Creative Freelancer Conference Blog

What to say... when a client asks for "source" files

I've been reaching out to creatives lately to find out if there are times when they don't know what to say.

Troy Birdsong of Birdsong Creative has been getting this question often as "the digital age soars ahead." Here's his question:

Clients are asking for “source” files. With a new client I have the standard “proprietary process” that I’ve pulled from the Pricing and Ethical Guidelines book. I can usually get them to understand, but they aren't always happy. 

However, with existing clients that I have long standing relationship with, it gets a bit stickier. I don’t want to offend them, but I also expect them to respect that line.

When asked for source files, I usually say “we don’t typically....” and explain the reason’s, but give them the files anyway for the sake of the long term relationship. Larger organizations that are used to dealing with creative agencies get it, but in this economy we’re dealing with smaller companies that don’t. Either way it’s awkward.

I feel like there’s more that I should be doing on the front end to derail this conversation before it ever arises.

Any suggestions for Troy?

Are there ever times when you don't know what to say?

What -- exactly -- to say so the decision-maker gets involved from the start

In a recent interview with Petrula Vrontikis (for my new book about how to think about, talk about and deal with money), Petrula shares her strategy for making sure the decision-makers are involved at the very beginning of a project. She also tells us exactly what she says to her prospect or client to persuade them, including why they pay the price of any wasted time and effort if they don't do it this way. Listen here.

Robert, a graphic designer, had a similiar situation recently. Had had known this, he may not have lost a big project. Read about what happened to him on the Marketing Mix Blog.

Looking for inspiration? Or a kick in the butt?

This past August, 100+ freelancers and solopreneurs discovered the tools they needed most to find better, higher-paying clients; and found the inspiration to rejuvenate their businesses at the 2nd annual Creative Freelancer Conference, hosted by Marketing Mentor and HOW Magazine.

Now, you can too because we’ve just released the 2009 Complete Conference Package, a special collection of MP3 recordings (and visual slides in PDF format) that capture every information-packed presentation from the event. Here’s what you’ll discover:

• How to plant the seeds for long-term relationships at any event you attend and develop your own freelance “tribe
• When and how to say “no” to a project that doesn’t satisfy your creative urge…and when to take on a project just for the money
• How to take control of your taxes and maximize your deduction opportunities by developing an independent business mindset
• The simple way to discover how much a prospect is willing to pay before you waste hours of unpaid time writing a proposal
• 5 easy steps for effective presentations that will help you overcome nerves and win the support of your audience
• How to re-claim your power and tame the 5 most common “nightmare” clients, and why the problem—and the solution—is usually in your hands
• The surprisingly painless secrets for harnessing social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Biznik, Twitter, and more without wasting @#$%! hours of your valuable time
• How to keep your creative juices flowing day after day despite the constant pressure to be innovative on demand
• Plus: You’ll also get two great bonus sessions with successful freelancers and our entire speaker panel. These final sessions provide a complete wrap-up of the entire event and reveal how profitable solopreneurs schedule their time, live balanced lives, which marketing tools they find the most effective, and why.

Ready to take your creative business to the next level? Listen to clips from each presentation and buy your copy of the 2009 Complete Conference Package here.

Freelancers claiming credit for subcontracted work?

Join in the lively discussion over at the CFC LinkedIn Group started by Tammy Weidenbach at Tammy Miller Design. Tammy asks:

"I hired a freelancer to develop some design concepts for my client. This freelancer posted the work on his website, as his clients. Do I ask him to take it off or rewrite the project description?"

What would you do? Post your comment here or on the LinkedIn Group.

Take this quick survey

Freelancers Union is conducting its annual survey to explore current issues affecting the independent workforce. This year, they’re focusing on freelancers’ experiences around issues like unpaid wages and unemployment. Your participation is important because the information collected is a significant component of the Freelancers Union advocacy campaigns for independent workers. Your responses will provide the data they need to focus on the issues that are impacting you most. So, please take a few minutes to take the survey, and ask your friends and colleagues to do it too!
Take the survey here.

