AOI - Client Negotiations Workshop

6A2
6B2

Client Negotiations Association of Illustrators - Business Masterclass
held by: Lou Bones 

• self promotion
• website/social media communicating correctly to RIGHT clients
• creators rights (how to protect)
• contract
• client negotiations
• pricing info

AOI set up in 1973 for physical artwork. Empowering illustrators.

Objectives
- Voice for Illustrators/support/advice
- create awareness, protect rights
- encourage professional and ethical standards

website 

- IMAGE BASED WEBSITE. 
- 15-20 secs to see best work. (first impression)
- the less reading the better.
- if there is an animation, it has to move
- has to be applicable and viewable on mobile devices (iphone/ipad)
- has to show who you are/what you do
- show ranges (categories)
- have a distinctive tone of voice
- be selective with your work, to show the best and most relevant projects
- get a website now

platform - Cargo Collective/Squarespace (image)
domain name - iwantmyname.com/godaddy.com
aim worldwide
simple/functional

not use own name? (come up with alternative studio name)
DO NOT HAVE CONTACT FORM - unfriendly, businesses use to deter people
include email address, social media, phone (?). Having no website or using gmail = UNPROFESSIONAL
Make all social media exact same. This makes you easy to find across all platforms
LinkedIn - for clients (to see who will commission) not for creatives really. use to get contact details though.


choose right clients
find out who i want to communicate with - reflect in portfolio
aim to work with dream clients 
think about what happens after uni 

Mark Conlan - made list of dream clients
includes vague concept applicable to all sorts
collaboration (working with) with business (not providing services)
3 months - 6 projects
within a few months he had commissions from NY Times and Asian Airbnb

Long Term Personal Project (hattie Stewart)
doodler for fashion & beauty (how to get clients???) did work for Mac and Apple Music Festival

- study industry and discover niche
- quality over quantity
- create dream client list
- RESEARCH clients and DIRECT contacts - art director, editor, creative directors
- internationally
- do not blanket bomb (no sir/madam, use first name)
- AOI - consider GDPR
- BikiniLists

Twitter
Facebook Page not profile

set tasks. compartmentalise work. 
positive attitude - over social media to make more appealing to potential commissioners

Instagram: 
- business tool
- source of commissioning
- close ups/ sketchbooks pages, videos, time-lapses, promoted posts
- stories to draw people to profile
- separate from personal - use a business account?? (analytics)
- more current than website

freelance = you are your own boss
- book keeper
- HMRC - self employed
- up to date accounts
- retain claimable receipts
- keep paperwork involved with every job
- keep record of all your licenses to follow up
- self assessment to pay income tax will be 4 times a year
- expenses (laptop, phone, adobe suites, studio, materials)
- culturally aware - claim back events like exhibitions etc.
accounting apps
Xero
Quickbooks
FreeAgent

copy right = the right to copy
license fee - illustration lends copy for time period 
graphic design - employed by client
copyright info instagram and bottom of website
no copyright in idea or style

small products = no return
create your own aesthetic niche, don't follow trends

protecting work
- 72dpi 
- yourname as part of file name
- illustrations *copyright symbol* Your name 2018
- on website/folio/social media
- no watermarks (barrier)
- read terms and conditions of websites/social media image use/filenames

contracts
- confirm licence and accept commission in writing before you start work
- commissioner is not client
- licence use - SPECIFIC to prevent re use of work
- time frame - normally 3 years for packaging etc

clarity and certainty
payment, termination, cancellation, sub-licensing (publishing)

do not work for free

size of client - regional/national/global

stipulations: 
where using
how long
what size/ what purpose?