In this course, students complete
a series of projects in preparation for setting up a
design business.
You've spent years building a portfolio brimming with beautiful
work; your graphics groove, your logos lift, and your posters pop.
Now the bad news. All the talent in the world is worthless (or,
worse, low paid) unless you know how to set up your business and
position yourself for successful career.
In Graphic Design Business, you'll learn the essentials of setting
up and managing your graphic design business. We'll guide you through
everything from how to present your portfolio, find work, and market
yourself, to the more daunting tasks of registering a company name,
establishing an accounting system, and setting up your own corporation
(we're not kidding).
Whether you're going freelance, setting up your own shop, or just
starting out with a big company, this course will set your career
on the right track. Course projects are hands-on: you'll create
a business plan, respond to an RFP (request for proposal), test-drive
accounting software, create a budget, and customize your own business
forms. When your first customer walks through the door, you'll be
ready!
Read an interview
with Jason Vaughn: Getting Clients in Tough Times.
LESSON 1 Kick-Start Your
Career At outset of your design career (and sometimes in
its middle) questions arise: What skills do I need? How do I present
my portfolio and resume? Where should I look for work, and how much
money can I expect? Lesson One helps you navigate the eternal choice
between freelance and full-time employment, with a focus on determining
which environment is right for your personality and your long-term
career prospects.
LESSON 2 Setting Up Your
Business Sole proprietor or full-blown corporation? It's
surprisingly easy to go it alone as a graphic designer. Lesson Two
gets you started by showing you how to register your company and
set yourself up as a corporation. You'll explore the pros and cons
of partnership versus incorporation, and look at different avenues
for raising money. And since fiscal responsibility is key, you'll
cover how to choose an office space on a budget and take advantage
of the free resources available to small businesses.
LESSON 3 Sales, Marketing,
and Pricing Customers don't always walk through the door.
To get business, you'll need to develop a sales and marketing strategy,
then price your jobs competitively. Lesson Three covers different
ways of reaching customers, including networking, referrals, cold-calling,
and the Internet. You'll look at the benefits of creating different
"collateral" pieces, including business cards, postcards,
brochures, and Webfolios. Finally, you'll do the math, calculating
how to price jobs, based on your revenue needs, available hours,
and career stage.
LESSON 4
Bookkeeping and Job Tracking Proper accounting is daunting
to the average designer, but critical to keeping your business above
water. Lesson Four steers you clear of a fiscal quagmire by familiarizing
you with foundation accounting software and practices. You'll learn
such accounting basics as invoices, item lists, charts of accounts,
check registers, and more. You'll also consider sage advice for
small business: how to collect, bill, itemize deductions, and avoid
the pitfalls of partnership.
LESSON 5Equipment
and Supplies Setting up a small design business today takes
some digital savvy. Lesson Five explores the technology options
for fledgling firms. You'll examine the technical requirements for
such office essentials as computers, printers, fax machines and
more, looking at creative (but legal) ways of acquiring them without
breaking the bank. Finally, since outsourcing jobs to vendors can
save you on set-up costs, tips for working with vendors will be
explored.
LESSON 6 Forms and Contracts
Got your first client? You'll need a professional work process and
thorough documentation in place to guide each job through its lifecycle.
This means contracts, terms and conditions, art approval forms,
and more. Lesson Six wraps up your course by showing you how to
use this documentation to manage business processes. You'll create
your own forms and practice using them on a client.
