10 tips for writing graphic design briefs

graphic design

The following article contains valuable tips for writing graphic design briefs. It has been kindly submitted as a guest article by Sharon Hayes of Round Box Design. Sharon and I started chatting a few years back, through one of the graphic design forums we use. Sharon has a wealth of experience and has been working as a graphic designer since 1994.

Read the rest of this article »

Spec work in the internet age

no respect

A few days ago, a young designer thought they’d take a stand against spec work, and uploaded the NO!SPEC logo to LogoSauce (a website offering logo design competitions). In response, an article was published on the LogoSauce blog, no-spec vs spec.

Read the rest of this article »

The importance of client testimonials

When you’re hiring a graphic designer, what do you look for?
Their portfolio? Sure, this is perhaps the most important aspect when deciding who to work with. There are other aspects, however, such as pricing, timeframe for completion, communication and experience, but who’s to say you can trust the designer in the first place? After all, […]

Read the rest of this article »

Online business is all about transparency

People deal with people, which is why publishing a blog can do wonders for your business. Showing how you operate, and expressing your thoughts through a blog connects us in a way that static websites (those with no interactivity) simply can’t. Allowing people to comment on your articles invites conversation, and can give a great […]

Read the rest of this article »

Design pricing and when to talk money

Do you openly advertise how much your design services cost?
Perhaps you wait until that initial telephone or email conversation?
Or do you only arrive at a project cost after compiling enough information to give an accurate quote?
This is a topic that I expect could bring a difference of opinion, but it’s an important one that was […]

Read the rest of this article »

20 questions that clients ask before choosing a designer

Choosing a designer can seem like a daunting task. You need to know if you can trust this person with the reputation of your company, because what they produce will, in many cases, give a potential customer their first impression of your business.
What follows will aid your search, and help keep you on track during […]

Read the rest of this article »

Are freelance designers really suckers?

expert freelancer

When someone tells you they’re a freelancer, be it freelance graphic design or another profession, what are your immediate thoughts?

Does the freelance job title portray an impression of expert, or of someone who is new to the field, perhaps picking up some earnings to make ends meet? There’s an excellent discussion happening here in the reader comments.

Read the rest of this article »

How to create interactive PDF forms

When dealing with clients, a designer should gather as much information as possible before beginning a new project.
One way to collect important client info is to provide online questionnaires, like the logo design questionnaire on my hire page. The form can be downloaded as an interactive PDF, so my clients have the ability to answer […]

Read the rest of this article »

First steps to graphic design pricing

Are you self-employed? Freelancing? Consulting? Perhaps you’re looking for a designer and want to know how they set their rates?
How much to charge a client is one of the most talked about topics in self-employment, and here I offer points to consider for designers setting their graphic design pricing.
First things first, remember you have a […]

Read the rest of this article »

What’s on your to-do list?

Not a day goes by when I don’t think to myself, “I’ll have to do that at some point.” Little things that aren’t exactly vital, but can be important nonetheless, such as:

Making the most of Facebook’s networking
Figuring out if I’m making any beginner SEO mistakes with WordPress
Submitting my best blog posts to article submission sites, […]

Read the rest of this article »