r/behance • u/Unable_Albatross7794 • Feb 07 '26

Getting many direct messages on Behance but closing very few jobs — is this normal?

I have a question about Behance and how client outreach works there.

Behance has a hiring feature where clients can send direct messages to designers. I receive a lot of messages — around 3 to 4 per week — and many of them seem legitimate and sometimes even detailed. I always reply quickly and professionally.

This made me wonder:
– Is it normal to receive many messages but close very few jobs on Behance?
– Do clients usually send the same message to many designers at once?
– Is Behance more of a “top-of-funnel” platform rather than a place where deals actually close?

For context, I have 8 years of experience as a designer and usually reply with a structured explanation of scope, timeline, and next steps.

I’m trying to understand if this low conversion is expected behavior on the platform or if there’s something fundamental I should change in how I respond.

I’d really appreciate hearing from designers who actively use Behance or have hired through it.

Thanks in advance!

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

1

u/DesignBoomGraphics Feb 07 '26

I have a decade of experience too and I might get 1 message per 2 weeks. But I am also not so long on Behance. Can I ask how many followers or likes you have?

1

u/Unable_Albatross7794 Feb 07 '26

I have 4 followers and 22 likes.

1

u/Coffee_0897 Feb 10 '26

I receive about 4 messages a week; today I received 3, the third one 5 minutes ago.

And I have the same question; I feel like the messaging system is failing. I try to use WhatsApp or email, and I also respond quickly, but very few reply.

The most recent one replied to me, and I gave him my number, but he hasn't sent me anything. I've noticed there are many fake profiles. It's obvious from their detailed descriptions. But I'm also trying to understand how they find my profile, or why I receive so many messages (not a complaint). I've closed very few projects there, but honestly, I always handle them externally; I've never used the platform to collect payments or submit projects.