Chapter 1.

Intro:

Let me briefly introduce myself. I have been a designer for 20 years, and throughout my journey I have met some amazing people and had fascinating conversations. Like most people, I often reflect on my day, and often thoughts pop into my head that make me chuckle. Most times, they pop into my head at that moment just before I drift to sleep.

These newsletters are those thoughts; they're not here to offend people, but just me thinking out loud. I hope these thoughts will be helpful to some people, but most importantly, they're just to entertain you.

Rambling topic: Know your worth!

I once had a meeting with potential client who needed a new brand for their new side venture. Usual conversations regarding the business, target audience, marketing, etc. Like all projects, I asked if they had a budget in mind. The response was simply "as cheap as possible", There are literally hundreds of reasons for a slim budget:

• Left over funds from equipment purchases;
• Finances are tight;
• The project ran on too long, etc.

Being the helpful designer I am, I tried to understand the reasoning behind the budget and find a solution to help this person.

The reasoning?

"I'm not sure if this would work, I don't want to chuck money at it!"

As a creative, I like to measure each project by the passion or drive of the person working on it. Now imagine, that you're going on your first date (bear with me). You made an effort with your outfit, put on the fancy aftershave/perfume, meet your date; they made a huge effort too. You want to make a good impression, so you splash out on fine wine (maybe 2/3/4), ask for the steak fillet with red wine jus (veggie option available), finish with dessert, coffee, and maybe head out for a cocktail after. Sounds amazing, right?

Now, imagine putting yourself in the same frame of mind as Let's go as cheap as possible. I'm not sure if this would work; I don't want to throw money at it! You'll end up in the local Tesco Express, staring at the yellow label section!

I understand the word "budget" is a bad word. It's a common misconception that a budget is an indication of how much we can squeeze out of you and ask for more, but for a designer, it's really a way for us to gauge how much time we have to spend on your project, for example.

• high budget = a few weeks;?
• Low budget = a few days;
• ￡30(?) = a coffee, handshake, and maybe a sketch on the napkin!?

So when you have a project and you're allocating your budget, think about how much time you want your designer or marketer to spend on it. What is your project worth to you? A good designer or marketer will always help find solutions to your tight budget.

We all started from nothing; we don't have the advantage of receiving a small loan of a million dollars from our father! Technology nowadays has opened up so many solutions for payment. Chat with your creative side and work something out.

Know your worth.?

Thank you for reading my rambling, I'd love to hear your thoughts and comment on this. I'll look forward to my next rambling!