Being a Starving Graphic Artist Sucks

A quick thought about convenience and how it relates to freelancers

My wife and I got a new refrigerator over Christmas, one of those stainless steel models with an in-door water dispensers built in. In taking a break from working on a client project today I headed to the fridge to snag something to drink. As I get into the kitchen I am thinking I want pop (I probably drink too much pop). I grabbed a cup the first thing I see is the water dispenser in the door - I know (or think I know) that there is pop located in the back of the fridge but the water dispenser is right in front of me and I am going to have to work to get to the pop...I took the water.

This got me thinking about convenience and how it applies to our freelancing businesses.

1. Are clients more likely to work with you or continue to work with you if it's convenient?
2. Are you potentially losing out on business because you're not convenient to work with?
3. What ways can you think of today that will make it more convenient to work with you?

Hmm, all things you might want to give some thought to today...I don't think the pop in the back of the fridge is thinking of any of these questions though...at least I hope not :)

PS - I am going to be releasing the Creative Freelance Designer's Audio Success Series (mp3s) on the iTunes store here in the next few weeks. Before I do that I'd like to have a couple of articulate volunteers to review the package for free.

If you've purchased any of the BASAS resources and have some time to provide a review by the end of the week please email me at jeremy@beingastarvingartistsucks.com and I'll hook you up with link for free as well as provide you with the questions I'd like to have your feedback on. I'll take the first person that emails me that fits the above criteria.

They Seemed Like Such a Nice Client, So Why are They Nitpicking My Project to Death?

Have you ever noticed that when you send clients their project over email to look at they always send a reply back that focuses on the negative instead of the positive? For example you'll receive a reply like this, "Got your design...I don't like the font you used, the logo looks out of place, I am not sure I like what you did in the lower left corner and can we do something with the call out you have on the right - it seems to be missing something..."

If you've been freelancing for any amount of time you've seen this type of a response.
Frustrating isn't it?

I've found that over the years you may have a rare case of a client who is p.c. about letting you know they'd like some revisions, but for most clients they tend to come right out and say, "I don't like this...this is a problem...you need to fix this..." In all honesty, I don't believe the client was attempting to be overly critical or unkind, but both you and I know that if you've worked hard on a creative project for hours (and felt good about what you'd created) and then the client verbally stomps on it - it's not the best feeling in the world.

I've actually come up with a way to get around all of this - I discuss the solution that's worked really well for me in detail in my Creative Freelance Designer's Audio Success Series (you can check it out here if you like). This solution eliminates you receiving these overly critical emails and puts you in a position of authority rather than being subjected to your client's whims.

If you're okay with the way things are running, just try to cut your client's a little slack when they pick apart your design, most of them don't even know they're doing it!

PS - Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah to all of you that have supported what I've done over the past year by commenting on the blog, sending in emails, passing the blog along to other creative freelancers or purchasing some of the resources I've made available for sale. If this does describe you, check out the Looking for Work page - we'll be getting that ramped up in Jan/Feb of 2009.

PPS - I'll have the Creative Audio Success Series available on iTunes within the next month. Verbal Kung Fu for Freelancers is entering the final stages at amazon.com - it'll be available for purchase on their web site in the first couple of weeks in the New Year.

Tough Times, How Do Freelancers Bounce Back from a Bad Economy?

First headline I saw on foxnews.com a couple of days ago when I woke up:
Jobless Claims Rise to 26-Year High.

Ouch.

Let's face it, times are tough here in the States - some people are getting pounded badly. In terms of freelancing, what I am finding is a lot of small business owners (freelancers too) are trying to lay low and ride out the storm by doing nothing, spending nothing and risking nothing. Bad strategy.

When it comes to growing or investing in their business, I am finding the majority of people are trying to hold on to their money like a wild boar trying to protect its young against hungry lions.

Instead of seeing this as an opportunity for them to grab market share that is up for grabs, I'm seeing that most people become paralyzed into doing nothing when they see hard economic times. They don't invest in themselves, and instead of working with someone who can help them grow their business in a turbulent time, instead the get scared about investing any money at all and convincing themselves that either things will get better on their own, or they think they're figure it out on their own.

I've been boxing for years now and this reminds me of what aspiring fighters do when they first get hit in the face: they "turtle", as I call it. Young (green/wet behind the ears) fighters tend to get really scared when they're hit for the first time, they duck their head, hunch over the ground and cover their face so they won't get hit anymore - like a turtle hiding in its shell. In addition to looking silly, there's one huge flaw in this approach: when inexperienced fighters turtle up they not only look ridiculous, but they can't see their opponent anymore...who coincidentally continues to pound on them.

