Category: Business
-
You don’t have to be as good as everyone else
Renowned writer and creator Neil Gaiman explains how to get new business. Freelancers attract new business “…because their work is good, and because they’re easy to get along with, and because they deliver the work on time. And you don’t even need all three. Two out of three is fine. “People will tolerate how unpleasant…
-
Ethics in design, and who you won’t work with
I asked a question on Twitter about ethics in design, and the stance designers take when it comes to working with clients. Miles Newlyn, for example, mentioned that he won’t work with zoos or companies involved in warfare. Here are some responses from Twitter. Via Thinkstock. “I stay away from anything I don’t fully understand…
-
The design company is not the only place to be a designer
Mike Dempsey: “Younger designers [are] getting into a very overcrowded business, and increasingly so. Do you have any thoughts?” Michael Wolff: “I do actually. The main thought I have is don’t think a design company is where a designer should necessarily be, because if you’re interested in creativity and you are creative and you can…
-
Thoughts on the designer / client relationship
“If I go to see the doctor, I accept that the doctor has trained, has skill, has experience, is concentrating on one aspect of me. I’ve asked them to do that. What I don’t do is what bad graphic design clients do. I don’t lean over the doctor’s shoulder and say, ‘Could we make that…
-
How do you deal with unpaid invoices?
Armin recently asked, “What percentage do you bill a client for unpaid invoices? And after how many days/months from due date do you start billing interest?” I saw a couple of responses on Twitter. Victoria Pater charges 3% after 60 days, and Mindy Reznik opts for 1.8% after 30 days. I stipulate that if the…
-
Handling the client approach
When potential design clients first get in touch there are a few things I do to streamline the back and forth.
-
Design on the side
You might know something about root canals, but I know what I like, and that’s more important.
-
Too many ideas
One of my first projects in self-employment was to create a logo for a South African web hosting company called Circle. In my eagerness to please, and when my initial ideas weren’t accepted, I suggested that I publish a blog post showing all my sketches, inviting readers to share their thoughts. I was at a…
-
“The Coca-Cola Conspiracy” and ethical design
Where’s the line between a focus on your career and the societal impact of your work? Photo by Photon-Painter. I was watching a presentation by Robert Lustig about the damage caused by sugary foods, and after listening for a while it raised a few ethical questions I’m curious to know your thoughts on. Have a…
-
On unpaid internships
Quoting Alix Land from For free or not for free? “Is it immoral for a young designer to accept an internship or offer of work that is unpaid? Or is that passing up an opportunity too good to miss?” Some consider unpaid internships as similar to free pitching or spec work, but if you get…