business_planning

17 Tips for Effective Freelance Business Planning

This article brought to you by:Visit UPrinting.com, the online printer that understands the needs of designers. Freelancing can be a tough business, regardless of in which field you are attempting to freelance. Like a regular business, there are a few dos and don’ts to keep in mind; some of these tips can make your business [...]

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opendiscussion

OPEN DISCUSSION: Long-term vs. Short-term Design Clients

Every once and a while here at GDB, we like to turn the editorial tables and let you share your ideas with us. After all, we know that some of the brightest designers/entrepreneurs take advice from us on a weekly basis, so we’re asking you to share your thoughts this time around.We did this a [...]

consider_spec

Why designers should consider tolerating spec work

Spec Work has always been a controversial subject in the world of design. Why should you work with no guarantee of getting paid? Many designers claim that it signals the end of the industry. To me, however, it’s the future of the industry. What is Spec Work? Spec work, or speculative work, to refer to [...]

redesign

6 Questions to ask yourself before attempting a redesign

This article brought to you by:Visit UPrinting.com, the online printer that understands the needs of designers. Recently, I asked all my friends* on twitter what sorts of articles they would like to read about here on GDB. One friend suggested a sort of checklist-style article about preparing for a redesign. Hence the following article. If [...]

raving_fans

How to turn design clients into raving fans who bring you more business

Lately my business partner and I have been going to quite a few networking events – some that are more casual mixers, and others that are more formal. Through these events come opportunities to interact with good people. In speaking with many of these people, I’ve noticed an underlying attitude that can be summed up [...]

client-grabbing

3 Essential Elements of a Client-Grabbing Design Website

So you have a web site set up for your design business. It features your amazing portfolio, has a sleek, snazzy design to it, and a beautifully put-together contact form. The only problem is… the contact form rarely, if ever, gets used. Your bounce rate is higher than a super-inflated basketball. And it’s just not [...]