design job description

How to get clients to say yes to your designs

Paul Boag, a famous web designer and host of one of the coolest web design podcasts out there, Boagworld, did a great presentation on how to get clients to say yes to your designs at the 2008 Future of Web Design Conference.

Paul talks about how to make clients understand what we do, while giving us some tips on how can we make them approve our work. I highly recommend you to watch the video below, but for those who do not have 35 minutes spare, the video is summarised below.

NB: In the video you can not see the slides on the projector but you can see the slides here. I suggest you have a look at the slides before watching the video.

So, how do we get clients to say yes?

Paul kept stressing that the designer’s relationship with clients is fundamentally flawed.

We have to face the fact that a big part of our job is to nurture our client relationship. In many ways, we treat the clients like Monarchy and see ourselves as their servants. Often times we follow their leads, in a submissive way, and are afraid to express our opinion.

It’s time for us to change, moving from a master/servant mentality to a peer to peer mentality. We have to take the role of an expert and make them perceive us that way. But how?

Change The Relationship: Be the expert

Have a methodology. A methodology puts you in control. It enables you to set expectations with the client and lets them know what is coming.

Clients want to have a sense of what is coming next. Explain the process, the stages the project will go through. Have a design process. This way you’re setting yourself up to be the person who’s in charge of the relationship. Put yourself in your clients shoes: They are nervous & unsure if they did the right decision to go with you. Make them feel confident in the situation. Make them feel confident that picking you, your studio was the right choice.

When kicking off a project, make sure that there’s a thorough research phase (depending on your process this can entail: success criteria, business objectives, competitive analysis, priorities, user personas, user expectations, site personas) All of this research will help you explain WHY you are doing what you’re doing later on. You need to prove that you are the expert by justifying your decisions. You will have to constantly refer back to the information you gathered in the research phase.

Justify it also by referring to third party experts. People love facts and figures. By referring to other experts, you become an expert by association. Write down everything a client has agreed to, that way you can refer back to it.

20 Worst Habits of Clients

This article was written by Gino over at YouTheDesigner.

1. Wanting Great Designs for Cheap Prices

Because everyone seems to have Photoshop and know a designer nowadays, many clients tend to have a bad idea of what design is worth. While it can be ok to have low prices when you are starting out, when you are confident enough and your work is good enough you should come up with prices that make it worth your time.

Many clients also try to outsource their projects to India and other places where designers work for rock bottom prices, but you need to stick behind your work and hold out for those clients who know what you are worth. Let them know why you are the best choice!

One Year Out of Design School: 10 Valuable Lessons

In the beginning, it’s okay to take on low paying jobs. During school, I did a ton of freelance. I took on nearly every job that was offered to me including work from Virgin Records and followed that up with some small logo comissions. If you feel that there’s some valuable portfolio pieces and knowledge to be gained from a lower paying job, by all means take it. I wouldn’t recommend working for free though. Your schooling and talent should be worth at least some compensation!

IMPROVE YOURSELF

Graphic design is a field that is quickly changing, both creatively and technically, and while it is easy to get caught up in learning new technical skills, it is just as important to focus improving and pushing the limits of our creativity.

While in design school, it was easy to surround myself with inspiration and engage in activities that helped my understanding of effective design. Once I graduated I feared losing it, since I was no longer surrounded by a learning environment. I made it a point to continue educating myself as much as possible and become more active in the field of design. I was determined not to let my designs grow stagnant, but rather transgress and improve with time.

Below is a list of tips, exercises and practices that have help me continue learning, strengthen creativity and become an all around better designer.
 

1- Become a collector

The Graphic Design Resume Guide

Your graphic design resume is going to be just as important as your portfolio, if not more important than your portfolio when it comes to job hunting. This is because most people will examine your resume before they open your portfolio book, meaning your resume is going to be your first impression! You have to remember that the people you will be sending your resume to go through tons of these every day so yours has to be immaculate and memorable, or they wont even bother looking at your portfolio.

I have talked with many art directors, designers and read an array of articles on the topic of resume design and you would be surprised at how the smallest glitch could sink your chances. Below I will go over everything you need to know regarding putting together a successful graphic design resume.

Graphic Design Resume Paper

People often get caught up in the design and content of their resume and forget one of the most important parts! The paper you use for your graphic design resume can tell your potential employer a lot about you. Choosing paper for a design project is an important job for most designers and if you overlook this you will have one strike against you right away. If you do choose a good paper for your resume it will get you bonus points. It will show your employer you have thought about every detail, and that you have done your research on papers.

