How To Get Animation Clients As A Beginner

Beginning your career as an animator is a very exciting process, but searching for some of your first clients can seem like quite a daunting task. You’ve put in the long hours learning to use your software, honing your skills and building a portfolio but now comes the hard part: persuading people to actually pay you for what you do. The good news? Thousands of animators ahead of you have already managed to find their first clients, and so can you.

This guide will help identify some proven ways to find animation clients, even if you are starting cold. Whether you want to produce explainer videos, motion graphics, animation or something else, these approaches will help you create a consistent flow of leads that appreciate what you do.

Why It’s Harder To Get Your First Client Than The Next

Few are easy for any animator to achieve. You don’t have testimonials, you might not even have professional work history and you are up against animators in the industry for many years. But here’s what most beginners don’t understand: not all clients are in search for the most experienced animator. They want someone who can solve their problem, communicate well and deliver on time.

Your challenge as a beginner is to demonstrate that you can do precisely this for your prospects. And once you land those first few clients and get some actual work under your belt, momentum picks up naturally. Each project is a demonstration that you can deliver results, and that demonstration attracts more clients.

Create A Portfolio That Gets Attention

Your animation portfolio is your single most effective tool for getting animation work, however first time wannabe animators often wait until they feel like they have “enough” work together. Here’s the thing: you can begin developing a strong portfolio right now, without paying clients.

Make your own sample projects that demonstrate what you can do. Choose the kind of animation work you want to do and make examples of it. Want to do explainer videos? Create a 30-second explainer for an imaginary company. Interested in logo animations? Create 5-10 logo reveal designs and animate them in a bunch of styles. These samples show you can do the work, and that’s all clients care about, anyway.

Focus on quality over quantity. Three great animation pieces will do a lot better for you than ten mediocre ones. Your portfolio is only as good as your worst project. If you read over something you made months ago and find opportunity to do better, replace it.

Create a portfolio that is easy to find and navigate. Make a basic website or use sites like Behance, Dribbble, or Vimeo as homes for your work. Provide brief descriptions of each project; what was the goal, what did you do and what were the results? Ensure that your contact information is clear and easy to find.

Portfolio Platform Comparison

Freelance Platforms: Your Fastest Way To Paid Work

They are the quickest ways to get your first animation clients. While the competition can be tough and income not always up to par, these platforms provide you with instant access to clients who are already searching for animators.

Upwork is a major player in the freelance world. Create a comprehensive profile focusing on your animation talents, post your portfolio pieces and start bidding on job requests. When you are just starting out, concentrate on smaller jobs to build your reputation. Even the $100 gig that likewise lands you a five-star review.

Fiverr is different: clients come to you. Set up “gigs” that list specific animation services such as logo animations, social media videos or explainer animations. Start by pricing your services aggressively in order to get those critical first clients. Once you have reviews and a reputation, you can increase your rates.

Freelancer and PeoplePerHour are other platforms to consider. The formula hasn’t changed: Create a professional image, promote your top work and take an active approach to applying for relevant jobs.

Here’s how to get noticed on freelance websites:

• Compose proposals that speak to the client’s specific needs, not “cut and paste” proposals
• Be responsive when customers contact you
• Under-promise and over-deliver on deadlines
• Always request a review after executing projects to completion
• Make contacts that roll over into recurring business

Social Media: How To Convert Your Followers Into Paying Customers

Social media is proving one of the best ways for animators to lure in clients. You can share your work with millions of potential clients for free on platforms like Instagram, Twitter (X), LinkedIn and TikTok.

Instagram is a perfect place for animators because it is very visual. Post your animation work frequently, utilize applicable hashtags like #motiondesign, #animation and #motiongraphics as well as #animator, and engage with other creators. Behind-the-scenes content giving a peek into your process often does very well. Stories and Reels provide even more ways to reach new people.

LinkedIn may surprise you as a goldmine to find new clients. Creative Department candidates commonly get scooped up when they are successfully found in a search on LinkedIn by businesses and agencies. Use keywords related to animation in your profile, post work frequently, and reach out to marketing managers, business owners, and creative directors. Be a part of LinkedIn places that are connected to animation and digital advertising.

