START & RUN A GRAPHIC DESIGN BUSINESS
Michael Huggins
Self-Counsel Press
(a division of)
International Self-Counsel Press Ltd.
USA Canada
Copyright © 2012
International Self-Counsel Press
All rights reserved.
Introduction
Being a self-employed graphic designer has been quite a journey for me. It’s been challenging, stressful, tough, rewarding, exciting, invigorating, lucrative, and hugely satisfying. One thing it hasn’t been is dull. In fact, it stands as one of those big events in my life, right next to marrying my wife, Anita, and having children. Just like those events, it’s been an eye-opening and life-changing experience. I’m sure it’s going to be one for you, too. I’d like to help you make it fun, rewarding, and lucrative as you go.
If you’re holding this book in your hands right now, you probably find yourself in one of the following positions:
• You have just entered the exciting world of graphic design and you are about to go solo and do business on your own. Or you are thinking about it and are getting a “lay of the land” before you jump (you’re a person who likes all your ducks in a row).
• You’re currently working in the industry as a designer, but you’re working for another firm, and you think you can do the work yourself. After all, how hard could it be?
• Maybe you are already in business and have been for some time. You’ve been pretty much making things up as you go, and you wouldn’t mind a little help at pulling this whole thing together just a little better than you’re doing right now. You think that you need help to achieve a better focus, a greater sense of purpose, and a little more profitability.
This really leads to the big question: Can you make money by running your own graphic design business? The short answer is, yes, you can make a lot of money. It will take some work, and chances are it will have to be in other areas beyond that of your artistic talents.
Running a successful graphic design business uses and needs a set of skills you may not possess right now, which is okay. In fact, when I started my graphic design business many years ago all I really knew was the design portion of the business. I soon found that I was going to need a lot more than just design skills, and it was going to be a bumpy road for my business until I learned.
Don’t get scared away from pursuing your heart’s desire just because of a few things you may not know right now. You see, you have something I didn’t — another graphic designer who has been where you are and is ready to help you. That’s really what this book is all about.
Running the Business
I’ve written this book from the perspective of starting a business. That means I’ve made one very specific distinction between working on your own and working for yourself. I’ve written this for those who have an entrepreneurial mind-set, not just a freelance mentality.
Freelance has a lot of different definitions in this business. I define freelance as working for other design firms, marketing agencies, advertising firms, and similar competing services to your own. As a freelancer you predominantly work for other firms. The firms get the clients and you do the work. There’s nothing wrong with this. It’s a viable way of doing business. It can keep you happy and satisfied for years to come. However, this book isn’t written specifically for those taking that path. That said, even as a freelancer you’ll still pull plenty out of this book. This book is for the individual who wants to own and operate a graphic design business. You will predominantly work for the end-user. The client is someone who is using the design product you create, not reselling it.
That doesn’t mean you can’t be a one-person show and choose to stay that way. You absolutely can. Whether you want to stay a solo design firm or grow into a 20-person company, this book will give you a clear understanding of the requirements in order to be successful.
This book is designed to help you see your design business as a way to create a unique lifestyle and career for yourself. It will be a lifestyle that pays you while you live it and a career that provides you with a healthy income for the years ahead.
This book is divided into four parts.
Part I: Your New Business Adventure
The first part of the book is about understanding the basics of graphic design. You’ll see the great opportunities a design business can offer. You’ll get a basic understanding of how the marketplace at large uses design and the great value that is placed on it. This means more work and more opportunity for you. Knowing what it’s used for, and why, is covered in detail, as well as answering the “who uses it” question.
We’ll also discuss what it means to be an entrepreneur and the pros and cons of starting your business with a partner.
Part II: Setting up Shop
Part II helps you make your first big decision, which is what type of business structure you will choose for your business. I discuss the different structures such as sole proprietorship, partnership, and incorporation.
The next important decision you will need to make is to create an identity and find a good location for your company. This section also covers the basic things you’ll need to get started in your business. I’ll explain the essentials such as hardware, software, and equipment you need to do great work.
Part III: Marketing Your Business
This section begins with helping you find your niche in the graphic design industry. Once you have found an area to focus on, you can begin to create your marketing plan and target your market. This section also covers the marketing tools you will need to help promote your business. The important marketing tools include your website, cold calling, sales letters, portfolio, and capabilities kit.
Part IV: Doing the Work
Working with clients and keeping them satisfied takes more than just designing. There are meetings, briefings, the design process, and so much more. You’ll need to know the process to use to get the work done. You’ll learn how to create proposals and contracts as well as how to get repeat work and referrals from current clients. You’ll also learn how to deal with common client problems as well as how to find good photographers and illustrators.
I also cover the important topic of pricing your services and how to adopt a pricing structure that is profitable for your business. Nothing matters in your business if you don’t get paid for what you do. This section is all about making money; how you discuss what you do; how you deal with it; and how you make sure you get money into your business and into your bank account.
Appendixes
I interviewed many professional graphic designers when I wrote this book and I have included some of my interviews to help give you a view of what other designers had to say about their beginnings in the graphic design industry.
Now, let’s get started on one of the most exciting stages of your life — the big transition from designer to graphic design entrepreneur.
Part I
YOUR NEW BUSINESS ADVENTURE