Some designers get tremendously successful, maybe because they are lucky. All the while others in the same market go unnoticed for years.

So, what makes or breaks a designer? Well, it works just the same as when a business is marketing their products. It all comes down to branding and building a name for yourself which is not an easy task. Here are some of the branding strategies that can be used in the design business, how they work and how you can use them:

If you want to know whether you have been successful so far in building up yourself as a brand, you should check to see, whether people have a reason to consider you a part of the special few or not. If so, then you have managed to create a brand.

The million-dollar question is, exactly how can you achieve that in the design business? Well, here is an insight of the 3 proven strategies:

1- Not the jack of all trades but the master

The most common strategy is to focus all your efforts developing skills in one area of graphic design, so that you can get extremely good at it. Over time, this is something that can bring you the reputation of a specialist, so clients who need a specific type of work will always prefer you as a better option over the regular “we-do-it-all” services.

For instance, if you focus on logos and brand identity then build your business on that. This is the reason why the most famous designers are so good at what they do – and the reason they have such a strong reputation in the design business.

You don’t have to build large company such as Wolff Olins to be able to use this strategy. As a matter of fact, one-man shows that employ this strategy are just as successful. The UK designer Miles Newlyn became very successful at a young age by focusing on just one thing – corporate logos. HE has left his mark on many big brands, giants such as Unilever, Sky TV and Tate museum, among others. Today, whenever a major corporation needs a great logo and has a big budget, he the person-to-go-to.

However, there are two main challenges connected with the specialist strategy that is, lack of clients and discipline.

The first obstacle is obvious – most designers do not have a consistent flow of clients needing just one type of work. But, you can overcome this by dynamically developing your specialist portfolio and seeking clients you want to work with. It will take some time but it’s a winning strategy.

As far as the discipline is concerned, it is undoubtedly the harder part and comes after you have become a specialist. What you need to do is, ruthlessly reject any such projects that are unrelated to the area of your design specialization, even if they seem very lucrative and appealing. We easily accept well-paying jobs of various kinds but this ruins the reputation of a specialist and throws you back into the generalist waters.

Is for you? The best way to know if you are best suited to design specialization, is by asking yourself whether you truly enjoy designing the same sort of things, without getting bored and wouldn’t mind continuing with that for the rest of your life. If yes, then you might have the commitment and discipline essential to become a reputable specialist designer.

2- The signature approach

When you employ the signature strategy, you are basically doing everything but in a specific kind of manner. Unlike the design specialists, you do not need to narrow down your design field; though, everything you design must carry a distinct and recognizable style. Moreover, you will discover enough paying clients who love your work for what it is.

The signature strategy is common in the fashion industry but rare in the graphic design business because it takes boldness and determination to keep your own artistic flavor regardless of what most clients prefer. But when you succeed, it pays great.

Consider Apple. Whatever Apple does, they do it in their own, distinct style, which once can recognize from far away. You just need to see one or two Apple products to be able to recognize all their products and know exactly what to expect of them. Now, that is a strong design signature – something that you can emulate with your designs as well, so that the clients and others can recognize your work, the instant they set their sights on it.

This approach does not come without challenges of its own. The signature strategy is a tough route to follow, since the chances of failure are very high. You must be a strong designer with a distinct style and go for it and that too only if you are confident that there will be enough people who will love what you do and make you famous for it.

For example, all good signature designers have trouble fitting the mass market; they’ve got their own way doing things and they get frustrated with clients who want their design done according to the latest trends. Good signature designer’s work generates either lovers or haters.

Therefore, if this sounds like you, then you might have a pretty good chance of becoming a notable designer by not letting clients or masses derail you from your own sense of aesthetics. Yes, this is daunting and not for the faint of heart but if you’ve got what it takes it will most certainly pay off in the end.

3- The crowd-pleasing strategy

Whether you pick a path of the design specialist or a signature designer, there is one thing you should avoid if you’re trying to move up the ladder in the design business: trying to be all things to all people, in short turning into a crowd pleaser that adheres to all demands of all people.

Needless to say, if you really want to get noticed in the industry, get top clients and build a name for yourself, you must become one of a kind – either through specialization or signature design.