When you present a proposal to a prospective client, include an addendum of testimonials from former clients and accompany the testimonials with samples/screengrabs of work you did for them. If you already have this type of content published on your website then great, you can repurpose it in your proposals. Email past clients now and ask for a testimonial,...
Have you ever considered teaching? Designers are natural educators, as we often inform clients about smart choices. Mentoring others can enhance your approach to design and give you broader skills. For me, teaching is the closest career choice to being a “perpetual student,” (my actual dream). I find that teaching and designing mutually inspire each other.
This is the how the world works, period. Never, ever burn a bridge. Keep in touch with past clients. Send them a “touching base” email thanking them again for the business, telling them you would be happy to work with them again because it was a great experience, and openly ask them for referrals. Send them holiday greetings. Watch...
Design-related legal, copyright, trademark, or intellectual property rights confusion? NoD guest author and legal expert Jean S. Perwin is taking questions. If you have questions for Jean, email them to us using editor (at) notesondesign.net. Jean will reply to questions frequently here under the “Intellectual Property” category of NoD. Hi Jean, I’m a graphic designer who has recently done...
Become an “Award Winning Designer / Firm” by entering, and winning, design competitions. Great exposure, great on your website and helps your prospects feel more confident about signing your proposal. Being award-winning takes the guesswork out of it for those clients who can’t judge good design. Check NoD’s competitions page. Go to Google’s Blog Search and search for Design...
A still from the “Hands” campaign for Hewlett-Packard, the 2007 first-place winner. AGENCY: Goodby, Silverstein & Partners; DESIGN FIRM: Motion Theory. We know the submissions deadline is not until November, but it’s never too early to give yourself a head start for PRINT magazine’s prestigious Creativity + Commerce: The International Business Graphics competition. Some of the reasons to enter:...
1. How can you make time for marketing? 2. Should you have an e-mail newsletter? 3. Are proposals best presented in person? These are just a few of the pressing questions that will be answered by creative business experts at the Creative Freelancer Conference in Chicago, August 27-29, hosted by HOW Magazine and Marketing Mentor.
By Kate Andrews Over the past week, I had the pleasure of meeting the multi-talented Graphic Designer Alex Ostrowski. Alex, a 2008 UK Graphic Design graduate from Bristol’s University of West England, recently won the RSA Design Directions and NESTA’s competition ‘Engage!’. Tagged to “catalyse social change through design-led citizen participation”, the Engage! project, aimed to encourage social responsibility...
