Creative Futures - Being Well Behaved

A main part of being well behaved is to check emails often and to treat clients well.

If a potential client was to email you with a very vague opportunity, you are best to reply quickly. You should say something to the effect of:

• Thanks for thinking of me, I'm grateful
• The project sounds interesting - be positive without saying yes or no
• I need more information - how much will I be paid, what are the deadlines, what sort of style?

You should then take some time to research the client:

• Do you like what they do and say?
• Does your work fit with what they've already done?
• Do they seem like nice people?

Remember: Every job you do is an advertisement for the next job you do

Your potential client should reply and they will probably say something along the lines of:

• We don't have a huge budget (We don't want to spend loads, so tell us what you normally charge, so we might be able to pay you less)
• Ideally by the 15th (Of what month?)
• We like that think you did for X (That's basically what we want you to do)

You should be honest with yourself and the client. If there is little chance of you finishing the project on time while having enough sleep and time to yourself, tell them. 

Imagine a triangle: each corner has a different thing that clients will want from you:

• Good 
• Cheap
• Fast

If they want it to be good and fast, it wont be cheap. If they want it to be cheap and good, it wont be fast. If they want it to be fast and cheap, it wont be good. If you try to achieve all 3, it will be stressful, and if doing all 3 doesn't stress you out, you're not charging enough.

You should always charge for more than you think your work is worth - it is easier to haggle down than up. When you work for the lowest possible rate, it makes it more difficult for others to ask for a proper rate. It drives down prices for everyone and it makes it more difficult for everyone to make a living from illustration. 

If you don't want to work with the client for a good reason (for example you are busy, or can't draw due to injury) you should:

• Offer a reason for you not working with them
• Apologise
• Offer an alternative - such as putting them in contact with another illustrator

This will mean that they will be happy to work with you in the future. No bridges have been burnt.

If you don't want to work with the client for a bad reason (for example they don't seem like nice people) don't try to get into a fight with them, it just adds to your stress. Your best bet is to seem boring and unremarkable. 

By next week, I will have a proposal for how I will make my website. This will include:

• How much it will cost - annually or monthly
• Where I will get it from
• What my second choice is
• What my domain will be 
• How I will build it
• What I will put on it