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A Brilliant Interview
Some, rather most organizations reject his CV today because he has changed jobs frequently (10 in 14 years). My friend, the ˜job hopper™ (referred here as Mr. XYZ), does not mind it. well he does not need to mind it at all. Having worked full-time with 10 employer companies in just 14 years gives Mr. XYZ the relaxing edge that most of the ˜company loyal™ employees are struggling for today. Today, Mr. XYZ too is laid off like some other 14-15 year experienced guys “ the difference being the latter have just worked in 2-3 organizations in the same number of years. Here are the excerpts of an interview with Mr.XYZ :
Q: Why have you changed 10 jobs in 14 years?
A: To get financially sound and stable before getting laid off the second time.
Q: So you knew you would be laid off in the year 2009?
A: Well I was laid off first in the year 2002 due to the first global economic slowdown. I had not got a full-time job before January 2003 when the economy started looking up; so I had struggled for almost a year without job and with compromises.
Q: Which number of job was that?
A: That was my third job.
Q: So from Jan 2003 to Jan 2009, in 6 years, you have changed 8 jobs to make the count as 10 jobs in 14 years?
A: I had no other option. In my first 8 years of professional life, I had worked only for 2 organizations thinking that jobs are deserved after lot of hard work and one should stay with an employer company to justify the saying ˜employer loyalty™. But I was an idiot.
Q: Why do you say so?
A: My salary in the first 8 years went up only marginally. I could not save enough and also, I had thought that I had a ˜permanent™ job, so I need not worry about ˜what will I do if I lose my job™. I could never imagine losing a job because of economic slowdown and not because of my performance. That was January 2002.
Q: Can you brief on what happened between January 2003 and 2009.
A: Well, I had learnt my lessons of being ˜company loyal™ and not ˜money earning and saving loyal™. But then you can save enough only when you earn enough. So I shifted my loyalty towards money making and saving “ I changed 8 jobs in 6 years assuring all my interviewers about my stability.
Q: So you lied to your interviewers; you had already planned to change the job for which you were being interviewed on a particular day?
A: Yes, you can change jobs only when the market is up and companies are hiring. You tell me “ can I get a job now because of the slowdown? No. So one should change jobs for higher salaries only when the market is up because that is the only time when companies hire and can afford the expected salaries.
Q: What have you gained by doing such things?
A: That's the question I was waiting for. In Jan 2003, I had a fixed salary (without variables) of say Rs. X p.a. In January 2009, my salary was 8X. So assuming my salary was Rs.3 lakh p.a. in Jan 2003, my last drawn salary in Jan 2009 was Rs.24 lakh p.a. (without variable). I never bothered about variable as I had no intention to stay for 1 year and go through the appraisal process to wait for the company to give me a hike.
Q: So you decided on your own hike?
A: Yes, in 2003, I could see the slowdown coming again in future like it had happened in 2001-02. Though I was not sure by when the next slowdown would come, I was pretty sure I wanted a ˜debt-free™ life before being laid off again. So I planned my hike targets on a yearly basis without waiting for the year to complete.
Q: So are you debt-free now?
A: Yes, I earned so much by virtue of job changes for money and spent so little that today I have a loan free 2 BR flat (1200 sq.. feet) plus a loan free big car without bothering about any EMIs. I am laid off too but I do not complain at all. If I have laid off companies for money, it is OK if a company lays me off because of lack of money.
Q: Who is complaining?
A: All those guys who are not getting a job to pay their EMIs off are complaining. They had made fun of me saying I am a job hopper and do not have any company loyalty. Now I ask them what they gained by their company loyalty; they too are laid off like me and pass comments to me “ why will you bother about us, you are already debt-free. They were still in the bracket of 12-14 lakh p.a. when they were laid off.
Q: What is your advice to professionals?
A: Like Narayan Murthy had said “ love your job and not your company because you never know when your company will stop loving you. In the same lines, love yourself and your family needs more than the company's needs. Companies can keep coming and going; family will always remain the same. Make money for yourself first and simultaneously make money for the company, not the other way around.
Q: What is your biggest pain point with companies?
A: When a company does well, its CEO will address the entire company saying, ˜well done guys, it is YOUR company, keep up the hard work, I am with you. But when the slowdown happens and the company does not do so well, the same CEO will say, œIt is MY company and to save the company, I have to take tough decisions including asking people to go. So think about your financial stability first; when you get laid off, your kids will complain to you and not your boss.
Comment Please :)
Q: Why have you changed 10 jobs in 14 years?
A: To get financially sound and stable before getting laid off the second time.
Q: So you knew you would be laid off in the year 2009?
A: Well I was laid off first in the year 2002 due to the first global economic slowdown. I had not got a full-time job before January 2003 when the economy started looking up; so I had struggled for almost a year without job and with compromises.
Q: Which number of job was that?
A: That was my third job.
Q: So from Jan 2003 to Jan 2009, in 6 years, you have changed 8 jobs to make the count as 10 jobs in 14 years?
A: I had no other option. In my first 8 years of professional life, I had worked only for 2 organizations thinking that jobs are deserved after lot of hard work and one should stay with an employer company to justify the saying ˜employer loyalty™. But I was an idiot.
Q: Why do you say so?
A: My salary in the first 8 years went up only marginally. I could not save enough and also, I had thought that I had a ˜permanent™ job, so I need not worry about ˜what will I do if I lose my job™. I could never imagine losing a job because of economic slowdown and not because of my performance. That was January 2002.
Q: Can you brief on what happened between January 2003 and 2009.
A: Well, I had learnt my lessons of being ˜company loyal™ and not ˜money earning and saving loyal™. But then you can save enough only when you earn enough. So I shifted my loyalty towards money making and saving “ I changed 8 jobs in 6 years assuring all my interviewers about my stability.
Q: So you lied to your interviewers; you had already planned to change the job for which you were being interviewed on a particular day?
A: Yes, you can change jobs only when the market is up and companies are hiring. You tell me “ can I get a job now because of the slowdown? No. So one should change jobs for higher salaries only when the market is up because that is the only time when companies hire and can afford the expected salaries.
Q: What have you gained by doing such things?
A: That's the question I was waiting for. In Jan 2003, I had a fixed salary (without variables) of say Rs. X p.a. In January 2009, my salary was 8X. So assuming my salary was Rs.3 lakh p.a. in Jan 2003, my last drawn salary in Jan 2009 was Rs.24 lakh p.a. (without variable). I never bothered about variable as I had no intention to stay for 1 year and go through the appraisal process to wait for the company to give me a hike.
