Graphic design business, promotion and financial advice

The commercial side of the graphic design industry is where many designers begin to feel very unsure. After all, we trained to become creatives and problem solvers, not business people.

But, of course, graphic design and web design are commercial professions like any other. Like any other small business, freelance designers and creative companies have to keep accounts, make business plans, decide whether to take out loans and make a numerous decisions of a financial and commercial nature.

The following is a collection of discussions that have taken place on the Design Talkboard forums around the areas of starting a design business, marketing and PR, insurance, financial planning, developing business plans, legal and copyright issues and a whole swathe of design business related topics.

Also worth reading is our guide to graphic design rates and charges as is the talkboard primer on starting a design business.

• Confidentiality or Non-disclosure Agreements – should designers use them?
• Should I charge a client for bidding on a project? – client wants designer to work for free unless they are accepted to do the work. Is this reasonable and if so, for how long should they work?
• Successful or unsuccessful marketing – which form of advertising or promotion has given you the best and worst impact?
• Should a designer produce free work to get a contract? – client testing graphic design hopeful.
• Graphic design terms and conditions – setting up charging structures.
• Charging for printing – should designers charge clients for printing.
• Tips getting design work – producing presentations to help clients.
• Charging for logo design – How much to charge for designing a logo.
• Overcharging or undercharging for graphic design – deciding fair rates to charge for design work.
• What to charge for freelance design work – a freelance graphic designer wonders how much to charge a client for extra work.
• Design Quote Help – a designer asks for help producing a quote for a client.
• Design business accounts – discussion about keeping financials and accounting for freelance designers.
• Help with Business Plan – starting a new business and asking for advice.
• Getting a loan – financial help to start a graphic design business.
• Marketing and promoting a design business – discussion amongst many designers about promoting their businesses.
• Freelance Print Solutions? – choosing a tag line for a design business.
• Business Name – choosing a business name.
• Marketing a graphic design business – discussion abut marketing and promoting a creative business.
• Most successful & Unsuccessful form of marketing or advertising?
• Advertising design – advertising a creative company.
• Business plan advice
• Start up costs - advice sought about the costs in starting a graphic design business and incorporating a business.
• working on retainer
• Cash flow vs quality design – that choice between quality and paying the rent.
• Freelance design market – comments about the freelance design market.
• Legals and contracts – advice on contracts for design work.
• How much to charge – advice about charging for graphic design.
• Naming a company
• Cost of a Logo – how much to charge?
• Working for free – yes or no?
• Designs & Studios - more about names - consultancy, studio or agency?
• Costing a design job – whether to amend a bid or not?
• Logos design and copyright
• How many people make up your entire advertising and marketing department/house
• What to charge! – another discussion about charging for design work.
• Promoting yourself– and another self-promotion discussion.