The Deeply Graphic Design Cast » Podcasts

One thing designers constantly hear is to charge what you're worth, and don't discount yourself. However, there are times in every designer's career when it seems like a perfectly reasonable idea to offer a discount. Whether its for a friend or family member, or in an effort to win over a new client, we talk about all the different scenarios you might encounter, and when it is appropriate to offer a discount.   We also answer a few listener questions about convincing potential clients that they shouldn't hire an amateur, and how to make a seamless transition from a smaller design market to a big one.   Since the subject of designer discounts can be controversial to say the least, if you disagree with us, feel free to comment below. Just keep it respectful please! No eye-gouging or fish-hooking will be tolerated. Show Links: Shutterstock.com (use promo code DEEP4 for 30% off. Expires May 31, 2013) Dreamhost.com (use promo code DEEP60 for half off web hosting for the first year)

To be a generalist or a specialist... its one of the biggest quandries we as graphic designers face. While working in a niche will make your appeal somewhat more limited to the mass market, the potential to dominate one particular niche is a very tempting proposition. In this episode of Deeply Graphic, we have Kristi Duce back with us to discuss her brand new niche design business. We talk about how she found her niche, and where she is in the process.   We also talk about the benefits (and drawbacks) of a career in niche design, and the different types of niches that you might want to consider.   As always, we answer a few new listener questions. This time around, we help a listener who is having trouble with staggering and juggling various web design clients, and another who wants to know the best way to go about breaking the news to current clients that her rates are going up.   Have you found a niche that works for you? Tell us about it in the comments section below!   Show Links: Shutterstock.com (use promo code DEEP4 for 30% off. Expires May 31, 2013) Dreamhost.com (use promo code DEEP60 for half off web hosting for the first year)    

Of all the things that designers do, coming up with your own branding can be the toughest. More than just a logo, your branding is the personality of your business. It's important if you want to attract the right types of clients, and to tell the world who you are as a designer or design studio.   In this episode, the gang talks about things to think about and steps to take when coming up with your personal branding. If you already have a brand, and are looking for a fresh start, we also cover how to best handle a seamless re-brand. So if you're looking for some solid graphic designer branding tips, you won't want to miss this episode!   Digging into the mailbag, we answer a listener question about whether or not to hand over native files to clients, as well as the possibility of jumping into a career as an art director right out of school.   Show Links: "How to Talk to a Graphic Designer: Bridging the Gap" (Overnightprints resource center article) Shutterstock.com (use promo code DEEP3 for 30% off. Expires April 30, 2013) Dreamhost.com (use promo code DEEP60 for half off web hosting for the first year)  

To conclude our Portfolio Site Pro-tips series, the gang talks about the best ways to show your work on your website. We talk about why lightboxes might be a tired trend, and how to structure your portfolio pages for maximum impact for potential clients, potential bosses AND Google.   We also take on a few new listener questions about whether or not you should tell your clients the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. They were both very interesting, and the answers were interesting as well. Honest.   Show Links: Shutterstock.com (use promo code DEEP3 for 30% off. Expires April 30, 2013) Overnight Prints newly redesigned site (use promo code DGDESIGNCAST for serious savings on your order) Dreamhost.com (use promo code DEEP60 for half off web hosting for the first year)

Would you ever buy a product or service online without seeing a rating or review? Neither would we, and neither would your potential clients! The best way around this is to turn your existing graphic design clients into raving fans, and let them do the heavy lifting of selling you to others.   Not sure how to ask for a testimonial? We cover that, along with how to make sure you get clear, concise, and specific testimonials that future clients will be able to trust. We also talk about where to put them on your portfolio site for maximum impact. So listen close, you won't want to miss any of this information. Check out one of The Deep End's video testimonials below:   We also tackle a few new listener questions about inexpensive ways to market yourself as a designer, and when you should start thinking about expanding your business.   As always, if you have a testimonial or testimonial section on your own site, or if you know of any good examples online, leave the link below in the comment section! Show Links: Shutterstock.com (use promo code DEEP2 for 30% off. Expires March 31, 2013) Dreamhost.com (use promo code DEEP60 for half off web hosting for the first year)