Q: So you decided on your own hike?
A: Yes, in 2003, I could see the slowdown coming again in future like it had happened in 2001-02. Though I was not sure by when the next slowdown would come, I was pretty sure I wanted a ˜debt-free™ life before being laid off again. So I planned my hike targets on a yearly basis without waiting for the year to complete.
Q: So are you debt-free now?
A: Yes, I earned so much by virtue of job changes for money and spent so little that today I have a loan free 2 BR flat (1200 sq.. feet) plus a loan free big car without bothering about any EMIs. I am laid off too but I do not complain at all. If I have laid off companies for money, it is OK if a company lays me off because of lack of money.
Q: Who is complaining?
A: All those guys who are not getting a job to pay their EMIs off are complaining. They had made fun of me saying I am a job hopper and do not have any company loyalty. Now I ask them what they gained by their company loyalty; they too are laid off like me and pass comments to me “ why will you bother about us, you are already debt-free. They were still in the bracket of 12-14 lakh p.a. when they were laid off.
Q: What is your advice to professionals?
A: Like Narayan Murthy had said “ love your job and not your company because you never know when your company will stop loving you. In the same lines, love yourself and your family needs more than the company's needs. Companies can keep coming and going; family will always remain the same. Make money for yourself first and simultaneously make money for the company, not the other way around.
Q: What is your biggest pain point with companies?
A: When a company does well, its CEO will address the entire company saying, ˜well done guys, it is YOUR company, keep up the hard work, I am with you. But when the slowdown happens and the company does not do so well, the same CEO will say, œIt is MY company and to save the company, I have to take tough decisions including asking people to go. So think about your financial stability first; when you get laid off, your kids will complain to you and not your boss.
Comment Please :)
7 Reasons Why Designers Need to Blog
During current economical times, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find and secure good clients. A “good” client is one who plays on time and presents his/her needs in a precise, and efficient manner. That’s why freelance designers need to work on their marketing a bit more to secure better clients, and this is where blogging comes into the mix.
Many designers today have the misconception that blogging doesn’t do much, but in fact, it’s almost the complete opposite to that.
1. Build Authority
The main role of blogs is somewhat different. Blogging is all about building authority and respect. It’s all about establishing yourself as a market leader in what you do, a pioneer if you will. The end result is that if you’re an authority and leader in your field, then you have the opportunity to get more clients, and charge more for your work as well.
2. Actively Market Services
Other than getting requests from simply blogging about issues within your field, you can also leverage a blog and actively promote your services on it. For example, every month you could write-up a case study featuring some recent work, and how you went about tackling the project at hand.
3. Share and Innovate
Blogs are great platforms for communication to other people in your chosen field. You can view ideas from other people’s blogs, build on them, and present them back to the public. You can forge friendships and work relations, and build up that all-important contact list.
4. Make Additional Income
If you’re lucky enough to have developed a strong, popular blog, then you have the option of offering advertising plans to anyone who may be interested. This could prove to be a very nice bonus at the end of each month depending on how much you charge for the advertisements. Remember not to go overboard with ads though, as it could prove detrimental to your traffic rates and returning visitors.
5. Announce Other Products/Services/Websites
If you own and run a popular blog, then you’ll be able to leverage it further by announcing new products/services/websites you may start-up. This gives you a better platform to generate traffic quickly and effectively on your new project instead of having to go through months of content production like you had to with your first blog to get any decent amounts of traffic.
6. Helps You Know Your Clients
If you’re a web designer, then running a blog will help you with project logic when it comes to designing for a client. When you design for your own projects, you’re directly putting yourself in the shoes of your client, and it can really prove to be a worthwhile experience. You’ll think of layout, style, and image – things which the a client would usually try to portray to you during the early stages of a web design project.
7. Develop Design Skills
If nothing else, creating a blog will help you further your design skills with some extra practice so you can experiment with what works and what doesn’t when it comes to blogs. You’ll also become more familiar with blogging CMS systems such as WordPress so you’ll also be developing your skill-set in the process.
Conclusion
Blogging has massive advantages for you and your business and is a slow and steady process. You can’t expect over-night success with your blog (you can’t even expect “over-month” success). In the end, blogging is a very good way to release pressures and stress built up during freelancing or any other work, so if you don’t want to use it for the reasons mentioned, blog to reduce your stress levels.
Read more…
Many designers today have the misconception that blogging doesn’t do much, but in fact, it’s almost the complete opposite to that.
1. Build Authority
The main role of blogs is somewhat different. Blogging is all about building authority and respect. It’s all about establishing yourself as a market leader in what you do, a pioneer if you will. The end result is that if you’re an authority and leader in your field, then you have the opportunity to get more clients, and charge more for your work as well.
2. Actively Market Services
Other than getting requests from simply blogging about issues within your field, you can also leverage a blog and actively promote your services on it. For example, every month you could write-up a case study featuring some recent work, and how you went about tackling the project at hand.
3. Share and Innovate
Blogs are great platforms for communication to other people in your chosen field. You can view ideas from other people’s blogs, build on them, and present them back to the public. You can forge friendships and work relations, and build up that all-important contact list.
4. Make Additional Income
If you’re lucky enough to have developed a strong, popular blog, then you have the option of offering advertising plans to anyone who may be interested. This could prove to be a very nice bonus at the end of each month depending on how much you charge for the advertisements. Remember not to go overboard with ads though, as it could prove detrimental to your traffic rates and returning visitors.
5. Announce Other Products/Services/Websites
If you own and run a popular blog, then you’ll be able to leverage it further by announcing new products/services/websites you may start-up. This gives you a better platform to generate traffic quickly and effectively on your new project instead of having to go through months of content production like you had to with your first blog to get any decent amounts of traffic.
6. Helps You Know Your Clients
If you’re a web designer, then running a blog will help you with project logic when it comes to designing for a client. When you design for your own projects, you’re directly putting yourself in the shoes of your client, and it can really prove to be a worthwhile experience. You’ll think of layout, style, and image – things which the a client would usually try to portray to you during the early stages of a web design project.
7. Develop Design Skills
If nothing else, creating a blog will help you further your design skills with some extra practice so you can experiment with what works and what doesn’t when it comes to blogs. You’ll also become more familiar with blogging CMS systems such as WordPress so you’ll also be developing your skill-set in the process.
