Category: Business Briefs
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Terri Stone (Editor in Chief of CreativePro) is doing a great job of making sure you’re covered when it comes to Improving Your Bottom Line.
If you owed the government a lot of money on April 15, the past week had you either burying your head in the sand of denial, or determined to put your business in order. And if you didn’t owe money, I’ll bet you wouldn’t turn down ways to make a bigger profit in 2008. No matter where you fall in this continuum, we’ve collected a boat-load of resources to help you overcome business-related challenges.
And a boatload it is.
- Creating Your Future, One Month at a Time
- Avoiding the Heartbreak of Collections
- Negotiating with Vendors For Fun and Profit
- Six Ways to Drum Up Business, in Good Times or Bad
- Negotiating in a Soft Market
- Winning Back Lost Clients
- Don’t Get Creamed Before the Recovery
- Nine Simple Rules for Sustaining Success
- Pump Up The Volume of Your Proposals
- What to Do When a Prospective Client Doesn’t Respond to Your Proposal
- Low-Budget Self-Promotion
- Online Marketing Tools for Creative Pros
- Marketing Smart
- Why Cold Calling is Not So Bad (Really)
- Getting Pricing Right
- Negotiating Fees
- Setting Your Rates
- Setting Rates for Your Small Design Firm
- Seven Strategies for Better Customer Service
- A Little Help from Your Friends
Need more? Then slide over to CreativePro and put your suggestions and questions to Terri. And while you are there, be sure to check out their new design. Nice.
Catherine (cat) Morley | Project Manager
Creative Latitude | NO!SPEC | BoDo team
Category: Business Briefs
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There are many pros and cons venturing into Freelance, don’t think of it as freelance, but as setting up your own Design Studio. That to me is a lot cooler. Speckyboy Web Design
I agree - Design Studio, Web Design company, new business startup - all sound better than adding ‘free’ to your title. But hey, ‘freelance’ is a term we can’t shake off. Like, ‘graphic designer’. And ‘home business’.
53 Steps to follow if you want to become Freelance Web Designer/Developer (60+ Resources)
- Set a realistic date for starting officially as a Freelance Designer.
- Write out a plan-of action for your new business.
- Save as much money as you can in that six months.
- Make an appointment at your local bank to discuss a business account..
- Familiarize yourself with what your and your clients legal obligations are, then speak to a lawyer about a Contract Draft.
- Design a logo that can be easily identified.
- Design letterheads for your stationery, have them professionally printed.
- Design a business card, again, have them professionally printed.
- Build contacts with other designers in your local area.
- Build contacts online with other designers.
- ….
So, are there 53 Steps to becoming a Freelancer Web Designer/Developer? I’ll leave YOU to count the ways …
Catherine (cat) Morley | Project Manager
Creative Latitude | NO!SPEC | BoDo team
Category: Business Briefs
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Happy Valentines day everyone! As Valentines day is for lovers everywhere, what better way to celebrate then by sharing David Airey’s new passion, Logo Design Love, with its first ever Logo Design Love Awards.
If you you know of a blog with a great logo (could be yours or even a total strangers), and the logo has been live between February and April 2008, go ahead and submit it to one of the categories below.
Blog categories
- Business blogs
- Design and photography blogs
- Entertainment blogs
- Environmental blogs
- Health and self-development blogs
- Marketing and PR blogs
- Personal blogs
- Political blogs
- Technology blogs
- Miscellaneous (for everything else)
And just check out the judges David has lined up for the awards!
Judging panel
DEADLINE for entry: 01 March 2008
See you there?
Catherine (cat) Morley | Project Manager
Creative Latitude | NO!SPEC | BoDo team
Category: Business Briefs
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A heads up from Tara Johnson, Competitions Manager for PRINT magazine.
PRINT magazine is now accepting entries for the 2008 Regional Design Annual. All of the winning work will be organized by region and featured in the November/December 2008 issue of PRINT. Winners will be notified in August. Entry forms are available online at www.printmag.com. This year you can even register your entries online. The deadline is March 3, 2008.
The Regional Design Annual issue is the most comprehensive survey of graphic design in the United States and one of the biggest issues to hit the graphic design industry each year. We received more than 20,000 individual entries for the 2007 Regional Annual, from almost every state. The process of selection in all regions of the country was as stringent as ever, and, as always, we feel that the work we chose is first-rate, and that it represents the best design, illustrations, and photography being produced throughout the United States.
Thanks Tara!
Catherine (cat) Morley | Project Manager
Creative Latitude | NO!SPEC | BoDo team
Category: Business Briefs
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In Mark McGuinness’s popular series, Time Management for Creative People, he started out with Why You Need to be Organised to be Creative.
A couple of the comments were in disagreement, so Mark, definitely a creative guy, twisted around with Why You Need to Be Disorganised to Be Creative.
As always, a great read. Thanks Mark!
Catherine (cat) Morley | Project Manager
Creative Latitude | NO!SPEC | BoDo team
Category: Business Briefs
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RainToday.com is conducting a survey on Pricing and Fees in Professional Service Businesses and would like your professional input.
For your kindness, you will receive one of the below reports. Your choice:
- The Professional Services E-Guide To Online PR (PDF)
- How To Write And Market A White Paper E-Guide (PDF)
- How To Become A Thought Leader E-Guide (PDF)
- How To Set Appointments Through Cold Calling E-Guide (PDF)
- Marketing Strategy, Planning, and Budgeting for Professional Services (Webinar Recording)
Please note: the survey ends Friday, February 8.
