Go Freelance!
Thinking of becoming a freelancer? Learn everything there is to know via 15 modules delivered via presenter-driven video, Flash graphics, animation and voice. Includes comprehensive set of downloadable course notes. This course will help you become a successful freelancer and equip you with key knowledge in order to take that important step forward.
Course overview
Online Freelance Course
The 15 exciting learning modules in this course include tips, anecdotes and recommendations from highly successful freelances from all over the world in order to help you successfully make money from freelancing.
This course includes mini-quizzes and self exercises to reinforce key learning points, a set of downloadable course notes and a final knowledge test. A Certificate of Completion is automatically generated when you complete the course.
Who should take this course?
Freelancer Education
Well, this course is for just about any creative who wants to know how to go freelance! Whether you decide to freelance whilst you’re still at University or College, immediately after graduating, or if you’re already some way into your career and want to know how to go self-employed, you will most definitely benefit from taking this course.
According to recent research*, it’s expected that:
• 45% of 2010 creative arts graduates in the UK will freelance after they finish studying and
• 23% will be end up self-employed whilst
• 18% will set-up their own creative businesses in the near future!
*Creative Graduates Creative Futures is a major research study undertaken between 2008 and 2010 of the early career patterns of more than 3,500 graduates in practice-based art, design, crafts and media subjects, qualifying in 2002, 2003 and 2004 from 26 UK higher education institutions.
Modules
- Introduction
- Essential check list
- The freelance market
- Anecdote: Kirsten Seymour, Professional freelancer based in London UK
- Freelance DNA exercise. Have you got what it takes?
- You're not alone
- a quick look at industry figures
- Pros and cons of freelancing
- More pros and cons of freelancing
- Real world example – Fraser Black, ex MD, Firedog Design, London
- Getting set up
- Anecdote: Ala Pytlewska - professional freelancer based in London UK
- Self promotion 101
- Segmentation
- Targeting & Positioning (STP)
- The elevator pitch
- Anecdotes / Q&A's: Gareth Clements - professional freelancer from Barcelona
- Mini quiz 1
- Old-fashioned networking
- Tips on how to 'work' the room
- Social networking
- Marketing yourself on the internet
- Case study – istockphoto
- Case study – ideabounty
- Search engine marketing (SEM)
- Organic SEO
- Pay-Per Click or 'paid-for' search
- Trade organizations
- Clubs & bodies
- Do-it-yourself
- Testimonials
- Referrals
- Mini quiz 2
- Managing your finances
- Company structures
- Sole trader
- Partnerships
- Limited Company
- All systems go!
- The financial system
- Financial system check list
- Job numbers
- Invoicing / billing
- Job expenses / out-of-pocket expenses
- Fixed & variable costs
- Purchase orders
- Purchase order check list
- Mini quiz 3
- Financial system checklist continued
- Expenses payments
- Reconciliations
- Forecasting
- Tax doesn't have to be taxing…
- Developing good habits
- Tips to keep in shape
- Keeping track of it all
- Setting hourly / daily rates
- Charge bands
- Charging project management fees
- Time management
- Quotes vs. Cost Estimates
- Mark-ups on external costs
- Fixed fees vs. hourly / daily rate
- Working on a retainer
- Charging for additional revisions, weekend working, quick turn-around etc.
- Anecdotes: Richard Becker - professional freelance illustrator
- Mini quiz 4
- Understanding Cost of Sales vs. overheads
- Getting paid (and getting paid on time...)
- Introduction to business law
- Formal business documentation
- General Terms & Conditions for Clients / Suppliers
- Understanding Contracts
- Intellectual Property (IP)
- Copyright
- Trademarks
- Mini quiz 5
- Transferring, assigning or licensing your IP rights
- The rights transfer process
- Rights transfer check list
- Retention of title / licensing
- Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreements
- Simple steps to protect your IP
- Useful links
- Final Knowledge Test
Skills Online Group is fully accredited by the UK Chartered Institute of Marketing and are licensed partners of Total Training Inc. We launched in June 2010 in response to the sheer lack of job opportunities for creative graduates in the UK. Our goal is to equip graduates with the core skills that Art Colleges and Universities don't necessarily teach. i.e. Creative Entrepreneurship, Freelancing, Digital skills or simply how to unlock the unlimited potential offered via typical software.
Fraser Black, Founder and MD of Skills Online Group, has over 10 years’ experience in setting up and building award-winning London-based creative agencies. In a career spanning 15 years, Fraser has previously managed high-profile top 100 UK agencies and been responsible for managing campaigns on behalf of Smirnoff, J&B, Johnson & Johnson, BBC, Deutsche Bank, 888.com, Phillips, Sony Ericsson, Sony Europe, AstraZeneca and Virgin to name but a few.
Fraser and his team of Instructional Designers has now concentrated their efforts, experience and industry knowledge and packaged it into exciting 'bite-size' tutorials that offer an intuitive online learning experience.
Testimonials
Go Freelance Course testimonial |
Below follows a video testimonial offered by an agency creative that completed our 'Go Freelance!' online training course. |
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Go Freelance Course testimonial |
Felipe Fernandez recently completed out 'Setting Up Your Own Creative Biz' course and had the following feedback to offer. |
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