A job as a communicator

Being a graphic designer is to make a job of communication.

You must first and foremost get a message out, throughvisual elements, charts.

All media are conceivable: print (paper), digital, object, web (internet), video.

Any type of visual shapes you may be asked: logo, book model, drawing (animated or not, motion design), graphic identity of a website (web design), font, graphic charter, packaging of a brand, etc.

The job is very multidisciplinary. You can be a model maker, graphic designer, motion designer, artistic director (AD), etc.

Your creation can serve a commercial or non-commercial purpose, an advertising campaign, an association action, a festival, the visual identity of a company, a chain of shops, a baker or a luxury brand, etc.

Today's graphic designer is not necessarily a draftsman, even if it can be a “plus”. If you are not good at drawing, you will need for example, depending on the project, the collaboration of an illustrator.

Artist-author: a special status

The professional graphic designer has the status of artist-author with regard to social security.

You are affiliated with the social security for artists-authors.

For any question on your steps, you can contact the contact person below:

Copyright

To be a graphic designer is to create an original work. No one other than you can claim to be the author of your achievements.

The fruit of your work is protected by the Intellectual Property Code.

We are talking about copyright on your achievements.

You can defend this right in front of justice if it is threatened.

Moreover, you charge for these copyrights to your customers so that they can use your creations.

To go further on the intellectual property and copyright, you can view documents and the Inpi website.

What is an independent?

Being a graphic designer independent means that you are not bound to a company or person by an employment contract.

We are also talking about self-employed person (TNS).

Test your ability to work independently

You must have consciousness of characteristics specific to self-employment.

Some of them include:

• Autonomy. You do not have a hierarchical relationship with a boss, you are your "own master", you choose your sponsors, you can refuse certain works. So you have to be organized and responsible.
• Freedom. You decide on your schedules, you choose your workplace and the colleagues with whom you may wish to share an office (coworking). So you must be disciplined and regular.
• Loneliness. Even if you hire an accountant for your financial management, even if you work in coworking, you will often be the only one to take the important decisions (work, quotes, contracts, choice of partners and customers, evolution and development of activity, etc.).

They will be experienced as advantages for some, as disadvantages for others.

You must think ahead to what suits you or not.

Some tests prepared by CCI: titleContent France can help you define your character traits and skills in relation to an independent contractor activity.

Entrepreneurial test "Character traits"

Entrepreneurial test "Resources and skills"

EPA Code

As its name suggests, the APE code designates your "main activity exercised".

It is attributed to INSEE automatically following your declaration of activity.

You receive it directly on your personal space from the website of Window of company formalities as soon as your declaration is accepted.

In case of accumulation of activities, you will have the EPA code of the most remunerative activity, that is to say the one which, per year, brings you the turnover the more important.

The graphic designer's APE code is usually this: 7410 Z. It's the one for the design activities.

Siren Number

Only one Siren is given by natural person.

It is the INSEE which is responsibleautomatically assigned following your activity report.

You receive it directly on your personal space from the website of Window of company formalities as soon as your declaration is accepted.

Siret Number

You will have as many Siret numbers asdeclared business addresses.

As soon as you have made your declaration of activity, you receive automatically your Siret.

You receive it directly on your personal space from the website of Window of company formalities as soon as your declaration is accepted.

When you carry out different activities but declared at one and the same address, you will have only 1 Siret.

Cumulation of activities and accumulation of statutes

In practice, a graphic designer is often led to accumulate several types of activities.

Who says cumulation of activities, often says cumulative statuses, legal forms.

For example, you can accumulate the following 3 statuses:

• the status of artist-author
• that of individual entrepreneur (EI) including as micro(self)-entrepreneur
• and sometimes as an employee.

The rollup the status of artist-author with that of micro-company is possible only under certain conditions (for ancillary activities and for ancillary activities according to their turnover). We invite you to consult our page: Can an artist be a micro-entrepreneur?

Which interlocutor to help you?

At any time you will need ask your questions to a person who is an expert on your professional status.

The experts of the social security for artists-authors are here to help you in your steps :

What is an ancillary activity?

The expression ancillary activities is used specifically for certain activities of artist-authors.

The term applies to activities very close to the main activity of the artist.

So they are supposed to be secondary, whether it is in terms of remuneration that of time spent.

These include, for example:

• Public meetings and debates related to the work of the artist-author
• Workshops, course, lessons learned given in the artist-author's studio (maximum 5 per year)
• Participation in the design of another artist's work (maximum 4 per year)

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Avoid working for free

Be careful customers who do not address the financing of your services. Avoid them as much as possible.

You can't afford to lose your energy. It must be devoted to the search for real customers who can pay you up to your work and your merit.

Don't be afraid of talk money. You will appear all the more serious and professional.

All orders must be accompanied by a signed quote by the customer and yourself, before to start any work.

This quote must mention the price list of your performance.

Your first customers: bet on word of mouth

You must pay special attention to your first customers and heal your first orders.

The trust you gain from them will bring you other customers.

Word of mouth inside networks of professionals remains the best way to create a reputation solid and sustainable.

Create your own website or blog

You must return your work visible on the internet.

The aim is to highlight the following aspects:

• Your portfolio, your previous achievements in agreement with your customers,
• Your personality chart
• Your impact in the press and on social networks
• Your projects, your aspirations, your networks

Your content on the internet must inspire trust conveying a positive image and professional.

The creation of the site is not enough, it must be correctly referenced.

