The difference between discounting your services for Client A and charging Client B full price is one of positioning and communication. Both of these are value propositions.
A mark up, also known as percentage over cost, is one way you can increase your freelance revenue. Marking up is a common business practice,
Creativity requires action and effort to actually make something. We can mull over our ideas all we want, but to make a difference, at some point
I was asked about how to deal with unusual requests. Once someone finds out you are a designer, writer, photographer… any type of creative, you
Freelancing is on the rise. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the freelance (contract, temp worker and freelancer — in all industries) economy has a healthy
Many businesses are going through a reset right now, and creative freelance business owners are no different. As we emerge from a state of lockdown
A significant percentage of my clients are non-profit enterprises. I have had many opportunities to design campaign materials, annual reports, and graphic assets for non-profit
If you know me well, you know that baseball is my favorite sport, and I often employ baseball analogies to explain concepts to students and
As the owner of an independent creative business, you are responsible for absolutely everything creatively and managerially. The whole thing’s sitting on your shoulders, and
If you’re an independent creative professional, you probably already have a website showcasing your amazing portfolio. Portfolios are a necessary component of any freelancer’s website,
There ‘s a book in my library titled, 101 Things to Learn in Art School by Kit White. It’s full of truths that every designer
From time to time I’ll fire off an email to a client during the late evening or early morning hours. Occasionally, an immediate response comes back
Ownership is simply the idea that something belongs to someone. In the case of your freelance business, you own it. It belongs to you. You
During a downhill event at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, a contestant wiped out against the fence because she lost her footing on a turn.
Listening is related to empathy. Empathy is valuing another’s experience, and keeps the designer from creating something that is self-expressive.
Q: As a freelancer, is it worth having business listings like Yelp and YP? A: It depends upon what directories you choose and why you choose
When I first learned about the power of change orders it changed everything in my workflow. When I implemented the practice, I actually began looking
How many people set goals and never achieve them? How many creatives start a business and then watch it fizzle out Are you someone who,
Being effective involves doing the right thing at the right time in the right place.
Being a designer is perceived by many as a fun job. Designers get to work with colors, shapes and amazing computer programs and be creative
One of the benefits of freelancing is: You get to decide for yourself what you will accomplish in any given year. You’re able to set
How do you know if you should quit or not? Sometimes quitting is in fact, the wise and right option. Freelancing isn’t easy. It takes courage and tenacity to push through. It starts out being fun, like a great adventure, especially when you land your first couple of clients and get paid for the projects. But when obstacles and opposition show up, what will you choose?
Working with clients can be likened to a downhill race: The designer moves along in her process and picks up momentum as she heads toward the finish line, and all
When you’re in business for yourself and you are regularly seeking new clients and projects, you will come across all types of prospects in your