You’re at a conference for your industry, sitting among your peers. People are laughing and talking business with each other. “Why am I even here? I don’t know half the stuff these people do.”

While checking the job sites, you read through lists of job requirements. “I’m not an expert in any of these. There’s no way I could apply for this job.” (By the way, men tend to apply even if they only meet 60% of the requirements. Women will tend to only apply if they meet 100% of the requirements.)

Where does this insecurity come from? Katherine Hawley, Ph.D., in Psychology Today writes, “People who suffer from Imposter Syndrome struggle to recognise their own achievements, and when they do acknowledge some success, they typically put this down to either luck or sheer effort, assuming that others succeed through genuine talent.”

What is making you feel like an imposter?

It’s easy to see people around you and think they have it all together. They are so much more educated than you are. They’ve achieved so many more things. They have so many more friends. Surely, they couldn’t feel insecure with all that!

Maya Angelou said, “I have written 11 books, but each time I think, ‘Oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.'”

Forbes writer Jenna Goudreau wrote in “When Women Who Feel Like Fraud, They Fuel Their Own Failures,” “Tina Fey once confessed that she sometimes screams inside her head, ‘I’m a fraud! They’re on to me!’ Sheryl Sandberg attended a Harvard University speech called ‘Feeling Like a Fraud’ and decided they were speaking directly to her—she’d fooled them all. Sonia Sotomayor was ‘too embarrassed’ to ask questions while at Princeton University, and said, ‘I am always looking over my shoulder wondering if I measure up.'”

It’s not just women. Researchers have found men struggle with feeling like an impostor as often as women do. They just don’t talk about it as much. When doing anonymous surveys, though, they ‘fess up to feeling like a fraud just as much as women do. There is a social cost to men for confessing they feel weak, and there’s a social cost to women who let how they feel stop them from achieving more.

What is the language you use with yourself?

Are you harder on yourself than you would be with others? Do you beat yourself up when you would give someone else a lot of understanding and grace? Do you call yourself names that you would never use with someone you care about? How can we feel good about ourselves when we call ourselves “idiot”?

Allow yourself to be imperfect and wrong. Use being wrong as an opportunity to learn something you don’t already know. Being wrong doesn’t make you a fake. It makes you human.

In 21 Ways to Overcome Imposter Syndrome, Kyle Eschenroeder writes, “The world we live in is the result of a lot of brave people tinkering, failing, and succeeding once in a while. Nobody knows what’s next: some are willing to play ball in the face of uncertainty and some aren’t. You’re not an impostor for trying something that might not work. You’re a hero.”

You are always changing. You are not an expert in everything yet, but all of your life and learning experiences have gifted you with something to contribute to others. Stop comparing yourself, and be the best YOU you can be.

John Boitnott, in “How to Once and for All Rid yourself of Career-Impostor Syndrome at Work,” says, “Even the smartest and most successful people face criticism and make mistakes. The difference between those who feel like imposters and others, is that those with lower self-esteem tend to hold on to these negative feelings.”

In other words, knock it off, and be kind to yourself!

Take action

Do something! Jump in! Learn from your experience. Do something again. Learn again. Become better with every effort.

Identify what’s making you feel insecure.

Do you not know enough about something? Can you define what “enough” is? Odds are, you can’t. In our quickly changing world, there’s no such thing. Think on that for a second. There is never “enough.” There is “doing the best you can with what you have at the time.”

What if you took one thing, tore off a chunk of it, and spent time learning it? You could take a class. You could attend some seminars or conferences. Take notes. Take pictures of presentations. If possible, record presentations.

In the WordPress community I’m a part of, there are WordCamps going on all over the world on probably any given weekend. WordCamps are two-day conferences on programming, business, security, etc. that apply to our work. The sessions are usually recorded and placed on wordpresstv.com. If you couldn’t attend a camp, you could watch the sessions later. All the learning!

There’s also no shame in doing a refresher on something you’ve been doing for a while. I’ve recently forgotten some things about a programming language I already know. I’m quickly running through a tutorial book I have on the language to get back up to speed.

In other words, be proactive. If you stay on a path of learning, you’ll always know more about something than you did even the day before.

Ask for feedback

Do you have some trusted friends or mentors who you can ask for honest feedback? Honest can be painful. It can confirm all the ways you feel like a fraud. But it can also point you to areas of possible improvement. You will come away with a laundry list of things you can work on. I always like to say, “I’m never bored.”

