Just Creative Design

How To Get Clients Using LinkedIn

Chris Green from Freelance For Money has put together a short video clip showing how you can get clients from LinkedIn. I’ve humbly been “picked on” for the ego boost.

If you do not see the video below, click through to view it on YouTube.

Please do connect with me on LinkedIn, or if you do not have a profile, I recommend you to sign up now - not only is it a great way to network, show your experience and recommendations, it also helps you get your name at the top of search engine rankings - plus a lot more.

As for my advice, I say fill out your profile, build your network up and get recommendations - it’s really as simple as that.

Also, please feel free to join the Just Creative Design LinkedIn Group - a group for design discussion, advice & promotion.

Recommended LinkedIn Resources

• Ten Ways To Use LinkedIn To Find A Job
• LinkedIn Profile Extreme Makeover
• 100+ Smart Ways To Use LinkedIn
• LinkedIn Resources on AllTop

How has LinkedIn worked for you? Have you any more LinkedIn advice to share?

Great Business Tips for New Designers

This is a guest article written by Nicole White*. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Stepping out of college and into the world of design can be a big change for many with little real-world experience in the field. Learning how to deal with clients, manage projects, and find work can be challenge for the rookie designer, especially with freelance work. These basic business tips can help prevent major disasters and set the stage for future success in the field.

1. Always get a contract.

It isn’t uncommon to get hooked up with a friend of a family member and in these cases you may not feel it’s necessary to ask for or get a contract, after all, you know the person. This is where trouble can start. Always lay out what the expectations for the client are and your fees ahead of time so there can be no question later as to what the agreement was.

• 12 points to incude in your design contract
  
• Graphic design contracts & agreement forms
• How to write a killer contract
• How much to charge for design work?

2. Ask for a down payment.

Inevitably you will have clients who are reluctant to shell out for the work that you’ve done for them, offering a myriad of excuses. Getting half the money up front will ensure you’re not left penniless while trying to get what you’re owed and that the client won’t leave you hanging partway through. 25-50% is a fair amount.

3. Limit revisions.

As with any creative project, there are a limitless amount of revisions that can be made. Some clients will be very picky and involved in the process and want to see numerous revisions of an idea. While there’s not necessarily anything wrong with wanting the best, make sure you’re getting compensated for it by placing a limit on the number of revisions or charging if they go over a certain number.

4. Get organized.

It will be incredibly difficult to manage one project, let alone multiples, and your life to boot if you don’t get organized now. Set up places to file important paper, organize your email inbox and make sure you’ve got plenty of room to store all your client work.

• 35 Online Tools That Make Your Freelance Career Easier

5. Work your network.

Finding work can sometimes be the hardest part of working freelance. When you’re first starting out, try using your personal connections to find yourself some work. Ask family, friends, classmates and associates if they know anyone who could benefit from your services. Most of the time, this will turn up at least one lead and get you started working.

There is no guarantee of entrepreneurial success in any venture, but taking steps to plan for the future and better manage work today certainly won’t hurt even the most experienced designers and can be a great way to start a career for newbies. Start to market yourself.

Recommended Reading

• One Year Out Of Design School: 10 Valuable Lessons
• 16 Designer Job Descriptions
• 10 Things They Don’t Tell You In Design School
• Advice For Design Students
• How To Get Your First Job
• How Much Does A Graphic Designer Earn?
• 15 Signs You’re A Bad Graphic Designer
• Top 10 Design Questions from Students
• A First Hand Guide On How To Start Freelancing

Have you got any other great business tips to share?

*Nicole White can be found on her website Web Design Schools Guide where she writes about online web design degrees.

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.)

12 Design and Business Books I’ve Read & Recommend (Part 1)

In this two part series I outline some great design and business related books that I have read & highly recommend. I give a short insight of each book, along with suggestions on who it may be for and the official product description.

Find part two here.

How To Think Like A Great Graphic Designer

By Debbie Millman

This is a book for any designer that wants to get into the heads of the leading industry professionals. An entertaining & thought provoking look on the world of design via the use of interviews. One topic that comes up quite a bit is that of design consumerism.

