Anyone a member of creativepublic.com?

[showcase 66]

I got side tracked today when helping a friend of mine who has been doing web page design for a a few years. He has always worked for another company but is thinking of going out on his own. He never worked with the contracts with customers and we got to looking online for some advice for web design contracts. Anyway, I came across this site. www.creativepublic.com Seems like it has a lot of good info and can help.

I was wondering if anyone has signed up for it and if so, has it been useful for your business whether it is web or graphic design?

My buddy is ready to sign up for the year but for only 20 bucks more get a lifetime membership. Figured if it has a lot of great info then the lifetime membership is the way to go.

Just wanted some input.

Thanks

 

[WildWestDesigns]

One thing that I've noticed with regard to contract info that you get from trade groups is that they are like templates. Really, the best thing to do is have a contract lawyer (even better if they are industry specific) to help with contracts and what to be expected of you given the state laws. Especially if that trade group isn't based in the same locale as "you".

Some things, in order to be given protection from suing clients, have to be worded in such a way, sometimes the need separate signatures right next to them to signify that the client was extra aware of the clause if you will. It's just little nuisances like that really need specific help with.

Now, having said that, the trade group that I belong to does provide quite a bit in other ways, but also there might be general things for contracts that I hadn't thought of to include in there as well. So they do have their place.

I would imagine that the site you are referencing would be a lot like that, just based on what I had seen in a cursory look see.

 

[signswi]

The AIGA sample contract is the best in the business but as WWD says buying an hour with an attorney to draft something out of them is money well spent. Every business should have an attorney they have a relationship with anyway.

 

[showcase 66]

I talked him into getting the lifetime membership. Other than contracts, they seem to have a lot of info for dealing with all different type of clients. This I think will be good for him as well as what ever info I can pull off of it while working with him.

As for a lawyer, I suggested to him the same thing but I also told him not to go in blind about a contract. I think whatever knowledge he has going in will be better than none at all.