That said, don’t take the feedback to heart too deeply, because it’s just an opinion. The person might have a valid point. Maybe they don’t have all the facts. Take the feedback and stew on it. Even if it’s not entirely accurate, you may be able to take away some truths.

Save the nice things people say about you, and come back to them

Put them in a folder on your computer. Save it to Evernote. Embroider it and stick it on your wall. Tattoo it on your arm. Whatever works. Because when you are wallowing in self-flagellation, reading these might make you see that things — that you — are not as bad as you think. I’m always shocked when someone says something nice to me [insert telenovela life story]. It’s nice to remember good stuff. Who doesn’t want to be reminded that they don’t suck?

Most of us are not really trained to save good things about ourselves, except for medals, certificates, and trophies, but you should try to make a habit of it. A nice comment in a thread? Screenshot. Stick it in a happy folder on your computer or something. A letter? In a “feel good” box.

And then — this is going to sound dorky — look in the mirror and say some nice things about yourself. Every day.

Celebrate your achievements

Not every achievement entails a gold trophy, a red carpet, and a speech in front of millions of fans. It could be as simple as getting a new client, getting an article accepted to a magazine, or figuring out a programming problem that has had you stumped for days. Start a gratitude journal. Mention your successes.

Help others

You don’t have to know everything about everything to help someone. You just need to know what they don’t know. It’s going to make that person feel better to know something new, and it’s going to make you feel better about yourself.

The WordPress community has a saying: Learn, then teach. Surely there is something you’ve learned and can teach someone else. Look for opportunities to give back.

You are not alone

You can’t look at someone and know their whole life story. They may not be as self-assured as you think they are. They may be looking at you and thinking you have it all together. It could happen. No one is perfect. Everyone is insecure about something. They just might not admit it.

I like to read biographies of people and, as motivational speaker Tony Robbins says, model myself after their great choices and behaviors. But I think there’s another take-away. If you are paying attention, the biographies will also indicate where people have struggled and even failed. And they got back up again. Isn’t that inspiring? Here they had a bio written about them, and they failed in the past? The ones still living are probably failing at something now.

Don’t let your insecurities stop you. Push through. Your honesty about your insecurities might make someone else feel a lot better about their lives.

Let me preface this article by mentioning the vast majority of my clients, whom I adore, have been a joy to work with and have been with me (usually) for years. Their work got me through the recession when no one was hiring any designers or web developers, and all the local designers were scrambling for a handful of clients. I take care of my clients, and they take care of me.

But then there are the clients I am not heartbroken to lose. Here is my list of the 16 warnings signs of a problem client.

1. I usually don’t like anything I see, so we may never get this project finished.

I’ve actually had a client say this to me. While his honesty was refreshing, uuummm, we didn’t last long.

2. I have no experience in the business I’m going into.

This client will often need much more education than someone already in his or her business, and that may not work out. They tend to be very insecure and extremely focused on one way of doing things — a way that might not be the best way of doing things, or at least they’re not open to a discussion of other ways. I often find that these people have not run a business before. One potential client was a woman and her friend who were going to open a t-shirt printing business, and they had never done anything remotely graphic. I had to explain what the different graphic files were, and what “centered” text meant.

3. I need this brochure designed and printed in 2 weeks for a conference.

Unrealistic expectations are difficult to work with. In this case, unless the brochure is going to be digitally printed or copied on a copier, I usually plan on two weeks for the printing alone, let alone design, review, design changes, and change reviews and sign-off for the printer. They have a hard time hearing, “Then you should have started this brochure 3 weeks ago, at least.”

4. The last 3 people I’ve hired to do this have been terrible!

Maybe the problem is not the last 3 people. Even if I hear that the last person was a big disappointment, I take it with a grain of salt. I don’t know the whole story. When I was young and stupid, I used to think that if the last person was so awful, I would be the superhero coming in to save the project. Not so much anymore, because chances are, a frequently disappointed client won’t like anything I produce, either, and they won’t like anything that anyone else comes up with. I can think of one current client (for a few years now) who was treated badly by her previous designer, and I saved the project.

