Just Creative Design

Does being a starving graphic artist suck?

Does being a starving artist suck? Even if you are not starving, you should get yourself familiar with the books & resources of Jeremy Tuber, a designer & author based in Arizona, USA.

Jeremy and myself have been in contact via email & twitter in a very on and off fashion, though over the conversations we have had, I’ve found Jeremy’s pragmatic & practical knowledge in business to be quite profound and this is clearly shown throughout his books & resources.

About four months ago, Jeremy kindly sent me two of his books (Verbal Kung Fu For Freelancers and Being A Starving Graphic Artist Sucks) and over these last four months have found them very handy - below are two short reviews of these two books.

Verbal Kung Fu For Freelancers

Although I am not overly fussed by the design of the book itself, the information inside is invaluable and I have referred to it many a time. This book tells you how to talk and deal with your clients needs, but done in a very to the point way. It’s basically a ‘questions and answers’ book.

For example, pretend you have a client asking you to lower the price of your original quote. How would you respond? If you refer to the pricing section of the Verbal Kung Fu book, it would tell you exactly what to write and in some cases, it gives you two options to choose from.

Verbal Kung Fu For Freelancers is essentially about “how to talk to clients” and if you’re like me and the vast majority of your communication is done via email, you have all the time in the world to refer to this book to find out how to appropriately & effectively deal with your clients needs, without jeopardising your income or dignity.

I haven’t come across a book like this before and I highly recommend it. Its 166 pages are well categorised for easy referencing and is a ‘keep in your top draw’ kind of book. You also read what Steve from LogoFactory had to say about Jeremy’s books.

Being A Starving Graphic Artist Sucks

Being A Starving Graphic Artist Sucks (500 pages) is the second book I received and is much larger than the Verbal Kung Fu book. It’s a “complete resource” on how to be a successful freelancer.

It deals with such things as how to find clients & how to run your design business including thorough expert advice in areas that designers struggle in: pricing, marketing, negotiations, customer service and sales.

Although I didn’t read this book from front to back (I’ve already read similar books) it is clear that Jeremy knows how to run a design business and is certainly a book worth checking out. It really is a “complete resource”.

Discounts & Freebies

Readers of this blog can get 25% off any of Jeremy’s digital products OR get a free ebook when you purchase a printed book from Amazon.

You can click through to view all products & discounts.

Jeremy also offers free email support to any and all questions that you may have! How many authors offer that?

Free Giveaway

Update: 13/10/09 - Competition Closed

Congratulations to Jaz who will be receiving the prize pack below. Thank you to everyone else who entered - there are many questions here that will provide good ideas for posts in the future.

Jeremy has also been kind enough to donate a grand prize to one lucky winner. This will include the digital copies of:

• Being A Starving Graphic Artist Sucks
• Verbal Kung Fu For Freelancers
• Work Smarter, NOT Harder: Contracts & More

To win: simply let us know what area you find most troublesome when freelancing and a question you would like answered relating to that area. The winner will be announced in this post on Tuesday 13th October.

Good luck!

More book recommendations:

• 12 Design Books I’ve Read & Recommend
• Logo Lounge Volume 5 Book Review
• Logo Design Book Recommendations (+Video)
• Becoming A Successful Freelancer: The Unlimited Freelancer eBook Review

Pay The Creator

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

“Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.”
~ Alexander Hamilton

Getting paid the fair amount is something that a lot of creatives have to stand up for and in some cases, fight for. Doug Cloud, a friendly designer who I had the pleasure of meeting back in early 2008  (& later interviewed) recently left this comment on the article Why logo design does not cost $5.00?:

I always get emails from people wanting design work from me either for free or next to nothing. This is quite an insult, since I am a professional designer. Personally I think a lot of people really don’t understand what a graphic designer does, because what we produce isn’t a tangible object you can hold in your hands (like say groceries or a new HDTV) and so it’s easy to assume that it doesn’t have much value or that it’s easy to do. My hope is that people will read Jacob’s article and come away with a better understanding of the designing process and the people who make such designs.

A few hours later Eagle Imagery replied:

Doug C. Next time you get one of those, send them this.

The moral? Pay the creator what they deserve.

Update 23/08/09:

The Vendor Client Relationship Video (Thanks to Billie for the link.)

