How to be a successful Freelance Graphic Designer

The difference between a "cheap" and a small budget.

2012-01-02T11:32:00.001-05:00

Let's differentiate between "cheap" and someone who doesn't have much of a budget.

I can work with someone that doesn't have much of a budget, but I can't help someone who is looking for the cheapest person to do the job.

A client that recognizes high quality work and knows the difference between poor design and great design with smart marketing is the person I want to work with. They understand that if they spend a little more, they will get a lot more in return. And they respect good work.

Before I went freelance over 25 years ago, I worked for a company that was always busy.... but the company folded and a few years later I saw my old boss, the owner of the company, selling computers at a big box store.

The reason his business failed is that it didn't matter what we did, we were always getting hammered on the price of our design services because my boss always sold "price" not service, quality, experience or results. The clients he attracted always asked for more and demanded to always spend less and less.

In this economy it's tough to say no to a prospective client, but it's important to remember that if you sell cheap you will attract cheap. And no matter what you charge a client that is cheap, they will always want to buy your services for even less!

At times I get prospective clients who tell me that they can get a project done for $50 by "this student I found on the internet" or "my cousin for $75" or "this company in India for $100". I can't help these people because they can't tell good work from bad work and are just looking for cheap. Plus the chances of their success and repeat business is low.

Bottom line: Work with someone who has a limited budget, if it's within reason. Run from the person who couldn't care less who they are working with and are just looking for cheap.

A smart client

2011-11-29T13:35:00.000-05:00

Just got off the phone with a new client. A smart client.

He was looking for a logo. I gave him a quote. He said "that's $250 more than I wanted to spend... but I need a really great logo and I will be spending a lot more on my web site and who knows how much more on my brochure and advertising... ok, let's do it."

What makes this client smart is 3 things...

1- He knows the importance of a good logo for consumer credibility.
2- He knows that he will be spending good money after bad if he goes "cheap" with a bad logo and then spends lots of money later on publishing it all over the place.
3- He budgeted for promoting his company.

I was so happy that I didn't have to spend a lot of time educating this fellow about the importance of starting off with a professional logo and how in the long run he could LOSE business with a poor logo.

Bottom line... as a successful freelancer you will be spending a considerable amount of time educating your clients, but if you show a personal interest and deliver, you will have a client for life!

I feel bad for my client

2011-03-22T19:10:00.004-04:00

I just got off the phone with a new client. I really felt bad after talking with him.

He got in touch with me about a month ago for a brochure. I explained that I would help him with his text to communicate clearly what he has to offer and design the brochure at the highest level of professionalism.

I didn't hear from him until today.

"Rob... I don't know if you remember me, (I did) but I'm stuck. I had a brochure done, it's crap and the guy who did it for me went way over budget. Can you fix this brochure?"

I told this fellow that I could help him, but we would have to start from scratch otherwise it would be like patching up a house that didn't fit your family and that's falling down instead of building a house that fits all your needs.

His brochure kept talking about his company BUT NOT WHAT HIS COMPANY can do for his CLIENTS. His stock photo visuals were not consistant... it was as if 3 different photographers took the shots without consulting with each other.

His brochure lacked credibility. He lost sales because he wanted to save the $350 dollar difference between what the other "designer" did and what I quoted.

What would he have gotten spending a little more? Strong sales copy. Strong graphic design that would have lead the prospective customer to make the right decision by choosing his company.
And it would have come in ON BUDGET.

I got the assignment, but I couldn't save him a second fee.

Bottom line:
You should have more to offer than just "pretty pictures". Pretty pictures don't sell. Smart marketing thinking WITH strong graphic design does.

Your logo as a profit center

2010-10-21T11:50:00.008-04:00

I just got off with a smart prospective client. Why is he smart?

Well, he knows the importance of a kick butt logo and that in the long run it WILL MAKE HIM MONEY.

Companies like Nike, Playboy and Disney and the band KISS make oodles of money licensing their logos out for merchandising. Now, you are thinking... I'm not licensing my logo... this is a waste of my time.

But getting back to that smart prospective client... his business is NOT selling t-shirts, BUT he plans on selling t-shirts and other items with his logo on it as an extension of his core business. If his logo is crappy, how many people are going to want to buy a t-shirt? He would be losing money with a poor logo that was wasn't smart, clever and memorable.

Ever been to a Mom and Pop restaurant... sometimes they sell t-shirts with their logo on it.. it's another profit center for them!

Bottom line... a great logo in the long run is less expense than a cheap logo now... and a great logo designed by me can add big bucks to your bottom line. Plus remember: you will be throwing good money after bad if your web site and promotional material all have an ill conceived logo on it. Spend your money where it really counts... give your business credibility. Call me and let's design a kick butt logo that can earn you money!

Your client knows better than you?

2010-04-08T16:33:00.005-04:00

We'll folks if you do as many assignments as me, eventually you will come across a client that thinks he knows better than you.

Some times my clients make suggestions, some of them are so good that I hit myself silently in my head thinking... "now why didn't I think of that".

Yep, sometimes they come up with great ideas but sometimes they THINK they know better when they don't and that's when it becomes frustrating.

For example, last month I did an assignment for this fellow who asked me to create a brochure. The target audience was men and women in their 70's who own their own homes.

I took his brochure text, revised it, pulled out some great quotes that really sold his product and created a kick butt brochure that was easy to read... remember, his target audience is elderly. I sent it out and waited for his response.

"It's crap" he e-mailed me. I thought he was joking. Turns out he was dead serious. He then sent me the brochure that HE designed.

All his text was white against a blue background. He chose a similar photo for the front that I used and kept most of my copy direction.... but his piece had many serious flaws.

"What do you think?" he asked.

I replied... "It looks pretty. But it will fail and here is why... please take this as constructive criticism:

Your target audience is elderly and it's a known fact that reading large amounts of knocked out text against a dark background reduces readership because it's difficult to read. You also used a sans serif font that is difficult to read in a size that is very small... you should have used a font with serifs and gotten your type up much larger. Your audience doesn't care about it looking elegant, they want to read what you have to say AND save money. They want you to help them get out of the jam they are in.

Another problem with your design is that you haven't designed any focal point. Readers like to see bold or larger introductions to sections. Your text looks like a brick wall... I would not have the patience to try to read what you created and neither will the folks you are trying to reach. You have to make it easy for them to read your message."

I never heard from him again...

Bottom line freelancers: Keep an open mind, sometimes your client will hit upon an idea that's great. Don't be defensive... give credit where credit is due. Your client will like the fact that you recogonized their creativity and that will not diminish you in their eyes. And for the client that thinks they know it all, be patient, try to teach them. If THEY don't let their egos get in the way you will have a loyal client.

Why some clients fail

2010-03-26T11:22:00.005-04:00

I just got off the phone with a person who is starting a new business and I hate to say it but, their business is going to fail even before they have a chance.

He might have the best product in the world but I feel that he is going to be throwing his hard earned money away.

Here's why.

He was not budgeting correctly and he didn't think about how he was going to drive traffic to his site. What he wanted to do was have a logo created and a web site built. "build it and they will come" was his idea. Wrong. The web is a big place, getting a top ranking on the first page of a search is rare and it takes time and money to achieve.

So I asked "How are you going to drive customers to your web site?" "I hadn't thought of that" was his reply. I then suggested that he might want to consider a small direct mail campaign consisting of a simple postcard or perhaps some local radio advertising. I went through a list of suggestions just to be told... "all I'm interested in is a logo and a web site".

Well, that's my job, so I gave him a quote. "Hey! I can get a logo done for $125 bucks and a web site for $500" was his reply. Then it hit me. His business is dead before he even has a shot.

Here's why.
Consider your own consumer experience. You are ready to buy. You go to a site. The logo looks like crap and the site says "I'm not professional". Do you think this company will deliver the goods. Do you think that it's safe to give them your credit card? Probably not. If you are like me, you would rather spend a few dollars more going with a company that looks CREDIBLE and RELIABLE.

I will not be working with this fellow and that's a shame. Because I could have really helped the guy. When I made suggestions (like cheap local radio to get his web site out there) I wasn't going to make any money... I wanted to see him succeed. If he did well, then I would end up getting more business from him. He wins, I win.

I tried to explain to him that the most important time to spend your money was at the beginning to establish yourself. You have to look and act like you mean business. That you are a serious player. That you are a CREDIBLE company and that by going with a cheap amateur, you are going to come across as a amateurish business.

Bottom line... to be a successful freelancer you have to educate your clients, take the time to help them understand that you are giving them the best shot at success.

"checking with other graphics artists

2010-02-11T16:49:00.003-05:00

Just got an e-mail from a prospective client asking for a price for some design work.

Here's how I responded:

Hi ******

Thanks for your inquiry...

You mentioned that you were " checking with other graphics artists and resources".

As far as other designers.... you'll get more bang for your buck working with me because when I take on an assignment I look at your communication first and then I help you turn your copy into copy that sells.

I will ask you questions like: Who is your target audience? What are they looking for? What sets you apart from your competition? Why should I pick up the phone and call you now?

By personalizing your message and talking directly to your target audience, you will increase your success rate.

Other designers are just interested in "pretty pictures". Designing a "pretty" piece is easy. Any designer worth his salt can do that. But honing your message so that it sells... that's a different story and I can help you do that.

I'm an artist first, been drawing my whole life, when I was a teen, I went to the High School of Art and Design then became a full scholarship winner to the School of Visual Arts..

I've worked with top marketing professionals for over 21 years now and I will bring all that experience to your project.

My fees are reasonable... not cheap, not expensive. A fair price for excellent work.

Give me a call when you have a chance and we can chat some more about your project.

Thanks,

Rob

********************************************************

The bottom line is comparing graphic designers really doesn't work. It's not like you want to buy an apple.

Designers have different graphic styles ( I have many styles.. but that's for another post) but what I feel that should be communicated is that I'm easy to work with, my fees are fair and reasonable but most importantly, my designs SELL.

That's what it's about. I take my marketing background and put it to use so that I'm not delivering just a pretty picture but a piece that makes my clients successful. If they succeed, they will give me more work and then I succeed. WIN-WIN!

The credibility issue

2010-01-08T14:48:00.003-05:00

How many times have YOU as a consumer been to a web site or received some direct mail and thought to yourself.. "they have to be kidding! I'm not spending my money with these folks... they look like they are a "fly by night" outfit."

You are experiencing the the CREDIBILITY factor.

Every day, many prospective clients look for the cheapest designer they can find to "help them".

But what are they really accomplishing?

I'll tell you:
They are ruining their image just when they need to be coming across as more professional.
They are losing business because prospective customers DON'T TRUST the company to deliver as promised.

Bottom line: Sure it takes a little more time to help your client with their copy to make it sell. And it takes a little more time to give them a few designs to choose from. But if they are SMART and they understand that they only have one chance to make the sale, you have a good shot at getting their business. Explain that good design backed by marketing thinking adds CREDIBILITY and that adds to more sales. You can charge a little more (and become more successful) if your client succeeds. When they succeed and make more money you will get more business. Win-Win!

What your client wants and what they really need.

2010-01-05T11:31:00.005-05:00

Your client tells you that they want a web site, a sell sheet, a logo design, a direct mail piece.

Yes they want that but what is it that they really want?

They want to increase sales.

