Resourceful Designer: Strategies for running a graphic design business

Do you worry about your eyesight? Do you worry about your eyesight? As a designer, there's pretty much no escaping being in front of a screen. If you're like me, between the computer, phone and TV, you probably spend more time each day with your eyes staring at a screen than you do sleeping. Face it, we're slaves to our tech displays. Did you know that this constant exposure to one screen after another throughout the day can cause strain, and even damage to your eyes? The issue is ultraviolet blue UV light emitted by all these devices. Although researchers are at odds on whether screen use can cause permanent damage or not, they do agree that prolonged exposure to blue UV light does affect your eyes. Dr Ritesh Patel, an optometrist with the Ontario Association of Optometrists here in Canada, describes the problem. Our eyes are sensitive to a narrow band of light frequencies called the "visual light spectrum". In that spectrum, blue light has the shortest wavelength causing it to emit the most energy. Traditionally, ultraviolet blue UV light comes from sunlight. It's why you've been told all your life to protect your eyes with UV protecting sunglasses. However, unless you're an MTV rapper trying to look cool, or you're playing in the World Series of Poker, chances are you don't wear sunglasses indoors. That's a problem because all these screens we stare into each day also emit blue UV light. That's not taking to account the LED lighting in our homes and offices which also put out blue light. Blue light is known to suppress the sleep hormone melatonin, causing an artificial feeling of wakefulness and disrupting sleep patterns, which can add to eye strain and affect your life in general. But it goes beyond just the blue light. Some screens today have built-in features to alter the light spectrum and reduce the amount of blue light they project, but they can't eliminate it altogether, and it doesn't change the fact that you are staring at a screen. How screens affect your eyes. A Canadian study reports that one-quarter of Canadians spend over 2 hours per day staring at their phones. Staring at a screen for hours at a time puts a heavy strain on your eyes, so it's probably not a big surprise that doing so can put your eye health in jeopardy. Researchers are linking exposure to blue light to macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of blindness. This research is referencing the blue light from the sun. These same researchers are not confirming a connection between screen time and blindness, but it's a scary thought nonetheless that the same outside light they're worried about is also being emitted by that device in your hand. According to a study done by Weill Cornell Medical College in New York: 93% of American adults spend two or more hours per day in front of a screen. 61% spend five or more hours in front of a screen. 30% spend more than nine hours in front of a screen. Chances are, as a designer you fall in that 30% bracket spending more than nine hours per day in front of a screen. Does that concern you? It should. Other studies say between 50%-90% of people who work all day in front of a computer screen experience symptoms of what doctors call Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). CVS is not one specific condition, but rather a term used to classify a multitude of problems caused by prolonged computer use. Things like: Blurred Vision Double Vision Dry, Red Eyes Eye Irritation Headaches Neck or Back Pain People with existing vision issues are even more at risk to Computer Vision Syndrome. Eye strain isn't only annoying, it can lead to health issues. Not to mention that when your eyes start bothering you your performance drops, you slow down, you become less creative. Not good for a designer. Smartphones are just as bad as computer screens. A study out of the United States predicts that 2 out of every 3 Americans will experience eye strain caused by excessive use of their phone. I'm sure the same applies in most countries around the world. Eye strain is a growing concern. Did you know that until the 1960s, the majority of the world's population was farsighted? But since the 60s the table has shifted and now there are more nearsighted people in the world than people with farsighted vision. The 60s is when the television gained in popularity as a form of daily family entertainment. When I was in grade school back in the 70s, there were maybe two or three kids in my entire school who wore glasses. Nowadays, it's hard to find a single classroom without at least one child with vision problems. Just look around you and you'll see evidence everywhere of how people's eyes are getting worse. As a graphic designer or web designer, someone who relies on your vision to make a living, you should be taking precautions to protect yourself. What can you do to protect your eyes? Fortunately, there are steps you can take to drastically reduce the risk of eye problems in the future. 20-20-20 Rule The first thing you should do is start giving your eyes regular breaks. Have you ever heard of the 20-20-20 rule? Every 20 minutes you look away from your screen and spend 20 seconds looking at something that is 20 feet or more away. This will alleviate strain on your eyes. Blue UV Light Glasses Something else you can try is blue UV light filtering glasses. These special glasses are coated with a blue UV light filter to help protect your eyes. This coating is available on prescription glasses but there are also a wide variety of non-prescription glasses available to protect your eyes from blue UV light. Humidifier Installing a humidifier in or near your office will help keep your eyes moist. Working all day long in dry air is really bad for your eyes. A humidifier can help eliminate that dryness. Artificial Tears Eye drops can help moisturize your eyes. If you do use eye drops, avoid the ones that "get the red out", they work great for a quick fix, but did you know that your eyes become even redder when you stop using them? Regarding your screens: Screen brightness Turn down the brightness on your phone and tablet. Most people have their brightness set much higher than necessary. Reducing the brightness will make it easier on your eyes. Plus, it has the added benefit of conserving your battery life. Increase Text Size If you find yourself squinting to read your phone or computer, try making the default font size larger. Press Command/Control and "+" to increase the font size in any web browser making websites easier to read. Screen position Position your computer screen at arm's length or more away to avoid excessive eye strain, and place your screen so that your eyes are at the top edge of the screen looking at a downward gaze towards the monitor. This will lower your eyelids slightly and help protect your eyes. Blink The average person blinks 15-20 times per minute, but when looking at a computer screen that number drops by up to half. It may sound crazy, but consciously blinking will help keep your eyes moist. Take care of your eyes You are a designer. You chose this profession because you love the creativity and challenge it brings you each and every day. Don't let Computer Vision Syndrome affect your ability to do your job to your fullest. Take precautions to protect your eyes and you'll enjoy a long career. Do you wear protective glasses when working at your computer? Let me know by leaving a comment for this episode. Questions of the Week Submit your question to be featured in a future episode of the podcast by visiting the feedback page. This week's question comes from Adam I'd like to ask for some advice in regards to a dilemma I've found myself in recently. I have a client I acquired when I bought out the client portfolio of another web designer who decided to close up shop. This client's site is ugly and uses poor design technique. I met with the client a few weeks ago to discuss designing a new website for them. This meeting was not predicated on the client's recognition of any problem with their site, but rather because I informed them of the issues with their site. They understood the gravity of the problem and agreed to consider a new website for their next budget year. Then, we talked about their logo... Oh boy, this logo is atrocious, and I'm quite certain that it was actually designed in Word or Powerpoint. I quickly learned that there is some personal stake in this design by the organization's Director, and that she actually dictated this design to the designer, who obliged her design. This logo is not only ugly, but it doesn't really represent the business. The Director gave me her explanation of what the logo means, but admitted that her target audience likely did not understand its meaning. My suggestion of a re-design was quickly met with a loud and clear "off limits." I've been sitting on this proposal for a few weeks because I'm simply not comfortable with designing a new website that incorporates that hideous logo. At least not in its current state. I'm trying to set myself apart from my competition as a premium web design, hosting and management service. I'm afraid that to use this logo on my website design does not reflect well on my business. Am I wrong to feel that way? I'm tempted to tell the client that I can't design a website for them if they want to continue to use that logo, but I'm not sure that's really reasonable. It feels like holding them for ransom just to get more design work. I'm considering offering the client to at least clean up the current logo design so that it doesn't look quite so bad. I've even considered offering to do this at half my normal rate because it seems silly to kick an existing client to the curb and give up a several thousand dollar website design over a few hundred dollars work to their logo. How would you handle this set of circumstances? Thank you for taking the time to consider my question; any advice would be greatly appreciated. To find out what I told Adam you'll have to listen to the podcast. Resource of the week Elementor Elementor is a WordPress Page Builder that works seamlessly with almost any theme and plugin. Similar to the Divi Page Builder, it allows you to drag and drop elements making it extremely easy to build and customize beautiful responsive websites. With over 80 design elements, and more being added on a regular basis, Elementor offers a complete set of dedicated tools that help you generate more traffic, leads and conversions. Listen to the podcast on the go. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Listen on Android Listen on Stitcher Listen on iHeartRadio Contact me I would love to hear from you. You can send me questions and feedback using my feedback form. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram I want to help you. Running a graphic design or web design business all by yourself isn't easy. If there are any struggles you face running your design business, please reach out to me. I'll do my best to help you by addressing your issues in a future blog post or podcast episode here at Resourceful Designer. You can reach me at feedback@resourcefuldesigner.com

The Goodbye Packet Last week I told you about Client Offboarding, the process of finalising a design project and preparing a client for working together again in the future. Offboarding is a way of informing a client that you've completed the work they've paid you for, and any additional work from this point forward will be considered a new project, incurring further fees. In this last part of the Client Onboarding series, I'm talking about the Goodbye Packet, a way to collect and package up all the offboarding information in a convenient package to hand over to your client. What is a Goodbye Packet? A Goodbye Packet is a document informing a client their project is complete. It lets them know that any additional work you do will incur extra charges. You can also use it as a transition phase between your web design contract and your maintenance package. If a client continues to ask for changes after the completion of a web design project, it's a good indication that you should sell them an ongoing maintenance package if you haven't already done so. In brief; a well put together Goodbye Packet should accomplish the following: Informs the client of the completion of their project, stopping them from asking for more changes. Thanks the client for choosing you as their designer showing how grateful you are. Instructs the client how to access their deliverables such as downloading asset files or logging in to their website and any other relevant accounts. Teaches the client how to use their website. Relays essential details about their design project. Encourages the client to hire you for more design work in the future (or right away if you can manage it) Answers common questions most clients have at the end of a project. Shows the client how professional you are, which will make them more likely to refer you to others and to use you again in the future. Unlike the Intro Packet, which is a document about you and your business, a Goodbye Packet is all about the client. It's about making it easy for the client to transition to using whatever it is you created for them. Where the intro Packet is handed out to all clients showing them your services and design skills, the Goodbye Packet is a document customised to each specific client. There are pieces of it you can reuse again and again, but overall, it should be unique