Product Description:

In a series of illuminating and entertaining conversations, twenty-one of today’s most influential and revered designers discuss, celebrate, and analyze their craft. Adeptly interviewed by brand consultant and talk show host Debbie Millman, these designers reveal their early influences, day-to-day rituals, enthusiasms, aspirations, and failures. For pop-culture enthusiasts as well as long time designers, students and those just starting their careers, this book will prove an invaluable guide to the history, controversies, milestones, and everyday foibles of working, living, and thinking as a graphic designer. How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer includes interviews with:

Milton Glaser, Paula Scher, Peter Saville, Chip Kidd, Stefan Sagmeister, Michael Bierut, Carin Goldberg, Neville Brody, Emily Oberman & Bonnie Siegler, James Victore, John Maeda, Paul Sahre, Jessica Helfand, Seymour Chwast, Lucille Tenazas, Vaughan Oliver, Steff Geissbuhler, Stephen Doyle Abbott Miller, Massimo Vignelli

How To Be A Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul

By Adrian Shaughnessy

Anyone entering into the field of graphic design, either coming out of school or embarking on a career solo, should read this book. It doesn’t mess with what the best typefaces are, or any software tricks. Instead, it lets you in on how designers think, and how to be successful in your endeavors. A foreword written by Sagmeister himself, along with interviews with other “rock star” designers, make this book simply amazing. ~Ben Waxler

Product Description:

Designers are quick to tell us about their sources of inspiration, but they are much less willing to reveal such critical matters as how to find work, how much they charge, and what to do when a client rejects three weeks of work and refuses to pay the bill.

How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul addresses the concerns of young designers who want to earn a living by doing expressive and meaningful work, and who want to avoid becoming hired drones working on soulless projects.

Written by a designer for designers, it combines practical advice with philosophical guidance to help young professionals embark on their careers. How should designers manage the creative process? What’s the first step in the successful interpretation of a brief? How do you generate ideas when everything just seems blank? How to be a graphic designer offers clear, concise guidance for these questions, along with focused, no-nonsense strategies for setting up, running, and promoting a studio, finding work, and collaborating with clients.

The book also includes inspiring interviews with ten leading designers, including Rudy VanderLans (Emigre), John Warwicker (Tomato), Neville Brody (Research Studios), and Andy Cruz (House Industries). All told, How to be a graphic designer covers just about every aspect of the profession, and stands as an indispensable guide for any young designer.

How To Be A Rockstar Freelancer*

By Cyan & Collis Ta’eed

This book is for anyone that is wishing to be a great freelancer (not just a designer), either part or full time. It deals with everything from starting your business, finding your first clients, and even expansion. A must read for any freelancer in my opinion… it’s from the guys over at Envato. Ensure you have a notepad handy when you read it as you get many ideas while reading it! *Affiliate

Product Description:

This is a real nuts and bolts guide to building a career as a freelancer online, with subjects ranging from managing your budget and handling multiple clients to diversifying your interests. Written by Collis and Cyan Ta’eed of the FreelanceSwitch blog site, it won’t tell you how to make your millions but its practical, straightforward advice will give you a good start. ~Net Magazine

Graphic Design as a Second Language

By Bob Gill

This book is aimed mainly at students and teachers of design, and those that wish to improve their design solutions through a better design process. Gill shows us through simple methods, how one can redefine a “problem” to find a superior solution. A very quick and thought provoking read… many illustrations and not many words.

Product Description:

This publication is part of the Handson Graphics series - an exciting and unique collection exploring the work of respected and highly talented international designers. The books in this series are primarily aimed at students and teachers of design. However they also provide an invaluable resource for all those interested in graphic design. The content is international, collectable and accessible to all. Bob Gill’s Graphic Design as a Second Language is a practical and palatable educational resource, aimed at students of graphic design. It provides a comprehensive package of the fundamentals of design, offering an important insight into how to develop original work.

Losing My Virginity: Autobiography

By Sir Richard Branson

This book is for any entrepreneur that wants a look into one of the world’s most successful businessmen. Richard really lets it all go in this book, revealing his philosophy on business, branding and life. A great read for those that seek motivation in life and for those that want to see how he managed to succeed - it reads like a novel so it is a good book for the bedside table.

Product Description:

Losing My Virginity is the ultimate tale of personal and business survival from a man who combines the business prowess of Bill Gates and the promotional instincts of P. T. Barnum.

Logo Design Workbook: A Hands-On Guide

By Noreen Morioka, Terry Stone & Sean Adams

This is a must read for anyone that has to deal with logo designs on a regular or irregular basis. The book has many examples and case studies that help you become a better logo designer which is achieved by answering the question of “what makes a logo design work”. A very procise, easy to read and well laid out book.

Product Description:

Logo Design Workbook focuses on creating powerful logo designs and answers the question, “What makes a logo work?”

In the first half of this book, authors Sean Adams and Noreen Morioka walk readers step-by-step through the entire logo-development process. Topics include developing a concept that communicates the right message and is appropriate for both the client and the market; defining how the client’s long-term goals might affect the look and needs of the mark; choosing colors and typefaces; avoiding common mistakes; and deciphering why some logos are successful whereas others are not.

The second half of the book comprises in-depth case studies on logos designed for various industries. Each case study explores the design brief, the relationship with the client, the time frame, and the results.

Other Design Books:

• 30 Logo Design Books
• 30 Delightful Graphic Design Books

What design / business books have you read & recommend?

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?

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.

*Affiliate