Working as an Illustrator involves a process. This consists of twelve steps: 1. Prospecting for work 2. Communicating your product to a potential client 3. Receiving an offer from that client 4. Considering the offer carefully and laying out your terms for what you'll be working for, how much you expect to get, etc. 5. Negotiating the client's terms where necessary 6. Creating the roughs 7. Delivering the roughs on time, and listening and responding to the feedback 8. Creating the final piece 9. Delivering the final piece on time in the right format 10. Working out the payment deal for your work 11. Tracking the payment 12. Receiving your final payment and working out how to use it.
Business plans are important to this, they help one answer their own questions about the type of business they will establish. They can include such elements as an executive summary, a description of the business opportunity, your marketing and sales strategy, your management team and personnel, your operations, and your financial forecasts.
It's also important to not work for free, to not be afraid to negotiate, to conduct yourself professionally, to be tenacious, to be prepared to stick up for yourself, be wary of clients changing your work, be efficient, be positive, and be versatile.
Starting your own illustration business will be tough, but it will yield positive results when done right, and one should not be afraid to do it out of fear of failure.
