You see it all the time on LinkedIn.
Someone posts that they're looking for a designer, and the comments fill up with people saying some version of the same thing.
"Pick me! Here's my website!"
I shake my head every time.
The problem isn't that the person can't find a designer. Obviously, there are plenty of people who think they can do the job.
The problem is figuring out who they can trust to do it well.
Your first job is to make that decision easier.
You're looking at it from the wrong perspective
I think a lot of freelancers approach opportunities from the perspective of someone who needs work, rather than someone who needs to hire.
When you need work, you're looking for someone who needs what you offer. So when you find them, you raise your hand.
But the person hiring has a completely different problem.
They have a project, expectations that need to be met, and money they're preparing to spend. They're trying to make a good decision.
And when you respond with nothing more than "I can help" and a link to your website, you're asking them to figure out for themselves whether you're worth considering.
They have to visit your website, browse your portfolio, and determine whether you've done anything remotely similar to what they're looking for.
You've given them another option to investigate when what they really need is a reason to narrow down their options.
Give them something to go on
Let's say someone is looking for a designer to develop the visual identity of an education brand.
Instead of saying, "I'd love to help! Check out my portfolio," you could say something like:
"We worked with an education company facing a similar challenge: creating a brand that appeals to students while establishing credibility with parents. Here's how we approached it."
And then link to the relevant project.
See the difference?
One expresses interest. The other provides evidence.
Maybe you haven't worked on an education brand before. That's fine. You could share a relevant project from another industry, point out something important about the assignment, or ask a thoughtful question about what they're trying to accomplish.
You don't need to write an entire proposal in the comments.
You just need to give them something useful to go on.
The point isn't to convince someone you're interested in the work. It's to give them a reason to believe you're capable of doing it well.
Your response is part of your portfolio
Here's what I find particularly interesting.
Designers spend an extraordinary amount of time trying to convince people they're thoughtful, creative problem solvers.
They build elaborate websites, refine their portfolios, write about their processes, and carefully consider how to position themselves.
Then someone publicly announces that they're looking to hire a designer, and the response is:
"I can help!"
Three words and a URL.
All that effort to demonstrate your expertise, and when an actual opportunity presents itself, you demonstrate none of it.
The way you respond to an opportunity is itself a demonstration of how you work.
Before someone ever visits your website or schedules a call, they're already forming an impression of how you think, communicate, and understand their needs.
And the more money they're preparing to spend, the more consequential that impression becomes.
Stop making people figure out why they should hire you
There's no shortage of advice telling freelancers to put themselves out there. Post more content. Network. Build your personal brand. Reach out to prospective clients.
And sure, those things can help.
But visibility only solves the problem of being unknown. It doesn't solve the problem of being unconvincing.
You can respond to a hundred opportunities and still give nobody a compelling reason to hire you.
So the next time you come across someone looking for a designer, consider the decision they're trying to make.
What would help them feel confident choosing you?
A relevant project? An example of how you've solved a similar problem? A question that shows you've thought about something the other designers haven't?
Whatever it is, give them something more useful than your availability.
Because when a hundred designers are all asking to be considered, you have an opportunity to do something different.
Give the person hiring a reason to stop looking.