When you get an assignment, put yourself in the shoes of the person who will be your target audience. If you are "sold" you are on the right track. But to be sold, you have to talk to your prospective customer/client on a personal level.

Many clients talk about their company in their communications. I feel that is WRONG. They should be talking about how their company can help their customers. Here's an example:

"XYZ makes the best hiking boots in the world. Our boots are warm in cold climates and are water proof... and they are on sale now."

In my opinion that statement doesn't sell. This is how I would handle that info:

"XYZ hiking boots will keep your feet warm in the coldest climates and nice and dry when the going gets wet. This makes XYZ the best hiking boots in the world and you can buy them on sale now!"

Notice how the copy is personalized to talk to "you".

Bottom line... what your clients really need is someone to help them increase sales. How you do that (web or print) is the medium. But it's your personal message to each and every prospective customer/client that has to be communicated. Get rid of phrases like "our customers" and replace it with a more personalized "you".

I want a $50 logo.

2009-12-16T12:06:00.003-05:00

It seems like there are some folks out there that think they can get a great logo for $50.

As a freelancer you have an idea about what your time is worth. If it's worth $50 an hour that means that your client wants you to work 1/2 an hour on their logo for concepts, then 15 minutes to take care of their feedback and then 15 minutes to finalize the art in the various formats they will need.

Now, I will admit that I'm fast and creative... but there is no way that I can come up with a world class logo in less than an hour.

Bottom line... you want to work with clients that are serious about succeeding. Try to educate them about how important their logo is. Explain to them that they will be spending a lot more money in the future plastering their logo everywhere and that in the long run a poor logo will be more expensive in the long run.

You're only as good as your word.

2009-12-15T18:40:00.004-05:00

For the first time since I started freelancing I've had to turn over a delinquent bill to a collection agency. I've had a good run since I've been freelancing for over 20 years now. I guess it's the economy or it was just this guy.

What really bothers me is that I helped this guy out in a jam on several levels:

1- It was rush and I didn't charge rush.
2- It was over a weekend.
3- I gave him a great deal.
4- He loved the work... he sent me an e-mail telling me how great it was.

This fellow presented my work to some heavyweight clients (SC Johnson and Coors to name just two). I was promised my final payment on a certain day. A week later when I called him to see if the check went out, he didn't answer so I left a message. 2 days later an e-mail. 2 days later another call, then another e-mail.

No response!

I finally sent him a strong e-mail telling him that I had to bring the matter to small claims court if he didn't respond.

I immediately got an e-mail back.... "I had no e-mail or phone reception for the past week".

What business man travels without a laptop? He had a blackberry. How can a businessman in the United States be out of touch with the world for a week? There's no internet service in hotels?

Now, I tried working out a payment schedule with him... but what can you do when someone refuses to talk to you and when they do talk to you they lie?

I felt really bad but I was forced to hand it over to a collection agency... I couldn't trust this guy after he said he'd pay me on the 18th then he say's he'll pay me 60 days later.

Bottom line: Work with people. Help them out. Become part of your client's team. If your client needs more time to pay, work with them. Sometimes people have cash flow problems. Do everything you can to help them if they are HONEST with you.

This fellow lied.

I will get my fee, minus the collection agency's 20% and hopefully in the future this fellow will learn that if you make a promise, keep it. You're only as good as your word. I promised that when he went into his meeting he would have his presentation boards. I delivered... he didn't.

A tale of two clients.

2009-11-24T19:23:00.004-05:00

I love designing logos.

I can also tell if someone is serious about creating a new business when they talk with me about their logo.

Take Prospective Client 1:
Prospective Client 1 wants a logo design that he will be printing on a full line of cloths. He also tells me that I'm charging a little more for designing a logo than another "guy".

I said "You will be spending a lot MORE money plastering your logo on tons of merchandise. You NEED a great logo. It's like building a house. You need a good architects plan. Otherwise it doesn't matter how much you spend on building supplies, your house is going to fall down around you. You need a strong logo that shows people that you are serious, that you are professional, that they can count on you."

Prospective Client 1 said "Your right... you got the job". Prospective Client 1 is a smart guy. He was serious about giving his company his best shot so he invested wisely in a professionally designed logo. Today I delivered 7 logos. He liked so many, he requested to buy several.

Now, about Prospective Client 2:

I just got off the phone with him. He too needed a logo. "Something simple and classy." He directed me to the Oppenheimer site where they have an elegant logo with a capital letter O.

We talk budget and he says my price is not in his budget. "Well what would you like to bring your logo in at?" I asked. He replied "Well since I'm looking for a font and a capital letter, I think less than $50."

I doubt that this man is serious about creating an image and building a business. He loved the Oppenheimer logo and he could have had something of that quality, for a reasonable cost, to build his business around.

Bottom line, spend time talking with your prospective clients... give them the benefit of your experience.

And one more thing... when Prospective Client 1 (who turned into a client ) asked to buy several more of the logos from the batch I sent him, I told him "Save your money, from a marketing standpoint you are better off with just one logo". I saved him money and I lost money by giving him that advice. But I believe that by playing fair and square (and of course delivering top quality designs) I will have a lot more repeat business.

7 things to know before hiring a Freelance Graphic Designer.

2009-11-05T11:55:00.000-05:00

1. Fee based or hourly:

You might think you are getting a great deal when someone quotes you a cheap hourly rate.... but if the designer doesn't know what they are doing , a project worth $200 can cost you a lot more. I always work on a project basis.. you will know EXACTLY how much your project will come in at.

2. Full time freelancer or a part time freelancer.

There's a big difference between someone tying to make an extra buck as a part time freelancer and a full time freelancer. A part time freelancer's most important project is HIS or HER regular job. They are not going to be available to help you out in a pinch nor will they be able to get your project done in a timely manner if they are working overtime at their "real" job. You don't have to worry about that with me... I'm a full time freelancer and your project is my most important job.

3. Student or professional.

Do you really want to trust someone with limited real world experience to help you? Sorry, but the student's designs might look good.. but are they backed by marketing experience to help you sell your product or service? No. As a professional designer, your projects are designed to SELL. You can't get that with a student.

4. Outsourced or are you dealing with the "real" designer.

Some people outsource their projects to to other people and then tack on a percentage to cover their "consultation" time. But who's really doing the work... someone in India who doesn't know the US market? Don't worry... I will be the designer to helps you generate more sales. Look at my portfolio... print, web, Flash, logos... if you like what you see... then I'm the guy to help you. http://www.digitalartist.com

5. Temperamental artist ahead... beware!

Some artists let their ego get in the way of making your project go through smoothly. Not me... I'll give you the benefit of my experience.. then you make the final decision. You know your business better than anyone else and I know I can help you increase your sales through solid marketing strategy and world class design... no ego to get in the way over here!

6. Are they order takers or are they giving you MORE?

You don't want an order taker. Order takers don't go that extra mile to give you MORE than what you asked for. Order takers take the fastest route to finishing a project.
Sure, I'll listen to what you want. I will listen to your suggestions. But I've found that the best way to make you very happy is to ADD to what you are telling me... make suggestions that can improve on your project and make it SELL.

7. Experienced or are they trying to be experienced?

Check out your freelancer's web site.... if you see high profile projects (like you will see on my web site: http://www.digitalartist.com) then you know that the "big guys" have trust in your freelancer and that you can too. If you see lots of "low end" assignments that's a clear indication that either the freelancer is just very good or they are just starting out. If they are just starting out... be careful. The files they send you could have problems that could end up being very expensive for you in the long run. You don't have to worry about that when we work together.

Bottom line.... I'm the guy you want to work with. My prices are fair and reasonable, I'm totally professional and with my marketing background, MY DESIGNS ARE DESIGNED TO SELL.

Call me now, let's talk about your assignment and I'll give you a quote on the spot!
914-682-0114

I'll get back to you....

2009-10-12T14:12:00.003-04:00

We've heard it before...

"I'll get back to you on that project... your quote sounds reasonable"

"I'll send you the files, then you can give me a quote"

"We're looking at 2 other designers... I'll let you know either way"

Then nothing. Nada.

Do you call them back or do you just wait and wait and then decided... oh well, I don't have that assignment.

There are some artists that make it a point to get the person's name, company, e-mail and phone number BEFORE they listen to the project and then give a quote.

Personally, I feel that if I give the person who is calling for a quote all the info they need to know so that they can come to an informed decision about who to hire, they will call me back and give me the project.

I make it a point to instill confidence that when I take their project ( and I don't take a project unless I feel I can hit a home run for them) that it will be done at the highest level professionalism... that it will SELL.

I also feel that "tracking down" someone who isn't motivated to use my services to help them, isn't someone that I want to do business with. If they were price shopping for the cheapest designer, then they are not really serious about succeeding.

I want to work with people that understand that to make it in this tough economy they need someone like me who can really help them... that I offer more than just a "pretty picture"... that there's marketing thinking behind the designs. That spending a little more they get a lot more.

Bottom line: Don't spend time tracking down people who are poor prospects.

Bad News/Good News

2009-09-30T14:52:00.003-04:00

Well folks it's been a busy, busy summer for me... between work and going to Burning Man (www.burningman.com) but now that the dust has settled, I'm back to discuss the subject of how bad news could really be good news.

I recently completed 75% of a major web site when I got a call to "stop work". It seems that there was a change of command and the new group of folks wanted a chance to review what was being done.

Now one way of looking at it is: BAD NEWS.

Are the new group of people looking to replace me with someone they know?
Are the new people happy with the work I did?
Are there any problems or issues that I don't know about?

Yes... all these questions popped into my head... but then I stopped and said to myself...

"Hold on! This could turn out to be good news.. in fact it could be great news! I remembered that the Chinese ideogram for "crisis" is made up of two characters signifying "danger" and "opportunity".

Since I know that everyone loved and approved my work to date, it could be that if the new people in charge wanted some major changes made to their site, I would be able to charge my AA (Author's alteration) fees that were spelled out in detail in my signed agreement with them... and that's good news.

Or if they want to take it from the top with an entirely new design, there would be additional opportunities to earn more money.... yes more good news!

Bottom line: A successful freelancer has to make sure that all parties are aware of any additional fees that might occur AFTER approvals are given. As long as everything is done correctly from the start and no one is surprised, you will continue to have a good working relationship with your clients... which will lead to more opportunities for you to make more money in the future.

You are your clients partner

2009-08-07T16:31:00.002-04:00

All successful freelancers know that their clients are really their partners. There's no them and me, it's us.

What's good for your clients is good for you. Help them grow and you will grow with them. This means more projects, more profits.

I just finished a project for a brand new client... and guess what... more business will be following because I've helped my client in such a way that he feels that I'm already one of his trusted "inner circle". Of course it starts with doing a great job... if you don't deliver the "goods" then you will never get another project.

But what I did was save his butt (that's my job)... I created several pieces in record time and didn't charge rush. Some of you might be thinking... that's crazy... you stayed up until 12:30 in the morning and didn't charge extra?

Well folks, that's what being a freelancer is all about... working when other "salaried" people won't or can't work. My client was thrilled by how great his project came out and the fact that he didn't get raked over the coals when he was in a position where the assignment and timing were very critical.

Bottom line... don't go for a one project "killing"... go for the long haul. Become your clients partner and you too can be a successful freelancer.

