Inspired by fellow contributor Chris Costello’s post Paying Your Dues

My career also started humbly and I still think about those experiences every time I interview a young designer. I went to Phoenix for interviews near the end of my senior year. I had researched the top firms I hoped to meet and had sent them all hand-made promo pieces, well-written letters and a great resumé. To my surprise, I got interviews at all but two of my top 15 choices. Not too bad for a guy who didn’t go to a school exactly known for design - nope, not bad at all…or so I thought. (more…)

In his previous post Dave explained how design is increasingly looked upon as a commodity by corporations.

Good news for right brainers

Whereas the craft of design; creating logos, layouts and Web designs, is becoming as much a property of amateurs as it is professionals, designers need to find new areas of unique value that they can provide their clients. By addressing the areas of complexity, co-creation, context and accountability, designers position themselves to better meet the needs of their clients and the demands of a changing economy.

In 2000 Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan stated that technical know-how would be superseded by “the ability to create, analyze, and transform information and to interact effectively with others.” This idea was echoed in Daniel Pink’s book A Whole New Mind, in which Pink projects that the future economy will be driven by six key “senses” - design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning. For designers with a collaborative spirit and the ability to conduct and synthesize research, this is good news. (more…)

Design is a commodity

A few years back I attended a design management seminar in San Francisco. The seminar was held on a refurbished ferry-boat docked at Pier 3 and featured a notable design speaker. The view of the bay was fantastic, and the information presented at the session was compelling. But as I look back, the most remarkable thing about that seminar was lunch.

I had the good fortune to be seated at the same table as the speaker. Others at the table included business owners and designers from a wide variety of areas, all looking to harness the power of design. Our conversation ran the gamut from design leadership, research, ethnography and our own personal design war stories. I tried to think of an insightful question to ask the speaker, but the best I could come up with was, “So, do you have any designers on your staff?” Jeez, could I have asked a more banal question? But his answer left me speechless. “No.” he responded off-handedly, “Design is a commodity.” (more…)

Creative achievements seldom happen in isolation. A big part of making ideas happen is controlling how you come across to others. Of course, the Creative’s tendency is to say, “who gives a crap what other people think.” While there is merit in never compromising oneself for the sake of another’s opinion, creative professionals need to make an effort to be understood. You need to present yourself effectively to engage others and get the support (and the business) you need to push ideas forward.

Do you feel that your strengths come across in your everyday interactions? Every meeting, phone call, email, and resume or portfolio sends a message of who you are and what you are about. Everything communicates something about you. Remember that the strongest brand is your own. (more…)

You are a strong graphic designer? Then find several strong web designers, make them aware of you, and suggest a reciprocal relationship that would help both of you meet clients’ broader needs. Also, consider approaching hosting providers in an effort to be on their short list of referrals for work.

Contact all friends and associates with design skills complementary to your own and set up an informal reciprocal agreement.

It is crucial for the client to make a financial commitment to you at the project kick-off. Upon signing a contract, make sure that you get a deposit and have payment milestones. Consider 5% / 55% / 40%. 5% at signing. $55% at a midpoint deliverable that you have designated in the contract. 40% upon delivery. Some like to make 50% at kick-off. Your call…depends on your comfort level with the client. To explore these types of policies in more detail consider purchasing a copy of the Graphic Artist Guild’s Pricing and Ethical Guidelines.

Put this deposit and payment milestones requirement into your template agreements now.

There are many, many ways to structure retainers. Here are some suggestions. If a client hires you to build a website - or a portion of a website - and they do not have an in-house designer to maintain it, then offer your client to place you on a monthly retainer with a reduced rate. For example, if you charge $40/hour for freelance work, suggest a retainer of 10 hours per month at $30/hour or $300 per month. Invoice them at the beginning of each month Net 30. If they use you, then great. If they don’t, the hours do not rollover. If they are close to you then suggest a meeting once monthly to go over any needs. You’ll want to be proactive and ensure that they use you or the relationship will end.

Contact all current and past clients now and suggest a phone call / meeting to discuss the potential of a retainer. If you have no retainers in place now then don’t reveal that fact…you are a busy and sought-after designer.

The best jobs I’ve ever earned were through colleagues and connections. In an interview, ask the interviewer who else might appreciate your work, or who else is hiring. Keep in touch with everyone you meet to build a large and strong net of connections. Indeed, just sending postcards, letters, or connecting on facebook, has allowed me a happier career and broader options. Dear Claudia, if you are reading, I am still indebted to you.

In the jobs that I’ve held, I’ve really enjoyed being friends with the people behind the creative scenes and I know how hard they work to make the organizations succeed in ways that you wouldn’t expect.

On the Creative Freelancer Blog lately, Dyana Valentine, who will be conducting the workshop on creative collaboration on the first day of the Creative Freelancer Conference, has been offering up some tips on how to prep so you do the best connecting you can at this conference — or any conference for that matter.

First, she suggests taking a box of 500 (even if you end up using 30) business cards, then she offers three tips for what to note about someone on their business card. Read them here:

Also on the blog last week, Nettie Hartsock, writer and PR blogger, is looking for insight into what creatives are grappling with, thinking about and even reading, so she can take the message out there to other creative communities via some sites she writes for. Take a moment now to share your wisdom with her — and the world — here:

The final early bird deadline is Thursday, July 31st, so if you’ve been thinking about attending, now is the time to take advantage of the $60 discount. Sign up here:

Image: Watercolor by Brockett Horne

How to Avoid Damage in a Downturn, a recent podcast by David C. Baker, provides significant insights for design managers and studio leaders.
Listeners will appreciate his honest presentation, built from his own experiences of guiding creative teams through unexpected economic instability.

Four main points in the presentation seem insightful to me no matter what the economic circumstances. There were presented as temptations to avoid in a downturn: (more…)