Ever wonder how you can make potential clients see what exactly you can do for them? Well the Deeply Graphic gang is on the case! On this episode, we're talking all about case studies, which can be an extremely powerful tool to help future clients see how you have helped previous clients. When done right, they will do the math and realize that you can help them in a similar way.   Listen for killer tips, including what every good case study should include, how to present it, and where it should fit into your portfolio website. Check out one of The Deep End's video case studies below:   In addition, we answer a couple new listener submitted questions, both to do with the ethics of accepting and offering a referral fee.   If you use or know of any great case study examples online, go ahead and link to them in the comments section below! Show Links: Shutterstock.com (use promo code DEEP2 for 30% off. Expires March 31, 2013) Dreamhost.com (use promo code DEEP60 for half off web hosting for the first year)

Well we made it to 30 episodes, and we have you to thank for it! To show our appreciation, we have put together what may be our best listener question show yet. We get so many great questions from you, our listeners, that this is the best way to get through a bunch of them and make everyone happy. In this episode, we answer questions on an array of graphic and web design-related topics, including setting up your home office, how much web coding a designer SHOULD know, finding a design dream job while constantly on the move, what to do when a good project goes bad, and how often you should be showing the progress you're making to your clients.   Next time, we will be getting back into our "Portfolio site pro-tips" series. Show Links: OvernightPrints Resource Center (use promo code DGDESIGNCAST for around 50% off your entire order.) Shutterstock.com (use promo code DEEP1 for 30% off. Expires Feb 28, 2013)  

There's no place like home! The homepage of your portfolio website is the first impression you will likely make on potential clients, so make it count! In this, our second in our "Portfolio Site Pro-Tips" series, we will take a look at some "above and beyond" things you can do to make your homepage work even harder for you and your design business.   We talk homepage "welcome" videos, social media sharing strategies, a way of keeping your homepage content fresh automatically, and how to properly entice your potential clients to stick around your site to see everything you have to offer.   In our listener question segment, we talk about what design skills are the hottest, and how to go about getting work from big companies.   Please share your homepage in the comment section below. We would love to see how you are utilizing yours! Show Links: OvernightPrints new Resource Center Shutterstock.com (use promo code DEEP1 for 30% off. Expires Feb 28, 2013) Mikelle's homepage Sharethis.com

Since a graphic designer's most valuable showcase of their work is the portfolio website, we thought it would be a great idea to do a series on how you can make the most of yours. In this, the first installment of the series, Wes, Mikelle and writing expert Kristen Fischer talk about what you can do to take your "about" page to the next level, so that your potential clients or employers can see you for the creative genius you really are. We go over what you should definitely include, what you should leave out, how to make your personality jump off the page, and how to entice visitors to take the next step once they have finished reading it.   In our listener question segment, we talk about how to best represent yourself on LinkedIn, and we hear from one listener who finds himself in a really, really bad work situation.   Please share your "about" page in the comments below. We would love to see what you've got! Show Links: Shutterstock.com (use promo code DEEP12 (expires 1/31/2013) Kristen Fischer's About Page Freelance Radio podcast

Oprah has her Favorite Things show, and we just happen to have some favorite things of our own. Things that every graphic and web designer will want to get his or her hands on this holiday season. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Festivus, listen as the gang talks about all the new toys made just for graphic designers that should be on your list this year. You may even get some good ideas of things to buy the designer in your life, as well as ideas about how you can use your skills as a designer to make one of a kind gifts for anyone on your list. But lets be honest, its mostly for you.   We also answer a few new listener questions while sipping some eggnog and wearing itchy Christmas sweaters. Feeling festive yet?? Show Links: (No peeking until after you've listened!) Gift 1 Gift 2 Gift 3 Gift 4 Gift 5 Gift 6 Gift 7 Gift 8 Gift 9