to the client receiving it. How to create a Goodbye Packet A Goodbye Packet is a document you create for your client. It could be a printed booklet, a Word document, A PDF, A dedicated page in a password protected client area of your website, or even something as simple as an email. The platform you use to create your Goodbye Packet is not as important as the information that goes into one. However, no matter the platform you use, do make it look good. You are a designer, after all. Some sections of your Goodbye Packet can be reused from client to client with minor changes. Creating templates for them can save you time and save you having to create each one from scratch — website login instructions, for example. The instructions to log into a website are the same for all sites; it's just the URL, Username and Password that changes. Contents of a Goodbye Packet Think of your Goodbye Packet as a small booklet, whether it's printed, a PDF or a web page. Here's what it should contain: Cover:The Goodbye Packet is all about the client and should be recognisable as such. Design the cover with the client's colours and branding. Introduction:Give an overview of what information the client will find in the packet and why it's crucial they hold onto it. Access Info:Provide login information for websites or any other accounts you created for the client. Make sure they know to keep this information safe. Better yet, provide them with a temporary password and instructions on how to change it. Quick Reference:A cheat sheet if you will. This section should contain information such as font families, Colour codes/values, Image guidelines for the website, branding do's and don'ts. Think of this as a mini style guide. Tutorials:Provide links to online resources or written or video tutorials you've produced yourself showing the client how to use their new product. Additional Services:Remind the client that you are available for further work should they need you. Also, remind them of other services they may not be aware you offer. FAQ:Provide answers to commonly asked questions. Such as the importance of keeping a website updated (if they haven't hired you to maintain it for them). Or when to use different file formats. Conclusion:You should end your Goodbye Packet by thanking your client for hiring you and letting them know you are there for them should they require your services again. Don't forget to ask the client for a testimonial. Why use a Goodbye Packet? Why take the time to dress it up when you can send a simple email with this information? It's all about exceeding the client's expectations, a crucial part of building a long-lasting relationship. A Goodbye Packet is a simple extra step that most businesses don't provide. Your clients will notice and appreciate it, which means they will be more inclined to spread the word about the great services you offer. It's a great way to mark the finish of a project, minimise revisions and questions, and finally, set your client up for success. So what are you waiting for? Get working on your Goodbye Packet ASAP The Client Onboarding Process So there you have it, the Client Onboarding Process: The Intro Packet The Client Meeting The Design Proposal The Design Contract Client Offboarding The Goodbye Packet When combined, they form a proven recipe for success when it comes to turning potential clients into long term paying clients. I hope you found value in this Client Onboarding series and that you see growth in your design business by implementing it. Does your Client Offboarding process include a Goodbye Packet? Let me know about your Goodbye Packet and your overall Client Onboarding/Offboarding process by leaving a comment for this episode. Resource of the week 4-Week Marketing Boost The Four Week Marketing Boost! is a free guide I created that will help you strengthen your marketing position, boost your brand's awareness & social presence and ultimately ensure you are in tip-top shape to offer a best first impression to potential new clients. This guide is divided into 20 short actions that comfortably fit into your regular day and are designed to take as little time away from your client work as possible. Although you can complete these exercises quickly, it is recommended you tackle only one per day, spending no more than 30 minutes per task. After completing this four-week plan, you will be in a better position to present yourself to, and win over new clients. You can download the Four Week Marketing Boost for free by visiting marketingboost.net. Or, if you are in the U.S.A., you can text the word MARKETINGBOOST to 44222. Improve your business' image and create the best first impression possible to attract more clients. Listen to the podcast on the go. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Listen on Android Listen on Stitcher Listen on iHeartRadio Contact me I would love to hear from you. You can send me questions and feedback using my feedback form. Follow me on Twitter, Facebookand Instagram I want to help you. Running a graphic design or web design business all by yourself isn't easy. If there are any struggles you face running your design business, please reach out to me. I'll do my best to help you by addressing your issues in a future blog post or podcast episode here at Resourceful Designer. You can reach me at feedback@resourcefuldesigner.com

Client Offboarding [sc name="pod_ad"]Client Offboarding is the final step in building that oh so meaningful client relationship that will keep them coming back to you time and again with more design projects. For the past few episodes, I've walked you through the various steps of Client Onboarding — everything you need to do to turn a potential client into a paying client. But once the client is onboard and you have their project, is that the end? Of course not. The whole purpose of Client Onboarding is to create relationships with your clients. What kind of relationship would it be if it ended once the project is over? Acquiring new clients is hard work, especially the type of clients you want to work with and that pay well. But what's even more important is having those clients come back in the future with even more projects. They say it takes roughly five times more time and energy to land a new client than it does to keep an existing client. If you can get even 5% of new clients to come back, you should be able to increase your profitability by 25-125%. That's huge. The best way to keep an existing client is to impress them with good work and by exceeding their expectations. All the steps in the Client Onboarding process, The Intro Packet, The Client Meeting, The Design Proposal and The Contract are all used to impress good clients with your organisational skills and the thoroughness you bring to your profession. By setting high standards from the start, you create a powerful impression that will encourage clients to come back again and again. But to hit the ball out of the park, you need to have a good Client Offboarding strategy. What is Client Offboarding? Client Offboarding is the process of finalising a design project and handing over everything you've promised to the client. It informs the client that their project is now complete. Should the client require your services again in the future, you would be happy to help them under the umbrella of a new project. Where client onboarding was all about turning a potential client into a paying client, the point of client offboarding is to transition them from being a current client to a future returning client. What does Client Offboarding do? Client Offboarding defines an end to a project and prepares your client to bring you future projects. Have you ever finished a project, only to have the client linger on, asking for adjustments or more work? This is especially bad with websites. The client contacts you weeks after it's launched asking for fixes and changes. Do these fall under the original project or is this considered new work? Without proper offboarding, it's kind of a grey area. Client Offboarding clears up this confusion by informing the client that their project is completed and all future work will be considered a new project. In the process, it makes the client feel welcome to bring you more work. It's another way of showing your professionalism. The Client Offboarding Process. Just like the steps involved in Client Onboarding, you'll have to adjust your offboarding process to work for you and your business. But generally, the process should look something like this. You've finalised your revisions; the client is pleased with the work you've presented them, and they give their final approval. Now it's time to begin the Client Offboarding Process. Project review: Go over the final project with the client. Review the website or other deliverables and make sure the client knows and understands what it is you are giving them. Go over any expectations that were in your initial proposal or contract. For example, I allow 14 days after a website launch for fixing any bugs or small errors. After 14 days, any requests are considered a new project. The client was told this information at the beginning of the project, but I remind them again during the offboarding process, so there's no confusion. Provide deliverables: Package up logos and other design material and deliver it to the client in an efficient matter. If a style guide was part of your package, this is when you present and explain it to your client. Launch websites, publish content, deliver printed materials, hand over whatever you are expected to give your client. Provide access information: Provide usernames and passwords your client will need to access their website, analytics, emails or whatever. I usually record a short screen capture video walking a client through how to use their website. It's a great way to reduce any follow-up questions once the project is over. Send Invoice / Request payment: If your payment terms stated full or partial payment upon completion of the project now is the time to request it. Send your final invoice or payment reminder and ensure the client complies as per your agreement. Some contracts state that payment in full must be received before any deliverables are turned over to the client. Offer more services: The client offboarding process is the perfect opportunity to once again explain to your client what other services you offer. Be sure to ask if there's anything else you can do for them. Don't presume the client knows what other services you offer. Thank the client: Thank your client for choosing you for their project. They could have used any designer, but they decided to hire you. Make sure they know you are grateful. Consider sending them a handwritten note. A personalised card delivered in the mail is much more memorable than an email or phone call. If they were a good client, consider sending them a thank you gift. Unexpected gifts are a fun way to make the client feel important and valued. Followup and ask for feedback: Follow up with the client after a predetermined amount of time to make sure the client is satisfied with the way the project turned out. If the project was for an event, inquire how the event turned out. If the client is satisfied with your work, be sure to ask them for a testimonial about your services and their experience working with you. Ask for referrals: The perfect time to ask your client for referrals is when the positive experience of working with you is fresh in their mind. If the client enjoyed working with you, they'll want others to experience what they did and will be more open to spreading the word about your services. Don't presume clients will talk about you. Permit them to. Celebrating the project: You did good work for your client, show off what you did by sharing your design work on social media. Make sure to tag your client in your posts. If you add the project to your portfolio, be sure to inform the client so they can share it with their audience as well. Cutting your offboarding process short. Everything up to this point presumes you enjoyed working with the client. However, There may be times when you don't feel a client merits the full offboarding process. Maybe, after working with the client for a few weeks, you realise the two of you are not a good fit after all. In cases like these, you want to provide only as much information as to satisfy the client that their project is complete. In these instances, you can forgo the client retention parts of the process. That's not to say the client won't come back in the future. You did do a fantastic job on their project, after all. But you can minimise the encouragement you offer them. If they do come back, you'll need to decide if it's in your best interest to work with them again or not. Things to remember. Let me state once again that your offboarding process needs to be personalised to you and your business. The whole purpose of client offboarding is to prepare the client for the next go around and to encourage them to make that sooner rather than later. If you do a good job, clients will be eager to work with you again. What is your client offboarding process? Let me know by leaving a comment for this episode. Resource of the week Dribbble's Hang Time Dribbble's Hang Time takes place on June 6 at NYC's Hammerstein Ballroom at the Manhattan Center. It's a one-day inspiration fest tailored to designers. It's a full day of connecting, learning and community. There's going to be several speakers offering hour-long sessions fielding questions about tips, tricks and best practices that working designers can utilise as they get ready to take the next leap in their careers. Hang Time attendees can also expect designer showcases, live drawing, workshops, discussion panels, case studies, fireside chats, and personal stories of living creatively—each in an intimate, limited-seat setting for a meaningful conference experience. The day is capped off by a networking after-party where you get to hang out with other designers and design celebrities. Dribble is offering $100 off the price of tickets for listeners of Resourceful Designer if you use the code resourceful at checkout. Listen to the podcast on the go. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Listen on Android Listen on Stitcher Listen on iHeartRadio Contact me I would love to hear from you. You can send me questions and feedback using my feedback form. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram I want to help you. Running a graphic design or web design business all by yourself isn't easy. If there are any struggles you face running your design business, please reach out to me. I'll do my best to help you by addressing your issues in a future blog post or podcast episode here at Resourceful Designer. You can reach me at feedback@resourcefuldesigner.com

