Role: XHTML, CSS, PHP, WordPress, Photoshop, Illustrator, JavaScript

Graphic design is all around us, it make our lives easier by presenting information in a visual and aesthetically pleasing way. However, it is easy to stray from good graphic design principles and to end up with a design that is garish or over elaborate.

The process of designing a Graphic begins with communication. The first step in Custom Graphic Design and Custom logo design is to understand the desired outcome. Whether you need a business card, company logo design, corporate Identity design, corporate brochure design, business stationary design or magazine design. Each should achieve the goal of marketing, corporate branding or selling your product.

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There are so many factors involved in this issue, that no one answer will be able to cover all the bases. Some of the following are factors to be taken into account when deciding how much to charge a client.

Many designers charge different rates depending on the type of work they are carrying out. Even if this work is part of the same job for the same client. For example, conceptual work often gets charged at a higher rate than production work – although this is not always the case.

Creative versus rent-paying?

Designs that push the creative boundaries are rarely the ones that pay the best. Designers may well find that a boring financial report for a corporate client will pay a lot better than an award winning interactive Flash presentation.

Web and interactive design

Multimedia, Flash and other interactive design work is generally more expensive than static HTML page design. Although the conceptual stages of the design project may well take up a large part of the costs, as might the project management part.

The client

A lot also depends on the client. The value of a design project is not just dependent on the amount of work that a designer has to put into it. It is also dependent on the value that the design will bring to the client. And this is often dependent on the client’s spending power. Some designers will taper their fees with this in mind and a major corporation will expect to pay much more than a small business.

Loss-leaders, pro bono, free pitching

This is an area with much disagreement. Many designers will refuse to take part in free pitching for work, whilst others see it as part of the process. Loss-leaders are also a contentious area. Some designers argue that it is necessary to pitch in with low fees for an initial job, as that is the best way to draw in a new client.

Others will argue that a client that expects a cheap job once, will continue to do so and will never give the graphic design profession the respect it deserves.

Location

As can be seen from the designers salary survey, graphic design charges can vary drastically depending on the location of the designer. This can be an advantage for creatives who work remotely and maintain clients in bigger cities.

Print and other extras

Many graphic designers will add on costs for external services that they manage on behalf of their clients. For example a print designer may add 10%-20% to the printing costs of a job. Generally it is a good idea to be up-front about this with the client – or at least put it into the small print for a quote.

It is also important to estimate for and pass on the costs of other expenses, such as photography, picture research, travel and so on. Designers will bill these costs in many different ways, but they all have to be paid for somehow.

Formulas, hourly rates or flat fees?

There are numerous guides and business plans that aim to provide freelancers with methods for calculating how much to charge clients. Some are more useful and realistic than others.

But, at the end of the day, it often comes down to experience. Even the most carefully planned and costed job can quickly go over budget. At the same time, a job that was expected to last a week can sometimes be completed in a few hours. These are all factors that need to be considered when deciding which method of costing a design job a freelancer will adopt.

 http://www.designtalkboard.com

The following advice has been excerpted from the May/June 2010 issue of Layers Magazine, and was written by brand identity designer Andrew Sabatier.

How to convince your clients they need a brand and not just a logo

Explain that you should be employed to find a brand idea that will form the basis of all the company’s branding (and perhaps even future business decisions) of which a logo should only be one expression, an idea that is likely to form the basis of a the brand’s overall approach. Such an idea may already be a defining characteristic of the business waiting to be celebrated in the branding.

Point out other brands your client admires that can be identified by branding elements that are not the logo. Some well-branded businesses can be identified by their color, typeface, photographic, illustration, or even copywriting style alone, or (more commonly) a carefully selected combination of these elements. Try to point out the underlying idea that determines all these other brand elements.

Your client’s success is your success. Sell a process to your client; a process you’ll guide them through and that will enable you to decide on a brand identity solution together. This will help you to establish a long-term relationship with your client. If you deliver good ideas they will be more likely to consult you again to develop the brand ideas even further.

Avoid references to the word “logo,” rather talk about the marks of a brand of which there should be a primary “brand mark” (two words). Replace “logo” with “brandmark” (one word). This will help you and your client to think about the overall experience of the brand and not just the logo in isolation. Logos are only meaningful in context and they should be seen to add value to that context. It is unlikely that a logo alone will be able to add sufficient value to a business. Logos are best employed in a system of brand marks that determine a unique brand experience.

Avoid logo beauty parades. Don’t only show different logos; logos are usually abstract expressions of an idea. Show how the logo idea relates to other brand expressions of the same idea. Show how an idea works in other situations, not just on stationary. The better the idea, the more unique, adaptable, and valuable it will be, and the higher the fees you can justifiably charge. Dedicated logo designers are a dime a dozen whereas brand identity designers offer far more value and often dramatically improve business for their clients.

What do you think?

I’m sure Andrew would love to know what you think of his advice. I would, too.

Coca-Cola photo by Antonino Tumminia

The survey results are available to the public, along with an interactive salary calculator tool, and can be accessed online at www.designsalaries.org.

“The AIGA|Aquent Survey of Design Salaries 2010 includes a summary of job types by region to give users an idea of the salaries at various job levels. In addition, this year’s survey provides insights and advice from prominent design professionals on remaining competitive and successful in today’s economy.”

Split into a wide range of design roles — from entry-level designer to partner/principal — the survey results are solely from the United States, but it’s an interesting read regardless of your location.

As well as the salaries, this year’s survey provides insights and advice from respected design professionals on remaining competitive in today’s economy. Here’s one of Debbie Millman‘s five tips to living a remarkable life:

“Consider what you would do if you knew you would never fail, and pursue that as if your life depended on it — because it does! Only you can create a remarkable life for yourself. Only you.”
— DEBBIE MILLMAN

Performed changes to HTML/XHTML/CSS templates. Worked with backend FTP to manage content and media. Image alteration with Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator for image gallery photos.

Performed changes to HTML/XHTML/CSS/FLASH templates. Worked with backend FTP to manage content and media. Image alteration with Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator for image gallery photos. I also install very complex contact forms along with a Live chat system.

Designed website with Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Converted PSD’s to HTML/XHTML/CSS templates. Built home page image viewer with JavaScript. Used PHP to perform extensive page referencing. Added PHPmailer script for contact form.

Performed changes to HTML/XHTML/CSS/ PHP templates. Worked with backend CMS to manage content and media. Image alterations done with Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.