1. THE BUSINESS OF WEB DESIGN

2. SETTING RATES

3. WHAT IS YOUR INCOME GOAL?
Be realistic.
What is your cost of living?
What is your workload?.

4. RATE FORMULAS
Annual Income Goal
+ Annual Business Expenses
= Annual Revenue Needed
Annual Revenue Needed (from above)
/ Expected annual billable hours=
= Hourly rate needed to reach goal

5. RATE FORMULAS (EXAMPLE)
$15,000 Annual income goal
+ $10,000 Annual business expenses
= $25,000 Annual revenue needed
$25,000 Annual revenue needed (from above)
/ 520 hours Expected annual billable hours
= $48.08 Hourly rate needed to reach goal

6. TIME TRACKING
It’s important that you keep track of your time.
Helps keep projects on schedule and avoids scope creep.
Helps to set your rates.
Many online resources that include invoicing, project
management.
Look in your iPhone or Android app store as well.

7. TIME TRACKING RESOURCES
http://www.getharvest.com/
http://www.freshbooks.com/
http://www.functionfox.com/
https://www.toggl.com/

8. PROPOSALS

9. BUSINESS PROPOSALS
A business proposal is a written offer from a seller to a
prospective buyer. Business proposals are often a key step
in the complex sales process—i.e., whenever a buyer
considers more than price in a purchase. Wikipedia

10. BUSINESS PROPOSALS
Document that details what you propose to do for a client.
Outlines your approach and strategy.
Provides details about your background and experience.
Try to have a template, but customize for each client.
Include details and references to conversations you’ve had.

11. TYPES OF PROPOSALS

12. ONE PAGE PROPOSALS
Basically a confirmation letter or cost estimate.
Good for small projects, projects.
Can send via email.

13. SMALL PROPOSALS
1-3 pages
Good for new prospect that is already sold.
Good if you have gone over process in person.
Outlines bare bones of a project but with some detail.
Sample
Presentation

14. MEDIUM PROPOSALS
4-10 pages
For a medium to large project for a prospect you don’t know
or for client who will be selling up the chain to others.
Client generally has higher expectations.
Usually requires more copy. (Consider hiring copywriter.)
Include title page and cover letter.

15. LARGE PROPOSALS
10+ pages
An important marketing too.
General rule: higher your fee, the more pages your proposal
should have.
Shows you understand the project well and you know what
you are talking about.
Will include relevant examples that position you as an expert.

16. WHAT TO INCLUDE
Description – what they need and what you are proposing to
do for them.
Deliverables – what they get, how many, etc…
Costs
Timeline – realistic production schedule
Approval – client signs off

17. FOR LARGER PROPOSALS
Information about you or your company, including other
contributors
Try to include work samples: most relevant ones.
- Client References
- Client Responsibility

18. PROPOSAL VS CONTRACT
Often proposals double as contracts by adding terms and
conditions.
Otherwise, conclude with a line like this:
“Upon acceptance of our proposal, [company name] will
submit project agreement, terms and conditions.”

19. PRESENTING YOUR PROPOSAL
Try to present in person or over the phone.
Allows client to ask questions in real time.
Listen to prospect’s response.
Highlight why you are better than the competition.

20. COMMON OBJECTIONS
“We can’t afford this.”
Get specifics.
Try breaking the project into manageable phases.
Rewrite to highlight services as “a la carte.”
Revise to lower prices, but less services.

21. COMMON OBJECTIONS
“We don’t have the budget.”
Different that “We can’t afford it.”
Get specifics; No budget for this kind of work? For this year?
“We are staying with our current vendor.”
Reinforce why working with you will make their lives easier.
Stay in their radar.

22. CLOSING THE DEAL
Ask if there are any final questions.
Outline in conversation and in writing the next step.
Give a deadline – create a sense of urgency.
“Prices are good for 30 days.”
“We have one slot left in our schedule. I can hold that for you
if you decide by Friday.”