Being more profitable

2009-07-28T18:15:00.002-04:00

You've heard the expression "time is money" well as a freelancer that is the absolute truth. Working with your client efficiently will free you up for more projects or more leisure time... (win-win).

So how do you work more efficiently? By thinking ahead.

For example, I'm working on a major web site now and my processes is to get an approval on the home page before I show an interior page.

Now my client was expecting one interior page, but I noticed that there were actually 3 different major interior pages (one for one type of chart (30 pages), one for another type of chart (30 pages) and one for basic information (10 pages) so I presented all 3 in 2 different versions.

All my client had to do was pick which background they liked best and which navigation structure they liked best.

Sure, I spent more time doing the work, but in the long run it was more efficient to do so and it made my client feel better seeing the differences before I went into the entire site.

Bottom line... sometimes it pays to spend more time to make the project go faster... then it becomes more profitable!

You've got the job.. now what?

2009-06-29T12:08:00.002-04:00

OK, so you have a new client and a new assignment now. What do you do?

Well the "knee jerk" response is usually... do a great job!

WRONG. That's not enough.

You want your client to come back to you and only you. To do that you should also be educating your client about all the "extras" you are handling to make their project really fly.

Now as a designer you might be doing things all the time that are second nature to you. BUT for other designers not as experienced, if they miss these things there could be production problems.

For example... all the photos your client sent. You checked them to see if they were high res or low res, you checked to see if they were RGB or CMYK and then made the correct mode change for the medium they were sent for. You might have removed clipping paths. That Illustrator file... you got rid of hidden layers that could print. How about all those Photoshop files where you discard color profiles that could screw things up.

How about talking to the printer. When you did an animated banner.. all the work involved to make sure the banners didn't exceed the max sizes demanded by Google or other companies.

Bottom line... doing a great design job is important.. but just as important is educating your client to all the extra benefits there are when they work with you. That you are giving them more than just a great design, you are giving them files that will the printers will love. That they won't be spending more money getting corrections done at the printer. Or that your web files will work across all browsers. When your clients trust you, you will get more business.

Are you serious about being a full time freelancer?

2009-06-09T14:35:00.003-04:00

I was reading in the NY Times magazine section this past Sunday about freelancers.

What struck me was how so many people are freelancing because they've been laid off and how, if they could, they would prefer to have a "real" full time job.

Well... if you want to be a successful freelancer... it's a full time job.

What are the traits of a successful freelancer you might ask...

First... you have to be disciplined.
I start my day working promptly at the same time every day. My clients know that when they call me I can respond to their requests right away.

Next... you have to promote yourself via phone and internet every single day.

You have to put yourself in your client's place and treat your clients how YOU want to be treated... no surprises, bring projects in on budget, be easy to work with.

You have to commit yourself and buy the necessary software to keep up with the industry.

Don't look at this as something to "tide you over" until something "better" comes along.... freelancing is a great way of making a living and a wonderful lifestyle.... if you can take the occasional stress of a "feast and famine" work schedule.

Bottom line... Being a freelancer is a profession that demands creativity and people skills. You can be the best designer in the world, but if you are difficult to work with, no one will give you the time of day or more importantly a second job. Be professional. Act professional. Deliver the highest caliber work and you will succeed. Remember... your job is to help people. They have a problem, you have the solution.

Why some businesses and freelancers FAIL

2009-05-29T11:50:00.008-04:00

I got a call yesterday. The fellow had a great product that wasn't selling. He wanted to know how much it would cost for 3 banner ads and to redo his home page on the web. Since 2 of the banner sizes were similar and because I felt sorry for him I quoted a very low ball price.. $250 per animated banner.

"That's $750 for 3... I can get it done for $125 bucks!" he tells me.

Now, while he's telling me that he can buy it cheaper, I'm looking at his web site and I'm not surprised he can buy the services he wants for $125. His web site is not SELLING. It's not professional looking... I guess he paid $125 for his web site too.

I explained to him that he will be spending a lot of money in the future on his advertising... and if he's running the same banner ads over and over again, then he should be getting more bang for his buck with banner advertising that WORKS... that drives clicks to his site.

"But I can spend $125 on it" I keep hearing him say...

BUT what HE wasn't hearing was that he wasn't giving his business a chance to succeed.

He wasn't spending his money where it really counts... in smart design combined with PROVEN marketing strategies designed to SELL at the very beginning.

I didn't get the assignment.

There will always be someone willing to do the project for less. If you are competing on price and not on quality, service and results, then you will be working 24/7 and will be out of business in one year.

My market, as well as yours, should be geared to people who are SERIOUS about their business succeeding and who know that quality and experience will cost a little more BUT WILL BE CHEAPER in the end because they will SELL MORE.

Bottom line: To be a successful freelancer, you have to convince your prospective clients that if they are SERIOUS about wanting their company to succeed, they have to take a swing at it with their best shot... and that's YOU not the inexperienced person who can do it for pennies.... because CHEAP is EXPENSIVE in the long run.

Your phone call....

2009-05-21T10:33:00.003-04:00

It's hard to get in to see people these days. The way you present yourself on the phone is very important to being a successful freelancer.

What you have to communicate quickly is several important points:

1- You can help the person.
2- You can help the person.
3- You can help the person.

People aren't calling you because they think you are the best designer in the world. They are calling you because they have a problem and they are hoping you are the person that can solve that problem.

No matter who calls you, their problem is the same: they need to SELL a service or product. How you are going to do it is the solution to their problem... it could be a sell sheet, or a logo that communicates a deeper meaning, it could be an ad, a flash banner or a new web site maybe a postcard.

You should be nimble and you should be able to offer lot's of different graphic design answers... not just the ones that they are looking for.

Imagine going to a car dealer and telling them that your problem is that you need to be moving large boxes across town every day. If they only sell race cars, they will be only recommending a race car to you.

As a successful freelancer you have to have skills in a wide area so that you have different revenue streams... that's your "toolbox" to help your clients.

Bottom line: your job is to SELL your clients service or product. The more design areas that you are skilled in the better chance you have of helping your client and making a better living.

Holding your client's hand

2009-05-18T10:09:00.002-04:00

We've all run across this kind of client... they need a lot of hand holding. You know what I mean. You have to explain why you used the color maroon instead of teal or why you set your text at 9.5 and not 10 point.

Sometimes there's no "real" answer... you just did it because you felt it just looked good.

So, you finish your clients project, and now you are spending 2 hours going over every little detail.

Is all this hand holding worth it? Did you charge enough to include 2 hours of back and forth over tiny details that don't have anything to do with the impact of the design?

I'm sure that there are folks that would disagree with me on this one, but I say "It's worth it".

Here's is an opportunity to have a great relationship with your new client. Answer all the questions, give your client all the time they need to feel comfortable about working with you and your working style.

After a few projects your client will develop a trust in you and your designs and that means less time going over "details". Or you can figure out a way BEFORE you do the assignment on how to cut down on the "debriefing" segment of the project. Every client has a different way to work with you.

Bottom line: to be a successful freelancer figure it's important to establish a firm working relationship and trust with your client. Your job is twofold... help them sell their product or service and secondly, make them feel comfortable working with you. In the long run you will get more work and that will make you a successful freelancer.

How I got another assignment

2009-04-22T19:27:00.004-04:00

Just picked up some more work today... almost lost a logo project, but a win-win for my new client and me just happened.

He called me to do a new logo... I gave him a quote and I got the feeling that he was interested, but the cost was an issue. But I couldn't do better on my price.

Now I love to do logos, I've done them for Tropicana, Johnson and Johnson, Xerox, Ocean Spray as well as hundreds of small companies that no one has ever heard of. I have a real knack for them and they are fun for me to do... but they take a lot of time. When you look at how much time it takes and how much I earn on a logo (except for the "big boy" companies) I make less on logos then anything else I do.

But back to getting the project. When I went to his web site later on, I saw the logo that he wanted me to redesign and I said to myself.... "Hey, he has a pretty good logo, it's just not taken to the next level of design and professionalism." It was like one of my first stages when I'm developing a concept for a logo... it's got something going for it, but it's not right just yet. It needs more style, more finesse... it needs to go to the next level of creative design.

So I e-mailed him right back and said that I could save him money on his logo if we took his current logo and just upgraded it. "The benefit of this is that not only will you save money, but your current customers who are familiar with your logo will recognize it as your company, PLUS it would look a lot more elegant and professional."

I got the assignment.

Bottom line:
To be a successful freelancer you have to remember that your job is to help people. Play fair, quote reasonable prices and it will come back to you in assignments and trust. When your clients win, you win. Everyone is happy.

Generating Work.... making more money.

2009-04-18T17:33:00.006-04:00

Let's face it, to be a successful freelancer, you have to make money. That's one of the things that makes a freelancer successful.

I like to think of being "successful" as a life style... sometimes (if I'm lucky) working 7 days a week. But always being around and available when my kids are/were home. Being able to take a day off or a vacation without asking the "boss".

But lets face it you have to generate income.

One of the best ways to generate income is a win-win for your client and you.

I make it a point to try to see what my clients are doing. Do they have a web site? Go to it. Do they have newsletters... check them out.

Sometimes the media that I see is terrific and that's great. But sometimes (not always) I see something that is a disaster. You know what I'm taking about, "It's not an important piece, my nephew did it in Word".

When I point out how it can be improved: the message, the design, sometimes my clients agree with me and I get a "found" assignment.

Bottom line:

It doesn't hurt to talk about it... but don't recommend something just for the sake of getting another assignment. You have to know that you will be helping them... and when you do, it pays off on two ends...

1- you are helping your client make a sale.
2- you just made a sale.

Win-Win.

Customer changes to your design

2009-04-16T10:17:00.003-04:00

As a successful freelancer, handling changes to your designs (and handling your clients) is of the most importance.

Sure your design is "your baby". You love your design, it's beautiful, it's perfect, you wouldn't change a thing for a million dollars... well, ok, who wouldn't make a change for a million dollars?

I don't send out a design to my client unless I did love it... and now they want to changed it!

Now most of the time, my clients love my designs and we just change some text but sometimes I'm asked to make specific changes to my design. Something like "make this bigger, that smaller, change the color...."

I'm happy to make changes because I want my client happy... but this is how I do it:

1- Before I make the changes I explain WHY I've done what I've done.

Sometimes I explain... "IF everything is important in the design, then nothing is important. That's why I made the focal point of the ad that item. Now consumers are attracted to look, then their eye automatically travels to the area to the right..... "

Since I'm a professional designer with a lot of experience, many times my clients will go along with my thinking and NOT make the change.

2- Before I make the changes, I try to understand what they are trying to ACCOMPLISH with the change. Remember, they are not the designer, you are... so what they are suggesting many not be what they want!

This happened last week. I did a major logo for a division of New York State. I presented 4 logos (promised 3). They loved #2 that featured a gold center that picked up the gold in the Great Seal of NYS.

They wanted to see logo #2 with 2 different color combinations. One with a dark blue center and another with a bright yellow center.

I understood why they wanted the dark blue center... the Great Seal of NYS has a dark blue center so they felt it would perhaps coordinate better with the dark blue.

After discussing why they wanted to see a yellow center (when we had a nice gold already) I was told that they wanted to see the logo "brighter".