TikTok and YouTube Shorts are expanding quickly for animators. I would recommend making short, fun content – little animation tutorial or a time-lapses of your work and some before after reveals. These platforms can be used to build an audience quickly, and some number of those viewers will eventually have a need for animation services.

Twitter/X has a tight-knit creative community. Post your work using trending animation hashtags, partake in challenges such as #MotionMonday or #SixFanArts and get to know like minded animators and potential clients.

When it comes to social media, consistency is king. Post often, interact with your followers and be patient. It takes time to build a following, but the clients you find through social media usually stick with you long term.

Cold Calling: Get in touch with Prospects Directly

Cold outreach is about reaching out to businesses or individuals that might have a need for animation services, but who have not posted a job. This takes much more work, but can be very effective as you’re reaching decision-makers.

Find companies that might hire animation. Consider businesses with products or services in need of explainer videos, social media content or promotional animations. Local businesses, startups, online course creators, software houses and marketing agencies — they all need animation work from time to time.

Craft personalized messages. Generic emails like “My name is Pat, I’m an animator, hire me!” will be ignored. Instead, do your research on the company and bring up some specific ways that animation might be useful to them. For example: “I saw that your product page lacks a demo video. I make explainer videos that enable businesses to grow, including your company.”

Make it easy for them to say yes. Add links to your portfolio, note when you are available, and ask an obvious question that is easy to answer. Keep your first message short and focused on how you can help them, not on how much you need work.

Follow up respectfully. If you haven’t heard anything within a week, it’s fine to send a brief follow-up message. Many of your clients are just plain busy and if they’re using email, it’s also likely that your first email got lost in their inbox.

Email template to adapt:

Subject: Quick Animation Suggestion for [Company Name]

“Hi [Name],

I found [Company Name] and I love that they do [specific thing about their business]. I’m an animator that assists companies like yours [insert a specific benefit here, such as ‘in demystifying their products with engaging explainer videos’ or ‘boosting social media views with compelling motion graphics animation’].

I have done projects like the one you want for your brand. I’m putting my portfolio here instead: link to portfolio from Behance.

Would you be available for a brief discussion on how animation could help reach your objectives?

Best regards, [Your Name]”

Network With Other Creatives

Individual animation projects are seldom stand-alone. Designers, marketers, video producers and web developers do business with clients who require animation. You can end up with a heavy referral source from these professionals – relationships built.

Connect with graphic designers and web developers. They frequently have clients who want elements animated for their websites or on social media. Tell them you’re available for animation work and offer to pass along any referrals.

Partner with video production companies. Many video producers don’t create animation in-house but do have clients who ask for it. Become their go-to motion graphics artist when the job calls for animation or motion graphics.

Join creative communities. You’re connected with other creatives through online forums, Discord servers, Facebook groups and local meetups. You should engage in good faith, help out where you’re able to, and mention the type of animation work you’re after.

Collaborate on projects. Collaborate with other creatives on passion projects, speculative work or collaborations. These partnerships broaden your portfolio, and tap you into their networks.

Content Marketing That Can Get You More Clients From Your Expertise

Producing useful content about animation positions you as an expert, and draws prospective clients who look for information on animation online.

Create a blog or YouTube channel. Develop tutorial content, behind-the-scenes content or case studies demonstrating how you approached a particular animation challenge. When companies search for animation-related topics, they may come across your content and get in touch about assignments.

Answer questions on forums. There are questions asked about animation every day on platforms like Reddit, Quora and industry-related forums. Give thoughtful responses and link to your portfolio where applicable.

Create free resources. Templates, resources or tools that make it easier for others to stand out and show their expertise. Some of the people that download your free files will become clients.

Content marketing is slow to return results initially, compared with other strategies, but that content you’ve created can add up to an inquiry by a client later on down the line long after it was published.

Offer Services Businesses Actually Need

Most novices make animation they like making, but businesses actually want to buy. And there is a major difference between the two.

Explainer videos are in steady demand. Businesses require 30-90 second videos that simply explain their product or service. With clean, effective and well executed explainer animations, you won’t be short of work.

Social media content is another big market. Brands leverage unlimited animation content for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube. Short, shareable animations also do very well on social.

