Archive for the ‘Freelance’ Category
Monday, March 17th, 2008
Your customers will always ask you, why is that so expensive? That’s the moment when you need to defend and stand up for your design, your job and it’s quality.Our profession, many times, tends to be underestimated and some even say “it’s something anybody can do” and this is a grand mistake! When we talk about the price remember this:
Work quality: this is the single most important item of your work. Without high quality, you’re not going far.
Deadlines: this is what all customers love, as long as you have the design done by the time they wanted it. To help out with this one, I always try to have my designs ready 1-2 days before my deadline, you never know what can happen.
Image costs: when the customers cannot provide you with pictures, this is an additional price.
Development of the design: this includes the time it took you to make the design itself, the research, ect.
The design: every designer is different, I always give a printed copy to my customer before the deadline. I’m paid for doing a job, a design that will not longer be mine, but theirs.
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Thursday, March 13th, 2008
For anyone out there that has at least once been asked the question: But why so much money? I believe this is a very common thing that happens as a freelancer. It´s really important to get to know your product in order to stablish a fair price.
Note: Don’t lie, be 100% honest.
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Monday, March 3rd, 2008
I know that many graphic designers don’t like feedback, because customers can give both negative as well as possitive comments about a designer’s work. But it’s only a critic, it’s nothing personal.
If there’s something I always like to take my time explaining to my customer is the chosen color, a shape, an image, etc. Remember you’re the expert here, the one who should suggest to the customer what’s going to be the best for his/her project. I know there are picky customers, and they don’t know anything about designing. Breathe! Be patient and breathe!
I can tell you also that when the customer approves the draft, tell him/her that from this point on, you’ll take over the whole design. To avoid any “last minute changes.”
There will be other moments when the customer has a clearer vision or what he/she wants. Listen carefully, because you get good ideas out of this. Whatever happens, the customer is always right and he/she deserves to be listened!
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Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
A great link compilation from Web Usability Help, it’s going to be a great tool for both graphic and web designers. You’ll be able to find confederations, contests, freelance networks, color palettes, inspirational sites, port-folios, magazines, fonts, Tutorials, Photoshop brushes, etc.
Posted in Freelance, Graphic Design, Photoshop, Resources, Web Design | No Comments »
Monday, February 18th, 2008
One question posted by many that can have many different answers. It’s true that for this there is no ultimate truth, many countries have different rates.
What I could do for you would be to give you some hints of the points to take in consideration when taking this decision:
Your reputation as designer, we know that if many people have recommended you, the customer will be willing to pay a good amount of money for your design
Remind the customer this is a good investment, some might think you’re charging too much money for it. Remind your customer that this will give his/her company a global presentation, which is really important for international customers.
Take in consideration the time it took you to create the page, every customer is different and they all want something special and different
Stipulate the time it might take you to create the site, some customers are easier than others. Gas is very expensive, so keep in mind all the little things it took you for your design to happen.
Maintenance, maybe the most important thing, don’t be one of those designers that disappears after the design is completed.
Posted in Articles, Freelance, Web Design | No Comments »
Sunday, February 17th, 2008
It doesn’t matter if you’re a programmer, writer, etc. freelancer, this will help you all so you can generate great business contacts.Never leave your business card at home, you can leave home anything and meet a potential customer or you can even find somebody who can recommend you for a job.
Don’t be shy, I know that you’ve wondered why your neighbor is so successful as freelancer. When he is not as talented as you are. It’s most likely because he/she is not a timid person, and gives out his/her business card to every new contact. Sometimes even two cards, one for the contact, and one for the person who referred him/her in the first place.
Give a card to the right person. How many business cards did you give out at the last meeting you had? Or at the last course you had? Imagine the great amount of people you’ve lost as potential customers?
Use your cards for your personal benefit, but use them!
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Saturday, February 2nd, 2008
We cannot say “no” to all the things our clients say. Or we would be limiting, not to say killing, our designer careers. In this article you’ll learn how and why saying “yes” to your customers is good.
Would you tell me your prices or rates? yes
Even if some people take a long time before they give a price to their work, because they want to know first how much the client can offer or how much they can get out of him. The best advice I can give you is to give him/her a price right up front. Of course, you’ll need to be prepared for any type of adjustment, if you find it necessary. But always having quality as a prime basis for your prices, or if they were referred for any other customer.
Could you do have this ready in the next ________? Yes
If the client is giving a reasonable time frame say yes, always talk to your client before accepting. But only by having your work on time the first time around, you’ll have around 90% chances this customer will call you back next time. Just because now that customer knows that you know how to manage time. Trust me, bad publicity is transmitted with more ease than a good one. And this is precisely what we need to avoid.
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