You don’t want to use standard computer printing paper from an office supply store, so I would recommend looking at paper mills such as Neenah Paper, who offer some really great resume papers. I ended up buying two different versions of their Classic Crest line of papers for my resume.

Bagaimana menetapkan kadar harga untuk perkhidmatan.

Antara yang selalu menjadi tajuk perbincangan dan sentiasa menjadi persoalan kepada freelancer adalah bagaimana menetapkan kadar harga?

Mereka yang masih baru dalam bidang ini atau mereka yang menjadi freelancer secara sambilan (mempunyai pendapatan tetap atau pekerjaan tetap yang lain) sering mengenakan bayaran yang sangat murah. Ini secara tidak langsung menyebabkan freelancer sepenuh masa terpaksa mengenakan bayaran yang murah untuk perkhidmatan mereka.

Sebagai seorang freelancer, anda perlu mempunyai teknik atau formula untuk pengiraan kadar harga anda sendiri. Kemudian anda perlu tetap dengan harga anda dan bijak berbincang dengan pelanggan untuk mendapatkan jumlah bayaran yang terbaik.

Tidak ada satu formula atau teknik yang khusus dan sangat tepat untuk menentukan kadar harga freelancer. Kebanyakkan freelancer mengenakan kadar harga mereka berdasarkan pelbagai faktor, seperti:

* Pengalaman
* Kemahiran
* Tahap kesukaran sesuatu projek
* Jangkamasa untuk menyiapkan projek

Kelemahan kebanyakkan freelancer adalah kadar bayaran mereka tidak dinamik malah kadangkala tidak tetap dan hampir tidak rasional. Satu formula atau ketetapan yang khusus untuk anda menentukan kadar harga adalah perlu. Sekurang-kurangnya ini dapat membantu anda mengira kadar bayaran yang setimpal dengan perkhidmatan dan idea anda.

Untuk itu, kadar bayaran seorang freelancer boleh ditentukan dengan merujuk kepada 3 perkara, iaitu:

* Keperluan anda
* Jumlah yang sanggup dibayar
* Kadar bayaran saingan anda

Keperluan anda.

Sebagai seorang freelancer, anda mempunyai keperluan-keperluan berbayar yang tertentu. Ini termasuk:

* Kos pemasaran (marketing, iklan, business card, etc.)
* Software (CMS, e-commerce, payment gateway, yang berkaitan dengan projek)
* Peralatan pejabat (bil telefon, elektrik, printer, etc.)

Jumlah yang sanggup dibayar.

Selain dari kos keperluan anda, sebagai seorang freelancer anda mesti peka dengan kadar semasa yang sanggup dibayar oleh pelanggan. Anda juga mungkin perlu menyesuaikan kadar harga anda berdasarkan keadaan pasaran semasa.

Di Malaysia contohnya, pelanggan sanggup dan mampu berbelanja pada kadar purata RM2000 untuk bayaran web designer dan sebanyak RM2300 untuk graphic designer ( Sumber: The Freelance Statistics Report).

Anda juga boleh mendapatkan jumlah yang sanggup dibayar oleh pelanggan melalui maklumbalas pelanggan anda.

Kadar harga pesaing anda.

Kadar harga yang dikenakan oleh saingan anda juga merupakan faktor penting dalam penentuan harga untuk perkhidmatan anda. Harga yang dikenakan tidak boleh terlalu tinggi atau terlalu rendah berbanding dengan harga pesaing anda.

Anda boleh mendapatkan harga pesaing anda melalui laman web mereka. Sebagai freelancer anda juga boleh merujuk kepada pendapatan bulanan mereka yang berpendapatan tetap.

Sebagai contoh, di Malaysia kebanyakkan freelancer mengenakan kadar harga sebanyak RM85 sejam bekerja ( Sumber: The Freelance Statistics Report).

Berdasarkan kepada 3 faktor utama ini, anda dapat menentukan berapa kadar harga untuk perkhidmatan anda.

Bagaimana anda menetapkan kadar harga anda? Bergantung kepada jenis projek atau bergantung kepada keperluan kewangan semasa anda? Kongsi pengalaman anda.

Darzani Mohd Darus a.k.a therion terlibat dalam penghasilan karya seni digital dan pembangunan laman web sejak 2001. Mula bergerak secara freelance semenjak tahun 2006. Bertanggungjawab sebagai branding & corporate identity consultant kepada beberapa syarikat tempatan dan luar. Website: http://www.ingeniousthinking.com Email : darzani[at]gmail.com

10 way to build your name for yourself

1. Blogging

I have mentioned the power of blogging before, but I wanted to bring it up again because its probably the best way to build a name for yourself on the web. If you want more exposure then you really should create a bog and start writing on a regular basis.

