Since there are a lot of competitors out there, it’s only natural for freelance graphic designers to find other ways to earn a living. There are various ways for freelance graphic designers to earn passive income. Here are some of them.
Sell Print on Demand Products with Your Designs
Print on demand involves working with a supplier to personalize white-label items such as mugs and shirts with your designs. These products are sold on a pre-order basis. This is a great way to eliminate the risk, time, and investment associated with buying inventory.
You are not required to pay for the items until after you have sold it. Print-on-demand services take care of everything, so you don’t need to do anything. It’s a great way to test a new product line for your business without the risks associated with handling inventory.
Print on demand is also a good way to monetize your audience, especially if you’re a cartoonist or vlogger. This business model is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to dropship custom printed products like what Printify does. It allows you to make products quickly. The supplier only handles the shipping process and order fulfillment. You don’t have any inventory, so it is easier and faster to remove or add products or test new ideas.
Referral Fees
Create a referral agreement with other graphic designers you trust. You will pay the person who referred you either a flat fee or a percentage of the payment. Referral agreements can help you earn money by simply connecting your associates with clients.
Sell Fonts and Scripts
You can sell your fonts and scripts over and over again. This is a lucrative way to earn a passive income because you can sell your scripts and fonts to anyone for all occasions such as weddings, infographics, apps, seminars, posters, and websites.
You can either sell your fonts, typeface, custom-made icons, and scripts on your website or find a marketplace like Sellfy where you can promote and sell it.
Create Tutorials and Stock Graphics
People will buy what you’re offering if it can solve their problem. You can create video tutorials or write eBooks on how to make graphic designs. Since you already know graphic design, it will be easy to create a tutorial. Like Open Broadcaster software hosted on azure wvd i.e. windows virtual desktop azure.
Another option is to create a comprehensive course that includes real-world examples, lectures, and notes. You can also create stock graphics such as vector images and logos. There are a lot of places where you can sell stock graphics, such as Freepik and your own website.
Affiliate Marketing
As an affiliate, you will provide a link to other businesses and get a commission every time someone uses that link to purchase a service or product from the business. You will earn more if your fanbase is big.
Choose the right companies or people to partner with. Customers will not trust you anymore if you refer them to inferior products or services. This can hurt your reputation and career as a freelance graphic designer. As a freelance graphic designer, you can earn passive income by using Gelato print-on-demand services to sell your designs on a wide range of products, such as t-shirts, posters, and phone cases.
Start a Blog
Writing about design topics and your design business is also a good way to earn passive income. You can share your experiences with people who need tips and guidance. It’s also a great way to put your name out there. You can provide tutorials for beginners as well.
There are different ways to make money through your blog. One of these is by displaying ads on your site. Provide well-written content, and people will definitely stay and come back to your website.
WordPress Templates
WordPress is one of the biggest website building tools today, hosting more than 172 million websites. You can earn passive income by making your own WordPress templates. There are a lot of DIYers who are willing to purchase a template instead of hiring a professional web designer.
There’s always someone who is looking for a website, poster, or posture templates. If you know how to use graphic design software such as Sketch and Photoshop, you can go ahead and sell your own WordPress templates. You can sell your templates on Creative Market, GraphicRiver, and other marketplaces. Another option is to build your own online store and sell it there.
Conclusion
If you want to earn passive income as a freelance graphic designer, you also need to improve your skills and mindset. You should know your audience and promote yourself. If you pull it off, everything will pay off in the end.