www.bluevertigo.com.ar/bluevertigo.htm
http://www.pixelperfectdigital.com/free_stock_photos/
http://www.freephotosbank.com/
http://www.dreamstime.com/index.php
http://www.canstockphoto.com/?r=7163
http://www.bigstockphoto.com/?refid=dIijYDNsCh
http://www.creatingonline.com/stock_photos/
http://www.free-stockphotos.com/
| Neil’s Newbies is a Creative Latitude column devoted to those just starting to hang out their shingle. I’ll be focusing on business startup issues, finding clients, sales, promoting your practice and all the other nitty gritty must-dos that fall outside of the creative process.
Some editions will address questions from newbies. Others will be in the form of articles. So, email me with what’s on your mind, your questions or your concerns about starting up your creative enterprise. I’d do my best to get them answered. |
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| Article: Using market research for solid design solutions By Neil Tortorella |
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| Article: How and where to begin your marketing By Neil Tortorella |
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| Article: The Fine Art of Saying No By Neil Tortorella |
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| Article: Taming one of your most important marketing assets By Neil Tortorella |
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| Article: It’s time to check spec at the door By Neil Tortorella |
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| Article: How do you Rate? Figuring your real hourly rate. By Neil Tortorella |
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| Email query: The new business balancing act by Neil Tortorella |
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| Email query: Finding the right clients by Neil Tortorella |
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| Article: 5 tips for generating referrals by Neil Tortorella |
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| Email query: What’s in a name? “We’re looking for help with an explanation of what we do that makes sense to our audience.” by Neil Tortorella |
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| Article: Here now. There tomorrow. by Neil Tortorella |
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| Article: 10 tips to jump start your marketing by Neil Tortorella |
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| Monthly Self Promotion Article — 12 of 12: One girl’s journey by Holli Conger |
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| Article: Finding your Muse by Neil Tortorella |
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| Monthly Self Promotion Article — 10 & 11 of 12: One girl’s journey by Holli Conger |
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| Article: Doing your homework by Neil Tortorella |
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| Article: The question of confidence by Neil Tortorella |
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| Monthly Self Promotion Article — 9 of 12: March by Holli Conger |
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| Article: Expand your [marketing] horizons by Neil Tortorella |
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| Monthly Self Promotion Article — 8 of 12: It’s Paying Off by Holli Conger |
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| Article: The brouhaha of business budgeting by Neil Tortorella |
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| Monthly Self Promotion Article — 7 of 12: A Busy Year Ahead by Holli Conger |
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| Article: The problem with self promotion by Neil Tortorella |
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| Email query: Becoming a full-fledged ad agency |
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| Email query: Landing a design job without a design-specific education |
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| Monthly Self Promotion Article — 6 of 12: One girl’s journey to doing what she loves by Holli Conger |
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| Monthly Self Promotion Article — 5 of 12: One girl’s journey to doing What she loves by Holli Conger |
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| Article: The problem with spec work revisited by Neil Tortorella |
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| Monthly Self Promotion Article — 4 of 12: One girl’s journey to doing what she loves by Holli Conger |
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| Article: Making the leap into event planning graphics by Viki Anderson |
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| Monthly Self Promotion Article — 3 of 12: One girl’s journey to doing what she loves by Holli Conger |
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| Article: More on sales: The cycle of the sale by Neil Tortorella |
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| Monthly Self Promotion Article — 2 of 12: One girl’s journey to doing what she loves by Holli Conger |
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| Article: Grab yourself a ticket out of no brand’s land. by Neil Tortorella |
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| Monthly Self Promotion Article: One girl’s journey to doing what she loves by Holli Conger Creative Latitude invites you to indulge those voyeuristic tendencies you’ve been keeping in the closet. Join Holli Conger as she moves her practice focus from graphic design to illustration — cold turkey. Each month, Holli will be sharing her diary of the good, the bad, the triumphs and setbacks as she enters the world of illustration. Be sure to stop back each month to learn what’s working and what’s not. Odds are, you’ll even get some tips on whether cloth or disposables are best. Can somebody please pass the Similac®? |