AH HA!!! That was the key. Now if I gave them the yellow as they asked, it would have clashed with the Great Seal of NYS and they would not have been happy. SO instead of giving them the yellow, I gave them a clean bright WHITE. When presenting the logo, I explained my reasoning.

That was the logo that was approved.

Bottom line... Listen to your client. Try to understand what they are trying to accomplish. If you feel that what they are asking is wrong, communicate your design choices. If your clients do want the changes, that's fine, you can make make their suggestions work.

Remember: find out what they want to accomplish because what they are asking you to do may not be the solution. The difference between a designer and a successful freelance designer is being able to communicate and deliver.

Some interesting facts

2009-04-06T18:54:00.003-04:00

Every now and then I come across some interesting facts about our field.. I love when I can throw them into the conversation. I was once talking to a client by the name of Ms Tittle.

I asked her... "do you know what the dot of an "i" is called?" "Nope" she replied. "It's called a Tittle!"

I've always wondered if her family name came from a family of typographers... like the name Smith was probably the name of the local blacksmith.

Since we are on the subject of type, have you ever wondered where the terms "upper and lower case letters" comes from? Well, when type was set by hand, the capital letters were kept in the upper case and the other letters were kept in the lower case!

I like to bring that up in casual conversations too.

Now what does this have to do with being a successful freelancer you might ask... well, I'll tell you. It has to do with coming across as a knowledgeable, friendly person to work with.

Bottom line, as a professional freelancer, you want to keep things on a professional level, but it's always nice to show your personality. Have fun. People like to work with people that give them results. But if it's between you and that other fellow who is a bit of a sour puss... who do you think they are going to call?

People need PROFESSIONAL graphic designers NOW more than ever!

2009-04-01T19:14:00.003-04:00

A while ago it looked like things were slowing down. But it looks like some smart people are taking advantage of the current economic situation and are getting aggressive in their marketing and that's where the successful freelancer can shine.

People aren't just interested in "pretty pictures". They want to sell their product or service.

Money being spent is tight. The way for business to grow is to grab market share from their competitors... and I tell my prospective clients... "I can help you".

They don't want an order taker... they want someone to help put together the most effective ad, web site or logo possible to increase their business.

You have to look at what their competitors are doing, listen to your client, asks questions and put yourself in the consumer's shoes... what would convince YOU to buy that product or service? Better service, buy one get one free? You have to look at all the angles.... then do some kick butt designs.

Bottom line: To be a successful freelancer you have to offer more than just pretty pictures... pretty pictures don't sell. Smart thinking does.

Clarification

2009-03-30T11:44:00.004-04:00

I just spoke to a gentleman who was interested in me doing a logo project for him. It was a very interesting project... exciting, I would say.

It turns out that he read my blog and was wondering why I would turn down an assignment.

The only time I would turn down an assignment, I told him, was if I "couldn't hit a home run".

I went on to explain that I went to the High School of Art and Design and that I went to the School of Visual Arts, that I've been drawing since I was a little kid, that I'm an artist and in ALL that time I've never done cartooning. So if he gave me an extensive brief and I agreed with everything he said and then ended his request with... "and I want it done as a cartoon" I would turn down the assignment.

This is because I know I would NOT be doing him any favors taking the assignment.

Bottom line... every assignment is important. There are no "small assignments'. All assignments need to be handled the right way and given all the time they deserve to be done right. If you can't help someone... don't take the assignment. Your reputation takes years to build... don't ruin it by taking projects where you can't help.

Going to Burning Man

2009-03-11T19:17:00.002-04:00

What is Burning Man and what does it have to do with being a successful freelancer?

Burning Man is held once a year at the end of August in the Black Rock desert... 2.5 hours outside of Reno Nevada. You bring all your supplies in. You can't buy anything there except coffee and ice. You pack everything out and leave no trace. You get to be involved and have some great experiences.

And for me, Burning Man is a chance to get creatively recharged... you don't want to come up with the same solutions over and over, you will get stale.

You want to be fresh.

You want to come up with new ways to look at things... get peoples attention. Sitting in your studio all day isn't going to do it for you.

Here's a link to their official site: http://www.burningman.com

Check out the image gallery and look at the great art installations, the art cars, the people, the desert, the dust storms.

Bottom line: Challenge yourself. Don't deliver the same solutions. Each assignment is a different chance to push the limits. Have fun with your art. And if you are interested, contact me for more info on Burning Man.

I just turned down an assignment!

2009-03-06T16:19:00.004-05:00

In these tough economic times you might ask yourself "why did he turn down work?"

Good question.

To be a successful freelancer you must know your strengths and weaknesses.

Over the years I've went from traditional tools like the t-square and triangle to being and early adopter of using the computer for graphic design. Learning new programs and upgrading my skill sets has never been a problem for me and has helped me be the successful freelancer I am today.

But just like when when I was using magic markers to draw concepts, ads and logos... I turned down certain assignments like doing "cartoons". It wasn't what I could create at the level I was selling.

After questioning my prospective client for exactly what he wanted for his corporation, I decided that I wasn't doing anyone any favors taking on what he wanted.

Bottom line: I think I will work with this company. I made suggestions of how I could help them. If he comes back to give me his assignment I will hit a home run for him. So to be a succesfull freelancer.. help your clients by knowing your strengths and weaknesses. You will get more business and you will keep your good reputation by delivering 110% all the time.

Starting out and don't have much to show?

2009-03-02T20:21:00.006-05:00

Your web site is one of the most important selling tools you have at your command to help you increase your business and become a successful freelancer.

Just starting out and don't have much to show? Here's what you can do:

Take an ad that you hate and show how you would do it better.

Take a logo that is bad and show how you would redesign it.

Love an ad campaign? How would you design the next ad in the series?

Show your samples side by side.

BUT DON'T WORK WITHOUT GETTING PAID.
There are many people out there that are looking for designers just starting out. "Your work for me will look great in your portfolio." I'll tell everyone how great you are." "I'm just starting out too.. help me and I'll give you more work and some money in the future."

Wrong. These people will not respect what you do for them and since you are giving it away, they are not "invested" in it.

Believe me.. it's better to spend your time creating high end creative as an exercise that shows what you can do compared to established professionals.

Bottom line... build a web site to showcase your work then list your site with as many free sites that you can. The more links to you the better your chances are of being contacted. Always carry your business cards with you. You never know who you will meet. Direct them to your site and always get a fee for your services.

It costs how much?

2009-02-26T16:20:00.008-05:00

Every now and then I get a call from someone who, after I give them a quote, they say "I can get it done for less."

Now I've always believed that I charge a fair and reasonable fee for my services. I feel something is expensive if you are paying a price more than it's worth.

So getting back to this "I can get it done for less" mind set. As a successful freelancer you can't compete on price because you should be offering more than what your client is purchasing. You should be competing on a different level. You should be communicating that your client getting will be getting "more bang for their buck".

The "more" is experience.
Some designers will deliver projects that are more expensive to produce in the long run. No savings there.

The "more" is talent.
If an ad is not designed to sell or looks bad, who is going to buy the clients product or service? You should be communicating that you know what you are doing and that you have the "chops".

The "more" is service.
No one likes to work with someone who "loves them then leaves them." My clients stick with me and come back with more assignments because they know that I've "got their back".

The "more" is an understanding of what your client needs... it's NOT always what they want. Your job is to help them sell their product or service.

I have gotten more work from my clients by TURNING DOWN ASSIGNMENTS. I'd say... "you really don't need that." And after discussing it with them, they sometimes agree. BUT because they know that I'm not after grabbing their money. That I'm here to help them... when I say "you should be thinking of doing THIS...." they listen and I get the project because I'm helping them.

Sometimes prospective clients will play this "I can get it done for less" game and throw out a number that is so crazy I say "if your project comes in at that price, please let me know because I can use them." I have never gotten a call back telling me they got their assignment done on budget. And anyway, I do everything myself.

Bottom line: A bottle of Snapple is worth $1.25. If you pay $5.00 that's expensive for what you are getting. Charge a fair and reasonable fee for your work and give your clients MORE for their money. If they can't afford your fee, that doesn't mean your price is too high, it means their budget is too low. You will go out of business being busy with poor paying clients.

As a successful freelancer you will get more business by offering a price for a project that is fair then following through with the "more".

Helvetica

2009-02-24T17:32:00.008-05:00

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Helvetica, Happy Birthday to you!

Yep, Helvetica is 52 years old. I thought I'd take a minute and salute this wonderful font. In the mid to late 60s it was the "establishment" font. It seemed that every annual report was designed in Helvetica and a lot of designers that would consider themselves as "counter culture" stayed clear of Helvetica like the plague.

But what does Helvetica have to do with being a successful freelancer?

Well, a little typography lesson is in order. We have basically 4 types of fonts.

1- Sans Serif. You know, fonts WITHOUT the little points coming out at all ends.
2- Serif. Serif fonts have those points coming out at the ends.
3- Hand draw fonts. These are fonts that look like your grandma or a cartoonist drew them.
4- Display fonts. Display fonts can be serif or sans serif or look hand drawn. But what makes them "display fonts" is that they have a special look to them and are usually used in just the headline. You've seen them, like during Halloween, the font might look scary with teeth.

So, getting back to fonts and being a successful freelancer.

The font you choose is important in communicating your idea. It's one of your weapons.

Some times you need to choose a font that is clean and to the point. HELVETICA!

Yea, it's strong. So strong we see it everywhere. Now you might say that because of that, it's lost it's power. Nope. It's timeless. Take AmericanAirlines... their logo is in Helvetica and when all the other airlines have changed their logo to keep up with the times, AmericanAirlines hasn't. Their logo is as fresh and timeless now as when it was designed in the 60s!

But when it comes to readability, have you noticed that newspapers and many books DO NOT use Helvetica. They use a SERIF font like Garamond or Times. The reason for this is that for large stretches of text, it's easier to read a serif font.

Bottom line: to be a successful freelancer, use the right tool for the right job. Typography is like cooking. You add a little of this a little of that and you create something delicious. Give me 3 fonts and I can communicate anything! Helvetica is the first font I would choose. Garamond is the second. The third might be Optima. It's what a font would look like if Helvetica and Garamond had a baby!

One more thing folks... watch your kerning! If you don't know what kerning is, learn it. You can't be a great designer without a knowledge of kerning.

How do you handle a personal opinion?

2009-02-23T17:33:00.005-05:00

When it comes to opinions... everyone has one.

I did a design once and my client said "I don't like that color green".

Since this is a personal opinion you can't say "you are wrong.. that's a wonderful shade of green".

But here's the "rub"... it was (in my opinion) the PERFECT shade of green. It was dark enough to pop my headline out of. It evoked the "earthy" feel that I was looking for. It wouldn't print too dark. It had everything going for it except for one thing.

My client didn't like it.

Now we all know how simple it is to change a color... but we don't want to go through endless rounds of changes finding, what your client perceives as "the perfect green". IF your client has a pantone book of colors, then it's easy. "just tell me which color you like". Done. But if your client doesn't have a pantone book, you can aways make some swatches of colors that you feel would still work.

But let me tell you how I handled it.

When my client said "I don't like that color green" I remained silent and waited to see what else my client wanted to say. After a very long pause.......... my client said:

"But I think it will work".

