Being a freelance designer isn’t easy.
You are your own boss, but along with that, is all the responsibility of taking care of billing and client relations.
Here’s a flowchart that might help you as you navigate your way through dealing with clients:
This is solid advice delivered in a fun way.
Thoughts?
[via Josuedric.com]
Chris Ridgeway says
Wow. This is really tilted toward the “unimpeachable freelance artist.”
I do agree there are plenty of “awful client” stories.
But there are a plenty of freelancers there who are overcharging for their work because they’re told regularly they should be charging more and their quality and business value really aren’t there yet. There’s a lot of bad design out there, and plenty of it is getting paid for.
And there are plenty of clients out there—many entrepreneurs and let’s even say church planters— who aren’t completely uneducated in the digital arts, visual branding, social media, etc. It’s part of being a literate part of a digital society. They often know what they want, and likely know their precise market better the freelancer. A good freelancer knows where the client is more an expert than they are, and in reverse. There’s real give and take.
Not to be cantankerous or anything… 🙂
Eric Dye says
Nah. You make some good points that help pull this back to center. I’ve ran into my share of freelancers that are really full of themselves, so I know where you’re coming from.
Jonathan Ober says
dealing with an over the shoulder client that even after a few years of working with him from time to time just doesn’t get me and trusts me. It’s hard since he’s like the only one in 6 years that has been a pain.
Eric Dye says
One in six years? That’s not bad at all!