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| Article: Sales planning for fun and profit — Or, How I built my practice by playing dialing for dollars |
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| Article: A capital defense Finding startup capital for your practice |
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| Email query: “I am in the early planning stages of starting my own web/graphic design firm. I am finding that developing a marketing strategy is one of the more difficult aspects of creating a successful business … |
| “I am in the early planning stages of starting my own web/graphic design firm. I am finding that developing a marketing strategy is one of the more difficult aspects of creating a successful business. I want clients that will enable me to be somewhat experimental and edgy with my design. Of course I don’t want to limit myself, so appealing to a broader market is necessary. What, in your opinion, is the key to developing a successful marketing strategy? Any insights you have will be appreciated.” |
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| Marketing involves the four “P”s: Product (service); Price; Place (distribution) and Promotion. For the purpose of this article, let’s focus mostly on the Product and Promotion aspects.A good starting point is doing a situation analysis. Where are you at now and where do you want to be? Who is your competition and what are they up to? What kind of rates are competitors charging? How broad is your marketing environment? Will you be working locally, regionally, nationally or maybe internationally? Who are the key players you want to target? What yanks their chain and is important to them? Are there enough potential clients for you make the dough you want?
Next, you’ll want to look at specialization. Are there particular industries that are a good fit with your type of work? For edgy and experimental, the music industry comes to mind. But, that’s a pretty localized market. Nashville, Memphis, LA and New York pop out. I live in an area where the bulk of the prospects are manufacturers. Look at what’s around you. Find what your strength are and what you enjoy doing. Also look at types of projects. Jeff Fisher, specializes in identity projects, for instance. I specialize in small business and nonprofit organizations. But, that’s not all we do. It is, however, what we promote. Next comes finding those folks who are going to let you do that work and pay you the big bucks for your efforts. There are several sources at your local library’s reference desk. I suggest starting off with the Index Guide To Advertisers and the Index Guide To Advertising Agencies (if you want to do work for agencies). These are also called the Red Books. They list a lot of information – contact names, phone numbers, type of projects broken down by percentage, budgets, etc. You can find them online as well at Some other sources are Thomas Register of Manufacturers, Million Dollar Directory, Standard & Poor’s Register of Corporations, the Encyclopedia of Associations. Ask the reference librarian to point you in the right direction. If you’ve got dough to spend, the List is a good source. You can find them at I’d recommend, over time, putting together a list of 300-400 qualified contacts, not just random company names. It’s important to remember that people buy from people and usually people they like. You’ve got to have a contact person to build a relationship. You can also try calling a company you want to work with and ask the operator who handles the purchase of graphic design and web stuff. Most are happy to give you a name. Some sort of contact manger is a good idea to keep everything tidy. ACT! is pretty good. You’ll want one that integrates a calendar, contact info, notes, letters, etc. These applications tie everything together so you’ll have a neat track record of all your touch points with each prospect. Okay, so now you’ve got a list. What are you going to do with it? This is where the strategy part come into play. A marketing strategy, in its broadest form, is about how you plan to best use the resources you have to reach your goals. This point could easily turn into a lengthy tome, so let’s par it down to refining your message and then finding the most effective methods to get your it in front of your prospects. Lofty goals are nice, but without some action plans, you probably won’t get too far. The trick with goals to write them down and then chop the big goal into smaller ones. Each sub-goal has a list of tasks you need to do to realize the goal. Pretty simple, eh? You’ll want to create many points of contact and have solid, doable action plans. Your points of contact can include, telephone calls (cold and warm), email, e-newsletter, postcard mailings, press releases, search engines and directory listings on the net, perhaps a brochure or other mailing piece, speaking engagements, awards, etc. One thing that works well for me is simply emailing a link to an article I think the prospect will find interesting. It helps to position me as a resource in their mind. Easy and cheap. I’d recommend you put together your planning based on quarterly activities, monthly and maybe even weekly. Stick them up on the wall where you’ll see them so you don’t forget. It’s easy to put this stuff off, especially when you get busy. Beware the “busy trap.” You’ll want to aggressively market your