Graphic Design Forums: A friendly forum for UK designers - General Business Forum: http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/ Are you a freelancer? Run your own business? Want to run your own business? Need some business advice or assistance? This forum is for you! en Sun, 19 May 2013 18:59:15 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/images/styles/graphic/misc/rss.png Graphic Design Forums: A friendly forum for UK designers - General Business Forum: http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/ When does a favour become work? http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9459-when-does-favour-become-work.html Thu, 16 May 2013 14:28:34 GMT Hi All,

I've just done a small change to a menu in exchange for a couple of scones. I don't mind this one as the scones are good and the job took 20 seconds. However, it got me thinking about when a favour turns into a paid job.
You know the thing, "Could you email me my logo as a JPG?", or "Could you send that photo to the magazine?", or the usual "Could you send me the proof again of the job you did three years ago?"

I don't tend to charge for these simple things. However, sometimes you can spend all your time doing small things.

What does everyone else do in these situations?

Graeme :icon_confused: ]]> General Business Forum: gprovan http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9459-when-does-favour-become-work.html A Little Bit of a Funny http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9457-little-bit-funny.html Thu, 16 May 2013 08:46:35 GMT I drew this a while back for a giggle, do you all experience this too? :D Attachment 2116... I drew this a while back for a giggle, do you all experience this too? :D

MyLife1.jpg
Attached Images
]]> General Business Forum: VLAHAKISA http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9457-little-bit-funny.html What percentage do Design agencies take? http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9447-what-percentage-do-design-agencies-take.html Tue, 14 May 2013 17:02:47 GMT Hi everyone!

I wanted to know what cut design recruitment agencies take for finding work for you? I'd heard somewhere in the region of 16-17%

Thanks in advance!

:icon_confused: ]]> General Business Forum: sammy55 http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9447-what-percentage-do-design-agencies-take.html Bulk emailing? http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9443-bulk-emailing.html Mon, 13 May 2013 22:26:24 GMT We often collect the email addresses of between 30-50 potential customers at wedding fairs to arrange follow up consultations. Up until now we've had a generic text email which we send out as a follow up and to arrange bookings but they look a bit bland and our mail server only allows a few emails to be sent at once so it takes a long time.

We're looking at building an HTML mail shot through mailchimp to make things more visually interesting for the recipient but with each email potentially being worth a lot of money, I'm concerned that theyll get stopped by spam filters simpy because they come from mailchimp and /or contain HTML.

Am I right to be concerned? Is plain text the better option for this kind of bulk email? ]]> General Business Forum: bigdave http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9443-bulk-emailing.html Freelancing....Need Advice! http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9432-freelancing-need-advice.html Thu, 09 May 2013 20:12:19 GMT Hi all,

I am 21 years of age and I've been working on a side project called Bag A Brand Designs which im hoping will open the door for me in the future to leave my current full time employment and become a freelance graphic designer.

I would love to get your advise on how to increase peoples interest into Bag A Brand Designs, and what is the most effective way to get clients. I've create a website Home - Bag A Brand Designs which I would love for you to have a look and give me any feedback and advise from your experience.

Thanks ]]> General Business Forum: BagABrandDesigns http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9432-freelancing-need-advice.html <![CDATA[client: "design my own business card if I send it to you" me "erm..."]]> http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9414-client-design-my-own-business-card-if-i-send-you-me-erm.html Wed, 08 May 2013 14:23:37 GMT I have a lovely client who has sent me a message saying

"I'm not trying to cut cost or anything but can we use my design and you take bit off the price?'

Needless to say its not of a business card proportioned rectangle, looks like comic sans and its in PowerPoint.

I've design thier logo which they're happy with, so how do I politely say, erm, can't really use that (and I will shave a bit off the price) ]]> General Business Forum: Chirox http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9414-client-design-my-own-business-card-if-i-send-you-me-erm.html Upsetting a Client http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9402-upsetting-client.html Sun, 05 May 2013 22:36:00 GMT Hi everyone, Just a quick question and some needed advice. I started work with a client for fashion start up, who has already had her logo... Hi everyone,

Just a quick question and some needed advice.
I started work with a client for fashion start up, who has already had her logo designed by another designer.

At the moment I'm designing some labels but felt the logo wasn't reflecting what the brand was suppose to be and what the client told me, so I asked for some feedback from some friends of mine who could potentially be interested. My assumptions were correct and everyone said they probably wouldn't buy or look at it, and quite significantly it resembled a logo of a massive brand and that it was bordering plagerism.

So i emailed this to my client, who seemed happy at first until they read the responses, I've now had an email were they feel i have diminished the brand value and reputation.

My gut feeling is that if the responses were positive there wouldn't be an issue. I apologised as they stated the intellectual property rights belonged to them, (though i'm a little confused by this as their web pages feature images that have 'borrowed' from a massive retailer?!) and said I couldn't do any market research without permission

How do I move on? And was I right to ask for feedback as a designer, or should I have just designed them and sent them straight to her?
(sounds a bit Dear Deidre!)

Thanks ]]> General Business Forum: Chantelle Prempeh http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9402-upsetting-client.html Copyright Reform Act in UK 25/04/2013 affecting us graphic designers http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9379-copyright-reform-act-uk-25-04-2013-affecting-us-graphic-designers.html Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:43:51 GMT The actual legislation that applies to us is Part 5, Miscellaneous http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2012-2013/0007/13007.pdf ... The actual legislation that applies to us is Part 5, Miscellaneous
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2012-2013/0007/13007.pdf

Better explained
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/04..._act_landgrab/

The UK legal-making website to make sure its gone throughEnterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 &mdash; UK Parliament ]]> General Business Forum: Mojah http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9379-copyright-reform-act-uk-25-04-2013-affecting-us-graphic-designers.html Question about Freelancing http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9338-question-about-freelancing.html Sun, 21 Apr 2013 15:24:54 GMT Hello all, Just looking for a bit of advise. If someone books you for two weeks (10 working days ) and then ends up only needing you for 9... Hello all,

Just looking for a bit of advise.

If someone books you for two weeks (10 working days ) and then ends up only needing you for 9 days - what do you do about the 10th day when you invoice them?

Note that I've bought a weeks season ticket to travel there and also blocked my self from taking other work for that last day.

Advice much appreciated. ]]> General Business Forum: mynamesnotshirley http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/general-business-forum/9338-question-about-freelancing.html