Bottom line: Help your clients, but don't get into an ego match over personal opinions. Give your client the best that you have to offer. And let your clients work things out for themselves. You don't have to respond to every comment unless asked. Many times they are just working things out for themselves and will take advantage of your professional expertise. That's what they are paying you for.

To be a successful freelancer, don't play games

2009-02-13T12:49:00.003-05:00

Every now and then I get a request to use a photo that a prospective client has.

Great! I say.... but tell me... where did you get this photo?

Oh.. I found it on the internet.

WRONG.

The last thing that you, as a freelancer, want to do is play a form of legal/illegal Russian Roulette.

Many people don't understand that just because you can grab a photo from the internet, you can't use it. First it's illegal. You can get into trouble, your client can get into trouble... then you are spending more time and money trying to get yourself out of a jam that could have been avoided for anywheres between $1 and $5 dollars!

Yes.. there are stock photo houses that will sell you great images for just a few bucks (contact me and I'll send you a few addresses).

Play it straight... don't do anyone a favor by using an illegally found image. It's bad for them and even worse for you and your reputation. I lost a few projects because of this issue, but my feeling is if they were ok with ripping someone else off they would probably not think twice about ripping me off.

And if they were NOT ok with spending an extra $5 they will probably give me a hard time when it comes to me charging them a fair and reasonable fee for my services.

Bottom line: get a good night's sleep and do everything legal. Make sure you collect and pay sales tax. Honesty is the best policy.

Production knowledge is key!

2009-02-12T18:35:00.003-05:00

To be a successful freelancer you have to know your production values up, down, left right and upside down.

I got a call last night to do a logo... here's how it went.

Him: Hi, saw your logos, love them, I want a quote.
Me: Sure thing, tell me about your company and the name for your logo.

Him: I don't need you to design the logo for me, I'm an artist. I already designed it in pencil. I just need you to clean it up for me.
Me: Will you ever want to reproduce your logo on a T-Shirt or printed on a give-away item like an umbrella?

Him: Yea.
Me: Well, I will have to redraw your logo in a vector format, because T-Shirt houses and promotional houses do silk screening and to do that they need vector art and not pixel based bit mapped art.

Him: What?
Me: If I get a scan of your logo it's like a photo... bit mapped. Another designer might do what you want. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU NEED.
To give you a quote, I would need to see if your logo is simple or complicated to redraw.

Him: I just wanted a quote, not a graphic design lesson.
Me: You don't want to pay twice to do your logo. I want to help you by doing it the right way the first time at a fair and reasonable cost.

Him: click.

Well... as you just read, I didn't get the job.

But other times I do get the job because after I talk with people for a while they know that I know what I'm doing and that in the long run it's less expensive for them to have their project done correctly the first time around.

Bottom line... if you don't know much about print production, find out who will be printing the project and ask questions. Web design and Flash animations... I'll cover that another time.

Explaining the sliding scale

2009-02-09T18:51:00.003-05:00

This question was posted:

Hi Rob: Can you explain how you explain sliding scale to a new client?

For a small local accounts, I don't discuss sliding scale, I just quote a lower cost to do the project because of 2 reasons:

1- It's not worth as much to them as it's worth to a larger company.
2- They don't have the same budgets a larger national company would have.

When I work on a project for a well known, large national company, their usage of my work is greater, therefore the value of what I do is greater to them.

Large companies understand the value of a well designed promotional piece and are used to paying different fees for different usages. Photographers get different fees based on usage too.

For example, if I purchase a stock image from Getty images, if the image is going to be used in a full page magazine ad, with national exposure, Getty will charge me (my client really, since I pass the cost along plus a small research fee) a higher fee than if it's for a half page ad. On a cover of a magazine, the price goes up too.

Now imagine if you get a call to work for Xerox.

You are asked to design a promotional logo.

You will not get the job if you come in at a low, low price. You would not be credible.

Plus, the bigger the assignment, the more work will be involved dealing with layers upon layers of edits during the approval process.

Keep in mind that there is an issue of trust. How can they trust that you are at the caliber they are looking for if you tell them the logo is going to $100. How can they trust that you will deliver a super logo? Their job is important to them, they expect to spend more so that you will give them ALL the time they need to do the job right.

Bottom line: Sliding scale means that you are paying attention to the needs, wants and demands of each assignment. And remember that there is a different value in work that is seen nationally versus work on a local level.

Slow Times

2009-02-04T17:51:00.002-05:00

Every now and then you will hit a slow patch... so what should you do?

What I do is 3 things:

1- Shake the bushes. This means I call my accounts and see if anything is happening. Don't think that just because they love you they will call you. On some occasions I've had clients say "you know, I think I might have something for you later this week." If I didn't call them, the assignment might have gone to someone else that was on their minds at that time.

2- Go online and get yourself listed on as many FREE graphic design sites that you can. That way, when someone does a search for a designer, you have a better shot of being found.

I don't register with "auction" sites where the cheapest designer gets the job. I can't compete with "Johnny" a student designer from India that will do a logo for $25. Besides, "Johnny" doesn't understand the US market so his logo is going to be inferior. The person buying the logo for $25 doesn't understand how important his logo is going to be. Penny wise and dollar foolish. I like to work with people who are serious about growing their business. I have one client, an entrepreneur who in the past 8 years has created and sold at least 3 business. Every odd year or so I get a call from him... logo, business cards, promo-material, web. He understands the need of professional marketing material. And it's paid off for him because when he sells his business, it's turn key.. right down to a fantastic logo.

3- Fine tune your web site. Just today I received feedback that the person viewing my site didn't catch on that I work on a sliding scale... so I changed the color of my text line to highlight that point even more.

Bottom line: when you are slow is the best time to invest in your future by marketing yourself.

Keeping Current

2009-01-30T12:04:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the delay of posting a new post on how to be a successful freelance graphic designer... but I had to complete my new web site.... http://www.digitalartist.com

One of the most important things that you can do is KEEP CURRENT. My last web site was 2 years old and it lacked many of my most recent work to date.

By creating a new site, I was able to:

Send out a news blast to all my accounts ( a good way to keep my name in front of them.. perhaps generate some new business).

Showcase my new work.

Take advantage of some new tricks in web design that I've learned over the past 2 years.

Take a look at your web site.

Does it show the wide range of work that you do?

Does it communicate how you tackle projects?

Is it flexible enough so you can add new samples of your work?

Is it fast loading?

Look at your site as though you are the prospective client: Are you communicating your work to the best of your abilities?

Bottom line... don't rest on your laurels... keep your site fresh and new to attract new business.

Health Insurance

2009-01-04T11:39:00.003-05:00

You need it.

Don't gamble.

There are a few ways of going about getting health insurance. Some freelancers that I know get "catastrophe" insurance. It's fairly cheap... and doesn't cover much of anything unless you have a BIG problem. For example if you end up in the hospital with something terribly wrong... after a certain amount of money is spent, your insurance kicks in.

If you join the Graphic Artists guild, you can get an insurance plan at a group rate. http://www.gag.org/benefits/health.php

Check out this site.. it has a section on health insurance and some other articles that you will find informative about the business of freelancing.

http://www.allfreelance.com

Bottom line: If you are freelancing now and don't have insurance get it now BEFORE you need it... and then it might be too late.

Define your market

2008-12-28T12:02:00.003-05:00

OK...

You've decided to become a freelancer. Now you have to define your market and what you will do.

As an artist, there are many areas that you can freelance in. As I mentioned in earlier blogs, the more areas that you can help people in (web, print, animation) the more you can earn. But you have to decide who your market is.

Is it the end user... the company that will print or post your work? Or will it be for "resellers" like ad agencies or graphic design studios?

Let's look at the end users, like the local business around the corner.

The positives of working for the end user are:

You can bill a fair and reasonable fee.

Treat them fair and they will need your services over and over.

The negative is that they are not professionals in our field, so some of their demands or requests could be unreasonable.

You will have to educate them about a wide range of subjects that have to do with the production of their assignment

You can freelance for graphic design or ad agencies.

The positives are that their sales team will bring in the work for you.

They are professionals so they know what they are asking for.

Their account people will do all the leg work for you.

The negative is you will have to bill them a lower price so that they can make a profit off your work.

I like to work with individuals AND graphic design companies.

Thinking about becoming a freelancer?

2008-12-10T15:11:00.006-05:00

Some of you designers out there might be wondering if you will have a job next year... or next week. So perhaps you are thinking "WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?"

Well, you have a marketable talent and skill, so you are probably thinking about going freelance.

OK.

For the next couple of blogs I'm going to discuss the Business of Freelance.

What to do and how to do it.

The first thing that you have to do is register your name or business. This is not a "I'll make a few bucks on the side" type of thing.

IF you are going to do it you will need to do it right.

You will get a tax ID number for your business. And you will need to collect sales tax from some of your clients.... we'll go into that later.

You will also have to get some kind of health insurance... we'll get into that later too.

You will have to get an accountant that will alert you to when your sales tax is due and take care of the tax forms.... or you can do that yourself. I don't. I like running my sales, which income was taxable and which as not, then getting a form to sign. Simple and easy.

There are several benefits of having your own freelance business:

1- You are not at the mercy of the company for your lively hood.

2- You can earn more money. (The first month I went freelance, I earned a lot more than I did as a salaried designer... and I was making good money, but I saw the potential to earn more)

3- You can take as many vacations as you want, when you want.

4- It's a great lifestyle... I loved being able to see my kids in their school shows during the day.

5- You can write off a portion of your house or apartment and lots of other things related to your business.

6- You can work your own hours... as long as you always meet your deadlines. My work day starts at 10am. I either sleep 'till 9 or I get up early and swim. Either way, after my coffee and newspaper, I'm ready to work at 10am. I will work in the evenings late, but that's my choice and my style.

There are some negatives too... I'll get to that later.

Losing money on a project but making money....

2008-12-08T18:15:00.005-05:00

I'm finishing up a web site and if you looked at the number of hours that it has taken me to create it you would say that I lost money on the project.

And you would be right.

I created the web site, the client loved it and then on my own time, before it was launched, I did it again.

Why?

Because I wasn't happy with the "back-end" coding of the web site. Sure it looked great. Sure it worked with all the browsers. But I wasn't happy with the coding. So I spent 4 days studying, got myself a tutor for one of those days. Hit the books, did some research online and then in one day, I completely re-created the site.

The site now loads faster, but other than that you wouldn't be able to tell that anything was done.

So again.... why would I invest all that time, money and energy to "fix" something that wasn't broken.

I'll tell you... because in the long run I will make money by being more efficient with this new, higher level of web design that I can now offer.

Bottom line: Keep honing your skills and give your clients more than they ask for. They will return over and over again and you will earn more. Being a successful freelancer means that you can't rest on your past skills... you have to keep up and ahead of the curve. Invest your time in learning new skills. It will pay off in the satisfaction department and on your bottom line.

Honing your skills

2008-12-04T20:42:00.003-05:00

To be a successful freelancer you must always be at the top of your game... honing your skills and getting better in all your graphic design programs.

Last year I learned that Adobe was dropping their web authoring program GoLive in favor of Dreamweaver. Adobe bought Macromedia for their popular Flash and Dreamweaver programs.

Knowing that GoLive was going to be a thing of the past, I went about learning Dreamweaver. The transition was not as seamless as many would expect. But after studying and practicing, I made the transition.