firm when you’re busy, so you’ll stay that way. The sales cycle for design can be 6-8 months or longer. That’s the time from first contact to getting a gig. If you’re not marketing in some fashion, when the well dries up, and it will at some point, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do. That is, if you can catch up at all. The mailings can be done, say, once each quarter along with a press release to relevant media about new clients, successful projects, awards you’ve won, volunteer projects, etc. You might want to check you ranking in the search engines once a month, along with sending out an e-newsletter. As for weekly, set aside a certain amount of time to make phone calls, write introduction letters and emails. Oh heck, live a little and maybe take a prospect or two out to lunch. Remember that it takes time. All this stuff has something of a synergistic effect and begins, slowly, to work together building awareness of your firm. Beyond this is branding your firm. That’s a load more than whipping up a nifty logo. Think about your brand promise. What do you consistently and effectively bring to the table? What makes you different? What can you do that the other guys and gals can’t? Branding is all about differentiation and consistency — your mark, colors, how you act, how you look, your customer service, the presentation and quality of your work, etc. Your brand is your reputation that lives in your prospect’s mind. A few short words on pricing. How will you price your services? Will you position your firm on the high end? After all, much of marketing is about perception. High fees are often perceived as high value. But, you might price yourself right out of the market, too. Take the time to calculate your rate(s) and then make a judgment where you can realistically be, given your marketing environment. Pulling this all together doesn’t happen overnight. Give yourself the time to do your homework and create a killer plan that positions you at the top of the heap. Because, when the day is done, it all comes down to planning your work and working your plan. |
Ditch the 9 to 5 and become a freelance master with our round-up of essential advice
Being a freelance designer is something that many of us dream of, with thoughts of telling your boss to shove it high on the list, closely followed by fantasies of working the hours you want to work.
Talk to anyone living the life, however, and you’ll discover that being a freelance designer is hard. Sure, there are plenty of benefits, but there are also a host of pressures that ensure you always have to stay top of your game.
With this in mind, we’ve scoured the deep, dark recesses of the internet, and found 60 unmissable articles to help you become a better freelance operator.
So whether you’re an experienced freelancer with a list of clients as long as your arm or a recently graduated designer setting out in the big wide world, we’re sure you’ll find something to interest you in our killer compendium of freelance links.
Going freelance
8 things you should know when starting your freelance business
How to start a freelance business today (tools for beginners)
6 steps to becoming a freelancer
8 common misconceptions about freelancers
17 tips for designers on starting a freelance business
10 Nos for freelancers
The good and bad of freelancing
Freelancing pros and cons
Why I hate freelance designing
15 benefits to working as a full time freelancer
15 drawbacks to working as a full time freelancer
Getting new business
10 essential steps to making the perfect pitch
How to stop scrambling for clients and get a steady stream of paying gigs
9 steps towards genuine & effective networking
The right and wrong ways to compete for jobs
How to make potential customers pick you over ‘the other guys’
The secret to landing clients nearly 100% of the time
10 ways to gain more design work by building trust and relationships
Getting clients: approaching the company
A guide on how freelancers can compete against large design studios
Marketing yourself
10 passive marketing opportunities for freelancers
15 guerilla marketing tips for freelancers
Solve the common marketing problems that bug most freelancers
Dealing with clients
How to increase the value of your design services for clients
8 strategies for successful relations with clients
What to do when the client is wrong
5 tricks that make you more attractive to clients
Negotiating with clients 101
10 types of bad clients and how to avoid them
3 smart moves to make after landing a new client
When and how to dump a client
10 things I hate about clients
Three sure-fire ways to receive a killer referral from your clients
How to get your clients to take you seriously
Client communication: the most important part of freelancing
Low maintenance freelancing: 4 ways to reduce client clutter and never pitch again
Se7en – the 7 deadly questions and their answers
Financial advice
Financial management tips for freelancers
8 sure-fire ways freelance designers can earn passive income
Increase your freelancing income by narrowing your focus
Budgeting for freelancers
5 ways to earn more than the average freelancer
Fast, good, cheap: pricing freelance work
The ‘hows’ of pricing your design work
7 tips on quoting freelance projects
Freelance contracts: the do’s and don’ts
10 rules for negotiating contracts
Time management
13 principles of effective time management for freelancers
Freelancers: Time to manage your time
5 ways to get more done by not doing
Freelance success
10 principles of successful freelancers
10 tips for becoming a freelancing powerhouse
Are these 5 mistakes holding you back from freelance success?
