Work for Money, Design for Love

Chapter One: Design as a Career <br>What makes a good designer? <br>On selling (the importance of sales) <br>Ongoing education <br>What design schools lack <br>Self-teaching (never-ending) <br>Finding your niche (we don't need another generalist) <br>Working as an independent designer <br>Sub-contractor <br>Freelancer <br>Working as an employee (team dynamics, limitations) <br>Working as an employer (less design, more managing) <br> <br> Chapter Two: Starting-out <br>Experience required (more helps, but its possible with little) <br>Planning (creating a modern business plan) <br>Home office vs rented workspace <br>Choosing your brand name <br>Designing your brand identity <br>Launching your online presence <br>Marketing tips and finding new clients <br>Ethics in design <br> <br> Chapter Three: Pricing <br>When to say no (be selective) <br>Talk about money early <br>The importance of clarifying expectations <br>Knowing what to charge <br>Handling payment <br>Avoiding project creep <br>How and when to raise your rates (and why it benefits your clients) <br>On discounting (not for new clients, but for old clients) <br>Alternatives <br>Pro bono <br>Collaboration and outsourcing <br> <br> Chapter Four: Communicating with your Clients <br>You're the designer (the client isn't) <br>Discover the problem (don't assume there is one) <br>Highlight the importance of strategy <br>Beware requests for spec <br>Avoid the big reveal by involving the client throughout <br>Design by committee is unavoidable <br>The importance of showing your design in context <br>Common presentation mistakes <br> <br> Chapter Five: Legalities <br>Terms and conditions <br>Why working without a contract costs thousands (Clemente case study) <br>What to include in your contract <br>Intellectual property <br> <br> Chapter Six: Before I Go <br>Be proud of your skills <br>Useful business tips <br>Useful books