2. Commenting

Commenting on blogs is another great way to make a name for yourself. Always use your real name and try to leave comments on all the designs blogs you follow. The best way to do this is to leave a comment as soon as you can after a post has been published so more people will read it.

3. Guest Writing

Many blogs are happy to have guest writers contribute to the community. If you feel you can write an informative article, try contacting your favorite blogs with some topic ideas. Make sure you get credited properly with your name and a link back to your site.

4. Tutorial Creation

If you have a knack for creating cool effects and designs and you feel you can show the process with thumbnails or video, you should consider writing tutorials. The best thing to do would be to feature and promote them on your own website or blog and then submit them to other sites to get additional traffic.

5. Non Profit Work

Teaming up with non profits to work on projects in your free time is very honorable and can help get your name out a bit. Write down your passions or things you care about and then look for legit non profit organizations and contact them to see if you can help out!

6. Web Portfolio

Many designers still do not have an official website portfolio up. This is understandable for designers new to the field and still studying, but if you want to get a head start you should look into creating a website for your work on your own domain name as soon as possible!

7. Design Galleries

Graphic design galleries are another great way to gain name recognition. If you submit your designs and they are rated well you could end up getting a ton of exposure and even gigs. Below are a few great design galleries you can submit your best work to.

8. Portfolio Sites

Similar to design galleries there are design sites that take it a step further and let you Create a Graphic Design Portfolio. Sites such as UCreative allow you to create a portfolio, upload your work, add a bio, contact information and much more. This way you can build better name recognition and it allows people to contact for jobs and or gigs if they like what they see!

9. Interviews

Interviews are probably the best way to gain rapid exposure, but usually tend to come about once you have already gained some recognition. This isn’t always true though, there is no reason you can’t contact magazines, websites and blogs and offer to respond to interview questions. If you are serious about helping others and sharing your experience and knowledge, then you might be able to do some interviews sooner than you think!

10. Networking

Networking is probably the most important method of this entire list, so don’t let its number 10 spot fool you. Networking is essential to success so be sure to surround yourself with both successful and motivated people in your field. Be friendly, be helpful and never stop meeting new people on and offline.

Retention During The Recession: 20 Ways to Get And Keep More Clients

The recession is a scary thing. Mentioning the word recession makes peoples’ eyes bulge and their body language switch from open and happy to reserved and timid. Is it the fact that the super big businesses across the world are closing or filing for bankruptcy? Or could it be that the smaller businesses are closing shop and leaving entire strip malls across America vacant?

Whatever the reason behind it, I am sure the recession has scared all of us at one point or another. The nervousness we get when we look at our financial records and wonder if they’re going to be dipping to an all time low. The uneasy feeling we get when all of our leads have dried up and we do not know what to do next. Or the view of the freelance world from the outside looking in — the first time freelancer who doesn’t know if they should take the jump now because times are so hard.

Before continuing with this article, you should be sure that you want to freelance during a recession. From there, the steps in this article will feel a lot easier for you. My goal is to help calm all of those fears with ten sure fire ways to get more clients and keep them. The steps are simple — and in some cases, downright easy, however most of us have either overlooked them or have been too wrapped up in other things to apply them. Now is the perfect time to change all of that!

10 ways you can GET more clients today

Here are ten great ways to get clients today — not tomorrow, not next week, but TODAY! Who said that the recession only brings people down? They’re liars!