12 tricks for optimising your freelance career
10 keys to growth as a designer
The freelancers’ secret
8 simple tips for freelancers to keep focused
How to make yourself stand out as a freelancer
Less is more: 10 methods to be more productive, more profitable, and happier
How to effectively organize, manage and maintain your freelance design business
101 helpful tips and tricks for freelancers
via The ultimate collection of freelance design tips | Feature | Computer Arts magazine.
Insurance for Web and Graphic Designers
As a professional web or graphic designer you provide a specialized service. We understand the unique risks you face, which is why we offer customized insurance tailored to fit your specific needs.
Why Choose Hiscox?
Tailored coverage: We specialize in businesses like yours and tailor coverage to the risks in your field.
Passion for service: Knowledgeable agents provide exceptional service – 96% of people surveyed recommend us.
Coverage for contracts: Our general & professional liability coverages satisfy most standard contract insurance requirements.
Fast and simple: Online quotes or speak to a licensed agent – immediate coverage.
Confidence: Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. is ‘A’ rated (Excellent) by A.M. Best.
Learn more about the benefits of choosing Hiscox Insurance.
Customized Insurance for Web Designers
Professional liability insurance
Creative differences: Although it might not be your fault, a website you have designed may not live up to your client’s expectations or may not function properly. Having the proper insurance for web design will protect you against claims of negligence, even if you haven’t made a mistake.
Copyright infringement: We customize your coverage by automatically adding $200,000 of coverage for copyright infringement, since this is a common risk for graphic designers.
Learn more about professional liability insurance.
General liability insurance
Property damage: You’re visiting your clients’ office for a design meeting and you accidentally spill coffee on your client’s computer, damaging it beyond repair. General liability insurance will cover a claim that may arise, up to your limits of liability.
Learn more about general liability insurance.
Business owner insurance
Data loss: Web and graphic designers manage large amounts of digital media files on a daily basis. Loss or damage of these files by a computer virus or fire could result in a loss of income for your business if it could not function. Our standard business owners policy includes up to $10,000 of coverage to replace or restore your electronic data.
Learn more about business owner insurance.
via Web Design Insurance – Graphic Designer Insurance | Hiscox USA.
Cash Out on Graphic Design Licenses
By Doug Farrick
Learn how you can make great profits by licensing your graphic designs. Licensing is a fascinating and little-known area for exploiting the profit potential of your firms work (or work you would like to create).
As a graphic artist, you need to know how to license your graphic designs for big profits. As a graphic artist of unique work, you can sell the license for your graphic design to interested buyers. Graphic design customers use graphic designs for communications, marketing, multimedia projects, print publications, online publications and for inspiration.
Many Customers for Graphic Design
Business customers want images for advertising, promotional purposes and publishing. Examples of customers include publishers, website designers, marketing professionals, art directors, retailers, manufacturers and advertising agencies. Potential customers will buy graphic images in many formats to accommodate different personal needs for creative works, video, transfers, stencils, schools, community, office clipart and niche graphic design customers.
