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This week's survey
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(These survey questions are sent in by our readers. Please spend a minute to give your answer to this week's survey as one or possibly more of your industry peers thinks this question is important and wishes to see your point of view as well as others in the industry.)
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Last week's survey results...
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How do you deal with customers who want a copy of the logo you designed for their business free of charge?:
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First of all, if we are to design a logo for someone, the job is quoted. If the client decides to proceed a 50% deposit is taken to start the process. The 50% balance is paid for upon completion of the job. Once 100% is received then the client receives the logo in the agreed formats. The client then owns the logo.
If we are to design, say, a business card only for the client, then it is explained to the client at the quoting stage that they are paying for the design and/or printing of the business cards and they do not receive any electronic files at any stage. Of course 6 months later, they forget this and ask for a graphic from the card so that they can use it for other purposes. They are respectfully reminded of what they have paid for and if they require something else then they will be charged accordingly. If we are designing something that we are not printing, say a flyer to be distributed by email, then the client is supplied with the final file fit for the intended purpose. Usually a locked PDF.
Because so many people seem to disregard copyright laws. it is important to be up front right at the beginning of the process with clear communication of what the client is paying for and what they will (and won't) receive.
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If you dont get any ongoing work after you have spent time with a logo design, never hand it over under any circumstances, you can sell it at what you think is a fair price. Explain to the customer if you get any ongoing sign or print work, its for free (cover your cost in the ongoing work) the customer will think they have free artwork, when you have hidden it in the work anyhow! in the end your the winner!
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I don't do logos free of charge, nothing is free. As soon as you start giving people something for nothing they begin to expect it. Even if I am doing something very simple I will charge them for an hour of my time. Call it a "set up fee", "Logo Design", whatever, but don't do it for nothing! At the same time though, be upfront about it. (Hayden, Attention Signs & Graphics)
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You can not hold them ransom!!...either charge them for the logo when creating it or give it to them. By treating them fairly then there is every possibility they will stay with or return to you. If you hold them to ransom you will never see them or anyone they know again!. Simple really. (Chad, Direction Design & Print)
- Simple - give it to them. Worried that they'll take the file to use it elsewhere? Don't be. Of course they're going to pass it on to other producers. They'll need it for press ads, uniforms, their website, social media, product design, promotions, all kinds of things. And they'll need at least one clean, 'proper' copy.
If a customer has paid the invoice for the job you did, the file(s) belongs to them, as far as I'm concerned. You've already designed a logo for use in a signage file. Supplying the logo on its own will take you all of five minutes.
Don't be "that guy" - the difficult one. Give the customer the file(s) they want because after all, they're theirs. And you know what? That customer will come back, and recommend you to others because you have great service and you're easy to deal with. (Kaz, KazChilds) - We charge our customer for every bit of time it takes to produce their logo, from consult to providing the logo in as many formats they require after our job is completed. We may be producing anything from Business cards to full signage of their business premices or vehicles.So in our eyes they own the artwork, we don't!
- We wouldn't design it for free in the first place. If you've got yourself in that position, at least charge a release fee to cover your time to convert it into multiple file formats.
- Most of our customers are long standing with ongoing business with us. Many small businesses themselves. We supply them with the file without charge. The time spent designing the logo is charged for.
- NEVER!! If they complain I say, Lend me your car for the weekend OR Do me a free service FROM your business.
You have to be kidding!!!
$150 on a CD or usb in Cdr ai eps & jpg. AND give them permission to use it. If I designed it I OWN IT UNTIL ITS PAID FOR. (Mal, Signsonline) - I found this difficult in the past to address. It seems that unless you're clear to the client, any artwork that you provide automatically falls into the "I paid you to do signage, therefore I also own the artwork!" I now make a clear distinction between signage and artwork with the offer to buy it or for the provision of signage. I also have watermarks on the artwork provided, including a disclaimer saying that I own the rights to all artwork unless otherwise authorised. I've had dog act "signwriters' take my artwork and use it to undercut me....(not cool), this case the watermark works well.
- Charge them for the logo in the first instance. Let them know what they are paying for. Without a design, there can be no sign! Besides, once the logo is designed, either you hold them hostage to come back (not good business practice) or you sit with a design that you spent time on that is worthless...
- Of course, I am sure they wouldn't give their services away free of charge. However, it could pay you if it is a regular client - it always pays to go the extra mile for clients, as long as they know that you are going the extra mile.
(As a publishing practice to protect ourselves from any potential liability, company and individual names that are referred to negatively in any of these comments are removed.
In addition we reserve the right to remove comments that are blatant advertising for one product or company)
Please spend a minute to give your answer to this week's survey as one or possibly more of your industry peers thinks this question is important and wishes to see your point of view as well as others in the industry.
If you have a subject that you would like us to survey, please send your subject to brian@wideformatonline.com. Thanks.)
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Smile: It's only Monday!
The Art of a Deal
A middle-aged frumpy couple return to a Mercedes dealership where the
salesman has just sold the car they were interested in to a beautiful,
leggy, busty blonde.
"I thought you said you would hold that car till we raised the $75,000
asking price," said the man. "Yet I just heard you close the deal for
$65,000 to the lovely young lady there. You insisted there could be no
discount on this model."
"Well, what can I tell you? She had the ready cash and, just look at her,
how could I resist?" replied the grinning salesman.
Just then the young woman approached the middle-aged couple and gave them
the keys.
"There you go," she said. "I told you I would get the dope to reduce it.
See you later, dad."
Never mess with the old ones!
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