Conclusion
Blogging has massive advantages for you and your business and is a slow and steady process. You can’t expect over-night success with your blog (you can’t even expect “over-month” success). In the end, blogging is a very good way to release pressures and stress built up during freelancing or any other work, so if you don’t want to use it for the reasons mentioned, blog to reduce your stress levels.
Guide to Blogging for Freelance Designers
Since I started designing for clients, by far the best type of promotion or marketing that I have done is the development of the blog at Vandelay Website Design. The blog was originally planned to just be an occasional article that would ideally draw some search traffic from potential clients, however, in just a few months it became much more than that when I started to understand the potential of blogging and how to produce results.
Although I never set out to use the blog in the way that I do now, it has helped to take the site’s traffic from almost non-existent to around 400,000 – 500,000 pageviews per month. The traffic is nice, but ultimately most designers are more interested in generating leads through their website. Fortunately, this is also likely to happen with a successful blog as you will gain more exposure and more visitors will find your posts in the search engines.
5 Reasons Why Designers Should Blog:
1 – Name Recognition
Building name recognition is rather difficult as a freelancer or a designer for a small firm, since there are so many designers around. One proven way to get your name out there is to show your knowledge and your abilities through your blog. One of the best current examples of this is Chris Spooner. While there are plenty of talented graphic designers out there, one of the reasons Chris stands out is because of his popular blog where he shares a lot of his knowledge with readers. As more people recognize your name, you’ll start to get more leads and referrals.
2 – Exposure
Many designers have incredible portfolios, but they just aren’t being seen by enough people to make a real difference. One of the best effects of having a blog is the traffic that can come as a result. Simple, small portfolio sites are difficult to market, but a blog that’s updated frequently will draw visitors and keep them coming back. Once the blog is getting the visitors to the site, if you want to convert those visitors into leads, you’ll need to get them to your portfolio to see your work, or to at least fill out a contact form.
3 – Search Traffic
As I said earlier, this was my original intent with blogging, and it has worked better than I ever imagined. A blog will help you attract search visitors for a few reasons. First, blogs are great for drawing inbound links, and inbound links will boost search rankings. Second, consistent blog posting will add a tremendous amount of content to the site over a period of time, and the more content you have, the more opportunities there are to be found.
4 – Build Credibility with Potential Clients
Potential clients have a lot of options when it comes to hiring a web designer. A small portfolio site will not give you the same opportunities to build rapport and credibility as a blog. When potential clients arrive at your site and they read through some of the content on your blog, hopefully they’ll have a bit more trust in you than they would in someone else. Blogging tends to be personal in nature, and those types of connections are common.
5 – You’ll Learn New Things
Maintaining an active blog will stretch you in ways that will improve your skills and make you a better designer. Coming up with new ideas for posts isn’t always easy, and maybe you’ll need to try some new things and teach yourself as you’re developing content. You’ll also learn a lot about networking and various ways that you can grow your business through collaboration with other bloggers.
9 Tips for Improving Your Business with Your Design Blog
1 – Provide Real Value – Don’t Hold Back
One of the temptations for new bloggers is to only give away so much information for free. In the competitive world of web design, you’ll be more successful if you allow yourself to stand out by providing the best information and content possible. Although you’re giving something away for free, you’ll wind up getting more business in return and indirectly benefiting from your willingness to share. Those designers that hold back and only provide so-so content won’t stand out enough in a crowded niche to make a real impact.
2 – Don’t Blatantly Sell Your Services on the Blog
Although the emphasis of this post is to help designers get more business through their blogs, the idea is not to focus on selling your services. It is perfectly acceptable to mention your services or your availability from time-to-time, but the vast majority of your posts should just be great content that others want to read. No one wants to subscribe to a blog that only publishes info about services that are for sale. If you do want to promote your services directly through the blog, limit the amount that you do this so that it will actually be effective when you need it.
3 – Work on Building Your Name
Get involved in the design blogging community and try to get your name out there. Once you’ve established your name as a respected designer, the business will start to come. Blogging is all about interacting with readers and with other bloggers, so building your name will be a natural progression if you’re active with your blog.
4 – Network with Other Designers and Bloggers
One of the most beneficial aspects of blogging is the contacts and relationships that you will make. When I started blogging I had never really given this a thought, but looking back over the past year or so, the networking aspect has probably been the most valuable aspect of blogging for me long term. You’ll be able to make connections with other designers that you can bounce ideas off of, and you’ll have a chance to meet other service providers where there may be opportunities for collaboration. Networking takes some effort and a willingness to be proactive, but the benefits can be significant and long-lasting.
5 – Write Guest Posts
If you have the time to write guest posts for other design blogs, I highly recommend doing so. When I first started blogging one of my primary methods of marketing was doing guest posts. After a while of writing for other blogs you will have gotten your work in front of a very large and diverse audience, and you will have a solid network of contacts with other design bloggers. Getting to know the other bloggers that you’re writing for and building a connection is one of the best parts of guest posting, and the inbound links to your own site/blog are nice too.
6 – Focus On What You Do Best
There’s obviously no shortage of content in the design community, although there is always room for more if it is unique and high quality. Try to take your own approach rather than just following the crowd. In order to get the best results you’ll need to focus on what you do best. You may be good at writing articles, discussing design theories and trends, writing tutorials, or just about any other type of content. Don’t feel the need to be like other popular blogs, share what you have to offer and the results will come.
7 – Link Freely
One of the great things about the design community is the willingness to help others and the interest in everyone’s success. A great number of design bloggers are very active with linking to other quality blogs, and very often what goes around comes around. Link out to others and they’ll likely notice and maybe you’ll start getting some links too. Many new bloggers make the common mistake of primarily linking to the biggest and most popular blogs. While there’s nothing wrong with these links, if you’re hoping they’ll notice your site and link back to you, you’re probably wasting your time. Instead, focus on other growing blogs that are in the same situation as you and they’ll be much more likely to notice and appreciate the link. Popular blogs just get too many inbound links to really pay much attention to them.
8 – Be Consistent
If you’re going to use the blog as one of your main methods for promoting your portfolio site, be sure to post consistently. You don’t have to post everyday, but avoid long stretches where there is no new content. Subscribers want to read something from you and new posts will also bring in more new readers.
9 – Keep the Blog at the Same Domain as Your Portfolio
Almost everything that’s been written in this article assumes the basic fact that your blog is actually part of your portfolio site, not one Blogspot or WordPress.com. Transferring readers from the blog to your portfolio and developing the search engine benefits of blogging require you to have the blog as part of the portfolio site. Avoid the temptation to quickly get a blog up and running by using one of the free services that will not be at your domain.
