Bobby Parker 8/29/15 Bobby Parker 8/29/15

Custom Elder Care Interior Rendering

Definition of CUSTOM: adjective

made or done to order for a particular customer.

From the furniture, to the artwork, and the fabrics, everything were custom modeled and texture mapped to the interior designer's specifications.

After a couple iterations, here are the final renderings for a proposed elder care. The space is rather tall and I wanted to show the height of the space, so I chose this aspect ratio. With a subtle depth of field, and some warm lighting, I think the space turned out beautifully.

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Bobby Parker 8/18/15 Bobby Parker 8/18/15

How to get your first high paying client (step by step)

Hey there guys and gals of the nuSchool, Ran here.

If you got yesterday’s email, then you know I was blown away when I discovered that my designer friend was charging more money for 2 days of work than what I got for a full time position.

I was set up to try and create that for myself.

This email is not about telling another story, but rather explaining to you EXACTLY what I did to get my first client to pay me the same.

Pay attention, because these strategies can really make a difference in your freelance business:

The Meeting

There’s a lot of psychology going into meeting a potential client for the first time, much like in a first date. How you behave before, during and after that meeting is crucial to how much you can charge and whether the client wants you more than you want them.

Here’s what I did:

I set the meeting on my own terms: I told them I can only meet on a certain day and time for 30 minutes, and mentioned the location where I can meet them. This created the impression that I was so busy and therefore probably very good and expensive.
I asked most of the questions: I did not let the client lead the meeting and interview me. I came prepared with a set of questions and I interviewed them. This is much more professional and creates the impression that I have to PICK THEM, rather than the other way around.
I told them I will get back to them: after I got everything I needed to know about the project, I did not tell them how much it would cost right away (even though they wanted to know), I just said: “let me think about it, and see what I can do for you”. Again: the ball is in my court.

The Proposal

The client was a startup that needed help designing their app.

I realized that if I gave them a proposal for the project they just asked for, I will probably lose 90% of the design work in this project, since all the work is going to happen AFTER the app actually launches.

Here’s what I did:

I created a project gantt: I broke down the work into weeks so that I could show them how we’re going to meet their deadlines, and what’s going to happen each week. I did this for 12 weeks - the next 3 months.
I created a retainer program: I told my client that I will charge them $5,000 a month, and that we can end the relationship at any time if we are not happy together. That means that for the entire project (total of 3 months) they will pay me $15,000.
I showed them what we can do next: I created an additional list of things I thought the startup could benefit from - new branding, a marketing video and a new website, among others. I showed them how we can fit some of them in before the launch, and as for the rest, we’ll continue working on them should the first three months prove successful.

It took the client about 2 days to think this over (and compare with other proposals he got) before they got back to me to tell me: LET’S DO THIS!

While other designer’s just gave them a price tag for the app design, I showed them how we can work together as a team, for the long term and I was invested in helping their company succeed. I showed them more than they’ve asked for and I helped them imagine what a great brand and design will do for their business.

Here are the key takeaways:

Negotiation starts before you even discuss money. If your client desperately wants to work with you because you are a superstar designer, they will be willing to pay. Present yourself as that superstar designer (without being a douchebag of course.)
Don’t give the client a proposal for what they asked for. A lot of times clients are not even sure what problem they are actually trying to solve. Do some thinking and then propose to them the best thing for their business. And guess what - the best thing for their business is in many cases to work with a designer on a regular basis.
Make it easy to say “YES!”. Your proposal needs to address your client’s fears and also to fulfill their dreams. It’s not only about the money - it’s about what that money buys.

I hope you think about this the next time you are about to meet a potential client.

There’s no reason why you won’t be able to make them happy with a proposal like this.

Now go kick some ass!

Ran.

PS -

Yesterday I’ve mentioned that we’re working on a new guide book that will help you get your freelance business to the next level. There are only 3 days left to pre-order it at a crazy $9 price, so if you’re interested, check it out:

Check out our new book

Bobby Parker 8/5/15 Bobby Parker 8/5/15

Tennessee Luxury Townhome Rendering

This project went through an ownership change mid stream, however, I was able to complete the project for the new owners marketing team.

These luxury Townhome renderings are the third project that I completed for the same architect. Although I worked closely with the architect, the developer reached out to me to inquire about my services. After a few emails back and forth, and I believe a phone call, I was awarded my first project with the developer. The architect sent me his SketchUp model, which was created as a design model, and I took took it from there.

