Creative Business CD-ROM

Creative Business is a publication devoted 100% to the business of providing creative services—graphic design, commercial art, editorial, and marketing. The information comes from the actual experiences of thousands of creative business principals and freelances and is extensively researched and written by Cameron Foote and his staff with an extraordinary attention to detail. It is published 10 times a year—six regular, 12 to 16 page bi-monthly issues, and four special reports.

YOUR GET FIFTY INFORMATION RICH ISSUES

A typical issue include

1 > In-depth articles about running a creative business in the real world. You'll read all about business planning, management, marketing, presentations, working with clients, creating estimates, establishing rates, and more.

2 > Plus, Cameron and his staff have translated much of the information into easy-to-understand charts and tables that clearly demonstrate important business ratios and management benchmarks.

3 > Some issues also include forms that will help you gather and evaluate business information. Forms for everything from client surveys and planning worksheets, to a productivity record and trend tracker for calculating and monitoring key financial data.

4 > And all of the bi-monthly issues include rock-solid advice from Cameron, one of the creative industry's most respected business experts. He fields questions from readers on the topics that dog us all such as: How to deal with late payers, what to do with a client who wants to work with you to “save time,” how much to mark up an ad, what percentage of return a client should expect from a direct mail piece, and much, much more.

INCLUDING TWENTY SPECIAL REPORTS

You also get five years worth of Creative Business special reports. Each addresses a multifaceted topic that requires detailed analysis such as: Promoting Your Business, Finding Good Legal Counsel, Competing for Annual Reports, 25 Performance Standards, Employing Sales and Talent Reps, and 15 others.

All issues are stored as Adobe Acrobat PDF files on a dual format, Macintosh/Windows CD-ROM. You can browse issues by year or use the search feature to find an article using a keyword or phrase. Beyond the Acrobat software, there are no files to store on your hard drive and everything is super-easy to search, view, and print.

FROM CHUCK  Now, through a special arrangement with the publisher, ideabook.com is offering a five-year compilation of Creative Business, 2000 through 2004 on a dual-format Macintosh/Windows CD-ROM (don't worry—almost every word is as relevant today as it was when it was first published). At the standard subscription rate of $149 per year, this information would cost you a little less than $750. Now you can own fifty issues brimming with some of the most useful information I have ever read about our business for just $139.

Creative Business CD-ROM $139.95

50 issues: 30 regular issues, 20 special reports; dual-format CD-ROM (Mac/PC) for easy viewing, searching, and printing.

Thank you for your support—a purchase here makes the free material at ideabook.com, jumpola.com, and pageplane.com possible. Have a question? Don't hesitate to call 804-266-7996, 9-6 EST or to E-mail info@ideabook.com.

The newest version, CD-ROM 7 includes:

2004 ISSUES

November/December 2004 Issue
16 pages, Articles: 1) Doing an annual, year-end financial check (contains four forms), 2) practicing the art of delegating, 3) charging for planning and consulting (contains two forms). Advice on: International copyright protection, defining “agency of record,” fair pay for each partner, hiring a client's child, marking up freelance time, and client wanting protection against “consequential damages.” Management tip: Using a Work-in-Progress Aging Report.

October 2004 Special Issue: Frequently Asked Business Questions
12 pages. Answers eighteen business questions commonly asked by creative entrepreneurs. Four categories—pricing, legal/ethical, marketing, and management—are covered.

September/October 2004 issue
16 pages. Articles on: 1) when a little client knowledge is dangerous, 2) expanding with virtual or contract employees, 3) responding to “paid spec” requests, 4) establishing employee Internet guidelines. Advice on: acquiescing to bad ideas, divulging profit margins, local pricing, maternity leave commissions, under-budget billing, charging for files, copyright for a copy, use of CB materials. Management Benchmark: when to bill for stalled projects.

July/August 2004 issue
16 pages. Articles on: 1) Common beliefs and myths that damage creative businesses, 2) considering restricted equity arrangements for employees, and 3) when sales help is affordable, and isn't, for small creative firms. Advice on: show one concept?, Web page credit, employee conflicts, a way to check salaries, resizing software, charge for recycling a concept. Management benchmark: Fee multiplier for employees.

June 2004 special issue: The Collateral Market
12 pages. Covers recent changes and trends in client needs for sales/information literature ("collateral" materials). Defines conditions and opportunities for several print and electronic types. Includes four strategies for increasing sales.

May/June 2004 issue
16 pages. Articles on: 1) handling RFQ and other low-bid projects, 2) alternatives for problem-pricing (lack of sufficient information) projects, and 3) considerations for merging with or acquiring another firm. Advice on: parental leave, liability for client actions, employee sales commissions?, resizing ad software?, rip-off response?, work-for-hire clarification, appropriate finder's fee? Management Tip: a non-discrimination pricing policy.