Read more…
Although I never set out to use the blog in the way that I do now, it has helped to take the site’s traffic from almost non-existent to around 400,000 – 500,000 pageviews per month. The traffic is nice, but ultimately most designers are more interested in generating leads through their website. Fortunately, this is also likely to happen with a successful blog as you will gain more exposure and more visitors will find your posts in the search engines.
5 Reasons Why Designers Should Blog:
1 – Name Recognition
Building name recognition is rather difficult as a freelancer or a designer for a small firm, since there are so many designers around. One proven way to get your name out there is to show your knowledge and your abilities through your blog. One of the best current examples of this is Chris Spooner. While there are plenty of talented graphic designers out there, one of the reasons Chris stands out is because of his popular blog where he shares a lot of his knowledge with readers. As more people recognize your name, you’ll start to get more leads and referrals.
2 – Exposure
Many designers have incredible portfolios, but they just aren’t being seen by enough people to make a real difference. One of the best effects of having a blog is the traffic that can come as a result. Simple, small portfolio sites are difficult to market, but a blog that’s updated frequently will draw visitors and keep them coming back. Once the blog is getting the visitors to the site, if you want to convert those visitors into leads, you’ll need to get them to your portfolio to see your work, or to at least fill out a contact form.
3 – Search Traffic
As I said earlier, this was my original intent with blogging, and it has worked better than I ever imagined. A blog will help you attract search visitors for a few reasons. First, blogs are great for drawing inbound links, and inbound links will boost search rankings. Second, consistent blog posting will add a tremendous amount of content to the site over a period of time, and the more content you have, the more opportunities there are to be found.
4 – Build Credibility with Potential Clients
Potential clients have a lot of options when it comes to hiring a web designer. A small portfolio site will not give you the same opportunities to build rapport and credibility as a blog. When potential clients arrive at your site and they read through some of the content on your blog, hopefully they’ll have a bit more trust in you than they would in someone else. Blogging tends to be personal in nature, and those types of connections are common.
5 – You’ll Learn New Things
Maintaining an active blog will stretch you in ways that will improve your skills and make you a better designer. Coming up with new ideas for posts isn’t always easy, and maybe you’ll need to try some new things and teach yourself as you’re developing content. You’ll also learn a lot about networking and various ways that you can grow your business through collaboration with other bloggers.
9 Tips for Improving Your Business with Your Design Blog
1 – Provide Real Value – Don’t Hold Back
One of the temptations for new bloggers is to only give away so much information for free. In the competitive world of web design, you’ll be more successful if you allow yourself to stand out by providing the best information and content possible. Although you’re giving something away for free, you’ll wind up getting more business in return and indirectly benefiting from your willingness to share. Those designers that hold back and only provide so-so content won’t stand out enough in a crowded niche to make a real impact.
2 – Don’t Blatantly Sell Your Services on the Blog
Although the emphasis of this post is to help designers get more business through their blogs, the idea is not to focus on selling your services. It is perfectly acceptable to mention your services or your availability from time-to-time, but the vast majority of your posts should just be great content that others want to read. No one wants to subscribe to a blog that only publishes info about services that are for sale. If you do want to promote your services directly through the blog, limit the amount that you do this so that it will actually be effective when you need it.
3 – Work on Building Your Name
Get involved in the design blogging community and try to get your name out there. Once you’ve established your name as a respected designer, the business will start to come. Blogging is all about interacting with readers and with other bloggers, so building your name will be a natural progression if you’re active with your blog.
4 – Network with Other Designers and Bloggers
One of the most beneficial aspects of blogging is the contacts and relationships that you will make. When I started blogging I had never really given this a thought, but looking back over the past year or so, the networking aspect has probably been the most valuable aspect of blogging for me long term. You’ll be able to make connections with other designers that you can bounce ideas off of, and you’ll have a chance to meet other service providers where there may be opportunities for collaboration. Networking takes some effort and a willingness to be proactive, but the benefits can be significant and long-lasting.
5 – Write Guest Posts
If you have the time to write guest posts for other design blogs, I highly recommend doing so. When I first started blogging one of my primary methods of marketing was doing guest posts. After a while of writing for other blogs you will have gotten your work in front of a very large and diverse audience, and you will have a solid network of contacts with other design bloggers. Getting to know the other bloggers that you’re writing for and building a connection is one of the best parts of guest posting, and the inbound links to your own site/blog are nice too.
6 – Focus On What You Do Best
There’s obviously no shortage of content in the design community, although there is always room for more if it is unique and high quality. Try to take your own approach rather than just following the crowd. In order to get the best results you’ll need to focus on what you do best. You may be good at writing articles, discussing design theories and trends, writing tutorials, or just about any other type of content. Don’t feel the need to be like other popular blogs, share what you have to offer and the results will come.
7 – Link Freely
One of the great things about the design community is the willingness to help others and the interest in everyone’s success. A great number of design bloggers are very active with linking to other quality blogs, and very often what goes around comes around. Link out to others and they’ll likely notice and maybe you’ll start getting some links too. Many new bloggers make the common mistake of primarily linking to the biggest and most popular blogs. While there’s nothing wrong with these links, if you’re hoping they’ll notice your site and link back to you, you’re probably wasting your time. Instead, focus on other growing blogs that are in the same situation as you and they’ll be much more likely to notice and appreciate the link. Popular blogs just get too many inbound links to really pay much attention to them.
8 – Be Consistent
If you’re going to use the blog as one of your main methods for promoting your portfolio site, be sure to post consistently. You don’t have to post everyday, but avoid long stretches where there is no new content. Subscribers want to read something from you and new posts will also bring in more new readers.
9 – Keep the Blog at the Same Domain as Your Portfolio
Almost everything that’s been written in this article assumes the basic fact that your blog is actually part of your portfolio site, not one Blogspot or WordPress.com. Transferring readers from the blog to your portfolio and developing the search engine benefits of blogging require you to have the blog as part of the portfolio site. Avoid the temptation to quickly get a blog up and running by using one of the free services that will not be at your domain.
How A Blog Can Kick Start Your Freelance Business
Freelancing has become the dream job anywhere. With the economy still stinking and good jobs become harder to find, many have turned over to freelancing to keep their income streams flowing.
