Graphic Design

• Adobe Creative Cloud (All Apps)
• Figma
• Affinity Designer + Photo

• HoneyBook
• Bonsai
• Wave

• Squarespace
• Adobe Portfolio
• Behance

You are a freelance graphic designer writing a cold outreach email to a small business owner. Here is the context:

- Business type: [INSERT BUSINESS TYPE, e.g. 'local coffee shop']
- What you noticed about their current branding: [INSERT SPECIFIC OBSERVATION, e.g. 'their logo looks pixelated on mobile and their social posts use 5+ different fonts']
- Your relevant experience: [INSERT 1-2 sentences about your background]
- One specific result you've delivered: [INSERT RESULT, e.g. 'redesigned a restaurant menu that helped them upsell by 20%']

Write a short, warm, non-salesy cold email (under 150 words) that:
1. Opens with a genuine, specific compliment about their business (not their design)
2. Names one concrete visual problem you noticed
3. Offers one specific fix you could do
4. Ends with a low-pressure CTA like 'worth a 15-minute call?'

Do NOT use phrases like 'I hope this email finds you well', 'synergy', or 'take your brand to the next level'. Sound like a real person.

Review requirements: Separate supplied facts from assumptions. Do not invent market data, customer results, testimonials, or source citations. Flag missing information and suggest a small validation test. Mark numerical examples as scenarios. Keep the final decision with me.

I am a freelance graphic designer onboarding a new client who needs a logo. Create a client questionnaire I can send via email or embed in a form. The questionnaire should:

1. Cover business basics: company name, industry, target audience (age, gender, values), and geographic market
2. Uncover brand personality: ask them to choose 3 adjectives from a list AND describe a brand they admire (and why)
3. Clarify deliverables: file formats needed, where the logo will be used (print, web, signage, embroidery, etc.), color preferences or restrictions
4. Surface constraints: budget range, deadline, decision-maker count (who has final approval?)
5. Gather reference material: ask for 3 competitor logos and whether they love or hate each one

Format as a numbered list of questions. Keep each question under 20 words. Add a brief one-sentence explanation of WHY you're asking for any question that might feel intrusive (like budget).

Review requirements: Separate supplied facts from assumptions. Do not invent market data, customer results, testimonials, or source citations. Flag missing information and suggest a small validation test. Mark numerical examples as scenarios. Keep the final decision with me.

I am a freelance graphic designer writing a proposal for a social media graphics retainer package. The client is [INSERT CLIENT TYPE, e.g. 'a life coach with 8,000 Instagram followers'].

Write a clear, professional Scope of Work section for a monthly retainer that includes:
- Exactly what is included (number of posts, formats, sizes, file types)
- Exactly what is NOT included (video editing, copywriting, scheduling, paid ad creative)
- Revision policy (how many rounds, what counts as a revision vs. a new direction)
- Turnaround time expectations
- What the client must provide (brand assets, copy, content calendar) and by when

Use plain English. No jargon. Format with clear headers. The goal is to prevent scope creep and protect my time while still sounding collaborative and professional.

Package details to include: [INSERT YOUR PACKAGE DETAILS, e.g. '12 feed posts, 4 story templates, delivered in PNG and Canva-editable format, 2 revision rounds, 5-day turnaround after content calendar received']

Review requirements: Separate supplied facts from assumptions. Do not invent market data, customer results, testimonials, or source citations. Flag missing information and suggest a small validation test. Mark numerical examples as scenarios. Keep the final decision with me.

I am a freelance graphic designer preparing to pitch clients in the [INSERT NICHE, e.g. 'restaurant and food service'] industry. Here are the pieces currently in my portfolio:

[LIST YOUR CURRENT PORTFOLIO PIECES, e.g.:
- Logo for a tech startup (personal project)
- Poster for a college event
- Instagram templates for a fitness brand (spec work)
- Business card design for a friend's photography business]

Please do the following:
1. Identify which pieces are relevant to my target niche and which are not
2. List 3-5 specific portfolio gaps that would make a restaurant owner hesitant to hire me
3. Suggest 3 realistic spec projects I could create in the next 2 weeks to fill those gaps (be specific — give me the exact concept, not just 'create a menu')
4. Tell me which 2-3 pieces to lead with if I had to pitch tomorrow with what I have
5. Flag any pieces that could actually hurt my credibility and should be removed

Be direct. I'd rather hear hard feedback now than lose clients later.

Review requirements: Separate supplied facts from assumptions. Do not invent market data, customer results, testimonials, or source citations. Flag missing information and suggest a small validation test. Mark numerical examples as scenarios. Keep the final decision with me.

Never quote on the first contact. Always do a 15-minute discovery call first, send a written brief questionnaire, and build your quote from the confirmed deliverables list. Add a line item for revisions beyond round 2.

Pick one or two niches before building spec work. Create 3-5 pieces that look exactly like the clients you want to attract. A mediocre portfolio in the right niche outperforms a stunning portfolio in the wrong one.

Use a one-page contract on every paid project, no exceptions.

Deliver flattened, print-ready files (PDF, PNG, JPG, SVG) as standard. State this clearly in your contract.

Charge for your process, expertise, and strategic thinking — not just the pixels. Explain what you're charging for. Target clients who have a business problem, not clients who just want a file.