The Design Contract The Design Contract is the final part of the Client Onboarding Process. This vital part confirms that a potential client is now a paying client. In this series, I talked about the Client Onboarding Process as a whole before breaking it down into the individual components, the Intro Packet, the Client Meeting and the Design Proposal. Each of these different elements helps win over potential clients encouraging them to hire you, which brings you to this next step, the Design Contract. In the last episode, I shared a statistic with you; 48% of designers don't use a contract. I find that number mind-blowing. Not only does a contract establish you as a professional business, but it's your protection against anything that may go wrong with the project or the client. Have you ever been part of a design forum or online group where someone mentions an issue they are having with a client? What is the #1 response or comment they receive? "Did you have a design contract?" If you are part of that 48 %, I hope you take note and add a contract to your client onboarding process right away. Before I go any further, let me state that I am not a lawyer. Do not take anything I mention here as legal advice. My advice is for you to either have a lawyer draft up your contract or at least create one yourself and have a lawyer review it. If you don't have the budget to consult a lawyer, please find yourself a ready-made contract and start using it today. A quickly written, non-lawyer verified contract is still better than no contract at all. Then, once you have the means, consult a lawyer. As Mike Monteiro, co-founder of Mule Design Studio said. "You need a lawyer when you decide to stop being a design amateur and decide to start being a design professional." Here are two sources for free design contracts you can modify for your needs: Stuff and Nonsense - Contract Killer AIGA Standard-Agreement What is a Design Contract? A Design Contract is a legal terms and conditions document that defines the expectations of a project for both parties. A design contract should contain: An overview of who is hiring you, what they are hiring you to do and for how much. The respective responsibilities agreed to by both parties. Specifics listing everything included and not included in the scope of the work involved. What happens should one of the parties change their mind about anything pertaining to the project. An overview of liabilities and any other legal matters. In other words, Your design contract needs to cover your process, what the client can expect, what you can expect from the client, time frames, payment details, technical details and any other legalese you deem fit. Everything in your contract should be explicitly stated and agreed upon by you and your client before a project begins. Do you really need a design contract? Maybe you're thinking "if 48% of designers don't use a contract then how can it be so important?" Let me tell you. A contract is the only surefire way to protect you and your business' interests while working with a client. So the answer is it's crucial. You should use a design contract for every client and every project you take on. In the case of disputes, a signed contract will quickly establish if anyone is at fault, and what actions should be taken to remedy the conflict. With that said, you need to be reasonable. If your mom or sister wants you to design an invitation for their annual poker tournament, you don't need her to sign a contract. Friends and family are exempt, most of the time that is. My rule is; If what I'm designing will be used to generate money then I have them sign a contract, even if it's family. This includes charities, fundraisers and non-profits. When money is involved, it's better to protect yourself. Contracts prevent problems. You want client relationships to go smoothly, don't you? A contract can help by preventing problems before they start. A Contract protects for both parties: A good contract should benefit both parties signing it. Not only does it protect you but it should protect your client as well. A Contract shows your importance: The goal of any client relationship should be to see each other as partners. A contract establishes this. Without one, a client may think you are working FOR them instead of WITH them. They will treat you differently if you get them to sign a contract. A Contract makes expectations clear: When both parties understand their roles, the whole project will move smoothly. When do you present your contract? A great time to present your contract is as soon as you finish your Design Proposal. Everything is fresh in the client's mind, and they are receptive to moving forward. You can even use it as a stepping stone or launchpad to land the client. "That was my proposal for designing your new website. If you would like to move forward to the next step, here's a contract we can go over and sign together before beginning working on this project." Presenting your contract may be all that's needed to push the client to hire you. If the project doesn't require a proposal, you can email your contract to the client and request they sign and return a copy of it. Make sure your contract is clear that you will not start on a project until you have the signed contract in hand. Don't fall for a "The contract is in the mail so go ahead and get started." line. As a side note: If a client brings their lawyer to the meeting, you will want to have your lawyer present as well. Never discuss your contract with a client's lawyer yourself. Not all Desing Contracts are the same. Drafting a Design Contract takes time, and lawyers cost money. Although tempting, it is not advisable to create a single contract that covers every type of project you undertake. Some sections of your contract may be reusable, but most need to be flexible enough to adhere to the scope of a given project. For example; a contract for a logo design should include a transfer of Intelectual Property clause upon completion, but a contract for website design has no such requirement. It's best to have variations of your contract for each type of design work you do. What goes into a design contract? Here are different sections you will want to include in your design contract. Define the parties: Name yourself and your company as well as the individual you will be dealing with and their company name. Make sure you mention your contact person by name. It can save you having to deal with multiple people at the client's company. Project Basics: Outline the scope of the job, what project(s) the client is hiring you for and what process you will take to complete said the project(s)? Client responsibilities: List the client's responsibilities at each stage of the project (providing content, providing logins and passwords if required, proofreading). Deliverables: Define what the client will receive from you at the end of the project, as well as what you don't provide. For example: who is supplying the images and copy for the project? Do you offer layered working files at the end of the project, or do you only provide final JPGs or PDFs? Also, be sure to talk about storage and archiving. How long do you retain files once the project is complete? Is there a charge should the client ask for files in the future? Procedures: Mention the processes you follow, such as the number of proofs you will provide and the number of revisions the client is allowed. You can also state your use of third-party contractors if you use any. Timelines and deadlines: You should both agree to realistic schedules and deadlines for the project. How long should each stage take? How much time will the client have to review each step? Also, remind them of your acceptable contact schedule and contact methods, so you don't get interrupted late at night asking how the project is going. Payment details and terms: List the total cost of the project. Also, mention any payment stages or breakdowns. Include penalties for late payments as well as fixed or hourly fees for additional work outside the scope of the defined project. Confidentiality and NDRs: Because of the nature of most design projects, and how we are privy to information before it becomes public, it's a good idea to state in your contract that all sensitive information provided to either party is confidential. You can also indicate your willingness to sign a non-disclosure agreement should the client request one. Intellectual property: As the designer, you automatically own the rights to anything you create. If an IP transfer is required, state when and under what conditions this will happen. Also, be sure to mention what you do and what you don't include in the IP transfer. If you are licensing your IP to the client, what are the terms of the licensing agreement? Promotion and credit: Include a clause giving you permission to promote and share the work you create, including intellectual property you've signed over to the client. Have an allowance in your contract that allows you to use the work for self-promotion and to submit the work for competitions and display. Also, include any information for the client to appropriately credit you for your hard work. Include the exact language you would like them to use when crediting you in press releases, in awards and competitions. Cancellation: State what happens if either party needs to end the project for some reason. What happens to any payments you've received or fees that are pending? Are there different cancellation policies for different stages of the project? Force Majeure: Also known as "Acts of God". You should specify what happens should any unforeseen situations beyond your control make you unable to complete the project. Can the project be salvaged through extra time? What happens to payments? Liability: Make sure you cover yourself should something go wrong. You don't want to be held responsible for problems down the road. Legal jurisdiction and legal fees: Should you have to enforce the contract in small claims court, state that all legal proceedings take place in your local jurisdiction and that all legal fees are the responsibility of the client. Personal guarantee:(Most clients will ask you to remove this section): Should for some reason the client company fail to pay you, this permits you to go after the person who signs your contract for payment. Signatures: This is the most crucial part of the contract. It's the part where both parties agree to the terms within. Signing the contract makes it legally binding. When things go wrong I hope it never comes to this for you, but should a situation with a client turn ugly; your contract is what will protect you. A good design contract will allow you to quickly and easily sort things out and possibly salvage the relationship with your client. Should any disputes arise, get on the phone or meet the client in person. Talking directly to the client can often deescalate a situation before it becomes a big mess. Calmly remind the client of the terms of your contract and what they agreed to. Not reading or not understanding something in a contract is not an excuse that holds up once they've signed it. If you can't solve the issue through conversation, get your lawyer involved. It's their job to handle situations like that. Use your time to concentrate on the next client and project. Keys to remember Your contract has to fit your workflow and policies. Even if you find a ready-made contract template online, you need to alter it to apply to your personal needs. Find a lawyer: I've already mentioned it but it merits saying again. You really should consult a lawyer about your contract. It's cheaper to craft your contract and have a lawyer review it than it is to pay one to write it up from scratch, but either way, it should be seen by a lawyer, so you know that it's legit. Keep in mind that the contract you found online may not be suitable for your jurisdiction. Ever Evolving: A contract is a living thing. You should always be improving it by adding details from each experience you face. If you run into a difficulty with one client, alter your contract to prevent it from happening with future clients. Let the client read it: You want to present your proposal, but let the client read your contract on their own. Offer to answer any questions they have about it, but allow them to absorb it at their own pace without any pressure from you. Be as detailed as it needs to be: Because it's an evolving document, it's OK to have a long contract. The more you cover, the more you protect yourself. Contracts are negotiable: It's ok to negotiate the terms of your agreement with a client. Just make sure that the newly negotiated terms benefit you. There you have it: Design Contracts, the final part of the client onboarding process. Next week I'm going to finish off this series with client offboarding, an essential part in solidifying your client relationship. I hope you'll join me for that one. Have you ever had to enforce your contract with a client? Let me know by leaving a comment for this episode. Resource of the week BEEFree BEEFreeis an easy, quick way to design elegant, mobile responsive emails. Over 1,000,000 people have used the BeeFree email editor. BEE aims to be the best drag-&-drop email builder for designing mobile-responsive emails, quickly and easily, anywhere. Check them out. Listen to the podcast on the go. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Listen on Android Listen on Stitcher Listen on iHeartRadio Contact me I would love to hear from you. You can send me questions and feedback using my feedback form. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram I want to help you. Running a graphic design or web design business all by yourself isn't easy. If there are any struggles you face running your design business, please reach out to me. I'll do my best to help you by addressing your issues in a future blog post or podcast episode here at Resourceful Designer. You can reach me at feedback@resourcefuldesigner.com

