advice for starting a graphic design/web business
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- sparker0
yes they are, and business plans outline the entire structure of a business from the ground up.
work for hire contracts and client contracts are public, binding documents which serve as the agreement between a specific client and yourself, they do not outline the entire business entity.
- unknown0
Broaden the scope of work your company is going to be doing. For example, you are not a graphic design and web deign frim, you are a marketing and creative services firm.
Always talk to potential clients as if you own a larger company then you really do.
Never use "I." Always use "we." Business people like to think that they have a large staff working for them.
Do not be affraid to do things for free, if it might lead to future work.
- sparker0
my bubble is safely intact. thanks.
- Tyrone0
it shouldn't be
i'm curious how many of you actually have your own businesses with all this great business plan advice.
- mrdobolina0
tyrone, your business is called "methlab"?
- Tyrone0
no mrdobolina it's called ignition13. methlab is my personal site.
- unknown0
I have my own business and I haven't developed a business plan yet. But I am currently attending courses towards my MBA and yes, they stressed on the fact of developing a business plan and a marketing plan ASAP. I have a different approach, so I have not gone ahead and developed either.
Ultimately the success of your business is going to depend on your salesmanship abilities, most to all business people really don’t care about how “cute” something looks. They only care about results and how you can help them make more money. .
- whiteSneaks0
my advice comes from my past failures. i started one design firm venture by the seat of my pants. no plan, no money, and plenty of talent. i got a few clients and things fell apart quickly. i give my planning advice because i would rather others didn't make the same mistakes.
if you have found success without any planning more power to you. as i said before though it equates to luck.
i wouldn't recommend others invest time and money with only luck on there side.
- sparker0
one does not need to own his/her own business to impart correct knowledge onto those who ask, especially when said knowledge has been learned from places like school, small business development centers, lawyers and being an executive within a large corporate office, not too mention years of practical experience.
those who choose to believe that irresponsible and ill-conceived approaches to business can learn the hardway.
search through pv-an for how many times members complain about clients screwing them and about how many people ask "what to charge."
it just might be a few of us know what we're talking about.
- Tyrone0
i would say my 4 years in business with no business plan has been much more than luck.
- mrdobolina0
ahh gotcha, nice name.
- whiteSneaks0
i will also clarify with the fact there is a difference between a full fledged business and freelancing. a business you can leave and keeps on cooking independent of yourself. that requires planning.
- mrdobolina0
In that respect, I think it all depends on what your goals are. If you want to be a permanent freelancer and own the business, I have seen it done by photographers, designers, retail store owners a without a biz plan. If you want to have 35 employees under you, you are definitely going to need a business plan.
- Tyrone0
sparker you're missing the point. i agree that specific business principals need to be applied to ANY successful business and that talent is a small bit of the big picture. However, the bullshit that school teaches you can be misleading in a real world situation. I am also a professor at Pratt and I can see how the PRACTICAL skills people need are often overlooked. In the dessing field as well as business practices. People often get caught up in the protocol of business rather than actually doing any.
- scarabin0
i borrowed a hundred bucks from my mom for business card printing and a domain, then went out and got a bunch of clients.
then with profits from that, took care of business licensing, etc. and opened up a business checking account.
after that just save up money for an office and more employees, but only after you solidify relationships with several repeat clients (to guarantee steady income).
best way to do it if you're not rich.
- Tyrone0
thanks mrdobolina
- scarabin0
fuck fifty-page business models.
just don't do anything stupid and have a partner you trust.
as long as you have talent and dedication, you won't fail.
- scarabin0
but yeah, search the pv-an for stories about designers getting screwed by clients.
contract, contract, contract.
- whiteSneaks0
tyrone, i guess i am floored you seem to be discouraging planning in business. i am not talking protocol here. i am not an mba and have no use for a formal biz plan. i am talking about identifying your market. establishing practices within your business and setting goals for the future. a business is an abstract idea in your head. it is very difficult to polish if you don't put it on paper.
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- mrdobolina0
Also, I dont think that a business plan can be nailed down to a quantitative number of pages, 50 sounds more like an assignment than a plan. I have seen great business plans that encompass a total of 10 pages. take the extra time out and get some work. getting work is the key to all business success.