The Graphic Designer's Business Survival Guide

by Daniels, Lawrence J.

• ISBN13: 9780814432419
• ISBN10: 0814432417
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-12-12
• Publisher: Amacom Books

Summary

Graphic design is a crowded, highly competitive world. And it takes a lot more than raw talent and technical ability to make it as an independent designer. Successful graphic designer and entrepreneur, Larry Daniels exposes the weak spot of so many: the critical business side of running even a one-person design firm. Designers often prioritize aesthetics over a client's needs, and ignore basic business skills such as writing, record keeping, and relationship building. This practical insider's guide explains how to build a profitable, sustainable design business. Packed with sample agreements, letters, forms, and more, it reveals how to: - Create a website and portfolio that highlight design solutions - Do pre-pitch research and deliver winning presentations - Prepare inviting proposals that win lucrative contracts - Establish a reliable system for tracking billable hours (and staying solvent) - Use cold-calling strategies even sales phobics can master - Quantify design decisions in ways that business management can relate to and respect - Break out of "freelancer" mode to highly compensated creative consultant The field of design is littered with failures. To stand out and succeed, you need to be professional, efficient, and focused on the bottom-line results that clients value. The Graphic Designer's Business Survival Guide shows you how.

Author Biography

Lawrence J. Daniels is past president of Daniels Design Inc., a New York-based branding and communications design firm that has been a consistent recipient of major industry recognitions for outstanding achievement. He lives in New York City.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	p. vii
About the Author	p. ix
Preface	p. xi
Taking The Plunge: A Daunting, Energizing Journey	p. 1
Facing the reality of entrepreneurship
Early missteps: an object lesson
Partnering: a marriage of convenience?
Do you really need a business plan?
Building a brand voice
Setting Up House: Firm Fundamentals	p. 21
Self-discipline: the first key to success
How should I structure my business?
Bookkeeping: why some things are better left to others
Location, location, location? Not so much anymore
Vendors: strategic alliances you can't grow without
The lowdown on markups
You're not alone: tales and tips from other creatives
Design Firm Management: Tools and Templates	p. 47
Managing big-budget costs
The print production specsheet
Cashing in on media commissions
Tracking sales efforts
Assigning project identification: the key to efficient administration
Time tracking: the key to managing profit
The ledger: documenting and tracking receivables
Invoicing: structuring how you get paid
Managing cash flow
Progressive billing: the key to staying solvent
Designing a Relevant Firm Image	p. 65
Focusing on a defined practice area
Defining your USP
Designing for business
Showcasing your qualifications
Communicating Credibility	p. 81
Shaping an image that shapes perception
Getting to know your prospect: pre-pitch research
Honing presentation skills
Overcoming jitters
Effective Business Writing: The Cornerstone of Firm Growth	p. 93
Good design is no excuse for bad writing
The new contact introduction letter
The follow-up letter
Crafting a Winning Proposal	p. 101
Composing the real art of the deal
Establishing creative methodology
Time Management: The Key to Design Firm Profitability	p. 121
Juggling the time clock
Establishing baseline time rates
Establishing billable time rates
Tracking billable time
The new project start-up package
Tracking billing information
Project content folders
Tracking progressive expenses
Handling downtime
Effective Marketing: Your Passport to Success	p. 139
Sales: an unavoidable reality
Absorb like a sponge
The importance of taking a worldview
Self-promotion
Testimonials: harnessing the power of praise
Capitalizing on peer recognition
Taking the chill out of cold calling
Promotional marketing
Avoiding the "eggs in one basket" predicament
Growing Your Firm in Any Economic Climate	p. 187
"We" vs. "me": the art of shaping perception
Leveling the playing field
Corporate chemistry: adapting to cultures and personalities
Hooking the big fish
Mining the media
Mining other income streams
The nondisclosure agreement
Sidestepping Obstacles in Your Firm's Path	p. 207
Getting past the gatekeepers
Dealing with deadbeats
When good projects go bad
A sobering reality … and a bright outlook
A final word (or two)
Index	p. 223
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Chapter 1 Taking the Plunge: A daunting, energizing journey

FACING THE REALITY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Most graphic designers I’ve come in contact with over the

years have at least entertained thoughts of “going it alone”

at some point in their careers. Some have done it successfully;

many have not. For those who have not, lack of raw talent

was almost never the reason for failure; lack of business

know-how almost always was.

The reality, of course, is that no matter how business

savvy you may be, entrepreneurship is not for everyone.

Consider, for example, that while design ability may be at

the core of any successful design firm, you’ll probably devote

no more than half (often more like a quarter) of your time

to the actual process of designing once you’re the principal

of a one- or two-person firm. Sales, client interactions,

project management, and the various administrative functions

required to run a business tend to take up a far greater

role than many would-be entrepreneurs have the knowledge—

or stomach—for. And speaking of stomach upheavals,

before you decide to take the plunge, you’d do well to

reflect carefully on the roller-coaster ups and downs of those

inevitable business cycles that often make a steady paycheck

a very attractive and satisfying alternative to operating your

own business.

Finally, there’s the issue of eventual net worth. With

most other types of business, entrepreneurs work hard to

grow their ventures with an eye toward building cumulative

value and then eventually either passing the business on or

profiting from its sale. If this is your goal, the design business

is probably not for you. While it may be true that a few

large design firms have been acquired by larger companies,

the market for “boutique” shops is clearly not appealing

as a solid business investment. Think about it: annualized

sales volume that’s more often than not dependent on iffy

project-by-project assignments; no long-term contracts or

projections; spotty cash flow; no real property holdings; no

inventory; and, especially in the breakneck pace of digital

innovation, constantly depreciating equipment value. Add to

that equation the fact that most client/resource relationships

are personality driven and won’t transition easily, if at all, to

new management—and you can see that this is certainly not

an enticing picture for potential investors.

There is a bright side, though, and it’s this: Just about every

designer I’ve ever known would happily characterize this

career choice as one that he or she wouldn’t want to trade—

something that sadly is beyond realization for the vast majority

of the working populace. And so, the question you must

answer is: Do you think you have what it takes to succeed in

this often difficult, often rewarding business of ours? If so,

read on and get ready for what could be the ride of your life.