A Birds Nest

Getting a web-page done

Very often I’ll be talking to someone about designing a web page and they’ll say they know someone who needs one doing and can I help? I usually say no. Not because I wouldn’t like to – I love that stuff, I can be a right dork – but because I simply don’t have the time. This is often the way. Web design is a growing industry and to be honest 99% of the time I have enough to do without taking on extra-curricular work!

What I can do, however, since I feel like writing today, is to blog about how you can hire a graphic designer and how to get the best out of them. It goes something like this:

you are paying for this, so don’t accept second best! If you do accept second best then chances are you’ll regret it at a later date

1. Hunt one down. This could be on Gumtree or another kind of forum where graphic designers regularly peruse. Look for someone who knows about what you need done. There’s no point hiring someone to work on the job, after all, and you are not a charity case.

2. Tell them what you need and be specific: if you need a site for a wedding suit business, for example, be sure to include everything that is essential. Remember that they may know a lot about web-pages but they will probably know nothing about the business you are in. For this reason, you need to instruct them. Also, never assume anything because as far as a designer knows, they are starting from a totally blank canvas.

3. Feel free to snail-mail drawings to them, or email designs you have done. No good designer will be offended. In fact they will be impressed, as 90% of people just leave it up to them and then complain afterwards.

4. Don’t be annoyed if it takes a few weeks. These kinds of things don’t happen overnight and so require your patience. Also, it may take a few tries to get right.

5. This point should, really, have been made earlier, but never-mind: always agree on a price from the outset, rather than an open budget. Unless the window of opening is specified. Otherwise you could be in for an expensive shock come the day of delivery.

6. Speak your mind: you are paying for this, so don’t accept second best! If you do accept second best then chances are you’ll regret it at a later date. This is a terrible idea and it’ll effectively make you feel like you wasted all that money the first time around…never a good thing!

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Freelancing is great and here is how to do it

Freelancing is magnificent. And I don’t use that word for everything, I can tell you. I do not bandy it around! So what’s good about being a freelancer? Well, everything, in short. But for a lengthier description of the pros and cons, please read on.

1) The good stuff: you get to be your own boss, and you can be a nice boss at that. You wake up when you say you wake up, and you crawl into bed whenever you wish to…

Freelancing is magnificent. And I don’t use that word for everything, I can tell you. I do not bandy it around! So what’s good about being a freelancer? Well, everything, in short. But for a lengthier description of the pros and cons, please read on.

1) The good stuff: you get to be your own boss, and you can be a nice boss at that. You wake up when you say you wake up, and you crawl into bed whenever you wish to. In between that you get to decide when work needs to be done, how much work you wish to do, and how long to spend having a social life and combining that with work. In short, everything is up to you. Now, that means you get to set your own holidays as well, and take that much deserved day off when you want to. You don’t have to ask anyone!

2) The bad stuff: because it’s all up to you…you’re going to find that sometimes things get on top of you. And I mean very much on top of you. I mean the kind where you’re stressed, running around not knowing what to do, and nobody can help you out. It can be a nightmare at times…

3) Another big issue with freelancing – it doesn’t matter if you’re writing for laser hair removal bournemouth or graphic designing for the local newsletter – is that sometimes there is no work. I mean none. A week might go by when you have no emails coming in, and everyone you phone about work says they don’t want to use you. How do you get through the dark days? You just…have to is all. I wish there was an easier way to say it than that, but there really truly isn’t!

4) The in-between times: there are times, more often than not, when your days will be a mixture of both good and bad. You’ll have a great morning and a slow afternoon. It’s at times like this when you’ll really start to wonder what the hell is going on…and whether or not you’re truly cut out for this kind of a life. The answer? Only you really know the answer. But one thing is for sure…everyone has these times. There isn’t a freelancer on the planet who wakes up to an easy day, five days a week. Even when you’re busy it can be very tough indeed, because then you’re too busy to check your emails!

But I still think: I love freelancing. I wouldn’t change my life for the world.

How do you get through the dark days? You just…have to is all.

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