5. This is what I require for my project — I think.

I’m so leery of doing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) or Requests for Quotes (RFQs) because the person putting together the requirements often doesn’t know what he or she is asking for, like a hit counter for their website (seriously, no one does that anymore), or the legal requirements if they’re government-funded. Some clients have kind of an idea of what they want, and then part way into the project, they change course, requiring a “Change of Scope” agreement or a new contract. Don’t get me wrong — many people I’ve talked to can be steered into a more cohesive direction with some judiciously worded questions.

6. My directions to you are going to be cryptic, and I assume you’ll figure it out.

‘Nuff said.

7. This is what I want. Make it so. I don’t want to discuss anything else.

Unless they’re an advertising or marketing firm, or have experience in that, this one is likely to be a big problem. This kind also tends to hand you artwork from their small children to incorporate the corporate piece into what you’ll be building.

8. I’m sorry I haven’t responded to your phone call or email in a month. I’ve been so busy.

I have a clause in my contract saying that if the person is very busy, they might want to appoint someone authorized to make decisions or their project may be removed from my production schedule. I have waited months for content for several websites. I’ve even offered to help them create it. They’ve paid nonrefundable deposits already. I’ve removed their projects from my schedule, and periodically reminded them of their job. If you have someone with a tight deadline, impress upon him or her the dire consequences for their project if they don’t respond promptly with what you need to complete it.

I’ve added a “Reactivation Fee” clause in my contracts if a client goes off the radar, because delays can mess with my production schedule and cause me to lose money. I’m cautious about taking on new work if old work isn’t completed.

9. I’m a programmer [or fill in the blank] myself and set everything up for you.

Then you find out they don’t know anything about the details of doing what you do. But they try to tell you how to do your job. If they do know, I’m happy to have a conversation and take their lead. I bow to the client’s expertise. If they don’t know, I sure wish they’d get out of my way and let me work. I’ll even explain to them in mind-numbing detail what I’m doing and why, if they like.

10. I know every project of mine has been a rush, and this project is a rush too! Can you squeeze my job in?

I don’t mind the occasional rush job, but if every job is a rush, my other clients are not going to appreciate it if I keep putting this client’s jobs to the head of the line. An organized, forward-thinking client is going to get their job turned around faster (and probably cheaper) anyway.

Robert McGuire writes, in “How to Charge a Rush Fee for Freelance Clients Without Drama,” whether or not it damages your relationship “depends on the expectations you established in the past. If you have a clear statement of work that identifies timelines and responsibilities on each side, then it will be clear where this rush job fits in.” It can be scary to tell a client there will be a rush charge, but it’s business, not personal.

11. I don’t have much of a budget on this, and your price is too high.

And then they try to bargain you down, sometimes even with the promise of a bunch of work later or “exposure.” Run away, run away. If you have a good history with each other, maybe negotiate.

12. You are going to get direction from me.

Except you end up answering to more than a few decision-makers, and you get asked to change things back and forth. Nail down your contact at the organization.

13. I’ll trust your judgment.

No, they won’t. Be extra careful to have them sign off of everything. After the first time I was told this and it didn’t pan out, I activated my super duper red flag system. I call it my “E” ticket (arcane Disneyland reference)to doing everything by the book.

14. I’ll take care of you.

They never do (red flag), unless someone who has been with you for a while says this. Then they almost always do.

15. This will be easy [or quick].

No, it won’t be. If it were that easy, they could probably do it themselves.

16. I need you to make an exception for me.

“This may be asking for special payment terms, wanting to haggle on pricing or making demands that go outside of the scope of work,” says Maggie Patterson, in “10 Warning Signs of a Bad Client.”

These aren’t gigantic X-marks through a potential client, because most clients are great, but if you can recognize a potential problem at the start, you can prepare for it. Don’t be blindsided.

There is no such thing as a perfect client (there’s no such thing as a perfect designer), but in 45+ years of being a designer, I’ve made mental notes on a few (or more) “What have I learned from this horrible experience?” I have a fairly comprehensive contract (that’s another blog post), but there’s just not enough paper in the world to protect against everything that can come up. During your first conversation, state some of your basic expectations — “Communicate with me. Be organized and efficient so it saves you time and money. Did I mention communicate with me? This is going to turn out great!”

If you want a client-oriented designer to help your strategize your brand, contact me.

Theresa J

Theresa has been a graphic designer for over 45 years, and a web designer since 2003. She’s also been doing marketing for clients about as long – including AdWords and social media. When she’s not coding websites or making logos or brochures, she is probably painting, quilting, gardening, or cooking or being a grandma to two perfect grandkids.