Now, I've already designed many websites with Dreamweaver, but Dreamweaver is a very deep program and I wanted to take my skills to the next level.

The reason I'm bringing this up is that the more I know how to do, the more profit I will make on a project by not "outsourcing" portions of my assignment to others.

Bottom line... keep as much of an assignment "in-house" as you can and don't rest with your skill levels. There's always something new to learn.

Grinders and Clients

2008-11-23T09:46:00.004-05:00

I had dinner last night with some good friends. At one point the discussion turned to business and specifically some of our dealings with clients.

My pal Carl who has years of experience with sales said to me "Rob, in this world we have grinders and we have clients".

Carl continued... "For a client we do anything they want... they respect what we do and they pay their bills without a complaint. Then we have the grinders. They are never happy with any quote, make changes and changes over and over again. Then they try to reduce the bill down even more."

I have clients that I will jump off a roof for. They pay their bills on time, and are reasonable with their demands.

I have run into a grinder or two (or three) on occasion and at the end of the day you can be real busy but not make any money trying to please folks like this.

What can you do when you run into a grinder?

This is what I do:

I deliver my project on time and on budget. But I remind my "grinder" if you give me a brief and I do the work, then you change the brief... it's a different assignment. There will be an additional fee.

Sometimes I lose the account.

But I suspect that the "grinders" are used to that. They go from person to person always trying to get more work done at a lower and lower cost.

What they don't realize is that if they had a good working relationship with a designer, they could SAVE money in the long run because sometimes elements can be picked up from previous assignments or they don't have to "re-invent" the wheel every time they have a new assignment.

To be a successful freelancer, sometimes you have to say no to an account if the amount of time you are spending on them is more than what they are paying.

Bottom line... work with your clients. Deliver more than what you promise and they will always come back to work with you. And if a client turns out to be a "grinder" run for the hills... they won't be happy and neither will you.

a $350 web site?... a rant

2008-11-17T20:53:00.003-05:00

I just got a call from a woman who wanted me to design a web site for her.

She's starting an online clothing company. Here's her brief:

500 photos of her products.

The photos all need "minor" retouching... remove backgrounds, clean up.

Needs a shopping cart.

Wants an e-mail to go to the shopper confirming the order.

E-mail to her with the specifics.

Budget:

$350

Now, I'm the first person to try to help someone out... especially if they are just starting out. But $350 doesn't even start to cover the retouching.

I've done large projects for clients at a discounted rate, because I know that when they have the budget, they let me know. Sometimes my clients will say... "hey Rob, throw another $500 on that project to cover that last job you did for us where we didn't have much money."

Now that's how I like to work... it doesn't matter how much I make on a single job with my clients, it's how much I earn over the year with them that counts.

Bottom line.. if you want to be a successful freelancer... be fair with your clients. They will be fair with you.

Generating new business- 2

2008-11-04T16:45:00.005-05:00

Use the power of the web to generate new business. There are many free sites that allow you to post your resume, bid for projects and sites designed for freelancers to promote their talents and portfolios.

Every day, I spend about 15 minutes posting ads on various sites.

Just this week, I got 2 assignments in. A post card mailing piece and a logo design. These two projects brought in a little over $1,000. Not bad for not leaving my home.

Most of the work I get now is through the internet. Years ago I knocked on doors and I still have some of those clients... but the bulk of my work now is through promoting through the web.

Another way of generating business is through the "Red Book of Advertising Agencies". Many agencies use freelancers to cover themselves when they are overloaded or if they think their people can't handle the assignment.

Go to the library to look at the Red Book of Advertising Agencies... it's a reference book. You can't take it out. So bring a pad and pencil or your laptop. Inside this reference book you will learn:

The agencies in your home town.

The name of the creative director and art directors.

The names of their accounts.

The address and phone numbers.

This is info is greatly important because if you have experience with package goods and they have a roster of package goods in your portfolio, then when you contact them you can play this up... Call the creative director up... "I've done work on similar accounts, Mr. Smith, can I come in and show you my portfolio this week?" The benefit of selling your serices to an agency is that they are professionals and will do all the "running around" for you... giving you the info and direction. They in turn will add a fee on top of your costs and sell it to the end user for a higher price.

Another way to generate business is to promote yourself to the end user... the company itself and not through the ad agency or graphic design studio. The benefit of doing it this way is that there are more companies out there that can use your help and you can come in a little less than "agency" prices and still make a reasonable profit. But be prepared to "hold hands" a lot because sometimes you will have to educate your client. Done properly, you will have a client that trust you and will be a client for life.

Bottom line... everyday you have to promote yourself... get on the web and to the library and do research.

Juggling assignments

2008-10-31T11:29:00.002-04:00

Over the past few days, I worked on a promotional post card, a home page for a tech company and a home page for a home improvement company, took care of my bills, and had a couple of conference calls on current and future (I hope) assignments.

To be a successful freelancer it's important to know how and when to juggle assignments. But more importantly you have to know when to say "NO" to an assignment.

I knew that my delivery dates for these 3 assignments are well spaced out, but they all needed to see something to get the ball rolling. If I run into an assignment that has a due date that would be difficult to hit because of my current assignments, I would turn it down.

Now don't get me wrong... I hate turning down work, but I would hate to miss a deadline even more. I don't mind working late at night or on the weekends... that's the life style of a freelancer, but as a successful freelancer you have to protect your reputation. Delivering an assignment late is one of the worst things you can do. Miss a date you will lose a client.

Bottom line: Don't take an assignment if you feel you can't juggle your workload to make the date it's due. You are not doing anyone any favors if you miss a deadline. Successful freelancers are on time all the time.

Generating new business. Part 1

2008-10-28T11:36:00.002-04:00

How do you get new business?

There are many strategies for getting new business... let's start with what I call the "sharpshooter".

You can design a fantastic mailing piece and mail it out to thousands of companies... this is what I call "buckshot". It means that you aim at your audience and hope a few hit the target.

I prefer the "sharpshooter" approach. By this, I mean I do a little research and send out a SMALL mailing to just a few people a week (via e-mail or snail mail). The beauty of doing a sharpshooter approach is that your letter to your target is very specific (because you did your homework.. you know you can help them and you can detail how and why).

And here's the most important thing about the sharpshooter approach... you can do extensive followup. Think about it, if you send out a mailing to 1,000 people, how are you going to follow up on them? But if you send out 2 or 3 a week, it's easy! Plus it's very personal.

Bottom line: Put together a mailing piece for print and e-blast. Research who you feel you can really help... and send it out... then Follow Up!

How to negotiate higher design fees

2008-10-25T15:35:00.002-04:00

In 1987 when I went into freelancing full time. I received as a gift a book called 'How to Negotiate Higher Design Fees".

Now I firmly believe that when you quote a price, you stick with it. But what happens when a client asks for more?

The answer is simple... re-negotiate your fee. It's fair and reasonable to do this and as long as you are up-front there will be no surprises or ill will.

To be a successful freelancer your job is made easier by return customers. Say goodbye to recurring customers if you take advantage of your client. But you don't want to be taken advantage of too.. so speak up.

I have found that my clients understand that if they are asking for more or if they have changed the scope of the project, that an adjustment of the costs is appropriate.

Bottom line: Be fair to yourself and your client. Get more if they ask for more.. but don't surprise your client.. work it out ahead of the time.

Playing games...

2008-10-24T14:22:00.003-04:00

I just finished a web e-blast. Started it yesterday, it was approved this morning. Now why did I deliver it so fast when other designers play the "time game"?

What's the "time game" you ask?

It's when you finish a job but you hold onto the job for a day or two before you show it to your client.

Now why would a designer do that?

Some designers (who work by the hour.. not me, I work on a project basis) hold the project to "fudge" the numbers so they can bill more.

Some designers want their clients to think that they have spent a lot of time "thinking about and designing" their project.

And some designers hold onto the job because they don't want their clients to expect that kind of service all the time.

WRONG.

If you're like me, you have lots of experience, you're very creative and you know what you are doing... be proud of the fact that you can create and deliver fast... it makes you more valuable.

It's like this joke I heard:

A repair man with 20 years experience is asked to fix a machine. He walks in, pulls out a hammer, stands there for 2 minutes, then hits the machine with the hammer. The machine immediately starts running. Then he hands the owner the bill for $1000. "What!!!!???" says the owner... 2 minutes, $1,000.. "I want an itemized bill" he says. The guy takes back the bill, scribbles on it and hands it back.

The owner reads it.

Hitting machine with hammer: $1.00

Knowing where to hit the machine with a hammer: $999.00

This guy was not billing by the hour.. he was billing what the project was worth... and his 20 years of experience is what the owner was buying. The owner was back in business!

As a successful freelancer you should be proud that you know what you are doing.. is it fair that someone who doesn't know what they are doing and spends a week doing the job would be paid more just because they are incompetent? You should be payed NOT for just for your time... but for your experience.

Also, who are they going to call again when they are in a real time crunch... you, the reliable freelancer or the person that takes forever?

Bottom line: Educate your clients that they are purchasing your knowledge and experience.. not just design... you will be more valuable to them and they will call you again and again.. making you too a successful freelancer.

Everything old is new again

2008-10-22T18:32:00.004-04:00

Many years ago when I stopped doing hand drawn comps and switched to the computer, I said good bye to pen, pencil, markers and drawing paper.

But I recently thought... there still must be a market for some hand drawn art.. like for story boards.

Now let's think about this for a moment... if there's still a small market for hand drawn art, and if you can grab a piece of that market, you can make more money!

That's what being a successful freelance artist is all about... opening up different areas to make money. If all I did was design logos, I wouldn't be doing as well as I am by doing all manner of print and web including Flash animations and banners.

Now, I will be the first to admit that after over 10 years of not drawing by hand, I've gotten a bit rusty... so every night now, I pick up my pencil and I start drawing. It might take me a year to get up to the level of art that my prospective clients will want... but it's worth the time.

I've done work for Coca-Cola, RC Cola and Pepsi Cola... and what I've learned is that some areas of the soft drink market are small niche markets... but if you can capture a big percentage of the small market... you can make a lot of money.

It's the same thing about drawing by hand... it's a small market, but if I can grab a big percentage of the tiny market, I can earn more money.

Look at calligraphers, when the computer came along, their business died. But for some clients, the computer wouldn't do... they want real hand lettering. The market for their business shrunk, but the top calligraphers are still making money because there's still a demand for their services on the high end. And because they are so good, that there aren't that many professionals around and because they are in demand, they can charge more!

Bottom line: Be flexible... offer a wide range of services (as long as you can do them at a top level) and you too can be a successful freelancer.

The lighter side of logo design

2008-10-21T11:42:00.004-04:00

Every now and then I run across stories where someone's logo or slogan "turns bad".

Case in point: in England, the Office of Government Commerce had a bold logo designed. "According to insiders, the graphic was already proudly etched on mouse-pads and pens before it was unveiled for employees who spotted the clanger within seconds"

The "clanger" was that when the logo was viewed vertically (like on the pens) it looked like a stylized man with an erection. www.telegraph.co.uk/news 1901756/OGC-unveils-new-logo-to-red-faces.html

My other favorite was when a school board handed out thousands of pencils to students with the following message embossed in big bold letters for kids: Don't Do Drugs!

