In the creative industries, we all complain that our work is undervalued.

The problem is, when you bid for jobs, there is usually a race to the bottom. All too often, a client will choose the cheapest freelancer.

The trick here is to find a way to differentiate yourself without lowering your price. The best way to do this? Get famous.

Beyonce doesn’t have to haggle her fee.

The thing is, you don’t need to be as famous as Beyonce to get hired. You need to be famous within a much smaller group of people. You need to find your tribe, the group of people that need the work you are offering.

You want to be the first name that comes to mind when someone asks their friend “who should I get to do this?”

That is what it could mean to be famous. There lies the power of word of mouth.

1.) Develop your Unique Voice

As Chanel said, in order to be extraordinary one must always be different. The first step to becoming famous is finding your unique voice. What do you add to the conversation? It needs to be bold, wild, interesting or beautiful enough for someone to remember your name. 

2.) Find your Niche

Pull your circles in close around you. Become a local expert. Narrow your field. It is so much easier to become famous to a small group of people than the general population. The secret is, it can be just as effective. 

3.) Do Good Work. 

The problem with word of mouth is that it works both ways. If you do bad work people are going to hear about it. Doing the job well is obvious. Getting it done on time and maintaining a good relationship with the client can be just as hard as the work itself. In the end though, it is equally as important.