23. IF YOU DON’T GET THE PROJECT
Remember: It’s part of doing business.
Not the only opportunity out there.
Lay ground work for future business.
Follow up graciously.
Thank for the opportunity.
Offer to stay in touch.
Ask for feedback on the proposal.
Ask about future projects.
Follow up and stay in touch.

24. CONTRACTS &
STATEMENTS OF WORK

25. CONTRACTS
Have a letter of agreement or contract for EVERY project.
Protects both the artist and the client.
Can be simple – informal letter of agreement, purchase order
or invoice.
Or comprehensive requiring signatures of all parties.

26. CONTRACTS SHOULD INCLUDE:
Logo
Company Name
Address, Phone, Fax, E-mail
Date
Name of Client/Company
Address
Phone/FAX
Name, email, phone number of Contact Person

27. CONTRACTS SHOULD INCLUDE:
Copyright Usage
Rights transferred
Duration of usage
Limitations on media in which used (if not covered under
“rights,” (e.g., print rights only, no electronic usage)
Limitations on number of insertions (if appropriate)
Limitations on geographical use (ie. North American, English
speaking editions, etc)
Owner of Original Art

28. CONTRACTS SHOULD INCLUDE:
A STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)
Project Title (if any; client's purchase order number, if
available.)
Engagement Effective Date
Date of SOW
Fees
Services
Deliverables
Credit (Permission to give credit to your company)

29. SAMPLE TERMS
Care of GAG

30. TIME TRACKING
It’s important that you keep track of your time.
Helps keep projects on schedule and avoids scope creep.
Helps to set your rates.
Many online resources that include invoicing, project
management.
Look in your iPhone or Android app store as well.

31. TIME TRACKING RESOURCES
http://www.getharvest.com/
http://www.freshbooks.com/
http://www.functionfox.com/
https://www.toggl.com/

32. CREATIVE BRIEFS

33. WHAT IS A CREATIVE BRIEF?
A creative brief is a document used by creative professionals
and agencies to develop creative deliverables: visual design,
copy, advertising, web sites, etc. The document is usually
developed by the requestor (in most cases a marketing team
member) and approved by the creative team of designers,
writers, and project managers. In some cases, the project's
creative brief may need creative director approval before
work will commence. Wikipedia

34. CREATIVE BRIEFS
The more detailed, the more successful the project will be.
Less detail tells you the client doesn’t know what they want.
Make sure the client does not use ambiguous language.
Get sign off.
One size does not fit all.
Questions are determined by the project: Web? Print? TV?
Facebook page?

35. EXAMPLE OF A CREATIVE BRIEF
Studio K&M

36. PROJECT MANAGEMENT

37. PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Project management is the discipline of planning, organizing,
securing, managing, leading, and controlling resources to
achieve specific goals. Wikipedia

38. PROJECT MANAGEMENT ELEMENTS
Resources
People, material
Time
Task durations, dependencies, critical path
Money
Costs, contingencies, profit
Scope
Project size, goals, requirements

39. SCOPE
What the project in supposed to accomplish within budget
and timeline.
Change in scope must have matching change in budget and
time.

40. SCOPE CREEP
Small tasks that add up.
Become significant when aggregated.

41. PROJECT MANAGEMENT BASICS
1. Definition
2. Planning
3. Execution
4. Control
5. Closure

42. #1 DEFINITION
What the project is and what users hope to achieve.
List of deliverables.
Outcome.

43. #2 PLANNING
Breakdown all the activities.
List of tasks and how they relate.
How long each task will take.
How each task is tied to a deadline.
Relationship between tasks.

44. #2 PLANNING
Breakdown all the activities.
List of tasks and how they relate.
How long each task will take.
How each task is tied to a deadline.
Relationship between tasks.

45. #2 PLANNING
Consider constraints
Schedule
Resources
Budget
Scope

46. #3 EXECUTION
Build project team.
Assign resources (budget) and people.