Whenever you design a website for someone else, you need to know what they want and more importantly, what they need. The best way to figure all that out is to ask smart questions. Questions that are designed to get right to the heart of what matters to your clients' business. While that may not sound very relevant to us as designers, trust us, it is super important. Half of a good website design is to do with hierarchy, page structure and designing with the end user in mind. In this episode, we go over the ten questions that you want to be sure to ask every web design client you ever have. The answers will help you make more informed design decisions, which is the difference between being "just a designer" and being an expert. In addition to the main topic, we answer another two listener questions and you don't want to miss Mikelle's big announcement! Show Links: Shutterstock.com (use promo code DEEP11 (expires 12/31/2012) Squareup.com Nest.com MikelleMorrison.com

Every designer knows that its way harder to land a new client than it is to keep one you already have. Unfortunately, a lot of freelancers don't always treat their clients right, which can lead to... well it doesn't lead to much. In this episode, we tackle the subject of good graphic design customer service, and the different things we do to make our clients feel special. Whether you're in the courting phase, in the middle of a project, or the project has come to an end, there are things we can all do to cultivate lasting relationships with our clients. If done right, you can make sure that you are the only designer your clients ever hire. We also talk about how to make yourself known to design firms whether they are hiring or not, and why you might be scaring off potential clients. Show Links: DreamHost.com (Use link or promo code DEEP60 for $60 off any hosting package, LIMITED TIME ONLY)

To blog or not to blog? It's a question with an easy answer. Blogging is one of the easiest and most effective ways to get your name out there as well as to gain "expert" status in the field of graphic design. In this episode, the gang talks about the various types of blogging, and all the different ways you can use your experience and your opinions to drive other designers as well as clients to your portfolio site, which can lead to people sharing your work across the interwebs. Sneaky, huh? But like everything, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about blogging to help your design business, so listen closely. We will give you lots of tips that will help you make the most of your blogging efforts. If listening to this episode inspires you to start guest blogging, send us an article pitch so your blog post can appear right here on The Deep End blog! Show Links: Content Rules book Trover DreamHost.com (Use link or promo code DEEP60 for $60 off any hosting package, LIMITED TIME ONLY)

Wouldn't it be great to just design for design's sake? If only there were money in that! But graphic design is a job, like any other job. And looking for a job requires a killer resume. On this week's show we lucked out into getting certified resume writer extraordinaire and published author Kristen Fischer to sit in with us and dish out some excellent resume advice just for graphic design professionals. We discuss what should be included, what should be left out, and we answer the biggest question about graphic design resumes: how much "design" is too much? We also talk a bit about the do's and don'ts of graphic design cover letters. Since we have been getting so many great listener questions, we have decided to skip "Do Yourself a Favor" for the time being, and instead, we will answer two listener questions per episode, starting with this one. Show Links: KristenFischer.com Freelance Radio DreamHost.com (Use link or promo code DEEP60 for $60 off any hosting package, LIMITED TIME ONLY) The resume featured in the image above is courtesy of Bernice Beltran. (Creative commons attribution)

Its true what they say — $&!# happens. It just sucks when it happens in business, particularly when it happens in front of a client. But when life throws you a curveball, its all in how you handle the situation. In this episode, the gang tells some pretty candid and horrific stories about past mistakes, how we handled them, and what we learned from them. So listen carefully, and you just may save yourself from making the same mistakes we did. Even if you don't learn anything, you can still take joy in our misfortunes. The Germans have a special word for that: schadenfreude. See, you're learning already! Show Links: OvernightPrints.com (Use promo code DGDESIGNCAST for around 50% off on business cards, postcards and more) DreamHost.com (Use link or promo code DEEP25 for $25 off any hosting package) How Pixar almost deleted Toy Story 2 (video) themeforest.net NowPlaying Podcast What is the biggest mistake you've made and how did you deal with it? Leave your story  in the comment section below.