Being a Starving Graphic Artist Sucks

7 Deadly Sins of Bad Client Service for Freelance Designers, Do You Suffer from Any of These?

I am not sure where I picked these up from; I decided to add a common phrase a freelancer might say for each example. A freelancer that's prone to say these types of things won't have to be worried about being in business for long:

1. Apathy - "Yeah, I know you're meeting with the international client is tomorrow, what it is exactly you'd like me to do about it?" Hey man, not my problem.
2. The Brush Off - Not even responding to an email or voice mail. Just ignoring clients when they contact you.
3. Coldness - "I would prefer that you not call me after 5:00 on work days, my hours are always 8:00 - 5:00 M-F." There are times when clients may step over the line and freelancers need to stand up and be honest with someone. Honesty is no excuse for rudeness though.
4. Condescending - "Well we can go 1/2 up front, but all of my other clients are paying their balance all up front." Snotty attitude towards clients - trying to make them feel guilty or inferior instead of being direct with them.
5. Robotism - "Thank you for your business. Think of me when it's time for your next project."  Typically done in front of someone rather than over email or phone: clear message sent through non emotion.
6. The Rule Book - "If you look at my contract on page 5, my policy states that once you approve a design, it's 100% your responsibility - there's nothing I can do..." Having a contract and policies is no excuse not to use your brain when it comes to dealing with people. 
7. The Run Around - "You'll have to check with the printer as to why the color shifted during printing, we should have had it right on our end." Or, "You'll have to talk to sales about that..." Not taking any responsibility for an issue, placing the blame on someone else and directing the client to go elsewhere for the solution.

Another Example of Bad Photoshop, Bad Graphic Design...But I'm Not Complaining!

Had to share this with you guys - thought you might get a good laugh out of it as well. I saw this in a buddy's firearm's magazine and couldn't resist making a comment about it.

No, this isn't necessarily "bad design or Photoshop", but would anyone else be nervous if this guy was grilling up burgers at a party? What if your burger isn't cooked the way you like, are you really going to say something? I really don't have an issue with the "Now You're Cooking" or "No one will complain about your cooking again" comments, although I think they're a bit cheesy. What struck my attention was that the photographer or art director thought it necessary to actually put a handgun in the guy's hand - why? Do people normally grill with a pair of tongs and a handgun?

Seriously, for product shots in a catalog I thought it best to minimize other objects that could be distractions so the customer could focus solely on the product being sold. And being that this product catalog was sent to gun owners who are certainly familiar with the Glock brand name, adding the gun didn't serve as a hint or clue as to what the logo was in reference to. Why not have had his right hand resting on his hip or pointing to the logo on the apron - what do you think?

Anyway, I thought it hysterical, hope you did too!

Snatching Defeat from the Hands of Success - How Freelancers Can Lose a "Sure Thing" Client

I learned a humbling lesson over the last few days. A potential client called me up last Friday and mentioned she was referred over by one of my best clients. She left a message in the morning and I got her back in the early afternoon. It turns out she was heading to the doctor's office to pick up some antibiotics for flu she was developing, but she still wanted to talk with me for a few moments.

The conversation lasted about 10-15 minutes and I (if I do say so myself) was great - I was genuine, relevant, funny and I was hitting all of her "buy" points. During the conversation she'd mentioned 2-3 times that I sounded "wonderful" and that she was really excited about the direction I was proposing for her brand and business. In passing she did mention that she was looking at one other freelancing company (probably just to keep me honest), but she made it clear that I had the inside track because of the referral and the fact that we were getting along so well.

After about 10-15 minutes had gone by she politely but reluctantly told me she really needed to get to her appointment. No big deal, I thought, "This is a done deal - she's already sold in working with me!"

Then I figuratively shot myself in the foot and made a critical mistake that lost this account.

Feeling confident there was no way I'd lose this prospect; I asked HER how she would like to proceed with things. Big mistake.

She again told me she was very excited about continuing our discussion and that she'd call me the Monday after the weekend. She never called.

Lesson Learned (Sadly I learned it again because I knew better):
NEVER give responsibility to follow up to the prospect/client. Even if you feel you are a lock to get the project. I should have suggested that I follow up with her on Monday, not wait for her to call me. You never know if a potential client may get distracted, forget about calling you, etc. Take the responsibility out of their hands and ask something like this, "Why don't I follow up with you on Monday, we'll finish off this conversation and see if we can get you moving forward with things."

Seems like a little mistake, doesn't it? Probably cost me thousands.

Killer Freelancing Advice: What to Do When Your Client Tells You that You Charged too Much

We've all heard it before, a client belly-aching because THEY felt they were overcharged on some freelancing work that you'd done for them. Yes, the same client that said they had no idea what they wanted in terms of a creative direction, now suddenly becomes a billing expert that can educate you on what would be a fair price. What a joke.

"You shouldn't have charged that much...it didn't take you THAT long to do it." What goes through your mind when you hear something like this? Anger, fear, disgust, panic?