Continuing the client onboarding process with the design proposal. Part 4 of the Client Onboarding Process is the Design Proposal. A tool you use to convince clients that you are the designer for their project. Last week I told you all about the Client Meeting. The part in the process where you learn about the client and about the project they are presenting to you. After a successful client meeting, you should know whether or not you want to take them on as a client and tackle their design project. You should also have a good feel for whether or not the client is inclined to hire you. The client onboarding process is all about finding the right clients that fit your business and goals. If after the client meeting you've decided you're not a good fit, then there's no need for a proposal. Simply thank the client for considering you and inform them that you are not the right person for their project. However, if you think you are a good fit, and you would like to work on their design project, the next step is the proposal. Is a design proposal required Before I dive any further into design proposals let me state that unlike and Inro Packet, which is an important advertisement for your services, or the client meeting, which is required in order to figure out what the client needs from you, not every design project merits a design proposal. If you are bidding on a website worth thousands of dollars, it makes sense to create a proposal. However, if a client has an existing logo and they're asking you to design a business card, or they have a powerpoint presentation already done and they just need you to "make it pretty" for them, then there's no need for a design proposal. Weigh the pros and cons of creating a design proposal against future returns from the project in question. Is it worth spending an hour, 2 hours, 10 hours or more working on your proposal in the hopes of landing a design project? It all depends on the possible returns you will get on that investment. It's up to you to decide whether or not a design proposal is the proper next step. The Design Proposal Too often, designers, especially freelance designers work without any kind of protecting documents in place, documents outlining the parameters of a design project. Industry statistics suggest that 48%, almost half of all designers don't protect themselves with a contract. Without any such documents, agreed upon by both the client and designer, what's to prevent issues such as scope creep or missed payments from happening? Proposals and contracts are a designer's best friends. Not only do they protect you and establish the groundwork for a smooth project, but they can help you close the deal, and land more design work. Don't confuse the design proposal with the design contract. A proposal isn't always required whereas a contract should be. Some designers combine the two but know that a proposal and a contract, although often used together, are in fact two different things. I'm going to talk about the contract in the next episode. What is a design proposal? A design proposal is a document you present to a potential client outlining details pertaining to their particular design project in order to convince them to hire you. The content of the design proposal is generated through the information you acquired during the client meeting. Just like an intro packet, a design proposal isn't just a tool to present project details, it's a tool to show off your talents. Create your design proposal in a way that showcases your skills as a designer. It needs to look professional since it's a representation of you and your brand. Wow the client with your presentation and they'll be itching to see what you can design for them. Once you've created your first design proposal you should be able to reuse its layout for future clients with minimal alterations except of course for the content pertaining to the client and project in question. As a freelancer, a designer running your own business, you need to get comfortable with presenting design proposals if you want to continuously get bigger and better clients. In time, you will become so good at preparing design proposals that it will become second nature to you. The structure of a design proposal. A design proposal should be well presented to show off your skills as a designer. It should also contain pertinent information leading the client to want to work with you. What a proposal shouldn't be is a novel. Nobody wants to read through a dozen pages regardless of how highly they think of you. Aim for a one or two page document containing five sections plus an introduction and conclusion. Your content should say as much as you can with as few words as possible. Just like designing, simplicity wins. Every proposal should have an introduction, a body and a conclusion and it should show the client the value you bring to the relationship. Introduction: The introduction should be a brief overview of what you discussed during your client meeting. Outline what you learned about the client and what their goals are pertaining to the project in question. You can even mention how the work you will create for them will help them achieve their goals. Be sure to also state why you are excited to work on their project and why you are the perfect person for the job. Always assume the client is considering other designers so use this opportunity to sell yourself. The Body: The body of your design proposal should be divided into 5 sections. Define the client's problem. Offer a solution to the client's problem. Highlight the benefits over features of your solution. Present your price(s) and terms. Ask the client for a decision (CTA). 1. Define the client's problem Most clients don't care about you or your business; they care about their own business and whether or not you can solve whatever problem they are facing. As a designer, your job is finding solutions to problems presented to you by clients. You can't find those solutions unless you know what problems your clients are facing. Use the information you gathered at the client meeting to identify the problem and define it at the beginning of your design proposal. Be specific, use any data, stats and figures to illustrate the gravity of the client's problem. This will not only show the client that you understand their situation, but that you care and are approaching it seriously. Don't define the problem in an abstract way the client may not understand: "The problem is the client needs a better brand" Instead, define it in a way the client will recognize and appreciate: "Over the past few years, the client company has faced stiffer competition from newcomers in their space and feel like they are losing ground. One of the reasons is because the client company doesn't have a strong brand they can incorporate across their marketing material. Client company requires a new brand image that will allow them to create a unique and memorable identity that can compete in their industry. This new brand should be unique and create a strong presence for their marketing and advertising campaigns." The more you make recognizable to the client, the more they'll think "this designer understands us". 2. Offer a solution to the client's problem. Up until this point, the potential client has suspected that you are the right designer for their project. This is your chance to stick the landing. Confirm their suspicion by offering them an outline to your solution for their aforementioned problem. Keep in mind. It doesn't matter how good a designer you are, if the client doesn't believe you can offer a solution to their problem, they won't hire you. Make sure you explain in your proposal how the course of action you plan on taking will solve their problem. However, don't offer the solution itself. Remember, at this stage, the client still hasn't hired you yet. Let them know what you can do for them without going into specifics. For example, tell them how their new website will convert more visitors into customers but don't tell them what plugins or methods you will use to help you convert that traffic. Your solution should include: A course of action outlining the steps involved in achieving the solution. Reasons supporting why those actions will produce a solution. An explanation of how the solution will solve the client's problem Show the client that not only do you have a plan to tackle their problem but that your solution has a reasonable chance of success. Don't present a solution such as: "I'll design a new brand or a new website for the client" Instead, present something more on these lines: "For Your company to increase its foothold in your industry an updated brand image is required. Achieving this new brand image will first require extensive study of both the target market as well as what is currently working for your competition. From this study, new visuals and text will be developed that clearly convey your message and tangibly represent your brand, which in turn should help your garner a greater market share for your company." Again, play to the client's needs. If you do a good job with this section, the rest of your proposal might not even matter. The client will want to sign on the dotted line right there and then. 3) Highlight benefits over features. On top of just offering a solution to the client's problem, you should identify the benefits the solution will bring to the client. How will the solution give them an edge over their competition? Briefly talk about the features of your solution and then concentrate on what benefits those features will bring. You have a much better chance of closing the deal with the client if you can accomplish this and show them what they will get from their investment. "As I work with you to create a new and unique brand image. I'll also create a style guide for you to follow, that will allow you to keep a consistent brand image across all platforms both online and in print. Through use of this guide, you will be able to consistently apply your new brand to create memorable visuals and help you attract a larger market share in your industry." Use this section to show the client that your job as a graphic designer goes beyond simply creating pretty images. This is where you prove your value to them. 4) Present your price(s) and terms. The main purpose of a design proposal is to encourage the client to make a final decision and hire you. They can't make that decision if they don't know how much of an investment is required. Outline your prices and terms in a clear concise matter and let the client know what they should expect. Avoid itemizing your prices such as for a website: Home page $1500, Services Page $500, About page $300, Contact Us Page $200 Doing so makes you seem like a commodity. Instead, offer one price for the project: Website $2,500 It all comes down to confidence, clarity, and transparency in what it is you are offering to the client. Even if you are a new designer, remember that you wouldn't have started on this freelance journey if you didn't believe that you are good enough to be paid for your services. Don't be afraid to ask for the money you deserve. The design proposal is a great way to present your three-tier pricing strategy, showcasing what the client receives for each option. As for terms and conditions: Make sure you indicate things such as how many revisions you offer, remind them how and when it's appropriate to communicate with you, and any other details you think they should know. Make sure you also mention when the "working relationship" on this project begins. The client might think you'll start working on their project as soon as they sign your contract. If that's not the case be sure to let them know in your proposal. 