Again, you have this scenario in your head that you can make several deals with different people and although everything is out of your hands and they all can do what they want.... so what's your beef ??
If everyone is doing what they want and you didn’t lay the ground rules, why are you complaining now, if you already knew going in, this wasn’t going to work. Is that why you tried to entrap them or now want to so you can muscle your competition out of the way ?? Yeah, you sound like a real nice guy to do business with. Take my free artwork and make everyone buy from me, but the ones that want to go elsewhere can and I’ll sue the sorry sign shop’s ass for not following my rules.
Did the sign shop sign and date the same contract ??
If you have a law that trumps forcing real estate agents where they have to buy their wares… doesn’t that kinda void your little predicament ??
I’ve never heard of ‘traditional practice’ as you’re throwing the term around. I’m here almost 40 years and haven’t heard any old-timers using that term for a business relationship, either. Do you stay up late at night dreaming these things up or do you just say chit and expect people to just listen in awe of you at your words and terms of wisdom ??
Seriously, you can re-invent the wheel, but you have to be original and make sense. Otherwise, its just the same ol…. same ol.
Read your own words out loud to yourself once or twice and take yourself and your own emotion out of the equation and see if it still makes sense.
This whole thing has nothing to do with logo infringement or who created what or even who is buying from who anymore, but more about you’re losing a good customer due to either better pricing from a competitor… or your work is inferior to the other shop. If the latter is the reason, you better do something about it, before they all wander over there.
We have customers where we do their work exclusively, but I don’t hold the rights over their heads. If they choose to go elsewhere, they most certainly may and can do that. Does it happen often ?? Nope, not at all. You’ve got to learn to keep your customers happy and interested. You don’t do this by throwing them a bone and expect loyalty for something you won’t even
let us see.
Here’s one for you……. we just landed a nice account about two or three months ago. Two separate real estate companies recently merged together. We weren’t doing the work for either of them. One of the agents asked if we’d consider quoting them on some work. It was a nice first job and they loved my numbers. Said I was almost half of the other guy that had been their regular guy for many years. They asked how was this possible ?? Unlike you, I didn’t hold anything over their head; I didn’t bad mouth the other guy or say his prices weren’t that bad. However, I told them we
were set up to do what they wanted in a much more efficient and cost effective manner. I explained what I could do and never said anything bad about the other guy. In fact, the other half of the mergers asked me the same question and I told them the same. Now instead of wanting 1,000 signs, they want to order 5,000. Just got the order for that one on Friday and was notified today my deposit check is waiting for me. They got a ton of patches for their existing signs and we just finished a few banners for their ‘Grand Opening’ tomorrow. Oh, and by the way,
we didn't design the logo. Someone else did and then we were given all the vector and raster images.
In order to keep a customer happy, teasing them with a little free piece of the pie won’t cut it anymore in these times. That’s the part of tradition you seem to be lacking. You need to have service and dependability and if you have pricing to match, it only helps. We rarely give stuff away free, except to youth organizations and other places I/we see fit. Giving someone a free logo with the conditions connected to it they buy from you is dumb. That doesn’t buy or deserve any respect or loyalty. You are right, business is strictly business today , but all documents and paperwork must be signed and dated by both parties. No one listens to verbal agreements or relies on handshakes except when you meet someone for the first time and you shake their hand out of recognition of meeting them. Those days are lo-o-ong gone.