47. #4 CONTROL
Record actual time for each task.
Provides updates to team and client.

48. #5 CLOSURE
Analyze final outcome with team.
Lessons learned.

49. ONLINE TOOLS
Online tools are a great way to handle project management
because they can be accessed from any computer (and from
most mobile devices).

50. STREAK streak.com
Use for sales, customer relations, hiring, bug tracking or
own campaigns

51. ASANA asana.com
Use for sales, customer relations, hiring, bug tracking
User friendly
Free up to 30 users

52. TRELLO trello.com
Free
Based on same productivity as Asana and Streak

53. HIGHRISE HQ highrisehq.com
37Signals Group
Manage your contacts
Organize notes and emails
Keep track of proposals and deals
Helps with follow ups (texts or email)

54. OTHER TOOLS highrisehq.com
Google Docs
Powerpoint
Numbers

55. OPERATIONS

56. OPERATIONS
CRITICAL to have systems and procedures in place.

57. OPERATIONS
1. Opening a New Job
2. Maintaining Active Jobs
3. Following Job Procedures
4. Naming Files
5. Maintaining Timesheets
6. Meeting Deadlines
7. Getting All Necessary Approvals
8. Following Job Release Procedure
9. Billing
10. Maintaining Quality Control Standards
11. Keeping Customers Happy

58. #1 OPENING A NEW JOB
Create a folder
Create spreadsheet
Date, tasks, deadline
Enter client contact information
HighriseHQ
Contact spreadsheet
Address book
Let client know How You Work

59. #2 MAINTAINING ACTIVE JOBS
Record all actions taken and interactions with client related
to deliverable:
• Tasks to be taken / assigned.
• Actions completed.
• Received files or comments from client.
• Sent files or comments to client.
• Conversation that changes the job specifications, deadlines,
costs, etc.
• Rounds of Design and Revisions sent.

60. #2 MAINTAINING ACTIVE JOBS
Try to use the following format:
1.Today’s date.
2. Use a verb to indicate the action.
Be as specific as possible: (ie. write ”e-mailed” not ”sent.”)
3. Indicate what round was sent or files received.
4. Indicate person sent to.
5. Indicate next action.

61. #3 FOLLOW JOB PROCEDURES
Assign tasks
Keep files properly named (See naming guidelines)
Create separate folders
Administrative
Art
Keep folders organized

62. #4 NAMING FILES
Proper naming ensures files can be found quickly and avoids
sending client wrong files.
All files should be labeled consistently:
Today’s date-creator of file’s initials – name of file –
version # - correct extension
071812-cm-operations.01.docx
Removes the need for “final.133. psd

63. #5 MAINTAIN TIMESHEETS DAILY
Timesheets are necessary for managing jobs and project
profitability,documenting work performed for clients, estimating
future jobs, and evaluating clients for future projects and
analyzing the classification of work performed quarterly.
1. Timesheet elements include project name, date, billing code,
and time spent on each project in 15 minute increments.
2. Timesheets should be filled out daily.

64. #6 MEETING DEADLINES
Due to:
Lax work procedures
Lax project management
Belief that it is the client’s responsibility or reliance on client
Poor follow-through with client

65. #6 MEETING DEADLINES
To meet deadlines:
Know and record deadlines
Assign and oversee tasks and deliverables
Follow-through with client and vendors
Document work

66. #7 GETTING APPROVALS
Do not work out of scope
Inform clients of what round of design you are showing
Get approvals in writing – email – at each stage
Sample

67. #8 BILLING
Get non-refundable deposit
Organize payment to fit deliverables
Pay vendors
Discuss and determine payment method with client 2 weeks
before job is to be released to allow for billing / credit approval.

