Your website needs to be an effective marketing tool to help you get clients. You want to be top of mind when someone needs a designer. Here are 17 essential elements for an effective portfolio website, so you get found and leave a positive impression.
17 Essential Elements for an Effective Portfolio Website: Read or Listen
Many graphic designers get so excited when a new shiny prospect contacts them that they miss a crucial step: screening the prospect. But having a vetting process is vital, so you can position yourself as an expert and evaluate the prospect and the work before taking it on. Here are 6 reasons freelance designers should screen prospects and how to evaluate them.
6 Reasons Freelance Designers Should Screen Prospective Clients: Read or Listen
There are a lot of differences in mindset and behavior between graphic designers who are perceived as order takers and those who are perceived as experts. Here are 14 reasons graphic designers are seen as order takers instead of as experts.
14 Reasons Graphic Designers Are Seen as Order Takers: Read or Listen
Is your MO to respond immediately to calls, e-mails and texts from clients? Stop! You’re not helping yourself or your client by being so fast to reply. Find out 5 reasons you shouldn’t respond to clients right away.
5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Respond to Clients Right Away: Read or Listen
Your freelance business does not need to feel like a circus. But you do need to be the ringleader. Here are 6 types of problem clients and how to fire them. I’ll also talk about when it’s you, not them, who is the reason for the breakup.
6 Types of Problem Clients and How to Fire Them: Read or Listen
Some types of free work are good, while some hurt you and the design industry. You don’t have to pimp yourself out doing free work to build a portfolio. Find out what to consider before doing any free design work.
What to Consider Before Doing Free Design Work: Read or Listen
Are you making any of these mistakes when presenting design work to clients? Find out and learn how to present design work, so you get more respect and less pushback on your designs. Also, find out mistakes you might be making when asking for critique from other designers and others in general. Plus, don’t miss this one seemingly harmless question you should stop asking clients.
7 Mistakes When Presenting Design Work and Asking for Critique: Read or Listen
Client relationships and getting clients are not that different from dating. Learn how to identify your ideal client, attract them, approach them, spot deal breakers, nurture the relationship and more.
Fellow longtime graphic designer Evelyn Powers and I talk about lessons learned from bad client experiences (you might gasp or guffaw at some of them), how to identify red flags with prospects and clients, and how to fire bad clients.
What should you consider before going out on your own as a freelancer? How should you present your work to get objective feedback? When should you push back with a client? How can you earn more respect from clients? Should you specialize? Creative business guru Cameron S. Foote shares his insights on all of these topics.
A Creative Business Convo With Cameron Foote: Read or Listen
Hang out and get advice from designers of all levels in our welcoming community of graphic designers on Facebook.
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