Wow. This time yesterday I was in the middle of an extentsial melt down. I had restarted my machine only to realize in the process of my furiously fast workflow I had inadvertently dragged my desktop and profile files to an invisible folder. Thus when my machined logged in I was met with what appeared to be a fresh installation of Leopard X.

To say I freaked may be putting it mildly. The good news however, is that I’ve been using Mozy Unlimited for quite some time now and have all my files automatically backed up with them. As simply as checking my account online and ordering my back up disks, I had a full backup of over 100 GBs of work being sent to my home. If you haven’t invested in a good backup solution I would suggest you do so before you get that gut wrenching feeling of re-doing your work and disappointing your clients.

Good BackUp Solutions:

• A third party solution like MOZY Unlimited–they are easy to use, incremental backups and reliable.
• Back up to an external Hard Drive. For a Mac you can use Time Machine or Carbon Copy to make this a breeze.

Bad BackUp Solutions:

• Burning to a CD or DVD —the shelf life on these is too small and too unpredictable. Not to mention the fact that you would have to spend ALL your time backing up and very little actually working!
• Uploading to an SFTP site —the server load and time constraints are much to heavy for most web servers and hosts out there and again, all your processing time would go to backing up your files!

We all enjoy what we do, but having to do it OVER again is no fun. Don’t despair! There is hope! Backing up regularly and reliably will keep you from having to go through the pain of rebuilding!

Bookmark This!

One of the hardest things we deal with as Designers is continually opening ourselves up for rejection. Every time we design something we pour a little part of ourselves into it. Is there a way to avoid that? Not if your truly passionate about what you do.

At the same time, it’s important that we don’t allow the rejection and criticisms of our work to alter our self-confidence. Sometimes one of the most difficult things we encounter is the “finger-pointing” that often goes along with design.

I recently ran into a similar instance while working on a project for a friend. They had an idea of what they wanted. I rushed home, designed the piece, excited to send it to them. It was disheartening to say the least. While they had something else in mind I had designed exactly what they directed me to the best of my ability.

Many times, “lack of communication” is the main cause for rejected work. In this case, I was shocked to find that what I had done was not apparently what they had in mind. Even worse, occasionally your client may refuse to “work through” a piece with you, instead wanting to turn to another designer or halt production. My best advice? Let them go. You’ll be much happier in the long run. There are good clients out there, don’t settle for any that mistreat you.

However, a lack of “designer trust” also can play a key role. As an employer if you want the best for your marketing, design and promotions, then you need to trust your designer.

If they were good enough to hire, then let them do their job. So MANY times, I’ve seen good design completely re-worked and re-created based on the “client’s” wishes. While this is definitely their perrogative it’s no small surprise when those pieces turn out sub-par. The worst of these situations is when the client literally takes it upon themselves to select a stock graphic for their piece.

When that happens, I generally know the piece will NOT be making it to my portfolio. While it’s sad to see, it also happens to the best of us and we must not let it wear us down. Remember that YOU are equipped to do your job, regardless of what your boss or your client may think. When you do that, your designs will reflect your confidence.

Bookmark This!

As a designer my job is to:

• Connect the reader and the writer
• Establish a visual connection between the product and the consumer
• Determine who your audience is
• Reinforce the message of the copy
• Guide the reader across the layout
• Direct the reader’s eye through "implied motion"
• Select the appropriate images to drive the layout
• Create an emotional connection between the viewer and the client

   
Obviously this brief list is not the all-encompassing tasks of a good designer, but I do think that without this mindset any design will suffer. Carefully consider what YOUR job is, when you take on your next project!

Bookmark This!

As most of you know, in addition to being “just” a graphic designer, I also spend a large majority of my time creating Web sites and teaching. Recently, I was asked to help with the development of a new curriculum for a University level class on Social Media Marketing.

It occurred to me, after giving the subject a test-drive in one of my classes that these soon up-and-coming professionals know very little about HOW to actually market THEMSELVES.

That being the case, I am launching a new series called, “Market Yourself”. If you’re a freelancer, full-time designer or still a student, these keys to getting your name out there are absolutely invaluable.

