Simple Ways You Can Improve Your Communication With Clients
When you walk into a bakery, what’s the first thing you want to know? Do you care that the bakery was started back in the ’60s by the current owner’s…
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Addison Duvall (72 Articles)
Addison Duvall is the author of Food Identities, a blog that explores the crossroads of food, design, art, and culture. She’s written some things, designed other things, and eaten a whole lot of food.
Getting Past the Limitations of Your Design Skills
Have you ever been looking through design annuals or other publications, keeping up to date on what’s happening in the industry, when you happen upon a bunch of work that’s…
Don’t Be Forever Branded as a Cheap, Low-End Designer
How many of you know the proper way to approach a diet? Many people don’t, which is why they fail to work. There’s a specific mentality you need to have…
The Personal Process of Choosing the Right Design Tool
Every chef has their favorite tool. Mine happens to be a wooden spoon I’ve had since forever. I call it “Suzie” (because I’m a weirdo). Some people actually keep their…
The Art of Dealing With a Panicky Design Client
Everyone has had the kind of clients that you wish you could punch – the scope creepers, the micromanagers, the non-payers. It’s very aggravating, but it is a long-established part…
Why Do Bad Designers Always Seem to Get the Best Jobs?
We’ve all heard the saying “a designer is only as good as his/her clients.” Some designers, regardless of skill level or experience, seem to always have the most interesting assignments…
Testing Your Marketing Efforts as a Freelancer Designer
In today’s freelancing climate, one of the best things you can do in terms of marketing yourself is to think in what I like to call “Test Terms.” What does…
Why You Should Fire Your Worst Freelance Design Clients
As someone who’s worked on both sides of the freelancer-client fence, I give a lot of “insider” advice to designers on dealing with their clients. One of the most common…
When It Comes to Ideas, It’s All About Presentation
When I was a student in design school, I once did an assignment for a teacher who made us stand up and present our projects to the entire class. Now…
Freelancers, Stop Getting Burned by Your Clients
It seems like every designer has a horror story or two (or seventeen) about getting ripped off by a client who refuses to pay. Once it happens, there’s not too…
How To Handle Ethical Disagreements With Your Clients
Sometimes, you may get a client who wants you to do something that you’re just not comfortable with. We all want to please our clients, but how do you please…
Networking For Designers 101: How To Network Properly
Ah, networking. Every creative freelancer’s favorite thing ever. Going out to events, shaking hands, plastering on a fake smile, getting paper cuts from passing out hundreds of business cards, dodging…