges.” Realizing this, Teri honed in on her niche, now working primarily with lawyers and law firms.
Pro Tip: Seek Out Underserved Niches Identify industries where your skills, knowledge, or interests set you apart – that often translates into higher demand and premium rates.
Design Skills that Drive Results
Remember, good design isn’t just about aesthetics. Think like a marketer: does your layout guide users toward a specific action? Does your design aesthetic match the client’s target audience? Finally, invest time in learning the basics of user experience (UX) – a beautiful website is useless if it’s slow or confusing.
“Law firms need to project professionalism, trustworthiness, and competence,” Teri explains. “Every design choice, from color palettes to navigation, must be strategic in order to attract the right clients. Plus, legal websites can be complex. My tech-savviness helps me create functional sites that integrate with the tools lawyers use.”
Profit-Boosting Services
Think beyond one-and-done projects. Could you offer monthly social media graphics packages, website maintenance plans, or add basic ad design services? Learning complementary skills like copywriting or search engine optimization (SEO) increases your value to clients. Clearly defined service packages simplify your sales process, make pricing transparent, and give potential clients a quick understanding of what you offer.
Teri goes far beyond basic website creation. “Lawyers are busy people,” she says, “and appreciate having someone they can rely on for their entire online presence.” This approach translates into strong, long-lasting client relationships and recurring revenue.
Beyond Design: Teri’s Comprehensive Services
- Website Creation and Management: Ensuring your website is functional, secure, and optimized for search engines.
- Email Management: Setting up professional email accounts and optimizing campaigns.
- Content Creation: Personally writing informative blog articles tailored to your practice areas.
- Technical Integration: Connecting your website with scheduling tools and client portals.
- Marketing Collaboration and Ad Management: Partnering with legal marketing companies, creating and managing ads across Google and other platforms.
- Tech Support: Troubleshooting issues to keep your online presence running smoothly.
- Social Media Strategy: Crafting a presence that aligns with your brand.
- External Promotion: Seeking out opportunities to promote your firm.
- Legal Research: Providing thorough and up-to-date legal research to support your casework.
Pro Tip: Expand Your Value Offer services tied to results – content writing, SEO, and ad management are in-demand skills that complement core design work.
Client-Focused, Results-Driven: The Keys to Success
Teri’s success is built on personalized service. “It’s never a one-size-fits-all approach,” she emphasizes. “I take the time to understand each client’s specific needs.” Her flexible communication, even adapting to attorneys’ unpredictable schedules, demonstrates that their business is her priority.
Teri’s Core Principles: Find your niche, invest in yourself, focus on results, be a partner, prioritize clients, combine design skills with clear content, communicate effectively, offer fair pricing, and carefully manage your client load.
Pro Tip: Build Trust, Earn Referrals Teri’s client focus is key to her referral-based business. Go the extra mile and consistently deliver value.
Client Commitment
My clients aren’t just a number. I make each client a top priority and ensure they know they matter:
- Personalized Service: Tailoring services to your specific needs.
- Beyond Design: Personally writing blog articles and conducting legal research.
- Flexible Communication: Working around your busy schedule, even during non-standard hours.
- Fair and Transparent Pricing: Streamlined processes for competitive rates with no surprise fees.
- Limited Clientele: Ensuring exceptional service for everyone.
See the Difference in Action:
Don’t just take my word for it! Visit these examples of my work:
From Digital to Print: Profitable Design Principles
Consistency is the cornerstone of strong branding. Ensure a cohesive visual language across all platforms. Understand technical aspects of printing, like file formats, bleed requirements, and CMYK vs. RGB color spaces. Build relationships with reliable printers to become a one-stop-shop for your clients’ design needs.
Teri explains, “Consistency is key, especially in the legal field. I ensure print designs work seamlessly with the website, using the same color schemes and fonts. It reinforces their brand. I’ve found a reliable partner in PrintingCenterUSA – they offer high-quality products, easy online ordering, and a wide range of options for brochures, business cards, and more.”
Pro Tip: Consistency is Crucial Your design work should reflect the client’s brand across all platforms for a professional image.
The Bottom Line
Your design skills have the power to build a successful business. Ready to level up your career? Get your instant price on your client print projects, download free Adobe templates, use our Free File Review tool and so much more with PrintingCenterUSA as your print parnter, and start turning your creativity into profit.
“By continuously honing my design skills, understanding the business side, and prioritizing my clients, I’ve turned my passion into a thriving career,” Teri shares. If you’re a designer seeking to monetize your talents, take inspiration from her journey – find your focus, embrace a profit-driven mindset, and let your exceptional work become your best advertisement.”
Teri Chambers is an official Brand Ambassador for PrintingCenterUSA, and her story is a testament to the power of print. As part of our Success Series, where we highlight talented entrepreneurs who bring their works to life in print, Teri shared how honing her design skills, embracing a business mindset, and prioritizing her clients transformed her passion into a thriving career. Learn more about Teri Chambers here.
Ready to showcase your business? Got a story to tell? I would love to hear your story and your journey as an artist, business owner, or entrepreneur, and how print has brought your vision to life and impacted your audience.
Schedule a time with me today for a one on one interview, and let’s turn your story into a headline! Book now and join the movement
As the Creative Director at PrintingCenterUSA, I bring 28 years of experience in graphic design and printing industries to the table. Specializing in breathing life into imagery and writing, I create visuals that deeply resonate with audiences and stories that leave lasting impressions. Driven by an unyielding curiosity and an artist’s keen eye for detail, my work embodies an enticing blend of aesthetics and strategy, delivering high-quality visuals from a meticulously crafted creative process. With additional career spanning roles like Art Director, Master Layout Coordinator, Design Manager, Graphic Artist, Visionary, Owner/Artist and beyond, I’ve carved a vibrant niche in the industry. My mantra, “Dream, Design, Deliver,” resonates with the rhythm of the cosmos, injecting energy into my creative process that transforms dreams into reality. Join me on this journey, as we create magic with designs that speak through thoughtful intention.
Connect with me on LinkedIn here.
Ready to showcase your business? Got a story to tell? I would love to hear your story and your journey as an artist, business owner, or entrepreneur, and how print has brought your vision to life and impacted your audience.
Schedule a time with me today for a one on one interview, and let’s turn your story into a headline! Book now and join the movement