This same idea can be applied to  aspiring business owners as well as freelancers right now with the economy, most people are "turtling" which is going to get them knocked out or just broke. Keeping expenses, risks and investments in line right now isn't a bad idea, but avoiding any investment in growing your company for fear you can't afford it is a losing strategy - ask any young fighter who's turtled.

PS - In case you were wondering, yes I did 'turtle' a few times when I first started boxing (years and years ago)...I learned in boxing and in business not to go into a shell when times are tough. Don't turtle guys, I am actually on a growth spurt with the business and it's because I haven't turtled. 

If This is What Your Design is Like - Don't Apply, But Don't Lose Hope Either

Over the last couple of months I've started up a new venture with my friend and business mentor, Bill Gluth. We've started a marketing and design firm that we'll establish locally and move to regional markets around the US. Bill and I are looking for web/graphic designers who have a strong corporate sense, and as I was going through some older portfolios I came across the business card featured on the right.

At the risk of sounding too critical, this just isn't going to cut it. It is far short of the quality, creativity and innovativeness that we're looking for. In fact, it just looks like the designer slapped some clip art in there, added some text and called it a business card. It's crap...sorry, it's just crap.

What We're Really Looking For
Here I've included an example of the level of quality and creativity we're really looking for. This is a brand I did for a client a few years back - client loved the card, and her clients loved it as well. The company's brand was once a weak point but now has become a strength...and it probably will be for years.

If you can create time sensitive, original brands like this, take a look at the "Looking for Work" section. If your design looks more like the card above, well we're not exactly a good fit but you shouldn't lose hope just yet - the truth is, both cards were designed by the same freelancer...me.

[Collective gasp]

Yep, that hideous "Big City Vending" card is one I did years and years ago - one of the first cards I've ever done. Wow, I sucked, didn't I?

My point is that as creative freelancers (whether web or graphic), we all start some place, and hopefully we're all striving to improve ourselves professionally and creatively. If you're just starting out in design, don't beat yourself up if you know you've got some improving to do - look how far I've come! The key to being successful is taking steps everyday to improve your chances for growth/success. Most freelancers just hope and pray things will work out, but they really don't invest any time, money or energy in making it happen - don't let that happen to you.

I've had to do the same thing on the business side - by reading, learning, analyzing and working with great mentors I've had the chance to make staggering improvements over the years - but it didn't come all at once.

As you go into this holiday season start thinking about what you're doing right now to improve your skills as a freelancer and a business person. The economy is tough here in the States - it's important not to lose hope in your dream to be a freelancer, but it's equally as important for you to take steps to ensure that dream stays alive...what will you do today to improve your chances for success? (And no, surfing the Internet for free tid bits doesn't count).

PS - I've had a lot of freelancers check out the "Looking for Work" page - yes, a lot of folks are looking for work right now. While I am happy to take a look at anyone's portfolio, we're really looking for freelancers that understand and buy into the professional methodologies/concepts in the BASAS and VKFU books. In addition to wanting to support folks that have supported me, we need to make sure we're all on the same professional wavelength - that's why we're looking for freelancers that have purchased and read BASAS and VKFU.

Confronting Sales Head On: Can't Live with Them, Can't Live without Them

In speaking at a job fair at the Art Institute of Phoenix I had a design student ask me, "I love freelancing but I am just not into sales; what would you suggest I do?"

Easy answer: Go work for someone and forget about freelancing.

The truth is sales is a crucial subset of freelancing - you can't have one without the other.
Freelancers without sales are hobbyists...usually starving hobbyists. 

If you say you love freelancing but don't like sales...you don't really like freelancing.
Freelancing = sales, and vice versa. Make sense?

 
Sales can be scary if you never been taught how to sell - I know first hand (I used to be terrified of sales until I invested some time/money in learning), but I think it's important that aspiring freelancers don't dilute themselves into thinking they can freelance without having to do sales, those freelancers are called unemployed. There are too many creative students (like the one I mentioned above) that jump into freelancing without really understanding what they're getting into.

If you find yourself in this situation I'd suggest checking out some resources to help you with selling; I do cover some of this in Being a Starving Artist Sucks specifically from the creative freelancer's point of view, but there are loads of books out there. Sales aren't anything to be scared of, but aspiring and even struggling freelancers need to recognize that you either need to learn to like to sell or work for someone else.