riddle me this riddle me that

[1leonchen]

i have a customer ( pain in my Ass) who i did some business cards for. now he asked me for a sample of business cards. so i printed 30 business cards. no sweat off my back. he wants a entire vehicle wrap. so i said no. cut vinyl is better. He is just starting a business so i trying to help him out. did his design for free. i did the two side of his van and left the back door and the bonnet of the van and the wind shield. he hasn't paid a penny yet. now the customer(pain in the Ass) wants more business card and me to give him his file so he can print his business cards him self. and wants the rest of his job done.`and until now i haven't seen any money. enough with my ranting.i will strip that van so easy isn't funny.

here is my question how much would u charge for 5 hours design time and royalty fee for creating a company logo and design.

or should i tell him to leave me alone rudely

 

[Rick]

--You should have got a down payment before starting work.

--You might want to work out an order form and contract before starting work.

--You should already have a profitable hourly rate figured out.

--You should already have a logo fee figured out.

--You need to got a good friend to kick you in the arse for being a dunce.

 

[HulkSmash]

he wants a entire vehicle wrap. so i said no. cut vinyl is better.

um, what? Why would you talk a customer out of a wrap to a "Cut vinyl" job.

this should be good.

 

[binki]

Wow, someone who is easier than us... go figure.

Get a deposit to do more (hint, charge $800 for your 5 hours of work, plus sales tax at the very least)

 

[ProWraps]

i lost count at about 15...

im refering to the things you did wrong in that entire situation.

is he a (pain in the ass)?

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

Who's the ASS now?

 

[HaroldDesign]

NO. Find it within yourself to walk away and start over. Shake your head and remember. Figure your value, name your price and live up to it. Shake your head & repeat as necessary.

 

[rushworks graphics]

--You should have got a down payment before starting work.

--You might want to work out an order form and contract before starting work.

--You should already have a profitable hourly rate figured out.

--You should already have a logo fee figured out.

--You need to got a good friend to kick you in the arse for being a dunce.

read this....now go get a coffee.

read it again.......now go get lunch

read it again, and hopefully by this time its sunk in and you will take ricks advice!

 

[CentralSigns]

Print up some of your competitions cards and send him over there. Good riddance, he was a waste of your time.

 

[1leonchen]

thanks for the inspration ! never bend for a client

 

[Jillbeans]

By doing something for free, you have totally devalued yourself from the beginning.
Never do anything without a deposit.
Love...Jill

 

[EricRamse]

Always bend for a client, if you care about your business.

 

[Joe Diaz]

Always bend for a client, if you care about your business.

Just don't bend over all the way. Or you will run into the problems that OP is having, and it will happen time and time again.

I have found customers respect a clearly spelled out policy on these things. We take Rick's approach, and I think most shops should too. It's clearly the best way to go. People come to your shop to do business, not to find friends.

 

[John Butto]

Bloodclot, tell him you need some money for the rest of the job to be done.

 

[Air Art Girl]

Consider it a lesson learned. Don't give him the art. Be honest, tell him he needs to pay for it.

 

[TyrantDesigner]

--You should have got a down payment before starting work.

--You might want to work out an order form and contract before starting work.

--You should already have a profitable hourly rate figured out.

--You should already have a logo fee figured out.

--You need to got a good friend to kick you in the arse for being a dunce.

+1 to that.

 

[oldgoatroper]

Just don't bend over all the way.

Yes to what Joe said... and I will add bending over backwards (but not too far) is what we do sometimes to please a customer.

What you seem to be doing is bending over forwards..

 

[rushworks graphics]

agreed, we'll go out of our way to help people out.........but, you have to draw a line somewhere......and even then it might not even be appreciated!

 

[Nitsuj]

You're being taken advantage of, plain and simple. The pain in the ass customer has discovered that you're a nice guy. Some people will milk that as long as they can. I'm not a pro in the sign biz lime most of the other folks who offered you advice, but I've been in similar situations in other industries. If I were in your shoes, I'd cut off the freebies immediately. And I'd tell him that designs done on the house remain the property of the house. If he'd like to buy the design, that's one thing. But in light of what you've already done, I'd price it with no regard to making it a good deal. It takes pretty big stones to ask for a free design, free printing, then ask for the design so he can print himself, or more likely, give the design to the next nice guy printer this clown can find to do freebies when you get fed up and cut him off.

 

[Jillbeans]