Brand new here, I’ve been in school for graphic design for a bit, and last week I lost my job out of nowhere. I wasn’t really prepared to make the transition from my restaurant work to my graphic work but in a wild turn of events a connection linked me up with a possible client.
I agreed to do a mock-up for them since I don’t have much a portfolio to show them… but I really have no idea how to structure pay and what type of timeline is normal for a website project.
Any help or advice is appreciated and apologies if this is a redundant post
The biggest issue I’ve seen over the years with new developers is the lack of a contract that describes what they will do, for how much money. It’s all fun and happy while the relationship is going well, and then so often it turns into a mess when there’s a disagreement on what the work was really going to be. So my #1 suggestion is to have a signed contract with the customer that outlines everything.
I’d be happy to send you my contract template if you pm me your email.
I’m sorry to hear about your job loss, but it’s great that you have a potential client for a graphic design project. To structure pay and set a timeline, first, understand the project scope by discussing the client’s requirements. Decide if you want to charge hourly or a fixed project fee, keeping in mind your skills and project complexity. Estimate the time needed for each task to provide an accurate quote, and communicate this along with a proposed timeline to your client. Be transparent about your process and ensure both parties are on the same page to build a successful freelance relationship. Good luck!