Below I've listed out a few of the thoughts/questions that pop into my mind when I hear a client blurt out such an ignorant comment. Try asking one or two of them on a client next time you're in this situation (and yes, be prepared to see your client get the deer-in-headlights look, they don't often know how to respond back):

• What exactly in your professional background or expertise qualifies you to be able to make such a statement, have you been a freelancer before?
• How do you know how long this should take?
• How do you handle customers/clients telling you how much you should charge?
• How long, in your experience, do freelancers take to complete a project like this?
  
• If studying as a student for years at an art school enabled you to create remarkably quick but beautiful sketches for people in minutes, would you charge them for just for the 10 minutes it took to create the sketch or would you include the years it took to be able to create that sketch in only 10 minutes?

Tough questions aren't they?

I don't expect your client's will enjoy having to respond to them, mine certainly haven't. No, I am not trying to make people feel uncomfortable or badly for what they've said, but if they're going to imply on some level that I've overcharged them, I am going to defend myself.

I've found the best way to handle these tough situations (when clients are bullying you around) is to calmly but effectively turn the situation around on them rather than getting into a verbal scrap. If clients are being ridiculous, demanding and unfair, I'll call it to their attention in a polite but firm way - works almost every time. If this approach to dealing with clients sounds good to you, you might consider picking up a copy of my Verbal Kung Fu for Freelancers book, I'll bet you'll love it...your demanding client won't.

If You Like Me, and if You Think I am Talented, Why Don't You Hire Me as Your Freelancer?

After meeting up at the gym, my Uncle hooked me up with a bottle of acia juice a couple of weeks ago. Acia, if you've never heard of it is a lot like a blueberry on steroids. My Uncle promises me as he hands me the bottle that it will do wonders for my energy level and may even have some medicinal qualities to help my sore hip.

Over the next couple of weeks I try the stuff: one shot in the morning and one at dinner. It's actually not too bad, but when asked if I'll order some of it, the answer's, "No". I know, I just got done saying I like the stuff, I do, but I don't like it enough to pay for it. In truth, I may feel a little more energized and it didn't taste that bad, but I didn't experience "wonders" when it came to my energy level and it didn't do anything for my hip. In the end the benefits I perceived I was getting were enough to justify the cost. I like acia, it's probably pretty good for me, but I am not going to buy it.

I thought of all of this in the context of clients hiring me...or you as their freelancer. Over the years I am sure there have been clients that would have loved to have worked with me, but their perceived value of what they were getting didn't match up with the price I was charging.

So it is possible for a potential client or existing client to like you, and to think you're talented but still to go in another direction. How odd I learned this lesson from a plant that native to countries like Brazil and Peru that until last year I'd never heard of.

Should You Take the Check Even if You're Not Into Your Client? Check out my guest post at Freelance Shack: http://tinyurl.com/26nrkeo

Graphic Designers / Web Designer, How to Keep the Heck Out Limbo When Looking for a New Job or Freelancing Gig

"Well actually, we went with someone else..."

Surprisingly, sales professionals will tell you that this by far isn't the worst answer you can receive when interviewing for a new job or freelancing gig. Actually they'll tell you that, "We'll let you know", "We'll have to think about it", or "We've got more candidates to talk to, then we'll get back to you" are the worst...more on this later in this post.

I know what you have to be thinking, "No" means, "I am out", but the other three responses that were listed above still mean I have a chance...right?

The answer is...well, yes...and no, it really depends. Many interview professionals believe that the decision whether to hire you or not comes within the first 5-10 minutes of the interview - everything after that is just filler. Hmm, I am not sure I completely buy that, but I do know that once we cast an impression on someone it can be difficult to change (so yes, first impressions are important!)

You might wonder then, "If the client or employer has already made a decision about hiring me, why would she/he try to stall by saying they'll get back to me?"

That's a good question...the answers might come as a bit of a rude surprise to you:

1. First off, clients and employers (savvy ones anyway) of course want to avoid a scene. These people know that interviewing is a stressful and emotional time for job seekers and freelancers, so telling a candidate, "No thanks dude, you're not a good fit." right to someone's face might cause a scene. By stalling by saying, "We'll let you know" gives the client or employer the opportunity to let the stress level deescalate, and it allows them to tell candidates over email or the phone, where it won't cause quite a scene. And sadly, some clients and employers really have no intention of ever getting back to you, they just hope that you'll get the hint when you haven't heard from them in a while.
   
   
2. Secondly, clients and employers might feel a candidate isn't a bad fit - maybe they like the person but they feel they might find someone better so they'll stall the first candidate in the hopes that they'll find someone better. If of course they don't find someone better they may end up going back to the first candidate, but by stalling they don't risk anything. While I don't care for this approach, it's done all of the time and is just part of the job/gig hunting process. In their defense, even if a client or employer has informally selected a candidate, they may end up going through with all of the interviews they've set up as a courtesy. 

Okay, so going back to which is better: "No", or "We'll get back to you", it's important to note that there are times that "We'll get back to you" really does mean just that - they'll get back to you when they've made a decision - so it MIGHT not be bad. It's unrealistic to assume that clients and employers can make a yes or no decision right there on the spot, so affording them time to make a decision is just common courtesy on your part.