If you want a designer and marketer to help you build your business’s brand, contact me!

During my Marketing 101 class years ago, I learned about the SWOT Analysis, which is designed to assess the internal and external environment for purposes of strategic planning. Let me walk you through it.

SWOT stands for S(trengths), W(eaknesses), O(pportunities), and T(threats). Strengths and Weaknesses assess your internal environment, and Opportunities and Threats assess your external environment. Get out your legal pad and pencil. This is going to be fun.

Divide a piece of paper into four sections (or use 4 different pieces of paper, or a white board — whatever works best for you). Label each section with one of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. The SWOT Analysis is customer- and competitor-focused. Be realistic and be painfully honest. This is an essential part of any serious business plan.

SWOT breakdown

Strengths: What do you do well compared to your compared to your competitors? Don’t just pick one thing, pick several, if you can. What differentiates you in a good way from your competitors? Is it location, your number of products, the knowledge and skills you bring to the table? Is it your experience? You might be surprised at some hidden strengths.

Weaknesses: Where are you lacking compared to your competitors? This can be painful to assess, but if you do a thorough job, you can turn your weaknesses into strengths. A weakness may be that you may not know enough about what you need to know. Having it in black and white helps you define where you can improve — take some classes or upgrade your computer. Do what’s necessary. A lack of experience in your field will be a weakness that will leave you ill-prepared to address opportunities and threats, unless you’ve signed up for a franchise that will train you.

Opportunities: What are unmet needs in your market? Do you have an idea for something no one else has come up with? Is a new market developing? Maybe a service or product is offered in a large commercial market, but not in your region or city. Has a business closed, leaving a void? Another way to look at opportunities is what value can you bring to your market?

Threats: A new competitor in your market, a competitor who has lower prices than what you can reasonably afford to charge, competitors with better channels of distribution, new taxes and laws that will impact your operations, a competitor or 2 (or 10) with an established presence in your market are all examples of potential threats. Do vendors now approach your clients to offer your services? Print shops did this back when most of the print market tanked. All of a sudden, your printer was (and is) a web designer, too.

Do your homework

Now, dig in and research each of these areas as they relate to your business and what you want to do. Business journals are usually available for regions, and the business directories for the local chambers of commerce can be a fount of information. Even local lifestyle magazines’ ads and websites like Yelp can provide a clue as to who your competitors are and how they are doing. National business magazines and newspapers can alert you to developing trends, or give you an idea for a new trend to start. Magazines like Entrepreneur are full of advice for the newbie and not-so-newbie.

Keep a list of competitors’ web addresses, and check out their websites. A poorly designed and built website could indicate a competitor’s weakness. Maybe they are in over their heads, or it could indicate an established business and customer database, so they’ve stopped trying. Use these websites to continue to develop your analysis.

Find out the trade organizations for your business, and attend as many meetings as you can without joining. If you like what you see and learn, join.

A well-known strength or weakness is “location, location, location.” If have a clothing store in the middle of a business complex, you will definitely need to have a different marketing strategy than if you are in a mall.

You are never done analyzing

Keep developing your analysis. Maybe you had certain preconceptions about your competitors that are right or wrong. The jobless rate in your area, the rate of home sales, the number of office buildings going up, the number of empty office buildings, home sales, proposed business laws, the number of competitors closing shop, and the number of direct competitors joining you are an indication of the economic climate in which you’re operating.

Regardless of the business environment, many threats are the same. It could be as simple as prevailing weather, and as difficult as impacts of other countries — competitors there and tariffs, regulation and deregulation, competitors, and constant changes in technology.

Focus on a segment of your market when conducting a SWOT analysis. What drives the buyer decision process? Determine the Critical Success Factors (CSFs). CSF is a term managers use to describe the elements necessary for a project or company to be successful. Weight the CSFs. Separate out the factors most critical to your mission. What do people think of your business vs. your competitors’ businesses? Rank the opportunities that will best help your business, in relation to sustainability and profitability. Determine the threats. Then integrate the total analysis into your overall business strategy.

Informed decisions

You may determine what would make your company stronger is to either specialize or branch out. You won’t know unless to do your due diligence, taking the pulse of your market. Make sure the decisions you make are supported by the analysis you’ve done.

There’s more to running a business than what’s in your office’s four corners. Business is strategy, and strategy is internal and external. Plenty of competitors are not going to appreciate a new kid on the block. A well-prepared business owner like you has a fighting chance to join the fun and be successful.