The architect, developer and I, worked back and forth for about a month. The process was mainly to work through some brick choices for the historical society. After about four color iterations, here is the final 3d renderings, showing the final design, which will be used to market the townhomes.

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Bobby Parker 7/28/15 Bobby Parker 7/28/15

Lake Superior Cabin Renderings

What a fun little architectural rendering project. I first got contacted by this builder several months ago. After nurturing the lead a little, their interior designer contacted me in regards to these little cabins that they'll be marketing. They loved my interior architectural rendering portfolio and wanted to commission me to work on their project.

Of course, I accepted and after a few iterations, these are how they turned out. I hope you enjoy them. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out to me by commenting on this post, or emailing me.

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Bobby Parker 7/21/15 Bobby Parker 7/21/15

Favourite settings for V-Ray 3.x

Here, is a video that Vladimir Koylazov share of his favorite V-Ray 3.x features. In my opinion, he really simplifies the workflow, and it's worth your time to watch.

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Bobby Parker 7/14/15 Bobby Parker 7/14/15

Contacts Journal CRM

Powerful relationship management, for your business and professional contacts

Contacts Journal is the leading CRM app for iPhone, iPad and Mac that lets you keep person-by-person records of past conversations, create follow-ups for upcoming meetings, attach important documents and record essential data with customizable fields

Create Meeting Logs
Build your relationship history by keeping notes for future reference
Save Documents
Attach document files with your contacts; view them on the road or in an important meeting!
Syncs with iCloud
Automatic, seamless syncing between iPhone, iPad and Mac using iCloud
Optimized for Mobility
See all your contacts' addresses on Map View; quickly access local clients' information. Also tag Logs and ToDos with Location data
Schedule Follow-ups
Create a ToDo list for each contact, featuring alerts, links to Calendar app, recurring tasks
Customizable User Fields
Define your own important Fields; save custom data for each of your contacts
Integrated with Address Book
Import and sync with existing contacts from your Address Book easily. Save contacts privately as well
Cross-vertical
Works great for all types of professionals: sales, client management, lawyers, freelancers, teachers, and more

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Bobby Parker 7/13/15 Bobby Parker 7/13/15

End of Perpetual Licenses Sales, including 3DS MAX

End of Sales of New Individual Perpetual Licenses

Dear Autodesk Customer,

You are receiving this message because our records indicate that you or your organization may be impacted by the following business change. This notice is intended to provide you sufficient time to understand the options, evaluate your needs, and take any required action before the change becomes effective.

Autodesk is transitioning from perpetual software licenses to subscription-based options. After Januar 3, 201, new seats of most individual Autodesk software products will be available only on a pay-as-you-go subscription basis. Sales of new perpetual licenses for these products will be discontinued. This change applies to both standalone and network licenses.

You will, however, be able to continue using your existing perpetual licenses. For your software that is on Maintenance Subscription, you will retain access to your benefits and stay up-to-date by keeping your Maintenance Subscription current.

Products impacted by this change include AutoCAD®, AutoCAD LT®, and 3ds Max®; full list is available at www.autodesk.com/perpetuallicenses.

To learn more about this licensing change, contact your local Autodesk Authorized Reselleror visit www.autodesk.com/perpetuallicenses.

You can also submit your questions via the Perpetual License Transition Forum to get an answer from our experts.

To find out more about Subscription options, visit our Subscription page today or contact your reseller.

Yours sincerely,

Jeff Wright

Vice-President, Customer Engagement

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Bobby Parker 7/1/15 Bobby Parker 7/1/15

Elder Care Interior Rendering

On this project, the client wanted several rooms illustrated, but unfortunately, their budget only allowed for one space. Here, is the space that they decided on, which is the dining room looking towards the bistro.

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Bobby Parker 6/28/15 Bobby Parker 6/28/15

Mid-Rise Architectural Rendering

When working with architect, Z Feng, he is always very cautious about rushing the process. Every job starts with a short brief, he sends me the CAD plans, and he sits back in anticipation for the final illustration. Z Feng likes drama and excitement for his renderings and hopefully, at least it's my goal, he is never disappointed. It's rare to work with someone who continually tells me to "take your time, do not rush, and I look forward to what you do"

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Bobby Parker 6/9/15 Bobby Parker 6/9/15

Autodesk Media & Entertainment Feature

Do what you love, love what you do. Then tell us why. http://autode.sk/MillionStories #adskmillionstories
Posted by Autodesk Media & Entertainment on Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Thanks, Autodesk, for featuring me on your Million Stories video. It is an honor and a privilege to have been chosen!

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