But just because you can declare yourself as a freelancer doesn’t mean it will work out for you. You have to be able to do a lot of things and make some tough decisions. Freelancing is a great job, but it requires more effort at first so you can get your name out there.
How does one get their name out there on the Internet? You can either make an embarrassing YouTube video that goes viral (not an ideal move for a freelancer), or learn how to market themselves. Not everyone can market, I know I still have ways to go before I call myself an “Internet marketer.” But I do know one great marketing plan for my freelance business that has gotten me a steady stream of clients since April 2008. And that one little technique is having a blog.
I will bet you didn’t know that your blog and your readers are the key to starting your freelance business. I had no idea myself, until I started Blogussion. Usually when making money from blogs are in mind, you think of selling advertisements, doing paid review or something else crazy.
If you can get clients to see your blog and want to work with you, then you will be earning money indirectly from your blog. I talked about this topic back in May, creating a reputation to earn money from your blog.
Setting goals on your blog that tie into freelancing
We all have goals for ourselves on our blog. To get 1,000 pageviews a day, or 100 comments on a post for example. These are all goals that effect the future of your blog. These are not goals that have an underlying impact on your business.
To really get where you want your business to be, like your blog, you need to set goals for yourself. Whether you set long term goals, or short term goals, have a clear vision where you want your freelance business to be.
These are a few goals I set for my freelance business, and I have made them all come true so far:
* Earn high $xxx a week
* Earn mid $xxxx a month
* Create recurring clients
* Set a fair rate for work, and always deliver my best
There are so many other things that you need to do for your business, but these are a few highlights from my experience.
Goals are set to motivate you and give you a great sense of accomplishment when you complete a goal. Keep these goals for your freelance business in mind always. I write mine down somewhere, and every time I look at them, I really feel motivated to get to work and earn my money for the day.
Setting up a freelancer friendly blog
Now that the basic ideas for how a blog can set you up for freelancing, I want to get into the fun stuff and talk about how to set your blog up for freelancing.
It’s harder than it seems to make your readers aware that you are a freelancer and blogger without getting too intrusive. But follow these tips I am about to talk about below. These are the ones I use, and I am earning pretty well for my age!
* Introduce yourself
This is standard for any blog to have an about page introducing yourself. The trick here is to really go in-depth and be as open as you can be, within your own limits. Usually clients will want to know who they are working with, and if they can find information about you easily, they may be more inclined to work with you. Provided you don’t go too far and tell about your embarrassing moments in grade school.
* Get your name out there
Again, just sticking to the regular blogging routine. Market your blog, and let your blog do all of the talking for you. Be as consistent as possible and never stop blogging. If you have been reading this blog for a while, then you will know that I say all the time to never give up on your blog.
* Make your blog your best work
This is the part where having a blog really will make or break your freelance business. When you start your blog, whatever your talent is – make it show! If you design, make your blog your best work. If you are an SEO Consultant, get your blog at the top of all your keywords!
In about 90% of the emails I get for freelance design, the first sentence is always something like “I love the work you have done for Blogussion, and I want to get a design like it.” My client base has been so consistent to the point where I am creating a career for myself. All because I had a blog portraying my best work.
I have made some pretty great designs for people in these last few months, some that I didn’t want to give away! But, I still think none of them top the design here on Blogussion.
* Show off your work, and even brag about it
Basically, create a portfolio. Some people actually start a whole other blog to display their portfolio, and others will do things a little differently. I have done this method in this post already, and that’s bragging about my business. I want you guys to know that I am having a successful freelance journey, and I don’t feel egotistical for doing it. If I can prove to you that I am really doing a good job with my freelancing business, then maybe one day we will work together on a project.
Don’t be afraid to do this on your own blog either. It can make a different just wait and see.
Read more…
But just because you can declare yourself as a freelancer doesn’t mean it will work out for you. You have to be able to do a lot of things and make some tough decisions. Freelancing is a great job, but it requires more effort at first so you can get your name out there.
How does one get their name out there on the Internet? You can either make an embarrassing YouTube video that goes viral (not an ideal move for a freelancer), or learn how to market themselves. Not everyone can market, I know I still have ways to go before I call myself an “Internet marketer.” But I do know one great marketing plan for my freelance business that has gotten me a steady stream of clients since April 2008. And that one little technique is having a blog.
I will bet you didn’t know that your blog and your readers are the key to starting your freelance business. I had no idea myself, until I started Blogussion. Usually when making money from blogs are in mind, you think of selling advertisements, doing paid review or something else crazy.
If you can get clients to see your blog and want to work with you, then you will be earning money indirectly from your blog. I talked about this topic back in May, creating a reputation to earn money from your blog.
Setting goals on your blog that tie into freelancing
We all have goals for ourselves on our blog. To get 1,000 pageviews a day, or 100 comments on a post for example. These are all goals that effect the future of your blog. These are not goals that have an underlying impact on your business.
To really get where you want your business to be, like your blog, you need to set goals for yourself. Whether you set long term goals, or short term goals, have a clear vision where you want your freelance business to be.
These are a few goals I set for my freelance business, and I have made them all come true so far:
* Earn high $xxx a week
* Earn mid $xxxx a month
* Create recurring clients
* Set a fair rate for work, and always deliver my best
There are so many other things that you need to do for your business, but these are a few highlights from my experience.
Goals are set to motivate you and give you a great sense of accomplishment when you complete a goal. Keep these goals for your freelance business in mind always. I write mine down somewhere, and every time I look at them, I really feel motivated to get to work and earn my money for the day.
Setting up a freelancer friendly blog
Now that the basic ideas for how a blog can set you up for freelancing, I want to get into the fun stuff and talk about how to set your blog up for freelancing.
It’s harder than it seems to make your readers aware that you are a freelancer and blogger without getting too intrusive. But follow these tips I am about to talk about below. These are the ones I use, and I am earning pretty well for my age!
* Introduce yourself
This is standard for any blog to have an about page introducing yourself. The trick here is to really go in-depth and be as open as you can be, within your own limits. Usually clients will want to know who they are working with, and if they can find information about you easily, they may be more inclined to work with you. Provided you don’t go too far and tell about your embarrassing moments in grade school.
* Get your name out there
Again, just sticking to the regular blogging routine. Market your blog, and let your blog do all of the talking for you. Be as consistent as possible and never stop blogging. If you have been reading this blog for a while, then you will know that I say all the time to never give up on your blog.
