Business Tips Archives - Page 3 of 5 - Teem

Say ‘No’ to Freelancing for Free

For some reason, people get confused by the ‘free’ in freelancing. Teamup Team Even after you’ve established yourself as a ‘freelance business’ some clients will ask you to do ‘spec work’, ’wireframes’, or ‘just a quick sketch’ for free. This type of client wants you to prove yourself before beginning a project. Does that sound reasonable? If you’re thinking yes, look at it this way: would you be asking for free appetizers before the main course at a restaurant? Of course not! So how should you respond? For your sake, and the sake of the freelance business community: say, ‘No, thank you.’ Why? Because a client like this who ‘doesn’t know if he/she will like your work’ and who ‘isn’t ready...

For some reason, people get c...

August 20, 2019

Business Tips

Finding Your Design Voice

As a designer, you are free to work as you please—your field gives you the rare opportunity to match your skills to your interests, and combine your talent with issues you care about. This sweet spot is where your design shines.Teamup Team Still, there are things you can do to find your design voice: Work with people/brands that interest you. Your passion will drive you to excel.Feel free to change your style and process, if you like. It’s perfectly okay!Experiment at every opportunity; (great designs demand bravery!)Master the fundamentals first to develop the tools you need to find your own style. (Picasso mastered classical art before he was famous for cubist art)Practice makes you better, and with that, your design voice will shine! So...

As a designer, you are free t...

August 20, 2019

Business Tips

Grow Your Business in 2019

Failure is part of the process when starting a small business; there’s no avoiding it. However, as a business owner, you can get ahead by learning from others’ mistakes. How? By doing your research to set yourself up for success. And to help you succeed, we’ve done the research for you, and now present to you these tried and tested tips: Automate everything you can, from email replies to your business news, and stay true to yourself—keep people engaged and informed about your business. Grow your audience, by designing a good web page, offering promotions, and running ads to drive people to your business.Learn more about your customer, and record their information. Use demographics to target content and invest your customer service.Optimize...

Failure is part of the proces...

August 20, 2019

Business Tips

Build A Brand for Your Business

Building a brand for your business is challenging, but there’s no rule that says you have to do it all by yourself. A good business owner knows when to delegate—hire a designer, not just for a logo, but to create context and extend your brand’s vision.Teamup Team Here are a few tips on how to communicate better with your designer: Invite them to meet you in a relaxed setting; a café maybe, not your office, so you can have an easy conversation.Don’t be afraid to say that you have no design background, so the designer can explain things more clearly, in an easy language you will understand.Discuss your business’s goals from the start, and talk about your ‘why’. Feel free to share...

Building a brand for your bus...

August 20, 2019

Business Tips

Freelancing in Eid Holidays

Wishing you all a joyful Eid! عيدكم مبارك، وكل عام وانتم بخير! ✨For those of you who are able to take a break from work, here’s how to ensure you come back refreshed from your vacation: Don’t structure your vacation around an unbreakable schedule. Avoid the added stress by giving yourself the freedom to choose what you want to do.Stay physically active with easy activities that you enjoy, like walking or swimming, so your mind and body feel renewed and restored.Don’t ignore the impact of jet lag. Wherever you go, remember the journey can add stress and you’ll feel like you need a vacation from your vacation. So, rest.Cutting off work completely is unrealistic, but try to keep it at a comfortable distance,...

Wishing you all a joyful Eid!...

August 20, 2019

Business Tips

Tell Better Stories About Your Work

Remember in class, when you had to not only show your final work but give a good presentation about it? This is what you need to do when showing your portfolio to a prospective client. Your portfolio needs your stories; they are what make you stand out. The story behind your designs can transform a potential client’s perspective about them. Teamup Team Here are some tips on how to do that: Design your site to sell your design experience. Show work you did for other clients, and explain how you helped them achieve their vision.Reduce your portfolio to just include work you can tell a complete story about the strategy you used, and the final result. Show design pieces with different stories,...

Remember in class, when you h...

August 20, 2019

Business Tips

How to Negotiate Like A Pro

Talking about payment is tricky, but it’s a necessary skill to have when talking to clients, especially as you land more freelance projects. Here’s how to negotiate like a pro: Check salary resources and networking sites to educate yourself about pricing. Websites like 99Designs, Freelancer’s Union, and W.A.G.E. Guide.Calculate how much you personally need to make a job worthwhile. Consider how much you need to break-even with business expenses.Don’t be first to put out a number, if you can avoid it. Listen to the client’s first, he/she might offer a higher rate. You can try to bargain up if the price is too low.Highlight the skills that are relevant to the job’s needs. Most clients are willing to pay more to...

Talking about payment is tric...

August 20, 2019

Business Tips

Mistakes to Avoid with Your First Client

Even the most experienced freelancer, with 5+ years in the industry, makes mistakes. The important thing is to learn from these mistakes, and set expectations for yourself as a freelance/small business. Teamup Team We'll help you with that right now, by pointing out a few mistakes some freelance businesses still make, for you to avoid: Not considering multiple factors when pricing projects; like the quality of your work, the type of client, the scope and deadline…etc.Not asking where the work will be seen; so you can work on the appropriate medium.Not factoring in the client’s existing resources; no need to start from scratch if you have a good foundation to build on.Not having in-person meetings; communicating digitally is easy, but there’s...

Even the most experienced fre...

August 20, 2019

Business Tips

Build A Portfolio for Your Business

No matter what can of business you have, showcasing your work is a priority. And the best way to do that is through an online platform. Teamup Team Keep in mind the following: Choose a hosting platform that is most suitable for your type of business. An Instagram page, or website hosts like Squarespace, Wix, and Adobe portfolio.Spend time to prepare and organize work samples. Your customers will ask you for what they see in your portfolio, so make sure to show your very best work!Word of mouth is a powerful thing, so make sure you collect testimonials from clients and customers. Good reviews attract new customers to your business.Always include a bio or an intro about your business. Something short and...

No matter what can of busines...

August 20, 2019

Business Tips

Design The Perfect Work-Life Balance

Balancing your work and life is an important aspect in running a successful business. But how can you lead a healthy life and stay on top of your small business needs as well? A good way to go about this is: to treat your life like project, as if you’ve just received a brief from the client. How? Start by setting personal and professional goals, to give yourself focus and direction, which will help you make better life decisions. Think about who you are, what you want, and what’ll make you the happiest.Understand hierarchy and importance. Decide which goals take priority/more involvement from you, and what steps you need to take to reach those goals.Now the hard work; creating balance so...

Balancing your work and life ...

August 20, 2019