Artwork Approval Contract

[icex]

Does anyone have a artwork approval contract they would not mind sharing? We have a customer that is being very particular about the art work. We have changed it 10+ times and he finally said he agrees to it but does not want to pay 50% down. I told him 50% down or my machine won't print them. He wants 10 4x4 signs. I am looking to get a artwork contract so that when he does pay the 50% down, it says that he can't change it once its signed.

Thanks!

 

[Kottwitz-Graphics]

Does anyone have a artwork approval contract they would not mind sharing? We have a customer that is being very particular about the art work. We have changed it 10+ times and he finally said he agrees to it but does not want to pay 50% down. I told him 50% down or my machine won't print them. He wants 10 4x4 signs. I am looking to get a artwork contract so that when he does pay the 50% down, it says that he can't change it once its signed.

Thanks!

Yeah, stick to your guns. Of course, after the 3rd time of changing artwork, I would have started charging him shop rate of $75 per hour. Make sure you make sure that your customer knows this at the start of the project...

 

[artbot]

pm me your email address. i have one that i drafted just for this purpose. unfortunately, the key is to have them sign in right after you get them their initial "look".

 

[TimToad]

We don't have an artwork "contract" per se unless the client is coming to us only for a logo or print material design, but we do discuss BEFORE we start a project the boundaries of what constitutes a reasonable number of revisions before the meter starts running.

I'm comfortable telling anyone we do so much as a simple banner for that the initial layout is complimentary once we have a commitment to the project. We then explain that the first two minor revisions are included, and we emphasize "minor". After that the clock is running @$75 per hour. The key to not getting cornered on design fees, art charges and frumpy, high maintenance customers constantly pushing you for more revisions is IMHO, the following:

A. Fleshing them out as to how professional and serious they are about their project during the initial contact. Crucial to separate the wheat from the chafe.

B. Developing a good series of probing questions to use during that initial meeting to see exactly what their preferences are. If they are thinking a Victorian looking sign and you're perceiving Modern, no number of revisions will get you on the same page. Even if they aren't that articulate or well spoken, you have to dig deep up front to get a full understanding of what it is they want. Anything less just eats into your profit and their patience. Remember, most of the public is not that creative and they perceive ANYONE artistic as egotistical and arrogant. They have been taught to go to that impulse since they were children back when your stick drawings looked better than theirs.

C. Projecting expertise and confidence. Nothing stops the bullies in our lives faster than having our act together.

D. Restraining your ego enough to fully "hear" during your interviews and contacts to fully embrace what the client wants instead of what it is that you WANT to offer them.


We have your typical copyright infringement boilerplate disclaimer on all of our proofing documents.


Hope any of this helps.

 

[binki]

I stopped when you said 10x and no pay. I haven't read the responses.Given that DUMP HIM!

Nuff said.

 

[icex]

Thanks for the responses. The guy has actually rung the phone off the hook and sent several messages on facebook to us requesting we start without 50% down because they own a mall, sawmills, etc and are devout christians that we can trust. I still told them 50% down before starting.

I actually had a interesting phone call yesterday. Another sign shop, that only owns a vinyl plotter, called wanting a "bottom dollar price" on 10 4x4 campaign signs. When I asked him who it was, he told me the exact same guy that ordered them from us. I told him the same price I told the other guy, because I'm not giving them to the other shop for a discount.

He then calls back and tells me that the guy is actually ordering from everyone in town, which is fine with me, I don't really care. When I ask the owner of the other sign shop if he is going to get 50% down, he said he don't believe so because he is a fellow christian and believes they will pay him.

In God We Trust before work begins.

 

[TimToad]

Your last response illustrates the importance of my item A in the list I offered. This guy was never serious and wasn't coming to you out of respect. He's playing you and all your colleagues against each other and I can just bet that he'll profess how much of a family values candidate he is for the next two months. Integrity isn't high on his agenda.

By the end of the campaign, you'll hate seeing his signs regardless of which alleged colleague of yours underbids you to do them.

This experience of yours reminds me of Cush's father in Jerry Maguire. I won't sign anything I can be held accountable for, but my word because I trot my religion all over town is as strong as oak. At least until, that most ungodly trait, greed and lust for power kicks in.