* Make your blog your best work
This is the part where having a blog really will make or break your freelance business. When you start your blog, whatever your talent is – make it show! If you design, make your blog your best work. If you are an SEO Consultant, get your blog at the top of all your keywords!
In about 90% of the emails I get for freelance design, the first sentence is always something like “I love the work you have done for Blogussion, and I want to get a design like it.” My client base has been so consistent to the point where I am creating a career for myself. All because I had a blog portraying my best work.
I have made some pretty great designs for people in these last few months, some that I didn’t want to give away! But, I still think none of them top the design here on Blogussion.
* Show off your work, and even brag about it
Basically, create a portfolio. Some people actually start a whole other blog to display their portfolio, and others will do things a little differently. I have done this method in this post already, and that’s bragging about my business. I want you guys to know that I am having a successful freelance journey, and I don’t feel egotistical for doing it. If I can prove to you that I am really doing a good job with my freelancing business, then maybe one day we will work together on a project.
Don’t be afraid to do this on your own blog either. It can make a different just wait and see.
Why A Blog Is Important For Your Freelance Business
So, you’ve just decided to become a freelancer. What is the best way to get started?
Obviously, you need to apply for gigs. But, is there anything else that you should be doing for your business when you start out?
If you ask me, you should also be blogging.
New freelancers often ask how soon they should start blogging. While some experts believe that a freelancer should wait until their business is fairly well established before they set up a business blog, in my opinion, you should set up a blog for your business as soon as you can.
Blogging is a relatively low cost activity that will add value to your business for a long time to come, and in many cases blogging alone can push your business from obscurity to prosperity.
Read on for an overview of what you should be doing with your freelance blog, five ways that a blog can help your business, and a few brief recommendations on how to get started.
Five Ways That a Blog Can Help Your Freelance Business
There are many ways that blogging can help you build up your freelancing business quickly. Here are five of them:
1. Web Presence. Having a blog gives you and your freelancing business an immediate online presence, especially if you can get a URL with all or part of your business name in it. If your freelancing business is primarily online (web design, web content, etc.), having an online presence is expected. However, other freelancers can also benefit by having a blog. For one thing, a blog gives clients an alternate way to find you.
2. Describe and List Your Services. With a business blog, you can create a separate static web page using your blog’s content management system that describes the products or services that your business offers. Not only can prospective clients see what type of business you are in just by reading the page, you can also link to the page yourself when you create proposals or send e-mails. Don’t forget to update this page when you acquire new skills or expand your services.
3. Home for Your Portfolio. A blog makes an excellent home for your professional portfolio. You can create a separate static page to showcase samples of your best work or link to websites that include your work. Clients and prospective clients examining this page can get a good idea of what your abilities are. Again, don’t forget to review and update this page periodically.
4. Position Yourself as an Expert. A blog allows you to position yourself as an expert while letting clients and perspective clients learn more about you. By creating helpful or informative posts on topics relevant to your freelancing specialty, you can establish your professional authority in your field. (While it’s okay to let your personality shine through in your posts, remember to keep your posts professional. Too much personal information on your business blog won’t help your business.)
5. Networking. Blogging also provides a wonderful opportunity for networking. If you leave your comments turned on (and you really should), then you have the opportunity to “discuss” your posts with perspective clients and peers. If someone leaves a comment on your posts, not only do you have the chance to respond, but you can also pay a visit to their blog and get to “know” them a little better. Before long, it is likely that your freelancing blog will have a little community of regulars who stop by to chat.
How To Get Started
There are many detailed and excellent, but somewhat complex, posts on how to start blogging. This is not one of those posts.
In a nutshell, all that you need to start blogging (assuming that you have a computer and an Internet connection) are the following:
1. Get a Domain. The first thing that you need to start a business blog is an unused domain name (your URL) that you can register. Ideally, it should be your name, your business name, or somehow related to your business. There are many services that will help you find a domain name. Typically, the cost for this service is less than $10.00.
2. Find a Web Hosting Service. Next, you will need a web hosting service. A web hosting company provides space on their server for your blog. While some services (such as Blogger.com) will allow you to host a blog at no charge, most experts recommend that you use a web hosting service. Most web hosting services charge less than $130 a year for hosting a single domain name.
3. Choose a Content Management System. Once you have a unique domain name and a place to host your domain, you need a way to manage your content. A content management system is the tool that you will use to add posts to your blog, change your blog’s design, or add pages to your blog. Many reputable content management systems, (such as WordPress.com) are free.
4. Find Theme or Design. A theme or design defines the look of your business blog. There are literally thousands of themes available on the Internet and many of them are free. You can also pay a professional designer to customize a theme specifically for your business blog. (The advantage of using a designer is that no one else will have a blog that looks like yours.)
5. Network with Social Media. Once your blog is up and running, you need to promote it in order to get readers. Social media provides a great way to promote your business blog. There are hundreds of social media tools available, and you can register on nearly all of them free of charge. (I recommend focusing on just a handful of social media tools. Right now, the most popular social media tools seem to be Facebook.com and Twitter.com.)
Read more…
Obviously, you need to apply for gigs. But, is there anything else that you should be doing for your business when you start out?
If you ask me, you should also be blogging.
New freelancers often ask how soon they should start blogging. While some experts believe that a freelancer should wait until their business is fairly well established before they set up a business blog, in my opinion, you should set up a blog for your business as soon as you can.
Blogging is a relatively low cost activity that will add value to your business for a long time to come, and in many cases blogging alone can push your business from obscurity to prosperity.
Read on for an overview of what you should be doing with your freelance blog, five ways that a blog can help your business, and a few brief recommendations on how to get started.
Five Ways That a Blog Can Help Your Freelance Business
There are many ways that blogging can help you build up your freelancing business quickly. Here are five of them:
1. Web Presence. Having a blog gives you and your freelancing business an immediate online presence, especially if you can get a URL with all or part of your business name in it. If your freelancing business is primarily online (web design, web content, etc.), having an online presence is expected. However, other freelancers can also benefit by having a blog. For one thing, a blog gives clients an alternate way to find you.
2. Describe and List Your Services. With a business blog, you can create a separate static web page using your blog’s content management system that describes the products or services that your business offers. Not only can prospective clients see what type of business you are in just by reading the page, you can also link to the page yourself when you create proposals or send e-mails. Don’t forget to update this page when you acquire new skills or expand your services.
3. Home for Your Portfolio. A blog makes an excellent home for your professional portfolio. You can create a separate static page to showcase samples of your best work or link to websites that include your work. Clients and prospective clients examining this page can get a good idea of what your abilities are. Again, don’t forget to review and update this page periodically.
