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  • Is there such a person as a Design Agent?

    #1
    I works as an in-house graphic designer full-time and I have a freelance design business on the side. I want to keep my business going, but it's difficult to make the time to acquire new clients and manage the business when I spend most of my day at work.

    My wife is a freelance illustrator (children's books) and has an agent who finds work for her and takes a percentage cut of everything her work brings in. I've often thought that I would like to get on with an agent, but I haven't found anyone who represents graphic designers this way. Do Graphic Design Agents exist? Does anyone know of any?

    Just to clarify, I am aware of Graphic Design Agencies, but these are not what I'm looking for. They actually hire on designers, pay them a salary and usually expect a full-time on-site arrangement. I want to work at home on the side of my full-time job.

    Thanks in advance.
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  • #2
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    • #3
      There are such people. I've been contacted by them.

      But, the problem is that in the back and forth that occurs between designer and client, adding a third person into the mix often leads to miscommunication, missed deadlines, and the like.

      Plus, I'm not going to pay someone to do what I should be doing anyways. Part of running a freelance business is marketing yourself.

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      • #4
        Some head hunters keep a roster of freelancers for their clients that need the odd short-term project and you'd end up dealing directly with the client. However most of these clients will be large companies that will want to have access to you during normal business hours.

        With a head hunter, unless they contact you, you will probably have to go through an application process just to sit on their roster.
        Last edited by kemingMatters; 02-12-2013, 07:20 PM.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by kemingMatters View Post
          Some head hunters keep a roster of freelancers for their clients that need the odd short-term project and you'd end up dealing directly with the client. However most of these clients will be large companies that will want to have access to you during normal business hours.
          Yeah. My clients know what hours they can reach me. They know that I'm not always available during normal business hours, but they are okay with that going into the agreement. It has probably cost me some customers, but I have also gained some that I probably wouldn't have otherwise.

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          • #6
            Agents don't have access to a bigger pool of clients than we do. Though they may spend more time pushing sales.

            It's not difficult for a client to find a designer to work with. Designers almost all have portfolios that assist with selecting a designer. An agent is just another middleman who needs to be paid. No thanks.

            I had an agent once for my illustration work. I didn't think it was worth it so we mutually parted ways after a year.

            Having a few clients like printers, print brokers, ad agencies, advertising etc would serve you better than having an agent.

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            • #7
              Title

              Thanks for those responses, but I'm not really looking for opinions about design agents or how useful they are. I really just want to know who some of them are and perhaps how I might get in touch with one.

              I know most designers don't go this route, but I don't do very well about landing clients on my own. I can't find the time and when I do actually make contact with a potential client, nothing comes of it. None of my online portfolios seem to garner any responses and I'm running out of avenues.

              Damn it Jim, I'm a designer, not a salesman!

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              • #8
                A designer who recognizes the fact they aren't salesmen would probably do better moving into an environment that incorporates that necessary evil into their corporate structure rather than trying to freelance.

                The contractor model that Kem speaks of, The Headhunter, they are usually looking to place someone into an employment position. THAT is how they make their money. From the company looking to fill the position. They don't make it off of commission on work done by a freelance designer.

                I quite honestly do not know of anyone who represents graphic designers as an agent. My theory is that there are so many 'designers' out there that there just isn't any money to be made gathering commissions on rock bottom pricing.
                And that says a whole lot about the state of your industry.

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                • #9
                  ^^I agree. Maybe freelance isn't for you? Keep your in-house job and be thankful that you have a full time job

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                  • #10
                    I think of ad reps as sort of a design agent. The only other thing I can think of would be freelance marketing consultants. I know someone who does all sorts of marketing jobs out of his house for a variety of companies. As a result, he some