Online Project Management Review: Liquid Planner

In this guest article Kris Rowlands gives a non-paid review based on her first hand personal experiences of using the free (now requires membership) online project management software, Liquid Planner. Kris Rowlands is the author and creator of Fresh Focus…On Productivity. She discusses GTD, organisation and productivity tips for your daily life.

Being a designer can be a hectic line of work. Clients with deadlines, last minute projects, and huge projects that make you wonder how you will ever get it all done! But you know what? You don’t have to do it alone. I’d like to introduce you to an online project management system that will knock your socks off!

LiquidPlanner is online project management software designed to manage uncertainty in project schedules so all your projects will succeed—just what every business owner wants. Every feature has been designed with that goal, and the way you work, in mind.

Very similar to Microsoft Project, time lines can be viewed as a Gantt chart which is an excellent way to see, at a glance, the status on all your projects at once. With this view, you can clearly see where you will run into delivery issues and what areas you can move forward in order to meet your deadlines.

Task Management is definitely something that any designer needs. LiquidPlanner handles this with ease and finesse, with an attractive interface to boot! I know that myself, if what I’m working in isn’t attractive, I’m less likely to use it and become proficient with it. But with LiquidPlanner, it is indeed useful and good looking!

Intuitive workspace allows easy and efficient organization and prioritization of tasks to help you get things done and delivered on time.

• Two Distinct Task List Views. View, schedule, and update your work by project folder or prioritized tasklist. Switch between the two views with a single click.
• Drag-and-Drop Prioritization. Change the order of your scheduled tasks in a snap by dragging and dropping items as priorities shift. This is a great tools that allows you to use this service much as you’d use an application on your own computer.
• Global Priority Management. Set global priorities for your team or the entire organization.
• Easy Task Entry. Add up to 20 new tasks, complete with owners and work estimates, in seconds.
• Multi-level Organization. Create folders, subfolders, and sub-subfolders so you can view, filter, and zoom in on tasks at any level of detail, no matter how complex the project.
• Task to Project Conversion. Quickly add subtasks and new levels of organization to items in your project plan.

LiquidPlanner is also fluent at Project Collaboration, too! If you sub-contract your work out to other designers, LiquidPlanner will handle this with ease. All you do as send them an invitation via email, and allow them to view that project. They can then keep you updated on their progress without you having to constantly check in on them, which allows you to concentrate on your own tasks-at-hand!

Personalized Dashboards make priorities clear.

With LiquidPlanner, you finally get to see things your way. View what’s on your plate, what’s happening in the project space, and see critical alerts – all at a single glance.

• Action Items. See only the tasks assigned to you, in priority order, and jump directly to any of them in the project plan.
• Easy Updates. Mark progress and re-estimate tasks right from your dashboard, so you can get back to work in a snap.
• Workspace Activity Feed. View the latest updates, comments, alerts, and uploads to your items and to the entire project space.
• New Item Assignments. Comments or discussions on tasks assigned to you are surfaced front and center.
• Project Alerts. Readily see red flags, required updates, and other alerts. If any of them are yours, LiquidPlanner makes sure you know.
• Email Notifications. Get changes to your items emailed to you in real time (or daily or weekly).

LiquidPlanner can handle teams of any size. From the single designer to a Fortune 500 design firm, LiquidPlanner can handle it all. They handle both large clients and small, and give all of them the same excellent customer support. Check out the graphic to see the logos of some of their customers!

“The dynamics of our team are constantly in flux with contractors and remote employees contributing to various projects. Collaboration isn’t an option, it’s a necessity. LiquidPlanner has fundamentally transformed the way our team members assign tasks, build their schedules and communicate with one another in a truly seamless manner.”

- Mark Snow, IPexpert Training, Inc.

“Before LiquidPlanner, our teams found it difficult to manage project resources, balance the workload within our organization, and provide accurate work estimates. By allowing our teams to collaborate, share key information, and efficiently manage projects, LiquidPlanner keeps everyone knowledgeable and engaged.”

- Eric Bowers, Butterball Farms, Inc.

“We have to constantly be ahead of the curve in terms of planning in the competitive real estate market. We didn’t have the time, interest or need to master any kind of elaborate project management tool yet we definitely needed something more than Excel. With LiquidPlanner we were up to speed and on top of dates and deadlines in no time.”

