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Eric J. Adams
Eric J. Adams has covered the graphic arts industry for the last 17 years as an editor, writer, and consultant. He's written for The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and numerous other publications. In his spare time, Eric helps companies sharpen marketing strategies and far too often wastes perfectly serviceable afternoons sneaking away to movie matinees.
The Art of Business: Logo Lessons
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on October 1, 2007
What makes you stand out in a competition? Eric J. Adams reports from the other side of the designer-client divide.
The Art of Business: Learning to Love the Panel Interview
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on August 29, 2007
If you think meeting with a single potential client is nerve-wracking, imagine walking into a room with five people sizing you up. Here's how to keep your cool and come out on top when facing the dreaded panel.
The Art of Business: Price Wars
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on August 1, 2007
Your bids are undercut by newbies, overseas creatives, someone's brother-in-law, and the high school kid down the street. How can you compete -- and profit -- in an industry gone price-mad?
Apple Computer, the Little Engine that Could
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on June 29, 2007
Every company should study the Apple model to learn how Steve Jobs' company is innovating its way to success.
The Art of Business: Cash Flow or Cash Drought?
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on June 1, 2007
Cash flow is deceptively simple and terribly sinister. Extended dry spells can squeeze you out of business before the final check rolls in.
The Art of Business: Give Yourself this Under-the-Hood Check-Up
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on May 4, 2007
You check your car's oil and give it an occasional tune up, so why not apply the same principles to your sputtering business?
The Art of Business: Seven Strategies for Better Customer Service
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on April 2, 2007
Quick -- what's the most important question you can ask your clients? We have the answer, along with six more ways to keep clients satisfied.
The Art of Business: The Bold and the Beautiful
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on February 28, 2007
Two Design Books Take Completely Different Tacks, but Both Are Winners.
The Art of Business: Sell Emotions, Sell Yourself
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on January 26, 2007
Web site designers are like guitar players: There are a million of them out there. So how do you differentiate yourself and get the job? Simple -- talk about adding emotional appeal to your prospect's Web site.
The Art of Business: New Year's Resolutions for Creative Professionals
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on January 2, 2007
Yes, it's that time of year again. And because we are creative artists, it's not always about the here and now. Here are 10 resolutions slightly beyond the norm.
The Art of Business: Catch Those Errors Before They Catch You
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on November 29, 2006
Whether or not it's your fault, clients may blame you for copy errors. Learn how to proofread everything that leaves your desk and you'll not only avoid a crisis, you'll have a new value-add to promote.
The Art of Business: Project Management for Creative Professionals
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on November 3, 2006
Great design is easy. Managing people, projects, expectations, and deadlines is hard.
The Art of Business: Why Cold Calling is Not So Bad (Really)
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on October 11, 2006
Take off your phone mittens and warm up to cold calling.
The Art of Business: Build Your Equity
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on September 6, 2006
Are you a freelancer or a business owner? One critical difference separates the two. Here's how to go from one to the other.
The Art of Business: Setting Rates for Your Small Design Firm
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on July 24, 2006
If you want to turn a profit and create accurate bids, it pays to learn how to calculate different rates for different members of your team.
The Art of Business: Keeping Your Clients
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on June 23, 2006
Building client loyalty is worth it because selling more to existing (and former) clients is easier, cheaper, and more profitable than finding and selling to new customers.
The Art of Business: Setting Your Rates
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on May 22, 2006
When you're solo, setting your hourly rate is a perilous dance on the thin line between profitability and competitiveness. Here are a few easy formulas and tips to calculate what's right for you and your market.
The Art of Business: Negotiating Fees
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on April 24, 2006
When negotiating pay with a potential client, is it in your best interest to make an opening bid or wait for an offer? More than any other element of a negotiation, "who goes first" determines the final fee.
The Art of Business: Design on a Shoestring
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on March 20, 2006
The mark of a good designer is not what can be done with a large budget, but what can be done with a small one. Here are tricks for closing the deal, managing your low-budget client, and creating a winning design.
The Art of Business: Add Writing to Your Repertoire
Features: Written by Eric J. Adams on February 20, 2006
You're an artist, not a writer, but that doesn't mean you won't occasionally be asked to create effective text to complement your print or Web design. Rather than passing up an additional revenue source (or needing to hire someone to write your own marketing materials), take this crash course in copy writing.