Register Image, Sell Image License
Each graphic design needs a title, brief description, keyword list and suitable categories. You can update your work to attract new customers and keep current customers. After the graphic work is done, you will need to register your work before you can begin marketing and promoting your work.
You can register your images with the copyright office and include information such as the image data, your name, title for the image, copyright owner, terms of transferring use of the image to another person and any other agreement information pertinent to licensing. You can sell license types related to how a customer can use or change your work.
You can offer royalty free graphics, rights managed files and amateur images. Royalty free rights can be sold for ongoing use and the sale is based on the image qualities, not the use of the work. The royalty free buyer may wish to extend a license to include the use of a graphic for a trademark or a logo, resale merchandise, sharing the image or use for a public work of art. Royalty free graphics are generally cheaper than rights managed works.
Graphic designers with a great reputation or excellent works that are difficult to re-create can have elevated prices. Prestigious and exclusive graphic works may involve a rights managed sale, which is for a one-time use or ongoing use that is determined on the purpose, placement of the image, how long the image is required, circulation and the size of the image.
Fill That Niche with Stock Work
You can sell your images for low prices at many stock graphic image sites or you can sell stock graphics from your own website. Stock images are convenient, inexpensive and offer variety for customers. You can fulfill a niche with your graphic design to attract targeted buyers. Look for a category that is underrepresented in stock galleries.
The trick to having successful stock work is display your work in large gallery with a searchable site. Users must be able to draw up images with different keyword approaches.
Micro-Payments
Selling stock images online is an option that can bring constant revenue built upon small payments from online customers. You could make more money selling hundreds of copies of an image at a small price than you could from the one buyer who wants one graphic. Selling your work at a small price gives all your customers the encouragement to buy more work from you. Your graphics will make a profit as your work and the websites attract more attention.
Membership Sites
Selling one image two-hundred and fifty times for a price of 50¢ will make a profit of $125. If numerous small payments are too much trouble, you could consider a one-time payment for entry into your membership site. A paid subscriber is allowed so many downloads a day based on their paid membership fee. You can use different websites to cater to the tastes of different clientele. You can make a collection of your graphic images and put them on a CD. This would work well for selling to target groups who visit your websites. Some graphic designers will offer some work for free to attract paying customers.
Customers will be attracted to a website with your graphics because of several reasons. It could be the size of image collection, types of graphics, fast search capabilities and an excellent category system. High quality images and a large volume of graphic images will bring in more potential customers.
When you know how to license your graphics for big profits, you will be able to create different streams of revenue with your work. You can sell copies of your work to customers who have a limited use of their copy based on your decision about the licenses for your work.
Resources:
Before Licensing (Creative Commons) – http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Before_Licensing
Licensing Course – http://www.licensingcourse.com/thecourse.shtml
International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association: http://www.licensing.org/index.cfm
Sell Your Pattern Designs – http://patternstock.com/
Greeting Card Licensing – http://tinyurl.com/2eu5lf
The Secretary of State provides several online services which relate to business services.
These services can all be selected from the list below.
New Service: Occupational License Tax Forms: Access Net Profits / Gross Receipts forms for taxing jurisdictions across Kentucky.
Business Database Services
Onestop Business Portal
Onestop Business Registration: File a Domestic Limited Liability Company, Domestic Corporation, Statement of Qualification and/or Certficiate of Limited Liability
Organization Search: Search by organization name or identification number
Name Availability Search: Check the availability of your chosen business name
Current Officer Search: Search for current officers by name
Founding Officer Search: Search for founding officers and directors by name
Registered Agent Search: Search for registered agents by name
Business Filings & Records Services
File Annual Report: File an annual report for a corporation, professional service corporation, or limited liability company
Assumed Name Renewal: File a renewal for an assumed name
Validate Certificate: Validate a certificate purchased and printed online
Prepaid Account Status: Determine the current status and account balance of an existing pre-paid account, including recent deposits and charges against the account.
