Some people think that becoming a celebrity designer is something that just happens to a lucky person, but this is just not true.
Celebrity positioning by creating social proof is intentionally created by a designer who wants their work to be seen by the public so that they can attract a higher level of your client.
Social proof, that is utilizing public opinion to show others you are the best, is the most direct way to accomplish this. If instance, when you win an ASID design award, “they” said you are the best, so you must be.
Or when your design work is published as an editorial in a magazine, the magazine is saying “you are the best.”
You elevate yourself in the eyes of your potential clients when you intentionally look and take action on opportunities that give you social proof.
The more you do this, the more your celebrity and your business will grow!
Sounds pretty simple and actually it is.
But there is a tricky part…
for most designers, it’s the underlying beliefs, the under the surface gunk that gets in the way of creating their design celebrity. You have heard me say before… “I can give you tons of checklists, templates, and scripts but is you don’t fix the inside game, none of it is going to work!”
How do you know if your inside game needs attention?
Take a look at this list, any of these feel familiar, like you hear yourself saying:
- Who am I to be famous?
- It is not appropriate for a woman to promote
- I am not good enough yet I need a big project completed first
- My clients never finish the job, I can’t photograph
- After I finish this job I will be ready I have to put up with this awful client so I can get photographs
- If I show what I do, I would be bragging
- I don’t have time to do anything else
- I am afraid of rejection; I don’t want to talk to the magazine editor
- I am afraid they will talk about me
- I am afraid my work isn’t good enough
- I have to pay more dues first
- I entered my work in awards once and didn’t win, I won’t do it again
- I can’t afford to photograph my work
- After I pass the NCIDQ I will be ready
- I never win anything I am afraid
- I will lose my friends if I become famous
- When my kids finish school, then I will try
Pick out the ones that resonate with you and ask these questions of yourself:
- Is this belief actually true?
- Where did it come from?
- Did it make more sense when I was a kid?
- What would be a better belief to hold now?
When you clean up your (inside) beliefs around how you should show up in public and align them with your (outside) dreams of being a celebrated and published designer amazing opportunities will show up for you and you will create with grace and ease.