Freelance Folder turned one about 2-3 weeks ago and, for those of you who didn’t know, we had a contest to celebrate this! I’m very happy so many people entered the contest and took the time to share their own freelancing tips! :)

Before we announce the winners I thought it would be a good idea to have everything in one place and also give a link to everyone that entered the contest! So here we go: [Click here to read more →]

19 Rockin' Comments » // Del.Icio.Us - Digg it! - StumbleUpon - Float - Mixx it up! - Reddit

Businesses are created every minute of every day, and to one degree or another, they all need graphic design work done.

Business cards, invoices, letterhead, envelopes, a website; the list goes on and on. But as a graphic designer are there things we can do to minimize the stress our clients are feeling when they go live with their new enterprise? I think there are.

First of all, what are the bare necessities for a new business?

• Business Cards
• Stationery/Invoices
• Website

For most of us, we went through the same dilemmas when we set up our own business. No matter what the business is that the client brings you, they will need the bare necessities. The difference is in the prices you will pay for these products and services. [Click here to read more →]

9 Rockin' Comments » // Del.Icio.Us - Digg it! - StumbleUpon - Float - Mixx it up! - Reddit

Continual learning is a vital trait for a freelancer. We live in a world where new technologies and new methodologies are constantly being introduced.

The freelancer who refuses to learn, who refuses to adapt and update his or her business, is the freelancer who goes out of business.

I consider myself to be a lifelong learner. My habit of lifelong learning has taken me down some interesting and unusual paths that I never could have foreseen. It has also saved my writing business on more than one occasion. (I wouldn’t even be blogging here if I hadn’t decided a few years ago to learn everything that I could about blogging.)

Here are five crucial concepts that you should remember as you make learning a lifelong process: [Click here to read more →]

15 Rockin' Comments » // Del.Icio.Us - Digg it! - StumbleUpon - Float - Mixx it up! - Reddit

As a freelancer, many of us have the DIY (do-it-yourself) attitude. DIY means more work, more potential portfolio pieces, and most importantly… more money. But sometimes, the DIY approach, and taking on too much, can kill creativity and make clients second-guess their outsourcing needs.

It’s only natural for the everyday client to assume his/her freelancer’s ability. Take the following questions as prime example:

Example #1

“Since you’re designing my Website… Can you just write all the copy too?”

Example #2

“We love the photography! Can you put together a quick Web gallery so I can show all my friends and family?”

Example #3

“The last print ad you did for us was stunning. We loved your creative writing. Now we’re in need of a 40-page technical user’s guide to go along with a new product we’re launching.”

Any of this starting to sound familiar? When faced with everyday questions like these, it’s important to know your freelancing boundaries. Several questions need to be asked before a quick “yes” jumps from your mouth: [Click here to read more →]

10 Rockin' Comments » // Del.Icio.Us - Digg it! - StumbleUpon - Float - Mixx it up! - Reddit

As you all know Freelance Folder turned one at the end of July, and we’re celebrating this with a contest!

We have well over $1,000 in prizes and a lot of people entered the contest already, but time is running out now! Today is the last day you can enter the contest!

Here’s a quick reminder of the prices we have for you:

• An EeePC 900 from the folks at Small Fuel Marketing
• A $50 Amazon.com gift certificate from Meryl K. Evans
• 2 licenses of Fruitfultime Task Manager 2 (worth $29 each)
• 1,000 matte business cards! (worth around $50) from UPrinting.
• 1 year of the Freshbooks Shuttle Bus package (worth $168)
• A Premium WordPress theme: Ice Cream Dream - from WordPrezzie (worth $89)
• $80 to spend at Behance Outfitter. That’s my own contribution! :)

[Click here to read more →]

4 Rockin' Comments » // Del.Icio.Us - Digg it! - StumbleUpon - Float - Mixx it up! - Reddit

I’m a relatively new freelancer. The mortgage industry imploded, changing the way that I had to earn my income.

That gave me release from a job that only sort of fit anyway. I love the industry, but in December of 2007, I scaled back my origination efforts, and now I’m working on a bunch of new and exciting projects - some of them are for others (clients), and some of them are products that I’m selling and developing myself.

I’ve always wanted to be a freelancer, attracted to the romance of being a writer.

1. Get Control and Understanding of Your Budget.

This is the first thing that you gotta do! You have to know what your expenses are and what they’re going to be in the future. You need to leave room for paying taxes, and you have to set goals on how much you will earn on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. [Click here to read more →]

19 Rockin' Comments » // Del.Icio.Us - Digg it! - StumbleUpon - Float - Mixx it up! - Reddit