March/April 2004 issue
16 pages. Articles: 1) avoiding the stress and burnout pitfall, 2) what's wrong and right with referrals, and 3) becoming a better supervisor. Advice on: paid time for employees?, a down-under opportunity?, nurturing clients, donating services to charities, NASE insurance, and how many follow-up calls to make. Management Tip: one client, one new business presentation.

January/February 2004 Issue
16 pages. Articles on 1) setting your 2004 salaries, 2) techniques for jump-starting the creative process, and 3) how to hold more productive meetings. Advice on: preferred supplier agreements, long-term contracts, no-spec work rationale, employee contracts, home office meetings, withholding raises, replacing a sales rep. Management Benchmark: profitability goal

2003 ISSUES

November/December 2003 Issue
16 pages. Articles: 1) Enhancing the value of projects, 2 doing a billable efficiency check, 3) way to improve the office environment, 4) overtime and work break requirements. Advice on: taglines, showing Web work, exit interviews, client conflicts, future skills, show estimates, concept revisions. Management tip: unacceptable interval between raises.

October 2003 Special Issue: Concerns About Workplace “Families”
12 pages. Provides several case histories of the business difficulties that can be encountered when employers and employees have close, personal relationships.

September/October 2003 Issue
16 pages. Articles on: 1) overcoming sales rejections, 2) figuring project profitability, 3) considerations for better delegation. Advice on: introducing clients to others, receipt requests, commission basis, fair use of material, consequential damages. Management Benchmark: ratio of creative to administration labor.

July/August 2003 Issue
16 pages. Articles: 1) addressing two client concerns—conflicts of interest and indemnification, 2) understanding and using purchase orders, and 3) knowing how to protect intellectual property. Advice on: restrictive contracts, “full-service” competition, direct mail effectiveness, mailing list source, reprint at your expense? Management Tip: timing of employee salary reviews.

June 2003 Special Issue: Business Questions & Our Answers
12 pages. Covers eighteen typical questions phoned to CB's telephone help service, along with our answers and advice. Questions and responses are divided into three categories—marketing, management, and pricing.

May/June 2003 Issue
16 pages. Articles: 1) how to get business through new client prospecting and mining database contacts, and 2) a comprehensive review and critique of management software for creative businesses. Advice on: repro rights, minimum fees, ownership of work notes, getting annual report samples, giving a client referral discounts, and restrictive client agreements. Management Tip: how soon to invoice.

April 2003 Special Issue: Preparing Graphics Standards
12 pages. Discusses the importance of graphic standards materials and covers how to sell, price, develop, and format them. Includes samples of two prospecting letters, two standards manual pages, and a six-page proposal. (Note: The contents of this issue are the same as downloadable article MK28 “Providing Clients With Graphic Standards.”)

March/April 2003 Issue
16 pages. Articles: 1) guidelines for using samples and testimonials, 2) improving your human resources (personnel) skills, 3) preparing simple marketing plans for clients. Advice on: sending estimates, shutting off no-pay clients, turning down work, hiring back a layed off employee as a freelance, being blindsided by a sub-contractor, and travel charges. Management Tip: budgeting for education and training.

February 2003 Special Issue: A Legal Primer
12 pages. Covers how to handle legal situations creative firms are apt to find themselves in. Particular emphasis on appropriate procedures for collecting uppaid bills. (Note: The contents of this issue are the same as downloadable article MG12 “A Legal Primer. What You Should Know.”)

January/February 2003 Issue
16 pages. Articles: 1) avoiding the four major problems that affect most creative businesses, 2) considerations for teaming, partnering and subcontracting, and 3) what makes sense when it comes to employee bonuses. Advice on: changes to agreements, avoiding spec work, employee dismissals, pre-billing clients, and disclaimers when clients buy their own printing. Management Tip: finding client payment schedules.

2002 ISSUES

November/December 2002 Issue
16 pages. Articles on: 1) considerations about cashing out; 2) interviewing prospective employees; 3) preparing change orders; 4) evaluating the impact of environmental design . Advice on: client work promises, conflicts of interest, hiring yourself out, part-time employee benefits, a source for used PowerBooks. Management Benchmark: checking your firm's equity.

October 2002 Special Issue: Management Case Studies
12 pages. Three management case studies that examine the mistakes made by three typical creative firms and how they could have been avoided—a freelance writer, a 7-person public relations partnership, and a 15-person branding consultancy.

