Design: Buy Cheap, Buy Twice
I’ve been having a real issue recently with a ton of new clients who approach me to create work for them. That issue is this:
“AFX/Editor required with grading/sound design capability”
Let me just break this down, taken from a popular creative job website. The client posted a job, looking for essentially 4 different roles. An After Effects Designer, Editor, Colour Grading Artist, and a Sound Designer. Yet, instead of posting for each of these roles individually, or at least coupling a pair, they think finding this magician will be able to sort all their problems in one go. Its meaning designers are being spread thin and overworked on projects and deadlines they simply won’t be able to meet. The overall work suffers and the client ends up with the age of dilemma of ‘buy cheap, buy twice’ resulting in having to spend more money on the project or having to just deal with a poor final product.
This is the sort of crap i’ve been seeing a whole ton of recently and its really starting to get to me. Its become an industry standard and I find sadly more and more agencies and studios abide by this now. If it isn’t this, then its an arsehole asking for little to nothing to work on their project and make it out as if its a value to you, to be working on the project with them.
So whats actually going on here? I find it can come from both studio and or client side. The client doesn’t want to provide a good enough budget to span over the range of work their want, yet think we can ‘just make it work’. Also a lot of studios and agencies are bad at budgeting and being honest to clients about what is possible and what isn’t, and managing expectations. Or in some cases its someone just being cheap and wanting something for nothing. Unfortunately this trickles its way down to the designers who are asked to do impossible jobs on impossible deadlines. Then when the quality suffers, they are to blame. I get this a lot, and I find it comes across as devaluing and unfair.
I love this piece of wall art that is a perfectly summery of how designing for a client works sometimes, check out more examples of witty pieces here.
Now let me talk about those who ask for shit for free. Well.. I get this all the time, its degrading, and an insult plus you’re an arsehole for asking. You wouldn’t walk into a barbers and ask for a free haircut would you? A service provided in any industry is no different than any other. Its not only being asked to do free work, its the manner in which some people even have the cheek to ask. Check out this message my business partner Paul Stayt received on Linkedin, one of many he constantly is sent along with tons of designers I know.
A very typical message that I assume a lot of you reading would have gotten at least once. “You are welcome to use the logo on your website”.. WTF? So its almost a privilege to work for you, for free, and only because he said, you can showcase the work you’ve done.. for free? Oh and if you’re a young designer starting out, that “future work” bullshit is just that, never, ever do something for someone when they promise you this. I have lost out numerous times of the back of this and its disheartening to know if anyone else has to deal with it.
My personal solution to this? Be HONEST! Thats all it takes. Be honest and transparent with your designers. If you work in-house, let your designers know a project may require overtime and be a stressful job. Do not try to beat a freelancer down on half their price, just move on and find another designer who fits your budget. You immediately devalue the freelancer by saying their are not worth the price they have worked hard for and quoted you to do the job. Negotiation is perfectly fine, but it has to be appropriate and fair. Their rate is what entitles them to their personal worth, if you think its wrong, and can’t work something out, move on. I’ve even had clients try to make me feel bad for not being able to work on their pricing terms. I have tons of regular clients who are honest and upfront, meaning the work we create is always out on time and done to a high standard.
A big thing that annoys me, if you ask for a day rate, and you know you can only afford x amount a day, tell them. You only come across to me personally at least, as a bit sly if you have a number in mind but you’re hoping I go under. I understand Business is Business, but don’t be an arsehole, thats not how we need play this game. Be clear with me and I will most likely be willing to go lower and work something out when I know your not trying to pull one over on me before we’ve even got into business. I can talk about payment terms and a ton of other issues, but I will leave that for another day.
Designers work their arses off to get a project through the door and play such a big part of the campaign/project or whatever it is that needs producing. Just because I know the Adobe Suite doesn’t mean I can use Premiere Pro and edit like a professional editor would. Understand that you need to get the right people for the job and treat them fairly, respect their processes and art. We are not just monkeys pressing buttons, we take much pride in the years of training and craft, the ridiculous amount of hours put into getting us to where we are today.
To sum up, Clients, Studios, Agencies! STOP trying to bag a bargain with your designers. Respect them, if you want them to respect you and the work. Be truthful, do not try to hide anything, for it will come through in project and people will notice. If you buy cheap, you will have to buy twice.
I would love to hear your opinions on this and if you’ve ever had to deal with it too. Why not check out my twitter page over at www.twitter.com/HashmukhKerai and my Instagram at www.instagram.com/hashmukh. You can also see some of my work over at www.hashmukh.com. Also if you liked the issues I spoke about in this blog, check out Agency Quotes for a laugh or two on things you would have definitely heard before.
And last but not least, if you want me to work on your project for free with no return at all, then..