Sounds harmless... but when the kids used their pencil sharpeners the message changed to "Do Drugs!"

I did a project for a major cereal brand...

They were offering one of those animated flip books.. you know the kind you flip the pages really fast and it looks like an animated cartoon.

They asked me what I thought of the name that they were giving to their free gift inside... they were going to call it a FLICKER BOOK.

I said to them... you are in for a BIG problem if you use that name. The letters LI when spaced together look like a letter U. You might have people thinking that you are offering for free a F_CKER BOOK!

Bottom line, look at your designs up, down and inside out... to be a successful freelancer you don't want your client or yourself associated with a public relations disaster.. it could FLICK you up.

Your client spent their budget with another designer... what now?

2008-10-20T16:14:00.008-04:00

Now my heart goes out to folks who say to me.. "I spent a lot of money on my logo (or brochure, or web site...), but I don't like it could you design one for me for a lot less than you usually charge?"

I feel really bad.

But I would feel worse spending lots of my time helping them out for pennies.

I don't mind working on a sliding scale and I don't mind throwing a freebie to a charitable cause... but I won't lower my price because someone spent their money with a poor designer.

These might be the same folks that asked for a quote from me and decided that it wasn't in their budget... but now to repair the work, they will be spending more money. It's sad, but if they went with me from the beginning it probably would have been less in the long run!

Your client can buy day old bread for less... but the next day it's moldy and they will have to buy more... or they could buy it fresh ( spend a bit more ) and it will last longer and will get eaten and enjoyed.

Tell your client that spending a little more at the beginning and getting a better product will save them money in the long run.

And one more thing.. if your client changes the scope of the project, you should re-negotiate your fee. I always inform my clients, when I give them a solid quote, that if they change the project brief, there could be an additional fee. I don't always charge them if it's simple, but if they do a 180 degree turn I have no problem getting a bit extra for the work because they weren't surprised. Remember, from my previous posts... no surprises.

Bottom line... you fee should be fair and reasonable... lowering it even more is not fair and reasonable for you.

Take the long view...

2008-10-17T18:05:00.006-04:00

I just finished a tough logo assignment: Over 25 logos for a client before they were happy with the perfect one... and I'm not charging a penny more.

Am I crazy?

Nope. Because as a successful freelancer you have to look at the long view. I've been doing business with this client for a while. They pay on time. They have reasonable budgets. I want them to be happy. If they are happy, they will call me again. If I'm a pain in the butt they won't.

I can hear you ask... "But what about the clients who are a pain to work with?"

You have to take a few things into consideration. How busy are you? If you're not busy, it's better to "grin and bear it" and earn the bucks.

If you are busy, then the next time you do an assignment, work out ahead of time exactly how much you will be billing if their project goes "over". Remember NO SURPRISES.

A fellow designer friend of mine said that he found that some clients are "grinders". They keep making small changes. But after a while you find that they have ground you down and eaten lots of your time... when you find your self working with a grinder, sometimes, even if you are slow, it's a good thing to charge more... even if there's a chance to lose the account.

Explain to them that it's "only fair" that you charge them more since they are demanding a lot of your time.

Bottom line: You can be working long hours and go out of business being busy with some clients. But if your client is a good client and you get caught in an assignment that runs longer then you expected.. go with the flow. I'm sure that in a years time you will do assignments for that client that take less time and so in the long view... it evens out.

Your client is happy, you're happy.

Let me rant for a moment

2008-10-16T12:36:00.002-04:00

I just was checking out, on-line, the resume of a fellow designer... yep, I'm checking out my competition.

Well, he's someone I don't have to worry about because he made 2 big mistakes!

The reason I'm discussing this is that if you want to be a successful freelance graphic designer like myself, you don't want to make the same mistakes this guy made.

Now to be fair, the guy is good... but I wouldn't hire him because I would leave his site in 1 minute after trying to read his resume.

What were his mistakes?

His first mistake is he posted his resume with white type on a black background. It's dramatic looking BUT HARD TO READ! It's a fact that light color lettering on a black background REDUCES readability. Sure I use white text against a dark background but NEVER for large blocks of copy.. it's to hard to read.

I wanted to read his resume, and I gave up real fast... what about prospective clients?

His second mistake was to post it as a jpg image and not editable html text. What this means is the search engines can't read his resume (less people will find him) and as a jpg image, his text was not as crisp and clear as it could have been as html type.

Bottom line: As a freelancer, you want your own work and your clients work to be noticed and read. Know who your audience is and make it easy for them to get your idea fast.

Getting more business

2008-10-15T16:02:00.003-04:00

Every now and then I "shake the bushes". This means that I try to generate more work when things are slow. The best way to generate more business is to call your existing accounts, talk to them and ask if there's anything you can help them with.

Sounds basic doesn't it. But you would be surprised to learn that many freelancers don't do this.

They feel that they have a great relationship with their clients and when they are needed they will be called. But that's not always the case. Your client might have a few freelancers on hand. If you catch them at the right moment, an assignment that might be added to another freelancer's project could be split up and part of it can go to you.

This is an easy way to increase your billing.... because your clients know and trust you and have no problem giving you the assignment... BUT THEY WERE NOT THINKING OF YOU.

So bottom line: Call your clients from time to time, tell them flat out that you are slow and was wondering if they had any assignments they could throw your way. You only have to get one YES and you are on your way to being more successful as a freelancer.

Your client has a "problem"

2008-10-14T18:43:00.004-04:00

Every now and then I get a client who says... "Rob... we've got a problem".

The first time I heard that my heart skipped a beat then I almost "tossed my cookies" right there on the floor.

"What's the matter?"

Well, my client went on to describe that he wanted some text changed and it was a big rush because his meeting was rescheduled and the problem was a timing issue. After my heart beat returned to normal I told my client that what he described was NOT a problem... a problem, I explained, is "if we printed 1000 brochures, and they are sitting in your office with the CEO of the company's name misspelled".

Now when I hear the word "problem", I see it as an opportunity to help my client. Remember, to be a successful freelancer, your goal is TO HELP YOUR CLIENT. And when you help them out you reinforce your relationship with them.

In earlier posts I indicated that you should always be fair with your clients so that they will get spoiled by you and not want to use anyone else. This is a win-win for everyone. Your clients get a straight deal and you get repeat business.

Bottom line: when you hear "problem" you are really hearing "an opportunity to help solidify your relationship and add to your bottom line".

Who do you want working on YOUR job?

2008-10-13T16:28:00.004-04:00

There are two freelance artists...

The first freelancer knows great design and fights for the "integrity" of the design.

The second freelancer knows great design but knows that some issues (like the shade of color or a logo a little larger) are not as important as the design SELLING the clients goods or services.

Now who do you want to work with? The "prima dona" or the guy that listens to you?

I can't tell you how much work I've gotten because I'm easy to work with.. keep that in mind. If you are a pain to deal with, why would a client want to work with you again?

Now I'm not saying that you have to bow to your client's every demand... they aren't designers that's why they are hiring you... but there are some issues that you shouldn't be "falling on your sword" about.

I just finished up an assignment. During the final stage, the client asked for a different font in the ad. "Sure... no problem". They wanted the logo a little larger.. "Sure." They wanted a different line break... "no problem".

Then they wanted a different font ADDED to the ad. This would have been 3 different fonts. "Nope" I said... your ad will look too busy and not as classy.

They said. "OK". Then we were done. Nice and easy.

By being accommodating on many other issues, my client realized that when I said "no" to a request, there was a strong reason not to do it.

If I said no, no, no, throughout the assignment, 2 things would have happened:

1-They wouldn't work with me again because I would be perceived as a pain in the butt to work with.

2-They wouldn't have listened to me on an important issue.

Bottom line: To be a successful freelancer, don't let your ego get in the way of delivering a wonderful purchasing experience for your clients.. or you won't get anymore business.

Adapt or die

2008-10-11T15:48:00.003-04:00

A long time ago in the advertising field, artists used T-Square, Triangle and charcoal to draw their comps. (A comp is short for "comprehensive"). When clients were shown what their ad would look like, before it was produced, it would be shown as a layout done in black and white with chisel pencils for lettering and charcoal.

Then colored pastels came along as the "tool of choice"... lot's of artists made the switch.

Then came markers.

There were some artists who didn't like drawing with markers, they liked the subtle looks they could achieve with pastels... they didn't make the switch and found themselves looking for a new job with old skills.

Who would have thought that tools that have been around for ages would go the way of the dinosaur.

Who would have thought that skills like hand lettering and figure drawing would not be needed to be a designer and that instead of clients taking a leap of faith when they saw a drawing of what their would look like, that today it's "what you see is what you get".

My point here is that you have to be on the lookout for new trends and not be caught up thinking that things will stay the same.

I called an associate of mine during the period of time that some of us were getting into the computer. "What are you up to" I asked.. "Selling car stereos" was his reply. I laughed. I thought he was joking. He wasn't. He didn't make the switch and found himself unemployed.

I used to have a machine called a Lucy. It's official name was Camera Lucidia. If a client gave me a photo of their product, I would place it in the machine and it would project the image onto my paper. It would cut down on the amount of time it took me to draw things and it allowed me to be more accurate and more profitable.

I couldn't give it away when the computer came along!

Also keep an eye out for new areas to increase your revenue stream. When I saw that people were cutting down on advertising and putting their money into the web, I started offering web design. When banner ads started to become popular... I added Flash to my "arsenal".

Read the business news, keep your ear to the ground. Keep an open mind to change. Adapt or die.

Earning more as a freelance graphic designer

2008-10-10T11:34:00.009-04:00

I know a very talented designer... but he has always had trouble making a decent living as a freelance graphic designer and here's why:

He only knows how to do one thing.

If a client wants a web site, he farms it out, then adds a mark up. If a client wants a Flash banner, he farms that out. Logo design, farms it out.

Now if he were super busy all the time, then it's a great way to make a living... don't do the work yourself and make money on other people's talents. Hey large agencies do that all the time. But you want to be a successful freelancer so you have to have many areas where you can make a profit.

But getting back to this freelancer that I know... he's NOT busy all the time. And instead of earning $5000 on a web site, he earns $500.

As a freelancer, you have to open up different revenue streams and to do that you should know how to design for the web, do animations, retouch photos, design logos, brochures, sales promotion material, and all sorts of other collateral material as well.

When a project comes in, I handle it ALL. This is a win-win for my clients and for me.

Here's why:

1- When they see my portfolio on line (www.digitalartist.com) they want ME to work on their project... not someone else.

2-I can offer a very competitive cost for doing the project for my clients because I don't pay anyone else to do the work for me (that I would then have to mark-up to cover the time I spend overseeing the project).

3-I can get a fair and reasonable fee for my work.

Bottom line... the more you can do for you and your client, the more successful you will be as a freelance graphic designer!

It's not about design...

2008-10-08T10:12:00.003-04:00

To be a successful freelance graphic designer you have to remember that it's not about "pretty pictures"... it's about helping someone with their "problem".

There are thousands of graphic designers out there that can do "pretty pictures" but that's not what it's about.

It's about selling their product or service.

It's about getting an ad to the magazine on time.

It's about making things SIMPLE for your client.

It's about educating them.

It's about becoming a member of their team.

It's about making them look good.

It's about helping them.

It's about SALES.

