A Graphic Design Student's Guide to Freelance Practice Makes Perfect

BEN HANNAM is an Assistant Professor in the Visual Communication Design Program at Virginia Tech and the founder of the design firm Accomplish Studios, LLC. He has won numerous awards for his graphic design work and teaching, and lectures internationally on topics such as freelance graphic design, graphic design pedagogy, and experiential learning environments.

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xiii

1 INTRODUCTION

Filling in the Gaps in Your Education 2

Don’t Wait Until You Graduate 4

About This Book 6

2 WHY SHOULD YOU FREELANCE?

Balancing Creativity and Commerce 9

Escaping the Project Mode Mentality 10

Working for Money 18

Working for Trade 23

Enhancing Your Portfolio 24

Learning to Fail 25

Experience the Thrill of Owning a Business 27

3 PLANNING YOUR BUSINESS

Writing a Business Plan 30

Performing a SWAT Analysis 31

Identifying External Factors 39

4 I HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN. NOW WHAT?

Choosing a Business Name 43

Talk to a CPA & Fill Out Your LLC Paperwork 49

Applying For An Employer Identification Number 50

Opening a Business Checking Account 52

Getting a Business License 53

5 BEGINNER-THERE’S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

Goals for Beginning Freelancers 55

Equipment to Purchase 56

How Do You Find Your First Client 60

What Type of Work Should You Do 61

Writing a Contract 68

Understanding What’s In Your Contract 70

Meeting Your Client 76

Creating Sketches & Concepts 78

Showing Your Client Your Sketches 82

Delivering Your Proof 83

Delivering The Final Product 86

Sending An Invoice 88

Lather, Rinse, Repeat 88

6 INTERMEDIATE-GAINING MOMENTUM

Goals for Intermediate Level Freelancers 91

Equipment to Purchase 92

How Do You Find Clients 96

What Type of Work Should You Do 109

Establishing an Internal Workflow System 116

Creating a Master Client List 116

Creating a Master Job Tracking List 117

Tracking Your Jobs 118

Archiving Your Work 120

Creating a Business Card 123

Working with Vendors 127

Managing Your Time 130

Documenting Your Process 131

Finding an Internship 137

Ethical Considerations 138

7 ADVANCED-STRETCHING YOUR WINGS

Goals for Advanced Level Freelancers 143

Equipment to Purchase 144

Types of Clients You Should Work With 149

Creating an Web Presence for Your Company 154

Planning For What Comes After School 156

Choosing the Right Portfolio For the Job 157

Choosing the Right Portfolio Pieces 163

Creating a Monthly Budget 169

Creating a PDF Portfolio 171

Submitting a PDF Portfolio 172

What to Say In Your Letter of Interest 173

8 MOVING FORWARD

Writing a Resume 183

Preparing For an Interview 191

Negotiating an Offer 200

Tips From Professionals 202

EPILOGUE 9

Looking Back on Your Experience 211

Index 215

Resources 219

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