- Ben Nordlander, Coldwell Banker Bain

I bet that you are thinking that you can’t afford this. What I’d like to do is make you a bet on that! You know why? You most certainly can!

For small designer firms less than four members, you get all of this functionality for free! Yes, you heard me correctly, for FREE! For larger ones, you can either choose the monthly or yearly payment option. LiquidPlanner aims to please, so if you don’t see a plan that fits what you need, contact them and I’m sure that they will work with you to reach your end goals.

Now I know that all the pictures look so nice and shiny that you may feel intimidated by them and you don’t think you’ll ever figure out how to use use it. But I promise that you will! LiquidPlanner offers FREE (yes, there is that “free” word again) virtual online training. This course is well-planned and succinct, and the trainers always stays online and devote time for questions that didn’t get answered during the session.

But as a disclaimer, let me say this: I do not work for LiquidPlanner. I came here to tell you about it because I am a satisfied customer. I am a single business owner and don’t have to pay a dime to use LiquidPlanner. And they don’t hold back features like other project management sites, either. You get all the features whether you are a paying client or not.

In the past I have had the opportunity to speak with them via email regarding questions I have had and they are always pleasant and get you the answers that you need. I have also taken the virtual training. I recommend LiquidPlanner not only based on the plethora of features available, but all the price and training that you can get to go along with it. You really cannot find anything like this for this price. Trust me, I’ve looked. It’s just not out there in the quality and value that you will get from LiquidPlanner. Try them out – you won’t be disappointed!

How much to charge for design work?

Often I get asked this question via email, facebook or twitter about how to price yourself as a designer. The usual phrase goes something along the lines of “how much should I charge for” …  web design, graphic design, logo design, etc.

In reply, I usually send them off to Freelance Switch’s pricing yourself section and / or refer them to my article on the fast, good, cheap pricing method however I have come across a few other valuable resources:

Danny Outlaw suggests to ask yourself 10 Questions when pricing yourself:

1. What services am I pricing?
2. How much does it cost me to run my business?
3. How much money do I want to make?
4. What is everyone else charging?
5. How bad do people want what I have?
6. How good am I at what I do?
7. How long have I been doing this?
8. Will I charge by the hour or by the project?
9. How much can my client afford?
10. What’s my business strategy?

Similarly, Jeff Fisher suggests some other questions to ask yourself, in his article How Much Should I Charge?

1. What is your experience in the field of graphic design or with a specific type of project?
2. What is the amount you are currently charging as a hourly/project rate for similar projects?
3. What do you feel the final project will be worth?
4. What are the exact project specifications the particular client has provided?
5. What is the estimated amount of time such a project will take for completion?
6. What are the methods to be used to execute the project?
7. What do you need to charge to cover your overhead cost and expenses on such a job?
8. How badly do you want the project?
9. What prices will the local geographic market will bear?
10. What are competitive rates in your local area for similar work?
11. How much is the client is willing to pay? (It doesn’t hurt to ask if they have a budget)
12. What are you providing the client in the way of rights to use the design for future purposes?
13. Is the client a for-profit or nonprofit entity, and do you price such work differently?

However, one must remember when doing so that there are certain realities that you will have to face -  Steven Vandelay outlines 12 realities of pricing your design services and below is the summary of them:

1. There’s no exact formula.
2. Both hourly pricing and project-based pricing have pros and cons.
3. Pricing is a necessary part of freelancing.
4. Mistakes are a part of the process.
5. Your prices will affect your own outlook on your services and it will also impact your client’s opinion of your services.
6. Uncertainty is common.
7. The variety of prices is as wide as the variety of talent levels.
8. Losing a job isn’t always a bad thing.
9. Pricing can be a good way to weed out the tire kickers.
10. Some potential clients will think your prices are high no matter what you charge.
11. Charging more than you quoted may be necessary.
12. Starting out you’ll probably have to charge less than you’d like.

So really, there is no magic formula? Sorry, no… but I did come across an article that came close…

Here, Josh provides four steps to effective design pricing:

1. Determine your hourly wage:
   (Expenses + Salary) ÷ Hours Worked Per Year = Hourly Wage
2. Develop base prices:
   (Hourly Wage x Estimated Time To Complete) x Complexity Level = Base Price
3. Develop prices for additional requirements:
   Assign a complexity level system and put them into the formula above.
4. Develop prices for outsourced work:
   (Quote From Contractor x 1.10) = Price

But always remember… there is no exact formula.

