Issue #22
April 06, 2006

Welcome to Inside Freelance Design (IFD), your free, bi-weekly e-letter from American Writers & Artists Inc. Every other week, you can receive this special alert with secrets, tips, and insights from AWAI's graphic design pros to help you improve your skills and reach your goal of becoming a professional graphic designer in the fastest time possible.

IN THIS ISSUE:
  • Master Designer Lori Haller and Master Copywriter Donna Doyle Discuss Profitable Collaboration
  • Quick Tip: A Hidden – and Very Useful – “Easter Egg” in InDesign
  • The IFD Mailbag
  • EXTRA! EXTRA! News and Job Opportunities
The Profit Potential of Working Together
By Lori Haller and Donna Doyle

It used to be good enough for designers and copywriters to work separately. But because today's DM market is filled with skeptical prospects, you need to leverage every advantage to bolster your package's success.

One of the most rewarding ways (financially and personally) to do so is to work directly with the copywriter who created the package.

To let you know how rewarding this can be, we spoke with master designer Lori Haller and her master copywriting partner Donna Doyle.

IFD: When you started as a freelancer, did you work directly with other copywriters or designers?

LORI: Before working so successfully with Donna, if a company didn't hook us up, I didn't ask. I felt it was probably “not my business.”

DONNA: Same here. I just stayed in my realm. I wrote and let designers design.

IFD: When did you start collaborating professionally?

LORI: I'd done lots of controls, but not with a weight-loss product. When I saw Donna's copy, it was wonderful to see her new, exciting ideas. Agora gave me the okay to call Donna, and we hit it off. We came up with many ideas that we liked, and worked together with the marketing director. In the end, our promo beat the control 2 to 1!

DONNA: It's like Lori said. But I didn't realize that Lori had also done the graphics for another one of my packages a few months earlier ... so she was already familiar with my work.

IFD: What are the benefits of collaborating?

DONNA: There are lots. Here are three main ones.

1. Mutual recommendations. When a client hires me for a project and needs a designer, I recommend Lori. I've passed Lori's name on to other clients. And Lori has passed my name on to her clients. We've gotten projects for several brand-new clients this way.

2. Brainstorming and bouncing ideas. A negative about freelancing is that you . work in a vacuum. You don't have coworkers to bounce ideas off of. When you work with a collaborator, though, you have the luxury of exchanging ideas that will make the overall writing and design of the package stronger and better.

Seeing your copy printed out is one thing. But you'd be amazed by how different the words flow once they're laid out. Many times, I'll see that I need to change a headline, cut a section, or add a chart. You couldn't do that if you weren't working with the designer.

3. Knowing what works and what doesn't. Working with Lori, she'll tell me things like, “I used that idea for another client, and it didn't work well,” or “Graphically, a magalog works better than a slim Jim.”

This works on my end, too. I usually include some type of interactive comparison chart in my copy. Clients love it and it helps involve the prospect. But it needs to be written and formatted a certain way or else it won't work. If I'm not able to collaborate with the designer, it might not be designed correctly and the package could fail.

LORI: Let me add that designers and copywriters truly get an edge when we work together. We become a strong team, learning from each other. Then that tiny bit of our history together becomes bigger and juicer. It grows with the next promo and the next. Working together really gives a team the strength needed to pull off a BREAKTHROUGH WINNER.

IFD: How do you find collaborators?

LORI: I listen for names associated with winning projects at meetings, seminars, and interviews. Sometimes, people will mention that a piece was done by so-and-so. I make a mental note as to who it is and learn more about that person.

I gather samples, read them, and watch for styles. I attend conferences like the AWAI Bootcamp and talk to presenters and attendees. I read a variety of publications relating to direct mail. I also give out names when asked who I've worked with and who writes good copy. It's FUN meeting other copywriters and artists along the way. You not only get new clients and make big winners, I've also made several very close lifelong friends.

DONNA: I tell all my clients when they book me that I'd like to see the project through until it goes to the printer. So I make it clear that I'll work with their designers. If I enjoy working with them and like their style, I ask them if they'd be interested in working with nme on future projects. They recommend me if a client needs a writer, and vice-versa.

IFD: Any last comments?

LORI: Donna and I have a special relationship when working together. We trust each other and are good listeners. We're not afraid to let the other one take the lead.

DONNA: Totally. This is the way freelancers should work together. Trust and respect each other and you will turn out winning packages.

* * * * * * * * Advertisement * * * * * * * *

The 3 Most Important Secrets To Getting Clients

Learn more: http://www.thedesignerslife.com/threesecrets/

QUICK TIP: 2 Usable “Easter Eggs” in InDesign

In computer parlance, an “Easter Egg” is a goodie hidden away in software. Usually, Easter Eggs aren't very practical, but the designers of Adobe InDesign have two useful ones in InDesign CS and InDesign CS2.

