FREELANCE DESIGNER'S

Beginner Blueprint

Step-by-Step Templates & Guides for Brand Designers who are New to Freelancing

As a freelance designer, you’re wearing a lot of hats. You’re confident in your design skills, but when it comes to the freelance side of things (proposals, contracts, concept decks, brand strategy, spreadsheets) you could use a little help.

You’re new to this! And we all have to start somewhere. We want to help you start a few steps ahead of where we started. We want you to give you the knowledge and resources to feel confident and prepared for each new client that comes in the door.

So what's included in the Beginner Blueprint?

Lesson 1

Client Acquisition

Questionnaire Template

Initial Phone Call Checklist

Proposal Template

Client Contract Template

Example Contract

Lesson 2

Project Management

Client Tracker

Time-tracking Template & Guide

Timeline Template

Lesson 3

Branding Process

Brand Strategy Process

Example Messaging Deck

Example Positioning Deck

Concept Deck Editable Example

Brand Guidelines Template

Lesson 4

Retrospective

Project Data Template

Project Reflection Questions

How To: Get Testimonials & Referrals

The Freelance Designer’s Beginner Blueprint will give you that sense of certainty and pride in your business, while saving you tons of time. Over the last two years, we’ve gotten these templates to a place where they consistently save us time and brain power. And the process we outline for you is the exact process we use for our client projects.

What's the best indication that your freelance branding process is working? Happy clients! We've had quite a few...

“Wonderful work on my brand style guide. The Golden team was golden and helped me roll out a brand presence I'm proud of...from style guide, to persona to business card design...they do it all. Thanks guys. You get 5 stars from me.”

- Love Hudson-Maggio, Mar Dat

This isn’t our first rodeo helping out fellow designers!

Here’s what our awesome intern had to say about her experience with us as her mentors for a summer:

– Ashton Peluso

“I honestly learned more about graphic design in the few short months I interned than I did as a graphic design student in one year! I loved not only getting to see Maddy and Saige’s process, clients, and work, but getting to learn from two women who are so talented and professional. It made me feel more passionate and confident [that this is] what I want to do with my life! I will definitely continue to follow 100% of their advice and lessons that they taught me! :)”

Take a sneak peak of a few of the resources included in the Beginner Blueprint!

Use this  proposal template  to show your potential clients how valuable you really are. Plus hear our tips on the best ways to use it.

Read a  real contract  we sent to one of our clients! Plus download our template to recreate the contract for your own specific needs.

Download a copy of our  client tracker  and learn our method for keeping track of potential clients so we never lose a lead due to disorganization.

Learn our  brand strategy process  so you can bring more value to your clients and therefore charge more for your logo projects.

Download a  real concept deck  we sent one of our clients and learn how to customize it to use for your own projects going forward.

+ even more

Learn a clear, tested process.

Save yourself lots of time.

Skip the uncertainty.

Gain more confidence.