Comments on: Are freelance designers really suckers?

By: Logo Design Works

Logo Design Works — Wed, 28 May 2008 14:11:39 +0000

I totally agree with you David.

It is so hard to lose the “freelance” kind of identity that you get associated with if you are not careful right from the start.

At the end of the day people don’t realize that even large online design firms, these days, work with freelancers to deliver projects.

By: keith

keith — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:26:08 +0000

C’mon guys! Half the ‘Graphics designers’ I use are very talented, creative, really nice…. loonies. Invest in a suit, look and think like the kind of people you are pitching to and you will be taken seriously and not for a ride. Remember what you sell is an abstract. It’s not like stock the customer buys and doesent pay for…once it’s out there it cant be taken back. Dont offer too much until the contract is signed, otherwise you will get your brains picked alongside your pocket!! Remember to tell the customer (sorry, client) that what you do will have a direct and immediate effect on their sales. That’s all they want to hear.
Have fun.

By: Jean

Jean — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:08:22 +0000

I do a bit of freelancing and I’ve come to a conclusion that you can’t make everyone happy.

By: Christy Boxall

Christy Boxall — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:49:12 +0000

I think whether you are contracted, permanent or freelance it shouldn’t really matter to the client how you are employed, as long as you do the work they want you to do. Obviously each has a slightly different way of working, but part of building rapport with a client is also getting used to the system from which you work.

In essence really all they need to know is what profession you are. And if your freelancing/contract/permanent you all have a certain skillset and the title should reflect it, not how you are employed.

By: Claudia

Claudia — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:16:02 +0000

I have been freelancing over 2 years and have yet to stumble across a client who belittles me.

By: Shauen

Shauen — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 05:22:10 +0000

Brad K., thanks for the feedback and for sharing your experience as a freelancer. :) Some of the people and business I work with do not have receptionist but I have found that more and more the front desk staff is making a grand wage. I imagine that a survey of their wages would make for an enticing and awakening ethnography.

By: Shauen

Shauen — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 05:20:28 +0000

All in all, my age is usually perplexing for many. They say it is because I have such a young face and warm spirit. They do not expect someone as professional, respectful, and keen as I to lack the stiffness and cynicism as others in my/our generation in the creative field. My design skills are not secondary and they are certainly not all that our clients pay for.

My rates are appropriate for the client. I have respect as a result of my integrity, value, and global consciousness. I do what we do to make our world aware of social locations and more glorious to live in. The monetary value is just that.
doors + boards,
Shauen

By: Brad K.

Brad K. — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 00:48:22 +0000

Shauen, in recent years several companies I have come in contact with have been very aggressive that people don’t reveal their wages at work. This past fall I finally heard a rationale that makes sense - that people tend to assign a ‘worth’ to your work, depending on whether they make more money than you. And they also balance your work against others, based on salary.

As a freelancer, my hourly rate is right up there. And I find in low-waged shops I have trouble talking to the people with the information - the owner keeps me talking to senior people instead. At more moderate wage shops I have trouble getting access to the people that make decisions.

I sometimes think I should call the receptionist, ask what their wage is, multyply by 4.5, and use that for my hourly wage for that business. Not really - they probably can’t or won’t reveal ther wages. While suggested in jest, I think in some cases I could do better work for the organization, if they were paying me at that kind of ‘worth’ factor..

Shauen, all this brings me around to your comment about ’super young’ - perhaps you could adjust your image, your body language, a bit to emphasize your professionalism, and check that your rates are high enough to be respected.

By: Shauen

Shauen — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 20:57:04 +0000

Good morning,
I find that identifying as a freelance anything seems to signify a lack of something. Maybe this means that we are newbies or unsure of our status. Maybe it means that one is transitioning from hobby to paid professional.
I have chosen to introduce myself as a graphic designer and wait for any exploring questions. Usually, people want to know my education and how I can best help them. I am probably hyper aware of my “introduction” as a graphic designer because I am female and look super young. There is a twilight zone dynamic that seems to take place when I have been introduced as a freelancer -a lot of people really have no clue what that means. *ahh* the Midwest

Peace + Earthly Chills,
Shauen

By: JorgeGoyco

JorgeGoyco — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:21:21 +0000

I am only a Freelancer to the design firms that contract me for work. Otherwise, I’m my client’s “Web Guy” or “Graphics Guy”

I thought myself a freelancer for a long time until I realized that I was in fact a business owner. I have a DBA, I pay sales tax, the checks I get are paid to my company name and I have a business checking account.

Sure, I have clients who think they are designers, and I have clients who rely on me for every graphic need and fend off other designers who approach them with “Oh, we use GoycoDesign for all our graphics.”

Honestly, I find it the hardest designing for designers..for example, I’m doing a logo for a large design agency because their in-house designer is swamped, and I’ve done so many variations it’s crazy.

“We’re not there yet” and “Scrap what you’ve done” and “Let’s try a different direction” is what has come back, and this is before they’ve even shown the client. (they ARE paying me though, so It doesn’t matter how many times they have me re-work something, as long as they are happy with my work..and they are).

Actually, my business card says “Owner”

jorge