September/October 2002 Issue
16 pages. Articles on: 1) Dealing with client bureaucracies; 2) how important are your location and facilities?; 3) answering a client's questions about Return on Investment (ROI); 4) measuring packaging's ROI. Advice on: Inc., or LLC/LLP?, charge for employee breaks?, show the work of others?, proper office language, menu pricing, and copying CB rationales. Management Benchmark: finder's fees.

August 2002 Special Issue: The Science of Promoting Your Business
** Note: the content of this issue is the same as the downloadable article MK16 “The Science of Promoting Your Business.”

July/August 2002 Issue
16 pages. Articles on: 1) New standards for proofs and sign-offs; 2) “360-degree” employee performance reviews; 3) the psychology of freelance pricing. Advice on: accounting for small charges, sub-contracting problem, work-for-hire complaint/defense, plagiarized creative, consulting fees, guidelines for showing work. Management Benchmark: ability to absorb bad debts.

May/June 2002 Issue
16 pages. Articles on: 1) the psychology of pricing; 2) criteria for hiring a creative firm; 3) criteria for getting good work from a creative firm; 4) procedures for enhancing client loyalty. Advice on: employee productivity, signoff norms, non-solicitation agreements, charging for favors, salary updates, rep commissions. Management Benchmark: avoiding client conflicts of interest.

April 2002 Special Issue: Developing Policies and Procedures
**Note: the content of this issue is the same as the downloadable article MG-18 “Developing Policies and Procedures.”

March/April 2002 Issue
16 pages. Articles on: 1) CB's survey of the economic state of the industry; 2) how to handle pricing inquiries before getting the project; 3) helping clients set a literature budget. Advice on: pricing a partner buyout, sales/AE compensation, comments from many client personnel, multiple client calls with no project, and typical incidental charges. Management Benchmark: allocating the cost of meeting a second, lower estimate.

February 2002 Special Issue: Business Questions
12 pages. Covers seventeen typical questions phoned to CB's telephone help service, along with our answers and advice. Questions and responses are divided into five categories—marketing, personnel, pricing, ethical/legal, and general business issues.

January/February 2002 Issue
16 pages. Articles on: 1) The what, when & how of doing creative briefs; 2) six examples of copywriting pricing; 3) coping with disasters. Advice on: concept originality, paying for mistakes, competitor rip offs, blueline signoffs, and good positioning. Management Benchmark: fastest way to get new clients.

2001 ISSUES > REGULAR ISSUES

Each issue includes the feature articles listed below as well as other topics presented in the Management Benchmark and Advice sections. Use the Search tool to look for other topics of interest.

January/February 2001: Dealing with client incompetence; resigning projects; significant-other partners; business cliches.

March/April 2001: Putting yourself in the client’s shoes; the packaging market and pricing; give up your computer files?

May/June 2001: Accounting and bookkeeping guidelines; selling your own products; a critique of DesignScout.

July/August 2001: Comparing management software; overcoming hostile presentations; dealing with client insolvency.

September/October 2001: Portfolio presentation; tax-deferred pension funding; strategies for an economic downturn.

November/December 2001: Five keys to getting more business; tactics for increased competition; the rationale for progress payments.

2001 ISSUES > SPECIAL ISSUES

February 2001: Special issue: Business advice Q&As.

June 2001: Special issue: Creative firm sales and marketing.

August 2001: Special issue: Twenty-five performance standards.

October 2001: Special issue: Pricing and billing standards.

2000 ISSUES > REGULAR ISSUES

Each issue includes the feature articles listed below as well as other topics presented in the Management Benchmark and Advice sections. Use the Search tool to look for other topics of interest.

January/February 2000: What would you charge?; comparing in-house costs; reveal your sources?

March/April 2000: Profitability norms; pricing work you’ve never handled; working with non-profits; doing 3rd party work.

May/June 2000: Finding out a client’s budget; internet job sites; just what is original anyway?; is one or several rates better?

July/August 2000: Arbitration/mediation?; Web pricing; work for client equity?; planning and managing your growth.

September/October 2000: Handling client changes; matching demand with capabilities; funding your growth.

November/December 2000: Salaries/benefits; business from friends?; SWOT analysis; figuring return on investment.

SPECIAL ISSUES

February 2000: Special issue: Mistakes in a typical job.

June 2000: Special issue: A marketing primer for creatives.

October 2000: Special issue: Business insurance.

December 2000: Special issue: Organizational structure.

Creative Business CD-ROM $139.95

50 issues: 30 regular issues, 20 special reports; dual-format CD-ROM (Mac/PC) for easy viewing, searching, and printing.

Thank you for your support—a purchase here makes the free material at ideabook.com, jumpola.com, and pageplane.com possible. Have a question? Don't hesitate to call 804-266-7996, 9-6 EST or to E-mail info@ideabook.com.