Your SWOT analysis isn’t engraved in stone — it’s a living, breathing document. Make a note in your calendar to do a new analysis annually — it will keep you agile, able to quickly make changes for your business success. And keep learning. You’re never done.

You know, I found that a SWOT analysis can even be applied to a major personal decision you need to make — take this job or that? Move to a house or apartment? Buy a big car or little car? Try it.

Let me help you strategize your business success. Contact me today!

I’ve been noticing a lot of problems with people and their business manners. Just this last weekend, a couple of people and I walked into a KFC, and there was no one at the counter. We waited, and waited. No one acknowledged our presence. The person at the drive-thru, the manager on the line. Crickets. We had to call out for help. As I left, I expressed my displeasure to the person who finally helped us. I heard her tell her manager, who replied, “Whatever. People will always find something to complain about.” Wait, what????

What has happened to good manners and professionalism, and how does that affect the impression you give of yourself and your business?

A potential client who runs a local real estate company called me up, wanting to talk to me about installing a plugin to his site. I was in the middle of some jobs, so we set up an appointment the next week to talk about it. No problem — even the small jobs pay bills.

I showed up at the appointed time and waited for him. And waited. After 15 minutes of waiting, I called his cell phone, which went to voicemail. I Googled his office phone number from my iPhone and called. The guy’s dad answered the phone and said he worked with his son. I explained I’d been waiting for the appointment with his son to discuss something he wanted to do with their website.

He said he’d contact his son and have him call me. Ten minutes later, no call, so I called the office again. Dad called his son and promised me he would call me back within a minute. A few minutes later, I get a text from his son saying he’d had someone else do the work and he was super sorry he didn’t let me know. Then I got two apology texts from the dad.

Where are your manners?

I’m not upset that I didn’t get the work. I’m upset that the son didn’t see fit to call me and cancel our appointment when he decided to have someone else do the work, and I’m upset that I cooled my heels waiting for this guy for a half an hour. Guess what real estate company will not be on my radar if a friend is looking to buy or sell a house?

In “Good manners are good for business” by Eileen Brill Wagner in the Phoenix Business Journal, the author writes, “Despite what many people believe — or the behavior they exhibit — there still are those who believe business etiquette [manners] is something that never goes out of style. In fact, in a study conducted by etiquette consultants Eticon Inc., 80 percent of the respondents reported an increase of rudeness in business. When they encounter rudeness, 58 percent of the people surveyed said they will take their business elsewhere. ‘Rude behavior ruins business,’ said Ann Humphries, Eticon president.”

A text to me should have never entered the picture, especially considering the person was a no-show for our appointment. That required an (abject) apology by phone. I’d have been professional, graciously accepting his apology.

Ghosting isn’t for dating anymore

Chip Cutter, of LinkedIn, writes, “Jo Weech, a Washington-based recruiter, found a software engineer she planned to hire, one with skills and experiences so rare she dubbed her a ‘purple unicorn,’ recruiting-speak for a perfect find….Suddenly, calls and texts went unreturned….Weech had been ghosted at work.

“In fields ranging from food service to finance, recruiters and hiring managers say a tightening job market and a sustained labor shortage have contributed to a surge in professionals abruptly cutting off contact and turning silent — the type of behavior more often associated with online dating than office life….The practice is prolonging hiring, forcing companies to overhaul their processes, and tormenting recruiters, who find themselves under constant pressure.”

There’s discussion about how human resources departments have helped create this by ghosting applicants, but that’s another post. Still, poor manners are exceptionally rude and immature. I guess I should be grateful I got a text.

How else should we practice our business manners?

Kate Ashford, of Forbes, writes, “The average worker spends 6.3 hours a day checking email, according to a survey commissioned by software firm Adobe Systems Inc. That’s a big chunk of the day — and there are plenty of opportunities for you to make the wrong impression, according to work experts.”

Ashton reminds us to be careful with “Reply All,” being curt, skipping the greeting, nicknaming too soon, bad-mouthing anyone, using emoticons, having an annoying signature, writing too much, emailing instead of calling, and sending confidential email.

By the way, brush up on those spelling, composition, and grammar skills. You’re a professional.