Purchase Certificates: Purchase any available certificate for the organization
UCC Online Services
Make a UCC Filing Online: You can make most types of simple UCC-1 and UCC-3 filings here.
Uniform Commercial Code Index Search: Search for Uniform Commercial Code filings. KRS 355.9 (Revised Article 9), effective July 1, 2001, establishes the Secretary of State’s office as the central filing agency for liens against non-titled property.
Prepaid Account Status: Determine the current status and account balance of an existing pre-paid account, including recent deposits and charges against the account.
Trademarks/Service Marks Online Services
Kentucky Secretary of State Trademark Database: Search for those trademarks and service marks registered with the state of Kentucky.
Bulk Data
Bulk Data Service: This service allows authorized subscribers the ability to download bulk business and UCC records on file with the Secretary of State.
via Kentucky: Secretary of State – Online Business Services Overview.
Whether you’re starting a business from home or looking to move into a home office, it’s important not to overlook the fact that your business is still subject to license and permit laws.
Why? One of the main reasons any business owner is required to carry a license is so that revenue can be tracked for taxation purposes. Businesses that sell taxable goods or services also need a sales tax license or permit. Licenses and permits are also used to protect the public and are required in federally regulated industries (aviation, firearms, alcohol businesses, etc.).
Other industry licenses signify specific expertise. For example, if you run an in-home hair styling business, you’ll need the same professional license that you’d need if you had a main street salon.
Regulations vary based on industry and location, so it can be intimidating to know where to start.
Use the “Permit Me” Tool to Find Your License and Permit Requirements
To help business owners navigate the process, SBA.gov offers a useful tool called “Permit Me.” Simply enter your zip code and business type to view a list of the licenses or permits you’ll need, together with information and links to the application process.
General Home Business License and Permit Guidelines
In addition to the Permit Me tool, it’s helpful to know more about the general guidelines that apply to home business licensing and permit requirements. While not all of these will apply to every business, some will:
1. General Business Licenses – Your city or county government website can help you get one of these. Basically it’s an annual license or permit that legally entitles you to operate a business in that locality. Typically a small fee is associated with this paperwork.
2. Professional and Trade Licenses – State governments require certain businesses or industries to obtain professional/occupational licenses, such as a child care operation or real estate license. You can contact your state’s business license office – or check the website – for a complete list of occupations that require licensing.
3. Home Occupation Permit – Many city and county zoning and planning agencies require all home-based businesses to get a Home Occupation Permit. If a permit is not required in your city, the zoning office can tell you if your neighborhood is zoned for the home business activity you plan to conduct. If your area is not zoned for your type of business, you may need to file for a variance or conditional-use permit. This guide, Zoning Laws for Home-Based Businesses, has more information about zoning laws for home-based businesses.
4. Sales Tax Permit – If you intend to sell taxable goods or services (online or offline), you may be required to collect state and local sales taxes from your customers. If you sell your products in a state that charges a sales tax or levies a gross receipts or excise tax on businesses, you may have to apply for a tax permit or otherwise register with your state revenue agency. This blog also explains more about the process of getting a permit and collecting sales tax: Sales Tax 101 for Small Business Owners and Online Retailers.
5. Health and Safety Permits – Depending on your location and industry, you may need either a permit or an inspection from your local fire department, especially if your business requires the use of flammable materials or will likely involve the assembly of several people in one location, such as a child care business.
Air and water pollution by businesses is also monitored in some communities. You can check with your state environmental protection agency to see if these regulations are applicable. Health Department permits are typically issued by your county government, pending an inspection of the business premises, if you plan to sell food to the public or to other businesses. Additional permits may be required for food service or food preparation depending on your state.
6. Sign Permits – Some cities and towns have sign ordinances in effect that restrict the type, size, or location of signs placed on your property. Check with local authorities.
