Start & Run a Creative Services Business. Susan Kirkland

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СКАЧАТЬ that your client has an active interest in his project. Understand that providing timely information is imperative when a decision needs to be made that affects price or delivery of the finished job. Resist the urge to give the go-ahead without your client’s approval, no matter how much pressure you are under.

      Resist the urge to give the go-ahead without your client’s approval, no matter now huch pressure you are under.

      4.7 Treat everyone respectfully

      You may only work with the owner, but everyone in the office plays a part in building a business. You never know who will be responsible for projects in the future. Keep in mind that employees share opinions and experiences; make sure all their experiences with you are positive.

      4.8 Join professional organizations

      Find your local chapter of the Art Directors’ Club, the Production Managers’ Association, or a local group of professional photographers. Listen and learn. Make friends with your peers and share your experience, even if it’s limited. Nobody will understand your problems better than someone in the same business. Most accomplished professionals are eager to help people just starting out and carry a wealth of experience they won’t mind sharing.

      4.9 Keep boasting to yourself

      Your client will be able to see your skill by the specific work samples in your portfolio. Paying unnecessary lip service to your range of talent is overkill. Before you know it, like Narcissus, you’ll drown in a pool of your own making. Express all your self-adulation in front of the mirror, where it will boost self-confidence you might lose later while making cold calls.

      4.10 Sell clients only what they need

      Develop a good understanding of your clients’ budget requirements and the competition in their industry, then select the services and products that provide the best fit. Your clients will appreciate your efforts and see through any featherbedding. Always practice the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

      4.11 Remember, it’s the little things

      If you’re interested in building credibility, keep your promises. Call back when you say you will, meet your deadlines, stick to delivery schedules, and stay within budget even if it costs you. Jobs are only awarded after trust has been established. A missed deadline is all it takes to shake a client’s trust in your ability.

      4.12 Be businesslike in all your dealings

      Whether you work with the boss’s secretary or have access to the chief executive officer, don’t drop in unannounced or overstay your welcome. Make sure you only call your client when you really need to. Access to the key decision-maker is easily lost if you abuse your privilege.

      Achieving success as a freelancer is easy if you put your mind to it. Computer technology has changed many fields, and you will be required to handle massive amounts of information. For instance, technology makes it possible for you to not only design but also do some data entry, check facts, and do your own proofreading. The scope of services you offer must be greater than ever before.

      Turnkey jobs bring in more money because the more work you can do yourself, the more money you can make. How well you manage various aspects of a project will determine your success. As your relationships with your clients grow, clients will rely on you as their communication beacon and will expect more from you than they might have just a few months ago. You must be dependable and progressive, and you must maintain an active interest in your clients’ successes.

      Create a sense of ease when doing business and provide cost-saving tips whenever possible. Get up to date on paper stock, trends in ink and varnish applications, or the latest industry catchphrases. Present copy and design solutions that overshadow both your competition and the client’s competition. Give sound advice gleaned from your own experience as well as the experiences shared by your peers at professional meetings. There are many mediocre designers. Once a client finds a reliable creative source with the right expertise and problem-solving ability, he or she will usually cling to you. But first you must earn his or her trust.

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      Creating Your Work Environment

      Starting your own business gives you many freedoms. Of course, each freedom comes with a matching responsibility. One of the most important responsibilities is to yourself — to create a work environment conducive to producing excellent output. Freelancers have to adjust to complete and total freedom while turning out excellent work in a timely manner. You’ll need to minimize distractions, organize your time, and create a routine that defines the limits of your freedom if you want to make a good living — which is the reward for creating a work environment that supports a strong work ethic.

      First, set some boundaries regarding your time and space, then explain them carefully to your family (including the kids) and friends. Even if you live in a 25-room mansion, establishing boundaries right from the start will make things easier as your business grows.

      Your perfect work space largely depends on the type of creative service you provide, money available to invest, and your personal preference. One freelance writer set up her home office after her cushy executive position with a major corporation evaporated. She certainly never missed her daily two-hour commute, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of being unemployed. After some serious soul-searching, she realized her need for a clear time delineation between work and home. She discovered that even a short drive to a different location supplied that separation; eventually she abandoned her home office for the well-defined structure of a rented office suite. She had a place to go, a sense of employment, and a professional office in which to meet clients. “‘Know yourself’ is my best advice to newbiz-bees,” she said, free advice from a 25-year marketing professional who couldn’t live without that commute.

      1. Pros and Cons of a Portable Desktop

      For writers, a reliable laptop that goes with you everywhere may suffice, especially if money is an issue. This is cutting-edge operations management and deserves applause, if for nothing more than saving a few trees. It’s also a great way to give top-notch presentations either to promote your business or to pitch an idea for a project. When you carry your business in a laptop, even the public library provides an instant office. Meetings with clients become easier, checking on project status is a phone jack or wireless connection away, and finishing off that last paragraph can be accomplished during a ride on the subway.

      Of course, if you take your eyes off that precious cargo, a thief may make off with your life’s work and that’s the end of you. For your own peace of mind and protection, make sure you’ve made backup disks for all your software and everything on your computer, especially your current projects. Make sos stand for Safe or Sorry rather than the more colloquial Save Often, Stupid. Additionally, a replacement value insurance policy for your computer (just in case) may be a worthwhile investment. The insurance industry will gladly accommodate you, and a quick replacement is then just a phone call away.

      Not all creative pursuits are so easily accommodated, and your business may not flourish within the restrictions of a laptop computer. Buying a second system as backup is an excellent idea, both for safety’s sake and networking СКАЧАТЬ