Re: [Re: brokering mockups for subcontracting]

Hi!
   Service?
   I also run a design firm that uses associate designers for much of our=
 work
to enhance our services in skills that we don't possess. Yes, I cannot pr=
ovide
them with enough work to keep them employed full time, so they have to al=
so
market their own independent businesses.
And I appreciate and value their time and do not impose on their time.
   =

   As the lead designer, and the design firms owner, I think my value lie=
s in
my ability to accurately assess my designers skills and talents, properly=

interview my clients to make sure I understand their needs, come up with =
a
solution to meet those needs, then assign it to the approriate designer o=
r
team of designers to accomplish the clients goals.

   This is where I earn my percentage of the gross billings, as well as m=
y own
hourly rate for the portion of time where I contributed to the design.

   The way you've set your operation up, you might do better in setting u=
p a
service such as Elance. =

 =

   Sure, I use them too when my own business is slow. But in a way, I thi=
nk it
does a disservice to the industry because by allowing everyone to undercu=
t
each other, and spend time doing free comps, it lowers the professionalis=
m of
our trade, thereby lessening the value of the services that we provide.

   If you have to show the client a whole bunch of sites, then I'd sugges=
t
creating a portfolio of all your designers best works, then presenting th=
at to
the client for their selection. =

   If the client likes a particular style, they should then be pointed to=
 the
designer who built it.

   I also have a private message board where I post all upcoming and pend=
ing
projects that are up for grabs, and how much they will pay(I have a multi=
ple
pay scale according to budget and skills required. A designer can put the=
ir
name indicating their desire to do the site. I make the determination as =
to
who gets the project.

   Someone else wrote that a client might pick someone's font, someones e=
lse's
layout, and someone else's color scheme. Well, these things are not
proprietary, How many times have I had a client come to me with a list of=

sites that he liked this or that to, and asked me to create a site
incorporating elements of each?
   If someone created a particular font, then compensate them accordingly=
 to
use it.

   This week I told one of my graphic artists to create a comp for a clie=
nt
who btw, was another designer. I told her to spend no more than 2 hours o=
n it,
and that I would pay her $40.00 an hour fee out of my own pocket.
   This was before I actually got the committment from the client.  Somet=
imes,
you've just got to spend money to make money. I'd own the product, and wo=
uld
undoubtedly use it on a future client with minor revisions should this on=
e
fall through.
   I could do this because I had already gauged the clients needs,and kne=
w
exactly which designer out of 16, that I was going to use to build the si=
te.

   Perhaps you have too many designers. Cut your numbers down and get to =
know
them better. Know their strengths and weaknesses, and find out the needs =
of
the client. Do a little more selling. By that I mean sell the client, don=
't be
an order taker. Be loyal to your designers. It'll help us all by increasi=
ng
the professionalism and prestige of our chosen profession.

   That's just my opinion, and how I set up my business. How you run your=
s is
up to you. =



Carl Salaski
www.banzaidesign.com



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