uksignboards.com

Shane Drew · Gold Plus Member Joined: 26 Aug 2004 Posts: 11009

end of the day I'll do whatever the client wants. If it is their own 'style' and they will not be talked out of it, I'll charge appropriately, I will not 'sign it' or put it in my portfolio, but I'll do it. As long as their money is good, and they like it, that is all you can expect sometimes.

I do state on the invoice that it was artwork that was supplied by the client tho....

... and if after it is done and they want to make changes, I charge for everything. Experience for me tells me that most will sit back and decide it needs tweeking, although some have accused me of not trying hard enough to talk them out of it. You can never win sometimes.

I say take their money and run too

Rodney Gold · Gold Plus Member Joined: 06 Jun 2003 Posts: 1279

You have to define what you are , if you are primarily a sign manufacturere , thats what you do , if you are primarily a design house , thats what you do. In reality , as a signmaker you are a communications specialist , a message of some sort or another is to be got accross to a target audience and as an "expert" one should be able to give advice in respect of both design and execution in the most effective way of doing so. If a customer has designed a sign and indicates that it is cast in stone , the best way to handle it is NOT to offer the design advice but to perhaps change it subtlley using technical reasons (We suggest you dont use flourescent orange as it fades in 6 months and will cost you to replace it , that type thing)
At the end of it all , no matter how you couch design advice , you are essentially telling him that his efforts are cr-p!! - Not a good thing to do. Take the job on , produce it and charge for getting it into a "cuttable state. In effect he is doing you a favour in that you dont have to be creative and spend hours going back and forth to the customer , he knows EXACTLY what he wants. He pays the piper and thus calls the tune. The sign will STILL communicate a mesage albeit it might not be that effective.
I sell awards and trophies , If I had to sell what *I* like , I would lose 2/3rd of my customers , the tacky glittering plastic stuff sells well and makes me money.

George Oberg · UKSB Newbie Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 43

Janice LeBlanc · UKSB Newbie Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 47

This is always the dilemma when customers want their own crappy artwork. My solution is to draw for them what they want, charging appropriately for time, however, then we take what they have and make it better!! Show them their idea, and show them some better options, keeping their concepts in mind. 90% of the time they look at theirs and realize yours is MUCH BETTER. However, if you still are not happy with it , or by chance they still want what the crap they brought in, do not put your name on it. Just remember, to always charge for your layout and reproduction time. As I said, most of the time they go with the better layout, and they realize that you do know what you are talking about. You will then have a loyal customer as well. Good luck.

Janice LeBlanc

Lynn · UKSG Member Joined: 21 Apr 2005 Posts: 5998

Janice I wish you would put a pic up like to see who I am talking to no I'm not Carrie

Lynn

Marekdlux · Gold Member Joined: 24 Jan 2005 Posts: 2073

Carrie Brown · UKSG Member Joined: 20 Mar 2003 Posts: 4643

I do keep on about the pics .... but some peeps just dont want to share their lovely faces with us? ... must be shy or something??

Come on peeps .... load some piccies .... its not that scarey to do ..... honest!!! Im pretty sure you wont bag yourself a stalker from here either so dont worry about that and we are not going to point at your piccie and laugh ... well not all the time

Pics make this place so much better .... makes it a lot more personal and friendlier.

David Rogers · UKSG Member Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 3662

Janice LeBlanc · UKSB Newbie Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 47

Okay folks. I think a photo should be attached so now you can put name and face together. If it doesn't work I will try again, but hopefully you will get a pic.

One other thing, before starting any artwork, get a deposit!!

Janice LeBlanc

Leigh · Gold Plus Member Joined: 21 Mar 2004 Posts: 363

I guess we've all been through this 'nephew art' thing !
If you have the time - mock up a new design for him....but include the cost in final quote - he might just like it once he sees it.
If you don't and are too busy, or just don't care (like half the time I don't. hate to say it, but I just don't care anymore...I'm not going to convince some people) THEN just go for it and do it their way....and cash the check.

Some people just have to see it on paper...can't visualize anything in their heads - so they need to be shown 9unfortunately)

I have a new customer who called me about putting the new Reg. numbers on his truck - we talked about a new logo cause' he 'doesn't really know what he wants"

go and measure his van.
Call him the next day..."oh you didn't call me that day (didn't get to his van until around 4pm) so...so and so is doing it and he's gonn' add something special for me" AHHHHHHh okay then see ya - CLICK!!!

NOW he's come to me after already paying once for his numbers and design cause' he wanted to see what I produced....Sooo now he's paying 2ce for those numbers cause' he still needs them and now he has a new logo too!

So back to my original...if you have the time, sure mock something up for him,,,,for he might just want to spend the extra ONE time and ONE time only...cause' once the originals on his vehicle he might just hate it