Typophile - So I am finishing a logo and the client wants to pay more. - Comments

“I never really expected a

nbk484 — Wed, 4 Jun 2008 09:04:58 -0700

“I never really expected a client to offer to pay more.”

That’s a true sign that you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing as a designer.
Keep it up.

Listen to me good. These

jac — Sat, 31 May 2008 01:03:03 -0700

Listen to me good. These words will make you wise:

“Thank you, that’s very generous of you.”

This person has thought to do something nice for you. a token of appreciation, don’t squash those good feelings. If you feel guilty about taking the money, send your client a nice “thank you” gift around the holidays. It can be both cathartic and a chance to do some really cool self promotion.

Jac
“pronounced by saying ’Jake’ without conjuring imagery of lumberjacks or mans best friend.”

What about contra?

Nick Shinn — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:18:46 -0700

What about contra?

Some people would be

Sharon Van Lieu — Fri, 30 May 2008 12:58:15 -0700

Some people would be insulted if you refused.

“Take it and remember to

FeeltheKern — Fri, 30 May 2008 11:14:07 -0700

“Take it and remember to give them as good or better service next time they come around.”

This is why he shouldn’t take it — it sets up a dynamic where the designer is now in debt to the generosity of the client. Unless it’s coming from your beloved grandmother, money almost always has strings attached.

Thanks Ricardo. I can’t

iffy — Fri, 30 May 2008 08:24:10 -0700

Thanks Ricardo. I can’t imagine the AIGA looks too fondly at that site.

Look at it this way: You

Asvetic — Fri, 30 May 2008 06:15:17 -0700

Look at it this way: You low-balled your quote, and the client realized that, so they’re offering to make up some of the difference. They know you’re a fresh-faced designer that’s up and coming. The extra money could be considered a tip for exceptional services rendered, or an investment in future services rendered. When you’re more established and have a better idea of how and what to quote, this will happen less and less, but by then you’ll be more solid in your quoting and contracting that you’ll be earning what you’re worth.

Take it and remember to give them as good or better service next time they come around. Also, don’t forget to charge them accordingly next time as well.

Every once in a while I’ll

LogoMotives — Thu, 29 May 2008 18:23:22 -0700

Every once in a while I’ll have a client surprise me with a “bonus” for a job well done. I’m certainly not going to turn down a “monetary compliment” from a happy client. I argued a bit with one client about it and she said “take the extra money and buy yourself something you’ve been wanting” - I bought myself a toy train I’d had my eye one for some time!

Jeff Fisher | Engineer of Creative Identity | Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

@Pattyfab: I was saying

FeeltheKern — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:32:30 -0700

@Pattyfab: I was saying basically what Freeza said (if its significant money take it, if not don’t).

If the client doubled or tripled the money, great, take the money. But if she thinks paying extra means $20 and a Starbucks card, then I would turn that extra amount down. Accepting a small extra amount sends a completely wrong message to the client: you can arbitrarily decide what my work is worth, and feel generous and fair in your actions. I would want to send the message that $250 was a student rate, and was a one time only deal.

It’s a two-part logo

James Puckett — Thu, 29 May 2008 16:41:53 -0700

It’s a two-part logo designed at the client’s request: an abstract brandmark that can be used as an element of other designs and a wordmark that secondary brands can be attached two. The plan is for this to be a high-end, yoga-centric lifestyle products company.

I say take it, because

innovati — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:37:49 -0700

I say take it, because ESPECIALLY if they’re planning on using you again, this jo will dictate the expectation for future payment.

If you do it for less, they’ll expect each future job for less as well.

Personally as long as the money’s worth it I’m happy cause I do it for design, but when there’s more at stake you have to do the thing that sometimes you wouldn’t normally.

by the way, when do we get to see the logo?

Hi, Katherine. I found a

Ricardo Cordoba — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:01:26 -0700

Hi, Katherine. I found a link to it on Design Observer, a couple of days ago. Later they removed the direct link and added one to a discussion on “crowd-sourcing” design work, which is here.

Yeah, I agree: a sad but real phenomenon. There are other websites like it, too.

^Whoa Ricardo! I’ve never

iffy — Thu, 29 May 2008 12:43:31 -0700

^Whoa Ricardo! I’ve never seen that site before. That’s... um.... sad?

Congrats, James, you found a

Ricardo Cordoba — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:58:02 -0700

Congrats, James, you found a good client! (i.e., the kind that won’t go looking here to have their design needs met!)

they just spent it on junk

rs_donsata — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:21:31 -0700

they just spent it on junk and put it in warehouses.

I tought our government was the only one trashing money that way, I feel relieved.

Héctor

So I am finishing a logo and the client wants to pay more.

James Puckett — Tue, 27 May 2008 14:00:43 -0700

I just wrapped up a logo design for a small business that I did for about ten times less than I should have. I offered to do the job for $250 because I thought it would be a quick wordmark for a yoga teacher, it turned out to be a three-part logo with a brandmark, wordmark, and an add-on workmark for a sub-brand. I was really busy and not sleeping much when I agreed to do the work without raising the price (end of semester stuff) and have a contract with the client for $250.

Now the client is happy with the logo and wants to pay extra. The question is: do I tell her not to worry about it knowing that she’s planning to do more business with me, or do I accept the extra cash even though we have a contract?