The early bird gets the worm

Be on time for an appointment. Lisa Magloff, in Chron’s “The 10 Basics of Business Etiquette,” writes, “In the business world, it is best to observe the old rule, ‘Five minutes early is late.’ Allow yourself enough time to arrive promptly, take off your coat, and settle in a bit. Arriving at a meeting exactly at the appointed time can make you feel rushed, and you will look it. Time is a commodity; by being punctual, you show you respect others.” Being early also conveys that you are pulled together, organized, and considerate. The kind of person a potential client would want to do business with.

Check the profanity at the door

It makes you look unprofessional and uncultured, and some people are extremely offended by it — even by a simple “Oh my God!” It shows a lack of control on your part and a lack of respect for the other person. Is that the impression you want to give to a potential client?

Please, thank you, respect, and common courtesy

I’ve heard that in business, “please” is equivalent to begging and is not professional sounding. I beg to differ. As long as it’s not said sarcastically or in a “cute” way, I’m inclined to pay more attention to someone asking me please. There’s nothing wrong with good manners.

In the past, I have often behaved in ways that, in retrospect, make me cringe. Even if you are treated poorly, make a supreme effort to be respectful and courteous.

When there’s conflict, keep your cool, practice your listening skills (another struggle of mine), and check your ego at the door, even if the person on the other side is acting like an idiot. You might be surprised to find you are in the wrong, or you don’t have all the information. The person on the other side might be having a horrible day, and you could end up being the nicest person they’ve dealt with all week. You make your company look great and yourself look incredible.

Eyes up front

How would you feel if you were having lunch with someone and they took several phone calls? Or if they spent their time texting instead of making eye contact with you and talking to you? Wouldn’t you think they were rude? Don’t do it yourself. Give them your undivided attention.

Be kind to others, and practice patience

Awhile back, I walked into the gas station with my little granddaughter. A woman almost knocked the both of us over in her haste to get into the building herself. And then she almost knocked us over in her haste to leave. I know she brushed up against me pretty hard — and I had opened the door both times!

Watch your tone of voice, and watch the things you say. I’ve had one client tell me to “Stop talking!” as I explained why something she wanted done couldn’t be done. Really? “Stop talking”?

Saying good-bye

Say good-bye before you hang up. Have you ever been on the phone with someone, and as you tried to graciously close the conversation, the other person just hung up? “Okay, I guess we were done.” And I’m not talking about a dropped cell call, which requires an immediate call back, unless you were in the process of actually saying, “Good-bye.”

This all comes down to good manners — treating others the way you’d like to be treated, and that can only be good for your bottom line.

If you want to give your branding and web design to someone who tries to always be polite, contact me. Let’s see how we can build your business.

“To whom much is given, much is required.” Yeah, that’s from the Bible — Luke 12:48, but some of you might refer to it as part of karma, or what you put out there comes back to you.

Pro bono publico comes from the Latin, meaning “for the good.” Many nonprofit organizations are dedicated to doing good, but they don’t have the funds to pay someone. They still need those services if they’re to be successful. It can take awhile to write and hopefully get approved for a grant. They rely on the goodwill of people to provide those services, either for free or at a reduced cost.

Several fields require pro bono work as a condition of keeping one’s license to practice. “The American Bar Association Model Rule 6.1 states that ‘a lawyer should aspire to render at least (50) hours of pro bono publico legal services per year.’ Some companies have created structured pro bono programs to make it easier for lawyers to give back. And, undoubtedly, some lawyers want to and are able to do pro bono without built-in requirements or incentives,” says Sara Mui in the ABA Journal.

What does that have to do with me?

What services or products do you offer that you could carve some away to help those who are helping others? One food pantry organization I’m involved with also provides other services to those who are homeless.

Maybe an organization needs a bookkeeper or accountant. Maybe they need a marketing person. Be creative. Your local food pantry might have a garden that needs tending. Look at your skills and see what you can offer.

Why pro bono?

Let’s get the selfish stuff out of the way. Pro bono is a great way to get some eyeballs on your company. It’s good for networking (many of the people on non-profit boards run their own companies or are in a position to hire or recommend someone like you). You’re promoting yourself and your company by giving back. If you’re lucky, you’ll have some free rein to do some fun creative work. This is a good opportunity to create some pieces that will make your portfolio look good. Never do it at the expense of the organization’s marketing objectives or branding, though.

