Learn how to run your design business, work with clients, manage expectations, and handle your finances.
You’ve got a bad client. Make that a really bad client. They weren’t always that way, but things changed. You grew apart. You need to break up. But how do you do it?
You can gracefully end a client relationship. It might not be easy, but if you have thought about cutting ties with someone who contributes to your income, it is likely time to part ways.
Are you a happy designer? You can be. There are a few habits and tricks that all those grinning designers have in common. And you can do it too.
Working in a happy, healthy environment will help you be more efficient and maybe even a better designer as a whole. There’s nothing like dreading a day at the office to kill productivity and creativity. Try some of these ideas and turn that frown upside down!
One of the things people always ask me when they realize I’m a freelancer is “how do you know what to charge?” Honestly, I don’t always have the right answer. As any seasoned freelancer knows, estimated rates can sometimes be a game of chance with some jobs bringing in handsome sums while others end up as a loss. (You hope it all evens out in the end.)
So how do you actually charge clients? How do you know what a job is worth so that you are priced competitively and adequately for the work? That’s where the discussion of hourly versus project rates comes in. Here’s a guide to help you make the choice that is best for your business.
Have you ever wondered how most freelancers charge $250 for a logo design, while some others charge $2,500 for the same job? What’s their secret, really? Well, it’s all about the quality and experience. The better you know about the subject, the more you bring to the table, and the more you can charge.
So, the question is: Do you feel comfortable in the $250 bunch? Or would you be interested in doubling, tripling, or maybe even increasing your income by 10X? Then it’s time you start filling your brain with valuable knowledge.
Most people (especially our grandparents) used to say that you can’t buy knowledge and experience. Of course, that was the case a long time ago. But we live in the digital world. Today you can buy knowledge for a price as low as $0.99 cents. Don’t believe it? Just have a look at the courses below from Skillshare. And for a limited time, you can get three months of access to all these courses for just $0.99
Everywhere you look, there’s an ad for a different website building tool. These do-it-yourself options can be a quick and easy way to get a website online in no time, but they aren’t for every type of project.
Services such as Weebly, Squarespace and Wix (just to name a few) come with packaged website templates and tools that anyone can use to create a blog, online storefront, portfolio or any other type of website quickly and without having to hire a developer. There’s good reason these tools are growing in popularity, but they are not for everyone. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons today!
Be honest. Have you ever created something that was just bad? Now, have you ever designed something bad on purpose? It’s a strange concept, but one that we’re going to be exploring more today.
Sometimes designing something bad can actually yield a positive result. Not sure about that idea? Read on and you just might change your mind. (Then think about each example of a “bad design” and how you could fix it.)
Today’s story is personal. I woke up, got ready for work, sat down at my computer and then just couldn’t design everything. I mean nothing looked good. I was embarrassed to even call myself a designer.
The harder I tried, the less creative I felt. Was I a design failure? Was my career over? All these thoughts flooded my mind. And then… I just decided to do something else for a while. Some days, you aren’t going to feel creative. It’s going to happen. Here are a few ways to overcome that “designer’s block” and move on to other projects (and work) until you get your mind right.
One of the biggest questions for any design freelancer is “what should I charge?” The second question is “should I publish a price list for potential clients?”
The answer to the first question includes a lot of variables, and only you can determine what a fair market rate is for the quality and scope of work you do in the market where you do business. In terms of the second question, a price sheet can provide a starting point between freelancers and clients. Today, we’ll look at the pros and cons of publishing a price sheet so you can decide if that’s the right option for you!
It doesn’t get much more minimal than that classic Nike Swoosh. The design is simple, iconic and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone that doesn’t know what it stands for. The logo is the company.
And it’s so minimalistic. That same concept is trending again in logo design. Minimal logos are the “in” thing from brand marks to badges on website home pages. Whether you have a logo or not, there are plenty of great ways to incorporate this minimal logo style into your design work.
Are you ready to take your design projects to the next level? A great visual presence is the best way to make a first impression and grab hold of a user.
From web-based projects, to posters, or even packaging or billboard design, a great photograph is your best entry point. But where do you find high-quality images if you aren’t a great photographer? And how can you get them fast? What are the pros and cons of finding a commercial stock images vs. a free one? Let’s take a look…
So many of the skills that get you through a day on the job weren’t things you necessarily learned in the classroom. From working with other people, to tools, to listening to your gut, there are a lot of skills that you develop along the way.
Whether you came up through design school or are more of a self-taught designer, there are a lot of things you probably didn’t formally learn (but know and use every day). If you are still in school or thinking about going into a design-related field, you’re in luck because you can start thinking about these things now. It’s never too late to learn and expand your marketability. (As a bonus, this post is filled with every day projects from the Design Shack Gallery; go check them out.)
While one of the best parts of the job for a small business or freelancer is getting paid, one of the worst parts is the paperwork you have to do ahead of that payment. If you are still creating manual invoices, it might be time to look at a cloud-based system that can help you keep track of clients and streaming invoicing.
Invoicely is a powerful online invoicing tool that many small businesses can use for free. The software has been used to send more than 2 million invoices in the past 30 days. Today we’re going to take a look at how it works, and decide if it’s a good solution for your freelancing business!