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I haven’t been asked to do spec work, but I don’t think I would. Who wants to work for a client who thinks my value is $0??
Only a sucker works on spec. If you need to build your portfolio, do promotional pieces or donate your work to genuine charities. Donating your work to profit-making enterprises is–and I repeat–a sucker move.
When I was first starting out I did spec work on three occasions for potential clients who had no experience with professional design. In one case I got burned (they used my design and tried to develop it in-house) and in the other cases I got: “That’s nice. What else can you do for us for free?”
It’s been said many times before, but I’ll say it again from my experience: If you present your work as though it has no monetary value, then that’s exactly how clients are going to treat your work.
Politely decline work on spec unless it’s for a charitable organization, or after a couple job interviews for a position you want.
I totally agree that if you treat your work as having no monetary value then others will do the same. You probably don’t want to work for someone who thinks what you do is a “fun contest” or is trying to get something for free.
Every client I’ve ever done work for “on spec” was a nightmare to work with. A client who gets valuable work from you without exchanging something for it, whether it be money or barter, is operating like a thief. He/she is stealing your art. Funny thing is, he/she knows it and therefore in order to make it OK to steal work from you there MUST be something wrong with what you do. I’ve given tons of extra work to clients and had them then turn around and be so critical and unappreciative for some completely bogus “flaw” or problem with the work. If they had to admit that the work was valuable, they’d have to confront that they stole it from you.
Doing work for free for charities is not spec work. It’s donation (aka “pro bono” or “dono”) work and is done as a selfless act of contribution for the good of the charity and its recipients.
If you do valuable work for free for companies that should be paying for it, be prepared to be abused. Royally!
The line starts with; “The client’s budget is tight/small, would you let us use your image…(fill in the Blank)…next time. It is the promise of future work that is used to persude one to under value their work today for what might happen tomorrow. Whenever someone approaches me with spec work I take the time it would take to do the work and use it to do a self assignment. I give my time to only my friends and family for free.
MGM Grand, a huge casino conglomerate in Las Vegas – requested finished brochure comps (10) – on spec – from designers who want to work with them on freelance basis.
When someone asks me for spec work, I refer them to my web page so they can see my work, and tell them that if they’re interested, I’m happy to make an appointment to discuss the scope of their project and give them an estimate.
I have been in the freelance business for far longer than I will admit and my answer to this question is a definite no. I do try to respond with humor. Logo tag line: “If it’s free please let us do it”. Or my saying: “If you do this free work now there is A LOT MORE free work where that came from! Enough said.
I won’t lie…. I have worked on spec. Even now I get tempted because I want the project or notoriety.
It’s a sucker’s bet. It’s like winning the lotto, or gambling in Vegas. The longer you do it, the more you lose.
After years of being asked for free, spec and work with a “credit” line, I always stop and picture myself in the line at the grocery store. I ask the clerk for the same deal that I am being offered by the cheap client. Do I get the groceries for free? No way.
Been there, done that and suffered the consequences of unforeseen grief – all in the name of a charity. Silly me, even charities have budgets!
I’ve been working as a professional photographer since age 8 starting with a 4 X 5 Graflex. Years ago a pompous millionaire female in my town wanted me to work for free to promote an upcoming theatrical stage production. When I asked if the company doing the offset lithography printing her posters was going to work for free, she explained that they were an actual company and would have to be paid. As a freelance photographer, I was not considered to be a legitimate company. My response to this pompous bitch was full of too many xxx rated expletives to be suitable for printing here. This is my view of “speculation” work. The only time it is ever positive is when a photographer is working with glamour models and building 2 portfolios at the same time. Wes Koehler Fallbrook, California
A lot of good points have been made here…but the bottom line is agencies do this all the time to win clients. I’m surprised it ever works. If you do this, call it a donation, anf send a real bill for your time (discounted to $0) so at least the charity/company you’re donating your time to has a real understanding of what you charge when they talk to business associates who do have money.
Of course I’m available to design your logo on spec.
By the way, by mere coincidence I’m interested in getting some custom designed furniture similar to what your company already produces. How about designing and manufacturing some pieces according to what I think I have in my mind and if I like what you produce I’ll happily purchase it.