First time at RainToday.com? Then check out their about or cruise around to take a peek at what’s on offer. If you like what you see, then sign up for their RSS feed. Or in my case, their weekly newsletter.
Catherine (cat) Morley | Project Manager
Creative Latitude | NO!SPEC | BoDo team
Category: BoDo Notes
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Ah, the end of year post. What to do, lah? Wax lyrical about the past? Or, make promises about the future?
After the time we’ve had in 2007 (three deaths, multiple hospitals stays, etc), I’ll go with the safe bet. The past.
Not that the future doesn’t look grand and all. But as my knuckles are blistered from knocking on wood, here goes …
For those starting out in business, BoDo Nibblets is an excellent series to share.
Why? Because after each subject (brilliantly written I’ll quickly point out), follows tips from designers experienced with running their own businesses. They are aptly named The BoDo Experience.
The tips are based on valuable hindsight. Meaning, the posts are full of confessions. Real truths on where we screwed up.
The subjects covered in the series are - Are You Ready? (to start your own company), Taking it Personally (as in “do you have the personality it takes to run a company?”), Clients, Oh My! (do you have enough clients?), Where’s the Money, Honey? (do you have enough money?), Location, Location, Location (online, off, where are you going to roost your bits?), How Equipped Are You? (advice on what you’ll need to survive - the basics and a bit of the toys) and Who’s (ac)Counting now? (yes, the dreaded “keeping of the books” post).
A good share for the start as well as the ending for 2007. Right?
But before I close out the year, I’d like to thank the generous (and patient) authors who made BoDo possible this year:
Jay Wickham | Ask Jay (and team member): Jay is the lady who fixes what I break. Often. And everywhere. Not just here. It’s a good thing she’s also one of my closest friends. I owe. Oh my, I owe.
Neil Tortorella | Marketing Minute (and team member): My right-hand man and best bud. Neil’s such a prolific writer, I swear he compiles copy in his sleep. Or at the very least, he writes copy in my sleep.
Alina Hagen | Alina’s In-sights: One of the sweetest pal-gals to have around. Behind the scenes she’s calmed the storms. All while supporting my wild projects. Including this one.
Tom Dyer | Dyer Straits: Tom’s a truly funny guy and lovely chap. Check him out. Funny and so very bright, I predict great things for his future.
Tamar Wallace | Out of the Bedroom: Tamar was my number two when setting up the NO!SPEC campaign, and partner in crime during the Seattle Meet. Tamar has since branched out to take on more challenges. You go girl!
Mark McGuinness | Creative Coach: Professional and British-clever, Mark’s free ebook (created from the Time Management for Creative People series here at BoDo), is at 20,000 downloads and counting. Wow. (Get your free copy here).
Erin Harris | Erin Reviews: Studiously serious, Erin brought out the best with her review of The Anti 9-to-5 Guide. Warning. She’s gathered in an incredible book list for 2008. And she’s not afraid to use it.
Jess Sand | The Sustainable Studio: Jess is in my green consciousness. She keeps me honest. She also keeps me looking for ways to reduce my footprint on this world. I’m afraid I forgot to ask her about the new MacBook Pro. Darn.
Dr. Tammy Lenski | Creative Conversations: Like Neil, Tammy has taken on a full time inhouse position. With her new back-to-back schedule, her appearances here will be sporadic. But, I have no doubt at their quality and usefulness.
Josh Jeffryes | Cube Two: Josh comes in with his matter-of-fact look at the life of both a former business owner and inhouser. Handy to have both hindsight and foresight at the same time. Way to go Josh!
Stefan Bean | Bean’s Biz: Stefan has taken on a chunk with running his father’s former design business. When he has time, he swoops in to share his process and progress. And sometimes where he went wrong. As mentioned, I’m a fan of sharing what went wrong.
Dave Carlton | The Agency Route: Dave is new to BoDo and comes loaded with experince. His Top 20 Questions To Ask When Starting Your Own Design Agency is a promise of things to come.
Oh, and one more heart-felt “thank you” goes out to Joanna Young. She knows …
Well, that’s it for 2007. With four hours to go before chiming in the New Year (Thai time), I’m now off to foof before opening up my new MacBook Pro’s iChat. Shocking what they’ve done with the new Macs. I mean, there’s a camera pointing at me. At all times. Guess there’s no more of that working in the jammies. Right? Right?
Happy New Year everyone. May 2008 be an amazing year for all.
And 2008? Just bring it on …
Catherine (cat) Morley | Project Manager
Creative Latitude | NO!SPEC | BoDo team
Category: Creative Coaching
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If you’re a BoDo regular, you’ve been following Mark McGuinness’ excellent series on time management. If you haven’t, you can read it here.
Mark is now offering an e-book compiled from the series. Free.
Time Management for Creative People: Manage the mundane - create the extraordinary.
In Time Management for Creative People, Mark expands on the concepts and tools needed to be organized in the 21st century. He gives real world tips on how to rule supreme over annoying interruptions, frustrations and distractions. To make way for your creative time. All the while keeping sane.
Download Mark’s e-book. Enjoy.
Note: e-book download begins automatically.
Catherine (cat) Morley | Project Manager
Creative Latitude | NO!SPEC | BoDo team
