But another one, aimed at freelancers which helps you find cafes where it is easy to setup and work online using your laptop has just been released.

The iPhone app called ‘Laptop friendly cafes’ does exactly that – and has data for several major cities including London and utilises the iPhone Geolocation and Google Maps & Directions features. It is easy to use and is quite handy if you need to find somewhere nearby to get some work done.

The new app can be downloaded here: http://tinyurl.com/yjwqj3u

However, everyone’s budgets are tight and spending in some areas of marketing and advertising has decreased or at least moved to another channel. I have seen some companies taking as much work away from agencies and moving it in-house in order to try to produce the same amount of work for less overhead. I have seen clients halve budgets for departments I have generally worked with for their company. I have also seen companies who used to do a lot of direct mail and resisted methods such as email marketing starting to swap over. They have done the maths and see that for them it can be much cheaper and that the material created can often be tweaked and reused for a much lower cost per send. That isn’t to say that people have stopped using print. It is just an example of how some marketing departments are changing the way they spend their budgets to stretch their pennies further. And shifts like these affect the freelance world, in fact they affect every graphic designer’s job. More and more companies are looking for designers with design and also AS or CSS skills than ever before, I would go so far as to say that although great print designers are still in high demand, there are less slots for them to fill compared to online designers or those with a mix of skill sets.

This has been making my job very varied, and really quite interesting, I have always been a bit of a hybrid designer. I learnt to code HTML at 16, just for fun, from a SAMS teach yourself book. I learnt Photoshop at the same time to use for my art studies at school as digital art as part of mixed media pieces or for illustrations really interested me. It was this that led me into my path as a graphic designer in the first place. I always had an understanding of a mix of areas which I have always found useful when designing as it allows me to have an understanding of how my design decision affect the development team who have to build the site, or the printers who have to make my designs real. This is all good stuff you think, but I would say that even with a good knowledge of illustration, print and branding design 70% of my work falls under the online marketing and advertising bracket.

This is because being a freelancer who has a predominantly web design and email background I often find this is the sort of work people come to me for. So my referrals, which are my main method of gaining clients almost to exclusivity, are usually around online marketing projects. However, as a freelancer who can do more and wants to use that variety to increase her client base – how do I get my services known for these aspects to potential clients.

Email marketing I hear you cry, well not really…

For my own shameless self promotion I have actually been finding that as a sole trader with only 5 years experience in the industry, sending cold emails really will not work for me. Had I wont ten AD&D awards and been featured in countless Computer Arts specials I might have a chance with this method – But generally, people are just too busy for yet another 20-something freelancer sending them an email asking for work. Because this is exactly what so many freelancers do. We pop people plain text generic emails and voice mails telling them we need some work. Everyone needs work, this doesn’t help and it won’t be listened to. It is tantamount to asking for a charitable donation. In fact you might do better with that approach…

So what other options are there?

Method: Word of mouth: For me this works great with online work, but doesn’t help me get those illusive illustration jobs I love to get occasionally to keep my hand in at drawing. Of course the more projects I do like this the more it will sort itself out – but what is the solution to speed up the process? Answer: Do your clients know what other services you provide? Can you offer them a good deal if they combine using your primary skill set with other things you can do but that aren’t as strong in your portfolio?

Method: Email marketing: I email people I know to catch up, I write to them specifically and avoid blanket mass emails with generic copy and paste content that makes the reader feel like all you thought they were worth was Ctrl C and Ctrl V of your time. And there is nothing wrong with a cold email to an agency or company you have some knowledge of. But if you do, look them up online, check your services are relevant, write a concise short message which doesn’t boil down to ‘I need a job’. Explain to them why working with you would benefit them, as that is all they need to know, whether or not you getting work that week is the difference between your cat getting Tesco Economy cat food or Whiskers is not engaging to them. Treat any email you send cold to anyone as you would if one of your clients were paying you to do it. And, if you would advise the client against it, don’t do it! I myself have received 4 emails in the last month offering me graphic design services if I need my site redone – quite silly to send to a designer who is best known for their online work and the lack of research makes the email a nuisance and spam. The sender will forever be remembered by me as someone who takes no time when advertising their services, yet expects other to take the time to look at their folio and hire them. And that is not something I want any potential clients to think of me.