4. Position Yourself as an Expert. A blog allows you to position yourself as an expert while letting clients and perspective clients learn more about you. By creating helpful or informative posts on topics relevant to your freelancing specialty, you can establish your professional authority in your field. (While it’s okay to let your personality shine through in your posts, remember to keep your posts professional. Too much personal information on your business blog won’t help your business.)
5. Networking. Blogging also provides a wonderful opportunity for networking. If you leave your comments turned on (and you really should), then you have the opportunity to “discuss” your posts with perspective clients and peers. If someone leaves a comment on your posts, not only do you have the chance to respond, but you can also pay a visit to their blog and get to “know” them a little better. Before long, it is likely that your freelancing blog will have a little community of regulars who stop by to chat.
How To Get Started
There are many detailed and excellent, but somewhat complex, posts on how to start blogging. This is not one of those posts.
In a nutshell, all that you need to start blogging (assuming that you have a computer and an Internet connection) are the following:
1. Get a Domain. The first thing that you need to start a business blog is an unused domain name (your URL) that you can register. Ideally, it should be your name, your business name, or somehow related to your business. There are many services that will help you find a domain name. Typically, the cost for this service is less than $10.00.
2. Find a Web Hosting Service. Next, you will need a web hosting service. A web hosting company provides space on their server for your blog. While some services (such as Blogger.com) will allow you to host a blog at no charge, most experts recommend that you use a web hosting service. Most web hosting services charge less than $130 a year for hosting a single domain name.
3. Choose a Content Management System. Once you have a unique domain name and a place to host your domain, you need a way to manage your content. A content management system is the tool that you will use to add posts to your blog, change your blog’s design, or add pages to your blog. Many reputable content management systems, (such as WordPress.com) are free.
4. Find Theme or Design. A theme or design defines the look of your business blog. There are literally thousands of themes available on the Internet and many of them are free. You can also pay a professional designer to customize a theme specifically for your business blog. (The advantage of using a designer is that no one else will have a blog that looks like yours.)
5. Network with Social Media. Once your blog is up and running, you need to promote it in order to get readers. Social media provides a great way to promote your business blog. There are hundreds of social media tools available, and you can register on nearly all of them free of charge. (I recommend focusing on just a handful of social media tools. Right now, the most popular social media tools seem to be Facebook.com and Twitter.com.)
Freelance Contracts
In the world of freelancing, the entrepreneur has to take on a number of tasks for themselves that would normally be handled by a separate department at a bigger company. Most of these tasks are not part of the creative processes that freelance workers are used to, but rather are more tedious, left-brain paperwork. Right-brain creatives often shudder at the thought of these forays into linear domains. Such detail-ridden tasks would strain any freelancer who wears multiple hats, but they must be completed.
One such task is contracts. Drafting a contract that covers you, and doesn’t just enumerate information, is more than important: it is a must. Freelancers do not have the benefit of a legal department dedicated to protecting their interests with a watertight contract. Nevertheless, a freelancer’s contract must be comprehensive, concise and clear. It should outline the scope of the job, scheduling demands, the expectations of both parties and more.
In this post, we’ll help you identify the information that should be included in your contract and make sure you have a concrete agreement that leaves little chance of things getting out of hand… as can sometimes happen to those of us in the freelancing crowd.
These do’s and don’ts will hopefully remove a lot of the headache and guesswork that comes with drafting a contract. By understanding the rationale behind various contractual elements, you will be able to better customize your contracts to fit the specific job you have been hired for.
The Basics
Include the basic information, obviously. The “who” and the “what” of the project. Who is contracting you to do what kind of work? This is standard stuff included in every contract that defines the job as a whole. While this information is probably well known by both parties, put it in the contract anyway so that everyone is on the same page about their roles and responsibilities. Because it is such basic information, freelancers often overlook how important this section is for establishing the framework of the project.
Do’s and Don’ts
K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple, Simon (your name may not be Simon, but it is nicer than the traditional “S” in the phrase.) Do be sure to clarify your role in the project from start to finish and exactly what it entails, so that the client doesn’t try to put a hat on your head that you do not want to wear (for example, trying to make you switch from designing to providing tech support once the project has launched).
You know who you are and what your strengths are; don’t leave room for the client to change your role in the project for their convenience. Be specific about what roles you are and are not willing to play.
Time Frame
This simply establishes the time that the project will take and the duration that the contract covers. Sometimes a freelancer has to leave time open after a project’s completion to help integrate the product into the client’s existing media stream. But not always. Determining that time frame at the beginning and formalizing it in the terms and conditions of the contract will ensure you are not taken advantage of.
Do’s and Don’ts
Many people do not like deadlines, and some freelancers are no different. Whether you love or hate them, including deadlines in your contracts is important. Don’t overlook this detail simply because of the pressure it may bring. Give yourself enough time to properly complete your tasks, while keeping the client’s timetable in mind.
Being vague about how much time the contract covers will give your client room to find things for you to improve after the project has launched. Also, do be sure to include time frames on when the client needs to respond to your submissions with their questions and concerns, so that you are not endlessly strung along waiting to hear back on how to proceed.
Delivery Details
Putting this in the contract further clarifies expectations at the outset. The client knows up front what the final product will be and how you will be delivering it to them. This frees you from having to guess later on things like what file types they can access, and it gives the client peace of mind knowing that you are both on the same page.
It also gives you an indication of the depth of the client’s knowledge in this area of work and how well they will be able to work with the product once you hand it over. And being able to anticipate the client’s need for assistance in accessing and integrating your product will help you formulate other parts of the contract.
Do’s and Don’ts
Once again, keep it simple. Once you’ve assessed the client’s needs, don’t send them more files or file types than are needed to satisfy the project’s requirements. Don’t try to impress them with a ZIP file full of extras that show how professional you are. This will overwhelm clients who are not design-savvy and encourages needless pestering. Keeping it simple will move your client happily along their way, not only giving you peace of mind from a job well done but freeing you from future distractions as you move on to your next client.
The Financials
For most design work, billing by the job, rather than by the hour, is easier for everyone. You may have already come to an agreement on financial matters, but include them in the contract anyway for good measure. Just because you have an understanding about payment, the client could always conveniently “forget” the amount or change the terms.