Getting the WOW factor with an iPhone

Most graphic designers are "Macs." And a good number of us have iPhones or an iPod Touch. I recently discovered that I could use the Photos Application as an easy-to-carry portfolio with a WOW factor.

This week I attended a local chamber Women in Business lunch, and found myself seated next to a decision maker in one of the focus markets that I've been researching with Ilise, in the same Marketing Plan Group as Deidre. After chatting with the woman for a while, I told her that I own a graphic design business with some experience in her market. I then whipped out my iPod, and proceeded to dazzle with crisp backlit images of my work that I could describe in detail while she viewed the image.

To create this digital portfolio, I first resized all my images to fit the iPhone / iPod dimensions of 320 x 480 pixels and saved the images as jpegs into a folder I named "Portfolio."  The Portfolio folder is within another folder called iPod Photos. To transfer files to my iPod, I use the sync settings in iTunes.  Since iTunes will only allow you to sync from one location on your computer, iPod Photos is my top level folder. Within it I have subfolders for Portfolio and others for Family, etc. When I connect my iPod to my computer all the images and folders in iPod Photos are automatically updated through the iTunes sync settings.

I always have my iPod with me, since it also contains iCal with all of my appointments. Now I am always ready to present samples of my work, which can be updated quickly as needed.

Special thanks to Lisa at Lisa Smith Youngdahl Graphic Design in Batavia, IL.

October is self promotion month!

Here at Marketing Mentor, we think every month is self promotion month, but hey, October is a great time to get started.

This article by Rebecca West at Biznik shares 6 useful tips to promoting yourself this month. One of her 6 tips is “Don’t let people live with rats.” Aren’t you dying to know what that’s about? Check it out.

Have you tried any new self promotion techniques this month? If so, let us know.

It’s time to bill, but we never talked about a budget

Myntillae Nash, a graphic designer who has been taking part in the Controlling the Money Conversation with Clients Webcast Series, emailed me this question:

I just finished doing this logo project for a software company, and I have to send them the bill. But I realized that I never talked to my client about their budget. My client did ask me my going rate, and we kind of talked about it briefly, but I told him prices for things always depended on the project. Since he was a friend of a friend he asked me to do the project without hesitation, knowing that I studied it in school and did lots of freelance aside from my full-time job. But now I am to the point of having to send the bill for these logos, and we never even determined the budget (which I normally do). How do I remedy this situation so that he doesn't, like you said, "fall off of his chair"?

I gave Myntillae this short answer, and urged her to take advantage of my free mentoring session if she needed more specifics. (If you have questions like this, you can too!) Here’s what I said:

I would give him a call and tell him you're getting ready to bill and you realize you never actually agreed on a price, so here's what you're thinking. Then just tell him and see what he says. Then be open to negotiating if he does fall off his chair and know that this is a lesson that may cost you something (literally).

Is this something you’ve experienced? If so, how did you handle it?

Nomad = Fugitive = Freelancer?

One of my clients sent me this hilarious video, The Life of a Freelancer, part of a series from Adobe:
http://tv.adobe.com/watch/profiles-of-creative-pros/the-life-of-a-freelancer/

The question it raises: as a freelancer, do you need to appear to be bigger than you are?
Or are you just fine simply as a freelancer?

Should you "reward" clients with a discount?

This was one of the questions that didn't get answered during last week's CFC webcast, "Determining Your Client's Budget Before You Start." (You can still hear it here: http://www.mydesignshop.com/product/determining-your-clients-budget).

The complete question was: Should you set up a "client reward" discount for good clients as a thank you for business... toward another project with you?

I'm not a big fan of discounts because I think it diminishes the perception of your services in the eyes of your clients. However, there are certainly things you can do to thank your clients for their business.

How 'bout throwing in something extra on their next job? It is a variation on a discount but makes it "additive" rather than "subtractive" (is that a word?).

If geographically possible, I suggest you treat them to a nice lunch or dinner as a way to show your appreciation. This has the added benefit of face-time, which can only strengthen your relationship.

I'd love to hear other suggestions so post your comments. And if you are offering your clients this type of discount, how is it working?