Nearly every media tool that we discuss will hinge on how well you use it as an artist!

We’ll be exploring the “How-To’s” of Social Media marketing and the best way to use it to your advantage! Grab a seat and strap in, let’s get started!
 

Bookmark This!

Today I’m going to step away from our normal line of articles and participate in Blog Action Day 2008. Today, October 15th, bloggers from around the world are uniting to share their hearts on a common subject: Poverty. Each blogger, will talk about this subject from the perspective of their field.

As designers, how does poverty effect us? Or do we have the opportunity to affect change ourselves? One of the hardest things for me is knowing how to price my work. Too many times, I’ve seen clients get taken to the cleaners by a designer or developer who convince them that they must spend thousands of dollars to get top quality work. Often this venture leaves the client broke with no real success to show for it.

As a freelancer and now a business owner, it’s the desire of my heart to provide top quality work to those that can’t afford to go and hire a big design firm or ad agency in LA and NYC. What I offer them instead is cutting edge design and access to all the knowledge that I’ve acquired over the years for an affordable price.

When I sit and meet with a new client, I find myself drawn in by their stories of struggle, success and triumph. These small businesses, ministries and individuals are often seeking an alternative to the big business world they see at work. Due to budget constraints and their commitment to "starting small", they are unable to compete with the big dogs at these bigger companies.

This is where I provide a solution. I can help the smaller, struggling businesses that are in need of good design for a cheap budget.

How do I do it?

1. Start small. I explain up front that the rates and information I am giving them are directly proportional to the size and demand of their small establishment. By doing this, I allow a sliding room, so that as their ministry grows, my fees too, can grow with them. By doing this, I establish a connection with the client, they know that I want them to succeed!

2. Show them reality. I have a list of "standard" prices that I charge. Which is true and fair, and I do stick to them with larger companies that I work for. But when I’m working for Joe Schmoe in Backwoods, OK, I print out my price list and then mark through the regular prices and give them their price based on the information that they have provided.

3. Judge the personality. One of the hardest things to do, is perceive whether a client will be easy to work with or difficult. I have been burned by this only once. I agreed to do a rush job for a lady that was creating a book as a gift. She was a very sweet lady and I had worked with her daughter before so I thought I would be safe. Unfortunately I didn’t count on another friend of hers being involved in the process. After rushing to complete the job, pulling an all-nighter and practically giving it away for nothing–the project became a nightmare. After the initial proofing was finished, I was asked to continue making changes, in fact one day alone, I received over 35 emails from that individual with minor tweaks and changes. In the end, I finally was forced to draw the line and severe the relationship and end the project.

As designers we have the opportunity to spread a little goodwill and sunshine to those that can’t afford our services but know they have a need for good design. Remember that each person you help will plant seed that you can reap later!

Bookmark This!

Number 4 in this series:

That’s right folks, you heard it here first. As designers, we all go through those phases. One mistake may snowball into several, or you get one of those jobs that never seem to end.

Jobs that never end? Oh yeah. I’ve had them. The simple little layout that you quote to someone who sounds sweet for less than your normal price. Next thing you know? Forty print-outs, 35 corrections, 4 stock photo sites and several months later you find yourself still working on it.

How do you get rid of this anvil around your neck? Cut it off! Do whatever it takes to end the project, even if it means having to eat a little more profit yourself. It’s worth it in the long run to get your time and aggravation back!

What about the jobs where you don’t get all the information upfront? Ever quoted a freelance job too cheap?  I have. It’s easy to do. I find myself wanting to help out the client, give them the best deal possible and then 100 hours into the project, I’m kicking myself.

How do you stop that? Well, for me, I’ve sat down and objectively outlined the main-stream projects that I do on a regular basis, logo-development, magazines, etc. As I outlined each one, I added a realistic price and time frame. My prices are there and set in stone.

I’ve got to admit though, I still get sucked in and drop them on a case-by-case basis.  As a designer, I’m not perfect, but I do hope that the clients I work with know that they have gotten their money’s worth and are pleased with the result.
 

Bookmark This!