7. Construction Permits – If you need to make structural changes to your property to accommodate your in-home business, environmental and building permits may be required for construction. It’s a good idea to check your local government’s building and planning department before undertaking any construction.
8. Check with Your Home Owner’s Association (HOA) – While your local HOA won’t specify particular licenses or permits, if you do live in a planned residential neighborhood or complex, the HOA can restrict the type of business activities you conduct in your home. Read “Can a Homeowners’ Association Ban Your Home-Based Business?” for the lowdown on the law and your rights.
At the start of a project, it is important to know what to ask graphic design clients to gather as much information as possible. This will often occur before you have landed the job, as it is necessary to have a meeting to help determine the cost and timeframe of the project. Once you have answered some or all of the research questions below, you can provide an accurate estimate in your proposal, as well as have a solid understanding of what the client is looking for.
Who is the target audience?
Find out who you are designing for. This will have a great impact on the style, content and message of the project. For example, a postcard aimed at new customers will be completely different from one aimed at existing customers. Some variables that can impact design include:
Internal (i.e. employees of the company) or external customers
Age
Geographic location
Gender
Depending on the project, factors like economic status and religion may also come into play.
What is the message?
Find out what message your client is trying to get across to the target audience. The overall message can be something as simple as thanking customers or announcing a new product. Once that is established, go beyond it to find out the “mood” of the piece. Is it excitement? Sadness? Compassion? Gather some keywords that will help with the overall style of your design. If you are in a meeting with a group of people, consider asking each person to come up with a few words that they think describe the mood of the message, and brainstorm from there.
What are the specs of the project?
The client may already have an idea of specifications for a design, which is helpful for determining the time involved in the project, and therefore the cost. For example, a 12-page brochure will take much longer than a 4-page foldout. If the client doesn’t know exactly what they are looking for, now is the time to make some recommendations and to try to finalize these specs. The amount of content to present, budget, and final use of the design may all affect these decisions. Determine:
Dimensions
Number of pages
Black and white vs. 2-color vs. 4-color printing
Paper stock
Size of print run (the number of pieces to print)
What is the budget?
In many cases, the client will not know or disclose their budget for a project. They may either have no idea what a design should cost, or they may want you to say a number first. Regardless, it is usually a good idea to ask. If a client has a specific budget in mind and tells you, it can help to determine the scope of the project and your final cost. This is not to say you should do the project for whatever the client says they can pay. Instead, you may alter some parameters (such as timeframe or the amount of design options you provide) to fit within the budget.
Whether they reveal a budget or not, it is ok to say you need to review the project and will get back to them with a quote. You don’t want to throw out a number that will have to change once you’ve had more time to think about it. Sometimes, the client budget will be much lower than you were expecting for a project, and then it is up to you if you want to take the work below your costs for the experience or your portfolio. In the end, you should be comfortable with what you are making for the amount of work, and it should be fair to the client.
Is there a specific deadline?
Find out if the project needs to be done by a specific date. The job may coincide with a product launch, or another important milestone, for your client. If there is not a deadline, you will want to create a timeframe for completing the project and present it to the client. This, much like your estimate, can be done after the meeting. If there is a deadline and you feel it is not reasonable, it is not uncommon to charge a rush-fee to finish it in time. All of these variables should be discussed prior to the start of the work, so everyone involved is on the same page and there are no surprises.
Can the client provide creative direction?
Whenever possible, it is helpful to get at least a little creative direction from the client. Of course, you will be creativing something new and unique for them, but some ideas will help you get started. Ask if there are any designs, design elements or other cues they can give you, such as:
Colors
Fonts
Works of art
Other designs
Websites
It is also important to find out if there is an existing brand that you need to match. The client may have a color scheme, typefaces, logos or other elements that need to be incorporated into your design. Larger clients will often have a style sheet you can follow, while others may just show you some existing designs.
