Often times, a client has chosen to meet with you because in some way, shape, or form, you offer what they are seeking. Something has told them that you can probably do the job they need and you will do it right. But will you? That is what the client wants to know.

When we first started our company, we were in the mindset that we had to land every client and every job that was presented to us. This seems like the ticket to success, however, sometimes it can be a ticket to a nightmare. The reason for this is that you are not always right for the client and the client is not always right for you. At some point, you have to put money aside and think about the project as a whole and what it can ultimately do for you as well as the client.

Contrary to popular belief, not all clients are concerned with price alone. In fact, I have found this to rarely be the case. What they are concerned with is whether or not you can deliver adequate value for the price they must pay. If you are quoting them $4,000 for a new website, you better be able to justify that price to them in a return on investment that will warrant them paying that price.

If you cannot do that, that client is going to find someone else who can. Clients simply want to be sure that they are going to get a return on their investment, and when they do, they will love you forever! Show them that your work is of value to them and they will be quite confident that you can deliver the goods. If you come up short, they will be very hesitant to ever call you again or recommend you to anyone else that may need the same services as they did.

So what can you do to make sure that you deliver what you say you will? Well, first and foremost, be honest. If they are asking for things that are out of reach, tell them. If they are asking for the world for the price of a neighborhood, tell them. The last thing you want to do is end up upside down in a project because you needed to have the job.

You also do not ever want to promise them something that you cannot deliver. Do not promise them a front page ranking in the major search engines if you are not sure you can deliver that. This will haunt you for the rest of your existence because they may not remember the thirty things that you did deliver, but they will without a doubt remember the two or three things that you did not deliver. Being honest and keeping the projects within your abilities will pay off ten-fold in the long run.

The next time that you have that important meeting with a client, remember that they are coming to you because you are the professional. They want to be assured that you are going to provide them with everything they need, and nothing that they don’t need.

Clients want to be sure that you can provide value for their investment, and as long as you do that, you will keep them as a satisfied client for years to come. When you tell them what they want to hear, and then deliver it, you will be on the track to much success in your business. Remember that the next time you have that important meeting with one of your valued clients.

Cory Perry is the co-founder and Creative Director of DigitalRealm Media, a small design studio located in Greenville, SC. You can read more about DigitalRealm Media and Cory by visiting the website at digitalrealmmedia.com.

Proper Licensing

This is a pretty important part of starting your brand new business, and with good reason. This keeps you in good standing with all of those nifty little state and government agencies that we all love so much. When you first start your business, you will need to decide how your business will be formed and get the proper licenses to conduct your business in that manner.

There are really three different options here – Sole Proprietorship, Limited-Liability Company (LLC), and a Corporation. All three of these options provide different levels of liability, means of operation, and tax benefits.

I am not going to go into detail for each of these, but please look each one up and research which is right for your business. For DigitalRealm Media, since we are a partnership, we chose the Limited-Liability Company route.

The typical freelance person or “1 person show” as it is commonly referred to would most likely opt for the Sole Proprietorship route. This will also vary by state and country so check up on your local laws for this information.

Another important part of this decision is whether or not your business will be home-based versus being in a public office or building. There are numerous laws that affect both of these situations so look into those closely before you settle on where your business will be established.

Accounting/Taxes

Again, another important topic that you should take very seriously! The most important part of running a business is keeping accurate financial records and making sure that you pay and file the correct taxes.

Get yourself a bank account in the name of the business and use this for all business related finances. Most accounts are very cheap or even free to start. It is very important that you keep personal finances and business finances separate, so a business bank account is essential. It also looks more professional and gives your business a stronger foundation to stand on.

Next, either hire an accountant or purchase yourself some good accounting software. Accountants can be really expensive and you may not be able to justify the price of doing this, but it can save you tons of time, money, and trouble in the long run.

If an accountant is not right for you, purchase accounting software and keep everything yourself. At DRM, we use QuickBooks software for all of our accounting needs and it works perfectly. It is inexpensive and walks you through everything you need to know to make sure that you are keeping things accurate and in order.

For the tax side of things, make sure that you are well versed in the tax laws for your local city/state. Most all require that you file and pay some type of quarterly income tax. I really suggest that you do not mess around in this area; it will not be very pretty if you do!

Once you have established your business, your mailbox will begin to fill up with various forms, documents, and literature that you should pay close attention to. Most all of this material will need to be submitted back to the proper authorities in some fashion.

So there you go! This article, combined with my previous article, should give you a really good foundation to build upon for your business. From this point forward, I will dive into other various topics that relate to running a design company. We will look at clients, various documentation methods, and specific topics that relate to the design industry.

Follow the series:

1. Living the Dream: The ins and outs of a design company, Part I
2. Living the Dream: The ins and outs of a design company, Part II

Cory Perry is the co-founder and Creative Director of DigitalRealm Media, a small design studio located in Greenville, SC. You can read more about DigitalRealm Media and Cory by visiting the website at digitalrealmmedia.com.

Full of fresh ideas and fresh out of money to make things happen, I decided to take the plunge and live my dream of making it on my own. In the spring of 2006, with the help of my brother, Richard Starkey, DigitalRealm Media was born. It was the start of the most frustrating, amazing, and trying time of my life.

Starting a fresh business is no easy task, just ask anyone that has ever succeeded in doing it. You work twice as hard as you thought you would and most days seem like they will never end.

Your ideas and your confidence can quickly get torn down when you realize that it is not as easy as you always imagined it would be. With the bad though, certainly comes the good and that often comes in the form of a new client with an exciting project that you know you will love being involved in.

So what does it take to start a design company or be a freelance designer? Well, first and foremost, it takes dedication. The ball is in your court, always, and it is up to you alone to put in the work, make the calls, get the word out, and make things happen. Clients are not beating the door down when you start out and it takes great patience to hang in there and see it through.

So, first things first, what are the essentials to making sure that you stay afloat and keep above water? Here are a few of the most important things that we can recommend:

1. You need to have a great portfolio — Having a great portfolio that is diverse will show potential clients that you have what it takes to complete their project effectively.
2. You need to be a salesman — This is the worst part of the whole process in my opinion. You can’t do great work if you can’t sell your services. If you are not a great talker and a great “people person,” I strongly suggest that you brush up on your selling and speaking skills before you meet with those all-important clients.
3. You HAVE to network — This is by far the most important part of the entire process. You need to be meeting and speaking to as many people as possible. Word of mouth is your greatest advertising asset and you cannot let it go to waste. Get yourself some business cards and be prepared to hit the streets a few times a week. Focus on events, meetings, and things of that nature that will help you target the type of clients that you are seeking. Get out there and let people know whom you are and what you do!

Now that you have the basics of what it takes to start a design company, you should know that there are numerous legal and business kinks that you need to be aware of. I will cover these important items in my next article as I continue to write about this journey! Until next time, please feel free to send me any questions or comments at cperry@digitalrealmmedia.com.

Follow the series:

1. Living the Dream: The ins and outs of a design company, Part I
2. Living the Dream: The ins and outs of a design company, Part II