You have a skill that others need, and considering how much you’re probably charging your other clients, perhaps the least you can do is offer your services to someone truly in need. Besides, think of all the warm fuzzies you will have when you’re done, because you did something for the greater good. Sometimes those warm fuzzies will have to be generated from within, because you won’t get it from the people you’re helping. You don’t do good for the praise, do you?

Crunch the numbers and see if it’s feasible

You still have bills to pay, so decide if you can afford to take on a pro bono client. Several designers I know take on one pro bono client a year, so they don’t get spread too thin.

I have one pro bono client who gets my services for free, and another one who’s been with me for a while who gets a reduced rate. I throw in free services occasionally. Unless it’s a tiny project, that’s the limit of my pro bono work.

I just built a free website for a client and had considerable creative license. In return, he was very generous in the amount of time I had to create it (I asked for this), because I was fitting it into my paid production schedule. I got to try something I hadn’t done before, so I got the learning experience and something I’ll be happy to add to my portfolio.

How to behave

Get a contract, even if you’re working for free. Copyright has to be released in writing, and the contract protects both you and the client from any craziness that can pop up. Best to lay out expectations for both parties, like (trying) to only deal with one decision maker. Put it in the contract.

Don’t complain about the client to others (see the next section). It’s unprofessional. It’s hard, I know. You’re doing all this work for a song, and they’re just so ungrateful, huh? Have a sit-down with them and work it out. There is absolutely nothing wrong in letting the client know the value of the work you’re doing, but don’t be arrogant about it.

I have been known to say to the client, “I’m doing this for free. Let’s not make the designer crazy.” This usually happens when one person tells you to do something, another has you change it, and another has you change it back. Really try to deal with only one person in the organization.

Give the client your best efforts, but understand they’re still the client, and they don’t have to like or accept what you’ve given them. Treat them like you would your regular clients. Plus, acting like an idiot doesn’t help with your selfish reasons for doing good.

The downside of pro bono

Despite your best effort to only deal with one person. Despite promises made at the contract signing, decisions are made by committee in nonprofits. Everyone on the committee needs to feel invested in the project. If you can’t or won’t do something they’re asking for, or their request is ill-advised, have a good explanation ready.

It may take forever for the committee to make decisions. It’s the nature of the beast. They only get together so often. You can impress upon them how this will affect their deadlines, and encourage them to have more-frequent interactions for this project.

Forget ego. There’s every chance that your award-winning idea will be eviscerated before it ever leaves the room. It happens. At which point you ask yourself what your motive for helping is.

Alas, Jeff Fisher, in “Profiting from Pro Bono Creative Efforts,” writes, “Unfortunately, our friends at the Internal Revenue Service don’t see a great deal of value in the gifting of time, talent or services. The Internal Revenue Service states: ‘Contributions you cannot deduct at all include the value of your time or services. Although you cannot deduct the value of your time or services, you can deduct the expenses you incur while donating your services to a qualified organization.'”

They may forget to say thanks. ‘Nuff said. Do it anyway.

Some of my fondest memories (and some of the darkest) are of some pro bono work I’ve done, and I’ve even made some friends. I would do it all again. Keep your ears open for an organization in your area that can use a helping hand. Let it be you. It’s good for your soul.

If you want a designer and marketer who is committed to giving back to the community, give me a call and let’s talk.

“I’d like you to design a logo for me and give me a few choices, and if I like it, then I’ll pay you for it. I’ve also asked a few other designers to do the same thing. I don’t want to pay for something if I don’t like it.”

That’s called working on spec(ulation), and I’ve been asked to do it. Sean Lorenz of the Boston Business Journal writes, “The recent downturn in the market hit graphic-design [sic] professionals especially hard, since advertising and marketing are among the first elements to be cut from a company’s budget. With this downturn, there has been a disturbing rise in speculative graphic design projects. And it’s not just freelancers and out-of-work pros who are affected. Firmly established design firms and agencies are also using this technique to compete for business.”

Click…buzz…

A few years ago, a guy called me to see about building a website for him. He told me a few times that he didn’t have a whole lot of money, so I already had a clue as to where this conversation was going. We had a nice conversation, and then I gave him a ballpark quote.

“I was hoping that you would work for a percentage of the money I make after this venture gets off the ground.”

“Ummm, no. Because I still have to pay my rent and buy food. I don’t work for a percentage.”

We ended the conversation on a nice note, and I hung up.