5) Ask the client for a decision (CTA). The design proposal is the final step in pitching the client, giving them all the information they need to make a decision. Close the deal by making it easy for the client. Lead them down the path of what you need them to do next in order to accept your proposal and move forward. In other words, ask them to commit. Ask them to Approve the proposal Pay the deposit and sign your contract provide you with the necessary content and deliverables to get the project started. Be sure to mention in this section how excited you are to work with the client and how you can't wait to solve their problem. This goes a long way in assuring the client they're making the right choice in hiring you. However, don't presume the client will just sign away without encouragement. You don't know if they are also entertaining proposals from other designers. So ask them for a commitment. The Conclusion By this point, you've already said everything there is to say, so keep the conclusion brief. Once again thank the client for their time and how you look forward to working with them and how you hope this is the start of a long relationship. If you've done your job right, the client should accept your proposal. All that's left is for them to sign the contract which I'll talk about in the next week. Protect Your design proposals The design proposal is a valuable document. It outlines the strategy for a design project and borders between consulting and proposing. Be careful about who you share proposals with. If you are unsure about the client's intent to hire you, you are best to not share your proposal with them until you are almost sure they are on board. Just like the client meeting, you should always present your proposals in person, over video or on the phone. Never email your proposal, never mail your proposal, in fact, never print out your proposals. For some large projects, you may have spent hours preparing your proposal so you want to make sure it is received properly. If the client asks you to email your proposal to them, simply tell them your policy is that all proposals are presented. Always present it to the decision maker. Insist that all parties that need to sign off on the project are present during your presentation. You do not want your proposal to be translated to someone via a middleman who may not have understood you and has no interest in whether or not they hire you. Insisting on presenting to the decision maker will affirm your position as a professional, plus it protects you from clients receiving your proposal and then never hearing from them again. Don't leave your proposal with the client. You are presenting your ideas on how to solve the client's problem. That's valuable information that you've invested time developing. Until the client has signed your contract and given you a deposit, that valuable information should remain yours. If you leave your proposal behind you are inviting the client to use your hard work to shop around for a more affordable designer. The design proposal is a process Creating a design proposal might sound like a daunting task. In fact, It can be an entire design project in itself. But rest assured, you'll get better and quicker the more of them you do. Think of your design proposal in terms of quality over quantity. It's not about sending out tonnes of proposals, it's about sending out quality proposals. One well-designed proposal could be the difference between acquiring a high-quality, high paying client, or not. Take the time to do it right and it will pay off in the long run with better jobs, higher paying clients and longer relationships with them. Plus, you can take pride in knowing that by using a design proposal you are presenting yourself as a true professional designer, and as such, someone who merits to make the money your skills and expertise deserve. Do you use a design proposal as part of your client onboarding process? Let me know by leaving a comment for this episode. Resource of the week The Logo Package Express Saving out logo files for clients is really boring. The Logo Package is an extension for Adobe Illustrator that makes exporting logos very easy. I'm super excited to start using it! Logo Package Express automates the colouring, exporting, and sorting of logo files. This is going to save hours and hours of time. Watch my demo of The Logo Package in use. Listen to the podcast on the go. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Listen on Android Listen on Stitcher Listen on iHeartRadio Contact me I would love to hear from you. You can send me questions and feedback using my feedback form. Follow me on Twitter, Facebookand Instagram I want to help you. Running a graphic design or web design business all by yourself isn't easy. If there are any struggles you face running your design business, please reach out to me. I'll do my best to help you by addressing your issues in a future blog post or podcast episode here at Resourceful Designer. You can reach me at feedback@resourcefuldesigner.com

Are you ready for your next client meeting? In part 2 of the Client Onboarding process, I told you all about the intro packet and how it's the foundation for setting expectations going forward with your client relationship. If the intro packet is the foundation, then the client meeting is the framing, or structure if you will. Think of the client meeting like a job interview, which in a way it is. You are interviewing the client, and the client is interviewing you. This meeting is less about the design project and more about discovering if this client is someone with whom you want to have a working relationship. Both parties need to feel comfortable working with each other before anything else can proceed. Don't mistake this first client meeting for a discovery meeting. Don't get me wrong, you'll get a lot of answers to your discovery questions during this first client meeting, but that's not the purpose of this meeting. The real discovery process comes after you've received the signed contracts and deposits. The client meeting is the part with the nitty gritty, the part when the client explains what it is they are looking for and why they reached out to you as a possible candidate for the project. It's not a deep dive into their design project. It's a fact-finding mission. The client meeting is your chance to gather information so you can prepare a proposal for the project. Remember, at this stage of the game, you and the client are not working together yet. If you gave the client an intro packet as I talked about in the last episode, then you have the benefit of going into the client meeting with established ground rules and a potential client that knows how you work and wants to proceed to the next step. That's always a good place to start. Meeting with a potential client for the very first time can be both exhilarating and terrifying. Exhilarating because it's a fresh slate. They are presenting you, and possibly entrusting you with a brand new design project. At this stage the possibilities are endless. If this first meeting goes well, it can be the start of a long and lucrative relationship. It's exciting. However, it can also feel a bit Terrifying. The client is potentially entrusting you with the responsibility of finding a design solution that works for whatever problem they're trying to solve. That can be a lot of weight on someone's shoulders. If you don't impress them during this first meeting, there's a good possibility that your relationship will be over before it has a chance to start. What can you do during this all-important client meeting part of the client onboarding process to sway things in your favour and convince the client that you're the one for their job? That's what this episode will teach you. Every client meeting is different. Of the entire client onboarding process, the client meeting is the one with the most variables. Every client is different, and no two design projects are the same. It only makes sense that every client meeting will be different as well. Here is a simple guideline that will hopefully give you the best chance of success. Because until the contract is signed, the client can always walk away. So let's do our best to prevent that outcome. How to meet with a client. There are many ways two individuals can communicate. But when it comes to an initial meeting with a potential client, there are only three methods that matter. In order of importance they are: Meeting the client in person. Meeting the client over video. Talking to the client over the phone. No matter how busy you are, or how busy the client is, your first meeting should never take place via text (email or any messaging service). Most meetings with your client even beyond this first one should be face-to-face in person or over video or on the phone. The written word can be interpreted in different ways. It's easy to take something out of context and inadvertently change the meaning of what the writer intended. Plus, personality seldom comes through in the written word. And personality plays a huge role in that ever important relationship building. Try to have at least your first client meeting face-to-face or over the phone. Preparing for a client meeting. Remember how I said the client meeting is like an interview? You wouldn't go into an interview without doing some research on the company you were interviewing with, would you? The same goes for a client meeting. You want to know things about the client before meeting them. Google the client and their company. Read through their website if they have one. Quickly look up their competition. A little bit of time spent researching the client can go a long way in impressing them. The client will appreciate that. Just like an interview, you do not want to be late for a client meeting. Make sure to double check where the meeting is taking place, the route to get there and how long it takes, and who exactly you are meeting. Preparing yourself physically for a client meeting. Have you ever heard the term "Dress for Success"? Unfortunately, when running a design business, your abilities and skills as a designer are not always enough to land you a client. In some cases, physical appearance can play a factor in whether or not a client hires you. It's sad to say, but it's true. If you show up to a client meeting with a bank manager or a controlling partner of a law firm dressed in ripped jeans and a graphic T-shirt they probably won't take you seriously. Before your meeting, try and get a feel for who the client is and dress appropriately. In a lot of cases a "business casual" look is all that's required, but sometimes, to win the client you may have to clean up a bit more. Always err on the side of caution, it's better to be awkwardly overdressed than it is to create a wrong first impression by being underdressed. And unless you're Chris Do or Aaron Draplin, leave the ball cap at home. Sure we creative types love the freedom to express ourselves. But save it for your other outings, not for client meetings. Preparing yourself mentally for a client meeting. Preparing yourself mentally before a client meeting is crucial to your success. You need to think positively about the outcome of the meeting. Henry Ford is famous for his quote. "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't – you're right," If you go into a client meeting thinking "I don't have a chance of getting this project" then there's a good chance you'll fail. Remind yourself that you are there for a reason. The client asked you to meet with them because they think you have what it takes to take on their project. You are capable. You know what you are doing. You have the skills needed to get the client's job done. Skills that the client and everybody they work with don't have. So own it. Make your first impression count. When you first meet the client, you want to create the best first impression you can. Don't slouch and try not to look nervous (no matter how nervous you are). Walk into the meeting with an air of confidence. Stand tall, look the client in the eye and smile. Take the initiative and offer to shake their hand before they offer theirs. And please make sure you have a firm handshake. If you are not sure, find a practice partner. Nothing deflates an air of confidence like a limp handshake. Finally, just for etiquette allow the client to sit before taking a seat yourself. What do you talk about during your first client meeting? Before diving into the reason for the meeting, it's always a good idea to engage in a bit of small talk to get comfortable with each other. Remember, this is the first stage of building a relationship with the client. Keep the conversation about positive things. DO NOT complain about the weather or traffic or anything else that may make you sound easily annoyed. It could turn the client off. Be confident, but not overbearing. Try to act the same way you would on a first date. Would you give a second chance to someone who sounded desperate? Of course not. You want the client to think that you don't need the work, that you are busy, that you're in demand, and it will make them want to work with you even more. I've said it many times before on the podcast, but it merits repeating it. Clients prefer to work with a good designer they like, then an amazing designer they don't like. Use this opportunity to show the client you are likeable. Once the small talk is out of the