Oh, and I’m presently talking with a few other manufacturers too.
Andrew
Normally I would be happy to add to your Web site by sharing my feelings on spec work. But I would be working for nothing.
the only thing free work has every generated for me is more free work. I don’t work for free anymore.
I admit I have done work on spec but I have also turned down numerous requests to do so. Now I ask myself, Is this person trying to take advantage of me? Are they just being cheap? If so the answer is NO. However if there is an opportunity for me to try a new project or a clear opportunity to market my business-it has worked. The more experience I get, the less I consider it, but when first starting out, I think it did help me.
I have done this more times than I am willing to admit, especially for aquaintances & friends. I try to evalutate the client more and only do what is necessary to get a committment before I do all the design work.
maybe it isn’t broken, but the link for the article, “Coping With Clients Who Use Your Concept Design — Without Paying” at designorati takes me to a page with lots of ads and no article. Can you perhaps make the link more specific to the actual article? thanks very much
maureen
https://designorati.com/, by Pariah Burke
If I do anything for a client/potential client – I must be PAID. That is time that I could use for another client who is paying me for my services and/or time that is taken away from my family.
Sorry, if they don’t want to pay – they can look for charity labor else where.
Maureen, try https://designorati.com/graphic-design/business-3/2006/coping-with-clients-who-use-your-concept-design-without-paying/
My experience with spec work has been that people who ask you to participate are either ignorant of why it’s a bum deal for the creative, or are aware but don’t care. You may be able to educate the ignorant, but you should run, not walk, away from the other type.
However, I’m all for working for cheap or free as long as it’s YOUR choice. Sometimes it’s the best way to get into a new field; other times it’s a good way to stretch your creative wings, as long as you make freedom from client restrictions part of your “payment.”
Terri Stone, editor in chief
It looks like the link to the https://designorati.com site has been fixed.
Doing spec work only perpetuates the myth in some minds that what we do as designers has no value or takes no time. In my own business, I have been burned only twice with spec work. Why just twice? Because I have only done it twice! One ended in a phone call to request payment from a prospect who didn’t want the work at the time, but then used it in newpaper advertising a few months later. As the type reads at Milton Glaser’s studio entrance: “Art is work.” Make sure you are always compensated. Even if you are just starting out and eager, there are plenty of clients who want a new, fresh approach and value a designer’s creative input–don’t give it away.
I have been involved with spec work on few occasions. However, each time, I found it a time consuming exercise with little reward.
As to past clients trying it on, as I call it, some have, but happily, most have not.
The ones who tried I will not work with again and that has nothing to do with pride but trust!
I am so glad to hear the people here are not entertaining spec work. If you dont put a price on the work you do, it has no value to the recipient. It is not positive in any way for designers. Occasionally, there is a cause I like to donate to and that is my choice. Much better than spec.
The peculiar caveat is that while it may seem like a good idea, there are people not to be trusted. People steal. And nothing is as easy as a spec design. You see it all the time on Craigs List, people paying their pittance ($25) and looking for ideas, concepts that they MAY pay you for, they may not. The issue is, that if its not accepted, you need to check up on that would be client to make sure they didn’t use your concept…maybe someone didn’t charge as much, but they sure did like the look of it. The answer is, simply say no.You don’t go to the dentist and say let me have a trial run.
I had only one project, which was on spec. That is because I didn’t know it was a spec project, until I sought to get compensated. Before I knew about the value of a contract, I would accept work online and offline and had been pretty lucky about getting paid.
I didn’t know the meaning of “spec work” until I came across this project. I simply answered an ad through e-mail in which I proposed my price and a few terms. The “client” agreed and I went to work on what ended up being a three month long project. When I sought my payment, the “client” informed me that he will choose between my project and someone else’s project and that if he chooses my project, I will be paid. Of course I e-mailed back stating I was under impression I was hired and expect to be paid for my time. He responed with a polite e-mail stating he was sorry if I misunderstood, but these are the terms. If he doesn’t use the logo, he is exempt from charges from me. He danced around the fact that he never mentioned the project being on spec or a contest. The account is now with a collection agency.
All I have to say, it that $0 translates into headaches, weeks of agony, and burned bridges.