Optimize your SEO

Natural referencing

The natural referencing or SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is about improving aspects techniques (charging speed, accounting with mobile phones) and editorial (presence of keywords) of your website.

A good SEO allows you to appear in the first search results of Internet users and thus increase traffic on your web pages.

Videos

If you have the opportunity to film or to film your creations to enhance them, you feed even better the traffic on your pages web.

Know that telling a story history for show your work, is very popular with Internet users and entrepreneurs, this is what we call the storystelling.

Communicate on social networks

This communication has become indispensable.

She'll ask you to spend some time there.

You need to plan content inputs in a weekly, ideally 3 times a week.

You can consult our tips for organize your digital communication.

Creation fees

It is a matter of determining the price of your services, i.e. the cost of your work.

This cost varies according to 3 main criteria:

• Your experience : graphic designer beginner to confirmed
• The locality : small, medium or large city
• Your status or your company : artist-author, entrepreneur, alone or partner, small or large business

It is advisable to define your hourly cost or a daily flat rate.

The rates are very variable. You will find advice from other experienced graphic designers.

For a beginner, the hourly cost is between €60 and €90 of the hour.

Assignment of rights of use and exploitation

The goal is for the customer to use your creation.

So you have to give them a right of use, which is called the assignment of exploitation rights.

The exploitation of your work generally consists of its reproduction and dissemination for commercial purposes.

You must define how you allow this reproduction and this dissemination.

Charging for copyright to a customer actually means to charge him the right to use your work.

The use of your work must be defined precisely according to 3 parameters:

• Format : web or print, how many copies if it is a print format, how many variations envisaged (business card, brochure, banners), how many establishments concerned if it is a commercial sign, etc.
• Duration : for example 1 to 3 months for an advertising campaign, 10 years for the logo of a craftsman
• Territory : local, national or international broadcasting

You need to group these elements and formalize them into one rights assignment contract.

In summary, the contract for the assignment of exploitation rights must mention the following points:

• who owns the rights (you)

• which will use your work
• how
• how many time
• and where.

The contract must be drafted clearly and precise.

Indeed, in case of problem (legal recourse), inaccuracies such as for example the mention "etc" which would be used for define the rights you assign, will be penalizing.

Quote

Before before writing a quote, you must have previously defined your fees, i.e. your hourly cost or your daily package.

To the writing the quotation, on more important is to define the time that you will put to realize the command. This evaluation is done in connection with your customer.

It's about being fair, clear, precise, and agreement with your client.

The quote is the contract that acts on the employment relationship between you and your client. It's an element of dialog.

Don't be afraid to talk money.

To be valid, the quote must be signed by the 2 parties (you and the customer).

You must not begin your creative work before this signed agreement.

Even if it is not an obligation, making a quote is advisable.

Mandatory information on your quotes, invoices, contracts, etc.

Plus of the elements described in the previous paragraphs (who, how, where, how long, what rate, etc.), you should consider including the following other points:

• Identification numbers: Siret, and usefully but optionally your APE code (or NAF code)
• Intra-Community VAT number or the mention: "VAT not applicable, Article 293 B of the General Tax Code" if you are in basic VAT exemption.
• Intellectual property : clause assigning exploitation rights (you define the rights assigned). Give the references of the Intellectual Property Code, for example: “Articles L111-1 et seq. defining copyright” and “Article L. 131-3 specifying the particulars to be indicated in the exploitation contracts”
  Also specify if the assignment is exclusive or not, and if so for how long.

• Terms of sale and mention of the Commercial Code: "Articles L 441-3 and L 443-6 of the Commercial Code" with for example the payment period, the penalty in case of late payment, etc.

Are you entitled to social protection?

You are affiliated with the Social security for artists-authors.

A specific branch of the Urssaf manages your file.

You benefit from the same rights as employees.

Declare and pay your social security contributions

To qualify for social protection, you must declare and pay social contributions.

For this you must create your personal space on the website of theUrssaf of artists-author.

Urssaf Limousin (Artists-authors)

Only income declared and taxed in non-commercial profits (NCB) must be declared to the Urssaf of artist-authors. If you have anyother income (commercial or liberals for example), you must declare to the body concerned (Urssaf of independents for example).

You can contact them if needed:

Keep you informed

Graphic designer is a highly evolutionary profession, especially because of digital technologies that are created, changed and improved very quickly.

You must keep informed the following aspects:

• Creative software
• Changes in business (e.g. explosion of written communications on his phone and on social networks)
• Graphic modes

Follow continuing education

In a very changing societal and technological context, you must follow continuing education to constantly develop skills.

Thanks to the payment of your social contributions, you are entitled to these trainings.

You must therefore ensure that you are up to date with the payment of the contribution to vocational training (MFF).

As a graphic designer, you benefit from training for artists, via a insurance fund, theAfdas: titleContent.

The regional advisers of Afdas you accompany in your efforts:

Afdas explains what are the income conditions to be met to benefit from the training. Exceptional aid plans have been put in place following the Covid health crisis.

Hire your 1st employee

If your business grows, you may one day hire your 1^er employee.

We explain in detail how proceed with your 1st hire.

You will find all the formalities according to the contract type and employee (work-study, temporary work, minor employee, foreigner, etc.).

Change status: associate yourself

By increasing your business, you may have the opportunity or desire to partner with other graphic designers.

For this you can create a business.

We present you the different types of businesses possible.

You can also consult our specialist file in company management, depending on changes in your professional life.