3 More things I wish I knew when I was starting out my Creative Business

This is a continuation of yesterday’s essay about things I wish I knew before I started my creative business.

1. Never accept ‘exposure’ as payment — Clients will lure you into thinking that having their name on your portfolio is a ‘good thing’. When you’re starting out, you may think it is, because you’re eager to put their name on your clients list. Exposure won’t put food on the table. Get paid real money.
2. Excellent work does not speak for itself — 1 Picture = 1,000 words. How do you know what words your client will read when they see your work? You still have to sell your work to your client. Presentation is 80% of the job!
3. 1 Phone Call beats 20 emails — The introvert in me hates this advice, but hopping on the phone with your client to clarify things is better than bouncing 20 emails back and forth. With a phone call you immediately get feedback from your work and you also get something that an email will never communicate — emotion and tone.

Bonus: Act and Dress Professionally — Look presentable in your first meeting. This means going to meetings on time, wear that good shirt take out the piercings (if possible) and polish up those shoes. Dressing up professionally signals the client that you’re a person who knows their world, and when you dress properly you’re telling them that you understand their world. And that’s always a good thing.

Were there any tips that you found most helpful? Let’s discuss it!

This post was created with Typeshare