Method: Old fashioned post cards: I am still a fan of these. If you have some great artwork or design work and can send some postcards then I say invest a little to do so. Make sure they look beautiful and have your best work on them. Treat the card as you would design one for a client. It has to show your skill and attention to detail. I know a lot of people think these are just out of date, but I have postcards that were sent to agencies I worked at from years ago – beautiful artwork sells itself – send something amazing and they may well put it up on their wall, or even if they do put it in the re-cycling, they will remember your work if they ever see it again. A postcard is a great way to get noticed and letting your work sell itself. Again, check who you are sending to, ensure they are relevant people at relevant companies. A bit of research online or sift your old business cards for potential or old clients you haven’t spoken to in a while will bring up a fairly short list of good people to send to. Also, with the number of online printing services such as ‘Moo’ the cards don’t have to cost the earth.

Method: Networking: Good networking can do wonders for any career. There are events you can attend and just general things you can do to keep in touch with business contacts and to gain more. From heading out and meeting people, to using online services such as Linkedin. Talking to people is a great way for them to see who you are more than just sending them a link to your recently updated portfolio website. Of course, if you are lacking in social skills practice on the local pub scene first. But generally getting to know people will always help not only generate business, but keep existing customers and help you understand their needs better, which means you can produce better work. There really isn’t a downside. I would just say this – Don’t drink as much as you would when out with your friends, Don’t text your misses while talking to someone, Dress appropriate for the occasion and have fun. These are people, not just potential wallets of cash and getting to know them isn’t about going to an event and just asking for work until they go away.

Method: Online promotion: A lot has been written in recent years regarding online promotion of services. And I am not going to retype out everything I have read, and that you have probably already read. Blogs are good, social networking is good, tweeting is good. The list goes on. What I will do is put down a little of my own experience. I have found that using relevant social networks such as Linkedin can be very helpful both for forging new contacts and for staying n touch with people I have worked with in the past. Unlike Facebook and similar sites the recommendations and expertise are looked upon as having some official authority. For all the Facebook fans in the world, if you are selling a professional service and want to work with big clients, for now at least, professional networks such as Linkedin are worth more of your time than the alternatives. Being part of a social networking site means being active in it – there is no point making a myspace page and adding lots of friends if you only log in once a year. Pick a few sites which you feel are most relevant and visit them as often as possible, this will give you a better ROI than joining 30 and never updating them. Blogging, well, I am blogging as we speak, so I obviously think there is some weight in it. But again, you need to update fairly regularly and ensure you put relevant content on your blog for it to add value. I have never been offered work because of my blog, but I have had clients mention articles I have written. I think it serves well as a tool to show I am active and interested in the industry I am pursing a career in outside of just working my hours and meeting deadlines, it shows I have a passion for what I do. Or at least that is the idea… Twitter, I think can be a useful tool. But again, and stop me when this gets too repetative, you must devote some time to it – desktop applications such as tweetdeck or twirl will make this a lot easier. Twitter is about instant communication, so you need to know when someone replies to your posts. Join just a few networks, pay them attention and post relevant content (unless your job involves pets, no posts about your new cat please!) they can help build your online reputation. All of the above can also help your SEO and increase your website traffic, so keep this in mind when you use them – if you dont work in an industry involving cats and you post constantly about your new pet ‘fluffy’ the traffic you gain is likely not to be businesses or individuals looking for a freelance designer – rather someone looking for a cat. So whenever you are about to hit that ‘publish’ or ‘tweet’ button, have a think about whether you are writing just what you want to write, or if you are posting what you want to write, but also what your audience wants to read.

