I’m sure as a freelancer we’ve all said to ourselves at one point, probably in the middle of a project, “why didn’t I include that in the contract?” As designers we know the importance of getting agreements in writing, for the benefit of both the designer and the client.

This is going to be a two part series, first, what the designer must include in a design contract and another write-up on what a client must include in a design contract.

Nothing can teach us what should be in a contract more than experience. Unfortunately some of us have had to learn the hard way what the “musts” are in a design agreement. Below are some of the items that are absolute musts for designers to protect themselves financially, legally and just a pain in the…well you get the idea. (more…)

We’ve all heard the saying “you don’t get a second chance at a first impression”. When it comes to your design business and landing a deal, nothing could be more true. A great first impression is the first step to securing a client and forming an ongoing business relationship.

One of a designer’s main keys to developing a great first impression is trust. No matter what the circumstances of the first impression, if the person cannot trust you, they won’t want to move forward in a designer-client relationship.

For a designer, first impressions can come in several different ways. Most of our first impressions are visual: a website, advertisement or personal meeting. After an initial visual impression, phone calls and emails may follow which can also leave an impression. This article will discuss practical ways to impress your clients over and over again.

(read more…)