The State of Graphic Design: When Everyone Is Your Competition (Or Thinks They Are)

It used to be that when people needed some text and graphics put on paper and made to look pretty, they called in a specialist: what used to be called a "commercial artist," or a "production artist," but mostly these days is a graphic designer. Whether an outside freelancer, a vendor or in-house staffer, they were the gatekeepers to the arcane arts of color separation and typesetting, composition and paste-up.

Over the past few decades, however, three things changed all that. The first was the advent of personal computers, followed by their adaptation to print design via "desktop publishing" and the subsequent migration of virtually all print production from physical mechanicals on layout board to bits and pixels on computers. The second was (you guessed it) the Internet, which thoroughly disrupted graphic design as it has so many other fields and industries. Among other effects, it introduced digital output—website pages, slide presentations, PDFs and other electronic formats—into a previously paper-based equation, changing its skill and technical requirements accordingly and drastically.

Then there was the third game-changer: the development of massive high-speed, incredibly sophisticated copier/printer systems, and of the software and network hardware to impose and transmit documents to them. These products often eliminated not only the designer but the pressman as well, by producing printed materials in quantities and at speeds that old-style printing presses couldn't duplicate. (From the designer's point of view, however, the upside was being at least somewhat freed from the often daunting technical requirements of outputting designs using metal plates, four-color presses and liquid ink.)

The upshot of all this? Nowadays, every graphic designer is forced to compete for the work that used to be hers or his alone on two fronts: locally with non-creative office types who found they could now do a lot of the work themselves, with the aid of sophisticated software like Microsoft Office; and internationally with the kajillions of designers empowered by the Net and websites such as Elance and oDesk (now merged to form Upwork), Guru and PeoplePerHour. These sites basically let clients auction off jobs to the lowest bidder (or at least the one with the snazziest online portfolio), with sheer numbers causing rates to plunge like a bowling ball in a swimming pool.

So how can you survive, let alone thrive, in this brave new creative world? Here’s my somewhat educated guess, based on over three decades of experience as both in-house staff designer and freelancer, from both traditional training and on-the-fly learning of the tools and techniques involved, and with both the print and digital sides of the equation:

• Keep on giving the best work (and the best service) you can. Whatever the era, the business environment or the technology, in the end it's all about two things: the work and the service. No matter how low your price or how many connections you leverage to get clients, you won't get them (or keep them) unless you can (a) match or beat the best creative work out there; (b) meet the client's needs (or exceed them, ideally); and (c) make them feel like they're your only client...even when you have 10 or 20 more breathing down your neck—hard.
• Keep on learning. I've found out the hard way over nearly three decades of professional work that you can't stop adding to your knowledge and creative toolbox once you collect that design-school diploma. Keep up with the latest trends, techniques and talent any way you can; with all the free or cheap design resources online, the price of a subscription to magazines like Print and How isn't a barrier (or an excuse) anymore. (You should still keep or get those subscriptions if at all possible, though; they have content not always available online that can help you, and a subscription usually gives you free or expanded access to these magazines' websites as well.) Take courses, in person or online, any way you can, to keep your skill set up to date and stay ahead of the tech curve. Learn from other pros…and teach younger ones as a mentor. Join groups such as the Freelancers' Union, AIGA and the Graphic Artists' Guild so you can take advantage of the resources they offer to members; the membership fees, while admittedly steep, can often pay for themselves within your first year of membership in advertiser/partner discounts on merchandise, software, training etc. alone, never mind the other benefits they offer such as networking opportunities and professional guidance.
• Keep on marketing yourself like crazy. An online portfolio or a snazzy website by themselves won't bring clients pounding on your door (something else I learned the hard way). Look for people, companies and organizations that have a need you can fill (and the money to pay you decently; be cautious about approaching non-profits for this reason). Put together a marketing kit to send them, containing at least a few samples, a business card and resumé/CV (what else it should contain is open for discussion), either physically or digitally. Always have business cards in your pocket; you can pick up work from people you meet nearly anywhere (I know; I've done it). And network, network, network!

Please let me know if you have anything to add. And to all those non-designers in shops, plants and offices everywhere, I just want to say two things: 1) Just because you can use 10 different fonts in the same document doesn't mean you should; and 2) clip art has its place...but that place is not in every single empty space in a flyer or newsletter!