Brand identity motion graphics and logo animations can make a business seem more professional. Lots of companies have static logos but desire animated versions for video work.

Product demonstrations demonstrate how products function or showcase features. These are in demand by e-commerce businesses and tech companies.

Educational and training videos are utilized by companies for employee training or customer instruction. These usually need clear, direct animation not fancy effects.

Concentrate on building skills within the types of animation that companies actually pay for, even if it’s not the most creatively interesting work. You may work on private passion projects in your spare time and develop a business based on profitable animation services.

Pricing Your Work When You Are Just Starting Out

Pricing is tricky for beginners. Charge too much and you’ll get no work. Charge too little and you will never stop working, scrambling to make ends meet.

Research industry rates for the kind of animation you can offer. Websites like Glassdoor, Upwork and industry surveys provide ballpark figures. Entry-level hourly rates commonly vary from $25-50, or per project if it’s something straightforward, $200-800.

Consider giving introductory rates to the first 5-10 customers. That helps you get the first few projects in, and get the portfolio / testimonials to be worthy of charging more. Ensure they understand that this is introductory pricing and it will go up significantly after a certain date or set number of projects.

Bill for value of the project, not the time. You might spend 4 hours creating a logo animation that could be worth $500-1000 to a business they intend to use in all of their marketing. Once you gain experience, work on value based pricing.

Create packages. Instead of billing by the hour, provide straightforward packages such as “Basic Explainer Video — $500” and “Social Media Animation Pack (5 videos) – $800.” Packages make pricing transparent, and easier for clients to say yes to.

Rate Comparison Table

Deliver Exceptional Client Experiences

Getting clients is half the battle. Making them happy and converting them into return customers is what creates a sustainable animation business.

Communicate clearly and often. Keep clients updated on the progress you’re making, ask questions when you’re not clear about requirements and respond to messages quickly. Communication skills can be just as important, and surprisingly a factor when clients select animators.

Meet your deadlines. Don’t underestimate timely delivery. This may seem obvious, but deliver on time every time and you’ll set yourself apart from so many freelancers out there who overpromise and underdeliver. If you know you’re not going to meet a deadline, let that be known as soon as possible and give time frames.

Handle revisions gracefully. Include some revisions in the cost you quote, and approach feedback in a professional manner. Even if you disagree with the requested changes, remind yourself that it is their project and their vision.

Go slightly above and beyond. Little things such as delivering different format files, giving a brief run-through on how the actual animation works or even providing an extra variation they didn’t ask for can leave huge impact.

Ask for testimonials and referrals. Once you finish the project and they’re all happy, ask them for a written testimonial – and if they know anyone else who could do with similar animation services! Most satisfied customers are assuredly willing to lend a hand, but nothing will happen if you don’t ask.

• Another must-read: After Effects Basics Every Animator Should Master

Learn, Unlearn And Relearn It All Over Again

The animation business does change all the time with new software and techniques or trends. Being up-to-date is what makes you valuable to clients and in a position to offer new services.

Follow industry trends. See what successful animators are making, take note of the styles brands are using and know which platforms and formats are on the rise.

Learn complementary skills. Abilities in video editing, sound design, scriptwriting and graphic design make you more valuable to clients and enable you to offer end-to-end solutions rather than just animation.

Invest in courses and tutorials. There are countless animation tutorials that can be found online, places like School of Motion, Skillshare, Coursera and YouTube. Even 30 minutes a day of learning new techniques adds up to how you are able to perform over months.

Study successful animation work. When you watch an animation that you really like, analyze what specifically makes it work. What techniques did they use? How was timing and pacing managed? How to apply this principle in your own work?

Be Persistent During The Early Hard Times

It takes a while to be able to build up clients as a beginning animator. You’ll put up with rejection, or being ghosted by potential clients, or projects that don’t end up working out. That’s totally normal and it happens to all freelancers.

Set realistic expectations. You likely won’t get your dream client, or make a full time income in the first 30 days. Allow yourself a bare minimum of 3-6 months of consistent effort before you even stop to think about whether your tactics are effective.

Track your outreach and applications. Maintain a basic spreadsheet of where you have applied, whom you have contacted and what your responses were. This will help you determine which methods work best and keep things organized.