This guy is not only revealing himself as a hypocrite from a religious standpoint, but a typical politician. He'll probably do real well in the election.

We don't even advertise that we do political signs, but we have a flatbed printer, so we get them mostly from local candidates who believe that keeping the work local is as important as saving a few bucks on signs buying them online.

In the past 3 weeks, we've done over $10k worth of political signs and despite many of our candidates professing to be god fearing Christians, they all paid a 50% deposit. The only riskier businesses to deal with than politicians are under capitalized restaurants and fly by night home remodeling contractors. Throw in takeover used car lots to the list too.

You said in your last response, "In God We Trust before work begins." Work already has begun, you've done layout and revision work. I just hope you don't have to be visually bombarded for the next two months with something you designed but produced by somebody else.

Here is our boilerplate layout proof sheet that is the baseline of our intellectual property protection. We also add further language to our computer generated estimates and contracts.

 

[Rick]

After reading all this... you have to have a firm policy in place.

First thing is...

You don't need a design to give them a price on 10 4' x 4' signs...

You price the production part, and tell them they get "X" amount
of minutes, and "X" amount of revisions and collect a deposit at
that moment. Any design time after that is priced at your hourly rate.

You need to develop a "design brief".... basically a questionnaire that
gets the info you need to develop your design to the clients needs/wants.
That way you have some idea what to design to.

The deposit is for securing your time and materials... it's not about
being a Christian, it's the process of doing business. There are
even bible accounts of doing business that involve securing purchases
with money so anyone who brings that up is full of crap. No one gets
preferential treatment. I'm thinking anyone can use anything to secure
work without a deposit including race, marital status, income levels or
sexual preference...
What the shweeze is wrong with people!

I have a few title blocks for various stages of design... I only design
but I still need an artwork approval title block to send it out to clients and
sign shops... here is mine.

 

[AF]

I wouldn't use "A" for the sheet label, maybe SK. Like you, I like to have a sig line on any and all CAD drawings. Nice layout!

 

[Rick]

I wouldn't use "A" for the sheet label, maybe SK. Like you, I like to have a sig line on any and all CAD drawings. Nice layout!

Thanks AF

I think "SK" would be the proper designation for single sign types and sketches.

Most of our work is planning designing multiple signs. We've developed a Sign
Type system for our larger project that have multiple sign types. That way the
client, installer and production person can easily find a sign type drawing, where
it is located and what it's supposed to say. It makes it easier to have a client sign
off on, and we have the ability to make a database that allows us to develop budget
numbers for similar projects or we can look up sign types for whatever reason we
might have.

When we start getting getting into fabrication and manufacturing, we can easily
get an idea of what the costs will be and bid close to the competition without
spending days doing it. Also having our sign types match our invoicing helps speed
our proposals and billing process.

Here is how the system works on an apartment complex
We have a location plan thats color coded and has sign designation and type.
The we have the sign message schedule...
The drawing plan that matches the location plan and message schedule...
and then the drawing with corresponding code/color.

Any tips to make it easier for us and I'm all ears... thanks!

(by the way, I noticed "herein" and "property" was messed up on my copyright statement)

 

[icex]

Check was in my hands as of yesterday. They want 10 4x4 signs by Friday. They asked if we could do their order first before anyone else Another long week...

 

[thinksigns]

Deposit check or full check? Don't let the signs leave your shop without being paid in full. I would bet a lot of money he will try to send a guy with a truck to pick them up and drop off a check later (much later).

 

[2B]

Check was in my hands as of yesterday. They want 10 4x4 signs by Friday. They asked if we could do their order first before anyone else Another long week...

So much for that christian attitude of putting other before yourself.

We have a board on the show room wall that lists all the policies;
Productions starts the following business day from deposit receipt and layout approval, it also states standard production is 3-5 business days depending on QTY / complexity and this is subject to change without notice.
There is also a notice that orders are processed in order of receipt, ie first come first served, unless rush services are paid for.

This way there is no excuse of you didn't tell me, I don't remember, etc...