1. Message Boards — Utilize the signature of your posts to showcase links to your portfolio/resume and also your twitter account if you have one (you do have one right?). Find a message board that relates to your target market — and chat with people. Don’t push your services though, just let the conversations flow. People will follow your signature link if you’re posts are worthwhile on the board.
2. Networking — Again, you have a twitter account right? What about a facebook profile or a stumbleupon profile? These are all great places to network online. Meet new people, chat with them and build relationships. The same thing can be said about offline conventions, chamber of commerce meetings and general meetups in your area.
3. Cold Emailing — When I first started my business, this is what got it off the ground. I found a list of 100 of the top bloggers in the niche I was targeting and I emailed every single person on the list. Out of those 100, I believe I have designed 10 or so (with 3-4 immediately hiring me within the first week or so of chatting). You can search google, technorati or any other source that will pump out a list for you to cold email. Be personal and be short-winded; nobody likes a 20 paragraph email of regurgitated bull that everyone else is also getting. SPAM = BAD
4. Job Boards — This one is a no-brainer. People post listings about jobs they need completed and you email them. Simple, right? I thought so too. The main complaint I see (and have experienced myself) is that people send off cookie-cutter emails to everyone on the job board and don’t personalize their emails. Make it personal and win clients!
5. Blogging — People want the best. People want the smartest. People want to know that the person they’re hiring has the knowledge to fulfill the job that they’re looking to have completed. What better way than a blog where you can showcase your knowledge and skills?
6. Local Contests — This is one I’ve used and have gained clients from every time. Get a fish bowl and go to any store in your area that your target market frequents. Put the fish bowl up with a sign that says “drop your business card for a chance to win ______” (I chose a free dinner at a nice restaurant — but you can do anything: books, tickets to movies, ect). Once you have the bowl filled up, pick a winner. But also send a letter to each person (or call if you’d like) and let them know they didn’t win but you are keeping their business card for future reference in case you need them. Also include your business card — let them know they can contact you as well; they will.
7. Cold Calling — Similar to cold emailing above, but now you can actually get into your local market. I am web designer and have called every business within a five mile radius to my home about their website design. I ask them if they have menus online and generally they’ll reply with a “no, we do not have a website” type of answer. This is where I hook them in. Once you know they don’t, and they can see that having a website is a positive thing (I called asking about it, right?) they’ll be more eager to meet with you. Danny Outlaw has a great video on cold calling if you’d like more info on the subject.
8. Public Speaking – Host a free seminar on something related to your target market. Showcase your skills and knowledge. Don’t believe this works? Find out how Mason (the owner of Freelance Folder) made $5,700 from 15 minutes of speaking!
9. Be Different — Everyone dresses alike. Everyone sounds the same and has the same lines when trying to land clients. Be different. Change your style up and stand out from the pack. In a group of 100 black suits, do you think you’ll stand out wearing a Hawaiian shirt? I bet you will and I bet that’ll get you to the front of the line in the viewers mind.
10. Ask current clients for referrals — DUH! I failed at this for a long time. Now, every time I finish a project for a client, I always make sure to mention in the thank you email that they would be doing me a great favor in mentioning me to anyone they know who might need my services. Word of mouth is strong — utilize it.

10 ways you can KEEP more clients today

So you have your clients, but how can you keep them? How do you make sure you’re the person they turn to every single time they need work done? Below are ten things you can do to make sure you’re keeping those valuable clients

1. Newsletter List — Politely ask if the client would like to be added to your newsletter list to receive free bonuses and discounts when they’re not available to anyone else. 9 times out of 10 they won’t mind, just make sure you let them know they will receive zero spam.
2. Finish Early — If you told the client it would take a week, make sure you finish in 5 days. This will leave a lasting impression in their minds because the trust factor in your time frames will skyrocket.
3. Give Extra — One thing I am trying now as a web designer is to give a bit extra. When I design a website, I am going to include a free twitter background to match their website. Hopefully the generosity will stick in their minds in case they ever need anything else in the future (plus, every time they see their twitter web page, they’ll think of me).
4. Keep In Touch — Every couple months just check in and see how everything is going. Do not ask anything business related — just check and make sure the previous work you did for them worked out well and ask how they and their family are doing. Ask if they’re enjoying the summer or if they’re tired of winter. You know, small talk.
5. Send Birthday Notes — I am also now always making a note to get the clients birthday and putting it in my google calendar. When their birthday is coming up, I will send them a card in the mail (if they’re local) or at the very least send them an email wishing them a happy birthday.
6. Offer Discounts — Let your client know that if they ever need any work, you’ll give them a free hour or 10-20% off the normal fixed rate you charge. No matter if it’s website updates, copy changes or brand new work — let them know you appreciate them coming back to you and cut them a break.
7. Help Promote Them- – If you design, submit their websites to CSS galleries. If you write copy, make sure you promote those websites to anyone you know who might be interested. Just make sure you’re promoting them as much as you hope they promote you. It’s a win/win for both parties involved.
8. Keep your word — Did you say the deadline is Friday? Make sure you get it in on Friday (or sooner). Missing deadlines and not being responsive when it’s needed most is the biggest let down you can give a client. Don’t promise something unless you can deliver it.
9. Send “Thank You” Gifts — Anything from a basket of fruit or flowers to a free gas card will work. Just make sure there are no strings attached and make sure they know you just wanted them to know you appreciated their business.
10. Network with them — Yes, this one is so good I feel it needs to be mentioned in both lists. Networking on twitter or other social media sites (as well as offline events) will keep your name — and face — fresh in the clients mind and help steer them in your general direction whenever they need new work or they’re faced with the question “hey, do you know a good ______?”. Make sure you’re there and you’re the answer to that question.

