Not every freelancer wants to be a superstar, and that's perfectly fine. Becoming a superstar doesn't simply mean being a talented designer, although that is certainly a huge part of the equation. The term superstar is actually an attainable status. It doesn't mean you are a snob (although it doesn't mean you aren't) but it does have some clearly definable attributes and benefits.

Defining a Freelance Superstar

A freelance superstar is a prominent freelancer who is considered extremely talented, whose work is in high demand and who has great public appeal.

Benefits of Superstar Status:

• Work comes to you - you don't have to look for work.
• You earn more because your work is in demand.
• You can select the projects you want to work on.

Step 1 - Create Work Nobody Can Touch

This probably goes without saying, but you'll only become a well known freelancer if you're work is on higher level than your peers (unless your work is truly terrible). It's doubtful that anyone is naturally born with the knowledge they need to surpass the pack, although they may have a great deal of natural skill.

Like him or not, Gordon Ramsay is a good example of putting in time and effort to better learn his craft. He went from Michelin starred restaurant to Michelin starred restaurant learning from the best in his business until he finally opened his own restaurant, wrote some books, got a TV show and became a superstar chef.

You don't have to have graduated from the best school in the world to achieve superstardom. In the age of the internet, if you put in the time and effort, you can get there.

Step 2 - Get Famous

Becoming well known within your industry will generally be a process. There are varying degrees of fame. You might not be the next American Idol, a famous CEO or a top athlete but you can still achieve fame within your industry. Actually, it's relatively easy to do if you are driven enough. Here are some tools you can use to chase your 15:

Blog

Blogs are old, right? Guess what - every superstar freelancer that I know of has a blog with a huge following. Why? Because when you write with authority you gain points as an expert in your field. Post ferociously, create useful content, submit to industry news sites and within a year you will have a substantial audience. For more on this, see our recent article on starting a design blog.

Website

This is a given, but it's important to do right. This is your digital command center. When someone visits your site they should be able to easily access your work, your blog and social media output, press coverage and events.

Press Coverage

Get interviewed, it's not as hard as you might think. Send emails to a few of your favorite blogs letting them know you are open to be interviewed. There's no better way to gain your own audience than by borrowing from someone elses.

Speaking Engagements

If you don't mind public speaking, volunteer to speak at local industry events. Sure, you won't get paid in money, but your reward will be awareness. People will start to learn who you are and tell their friends about you. You can eventually build up to large regional and national events.