5 Business Habits...

This article is targeted at Cartoon Illustrators, but it is general enough for any freelancer to relate to and find useful. Most of this article is common knowledge, but it is worth repeating. Here is an excerpt:

5 Business Habits for the Cartoon Illustrator

These are the five business habits that I consider to be the most important for a cartoon illustrator. Please remember that I do not have a college degree in business or anything like that. This list is derived not from class lectures, but rather from real experience (which I find to be more useful). There are, of course, many things a beginner in cartoon illustrating should know about conducting business, but they'll be covered in future tutorials. This one will focus on just the top five. Remember: Even if you're not a professional, act like one, and soon enough you'll become one. Hope you find this helpful:

#1: Look good.

In other words, present yourself well. The fact is that people do judge a book by its cover, and the first impression is everything. Anything that represents you should make a good impression on anyone that views it.

If you're showcasing your work online, do it on a nice website. If you can't make a good one, hire a professional web developer. It will set you back some amount of cash, but it's one of the best investments you can make, especially because these days clients ask to see your online portfolio before even giving you a call.

If you're going to a meeting with a potential client, dress nicely. Don't put on the same pair of worn-out jeans that you wear to the movies with your buddies. Though there are many factors that determine how formal or informal you should dress, you can never go wrong with khaki pants and a button-down shirt.

When communicating with a client online, don't type LyKe DiS, or use an email like SexyQTpieXOXO@yahoo.com. If your grammar isn't great, use spell-check (if available) or better yet, ask someone to proof-read it for you. Even small grammar mistakes decrease your appearance of professionalism.

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