AIGA is proud to announce a series of online seminars offered exclusively to our members to provide insight and hands-on tips for handling the most pressing issues facing freelance designers and design firms today. Led by Shel Perkins, each one-hour session begins at 11:00 a.m. Pacific/2:00 p.m. Eastern and includes a 45-minute PowerPoint presentation and 15 minutes of Q&A. Following each presentation, registrants will receive a code to access the archived session, usually within 24 hours.

Past events

Good Advice for Bad Times

Archived presentation (Free!)

What can you do to keep your design business healthy during the economic downturn? Clients are cutting back existing budgets and delaying the start of new initiatives, but your studio still has bills to pay.

Watch this free archived presentation to see what the webinars are like before you sign up.

Income Taxes for Freelancers

Archived presentation (Purchase for $15)

Whether or not you’re new to freelancing, chances are that you have some questions about how to calculate and report your income taxes. This webinar covers the basics of income taxes for freelancers—from tracking typical business expenses and making quarterly estimated tax payments to filing your completed annual return. It also includes important information about the tax issues that may arise if your freelance business is not profitable.

Copyright and Trademark Basics

Archived presentation (Purchase for $15)

Intellectual property is a very important topic for creative professionals. We strive to produce work of significant value and we negotiate with clients for its use and ownership. This webinar provides an overview of two core issues for design and marketing firms: copyrights and trademarks. Details of ownership, protection, infringement and licensing will be discussed, and many real-world examples will be shared along the way. Find out what the term work-for-hire really means and whether it applies to your projects.

Terms and Conditions for Design Contracts

Archived presentation (Purchase for $15)

Every time you perform services for a client, you have a contract whether you know it or not. You need to make sure that it’s fair. This webinar will explain what constitutes a legally binding contract, review the most common problems caused by oral agreements and describe the vital role a well-written document can play in keeping client relationships on track. To help you accomplish this, we’ll examine the most recent AIGA Standard Form of Agreement for Design Services, containing recommended terms and conditions, explanations of the key legal concepts involved and suggestions for incorporating smart contracts into your own design practice.

Calculating a Freelance Rate

Archived presentation (Purchase for $15)

Many designers spend part of their careers as freelancers—it’s a great way to gain experience, build relationships and develop a diverse portfolio. Some independent designers work directly with business clients, submitting fixed-fee proposals for specific projects. However, others prefer to work behind the scenes as an additional resource for established creative firms. If you are working behind the scenes, how should you go about calculating a fair price for your services? This webinar will explain one easy way of doing that.

Insurance Basics for Designers

Archived presentation (Purchase for $15)

Insurance is protection against the occurrence of unlikely events. Chances are rather small that your office will ever burn down or that one of your employees will be seriously injured while scanning slides. However, as a prudent businessperson, you must arrange for adequate protection just in case. Every design firm needs several different types of insurance. This webinar shares essential information about each category, as well as tips for insuring a home office.

Setting Rates for a Firm

Archived presentation (Purchase for $15)

Calculating a standard billing rate for a design firm is a bit different from calculating an hourly rate for a freelancer (a process discussed in the July 2 webinar). However, the essential business challenge is the same—you need a rate that will cover your costs and produce a profit. This webinar will explain and contrast several approaches that are widely used by creative companies.

Time:

All presentations start at 11:00 a.m. Pacific (2:00 p.m. Eastern) and last 60 minutes.

Price:

$55 per webinar

Presenter:

Shel Perkins is a designer, educator and consultant with 19 years of experience in managing the operations of leading creative firms in the United States and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.shelperkins.com.

Curious to see what the webinars are like? Watch the free “Good Advice for Bad Times” archived presentation.