Design Domination

#61 Ian Paget of Logo Geek joins me to talk about his logo design process, how to set yourself apart from other logo designers, how he presents his work, how to get less pushback from a client on your designs, books he recommends, the tools he uses and more.

#60 Website accessibility overlays and plugins aren't the answer to accessibility and ADA compliance, despite being touted as an easy, automated solution for web designers and developers and their clients. They present a plethora of problems.

#59 It's vital to know how to manage your freelance business during the COVID-19 crisis, and any crisis for that matter. We need to learn from this and stay level headed, focused and innovative to help our clients and our own businesses.

#58 The Brand Doctor Henry Kaminski Jr. joins me to talk about how he leveled up his business and stopped competing on price. He also shares business breakthroughs about branding, focus and values.

#57 Find out several overlooked places graphic designers can find clients—online and offline—that can help you based on your industry and clientele. Are you overlooking any of them?

#56 Find out ways to protect your freelance business and income from catastrophe—disability, long-term illness, an emergency, disaster, theft, liability issues—and how to minimize their effects.

#55 Tom Ross of Design Cuts and I talk about digital products—figuring out what to sell (fonts, templates, etc.), how to price it, their submission process and more. Get tips to help you get an edge on your competition in the creative products marketplace.

#54 We're always told we should set goals to be successful. But do you avoid setting them because you don't see the point or you're afraid you won't achieve them? Do you ever look back and think, "I should have done this or that"? Learn how to set goals.

#53 Most designers don't think about accessibility. It affects branding, design, documents, websites. It's a great way to differentiate yourself from other designers while helping your clients reach more people and legally protecting them.

#52 Your website needs to be an effective marketing tool to help you get clients. You want to be top of mind when someone needs a designer. Here are 17 essential elements for an effective portfolio website, so you get found and leave a positive impression.

#51 After designing a logo for a client, do you provide a brand style guide along with the files, so the client has guidance on how to use the logo? If not, you're missing out on positioning yourself as an expert, adding value to your work and charging more.

#50 Mike Killen and I talk confidence and how it's vital in closing the deal and why you should be selling futures, not features. Get actionable tips to use when talking to clients, including how to respond when a client says, "That's too expensive."

#49 Jacob Cass of Just Creative talks about his design journey, his logo design and presentation process, how to add more value with brand strategy and some amazing marketing tips. Plus, find out why he calls himself "the pink cow."

#48 Do you spend a lot of time creating logo formats? Are you unsure which ones to send to a client? Do you properly prepare logo files to prevent potential issues? Find out that and how to add value to your work by following these best practices from me and guest Michael Bruny-Groth from The Logo Package Express.

#47 Do you struggle with whether to refer to your freelancing business as "I" or "we"? Are you misrepresenting yourself if you use "we"? Will potential clients prefer just you or a team? Will you not get larger projects if you use "I"? Hear the pros and cons.

#46 Many graphic designers are so excited when a prospect contacts them, they miss a crucial step: evaluating the prospect. Having a vetting process is vital to avoid problem clients. Here are 6 reasons freelance designers should screen prospective clients.

#45 There are a lot of differences in mindset and behavior between graphic designers who are perceived as order takers and those who are perceived as experts. Here are 14 reasons graphic designers are seen as order takers instead of as experts.

#44 Monthly recurring revenue is all the rage these days. But what most freelancers and agencies don't realize is that it can cause problems. David C. Baker of the 2Bobs podcast joins me to talk about 9 ways recurring revenue actually hurts your business.

#43 There are many ways to learn and improve your skills. But you may not even know what you need help with or you may be focusing on the wrong thing. That's where one-on-one design mentoring can help. Here are 10 ways a design mentor can help you.

#42 Blair Enns of Win Without Pitching and I discuss pricing, taking back your power in the client-designer relationship, how not to sell, mindset issues and much more. Also, find out what the "flip" is and why it's vital in the client-designer relationship.