Open the “Stroke” window (or activate the “Stroke” palette). Click the little arrow in the upper left corner and choose “Stroke Styles.” Choose “New” in the window that opens. Type “Feet” (without the quotation marks) in the “Name” window. Click “Add” then “Done.”

Go through the same procedure and name the new stroke style “Lights.”

We won't tell you exactly what you'll get ... but we will tell you that you'll have fun additions to your InDesign strokes. You'll see them in the Stroke palette's “Type” drop-down menu.

* * * * * * * * Advertisement * * * * * * * *

Are You Worried That Your Computer Skills Are
Holding You Back?

Learn how you can fix your “problem” areas … and find solutions to all kinds of problems you might be facing at this very moment by clicking here:
http://www.awaionline.com/basics/

FROM THE IFD MAILBAG…
by Kristin Schwarz

We open today's Mailbag with a question from GDS member Eric.

Hi Kristin,

I received InDesign today.

Holy Smokes! I was expecting a “blown up” version of Word, but this is a whole new ball game!

Since I have absolutely no design experience at all (though I know I have an eye for it) and am just now getting comfortable with Word, is there any InDesign training that you would recommend that would be a good launching point for someone who isn't even up to “novice status”? I'm talking about starting from scratch, here.

Thank you,

Eric

Dear Eric,

InDesign is a great choice! This program will cover all your design needs.

The best place to start is with PeachPit Press's InDesign Visual QuickStart Guides (available for InDesign from 1 to CS2). These books are concise, easy to understand, and illustration-driven. I still use mine when I'm not exactly sure what to do in InDesign. List price: $21 to $25, available at Amazon for between $15 and $17 (depending on the version).

There are a number of resources online that can help you learn this program. Many of them are free. The Adobe website is a good place to start, but a number of others offer tips, tricks, and tutorials.

There are more free tutorials for specific tasks at www.techtutorials.info/drindesx.html. And Total Training offers step-by-step training CDs that are excellent (though pricy) at www.totaltraining.com.

Mike writes in with this great suggestion:

Dear AWAI,

I thought this might be interesting to pass on to other designers as well as Graphic Design Success members.

I was working on the design of CD/DVD labels yesterday. But the scanned images for items like Compact Disc, DVD, Dolby Digital weren't as crisp as I would have liked.

I stumbled across an actual font that has these symbols. So now these icons can be really clear in a project.

The full font family is only $15 and available here: www.fontsite.com/cnpro

Mike K.

Dear Mike,

Thank you for sharing this resource with us. The set of fonts you describe contains many useful symbols, such as shopping carts and credit card symbols for Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. These symbols are very useful for design DM order forms.

Kristin

[Ed. Note: Please note that AWAI does not gain anything from listing the resources provided above. If you have a question or comment for Kristin, please send it to:
insidefreelancedesign@awaionline.com, Attn: Kristin Schwarz.]

EXTRA! EXTRA! News and Job Opportunities

  • GRAPHIC DESIGNERS - Over 125 ads are currently posted on DirectResponseJobs.com by marketers looking to hire AWAI Graphic Design and Copywriting members. Search and apply today at: http://www.directresponsejobs.com/.
  • IN-HOUSE DESIGNER - SuperWarehouse.com, a California-based company, seeks and in-house designer to work with them full time. You'll be responsible for designing and maintaining their website, creating online advertisements, and developing a consistent brand for their online marketing strategy. You must know Flash, Fireworks, Dreamwever, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Send your samples of online work along with your resume and salary history to Kristin@superwarehouse.com.
  • GRAPHIC DESIGNER - MediTech Media, Ltd., a medical communications agency and marketing company, needs a graphic designer. You will help to develop promotional and education campaigns for pharmaceutical clients. You must know Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Dreamweaver, and Quark. You'll work on both print and online designs. Agency experience is preferred. Please send a link to your portfolio along with your resume and salary requirements to Chelsea Owens at Chelsea.owens@meditechmedia.com.
  • EXPERIENCED GRAPHIC DESIGNER - Advanced Markeitng Services, a provider of distribution services to publishers, wishes to hire an experienced graphic designer to join their marketing team based in San Diego. You'll need to knowledgeable of both design and production. You develop concepts and strategies and create layouts. You must be conscious of details and able to meet tight deadlines. A well-developed sense of initiative is also important. Send your resume and salary requirements to Shannon.Kehle@advmkt.com.
COMING NEXT ISSUE:
  • Do Your Prospects Know You Exist?
  • Quick Tip: How to Make an Eye-Popping Portfolio (for PC Users)
* ABOUT INSIDE FREELANCE DESIGN *

Inside Freelance Design is a FREE bi-weekly newsletter from American Writers & Artists Inc., available to AWAI members and friends.

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