I was scared of pretty girls and starting conversations. – Vance Joy, Riptide I hear you, Vance. I’m terrified of starting conversations. As a majorly introverted shy wallflower, I don’t like talking to new people. The idea of attending a networking event makes me start nervous-sweating and hoping … Read On ›
Like I said in my last post, I want every freelancer to have a contract—no excuses! To make sure there are no excuses, I shared my own contract which can be used a model. Today I want to talk about my contract in a little more detail and … Read On ›
Do you start projects without having the client sign a contract? Let today be the last day! If you don’t have a contract (that you use EVERY time), it’s time for an intervention. When it comes to contracts: You must have one. No ifs, ands or buts about it!You … Read On ›
Why do creatives let people walk all over them? I’m dropping a truth-bomb today. There are too many creatives who let clients step all over them. As a freelancer, you are not someone’s servant—you are someone’s partner—hired to help them accomplish something important. So maybe you’re lacking in confidence. … Read On ›
“I should have paid attention to the red flags.” Freelancers often say this about a project that has gone wrong. And it’s true. Most of the time, in hindsight, there were red flags. But if we pay attention to them sooner, we can eliminate problem projects from the get-go … Read On ›
I talked about what to do once a client says they want to work with you—but a whole lot happens before then. Oftentimes, the interaction starts with a complimentary consultation call or, as I like to call it, a free chat. Even though it’s free, you can … Read On ›
I talk a lot about increasing efficiency (most recently in my client intake process), and I’ve been thinking about how I can do it by integrating an online scheduler with my calendar. When I’m trying to schedule a meeting with a client or new prospect, I want … Read On ›
Finding clients gets talked about a lot. But what to do once you have them…not so much! For designers, there is so much that goes into starting a business. Lots of stuff I didn’t really think about when I started. Like what the heck to do once you have a … Read On ›
Because I like to practice what I preach, I’m revamping my website using my free report, Get Your Website Done: 12 Actionable Steps for Designers, as a guide. Last time we talked about choosing your niche (you’ve done that, right?)—and this time, we’re talking about what you’re … Read On ›
Trust the process, right? Well, I’m going to trust my own process as I completely redesign my website, which I last built in 2013—gasp! I’ve constantly updated the design and made tweaks, but it’s time to start fresh and clean. And there’s no better time than now. I … Read On ›
“Thank you for your steadfast support and expertise.
“You took the original vision, a handful of images, and our colors and crafted something that was so much more. The quality of our site has given me the confidence I need to write new blog posts and drive traffic to it as a resource. Often, people I speak with that have navigated the pages offer unprompted praise. I am grateful for the initial work and the ongoing maintenance and revisions we make together.”
Neil Beamtheappreciation.com
“Working with Jill has been a smooth, effective, happy process from start to finish.
“She is a great listener who took the time not just to understand what we wanted done, but also to get to know our ‘organizational personality.’ She executed what we wanted flawlessly. We tried not to have too many last minute, ‘urgent’ requests, but they did happen (sorry, Jill!)—and she always helped immediately! Knowing that she's watching over our site's backend has also been amazing so we don't have to worry about it.”
Janna Morishimakidscomicsunite.com
“Equally talented designer, as well as web developer, Jill has become an integral part of every project I've launched.
“No kidding, I sleep better knowing Jill's there, for updates, for design tweaks, for—basically—everything.”
Peter Askewvidaliaonions.com
“Thank you so much for all you do for my team. You are always there to support us and fix things. You are so appreciated!”
Aimee Rauppaimeeraupp.com
“Jill is a rare developer in that she can actually design too.
“Along with her expertise in WordPress, she understands design, layout, typography and composition. She is also reliable, talented, and extremely easy to work with.”
Alizah Epstein
“Jill is an amazing resource for any creative professional.
“In almost 20 years working with creatives, she’s one of the few whose design, marketing and programming skills are equally strong. She asked all the right questions, listened carefully to what I was looking to achieve and exceeded my expectations with her first round of creative. Thanks to Jill my website has elevated my brand image. I will be recommending her to all my coaching clients!”
Justine Clayjustineclay.com
“Working with Jill is the best thing I’ve done for my design business.
“For years, I've wanted to re-do my website. Partnering with Jill got it done, and I am so happy with the results. Jill is a super talented designer and developer who pays attention to every little detail. Like smart quotes and hanging punctuation! I am thrilled with the WordPress platform, and that I can make the updates myself—It has been so much fun!”
Amy Gorrekstudioagwork.com
“I want to thank you for the design you did for my new website.
“I’m really happy with how it turned out, and I’ve gotten multiple compliments on the aesthetics of the site. Thanks for your creativity and work on it, and for making sure it worked so well for me. It’s starting to help me and my business out in some important ways.”
Meredith Waltersmeredithwalters.com
“I loved working with Jill on the website for my freelance writing business.
“From the first meeting, we were in sync creatively on every aspect of the project. Everyone who’s seen the site comments that it’s very professional, yet it also captures my personality. Jill was great to work with—collaborative, consultative, capable. I’m thrilled with the site—it was a great use of my marketing dollars.”
Bryn Moothbrynmooth.com
“From the start, I warned Jill about my nit-pickiness, but she handled my perfectionistic tendencies with patience and good humor.
“Typically, when I design a website and hand it off to a developer for coding, I’m prepared to view a semi-rough version of what I’ve created and subsequently type up a long punch list of changes. That never happened with Jill: she understood my vision and nailed it on the first try.”
Robin H. Ridleyparfaitstudio.com
“I adore you, Jill Anderson!
“You are a genius—cool, patient and phenomenally talented. Everybody raves about you, and I’ve gotten to witness your smarts through our work together—but seeing your process first-hand was an honor. It’s not just about the amazing results (it’s pretty damn amazing!)—but all the care, big ideas, concepts and thoughtful details you added to make this extra-special.”
Deidre Rienzoconnectwithcopy.com
“Jill is by far the best designer I have ever worked with in my life.
“Not only is she incredibly skilled, but she’s incredible to work with on every project. There’s no one else out there like her… and she will always have a special place in my heart for all that she has done for me, Solamar and the team. We love her… and we hope to work with her forever.”
Chelsea Berlersolamaragency.com
“Hiring Jill to help me with my website was such a smart decision!
“I have worked with many programmers over the years and none of them have the eye for design or the attention to detail Jill possesses. She is the complete package—she understands the front end and back end of the web. Best of all, she was an absolute pleasure to work with from start to finish.”
Laura Wertkinintendcreative.com
“I hired Jill to redesign my website, and she did an excellent job of translating our conversation to exactly what I had envisioned (or better).
“She’s very personable, has great design skills, and knows her way around code, too. It’s rare to find all three of those traits in one person, and it makes her absolutely delightful to work with.”
Tiffany Esteswholebraincreative.com
Hey designers:
My free interactive pdf will help you check it off the list with 12 actionable steps.
Check out my Client Onboarding Toolkit—a simple, 4-step digital course that walks you through my time-tested process for converting prospects into paying clients. Jam-packed with advice and tools about invoicing, money, vetting clients, and project kick-offs, you’ll onboard clients with more clarity, sanity, and confidence than ever before.