68. #9 CLOSE JOBS
Remove from Active Jobs
Review and clean project folders
Back up files

69. #10 QUALITY CONTROL
Must ensure all jobs meet quality control standards
Design
Photography and Artwork
Production
Websites
E-newsletters
Templates

70. #11 KEEP CUSTOMERS HAPPY
How?
Do excellent work – creative ideas and execution
Provide good value (projects completed within budget)
Provide excellent service (provide expertise and keep clients
updated)
Meet deadlines
Understand and manage expectations

71. #11 KEEP CUSTOMERS HAPPY
How?
Maintain regular contact
Manage projects to stay in budget
Address changes in job scope
Communicate with appropriate parties
Document your work
GO THE EXTRA MILE

72. MANAGING CLIENTS

73. #1 UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WERE HIRED
If you are hired based on referral for expertise it provides a
better basis for a relationship.

74. #2 UNDERSTAND PERSONALITY TYPES
Recognize client’s personality and learning type:
•Auditory (prefers to hear information) phone and personal
contact, can negotiate verbally
•Visual (prefers to see information) wants written proposals,
letters, e-mail
•Kinesthetic (prefers to feel positive about the situation)

75. #3 UNDERSTAND AGENDAS
Asserting their independence, ego, etc.

76. #4 ESTABLISHING CLEAR PARAMETERS
Recognize client’s personality and learning type:
•assumptions.client’s industry, customary trade practices and
Consider the
•Use clients’ language and terms.
•Deliverables – determine steps and deliverables.
•Outcomes/results – what if they are not met
•Process – steps/time/roles
•Communication – use clients preferred mode
•Cost and Terms • Timing
•Roles and Responsibilities • Availability
•Legal Aspects – contracts and agreements

77. #5 GAINING TRUST
Performance + Personality + Process = Trust

78. #6 DOCUMENTING YOUR PERFORMANCE
Process
Timelines / Flowcharts
Deliverables
Schedule
Budget
Feedback
Methods: Conference calls, reports, and timesheets

79. #7 TAKING FEEDBACK
Measure performance, process and communication:
•Informal (in person) During the process, so that you can adjust
performance or expectations
•Formal (evaluation/survey) After the process, for comparison

80. #8 MEASURING AND EVALUATING BENEFITS
•What are your ratios? How could you improve?
•How can you set expectations for the next client?

81. #9 RESOLVING CONFLICTS
•Involve all parties
•Question / Restate assumptions (consider client’s industry
practices)
•Define terminology
•Listen carefully and be open to other points of view
•Consider the interests of the other parties
•Offer solutions that meet those interests

82. VALUES

83. VALUES
Values are an important component in having your own
business.
Act as motivators leading to personal fulfillment and
achievement.
Benefits your customers.
Empowers your brand over the competition.
Benefits your staff.

84. INTEGRITY - ACCOUNTABILITY
Honor your word as yourself. We need to depend on one
another and trust completely.

85. COLLABORATION
Leverage collective genius. We're all in this together, lets be
the best team possible.

86. PASSION
Love the clients, work, and team.

87. SYSTEMS - CONSISTENCY
Find a system solution to every problem. Don't blame the
person; fix the system.

88. STRONG COMMUNICATION
Make all words constructive.
Keep work an open dialogue.
Manage client and team expectations through clear
communication.
COMMUNICATION

89. WIN-WIN
Strive for solutions with clients without compromising
effectiveness.

90. BALANCE
Make Studio K&M a vital component of life, not the end
all be all.

91. REMARKABLE
Stand out and be visible.

92. WEB CAREERS

93. PROJECT MANAGER
Overview: Accomplishes project objectives by planning and
evaluating project activities.
Responsibilities: Developing Budgets, Coaching, Supervision,
Staffing, Project Management, Management Proficiency,
Process Improvement, Tracking Budget Expenses, Self-
Development, Planning, Performance Management
Average Salary: $88,000
Related degrees: Arts Management, Business, Accounting