Collecting this information, and any other ideas, from your potential clients will help the working relationship and design process go smoothly. Be sure to take detailed notes when asking these questions, and include as much information as possible in your proposal.
via What to Ask Graphic Design Clients – What to Ask Graphic Design Clients in Meetings.
The elements of graphic design are used, and often combined, to create graphic works. They should not be confused with principles of design, such as balance and white space, but rather components such as color, type and images. Presented here is a list of the most commonly used elements in graphic design.
Shapes
From ancient pictographs to modern logos, shapes are at the root of design. They are used to establish layouts, create patterns, and build countless elements on the page. With graphics software such as Illustrator, creating and manipulating shapes is easier than ever, giving designers the freedom to create them at will.
Using Shapes in Graphic Design
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Lines
Lines are used to divide space, direct the eye, and create forms. At the most basic level, straight lines are found in layouts to separate content, such as in magazine, newspaper, and website designs. This can of course go much further, with curved, dotted, and zigzag lines used as the defining elements on a page and as the basis for illustrations and graphics. Often, lines will be implied, meaning other elements of design will follow the path of line, such as type on a curve.
The Grid System
Creating Wireframes
Color
Color is an interesting element of graphic design because it can be applied to any other element, changing it dramatically. It can be used to make an image stand out, to show linked text on a website, and to evoke emotion. Graphic designers should combine their experience with color with an understanding of color theory.
Color Models: CMYK
Color Models: RGB
The Properties of Color
Using Color Swatch Books
Color Separation
Type
Type, of course, is all around us. In graphic design, the goal is to not to just place some text on a page, but rather to understand and use it effectively for communication. Choice of fonts (typefaces), size, alignment, color, and spacing all come into play. Type can be taken further by using it to create shapes and images.
Type Families
Typography Terminolgy
Letter Anatomy
Top Font Picks
Art, Illustration & Photography
A powerful image can make or break a design. Photographs, illustrations and artwork are used to tell stories, support ideas, and grab the audience’s attention, so the selection is important. Graphic designers can create this work on their own, commission an artist or photographer, or purchase it at all price levels on many websites.
Where to find Photography
Where to find Illustrations
iStock Photo
Shutterstock
Veer
Texture
Texture can refer to the actual surface of a design or to the visual appearance of a design. In the first case, the audience can actually feel the texture, making it unique from the other elements of design. Selection of paper and materials in package design can affect actual texture. In the second case, texture is implied through the style of design. Rich, layered graphics can create visual texture that mirrors actual texture.
via The Elements of Design – Using the Elements of Design in Graphic Design.
graphic design
A good graphic design process is structured around ensuring the client gets the highest quality solution and service appropriate to their business, marketing or communication problem. There are four main steps involved between client and designer.
1. Briefing
The briefing stage may consist of either or both of the following:
Initial informal discussions between you, the client, and your designer – covering project objectives, timing and budget.
Formal meetings to discuss your project in detail and clarify any technical issues including budget, timetable and corporate identity guidelines.
2. Design
The designer reviews the brief, background material and identity standards to ensure understanding of the project context and your corporate requirements.
The designer develops the draft concepts and preliminary designs and selects the most appropriate options for further development.
The designer presents visual solutions and explains design decisions.
Together you will evaluate the visual presentation against the brief.
Following your review and feedback, the designer amends the material as required and, if necessary, presents you with new design(s).
3. Artwork
Your designer prepares the artwork files and provides a proof (email or hardcopy).
You either approve the artwork by signing the proof, or mark-up changes you’d like to make.
A further proof is provided if required.
Any “author’s corrections” (client requested changes to content already provided which may include additional charges: these should be detailed in any quote conditions provided with your initial quote).
4. Production
The designer forwards the artwork to a commercial printer.
The designer views the printer’s proof and passes the proof on to the client for approval.
In some cases, the designer can conduct a “press check” of the printed sample while the job is running on the printing press.
via What is the graphic design process? | David Airey, graphic designer.
