The Design Cubicle

Written By Brian Hoff

Must-reads For Growing a Freelance Design Business

While attending design school one thing I regretted after graduation was the lack of business and networking classes they offered (seems to be a trend among other design schools as well from what I’ve heard).

While social networking and blogging has filled that void, I thought I’d share 28 of my favorite freelance/business articles that have helped me over the years in developing and improving my freelance design business.

Freelancing Tools & Resources

  1. 270+ Tools for Running a Business Online
  2. 101 Essential Freelancing Resources
  3. The Ultimate List of Freelancing Resources
  4. Guide to Blogging for Freelance Designers

Find More Freelance Work

  1. The Monster List of Freelancing Job Sites
  2. 17 Places To Look For Freelance Jobs
  3. 101 Ideas to Get More Freelance Work and Generate New Client Leads

Promotion & Growth

  1. Freelancers: Here’s Why You Need a Blog
  2. Freelancing 911: Turn Your Business Around With Cold-calls
  3. 12 Triggers That Always Produce More Customers
  4. 10 Things to Remember When Promoting your Business
  5. 10 Ways to Promote a Business Online for Free
  6. 10 Tips for Recession-Proofing Your Web Site
  7. Kick Starting a Freelance Business… When You Can’t Afford to Fail
  8. 40 Resources To Become A Successful Freelance Graphic/Web Designer

The Paperwork & Legal Side of Things

  1. How Do You Write a Design Brief?
  2. 8 Things You Should Include In Your Terms of Service
  3. Freelancers: Why Estimates Are Important + Free Starter Template
  4. Setting Up a Basic Project Outline
  5. AIGA Design and Business Forms
  6. Legal Resources for Freelancers
  7. How To Write An Effective Design Brief

Must Read Freelance/Business Blogs

  1. BoDo: Business of Design Online
  2. FreelanceSwitch
  3. Inspired Startup

Miscellaneous

  1. 6 Things Every Freelance Designer Should Have
  2. Top 7 Reasons Why It’s Better to Hire a Freelance Designer or Small Firm
  3. 10 Ways Personal Branding Can Save You From Getting Fired


Discussion and Comments

+ Add to the discussion
  1. Best of the Web - March 2009 « One’s Graphics and Design lab says:
    April 4, 2009 at 7:49 am

    [...] Visit Article [...]

  2. Maria Ratgeber says:
    April 5, 2009 at 2:09 am

    Thanks for this great list. I like this list “The Monster List of Freelancing Job Sites”

    Thanks and greetz

    Mario

  3. Edwin says:
    April 11, 2009 at 2:42 pm

    Thanks man for the articles.

  4. Best ways to display your blog posts - Steel Frog - A blog on gaming, design and Photoshop says:
    April 16, 2009 at 7:09 am

    [...] blogs. Worth a read if you’ve ever needed to design any sort of blog yourself. Also see 28 Must Read Articles For Growing Your Freelance Design Business and March ‘09 best of the web. Published in: Design, Discoveries | Comments [...]

  5. Best of the Web - March 2009 | Dovyski says:
    April 24, 2009 at 8:54 pm

    [...] Visit Article [...]

  6. Raymond Roman says:
    July 2, 2009 at 9:05 am

    Thanks, hire me!

  7. Weekly Web Favorites #5 | Creative Opera Design Blog: Creative Advice and Inspiration for Graphic Designers and Web Designers says:
    July 4, 2009 at 12:49 pm

    [...] Already working as a freelancer, or ready to make the leap? The Design Cubicle has gathered enough resources to get you started and help you succeed in this round-up: 28 Must Read Articles For Growing Your Freelance Design Business. [...]

  8. Web development lucknow says:
    September 16, 2009 at 3:43 am

    This is a good list.

  9. Starting A Business Link Roundup: Week5/6/7 | John O'Nolan says:
    September 26, 2009 at 1:27 pm

    [...] 28 Must Read Articles For Growing Your Freelance Design Business Great link roundup of freelance articles, well worth a browse through for useful info. [...]

  10. Best of TDC 2009: Month by Month Highlights says:
    December 31, 2009 at 12:03 pm

    [...] to start planning (or re-planning) your business, especially if you are a freelancer. The article, 28 Must Read Articles for Growing Your Freelance Design Business, highlights essential tools, resources, promotional tips and other articles that will expand any [...]

  11. Bham Banner Stands says:
    March 22, 2010 at 3:47 am

    Thanks for all the resources. It’s nice to see a website post that collates these into a list rather than trying to summarise everything.

Brian Hoff
About Brian Hoff: Designer, Writer and Speaker

I’m a graphic designer living in Brooklyn, New York who loves creating compelling and useful websites and memorable interactions across the web. When I’m not designing I can be found writing, speaking and occasionally part-time teaching at colleges — all on the subject of design. I started this blog to share my passion and experiences with designers and clients. I'm most active on Twitter; say hello:

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