94. WEB DESIGNER
Overview: Develops Web sites by planning and executing
design; maintains and upgrades service.
Responsibilities: Web Graphic Design, Web Savvy, Planning,
Web User Interface Design, Web Programming Skills,
Teamwork, Illustration Tools, Multimedia Content
Development, Understanding Browser Capabilities, Internet
Presence, Verbal Communication
Average Salary: $97,000
Related degrees: Web design, Graphic Design, New Media

95. FRONT END DEVELOPER
Overview: Serve as the bridge between designers and back
end developers.
Responsibilities: HTML and CSS coding, Troubleshooting,
CMS systems, Quality Control, Debugging, Maintenance
Average Salary: $85,000
Related degrees: Web design, Graphic Design, New Media,
Computer Science

96. BACK END DEVELOPER
Overview: Create web based applications and systems based
on design direction.
Responsibilities: Advanced coding, Database management,
Troubleshooting, CMS systems, Testing and Debugging
Average Salary: $110,000
Related degrees: Computer Programming, Web design, New
Media, Computer Science

97. SERVER ADMINISTRATOR
Overview: Maintain the computer networking system in an
office environment.
Responsibilities: Tracking Server Activity, Upgrading
Software, Maintaining Hardware, Database Management,
Troubleshooting, Testing and Debugging, CMS systems
Average Salary: $75,000
Related degrees: Computer Programming, Computer
Science, Information Technology

98. INFORMATION ARCHITECT
Overview: Organize the content of a website based on
usability standards and analysis.
Responsibilities: Audience Research, Content Inventory,
Navigation Structures and Labels, Site Maps, Usability Testing
Average Salary: $90,000
Related degrees: Information Architecture, Library Science,
Web Design, Human-Computer Interaction

99. USABILITY DESIGNER
Overview: Design websites or applications based on usability
standards and user testing.
Responsibilities: Audience Research, Analyzing User
Interactions, Usability Testing, Wireframing, Prototyping
Average Salary: $90,000
Related degrees: Human-Computer Interaction,
Information Architecture, Web Design, Computer Science

100. INTERNET MARKETER
Overview: Develops a company's advertising on web and
mobile platforms.
Responsibilities: Research, Develop and Execute Marketing
Campaigns, Write Copy, Graphic Design, Social Media, SEO
Average Salary: $56,000
Related degrees: Marketing, Public Relations, Web Design,
Graphic Design, Communications, New Media

101. SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST
Overview: Communicates with a brand’s audience and users
through the use of online social media tools
Responsibilities: Research, Develop Social Media Campaigns,
Post Content, Customer Service, Google Analytics, CMS Systems
Average Salary: $100,000
Related degrees: Marketing, Public Relations, Creative
Writing, Journalism, Communications, New Media

102. INTERNSHIP
Overview: Learn the responsibilities of a web career in a
hands on setting and gain experience.
Responsibilities: Research, Brainstorming, Design,
Development, Administrative Tasks, CMS Systems, Social Media
Average Salary: Unpaid, low wage, or lunch.

103. NETWORKING

104. NETWORKING
Before you can start networking you need:
•Business Cards
•Elevator Pitch

105. HOW TO NETWORK
TH E WI SDOM O F DA LE C A R N E G I E I N F I V E B U L L E T P O I NT S
•Smile
•Ask a question – builds credibility
•Listen – people love to talk about themselves. Engage them.
•Business cards – effective way for you to leave your name
behind
•Say the person’s name – people like to hear their own name.

106. MORE NETWORKING TIPS
Be authentic. Don’t apologize for being awkward.
Tap into your Passions
Start by attending events that relate to an interest or activity
you enjoy.
Talk about stuff that interests you.
Ask the person their name and about their work

107. MORE NETWORKING TIPS
Ask for introductions
Make introductions
Remember birthdays, children’s names
Follow up – email, coffee, lunch
Maintain your network.
Take Risks

108. NETWORKING GROUPS
LinkedIn
Breakfast Groups – BNI
Meet ups
Professional Groups
Conferences