Celebrate small wins. That first client, that first five-star review, that first project over $500 — it matters. Recognize how far you’ve come rather than just how far you have to go.

Don’t give up too soon. Most beginning animators give up just before things would have started to work. It’s often persistence that separates animators who succeed freelancing from those who don’t.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to get your first animation client?

On average, new animators find their first client within 1-3 months of actively looking – but there is a lot of variety. The time frame varies based on how much you spend finding clients, the quality of your portfolio and which tactics you employ. Some animators find clients in days through freelance platforms while others spend several months building their social media presence.

Is expensive software a necessity for attracting clients?

No, you don’t need the most expensive software to begin. Professional tools such as Adobe After Effects and Cinema 4D are the industry standards, but free alternatives like Blender, DaVinci Resolve or more basic programs will still provide high-quality work. Results matter to clients, the software you used doesn’t. Most successful animators began with free or cheap software before upgrading.

Do I need to work for free to develop my portfolio?

Working entirely for free isn’t typically advised, as it can undervalue your work and attract clients who don’t respect your time. Though, charging heavily discounted “portfolio-building rates” for your first few projects can be strategic. You can also create sample projects for fake clients and not work for free on real businesses.

How much work should be in my portfolio before applying to clients?

You could begin approaching clients with a portfolio of 3-5 strong pieces, provided they are appropriate for the type of work you want to do. Quality is much more important than quantity. Three great animations demonstrating a variety of skills can help you far more than ten mediocre pieces.

What if the clients want experience that I don’t have?

Be honest, but concentrate on what you can do not on what you cannot. When you don’t technically possess experience a client asks for, say: “I may not have worked on that specific type of project, but I am experienced in [related skills], and feel confident I can do the same great work here. Here’s some similar work I have done.” Then share your most relevant work with them.

What do I do about clients who want to pay as close to nothing as possible?

You will face low-ball offers often, especially when you are a beginner. You have three choices: kindly refuse, ask for a reasonable rate, or take the project if you actually need it for your portfolio and as a reference. You never want to find yourself in that trap of taking too much low-paying work. After a few of your initial jobs, begin to incrementally raise your prices and turn down clients unwilling to pay the fair rate.

Is it really possible to be a full-time animator?

Absolutely. There are thousands of animators around the world who rely exclusively on project work, without ever settling into a studio. But getting to that point requires time, skill and business acumen. The majority of established freelance animators do not rely on one party for their income, with earnings being derived from a combination of clients and projects.

How do you manage clients who ask for unlimited revisions?

Always indicate upfront the number of revisions (normally 2-3 revisions per project). If a customer requires extra modifications other than that, politely inform them an additional fee is added for extra revisions. It preserves your time and yet it is also fair to clients.

Your Steps To Landing Animation Clients

You now have a complete step-by-step roadmap for how to find your first animation clients. The tactics in this guide are effective, but they take action. Here’s what to do next:

First, build or update your portfolio with 3-5 impressive animation works that reflect the kind of work you are interested in getting. If you don’t yet have client projects, draft up some sample projects that show off your craft. Ensure that your portfolio is easily available on the internet.

Second, pick 2-3 client-finding strategies from this guide and stick with them for at least a month. Perhaps you overlap freelance platforms with social media, or cold outreach with networking. Doing everything all at once is spreading yourself too thin, so concentrate your efforts.

Third, start taking action today. Join Upwork or Fiverr, send five cold emails to prospective clients, or share your work on Instagram with suitable hashtags. Momentum builds as you take continual action (even if you’re not seeing anything happening yet).

Fourth, track what works. Notice which approaches receive replies, and which do not. Double down on what works and tweak or abandon what doesn’t.

Finally, remember that every successful animator was at one point right where you are today — searching for their first client and wondering if they can really make this work. They found clients, built businesses and forged careers out of doing what they love. You can too.

Our animation industry needs more fresh talent with new angles we’ve never seen before. Clients are looking for animators today who can help them communicate their message, sell their products and entertain their audience. If you apply the techniques in this post and have persistence in your business, you will find those clients and grow a successful animation business.

Begin it today, keep at it and soon you will see your animation career grow one client at a time.