As designers (Or blog users) we thank the lot of site that offers us the Internet for our help. You can find addons for your programs, elements for design, varied applications and so many things that make our work easier.

In WebDesignDev published an interesting recompilation with 1000 resources for designers (That will be useful for who don’t design too). It includes sites to search for icons, how to, scripts, online apps of all kind, plugins for Wordpress, articles, programs and templates for our blogs.

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Hongkiat published in a compilation with the best online tools for working with colors quietly. Some are known by all secure, such as Adobe Kuler, Color Lovers Color Scheme, but there is another variety of insurance that will surprise and may be of much help in an upcoming project.

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On the site FreelanceWitch published a series of nine steps to create a successful portfolio in which to display your work in a proper manner.

1 – Answer the question: How well our site responded to the potential customer?
2 – to focus on simplicity: Unlike other sites that there is no clutter of information. Just give the data to answer the previous question, so simple.
3 – Optimize the page “about”: A portfolio is much more important than in a blog. The client comes to know who is waiting for the author, who has studios, which handles tools, etc..
4 – Provides clear means of contact: The ideal is to create a unique page just to inform the media that the customer has to contact us.
5 – Create page “Agreement”: An ideal way to locate what you can do for the customer and perhaps half to send a message.
6 – Show only what you sell: There’s portfolio shows several but only want to work in one style. This is a common mistake, just shows what you want to hire you.
7 – Say what you want to hear: No lie obviously true stories that have it, you did, they went to a customer, etc..
8 – Build traffic to convert it to potential clients: Get traffic, cause a good impression in the field and that will be transformed into more customers.
9 – Some SEO: As always, the SEO helps.

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When we design, all our creations do not arrive where they should go. Sometimes they are in our hard drive, sometimes we erase them, or we implemented in another project, and sometimes we sell them. It is important to cheer up and sell our designs. No matter if you like your design or not, maybe someone will be looking for it. And you need to know where to sell them.

In Mashable they created a list of 40 sites where you can sell your designs. It is useful to know all the options and to know know how they work. So when we sell our creations, we know where to go and if the site is trustable or not.

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We have already mentioned the importance of the business cards, mainly for those freelance designers. We already know that this simple piece is the key for the success, and it can give you a more professional image in front of your potential customers… Definitively, it is better: “Please take a note, my telephone number is…”

That’s why we always need to remember its importance.

Just remember:

Don’t do it at home: This goes more for the clients tan for the designers, since you are a freelancer you will design it a home. But please do not print them at home, take them to the press.

Make your own Logo: If you don’t have any idea for a Logo, don’t use a clip art. It’s much better to design a card without a Logo, or play with the initials of the person.

Place your name in the middle of the card: The most important element in your business card is your name. Place it where everyone can see it. In a way that it can stand out of the rest of the elements; but please, don’t exaggerate.

Forget about your beeper: Is it really necessary to show your beeper number if you already provide your cell phone number? Keep the card with just your relevant information.

If some of your info change, throw it away: I know several cases about scratching the information rather to create a business card. Believe me, this is less professional.

Keep your business card simple: Sometimes is better just to put your telephone number and you email address, but if you have a website place the URL in there. There are beautiful cards that don’t have the physical address on it, if you think that you have info that is not necessarily, erase it.

Use both sides of the business card: If it necessary to write down all the services that you provide, use both sides of the business card.

Use the white color: White color on business card represents that… business.

You’ll never leave your house without your business card: What else can I say about it?

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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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Note: Don’t lie, be 100% honest.

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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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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.

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