I would like to leave you with a point that Jeff Fisher made in his article How Much Should I Charge?

The major point I wish to convey here is that all designers need to work smarter in independently determining what their talent, skill and expertise are worth and charge the client accordingly – without question or apology. Being smart in determining what you should charge for your work will hopefully allow you to “work less, charge more” in the future.

Online resources (not linked above)

• Freelance Switch Rates Calculator
• Setting Your Rates: The Ultimate Guide
• How Much Do Designers Earn?
• 9 Factors to Consider When Determining Your Price
• 7 Tips on Quoting Freelance Projects

Books to help with pricing

• AIGA Professional Practices in Graphic Design
• Business and Legal Forms for Graphic Designers, by Tad Crawford and Eva Doman Bruck (with a CD of business form templates)
• Digital Design Business Practices: For Graphic Designers and Their Clients, by Liane Sebastian\
• Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing and Ethical Guidelines
• Graphic Designer’s Guide to Pricing, Estimating & Budgeting, by Theo Stephan Williams
• The Business of Graphic Design, by Ed Gold
• The Business Side of Creativity, by Cameron Foote
• The Creative Business Guide to Running a Graphic Design Business, by Cameron Foote
• The Graphic Designer’s Guide to Clients: How to Make Clients Happy and do Great Work, by Ellen Shapiro

So… how do you set your prices?

20% Off Unlimited Freelancer eBook

A few weeks back I let you guys know about an eBook that I was eagerly awaiting, that book was called the Unlimited Freelancer and soon after that I wrote a review of the book and got comments from the community about what they thought.

Well since then, due to it’s popularity and great feedback, the book has become a sponsor for Just Creative Design and now available to JCD readers only, you can get 20% off the book.

Click here to check out the book and use the code “JCDReaders” to claim your 20% discount. The discount is only avaialble to the first 30 buyers so Godspeed.

Becoming A Successful Freelancer: The Unlimited Freelancer eBook Review

Last week I wrote up a small post letting you know about a new eBook release I was eagerly awaiting… that book was the The Unlimited Freelancer written by Mason Hipp and James Chartrand.

Well, I have been lucky enough to get an advance copy to review on here for you guys so listen in if you wanna know how to become a successful freelancer / designer.

Overview

The book starts off with a short question to see if you are the right person for their book…

Would you like a life that lets you grow, enjoy more free time, do what you love every day, make more money, and build a valuable business?

If you said yes, then this book is for you.

Well, that pretty much got me sucked in - who wouldn’t want that? And if you already do have some of that, why wouldn’t you want more?

But in saying this, I am also pretty sceptical of eBooks, they all claim to be the answer to end all answers, but as I have been following Mason & James’ blogs for a while, I knew that I wouldn’t be disappointed.

Mason & James write in their usual crisp and polished style that I have come to expect on their blogs. The 200 page book is easy to understand, to the point and genuinely helpful with many practical tips. You can read the full list of topics on their sales page (which is also quite short and to the point).

I would, however, have to say that the book is probably geared a bit more towards freelancers who have had some experience in their trade, and with some knowledge of business. Another criticism would be that it doesn’t provide enough visual examples… the book is rather text heavy which I suppose works for some, but personally I prefer visuals.

But other than that, I would have to congratulate Mason and James on this truly resourceful book… If you’re a freelancer of any sort - (designer, journalist, blogger, etc) then this is a book worth checking out.

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How To Become A Successful Freelancer / Designer

It is not very often that I get excited about an eBook launch (if ever) but for some strange reason I can’t wait for this one to come out…

The book I am talking about is called The Unlimited Freelancer and it is written by two extremely experienced freelancers (Mason Hipp of Freelance Folder and James Chartand of Men With Pens).

Basically, the book is going to tell you how to grow to your full potential as a freelancer, whether you be a designer or an acrobat… ok maybe not an acrobat but you get the point.

I’m not going to say much more, but I can’t wait to read this book - all 200 pages! I’m mostly looking forward to the part about making more money and expanding your business.

I will be posting a review of this book when it is launched next week but in the mean time, you may want to check out the pre-launch page to see what it’s all about.

*Affiliate