So the real trick here is determining which clients/employers are using this as a stall tactic and which ones legitimately are considering you and need some time to make a decision.

Why Limbo Sucks:
Be honest, it's aggravating, really aggravating having the feeling that you have to just sit there and wait for a client or employer to get back to you. Perhaps you don't feel like moving forward with anything else until you've heard back - you just want to hear back from these people and then you look into other things. This is exactly why sales professionals, who get, "No", "Yes" and "We'll get back to you" on a daily basis, can't stand "We'll get back to you" - waiting in limbo means you have to check back with people (time consuming), and in some cases it can emotionally paralyze some candidates/sales pros from looking into other opportunities.

The reason why sales professionals often prefer, "No thanks" to "We'll get back to you" is that it allows them the emotional freedom to move on to other opportunities rather than having to wait for someone to get back to them, and while I know you're not a sales pro, but the idea still holds true for creative professionals. Being in limbo is no fun.

PS - Completely off the subject, but a couple of weeks ago I stumbled on Chris Brogan's blog. I've never met the guy but he's got some great content over there as well, check it out.

You're Thinking of Freelancing but Don't Have a Degree in Graphic or Web Design - You Don't have a Prayer...Right?

I received this email a while back, since there are so many freelancers out there that wonder if not having a degree is keeping them down, I wanted to share this with all of you...enjoy:

Freelancer's Email to Me:
"I started computer typesetting back in 1988 but I do not have a formal degree in graphic design but taught myself a lot of the basics by reading books, graphics magazines, etc.

"I learned enough to start a typesetting business and worked with just a few clients. At the time I hadn't pursued additional business but now I am working on rebuilding my business.

"Since I haven't been actively promoting my business for awhile, I am finding it slow going and don't know exactly where to go from here.

"I've also found that quite a few businesses are trying to do their own design and print work to either save money or because they think they can do it themselves. I am finding it hard to market to these businesses because I don't have a graphic design degree but I know I have more experience in design/layout than most business owners do. How do I market services, graphic design, typesetting, or desktop publishing?

Anyway, I think your books will give me some valuable information, thanks!"

My Response:
"Wow, thank you so much for sharing, I hope the books will be great resources for you!

"No worries about not having a degree, I don't have one either...I started out working at Kinkos (ouch). I've NEVER had a client ask me if I had a degree - they don't care, they just care if you can do the work.

"Here's a quick point to keep in mind about marketing your business: ignore what your background is or whether or not clients can fumble through doing design on their own. Instead focus on the value that you can bring to a client.

"For example: If your marketing centers around you being a graphic designer with X years of experience, who cares? Potential clients don't really care about that; they certainly don't care about how long I've been in the industry either.

However, if your marketing focus is less about what your title is, and more about your ability to beautifully design marketing collateral that helps your clients bring customers in the door - NOW THAT IS WHAT CLIENTS CARE ABOUT, that's the value you bring to them. That is what your marketing should be focused on. 

"You'll read this in BASAS book - clients don't care about you, your background, your degree/or non-degree...and they certainly don't care about mine either, they ONLY care about what we can do for them. Focus your marketing, your web site, your collateral and your business cards on what you can do for your clients and you'll be on the right path. I hope that helps.

"PS - never feel inadequate or self-conscious because you don't have a degree, if you've been in the industry since '88, you've got skills. Your marketing should be focused around how those skills can help your clients get what they want...(hint: they want revenue and customers)."

Guest Blogging Invite for Artists in the Graphic Design Professional Group on LinkedIn

Hey guys,
I joined the GDPG (Graphic Design Professional Group on LinkedIn ) a couple of months ago and quickly discovered there are some designers on there with some pretty damn good insights, and I just thought extending a guest blogger invite would be a cool, cooperative way to get to know some of the contributors.

If you do or don't have a blog it doesn't matter, if you know what you're talking about in regards to graphic design, web design, color theory, fonts, layout, aesthetics, Photoshop or Illustrator techniques, advertising or printing, I'd love to hear from you! I'll be taking submissions until Wednesday, June 30th.

Here are a few parameters to keep in mind before you submit a post:

Length: Somewhere around 500-1000 words.

Audience: Designers of all skill levels; however, most of them are already in the field or just about to graduate from school.

Grammar & punctuation: I am not a grammar whiz so I definitely don't expect you to be. Your message, content and knowledge about design are a lot more important than your use of commas. I would however recommend you have someone else look at your post before you send it over - just to have another pair of eyes check it out.

Authorship credit: Always happy to do this for you. Please make sure that you include in your post: your name, company, title and URL. 

Send in your submissions or questions to: GDPG [at] beingastarvingartistsucks [dot] com

Notes:

• If you do have a blog I'd ask that you only submit original posts (not posts you've uploaded on your blog or somewhere else).
• I'll run a new entry every few weeks. If Irun your post I'll of course let you know when it's going to post, and I'll also set you up with a free eBook copy of one of the two books I've written ("Being a Starving Artist Sucks" or "Verbal Kung Fu for Freelancers") - your choice.
• If you have a pretty good blog following and would like me to write a guest post - drop me a line, let's talk!
• If you're not a member of GDPG, check it out - it's a good group.