I hope these notes are useful, feel free to comment, add to or speak up in angry defiance against anything posted here. All opinions are welcome.

I normally work from home (I have basically turned my home into a studio which suits me fine!) but sometimes I have meetings in central London or elsewhere throughout the day or just want a change of scenery. I have wi-fi, but even my garden gets boring after a while. The answer? Pop into a cafe somewhere where I can use a laptop and work away when I am waiting to go to a meeting or just want a change of scene.

There is a website just for this purpose called Laptop Friendly Cafes which is designed to help people who want to do just that. It is basically a blog of cafes by location which have wi-fi, 3G and laptop power sockets ready for use. And I think it will come in handy for anyone who wants to get a few hours work out the office and enjoy a nice cup of coffee at the same time.

You can search the site via the first part of the postcode or the city/town name, the site covers major cities in various countries including London, so it is pretty handy.

Links:
Laptopfriendlycafes in London

Suppose you are a doctor. A man comes to see you and he’s limping, you examine him.

You say, “It’s an easy diagnosis, you’ve got a broken leg.”
He says, “I don’t want a broken leg.”
You say, “That’s understandable, but you still have a broken leg.”
He says, “I’m the patient and I don’t think I’ve got a broken leg. I think I’ve got a sprained ankle.”
You say, “Well I’m the doctor. I’ve seen lots of these, and you’ve got a broken leg.”
He says, “Well I’ve told you the problem I want fixed. Now you can either fix it for me, or I can go down the road to another doctor and pay him to fix my sprained ankle.”

What do you do? Lose the patient, or give him the wrong treatment?

This really outlines how frustrating things can be for both sides of the client / agency environment when there is lack of understanding on either side to the others needs or situation. This analogy works particularly well for me when it comes to strategy decisions between agencies and clients, but also on a smaller scale when a client describes their website needs and the designer interprets them – often the perception on each side is very different as to what the problem is and how to solve it. Usually, as per the analogy, it is often that one side needs to demonstrate why their diagnosis is correct in order to gain the approval of the other. I think it highlights why just being prescriptive with clients and telling them what they need without explanation as to the reasons and benefits will always fail. If you have a client that says ‘I trust you, do what we need doing’ then sure, go ahead, that is a great position to be in. But, for the most part, ideas need to be collaborative and explained in a demonstrable way which benefits both sides understanding.

What do I think someone in this situation should do? Well, I would say loose the client – but only after trying to explain your ideas in a way they understand and also trying to find a compromise between the two points of view. But, if after this, they still want to proceed with a solution you feel is going to harm their chances of success, I would say no. Why? Because long term, if you are so unhappy implementing the solution, it will show in your work and become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Also, if you think the result of the work will be disastrous to the company, you may not want your name on it. You may wish to instead wait until later and be there willing to help if they find they need help after on other projects, or indeed if they wish to revert to your strategy. It is a tough situation to be in, so always consider the options carefully and above all try to remain on good terms with your client – if for no other reason than you may be wrong yourself!

Read his full post on Brand Republic here.

After 5 years basing quotes on company rate cards at the agencies I was working for I did indeed ask myself all the obvious questions:

• How much am I worth as a single entity?
• Do I charge hourly / daily or quote per project?
• Is a quick fix that takes me 30 minutes, but saves the client thousands of pounds worth more than just a half hour fee?
• Do I need a rate card for different services?
• Am I underpricing myself now we are in a recession?
• Where does competitive become working at a loss?
• And at what point does pricing too low hinder my credibility and do me a disservice?
• At what point is valuing myself price me out of the market completely? Even if i think the work is worth it?
• How much money do I need just to eat a month?
• Do I need to eat every month?

