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Ask any creative, and they'll tell you the best design happens when they're free to create. No limitations. No micro-managing. No problem clients. No one telling them to make the logo bigger. Yeah… Good luck with that. Let's be honest: As soon as aspiring designers hit the workforce, they're confronted by a deluge of obstacles from every conceivable direction. Sound hopeless? Nah; it's all in a day's work. Geared towards current/future freelancers, recent graduates and small firm owners, Jason will share what fifteen years in the design business has taught him about happiness, productivity and success.
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How to Win at Design
Q: What does winning at design mean !or you?
Happiness + Opportunities = Win
[email protected] 323 469-1809
=Pro!it!
Doing great work won’t make you happy
Who are you?
Mindset
Get out o! your own way
Your Comfort
Zone
Everything Awesome
Over-inspired
Design inspiration is so easily accessible now that it’s distracting at best, and intimidating at worst.
1%
Cra"
What is your cra"?
Designer
You
Marketer Social Media
Bookkeeper
Proofreader Project Manager
Salesperson Illustrator
Copywriter
Manager
Office Manager
Web Designer
Drawing/sketching Page layout Composition Typography Speaking my mind Hyperfocusing Writing
Color theory Management Iteration Marketing Multitasking Motion GFX Details
Strengths Weaknesses
Love to !ail
It's so freeing, it's beautiful in a way, to have a great failure, there's nowhere to go but up. —David Lynch
You have to get bad in order to get good. You have to try a lot of things and fail in order to make the next discovery. —Paula Scher
Love to !ail Take on projects be!ore you know how you’ll do them
Love to !ail Don’t wait !or inspiration
Take on projects be!ore you know how you’ll do them
Criticism
Take it
You are not your ideas.
You Idea
You
You Idea
You
You Idea
You Idea
You Idea
You Idea
You
You Idea
You
You
You
Idea
Never fall in love with an idea. They’re whores. If the one you’re with isn’t doing the job, there’s always, always, always another. —Chip Kidd
Give it
Good Bad
Good
I love the mark on the le#. That orange isn’t working, but I really like the typeface.
I love the mark on the le#. That orange is horrible, but I really like the typeface.
Networking
Go to real live events
Go to real live events
Always be testing and impriving your value proposition
What Who Why
What do you do Who do you do it !or Why should anyone care 15 seconds
Go to real live events
Know who to talk to
Always be testing and impriving your value proposition
Groups o! two, how do you do?®™
Worldwide copyright 2014 Jason Adam. All Rights Reserved.
Chances are they came together, and probably wish they were mingling instead Even i! they didn’t, they’re probably tired o! talking to each other I! it goes south, you won’t !eel bad walking away
Make it easy Find a contact management system that will send automatic reminders to follow up
Subject: Closing The Loop Hi [FirstName]; I haven’t heard back !rom you on [project/opportunity] so I’m going to assume you’ve gone in a di#erent direction or your priorities have changed. Let me know i! we can be o! assistance in the !uture. Regards, [You]
Clients
Red Flag: The signal a potential client sends that reduces your con!idence in the relationship.
Confuses price with value Places price before goals Cost is a primary motivating factor Overly focused on deliverables Attempts to control the process Wants to gut the process to save money Will not share their budget Contract obsessed Seems generally skeptical Promises exposure for a reduced rate Uses potential future work as a lure Expects a#er-hours availability Seems indecisive, and hard to please Outwardly rude/disrespectful Flaked on meetings, phone calls, etc. Asked for spec work
Red Flags Highly visible/big brands Places goals before cost Desirable budgets Shared their budget with you They pay invoices on time Displays good communication skills Respects your creative process Respectful of your time General a$ability Looks to you as an expert Generally respectful Understands realistic timelines Available—won’t be difficult to reach Seems committed to the project(s) You’ll have acceptable creative control Seems like a fun project
Green Flags
“I don’t have a speci!ic budget.”
Expects a"er-hours availability
Shi"s conversation !rom money to cache
“This will get a ton o! eyeballs.” “It’ll make a great piece !or your port!olio.” “I! this takes o# there will be a lot more work.”
“I already know what I want.”
There’s rarely such a thing as a bad client
Fun
Keep it unpredictable
Bring !un into everything you do
If you achieve happiness or success, take a moment to map out how you got there. Don't take it for granted that you can find your way back. Thank those that helped. It'll make the moment that much more memorable. —Chris Do
How to Win at Design