Graphic design is a weird art form; it is half business, half art. Most people who get into it do so because of their love of design. The successful ones get into it for the business.



As a Graphic Designer, you have your work critiqued and displayed on a ‘pedestal’, manage tight and strict deadlines, consistently stay creative…and when we have time, live our daily lives. We play many roles, wear different hats and face many challenges daily.



1) Competition

There are thousands of independent design businesses out there. This might worry you at the outset, but the fact is that reputation goes a long way.

Be personable, and take time to listen to your client’s needs and ideas, engage them in the project and then complete it on time and to their satisfaction – then you will earn their loyalty. Sometimes even the smallest of projects, if the client is ecstatic with what you have produced, can build into engaging, ongoing work.

So, to round up the challenge of ‘competition’…Don't waste your time worrying about the competition. Just ensure that every piece of work you create is your best because that’s what keeps the clients coming back and recommending you to other people.



2) Running the company

You may be the best designer in the county, but if you want to set up a design agency you really have to learn about running a business – and sharpish!



You need to find someone who knows their way around all the paperwork that is critical to setting up and keeping a business running smoothly so you can stay focused on getting on and doing the work you love. You can contract a good accountant the help with that.



3) Keep on top of the paperwork

Be organised and stay on top of the paperwork. Figure out a system that works for you and stick to it. From record keeping and invoicing to file saving methods – don’t look at admin as the root of all evil, as it keeps you well armed for the road ahead and gives you peace of mind.



A few things you need to do…

Create a tracking method for projects so you can do effective estimating and know if you’re making money.
Set up long-term business and personal goals for growth and financial stability.
Develop record keeping systems to ensure you understand where the dollars are coming from and going to.
Plan for setting aside money to find investments in equipment.


4) Set Rates

‘Bad Bait, Bad Fish’ – If you are giving your design services away for next to nothing, 9 times out of 10 you are not going to attract people who either understand or fully appreciate what you do.



At first you might panic by not having a guaranteed income that you might want to accept every job and quote ridiculously low rates. PLEASE DON'T if you want to be respected or paid fairly.



5) Take time to get to know your client

From my experience, clients will often come to you as a referral or because they’ve seen something already and they think they really must have exactly that same thing. My first question is, ‘Aside from the look, why do you want that? Tell me about you and your company first.’ It's good to know the client because your work should reflect them as much as possible, with your vision adding to theirs.



6) Be Professional - Clarify the Work



It's imperative that always set clear expectations for a project, no matter how small. I like to put a full and detailed quotation or contract together and get written authorisation from the client to proceed on those terms before starting work. I am always clear about the payment terms and may ask for a down payment up front to ensure the client is as invested in the project as I am and to ensure I’ll have some money to cover my time and expenditure if the project gets pulled down the road.



Things to clarify before starting a project:

Overall budget for the project
Billing expectations, as in hourly or project basis
Payment schedule
Delivery schedule, as in what phases to be completed and to whom by when
Final deliverable (eg whether I am expected to show concepts only or delivery production quality files).
Subcontractors – Whether I am using them, or am expected to use my client’s? If so, how much will they be paid, and by whom, and how much, and is there a markup?


7) Timekeep

It is always good to keep track of the time spent on each project. I think with design, you can find something particularly fascinating and get really engrossed in creating a very complex design beyond what you have originally quoted for. Sometimes you don’t mind this – if the end result is appreciated by the client – but I do compare actual time spent against the initial quotation to ensure that I am still working for a decent rate per hour.


Never Stop Learning

Graphic design is in an industry that technically and creatively evolves faster than many other professions. Designers constantly have to learn new software, and stay on top of trends – never stop learning or looking for inspiration.

Need some graphic design inspiration? You can check out some latest works here www.54artistry.com/Graphics-Designers

Well detailed info, thanks for sharing this.

