Forum
New overseas client - Advice needed
DawnDesigns
Messages count : 2
Likes count : 0
Registration :
18 July 2008
Hi all,
I have been contacted by a company in the States who discovered my online portfolio and they liked my style of design which is similar to their requirements. They asked if I would be interested in some possible UI design work for upcoming web app projects. I replied and said it sounds great, and after giving a quote, which they then agreed to (not formally, just an agreement over emails), they gave me a short brief what they want, and asked if I could "play around with it a bit" to see what I could come up with. I never laid any kind of hint that I would agree to design on spec.
I have designed on spec before, but the company I did this for are a local business who are my boyfriend's company's client, so I know they are reputable and reliable when it comes to payment. However, I'm a bit sceptical about spec designing for this overseas company. Am I being a bit too sceptical, do you think? Should I request that a contract is signed to agree on the work being carried out, quote, etc? Or is a watermark/copywright on the image protection enough?
Any comments or suggestions or advice would be really helpful. Thanks!
:)
I have been contacted by a company in the States who discovered my online portfolio and they liked my style of design which is similar to their requirements. They asked if I would be interested in some possible UI design work for upcoming web app projects. I replied and said it sounds great, and after giving a quote, which they then agreed to (not formally, just an agreement over emails), they gave me a short brief what they want, and asked if I could "play around with it a bit" to see what I could come up with. I never laid any kind of hint that I would agree to design on spec.
I have designed on spec before, but the company I did this for are a local business who are my boyfriend's company's client, so I know they are reputable and reliable when it comes to payment. However, I'm a bit sceptical about spec designing for this overseas company. Am I being a bit too sceptical, do you think? Should I request that a contract is signed to agree on the work being carried out, quote, etc? Or is a watermark/copywright on the image protection enough?
Any comments or suggestions or advice would be really helpful. Thanks!
:)
- Contact in PM
freshinkdesign
Messages count : 3Likes count : 0Registration : 6 August 2008I usually ask for 20% up front and then it shows the clients intent because even though you have the copyright there is nothing stopping the client passing your designs to another local designer to rework. - Contact in PM
cre8tivelive
Messages count : 6Likes count : 0Registration : 1 April 2008Overseas Work
Hiya
i normally ask for a deposit as well and ALWAYS insist on a Service Level Agreement being signed. This covers you even if you dont secure a deposit.
If you dont get either then simply do the work on spec and when presenting your work do it on a "own hosted solution". I.E dont have over the work until you have the readies :). you wouldnt go into a shop...
cheersJamie Kirk Cre8tive Web Solutions - Contact in PM
GTFC
Messages count : 30Likes count : 0Registration : 6 February 2008I recently got my fingers burnt after doing a copywriting job for a US company. I was contacted by their marketing exec and asked to quote and then to provide a contract, which I did. I carried out the work over about a month - some £700 worth - ensuring that she agreed each stage before I did it. I then went on holiday for a week and when I got back I found she had left the company and no-one else seemed to know anything about the project. I did eventually get them to pay me, but it took alot of to-ing and fro-ing, plus I think the only reason they did is that I had kept all her emails.
In the future I would definitely insist on a formal Purchase Order as an absolute minimum before carrying out any work. I guess the same really goes for UK work as well, but with overseas stuff it's that much harder to follow up through legal channels if you end up having to.
Hope that helps,
Cheers,
Gill----------------------------------------------------------------- The secret of happiness is to find something you enjoy doing and then to get someone to pay you for doing it!