way, it's time to get down to business. You can start by asking the client what they thought of your intro packet and if they have any questions about it — following that you should ask about their project and their business. If the chance comes up, ask about their family, or anything else that presents itself. Use this opportunity to get to know the client. The idea here is to make the client comfortable in dealing with you. Make sure to tell them a bit about yourself as well if they ask, it's a two-way streak after all. Let the client talk as much as they want. They're the ones that wanted to meet with you. You're busy and in demand after all. Let them explain why they contacted you. Be attentive, focused, and interested in what they have to say. Throw in a few words or gestures to show them you understand and let them feel comfortable talking to you. And take notes, even if you don't need them. Clients like it when people take notes while listening to them. It makes them feel like you value their information more. Once the client is done talking, and you have a better grasp of their project, it's time for you to ask questions about their design project and show them why you are the perfect candidate for the job. Ask open-ended questions that require more than a yes or no answer. Talk about possible solutions without going into too much detail. Use this opportunity to flesh out the details of what the client needs so you can write up your proposal. Also, use it as a chance to show them your experience and how much you care about their business. Make sure to use examples of past successes you've had. Clients love to hear case studies, especially those that closely match their situations. Finally, ask the client for their budget. I know it's a touchy subject, but it's a necessary one before you can write your proposal. The client's budget will determine the solution you provide them. If they are looking for a website, a budget of $10,000 will get them a much different site than a budget of $3,000. It's an uncomfortable conversation to have, but if you ask with confidence like it's just another step in the process, they'll feel more inclined to answer you. Before wrapping up the meeting, make sure to ask if the client has any more questions. It's a good sign when they do. It means they are considering hiring you. Clients who have decided you are not the right person will seldom ask followup questions. But don't worry if they don't have any more questions. It may be because you did such a thorough job during the meeting. Keep in mind while answering their questions that it's ok to say "I don't know" or "I can look into that". Then take note of their questions, and follow through with an answer as soon as you can. Key pointers to remember. Relax and enjoy your conversation with the client. Remember that you have nothing to lose and everything to gain since they are not your client yet. Be confident. Even if this is your first client meeting, pretend like you've done it countless times before. It will help you come across as a seasoned professional. Talk to the client like you are partners. Use terms like "We" and "Us" when talking about working together. Use the client's first name when addressing them. Using their first name sounds more personal and creates that impression of a relationship. Act as if you've already won the contract. Say things like "this is how we'll do it" or "I'll do this" when discussing the project. If you are meeting with more than one person try to determine who in the group is in charge and present to them directly. Don't ignore the others in the group but present mostly to the person in charge. Practice beforehand. Stand in front of a mirror, present to a friend or family member, practice in the shower. The more prepared you are before the meeting, the better the meeting will go. If you are meeting at a neutral location like a restaurant or coffee shop, insist on buying their meal or drink. Keep the receipt and deduct it as a business expense. Ending the meeting. Once all the questions have been asked and answered it's time to end the meeting. Use this last opportunity to leave a positive impression on the client. Smile and be confident. Let them know how much you've enjoyed meeting them. Thank them for their time. Leave your business card and any other material you want to leave behind, and let the client know that should they have any more questions they can contact you. If the client asked for a proposal remind them when they can expect to receive it. If they didn't ask for one, let them know they can contact you if they want to proceed any further. After the meeting, make sure you follow up on anything you said you would. Followup If you haven't heard back from the client within a week or so, follow up with a phone call or email. Let them know you are available if they have any questions about their project. The chances are that after such a successful meeting the client will decide to hire you, but if they choose to use a different designer, don't take it personally and don't let it hurt your confidence. Even the most experienced designers in our industry lose out on clients. Just chalk it up to a helpful learning experience and start preparing for the next client meeting. How comfortable are you at client meetings? Let me know by leaving a comment for this episode. Questions of the Week Submit your question to be featured in a future episode of the podcast by visiting the feedback page. This week's question comes from Scott As a full time local newspaper ad print designer for 23 years and freelance designer when the opportunity comes up what is the best way to boost my clients from social media or otherwise? Most of my jobs come from word of mouth. Any direction in form of podcast episodes or otherwise would be greatly appreciated. To find out what I told Scott you'll have to listen to the podcast. Resource of the week Focus Music If you are someone who enjoys listening to music but finds it distracting while working you may want to try listing to what is called "Focus Music". Focus Music is downbeat instrumental music with a soft, slow tone that is perfect for filling the silence. It's the type of music that will not distract you while you work. Search for the term "focus" in your favourite music app and find a playlist that suits your tastes. Listen to the podcast on the go. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Listen on Android Listen on Stitcher Listen on iHeartRadio Contact me I would love to hear from you. You can send me questions and feedback using my feedback form. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram I want to help you. Running a graphic design or web design business all by yourself isn't easy. If there are any struggles you face running your design business, please reach out to me. I'll do my best to help you by addressing your issues in a future blog post or podcast episode here at Resourceful Designer. You can reach me at feedback@resourcefuldesigner.com

Do you have an intro packet for your design business? An intro packet is a tool you use to land new clients and facilitate the client onboarding process. It can either be a dedicated page on your website, a detailed PDF or better yet, a well designed and nicely printed piece to hand out to potential clients. An intro packet is a great way to create a good first impression of who you are and what you do. It answers basic questions, sets expectations and gives clients a first look at what it will be like working with you. It's also a good tool to filter out clients that are not a good fit for your business. In the last episode of the podcast, I told you all about the client onboarding processand how having a good onboarding process is crucial to landing new design clients. A good intro packet is the foundation of that important onboarding process. What's in an intro packet? Think of your intro packet as well designed piece containing all the introductory information you normally give to potential clients. Not detailed information like what goes into your proposals and contracts. Instead, the intro packet contains an outline of what you do and what it will be like working with you. Your payment policies Time frames How you work What you expect from your clients etc. It answers those basic initial questions a client needs to know before they start discussing their project with you. The intro packet should be the very first thing you present to a client before agreeing to talk to them about their proposed project. Its purpose is to outline the big picture of what working with you will be like. It also saves you time by providing clients with answers to the most asked questions you receive saving you having to answer them personally. When should you send an intro packet? The intro packet should be one of the first steps in the client onboarding process right after the initial client inquiry. Your onboarding process should look like this: Client contacts you Send them your intro packet Meet the client to discuss their design project Proposal and contracts are sent Send the client a welcome packet (more on this in a future episode in this series) Start the project. Whenever a client emails you, fills out a form on your website or contacts you by phone, your first response should be to send them your intro packet and ask them to look it over before you schedule a meeting with them. This will accomplish one of two things. 1.It will ensure the client they've made a good choice in reaching out to you and strengthen their resolve to work with you. 2.It let the client know that you are not a good fit and save you both a lot of time and possible headaches. The purpose of an intro packet. An intro packet serves multiple purposes. It introduces clients to who you are and sets expectations as to what they can expect when working with you. This helps alleviate fears or anxieties they may have and make them more confident in working with you. It saves you both time. Presenting your process in a well-organized manner makes future communications between you and your client both faster an smoother. It establishes you as an expert and authority in your field. It also helps strengthen the brand image you are developing for your design business. It creates a great first impression that shows clients you are organized, thorough, capable and professional. It helps you screen potential clients before having to talk to them. After reading your policies and learning how you work a client may decide not to work with you, which saves you the time involved in figuring that out yourself, or worse not figuring it out until it's too late. It gives you a chance to show off your skills because your introductory packet isn't just a sheet of paper with info on it. It should be a well-designed piece to wow potential clients with your skills as a designer. Imagine this scenario. A client needs help developing a brand for a new restaurant he's opening. He chooses three different local designers and emails them in order to get a feel for each one before deciding on who to hire. Designer #1replies to the email saying they would love to sit down and talk with him about his project. When could they meet? Designer #2calls the client and tells him all about his design services before trying to schedule an in-person meeting with the client. While on the phone he explains his work process, how payments work and anything else he thinks the client should know. The designer thinks he did a thorough job and feels good about his chances of landing the client. However, the client can't remember half the details after hanging up the phone. Plus now he's committed to a meeting a designer he's still unsure about. Designer #3Calls the client and thanks him for considering her for his project. The designer expresses an interest in working with the client and offers to send him her intro packet. The designer explains to the client that the intro packet contains all the information he needs in order to make an informed decision of whether he would like to work with her on his project. She suggests he look it over, and if he has any questions he can call her back and she would be happy to answer them. If the client thinks they'll be a good fit he can set up a meeting with her to discuss the project more thoroughly. Which one of these scenarios do you think leaves the best impression on the client? The first designer barely deserves a second thought. Designer #2 sounded good, but the client is a little overwhelmed and is starting to forget most of what they talked about. Designer #3 however, conducted themselves in the most professional manner, provided the client with all the information they required in the form of a well-designed info packet showcasing her design skills. This gives the client the chance to review her information on his own terms, letting him decide without any pressure if he wants to set up a meeting with her to discuss his project further. If the client decides to move forward with designer #3, he does so with the knowledge of what he's getting into. Should he decide to use a different designer, then designer #3 only lost a few minutes of her time in the initial communication. They say it costs five times more in time and effort to acquire a new client than to simply keep an existing client. The best way to retain clients is to properly set expectations from the beginning and then meet, or exceed them. An intro packet is a perfect tool to help with this. It makes sure you