At FeeFighters, we work with a number creative professionals on a daily basis. No matter their field (designer, developer, illustrator, etc) there’s one universal theme: creative professionals are weary of accepting credit cards. Most cite the fees involved as the main reason for not accepting plastic. We recently spoke with Mark Campbell of LogosAtlanta, a creative consultancy agency that used FeeFighters this year.

You’ve been in the design industry for eight years now. Tell us a bit about how you guys got started.

While working toward my degree in Industrial Design from Georgia Tech I became interested in the business of creating brands for the products we were developing. Early logo work by pioneers such as Raymond Lowey and Paul Rand started my initial intrigue. After starting as a product designer I fell into so many opportunities to develop graphics that I finally switched gears to building brands versus the product itself. Eight years in business and growing through the recession we are still helping businesses excel with the unique impact only the very best visual representation can provide.

Most designers/creative professionals are hesitant to accept credit cards due to the fees involved. Why did you choose to setup your own merchant account and how has it affected your business?

We spent several months chasing the mailman and came to the conclusion that making a payment should be as easy as possible for us and our customers. That means accepting credit cards. As a small business battling to get paid and increase cash flow, we wanted to eliminate any potential hurdles. Now we just send an electronic invoice that the customer can pay online and we avoid a trip to the bank. If it is a large project or a large company, accounting may still need to cut a check but the majority of the time, accepting credit cards eliminates headaches.

Why didn’t you choose to use PayPal or Google Checkout?

Paypal and Google Checkout might make sense for small freelance-based operations but if you’re accepting more than a few hundred bucks here and there, both options get fairly pricey and are harder to maintain from an accounting standpoint.

What were some of your concerns with accepting credit cards and have you had any frustrations with the process (account setup, chargebacks, etc)?

We’ve really been pleased with the process of accepting credit cards. In our business we are able to avoid many of the pitfalls such as chargeback’s since we are offering a service that maintains a relationship with the client instead of a single turn product.

What is the startup scene like in Atlanta?

Since the recession, we’ve seen startup interest building and there’s a lot more conversation around entrepreneurial pursuits. Certainly from those concerned with job stability and even within companies looking for new revenue streams. Atlanta has been a great incubator for our business due to the low overhead costs of the area and pro-business political environment.

Why did you become a FeeFighters customer?

We got frustrated with our past merchant account provider due to increased fees and their less-than-flexible gateway. So, we turned to the Internet to find a better option. After lots of searching we found FeeFighters’ comparison service. That’s where I realized all the other variables that can add to costs to a merchant account beyond just a provider’s percentage.

Would you recommend FeeFighters to other designers/creative professionals?

With an emphatic YES! Choosing a merchant account provider is one of the least transparent decisions to make when starting a business. FeeFighters creates an environment for you to make an informed decision and save money while you’re at it.

PHOTOS:

Nydree Flooring Sample Binder
AD-Boom Marketing
Wiphan Donor Package

KidWise Outdoors Website

True ‘Cue Charcoal Package