[thelist] Spec Work...?

[Robert Goodyear]

I absolutely do *not* do work on spec. OK, maybe I did 12 years ago when I was doing
letterheads to pay tuition. But it's degrading of our trade. You go to any other
professional and you judge their worthiness on their solutions to others' problems,
right? So why not design? I'd say stick to your guns, show how you used design to solve
other communication problems (read: before and after) and at most, deliver a written
proposal as to how you'd approach their needs.

My $.02

/rg


--- bull3t <initium at barrysworld.com> wrote:
> you don't know what i'd give to be in a situation like that... i don't get
> to do what i enjoy for a living, because i can't find any firms that will
> hire anyone under 18. life is a bitch.
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Eric Langlitz" <feed at chicken3.com>
> To: "The List" <thelist at lists.evolt.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2001 12:59 AM
> Subject: [thelist] Spec Work...?
> 
> 
> > Hi all.  Time for a healthy philosophical discussion in design, as there
> has
> > been a ton of tech talk today.
> >
> > The Situation
> >
> > Prospect Client A comes to you and wants to have a web site designed
> built.
> > But they have been burned in the past by "paying designers tons of money,
> > and still not getting what they want."  So, they say to you "I want to see
> > two or three designs before I will pay anything.  I am sure you are a
> great
> > designer, and your work shows it, but I am not sure you can grasp what I
> > want.  And I have already paid too much for other qualified designers who
> > couldn't do it either."
> >
> > Now, if you have not had a meal in three days, and the rent is two months
> > over-due, this may be very tempting.  But, how many diners can you go to
> and
> > ask to try two or three different plates before you will pay for "one"
> meal?
> > True, this is not a clear example of the work a designer does, but you get
> > the point.
> >
> > The worst part of this whole miserable e-mail, is that this happens
> > everyday, and designers engage in this activity every day.  I don't know
> > about you, but I don't like to spend my time doing free work.  If this
> were
> > my prospect client, the first words out of my mouth would be "I have the
> > number of a developer that I think would be great for you, let me pull it
> > from my file here and......."
> >
> > Any thoughts/comments/experiences?
> >
> >
> > --
> > Eric Langlitz
> > Principal
> > Chicken3
> > 3409 NE 62nd Ave #164
> > Vancouver, WA 98661
> > 360.906.7195
> > feed at chicken3.com
> >
> > ---------------------------------------
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> > http://lists.evolt.org Workers of the Web, evolt !
> >
> 
> 
> ---------------------------------------
> For unsubscribe and other options, including
> the Tip Harvester and archive of TheList go to:
> http://lists.evolt.org Workers of the Web, evolt ! 


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