Nice writeup bro. Honestly number 1,4,and 6 have been my issues........Sometimes i see people doing substandard graphics, yet they patronize them. This has really made me change my mindsets and trying to focus on myself only

Want to learn Graphic design using photoshop, corel draw, Illustrator and 3D character Animations, video editting using Adobe premium pro, After Effects and more call 08077416539

54artistry:
Graphic design is a weird art form; it is half business, half art. Most people who get into it do so because of their love of design. The successful ones get into it for the business.



As a Graphic Designer, you have your work critiqued and displayed on a ‘pedestal’, manage tight and strict deadlines, consistently stay creative…and when we have time, live our daily lives. We play many roles, wear different hats and face many challenges daily.



1) Competition

There are thousands of independent design businesses out there. This might worry you at the outset, but the fact is that reputation goes a long way.

Be personable, and take time to listen to your client’s needs and ideas, engage them in the project and then complete it on time and to their satisfaction – then you will earn their loyalty. Sometimes even the smallest of projects, if the client is ecstatic with what you have produced, can build into engaging, ongoing work.

So, to round up the challenge of ‘competition’…Don't waste your time worrying about the competition. Just ensure that every piece of work you create is your best because that’s what keeps the clients coming back and recommending you to other people.



2) Running the company

You may be the best designer in the county, but if you want to set up a design agency you really have to learn about running a business – and sharpish!



You need to find someone who knows their way around all the paperwork that is critical to setting up and keeping a business running smoothly so you can stay focused on getting on and doing the work you love. You can contract a good accountant the help with that.



3) Keep on top of the paperwork

Be organised and stay on top of the paperwork. Figure out a system that works for you and stick to it. From record keeping and invoicing to file saving methods – don’t look at admin as the root of all evil, as it keeps you well armed for the road ahead and gives you peace of mind.



A few things you need to do…

Create a tracking method for projects so you can do effective estimating and know if you’re making money.
Set up long-term business and personal goals for growth and financial stability.
Develop record keeping systems to ensure you understand where the dollars are coming from and going to.
Plan for setting aside money to find investments in equipment.


4) Set Rates

‘Bad Bait, Bad Fish’ – If you are giving your design services away for next to nothing, 9 times out of 10 you are not going to attract people who either understand or fully appreciate what you do.



At first you might panic by not having a guaranteed income that you might want to accept every job and quote ridiculously low rates. PLEASE DON'T if you want to be respected or paid fairly.



5) Take time to get to know your client

From my experience, clients will often come to you as a referral or because they’ve seen something already and they think they really must have exactly that same thing. My first question is, ‘Aside from the look, why do you want that? Tell me about you and your company first.’ It's good to know the client because your work should reflect them as much as possible, with your vision adding to theirs.



6) Be Professional - Clarify the Work



It's imperative that always set clear expectations for a project, no matter how small. I like to put a full and detailed quotation or contract together and get written authorisation from the client to proceed on those terms before starting work. I am always clear about the payment terms and may ask for a down payment up front to ensure the client is as invested in the project as I am and to ensure I’ll have some money to cover my time and expenditure if the project gets pulled down the road.



Things to clarify before starting a project:

Overall budget for the project
Billing expectations, as in hourly or project basis
Payment schedule
Delivery schedule, as in what phases to be completed and to whom by when
Final deliverable (eg whether I am expected to show concepts only or delivery production quality files).
Subcontractors – Whether I am using them, or am expected to use my client’s? If so, how much will they be paid, and by whom, and how much, and is there a markup?


7) Timekeep

It is always good to keep track of the time spent on each project. I think with design, you can find something particularly fascinating and get really engrossed in creating a very complex design beyond what you have originally quoted for. Sometimes you don’t mind this – if the end result is appreciated by the client – but I do compare actual time spent against the initial quotation to ensure that I am still working for a decent rate per hour.


Never Stop Learning

Graphic design is in an industry that technically and creatively evolves faster than many other professions. Designers constantly have to learn new software, and stay on top of trends – never stop learning or looking for inspiration.

Need some graphic design inspiration? You can check out some latest works here www.54artistry.com/Graphics-Designers

please refer some of the softwares available in Nigeria for graphic designs.

pls I need Photoshop cs6, illustrator and InDesign cracked. my email is africanman85op@gmail.com