are not wasting time and energy on bad clients and helps you make favourable impressions on good clients. By setting high standards from the first contact and following through with great service, you are sure to keep your clients coming back for more. How to create your intro packet. When creating your intro packet you want it to be thorough enough to inform your clients and answer their basic questions, but you also want it to be generic enough to work for all clients regardless of their project. The same intro packet could be used regardless of who the client is. A mom and pop looking for a logo for their corner store, or a 5 partner law firm opening up downtown will both receive the same intro package. However, if you offer multiple design services such as web and print design, you may want to create different intro packets for each one. There will be a lot of crossover for the common areas such as how and when clients can contact you. Your intro packet should include: Cover:This is your chance to show off your design skills. Make the cover interesting and professional looking but not too wild. Introduction:There's a good chance the client already knows who you are and what you do, but an intro packet is a good place to showcase your skills and talents to round out their impression of you. Contact info and contact policies:Set the rules of how you communicate with clients and when it's OK for them to contact you. What is your process:In this section, you explain how you work and what the client will receive from you at the completion of a project. List special features you may include. List the steps that take place before, during and after a project. You can also use this section to explain what is not included in your process. Make it clear to the client what it is you do AND what you don't do. What is expected of the client:This section tells the client what is expected of them. Make it very clear that if the project requires the client to supply content such as images or copy, that it is expected in a timely manner. Timeline:Explain how you work and how long certain processes take. If you need three weeks for discovery to research target markets and competition, let the client know so they don't expect to see results in a week. Payment:This section explains your pricing policy. Do you require partial or full payment up front? When is the balance due? Do you have a minimum price the client should know about? This section is very useful for weeding out clients below your required budget. Cancellation policy:This section explains what happens should the client cancel a project once started, or should the client go dormant for a certain period of time. FAQ:Use this section to answer frequent questions you receive from clients that don't fit in any of the other sections. Conclusion:Use this section to thank the potential client for their interest in working with you. Encourage them to contact you if they have any questions or concerns and let them know what steps are required if they want to proceed and hire you. Remember, the client onboarding process is your opportunity to convert potential new clients into paying clients. Your intro packet is the first step in that process. Keep your wording compelling enough, but don't presume you will be working with the client because you might not. Be vague, but use a language inclusive to building a relationship with them. The intro packet is a vital part of the client onboarding process. Make sure yours is up to par. Do you have an intro packet? Let me know how your intro packet is working for you by leaving a comment for this episode. Questions of the Week Submit your question to be featured in a future episode of the podcast by visiting the feedback page. This week's question comes from John Do you have any clients that listen to your podcast and if they do are you worried that they will get upset if you mention your business with them? To find out what I told John you'll have to listen to the podcast. Resource of the week Palettte.app Palettte.app is an interesting way to explore and create colour palettes for use in your design projects. Check it out and let me know what you think. Listen to the podcast on the go. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Listen on Android Listen on Stitcher Listen on iHeartRadio Contact me I would love to hear from you. You can send me questions and feedback using my feedback form. Follow me on Twitter, Facebookand Instagram I want to help you. Running a graphic design or web design business all by yourself isn't easy. If there are any struggles you face running your design business, please reach out to me. I'll do my best to help you by addressing your issues in a future blog post or podcast episode here at Resourceful Designer. You can reach me at feedback@resourcefuldesigner.com

What is Client Onboarding? Client onboarding is the process of turning potential clients into paying clients. It's the process of introducing them to your business, addressing their questions and concerns, and ensuring they understand the services you offer and your processes while providing those services. Onboarding is all the steps from the initial contact with the client until you start working on their design project. It's your chance to explain to a client; What they should expect from you. What their part is in the relationship. How communication between you should happen. When and how you are to be paid. And more Over the next few episodes of the podcast, I'm going to dive into specific parts of the client onboarding process, but for today, I'm going to talk about the process as a whole. Why is Client Onboarding important? Let's look at the process from two angles. From the client's point of view: The Onboarding process plays a vital part in building and nurturing the relationship between you and your client. It's a way of ensuring you're all on the same page when it comes to working together. Clients don't often know how partnering with a designer works. It's nervewracking for them to trust you, someone they may not know, with this vital part of their business's future. With proper Client Onboarding, you give the client a glimpse of what it will be like working together and hopefully leave them feeling confident that they've made the right choice in hiring you. For your point of view: The Onboarding process is a way for you to grasp the scope of the project the client is presenting you with, as well as a chance to get to know the client. You learn their communication style which allows you to address any concerns you may have right at the start, so they don't become problems later on. And it allows you to show the client your "plan of attack" for tackling their project, letting them know what you expect of them. The onboarding process is also a great way to weed out potential bad clients. At this point, you have not agreed to anything with the client. Use this time to determine if they are someone with whom you want to work. Finally, the onboarding process is a great opportunity for you to show the client just how awesome it will be to work with you, hopefully putting them at ease and solidifying in their mind that they've chosen the right designer. To sum it up, Client Onboarding is all about keeping the client happy, because a happy client will come back for more. That's how vital the onboarding process is. Ignoring the process. Client Onboarding is a process. As a process, it has a structure that over time you will become intimately familiar with and comfortable using. Once you get used to an onboarding process, you will find it much easier to land clients. If you receive inquiries from potential clients but with very few of them converting into paying clients, then you need to evaluate your client onboarding process. Whenever you meet a potential new client, you can't just start throwing random information at them and expect them to come on board immediately. It's overwhelming for them. And yet, that's precisely the strategy many designers take. They give as much information as they can without taking the client's point of view in mind, which is probably why they find client acquisition difficult. Onboarding involves not only informing the potential client of what they need to know but listening to them and answering their questions and concerns. It's about making the experience of hiring a designer as smooth as possible for them. If you don't do it right, you'll leave the client with the wrong impression, and the chances of them hiring you or coming back are slim. However, If you do it right, the client will come to believe that there is nobody else they want to work with but you. Part of running a design business is being a salesperson. And as all good salespeople know, having a good onboarding process in place is half the battle to winning over clients. When should Client Onboarding start? The onboarding process should start as soon as a client reaches out to you. There are various steps to the onboarding process that I'll cover in the next few episodes of the podcast. But just know that Client Onboarding is ongoing from the first contact until project start, and sometimes beyond. Client Onboarding gives you direction. Any time you start working with a client, both sides usually have a sense of enthusiasm towards the new project. Ideas go back and forward, people get excited and before you know it, decisions have been made without any form of direction. Client Onboarding gives you that direction. Part of the process is to create a schedule and a plan for the project. This allows you to set out roles by determining who will be doing what and when. How long the process should take and what is expected from all parties. This way nothing is left up in the air and there are no surprises. Design projects go so much smoother when everyone involved knows what to expect. Managing client expectations. I mentioned earlier how a lot of clients don't know how partnering with a designer works. Onboarding can help alleviate this by managing client expectations. Part of the Onboarding Process is to make sure clients know what they can expect, and also what not to expect from you when it comes to your processes and how you work. Take scope creep for example. It's the bane of many designers. However, Most clients don't realise the problem when they ask you to do "just one more thing." To prevent scope creep, outline your policies in the onboarding process and let clients know by; Defining exactly what is involved with their project. Explaining what is allowed and what isn't allowed within that definition. Letting them know the costs involved with additional work. Making sure the client knows what they are paying for. Setting them straight on the way you work and the processes you use is a key ingredient to a successful project and a long and prosperous relationship. Show your clients why choosing you was the right choice. Client Onboarding isn't just about preventing potential problems. It's also about showcasing what it is you can do and how much value you can bring them. This is important because, as I mentioned earlier, at this stage the client is excited to get their project started. That excitement lends well to you introducing other creative ideas and services to them. While they are most receptive take the opportunity to bring up other creative ideas or services you offer. The results of good Client Onboarding. When you're successful with your client onboarding, you will not only increase the percentage of potential clients that convert to paid clients. But those clients will: Stay with you longer and be more loyal. Order more products and services from you. Become ambassadors and advocate for your company and services. Spreading the word and helping you grow your design business. And that's why you should have a client onboarding process for your design business. Do you have a client onboarding process in place? Let me know by leaving a comment for this episode. Questions of the Week Submit your question to be featured in a future episode of the podcast by visiting the feedback page. This week's question comes from Fanis My name is Fanis, and I am from Greece. By reading about Graphic Design process, I always turn out to the same issue. What if I live in an island and most of my projects are about tourism, like hotel brochures, maps, rental brochures etc.? How can I define my client goals and who may be my client competition? To find out what I told Fanis you'll have to listen to the podcast. Resource of the week 4-Week Marketing Boost The Four Week Marketing Boost! is a free guide I created that will help you strengthen your marketing position, boost your brand's awareness & social presence and ultimately ensure you are in tip-top shape to offer a best first impression to potential new clients. This guide is divided into 20 short actions that comfortably fit into your regular day and are designed to take as little time away from your client work as possible. Although you can complete these exercises quickly, it is recommended you tackle only one per day, spending no more than 30 minutes per task. After completing this four-week plan you will be in a better position to present yourself to, and win over new clients. You can download the Four Week Marketing Boost for free by visiting marketingboost.net. Or, if you are in the U.S.A., you can text the word MARKETINGBOOST to 44222. Improve your business' image and create the best first impression possible to attract more clients.

