Ready to Get Paid for Your Calligraphy? Here’s How to Land Your First Clients!
When I first started my calligraphy business, I was making handpainted welcome signs for weddings! The first person to ever buy one of my signs was a bride-to-be named Selina, who wanted a welcome sign for her wedding - she was my first customer ever and I sold my first sign on Gumtree - the OG online marketplace before FB Marketplace was even a thing!😆
Here are 5 things you can start doing right now to land your first clients and start getting paid for your calligraphy!
1. Take great photos!
This is number 1 for a reason - it is the most important thing you need to work on right now. You don't need an expensive camera - just use your mobile phone. There are seriously so many powerful photo editing apps and filters you can use to edit your photos. You need to learn how to take great photos of your calligraphy items, and styling them is also key!
When I was first starting out, I would head to the local flower markets, buy some pretty flowers, and use these to style my signs so my photos looked amazing! You also have to make sure you shoot in great lighting!
My software reccomendations: Adobe Photoshop, Canva
I took this photo on my Kmart work desk at home. bought some dried flowers online and put them in some Target vases I handpainted myself on a weekend.
This was taken in the early days of the business, when I’d set up my own shoots at the local park to take photos of welcome signs before delivering them to clients. It was my way of making sure I had proper images to showcase on my website.
And here's the result!
Of course, sometimes you'll get lucky and receive professional photos from the couple or photographer (if you're doing wedding signage) like this!
2. Leverage social media to get your name out there
Social media is one of the most powerful (and free!) tools you can use to get your name out there and start attracting your first calligraphy clients.
Platforms like Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok are visual by nature - perfect for showcasing your calligraphy product or service, behind-the-scenes process, and finished work.
By posting consistently and engaging with your local community, you make it easy for potential clients to discover you.
It’s not just about showing off pretty work - it’s about building trust, sharing your personality, and letting people connect with the face behind the brand.
Don't get on ALL. THE. PLATFORMS. Pick a couple that make sense for your calligraphy niche and make sure you post consistently.
Instagram lets me share behind-the-scenes moments from my calligraphy workshops and is a great way to build engagement and buzz for my Nikki Design Co.!
3. Start with your inner circle
When you're just getting started, your inner circle can be your biggest asset.
Friends, family, coworkers, and even acquaintances already know and trust you - which makes them more likely to support your new calligraphy venture. Let them know what you’re offering, share photos of your work, and don’t be shy about asking them to spread the word about what you do!
Often, your first few clients will come from personal connections or referrals, so tapping into that existing network is a great way to gain experience, build confidence, and start growing your client base.
Before starting Nikki Design Co., I ran a jewellery label called Curated Label. One weekend at the Kirribilli Markets, I met a lovely florist—Helen from Lime Tree Bower. We instantly connected.
Later, when I got married, I chose Helen as my florist. Fast forward to launching Nikki Design Co. and diving into weddings myself, we crossed paths again—this time as industry peers.
Since then, we’ve worked on countless weddings together, including the Ovolo Wedding Showcase. It’s just one of many moments that reminds me how powerful and lasting your early connections can be.
2021 Ovolo Wedding Showcase.
4. Make sure your branding is ahhmazing
When you first start your calligraphy business, spend some time researching your ideal audience and target market. Do a little digging into who they are and what they love. Your branding should resonate with your ideal clients! Spend time thinking about your business name, logo, branding colour palette and fonts.
But hey, branding isn’t just about pretty visuals! Your personal vibe matters too. This is actually soooo important!
Think about how you sound online, how you show up on socials, and the overall energy you bring. It’s all part of your brand’s personality 😎
I like to make my audience feel valued and welcome when they interact with our business. This is so important to our brand mission and is weaved throughout our strategy and how we show up online - and in-person!
5. Your clients need to find you
Set up your website and secure your domain names (.com or .com.au or both!) early! Your clients need to be able to find you and your products so they can buy from you!
Having your store on Instagram is not enough.
Selling via DM or FB messenger is not practical and will make it hard to streamline the buying process for you and your client.
Think of it this way - if you wake up one day and Instagram has locked you out - how will your clients find you? This is why a website is so important. You own your website and you have total control.
I hope you found this helpful! 🤩 And good luck with setting up your calligraphy business! So excited for you x
Your dream calligraphy business won’t build itself - but you don’t have to do it alone. If you’ve ever dreamt of starting your own calligraphy business but unsure where to start, I’m inviting you to join us at our powerful 1-day Calligraphy Business Masterclass in Sydney where I walk you through my own journey of building a profitable calligraphy business from the ground up.
You’ll see real-world examples of what worked (and what didn’t), so you can skip the guesswork, avoid common pitfalls, and apply proven strategies to grow your own creative business with clarity!
I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments and if you have any questions, drop them below 🥰