How to price is quite an evolving process so I don’t think my method will ever become completely static (as the industry and technology constantly change), however for me I have found that a mixed approach works well. For small jobs or on-site work for clients on a rolling bases a day rate does the trick. For longer single projects an individual quote based on time and resources needed is more appropriate – along with a ’shopping wish list’ of features and services so the client can cherry pick what to have and what to cut so they can tailor their project to their own budget. In fact, of all the advice I can give (other than don’t sell yourself short and read the post I will link to later) I would say this is the below points are the best pieces of advice I can give:

If a client has a fixed budget but their requirements exceed what is reasonable for the cost, don’t just say ‘no’ or prescribe to them what they can have for their money. Instead work out with them what aspects of the project are core (this maybe branding, stationary and a simple website for a new company) then create a shopping list for them of everything else (in this example maybe this would include things like a blog, a short introductory flash animation on their site and a print advert design). Each item having a cost associated with it. This way a client knows what the basics cost and can pick and choose what extras they can afford immediately and what they will have to leave until they are making a profit to have created. Why do this? Sure the client may just say they want everything at the lower price and you will have to decline – but more often than not clients are reasonable people, just like you or I, and just haven’t realised the work involved to create the result they want. They may take just the basics now and come back in future for some of those snazzy extra features they couldn’t afford to begin with. Repeat business is the best kind. Business via referrals is just as great. This methodology will help you on both these counts as well as create happy clients. Win / win.

My other main piece of advice would be this: NEVER TAKE ON WORK AT A LOSS FOR THE PROSPECT OF LATER FAIRLY PAID WORK. Yep, that one is in capitals. It goes with the not selling yourself short advice. There is no reason on earth for a client who can get you to work at a loss to pay you a fair price later. I see this a lot on the online freelance bidding work sites. But if they only value you at >£1 an hour (less than flipping burgers by a long shot) than that is what you are worth to them. If the project is very likely to lead to an ongoing or long term client / provider relationship you may wish to discount them in some way – but only do this to a point where you would be prepared to keep working at that low price for them. Occasionally I have found a reduced rate a great bargaining chip for long term work. Not by undercutting all the opposition or selling myself short – but by signing a contract with the client whereby they guarantee me a certain amount of work at this reduced price. What I loose in direct profit, I gain in a long term happy repeat business client. But bear in mind this is just a reduced rate – it is not a slashed cost. And only do this if you have a reasonably long term agreement with the client – not just for the possibility of more work. If you work on that basis you might as well not work and play the lottery every week instead as you are gambling with your career rather than making astute conscious decisions. It is tempting when you are new to the industry or work is low to take on cut rate work or even free work. But in the long term, unless you are just building a portfolio, it is usually not worth it. The industry can be cut-throat and nowadays the promise of later better work is a risk that just isn’t worth taking.

If you have no work or need a portfolio building and want to do cheap or free work, ensure the work you do benefits you – work for charities or local business’ and friends who will really appreciate your efforts and could not have the work done any other way. Or enter competitions (checking they are legitimate and well known) to gain exposure and practice. But as soon as you start getting real clients in, these are the activities that have to go immediately in favour of self promotion and the client work itself.

Wandering slowly back to my initial point – there is really no single way to price your work or time, but there are some wrong ways to do it. Have a read of the article I spotted this morning as the advice is universal. It applies not just to freelance illustrator, graphic design or web pricing – but indeed anything you do in any industry for any client.

So, which method will you take for your next project quote? The hammer? The Picasso in the Park method?

Let me know your thoughts as I am curious to see who uses this approach and who believes firmly in a per hour or per day flat fee system or rate card system. Do you have fixed fees for business cards or  leaflets? Is anyone still charging per page for websites, even though a page could take 30 mins for one design or 2 days for another? Or indeed anything else anyone has to comment.

You can view the great little post that sparked this little ramble on pricing here:

Goskylar.com blog post on freelance pricing

The road to success is paved with bagels – click to see the article (opens in a new window/tab)

There are loads of little gems on this site, I adore the hand written notation style he uses and I recommend anyone in the industry to have a quick read. The ‘enough said’ post also made me laugh.