Rush job just came in.. due this afternoon... gotta run!

What makes a great logo design?

2008-10-07T15:10:00.000-04:00

Many times I'm asked... what do you think of my logo? More often than not, the logo I'm asked to critique has been designed poorly.

So let's take a moment and critique your logo. Answer yes or no to the following questions:

Does my logo work in black & white?

Does my logo reproduce well very small.

Does my logo convey a "feeling" or communicate what my company does?

Does my logo have the look of professionalism to it?

Does my logo give people a sense of trust in my company?

Does my logo reproduce well in a variety of mediums like on a t-shirt or embroidered on a hat?

Does my logo stand out from the crowd?

Well, if you answered NO to any of the above questions, it's time to look at your logo and either "take it to the next level" with a slight redesign or you might want to get a new logo.

I can hear you say.. "But Rob, I spent so much money on that old logo and I have so many printed pieces with my logo on it."

Sorry to hear that, but you might be losing business right now with that poor logo because people might not trust your company based on the image your old logo is giving them. A new logo can cost you less in the long run because of the benefits associated with a professionally designed logo.

Playing fair

2008-10-06T12:00:00.000-04:00

To be a successful freelancer, you have to be more than just a great designer. You have to put yourself in the other person's shoes and treat that person like you would want to be treated. To me that means NO surprises. Who want's to deal with the unexpected at the "11th hour".

If you promise that the job will be delivered on time... you are commiting professional suicide if you don't deliver on time.

Same is true with budgets. Unless the project brief has changed and you have alerted the client that there will be an additional fee, your project should be billed as agreed.

Which brings me to "word of mouth". This might sound surprising, but I rarely get business based on word of mouth. And here's why... my clients DON'T want me busy! The reason for this is when they are under the gun, they want me to be available to help them so they keep me as their secret weapon. It's like giving out the name of your favorite baby sitter... NOPE. You want your baby sitter available for only you.

But let me tell you this, and remember this well. If you screw up a job or are not treating your client fair, that's when "word of mouth" kicks in.

So... play fair. Quote a fair and reasonable price for your help and deliver on time all the time.

Making money as a freelancer

2008-10-01T15:19:00.000-04:00

7- Pricing your work: Be fair and reasonable.

Now as a freelancer, you have to take a few things into consideration when you are figuring out how much to charge. For example, I've seen logos range from $150 to $150,000 and a lot more.

Now if it's for a large company, if you told then a logo would be $150 they will run for the hills... who, in a large company is going to trust that you will design a great logo for them for only $150. What about Joe's Pizza? Charge them $1500 for a logo... they will run for the hills too.

Take into account who it's for and how your designs will be used. A local ad campaign is worth less to your client than a national campaign. And although the amount of time and effort are the same... you should be billing a higher fee for the larger usage.

8- Bill by the project and NOT by the hour.

If you bill by the hour and you are very creative and fast you will work a lot and GO OUT OF BUSINESS EVEN FASTER.

You should not be "punished" for being really good, efficient and FAST.

Ask yourself "how much is this worth?". If a logo is worth $1500 and you designed it in 1 hour, your client is not paying a fair and reasonable fee for your work if you bill them for an hour of your time. If you are like me, chances are you spent years training and lots of money setting up your freelance business. If the logo is worth $1500 to the client, bill $1500.

Every now and then you will get an assignment that is easy... let's take logo design again as an example. I designed a logo for Xerox. During the meeting I had it designed in my head. I went back to my studio and in 15 minutes it was done. Xerox didn't care how long it took... they were interested in the quality and what it was worth to them.

Now look at it another way... sometimes an assignment is hard... but if you bill by the hour you will lose a client, have trouble collecting money and get poor word of mouth.

For example Joe's Pizza wants a logo... you tell him $10 an hour ( not really.. it's just easier to do the math)... then it takes you 100 hours to do the logo (again... just and example). "Hey Joe.. here's your logo.. $1,000 please." NOPE! You are in for trouble. You are not billing what the project is worth to the client.

So when it comes to the question of how to charge a fair price for a project.. billing by the project is the best deal for you and your client.

So, bottom line.. bill a fair and reasonable fee for your work on a project based on what it's worth.

9- Work out your costs AHEAD of time and get 50% up front as a start fee.

Or if the project is very large, break it down into a payment schedule. If they complain about doing that.. TURN DOWN THE ASSIGNMENT. If you have trouble getting them to pay you a start fee, you will have a lot more trouble getting paid later.

To be a successful freelancer

2008-09-30T11:18:00.000-04:00

4- Know your strengths and weaknesses. You aren't helping your client and you're not helping your reputation if you deliver a project that's not up to snuff. It's great to stretch and grow, but not at the expense of not pleasing your client.

5- Enjoy what you are doing. Let's face it, getting a freelance career off the ground is going to take a lot of work. And when you are successful, you will be working late and on weekends. So you better like what you are doing or you won't be giving your full effort to succeeding as a freelancer.

6- Ask yourself the following questions:

Are you comfortable working alone?

Are you disciplined enough to deliver your project on time all the time?

Do you have a financial cushion to carry you over during lean times?

IF you said NO to any of the questions above, you should seriously consider putting off a freelance career ( or I like to say a freelance "life style" )

I'll be posting more thoughts about how to be a successful freelancer and some business tips later on.

How to succeed as a freelancer

2008-09-29T11:04:00.000-04:00

If you want to make it as a freelancer here are some helpful hints.

1- If you are fresh out of school DO NOT start our freelancing. Here's why:

You'll be cheating yourself out of making a lot of connections in the art/business world that will be valuable in the future.

It's important to understand what happens "on the other side of the desk". This means that when you do freelance, it's great to know how the person that is buying your services wants the process to go through. There were freelancers, who's work I was buying, that did things I didn't like. And I vowed not to do to MY clients what these freelancers were doing to me. Things like.. give me a quote, then charge me more when they delivered. Which brings me to my second hint:

2- If you quote a price, stick to it. Nobody likes surprises. It's fair to increase your price if your client changes the assignment. "I'd like an ad that sells this can of soup. Woops, we're not selling soup, we're selling a house instead". This is a different assignment so it's ok to re-negotiate your price.

3- Be open minded to your clients suggestions. Everyone has their own personal likes and dislikes They know their business better than you. If you are a pain to work with you won't be working with anyone. I did a great layout and my client said "I don't like brown". Well, brown was the PERFECT color to use. But remember, you want to make the client happy... so change the color. When you say yes to things that are of a "personal preference" of your client, it will make things easier for you to "fight" for something, design wise, that is important...

Big project just came in!!!

I'll post some more info on how to succeed as a freelancer later...

Here comes the Computer

2008-09-28T12:19:00.000-04:00

Who would have thought that techniques and tools that have been used by designers for hundreds of years (T-Square, triangle, ruling pens, brushes and paint) would become obsolete.

My friend Carl Levine of Creative Bubble was fond of asking me "when are you going to get a computer?" My answer was always "when the quality of a computer comp was the same or better than a hand drawn comp".

The year was 1991.

I had a client who showed me a "computer comp" when I delivered one of my hand drawn comps. "This is going to be easy to sell" he told me. I looked at the "computer comp" and saw that it was a composite of elements that were then copied on a color copier. The design was poor, the execution was worse but the key here was that my client thought "it would be easier to sell". The next day I asked my client how his meeting went and which design he sold. "Yours" he said.

I was happy about that, but I saw the writing on the wall... the computer was coming. But I still didn't see the quality that I was looking for... until I visited Combe Chemical. They make Grecian Formula and Odor Eaters.

I spoke to Dave Crockett ( a member of THE Crocket family as in Davey Crockett). HE told me they are doing all their comps on a computer. "Dave" I said.. "I've been hearing this bull about computer comps for a few months now and I've NEVER seen a computer comp as good as a hand drawn marker comp. Could you do me a favor, artist to artist, and show me what you're doing." He agreed.

I went to see him and although I was not impressed with what he was showing me... I saw in one small area of one of his comps the full potential of what could be created with the computer in my hands.

I called my wife and said "the computer is here.. I have to make the switch or we will be out of business in three years".

It cost me $32,000 to buy my first system and all the software. I bought a Mac Quadra computer with a CPU speed of 33 MHz, and $2,000 accelerator for it. Photoshop, Quark, Illustrator, Painter software. My Wacom tablet was about $1200. A scanner with transparency adapter ($1200 then... now I use a $90 scanner that is faster and much better) and a $10,000 printer that needed a $1300 service contract every year.

I showed my list to someone at Reader's Digest (they were switching to computer from hand drawing at that time too) and asked what they thought. "Great system.. how long have you been into computers?" she asked. "Starting now." I replied.

"If I was you I wouldn't buy all that stuff, I'd start with the computer and one program and then build from there."

I disagreed. My thought was to learn how ALL the programs and machines worked together. IT was like a pyramid. Learn a lot to start and it will be easier as I go along.

I hired a tutor and told him "this is my assignment... how do I do it?"

As so it began... 3 months later I told my accounts that I was no longer doing marker comps, all comps were going to be the computer.

My contemporaries that made the switch from hand to computer were still in business a year later. The ones that didn't were out of business.

Leaving a full time job to become a Freelance graphic designer

2008-09-27T12:41:00.000-04:00

In 1986 I decided to leave a well paying job as a senior graphic designer working for Marketing Corporation of America in Westport Ct, to go freelance.

I had no clients.

But I knew that there was a market for my skills as a comp artist because in addition to doing comps (that's short for "comprehensive"... a drawing of what an ad would look like) I was hiring people that would soon would be my competition.

In '86 computers were coming in but not for graphic design yet... comps were done by hand.

"Don't hire the freelancers" I was told. "We like your work better". Every time I would call a freelancer, they would either be busy, on vacation or if I was able to hire them, they made $350 a comp.

Each project they did was for at least 3 to 10 drawings. Due usually 2 or 3 days later. At work I usually did 5 comps a day. (the other artists at MCA were doing 3 a day).

You didn't have to be a rocket scientist to see that there was a lot of money to be made if you could draw, you were reliable and fast.

So my wife and I decided on a plan.. it was called the 3Bs. We would Build a workspace for me in our home. Have a Baby (under our medical coverage from the company). Then start the Business.

We finished building my workspace, had our third child and I was up for my annual review.

I told my wife that IF I got a really good raise, we would delay starting my freelance business.

During my review, my boss used the Freelance Artist Payments sheet that showed how much each of the freelancers we used were making each week, to reveal my benefits as he was talking to me. What was he thinking of?

Here I was looking at these artists making THOUSANDS of DOLLARS every week while my boss was trying to tell me about all the benefits the company was giving me... then he followed it with a stingy raise.

The following day I gave the company a months notice that I was leaving.

Then I started making calls to local Ad Agencies, Marketing Companies and Sales Promotion agencies.

Back then I found getting business to be SIMPLE because I could draw and these companies needed TOP artists to illustrate their ideas. I would call them up and say "I'm a comp artist.. I can draw people, animals, products and hand letter." If they needed a comp artist, and they usually did, I got to see them. When they saw my portfolio, I had a new client. My acceptance rate was almost 90%

Soon I was either busy, on vacation or getting paid $350 a drawing and getting 10 drawings or more a WEEK to do.

Next... seeing the writing on the wall... here comes the computer!