Do’s and Don’ts
Agree on an initial deposit (whatever seems fair) before doing any work, to protect both parties if either wants to back out. Make sure the client understands that this deposit protects them as well by committing you to the project and keeping you from being sidetracked by other clients. Also include a Cancellation Clause in the financial section of the contract. This isn’t Santa’s less famous brother; it actually protects you, the freelancer, in case your client backs out by stating the financial obligations of both parties should the project terminate before completion.
Revisions And Alterations
You can also protect yourself by including a clause that states how many alterations and revisions to the product are covered by the fee. You can set the pricing for changes requested by the client that go beyond the number specified in the contract, thus preventing the client from abusing their privilege.
Be clear that this is not a commentary on either party; by including this, you are not implying that the client will be hard to please or that you will need multiple attempts to get it right. It simply recognizes that we sometimes need time to fully process something before making a decision and that we should have the freedom to change our minds about whether an idea works or not once we actually see it in action.
Do’s and Don’ts
Remember that professionalism should win out at all times, so don’t let this part of the contract be any different. Yes, it can be aggravating how some clients come back to you over and over with requests as a result of every whim that moves them, but do be reasonable. Don’t punish all of your clients because of one that burned you in the past. And don’t let pride keep you from accommodating a modest amount of revision by the client, even if they don’t suit your taste. After all, the design may be yours, but they are paying you to create it for them.
The Fine Print And Bottom Line
In the end, make sure the contract is professional and clear throughout, and be as detailed as possible in defining the roles of both parties in the project.
Read more…
One such task is contracts. Drafting a contract that covers you, and doesn’t just enumerate information, is more than important: it is a must. Freelancers do not have the benefit of a legal department dedicated to protecting their interests with a watertight contract. Nevertheless, a freelancer’s contract must be comprehensive, concise and clear. It should outline the scope of the job, scheduling demands, the expectations of both parties and more.
In this post, we’ll help you identify the information that should be included in your contract and make sure you have a concrete agreement that leaves little chance of things getting out of hand… as can sometimes happen to those of us in the freelancing crowd.
These do’s and don’ts will hopefully remove a lot of the headache and guesswork that comes with drafting a contract. By understanding the rationale behind various contractual elements, you will be able to better customize your contracts to fit the specific job you have been hired for.
The Basics
Include the basic information, obviously. The “who” and the “what” of the project. Who is contracting you to do what kind of work? This is standard stuff included in every contract that defines the job as a whole. While this information is probably well known by both parties, put it in the contract anyway so that everyone is on the same page about their roles and responsibilities. Because it is such basic information, freelancers often overlook how important this section is for establishing the framework of the project.
Do’s and Don’ts
K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple, Simon (your name may not be Simon, but it is nicer than the traditional “S” in the phrase.) Do be sure to clarify your role in the project from start to finish and exactly what it entails, so that the client doesn’t try to put a hat on your head that you do not want to wear (for example, trying to make you switch from designing to providing tech support once the project has launched).
You know who you are and what your strengths are; don’t leave room for the client to change your role in the project for their convenience. Be specific about what roles you are and are not willing to play.
Time Frame
This simply establishes the time that the project will take and the duration that the contract covers. Sometimes a freelancer has to leave time open after a project’s completion to help integrate the product into the client’s existing media stream. But not always. Determining that time frame at the beginning and formalizing it in the terms and conditions of the contract will ensure you are not taken advantage of.
Do’s and Don’ts
Many people do not like deadlines, and some freelancers are no different. Whether you love or hate them, including deadlines in your contracts is important. Don’t overlook this detail simply because of the pressure it may bring. Give yourself enough time to properly complete your tasks, while keeping the client’s timetable in mind.
Being vague about how much time the contract covers will give your client room to find things for you to improve after the project has launched. Also, do be sure to include time frames on when the client needs to respond to your submissions with their questions and concerns, so that you are not endlessly strung along waiting to hear back on how to proceed.
Delivery Details
Putting this in the contract further clarifies expectations at the outset. The client knows up front what the final product will be and how you will be delivering it to them. This frees you from having to guess later on things like what file types they can access, and it gives the client peace of mind knowing that you are both on the same page.
It also gives you an indication of the depth of the client’s knowledge in this area of work and how well they will be able to work with the product once you hand it over. And being able to anticipate the client’s need for assistance in accessing and integrating your product will help you formulate other parts of the contract.
Do’s and Don’ts
Once again, keep it simple. Once you’ve assessed the client’s needs, don’t send them more files or file types than are needed to satisfy the project’s requirements. Don’t try to impress them with a ZIP file full of extras that show how professional you are. This will overwhelm clients who are not design-savvy and encourages needless pestering. Keeping it simple will move your client happily along their way, not only giving you peace of mind from a job well done but freeing you from future distractions as you move on to your next client.
The Financials
For most design work, billing by the job, rather than by the hour, is easier for everyone. You may have already come to an agreement on financial matters, but include them in the contract anyway for good measure. Just because you have an understanding about payment, the client could always conveniently “forget” the amount or change the terms.
Do’s and Don’ts
Agree on an initial deposit (whatever seems fair) before doing any work, to protect both parties if either wants to back out. Make sure the client understands that this deposit protects them as well by committing you to the project and keeping you from being sidetracked by other clients. Also include a Cancellation Clause in the financial section of the contract. This isn’t Santa’s less famous brother; it actually protects you, the freelancer, in case your client backs out by stating the financial obligations of both parties should the project terminate before completion.
Revisions And Alterations
You can also protect yourself by including a clause that states how many alterations and revisions to the product are covered by the fee. You can set the pricing for changes requested by the client that go beyond the number specified in the contract, thus preventing the client from abusing their privilege.
Be clear that this is not a commentary on either party; by including this, you are not implying that the client will be hard to please or that you will need multiple attempts to get it right. It simply recognizes that we sometimes need time to fully process something before making a decision and that we should have the freedom to change our minds about whether an idea works or not once we actually see it in action.
Do’s and Don’ts
Remember that professionalism should win out at all times, so don’t let this part of the contract be any different. Yes, it can be aggravating how some clients come back to you over and over with requests as a result of every whim that moves them, but do be reasonable. Don’t punish all of your clients because of one that burned you in the past. And don’t let pride keep you from accommodating a modest amount of revision by the client, even if they don’t suit your taste. After all, the design may be yours, but they are paying you to create it for them.
The Fine Print And Bottom Line
In the end, make sure the contract is professional and clear throughout, and be as detailed as possible in defining the roles of both parties in the project.