The LA Times had an article about Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s “Designed/Made in Los Angeles” logo contest. Several designers and agencies submitted logos, and people were invited to choose their favorite. I’ve had a problem finding out what the designer gets out of this little exercise. Money? Huge publicity in all the major media? Or just the warm fuzzy ego boost that your work is hanging on all the clothing made in Los Angeles? It reeks of spec work.

A lesser, but just as offensive, solicitation is the “Charge me a really low price, and it could work into a lot of work for you.” It almost never does. Enough to always say no.

Why is spec work so bad?

Spec work is so offensive to most professional designers, someone even created a “No!Spec” website devoted to it. Elisabetta Bruno of ThinkCreation writes, “In a nutshell, spec requires the designer to invest time and resources with no guarantee of payment. This is a common point-of-view [sic] for many who confuse the professional with his or her tools. The process is more than simply tapping at a keyboard or clicking a mouse. It’s about understanding the nature of a communication challenge and then using one’s brain to find the appropriate solution.

“At the end of the day, there is a certain irony in spec work. A prospect requesting it is ultimately saying, ‘My project isn’t important enough to hire a professional who will take the time to understand my situation and goals and invest the time needed to create a suitable solution.’”

Sean Lorenz explains, “Another reason to reconsider accepting that spec job is the safety of your work….If a company sees the spec work and decides to not utilize your services, they may still incorporate or elaborate upon concepts of your design either in-house or elsewhere. This is especially a concern for web site designers. The majority of web designers doing spec work will bring screen shots on paper for the client to look at, finding it unwise to show a spec site on live media.”

Copyright law says that copyright (all or part can be sold) must be released in writing. Did the client requesting the spec work have the designer sign a form releasing those rights? If not, the client doesn’t have the right to use those images. If so, the designer is screwed.

“Crowdsourcing” is just a dirty word

Another version of spec work is “crowdsourcing,” such as what’s presented at crowdSPRING.com or 99Designs.com. CrowdSPRING’s website states, “With a crowd project, designers share dozens of concepts based on your brief. Review and rate the designs as they arrive, and designers will revise as you provide feedback. When the project ends, just pick the one you love!” Wait, what? In other words, for the possibility that my work will be chosen, and probably a paltry fee paid, I’m going to spend time revising and revising and revising a custom logo design, along with ~60 other designers.

Am I getting paid for my time? Thank you, but I’ve already chosen my pro bono client for the year.

Why is the concept of “spec work” so offensive?

I and most professional designers put many years of expensive education and experience into our work. We join professional organizations, buy books, magazine subscriptions, training videos, go to seminars and conferences, training ourselves to be neverendingly better at what we do.

Examples of our work go in our online or physical portfolios so the client can see what we are capable of. We enter costly creative competitions to win awards to prove (to ourselves) that our work is good. The software we use is expensive. So are our computers. That’s all overhead. Not to mention what we pay for internet access.

Unlike an acting audition, where the work can’t be repurposed without the actor’s consent, design (and writing) work can be. It’s really pretty easy. Even watermarks on artwork can usually be removed with the right software and a skillful hand.

Or the client can pay for value

When you pay for our services, we spend time with you finding out more about your business, your brand, your history, your goals, your products or services. We use that information, and our talent and skills, to come up with solutions that will further your marketing objectives. Spec work doesn’t allow for those insights.

Spec work also takes away from time spent on existing clients who are paying us for our time. Those clients rightfully expect attention that isn’t diluted by a design audition.

Then there’s the “paying bills” part. Can you imagine if you went to your landlord or bank and said, “Business is a little tight right now and might stay tight for a couple of months. It looks like it’s picking up. How about if I pay you a percentage of what I make every month? Hopefully, in a few months or so, I’ll be able to pay you MORE than my regular payment.” Or, “I don’t know if I’m going to get paid for the work I did this month, so I don’t know if I can pay you. I still need a roof over my head. Are we cool?”

Imagine doing that with your car loan company, your utilities, the gas station, and the grocery store!

A filled-out portfolio is an excellent indication of your designer’s skills. Use that instead of spec work to assess quality work. Expect to pay a (nonrefundable) deposit up front, because it’s a good-faith gesture. It helps cover the time the designer spent traveling to you and talking to you in the first place, not to mention the research about your company they probably did before they met with you.

Just remember, you almost always get what you pay for.

Do you want a designer who provides value to your company, and not just free work? Contact me and let’s strategize your needs.