Start & Run a Creative Services Business. Susan Kirkland

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ particularly text blocks, which don’t convert well. If you want to rely on a converter, plan on spending money for last-minute corrections. It would be great if all software programs worked for all job requirements, but that’s not the case. You will create a more stable document if you import graphics created in a program designed for specific functions as opposed to doing the calisthenics of making something like Microsoft Word do what it wasn’t designed to do.

      My preference is Adobe Freehand MX because it is an excellent alternative to Adobe Illustrator when creating logos and PDFs. Freehand has stability and conversion capability when it comes to creating Encapsulated PostScript (eps) files for placement in layout programs. Freehand also allows you to save your documents in more than ten different formats, including several compatible versions of Illustrator files, Photoshop files, PDF, GIF, JPEG, and Flash. Your best bet is to choose Adobe Creative Suite and you’ll have everything you need.

      2.7 Establish good work habits

      Decide if you want to treat your work as a hobby or pursue business with the intent of building either a steady income or a major conglomerate. This decision will help you structure your day. If you like to get up around noon and enjoy life, you may need a loving, fully employed spouse to generate income that pays the bills. Being self-employed requires strict discipline when it comes to establishing regular operating hours, being accessible to your clients, managing time to accommodate finding new business, and finishing up the paperwork necessary for billing and payables. After you do all that, don’t forget to make time for the actual creative work. And you thought self-employment meant unfettered creative pursuit. It does; just think of it as creative multitasking.

      Choose your work hours, knowing you have the freedom to extend or delay them as deadlines loom or family vacations take center stage. This is the true freedom of running a business, and you can manage it if you don’t abuse it. Don’t wait for your bank account to dictate when to get back to work. Let your clients know when they can reach you as well as when they can’t. Set firm boundaries on this issue if you must. If you have a client who persists in calling you at all hours of the night just to touch base, put your foot down, but do it politely. Freelancing shouldn’t mean you become a slave to the telephone. Tell your family when your time is off limits and make sure the boundary is clear. If there is no current project, don’t go off for a week’s worth of golf. Spend at least part of your time cultivating new business. You’ll feel much better about time spent looking for your next job than you will about perfecting your swing (and guilt will always yield a YIP!). Of course it’s more fun to curl up with a bowl of popcorn in the middle of the afternoon and watch a Cubs game, but that won’t make the car payments. Have a plan and stick to it. You’ll reap the rewards of good work habits: an abundant project list, loyal clients, and a healthy bank balance.

      2.8 Upgrade phone lines and Internet access

      Depending on your location, the type of Internet access you use, and whether there are teenagers in your house, installing an extra phone line with a dedicated phone number might be required. If you use a dial-up connection for your online work, an extra phone line may be a necessity. Don’t be embarrassed about having dial-up instead of broadband. There are 48 million dial-up users in the USA alone. The only drawback is that some online features (like video) will not be accessible. If an extra line for the dial-up is beyond your budget, an easy, low-cost alternative is using digital voice mail provided by most local phone companies to handle incoming calls while you work online. Your calls will be answered before they ever reach your phone, sparing clients a constant busy signal.

      If you have online access via a cable modem, wireless T1 or T2 broadband, consider getting rid of your phone line altogether and using an online provider such as Vonage. They supply an adapter box that connects to your modem interface. Plug your phones in and start dialing. You can realize incredible savings by eliminating your phone and long-distance carrier and opting for cable phone service. Current offers include a $40 credit for customers who make referrals plus the same amount in credit for the new customer. The most popular plan in the us offers unlimited nationwide calls and 500 minutes of international long distance for a flat monthly rate that is less than you pay for local service.

      Choose your Internet service provider (ISP) according to the type of creative work you do online.

      Keep in mind that your cable broadband must be at least 500k to prevent signal falloff, when your party’s voice trails off into the void. If you don’t mind a few empty, extended pauses, try it on your 256k modem. Most of these services will allow you to keep your local phone number or even create a new number with your choice of area code (as long as it is not taken by somebody else). With the advent of deregulation, satellite phone and cable companies are offering lucrative package deals bundling phone, Internet, and television services for a set fee. Keep in mind some companies require a contract while others do not. In the US, visit www.bundlemyservices.com to look for deals.

      If you never want to miss a call, a mobile phone is the obvious answer. One scriptwriter I know sleeps, eats, and showers with her cell phone within arm’s reach. Having a cell phone also solves the dilemma of nonbusiness calls competing for telephone time. It’s easy to restrict the use of your cell phone to business calls by only giving the number to clients.

      What about facsimiles? Most people use email to send documents these days, but if you deal with clients who are reticent to enter the digital age, you may be required to have a working fax machine. If so, a dedicated line may be the best choice for ease of operation and rapid exchange of hard copies. Let your volume of work determine need.

      Choose your Internet service provider (ISP) according to the type of creative work you do online. If you send large files for output in this worldwide market, broadband is definitely worth the expense. Different areas have different services available. There are many options even in rural areas, and the selection is growing. Whether you choose satellite dish access, cable modem access, wireless access, DSL, ISDN, T1 or T2, or dial-up, make sure you choose a reliable server and an isp that meets the demands of your business.

      Most service providers experience some glitches as they struggle to keep up with and work out the bugs in the latest technology. That said, don’t let a bad choice make you miserable. Ask professional peers what providers they prefer and be prepared to change yours if it’s less than satisfactory.

      If your means of Internet access (e.g., cable) requires a special modem, make sure you shop for it online. My local cable company charges $129.99 for a modem I found online through Yahoo! Shopping for $34. Checking sources online is well worth your time. Another good source is Buy.com, especially for wireless routers.

      2.9 Create a business image

      Creating a dedicated work space includes creating a professional image. Even in today’s digital era, you will need a business card and some form of stationery, either as a workable template that you can print as needed or a professionally designed letterhead package printed by an old-fashioned letterpress printer. You will also find it useful to have a JPEG image of your business card to include with email correspondence. Remember one of the keys to creating a successful image: act as if.

      If you are capable of competing with industry leaders, make sure your image shows it. Looking for serious work requires a serious image appropriate to industry expectations. If you want to be a clown, make your business card colorful and fun, with a wild and crazy typeface. Otherwise, use good sense when selecting your identity font; choose something well-proven that doesn’t shout, “I’m an amateur.”

      Creative counsel requires cutting-edge imagination, yet nothing detracts more than the latest-fad fonts. If in doubt, consult a professional designer. However, don’t let all this conservatism inhibit your СКАЧАТЬ