I have fellow designers email me all the time with questions and concerns about how to run their design business. Whether they are graphic designers or web designers (or both) most problems seem to be pretty similar. They can’t find […]
Over the past few months I’ve been working on getting starting a freelance design business. It’s definitely been a learning experience (in a good way, mostly), and I thought I’d share some tips that I’ve come across. Determining Business Structure […]
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Packaging consumer products is one of the most important aspects of marketing. Eye-catching design packaging should make both a physical and psychological connection. The packaging identifies the product and reassures consumers that their purchase is the right one. However, this […]
Every designer wants more clients. More clients usually equates to more income, so it is important to do your best and secure a project from each prospect who engages in your services. Yet securing these projects, and turning prospects into […]
It’s not very often that Millo runs any sort of giveaway or product promotion. But for Cyber Monday and the holiday season, we wanted to take a minute to offer something really special to all our readers. Today, we’re giving […]
You go to a networking meeting, or the grocery store, or someone’s birthday party… Somehow you get talking about what you do and before you know it there’s a spark and they become a potential client. You exchange business cards […]
Minimalism is one of the fastest growing movements these days and seeks to help people live more conscious lifestyles. By incorporating the principles of minimalism into your office, you can greatly increase your productivity, create more space for yourself, and […]
When starting a new design project, it is often difficult to decide where to start from. Ideas can flow from the brain like a waterfall and so it’s hard to remember them for later use. In my experience, I’ve found […]
I make an effort to frequently visit the web sites, portfolios, or blogs of people who take time to leave comments here at Millo, follow me on twitter, or ‘like’ Millo on our facebook page. Needless to say, I spend […]
In recognition of being in business for 10 years, I thought I’d share ten questions that I get asked most often as a professional website developer. Some of them I’m sure other like-minded professionals have also had to answer. These […]
All print designers are familiar with deadlines and the havoc they can often wreak on your life! It is incredibly frustrating to spend hours and hours designing your work in Photoshop, only to send it to the printers and get […]
A few days ago, Millo published an article titled “5 Questions to Common Freelance Design Questions“. This podcast (the first of Millo’s audio podcasts) will elaborate on 5 more common freelance design questions. Have a listen and leave your comments […]
Not too long ago on twitter (follow me here and Millo here) I asked you what sort of freelance design questions bother you the most. You answered back with an array of questions and I have tried to sum them […]
Recently, in a post titled “Defining success as a designer”, I discussed the importance of setting goals and measuring your success based on how well you achieve your goals. Then, Millo published an excellent guest article by Karol K. titled […]
“You don’t know what you don’t know” – a sentence true in every situation. That’s why the majority of websites are messed up before someone even starts designing them. The main issue is that the client doesn’t know how to […]
Hey fellow designers, are you successful? For some designers, answering this question doesn’t take a second thought. But for others, it’s difficult to define whether or not you consider yourself to be a successful designer. And much of what determines […]
On the Millo facebook page, I recently asked what sorts of articles you would like to read during the next few months here at the blog. While I plan to write articles for nearly all the responses, one particular response […]
Recently I was in on a roundtable discussion with a bunch of freelancers and we were talking about some of the similar problems we all face. One topic that kept coming up was that many freelancers have a hard time […]
Unless you went to business school or graduated with a degree in business, chances are you weren’t taught how to write text that will bring in clients. This is typical with technical and creative arts, and is one of the […]
It goes without saying, one of the quickest ways to develop a web site these days is through the use of WordPress. If you have ever worked with WordPress then you already know how rapidly you can develop your site […]
When I first started working for myself, one of the hardest things for me to do was finish a design project in the amount of time that I had anticipated. Projects that I hoped to finish in a week, took […]
As I was reviewing a few articles here at Millo, I noticed that a trend among many readers that leave comments here at the blog is to give discounts to potential clients. In other words, when trying to rope in […]
A few days ago on Millo, we discussed elements of an awesome facebook page for your design business. Today I would like to explore the phenomenon of custom facebook page design a little further. Being the awesome designers that you […]
Anyone who owns a business, from freelancers to top CEOs, knows that they need to be on facebook. You know you need to establish a successful presence on facebook for your design business. What a lot of people don’t understand […]
The Millo Mail Bag is a new feature I’m adding to the site here at GraphicDesignBlender.com. Each week I seem to get more and more emails from readers with questions about their design business. I love interacting with others and […]
Opportunities quickly become nightmares when a freelance worker takes on a bad client. Whether you work as a designer, developer, writer, or other professional, the joys of freelancing can turn to angst when a client becomes bent on paying you […]
The design industry is an interesting thing: sometimes you have more work than you can stand, and other times you are scraping by, hoping that you’ll find your next batch of clients soon. While some designers or design firms are […]
Being a freelance designer is a blast! You get to spend time working on your business and working in your business. You get to be the designer, the customer service representative, the accountant, the creative director, and more. One of […]
Every once and a while I like to have a good long conversation with a few loyal readers of Millo to see what makes them tick, what problems they face, and how Millo can better serve them. Recently, in a […]
Meeting with a client for the first time is invigorating. Both you and they are excited about moving forward with a new project that will help reach business goals. You set milestones together and work toward accomplishing the goals you […]
“All of my design clients were not cold-call clients. They weren’t a result of any serious marketing or advertising campaign. They came to me.” The last week or so, we have been discussing the importance of having a stunning portfolio […]
Lately, here at Millo, we have been learning a lot about one-page portfolios. We started off this miniseries with a great list of essential elements of a successful one-page portfolio, then we explored 8 excellent jQuery tutorials to help you […]
Recently on Millo, we discussed some simple but necessary elements of a successful one-page portfolio design. To add to those insights, I thought today would be a good day to include a collection of some simple yet useful jquery tutorials, […]
There are countless approaches you can take when creating your own design portfolio. Every designer is unique and should, therefore, have a unique portfolio. PS: Do you know what potential clients really think of your portfolio? If not, click here. […]
Drafting up a design project proposal can be extremely scary. For freelance designers, every time you submit a proposal, it’s like applying for a job. Proposals determine whether clients choose to hire you, and clients are the life-blood of your […]
Freelancing can be a tough business, regardless of in which field you are attempting to freelance. Like a regular business, there are a few dos and don’ts to keep in mind; some of these tips can make your business venture […]
Every once and a while here at Millo, we like to turn the editorial tables and let you share your ideas with us. After all, we know that some of the brightest designers/entrepreneurs take advice from us on a weekly […]
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