Free work
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- 25 Responses
- ohhhhhsnap
...would you do it for a pitch amongst other competitors for a client? I'm thinking that I shouldn't.
- doesnotexist0
better work, no?
- i read, "what would you do for a pitch amongst..."doesnotexist
- doesnotexist0
i can't read.
- nb0
I only do free work. Money is evil. You don't want it.
- I kind of like your reply, didn't think I would... but yeah NB you're totally right.ohhhhhsnap
- doesnotexist0
So you think that money is the root of all evil? Have you ever asked what is the root of money? Money is a tool of exchange, which can't exist unless there are goods produced and men able to produce them. Money is the material shape of the principle that men who wish to deal with one another must deal by trade and give value for value. Money is not the tool of the moochers, who claim your product by tears or of the looters, who take it from you by force. Money is made possible only by the men who produce. Is this what you consider evil?
- nb0
I'll bet Ayn Rand would've caught the sarcasm.
- ohhhhhsnap0
doesnotexist, I think that nb's got a point if i had to choose, i'd most certainly live in a thriving timeshare society doing what i love rather than what we have going right now.
- anyway i'm going to work my a** off this weekend for this gig.ohhhhhsnap
- freshdude0
Depends who the work is for, geeeeeeeeez.
No context, no advice.
- akrok0
buy a lotto ticket and call it a day.
- ha!... what is this client (after chatting with them) sounds potentially promising?ohhhhhsnap
- if*
ohhhhhsnap
- monNom0
Write them a nice letter describing what you do. Show them some of your past work. Surely that's enough?
- That was already done. I agree with you monNom that should be enough. I am always curious about those whoohhhhhsnap
- ask for free work, ... it just feels a tad unethical, and i'd never think of doing that to anyone. i wonder if i should have a small contract.ohhhhhsnap
- NONEIS0
This is the essence of pitch work - you do not have to do it, but it's pretty common...
- ohhhhhsnap0
should i draw up a contract with this person before committing?
- fyoucher10
Do it if it's worth it to YOU. Sometimes you take a loss to make a gain. Personally, I would only do something like that if I thought I had a good chance at snatching up a client from a competitor and getting a lot of REPEAT business from them.....or if it's for a MAJOR client (i.e. directly with a Fortune 1000/500).
Also depends on if you have the kind of cash flow that can support that kind of stuff.
- Fax_Benson0
You shouldn't really do it, but I'd probably do it - and lose the pitch and feel terrible about it for a while.
- zoozoo0
only if you feel like it
- deathboy0
ayn rand would probably suggest only if u find value in it. Or at least a potential value that u find rewarding enough to put in the time and effort. I do free work all the time. Usually gauge wether to do it upon conditions such as motivation to take on a project to better my skills and craft, or potential for more opportunities outside the particular client as a portfolio piece... usually if it doesnt have those two thing than im just not interested because it has no value to me. Pretty basic.
- identity0
nb is right.
If you don't take their money, they can't control you.
Had this revelation myself watch Bill Cunningham New York.There are jobs we do to pay rent - and then there are jobs that remind us why we wanted to get involved in this industry to begin with. Find someone who makes/does something you respect and admire. Offer to work WITH them for free. Create really great stuff.
There has to be more to what we do than making money.
- ohhhhhsnap0
totally spent my saturday making it happen for them :) thanks gang
- clearThoughts0
If you want to get into the bigger game, you better learn this.
Most big clients ask for pitches. Would you spend millions on something without knowing what they it would look like?Problem is that people get screwed up in the process... what I learned is, don't work too hard on the free pitch... but make sure you're in and that you convince them you are the best option... not so easy after all, huh?
ps - If you can bring Don Draper into the meeting you'll be sorted
- yeah. i need to eat too though. i've already done the big names fortune 500's... i've scaled down a bit.ohhhhhsnap
- ohhhhhsnap0
http://www.no-spec.com/ is great info donotexist... i agree. in an ideal world we wouldn't have to spec and our portfolio would be enough.
they should at least pay SOMETHING for spec work (i think). you've gotta have a lot of balls to ask someone to do sh*t for free.