Why an Illustrator Got More Work After Stopping the "Anyone is Welcome" Approach

Are you currently using a profile or self-introduction like this?

At first glance, these words seem to widen your reach.

In reality, it is one of the biggest reasons why you stop receiving requests.

You might think so.
However, when you think from the client's perspective, the answer is the opposite.

In this article, I will share a "3-step target setting" process that you can implement starting today, while easing your anxiety about "narrowing down your target."

🎯 Why "Anyone is Welcome" is Counterproductive

"If I widen my reach, more people will hire me."

This way of thinking seems correct at first.
But please think from the client's perspective.

For example, suppose you want to publish a children's picture book.
You look for an illustrator on social media and find these two people:

Who would you reach out to? You would probably choose Person A.

The psychology of "wanting to hire a specialist" is common among clients. A person who is "someone I can trust with this field" provides more reliability and peace of mind than someone who "can do anything."

Furthermore, when you post that "anyone is welcome," it becomes harder to be picked up by social media algorithms. Because your messaging is not focused, it is less likely to catch the eye of people who have specific problems.

Imagine a scenario where someone looking at your profile is hesitant about whether to hire you. Between someone who says "I can draw anything" and someone who says "I specialize in your genre," who would give them the final push?

✨ What changes when you narrow down your target

For illustrators who have actually narrowed down their target, these kinds of changes tend to happen.

📌 The quality of requests improves
Because you start receiving work in genres you are good at and enjoy, production stress decreases and quality increases.

📌 Price negotiations decrease
When people think, "You're the only one for this," they value "you yourself" more than the price. Naturally, you will also receive fewer requests for competitive quotes.

📌 It becomes easier to decide on your messaging
Once you are clear on "who you are writing for," you won't struggle with the content or wording of your social media posts. As a result, it becomes easier to continue posting.

📌 Referrals and direct requests increase
As the recognition that "this is the person for X" spreads, requests through word-of-mouth and referrals will increase.

These changes are born not from "posting for many people," but from "posting content that deeply resonates with a specific someone."

🔹 Practice! 3 steps to narrow down your target

So, how exactly should you narrow down your target? Get a pen and paper (or a notepad) ready right now and try doing this with me.

🔹 Step 1: Write down all your past work and requests

First, write down as many of the illustrations you have drawn and requests you have received so far as possible.

It's okay to include not just commercial requests, but also personal work, pictures posted on social media, and doujin activities. Try writing down as many genres, themes, and uses (for social media, books, merchandise, etc.) as you can think of.

At this stage, there is no need to judge whether something is good or bad. It is important to just get the quantity out.

💡 If you have just started working as an illustrator and "don't have any requests yet," just listing the genres you "want to draw or think you are good at" is fine. Even without a track record, you can fully practice steps 2 and 3.

🔹 Step 2: Choose 3 things you "enjoyed the most / were best at"

From the list you wrote down, try asking yourself the following questions.

Try choosing three things that resonate with these questions. The intersection of "fun + skill" is the core of your strength.

Some say that "liking something isn't enough to make it a job," but it is harder to continue doing something you don't like for a long time. First, do not be afraid to start with what you "like" and what you are "good at."

💡 If you can't think of any "fun jobs," it's okay to choose based on perspectives like "it wasn't painful to draw" or "I was surprisingly praised for it." Strengths lie not only in "things you love" but also in "things you can do naturally."

🔹 Step 3: Write down "who, why, and in what situation" needs it

For the genres you are good at that you chose in Step 2, think about the following three things.

"Who" → What kind of people or companies need that illustration? (e.g., manufacturers making products for parents raising children, authors who want to publish picture books, female entrepreneurs who want to organize their SNS world view...)

"Why" → Why does that person need that illustration? What kind of worries or goals do they have? (e.g., "I want to make the product atmosphere look softer," "I want to make the art friendly for the target children")

"In what situation" → On what media and at what timing will it be used? (e.g., characters for children's apps, book illustrations, brand SNS post images)

If you feel something is off after writing it, you can just correct it. Writing it down is the first step.

When these three are in place, your "target image" will come into view. Many people realize, "Oh, this is the kind of work I wanted to do," when they write it down.

Target setting is not just a marketing task, but also a process of putting into words what you really want to do.

You don't have to decide perfectly. I recommend setting a "provisional target" first and adjusting it as you share your work.

🤔 A Common Anxiety: 'Won't narrowing my focus reduce my work?'

This is the most common anxiety regarding narrowing down a target audience.

In conclusion, while the number of inquiries may decrease in the short term, the quality and unit price of requests will increase in the medium to long term.

Being in a state of accepting many requests by saying 'anyone is OK' often leads to exhaustion due to price negotiation, urgent revision requests, and projects that are not a good fit.

On the other hand, when you narrow your target and are seen as someone 'only you can rely on,' clients will accept your pricing and hire you. As a result, you will move closer to a state where you can earn more revenue with the same amount of effort.

There is one more important point.

In fact, many illustrators post that they 'specialize in children's content' while flexibly accepting requests for adult-oriented work. Messaging and accepting orders are different things. By narrowing the target of your messaging, you gain recognition, while remaining flexible with the requests that come in. This balance works perfectly well.

✅ Summary: What to do today

Please try the 3 steps I shared this time, starting with just 30 minutes.

With a total of 30 minutes, your 'tentative target persona' will come into view. It doesn't have to be perfect. Please start here first.

📩 Thank you for reading until the end

'How can I apply what I've learned to my own illustrator activities?'

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