Understanding Priorities will help grow your design business. Whether your design business is still new or you've been doing this for many years, I'm betting you started it feeling greedy. Meaning you took on any design work that came your way. That's OK. Not many designers just starting their freelance career are picky about the type of work they take on. I'm not talking pricing. Just because you have a new business isn't a reason to accept $25 logo jobs. You still have to have your principals after all. What I'm talking about is the type of work you take on; logos, brochures, postcards, websites, banner ads, powerpoint presentation, etc. If you started a web design business and a client asked you for a logo, and the money was good, chances are you took on the project and designed a logo for them, even if it didn't align with your business model of running a web design business. You have to pay the bills after all, and money is money. Understanding priorities become essential once the ball is rolling, money is coming in, and your business is out of the infancy stage. At some point, you need to take a measure of what it is you are doing with your design business, compared to what it is you want to be doing with it and ask yourself, "am I saying yes to stuff I probably shouldn't be saying yes to?" The answer to that question should come easily once you understand your priorities. What is important to you? What type of design business do you want to run? The options are endless. Do you want to be a branding specialist? Do you want to focus your talents on print design? Do you want to create product packages? Is building websites your passion? Or is coming up with the best ways for users to interact with things what excites you? Whatever direction you want to take your business, you need to streamline your process to match it. Figure out what aspect of the design space you want to focus on and make all future decisions with that goal in mind. Once you know what to focus your choices on, it will become much more transparent and easier for you to see what you should be saying yes to, and what you should be saying no to. Choosing where to take your design business. Think of everything you are currently doing in your design business. Of all of those things, what can you clear out? Here's an exercise in understanding priorities that will help you weed out the yes's and no's for your business. Take out a pad of paper (Post-it notes works great for this) and follow these steps. Compile your list of tasks. On each sheet of paper, write out ONE thing you are currently doing with your business. For example, write out all the different types of design jobs you take on (logos, brochures, websites, magazine ads, etc.). Then write out all the peripheral tasks associated with those design jobs. Such as photography, photo editing/manipulation, copywriting etc. Don't' forget to Include things like discovery research, file handling, backups and archiving. Every single thing you do, write each one on a separate piece of paper. Next, write down all the administrative tasks you do in your design business. Things like invoicing, bookkeeping, client followup, taxes, outreach, marketing etc. Write down as many items as you can on as many sheets of paper or post-it-notes as you need. Separate your tasks into two piles. Once you've written down everything that you do in your design business, it's time to start separating them into two piles. Look at each note and ask yourself these two questions. Does this bring me joy or Do I like doing this one particular thing? Am I good at this particular thing? If you answered yes to BOTH questions, put it in pile number one. If you cannot respond yes to both questions, put it into pile number two. Separate your collection into these two piles. Continue separating. Now, look at pile one, the tasks you enjoy doing or bring you joy AND that you are good at, and ask yourself one more question. If I continue doing this thing or offering this service, will it help my business grow in the direction I want it to become? Make two new piles, one pile containing the tasks that will help your business grow and one pile containing the tasks that won't. In the end, you will be left with a small pile that: You enjoy doing or bring you joy. You are good at doing. Will help your business grow. The items in that pile are the things you should prioritise for your business. Those are the things you should be marketing to potential clients. Those are the things you want to hone your skills even further. Those are the things that will let you achieve your business goals. What about the other piles? What about the other piles that don't meat all three criteria? It all comes down once again to understanding priorities. Here's what you do. The pile with tasks you enjoy doing and are good at, but Don't help your business grow, these are the items and services you continue doing when needed. You don't have to list them under your services but if a client asks if you can do them feel free to say yes. After all, these are things you are good at and enjoy doing, so don't cut them out just because they don't help grow your business, just don't prioritise them. Dividing the rest. Divide your original second pile, the things that don't bring you joy or you are not very good at, into two more piles — ones that will help your business grow and the ones that won't. The pile that will help grow your design business becomes the stuff you offload. Meaning those are the tasks you hire other people to do for you. These are the things that you don't like doing, or you are not good at, BUT you know they are necessary for your business to grow. Find people who both enjoy doing those things and are good at them and let them help you to build your design business. Finally, the pile of tasks you don't like doing, you're no good at and won't help your business grow, stop doing them. They're a waste of time and resources on your part. They're not even worth the hassle of farming out. Remember, it's OK to say no if a client asks you if you offer a particular service you don't want to do. Understanding priorities when it comes to your business is the key to its growth. Concentrate on the things that bring you joy, you are good at, and help grow your business, and you will be on your way to success. Once you master this tactic, your business will have nowhere to go but up. What do you think of this strategy? Let me know by leaving a comment for this episode. Questions of the Week Submit your question to be featured in a future episode of the podcast by visiting the feedback page. This week's question comes from Greg Love the podcast, although I'm opting to start from the beginning, so I'm still only about 45 episodes in. I've been running my own design business for a number of years, but I went to school as an opera singer, so I've been in "fake it 'till you make it" mode and it's great to hear about this stuff from someone who actually knows what they're doing! I had a question for you! I've been doing this now for about 10 years (mostly web design), but it's only been in the last year or so that I've actually started trying to make it a main source of income. I had a decent talent for design, and have become a pretty good web developer over the years, but because I only did it on the side and I wasn't really immersed in the design world, whatever "talent" I had went un-trained and un-refined. As a classical musician I know first-hand that that is never going to get my skill to where I want it to be. Now that I'm trying to "level up," as it were, I'm finding that I'm rarely happy with my designs anymore. I dove in to learning about design, which I think has significantly upgraded my taste, but now I look at even my most recent designs and think "Yeah, this is fine but it's not amazing." It's been hard making money, not because I have any trouble finding clients, but because I don't feel confident about my work and I end up under-charging or "waiting until I'm better" before looking for new clients. In trying to figure out what's wrong, I've come to think that my designs would have been great 10 years ago, but now the "go-to" design aspects that have worked for me for years look dated and un-polished. At the same time, I get tired of seeing websites that all basically look the same. Menu at the top, hero section with giant photo and CTA overlay, usually three columns below, then some centered content, blah blah... So, my current struggle is figuring out how I can design things that are unique, but still look modern and polished. To some degree I know I just need to practice and learn more, but my question for you is: After all these years of doing what you do, how do you update your "style"? Are there resources you go to that talk about design trends or do you just let yourself evolve as you go, and if so, is it just a matter of trying things until you figure out what you think works? Do you have ways of deciding which styles, techniques, design principles, etc., no longer work well? Are there other aesthetics that you look to, like fashion or music, that help you creatively connect to the modern world? To find out what I told Greg you'll have to listen to the podcast. Resource of the week BNI BNI is a global networking organisation that helps members increase their business through a structured, positive and professional referral marketing program that enables them to develop long-term, meaningful relationships with quality business professionals. Through weekly meetings and exclusive resources, BNI helps you build a strong network that fuels professional growth. The best way to find out more about how BNI works is to go to a local chapter meeting and see for yourself what it's like. To learn more, or to find a chapter near you visit the BNI website. Listen to the podcast on the go. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Listen on Android Listen on Stitcher Listen on iHeartRadio Contact me I would love to hear from you. You can send me questions and feedback using my feedback form. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram I want to help you. Running a graphic design or web design business all by yourself isn't easy. If there are any struggles you face running your design business, please reach out to me. I'll do my best to help you by addressing your issues in a future blog post or podcast episode here at Resourceful Designer. You can reach me at feedback@resourcefuldesigner.com

What does a designer do on April Fools Day? This week's release happens to fall on April Fools Day. The one day of the year where tomfoolery, shenanigans and levity abound. A day when you put all seriousness aside and let out your inner practical joker. I thought of trying to pull one over you by starting off saying something like "I've decided to end the podcast, and this will be my last episode" But then I thought, what if someone is reading this or listening to the podcast for the very first time. That person might not realise it's an April Fools joke and leave. Or what if a regular listener took me seriously and unsubscribed from the podcast? Not to mention, since my episodes are mostly evergreen, someone may be listening to this episode later in the month, the year or perhaps even years from now. Instead, I decided to use this episode to share some of the "design" related practical jokes I've been part of over the years. I put "design" in quotation marks because I'm not talking about creating fake designs as a joke (although some of that does come into play) I'm mostly talking about pulling pranks on unsuspecting coworkers. If you're here for advice on your design business, I'm sorry, but you probably won't get much out of this episode. However, if you're looking for something to liven up your day, then keep on. I'm a big proponent of working from home. I can't imagine going back to office life working for someone else. But with all the perks of being self-employed, one of the drawbacks is not having coworkers to have conversations with, share ideas OR pull practical jokes on. That's one of the things I miss since leaving the print shop. Pulling practical jokes on my wife or kids is fun. But it's not the same as pulling a good one past an unsuspecting coworker in the middle of a busy business day. In honour of April Fools Day, I thought I would share some of the things I've pulled on my unsuspecting peers in years past. I describe all of these in detail on the podcast episode, so if you are here reading this, I suggest you press play and have a listen instead. They get better as you read. Unscrew the top of the salt shaker or switch the salt and sugar Saran wrap on the toilet seat (funny, so long as you don't have to clean up the mess afterwards.) Turn the lights off in the bathroom via the circuit breaker leaving the victim to finish their "business" in complete darkness. Turn Brightness off on monitors to make people believe their screen is turned off. Remove balls from mice (was fun before optical mice became the norm) Swap left and right mouse buttons, or change the tracking and scrolling speeds via System Preferences. Reroute computer wires, so keyboards and mice control the wrong computers (pre-wireless devices). Rearrange keys on a keyboard. Especially fun when used on people that need to look at their keyboard while typing. Put all phone lines on hold and tell someone there's a call for them. Let them worry about picking up the wrong line. Up until now, I've shared some of the typical harmless pranks I've done. Now it gets more fun. Upsidedown screen: Find someone's desktop/wallpaper image and rotate it 180 degrees in Photoshop. Watch their confusion when they turn on their monitor and see the image upside down. Screenshot of a messy desktop. For someone who keeps a messy computer desktop, Take a screenshot of their desktop. Put all the files and folders from their desktop into one folder. Change that one folder's icon to a 1px by 1px dot and rename the folder to a single character. Place the folder at the bottom of the screen so that the name is off the screen. This leaves only the 1-pixel square "visible". Replace the background/wallpaper of the now clean desktop with the screenshot of the messy desktop. Watch and laugh as the person tries clicking on files and folders not knowing they are part of their background image. Scary warning message This was probably the best prank I pulled on my coworkers. Take a screenshot of a coworker's desktop. Take a screenshot of any warning or confirmation box that your computer displays. In Photoshop, crop the warning or confirmation box and alter the message to read something like "Warning: Proceeding with this option will result in the deletion of the hard drive." Create two realistic looking systems buttons. One that says "Cancel" and one that says "Continue" but make the "Cancel" button greyed out. Place your new "Warning" message over the screenshot of your coworker's desktop. Replace your coworker's desktop image with your new creation. Sit back and enjoy. Watch as your coworker panics at the message on their screen. They will try to press the Cancel button, but of course, it won't work. Plus you made it greyed out to look like its not clickable. They'll be afraid to do anything else in case they inadvertently delete their hard drive. Let them worry for a while before letting them in on the secret. Then watch your back, because they will want to retaliate after this one. What's the best design related practical joke you've ever pulled off or been the recipient of? Let me know by leaving a comment for this episode. Listen to the podcast on the go. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Listen on Android Listen on Stitcher Listen on iHeartRadio Contact me I would love to hear from you. You can send me questions and feedback using my feedback form. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram I want to help you. Running a graphic design or web design business all by yourself isn't easy. If there are any struggles you face running your design business, please reach out to me. I'll do my best to help you by addressing your issues in a future blog post or podcast episode here at Resourceful Designer. You can reach me at feedback@resourcefuldesigner.com