About the author: Mike Smith is a blog designer at Blog Theme Machine and an aspiring full-time blogger. You can read more of his articles on the Guerrilla Freelancing.

How To Be The Freelancer That Everyone Wants To Work With

Have you ever thought about why your clients reach out to you, or what it is they want to buy from you? Maybe an amazing design from a web designer, or an awesome article from a writer? No, that’s not the answer.

When your clients decide to hire you they aren’t really buying your services, they are buying two things that we as freelancers sometimes forget — they are buying a solution to their problems, and they are buying feelings that that make them feel good about themselves and their business.

So what does it take to be the freelancer that everyone wants to work with?

Unleash The Happiness

This is a no brainer. How do you feel when you come across a person who is always smiling or always has a happy outlook towards everything? Happiness is contagious. Whether you’re talking to your client in person, on the phone or through email, IM or any other social media platform, give them a positive vibe. People like to do business with people that seem to have a positive outlook. If they sense that you enjoy your work, chances are good that you will be their first choice.

Your client wants to buy good feelings so show them what they want. They will buy your services as a solution to their problems.

Lock Your Problems Away and Toss The Keys

I am sure you’ve all had a client where you felt comfortable enough to share your personal problems. I have had a few and I have made the mistake of going a little over the board with the client/freelancer relationship. No matter what, do not discuss your personal problems with your clients. I repeat, do not discuss your personal problems. Why? First, most of them don’t really care and second, who really wants to hear problems from a person who is trying to solve their problems? Keep your problems to yourself.

Remember, although you may be working from home in your pajamas, you need to depict a picture of a sharp person in suit at the other end. When it comes to discussing personal problems with your client, think of your personal problems as Pandora’s box, lock it and throw away the keys.

Your Reasons Are Good But Your Client’s Are Better

Feel free to disagree with me on this one. Your clients are buying for their reason not yours. Let me be blunt here, there are two reasons freelancers want clients: money and hopefully to make a name for themselves to get repeat business which again boils down to money. So our reasoning at this point is money. Not your client’s. When a client is buying services from you they are buying it for their reason. The reason might be that they think and know that you are the best out there or simply because they were referred to you by someone else. Help your client by fulfilling their reasons and they will fulfill yours.

However, as a freelancer it is your job to let your clients know what is reasonable and what is not. If their reasoning leads them to something that might not help them in the long run (say a website design that might not convert) let them know politely. I am against the saying “customer is always right,” but that doesn’t mean they are always wrong. They might not be seeing things the way you see. You are the expert, they are hiring you for that reason so let them know politely. If their reasoning isn’t good and will not help them achieve what they want from your services, it is sometimes better not to take the project at all.

Logic and Emotions Run The Freelancing Household

If you were to think of freelancing as a family then logic and emotions are the key figures that run the household. It is almost impossible to land a project or keep a project going without a happy balance between logic and emotions. I am sure you have bought a product or service at the spur of the moment only to find the next day that it just wasn’t something that you needed. It doesn’t fulfill your need or provide solution to the problem. You told the sales associate and well, all he really cared was landing his commission. You don’t want to be that kind of freelancer, do you?

Give your clients what they are looking for: good feelings, and back it up with logic as to why you are the right choice for this project.

Equip Yourself With a Solution To Every Problem

If a client isn’t happy with the way I am handling a project, I want them to express their feelings. Not personal, but related to the project itself. If your client has a problem related to the way a project is going, be a good listener and let them talk. Ask questions and once again make them feel good by talking about the solutions. Make sure the solutions are something that can be implemented and are real solutions.

Listen to your clients. If they have a problem, don’t be on the defensive end, rather help them find a solution or tie in your reasoning with theirs. Show your client that you have no limits when it comes to finding a solution. Be The Unlimited Freelancer!

Although I have been implementing these tips in my freelancing career, sometimes emotions run high and logic runs dry. However, I try to follow the above mentioned 5 tips each and every day with my clients and the only thing I can say is — they work!

What do you think?

Ritu is a freelance writer who has been involved in social media for several years. At the moment he is working on a variety of projects, but is always open to new ideas