By Jennifer Shaheen, The Technology Therapist®
As featured in Women & Biz magazine and WomensRadio.com

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Do you have everything you need to work with another company? Probably Not.

Let’s look at what has happened to some of our clients who didn’t think they could go wrong.

Case 1 – The Double Pay

Ellen hired ABC Graphics to create a logo for her Dry Cleaning company. She was happy with the logo they created and used it for several months. She didn’t contact them for a while because there was no real need to. Recently Ellen decided to expand her business to provide a pick-up and drop-off service. She wanted to slightly modify the logo and add a tag line “Dry Cleaning to Go”, but when she called the graphic designer the number was disconnected. She checked their website and it was no longer up. Ellen has a copy of her logo on her web site and a copy she uses for her word processing documents. But that is not everything she needs to make the change.

Now Ellen has to find another graphic designer and have them recreate her logo from scratch. She’s paying for the same logo two times! How could she have avoided this situation?

Case 2 – Time & Money

Kevin has owned his management consulting firm for over ten years. He has grown and worked with the same design firm since the beginning. They have created his logo, business cards, brochure and even his web site. Kevin has always been happy with the service and quality he has received from the firm through the years. Recently Kevin decided to hire a new sales person, Mary, to help increase business. Mary has scheduled a meeting with a large corporate client and is putting together a PowerPoint presentation and requested copies of some of the images used in the brochure along with a high-quality copy of the logo. Mary has requested these files from the design company and they have told her that they no longer have the images found in the brochure. She then asked if they still had a copy of the brochure and could they supply the images from that file. The design firm replied by telling her that they could but it would be a charge because it would take them time to get Mary what she was requesting. Mary needs the files for the presentation on Friday and it is Wednesday. The design firm said they could not promise her the files in time. Now Mary has to wait for the design firm to get her the files and Kevin has to pay for the time.

Too bad Kevin did not prepare for the future. I know we can’t see what we will need but knowing what to ask for up front can save you more than just money- it can save your company’s presentation.

Now don’t misunderstand the point of my article. I am not saying that graphic design firms are out to get you. Many firms are fabulous and easy to work with, but like anything we do in business - if you don’t know what to ask then how can you know what will happen or how to avoid it happening to you?

Don’t go into the relationship without knowing what you may need down the road.

Q1 - Who owns the copyright on the work? Is the work a work-for-hire?

Q2 - What file format will you receive when the project is completed?

Q3 - How long does the company store a copy of your files?

Q4 - Will they notify you before deleting the files?

Q5 - If you require changes, what is the process for turn-around time? How long do changes typically take?

Q6 - How much do revisions cost? Is the work based on an hourly or project rate?

Q7 - What resolution will the firm provide my files in?

Q8 - Do they charge more to give you the editable version of your files?

Q9 - If you buy images for use in a brochure do you get a separate high quality copy of the image?

Q10 - Are the costs to view proofs included or extra?

A1 - Depending on your budget you should insist that the project be a work-for-hire. Understand however that a graphic designer may and usually does charge more for out-right-ownership. For more information on work-for-hire agreements you should contact your attorney.

A2 - Common file types are .jpg (JPEG) | .tiff (TIFF) | .eps (Enapseled Post Script) or .pdf (Adobe Acrobat or Portable Document Format). Remember these are flattened and usually are not editable.

A3 - Typically we find companies store files for approximately six months to a year. Due to the size of graphics files some firms will not keep the files longer.

A4 - Many times firms may cover this in their contracts. If not, be sure to ask, because frequently people are not notified before their files are discarded.

A5 - This will vary from designer to designer but you should have an idea of how their process works to give you enough time to request changes or new work. If you need to meet an ad deadline be sure to give your firm enough time to create the ad and for you to make revisions or corrections. Knowing the designer’s process for turn-around will let you both work on an agreed upon timeline.

A6 - This is such an important question because frequently people feel that designers are over charging but that is not always the case. If designers work on an hourly or project rate they may have estimated the cost of the job with one round of revisions. If you need two rounds of revisions or if you change your mind half-way through a project the job will cost more. Be sure to ask for a cost update before requesting additional changes.

A7 - The response should be 300 dpi for print and 72 dpi for web. If you want to use something from your web site in a print campaign later, be aware that the file will need correcting or even re-creating for the right medium.

A8 - Editable files mean the original - layered files needed to create your project including fonts. Common file formats are Photoshop (.psd) | Illustrator (.ai) | Quark (.qxd). As mentioned in question one this arrangement should be worked out as part of the project cost or a price set for you to buy-out the rights to the file at a later date.

A9 - When buying images you need to know if the images are royalty-free or a stock image license. Royalty free is a one-time purchase fee that can range in price. Stock image licensing can differ depending on the company that is selling the image. Stock images that require licensing will be costly because usually you have to pay an annual fee to continue to use that graphic or photo. Be sure to find out what the fees are before you fall in love with the image.

A10 - Print design will require you to see proofs first hand to be sure the color you chose looks right before they go to print. Proofs are usually extra and many times this comes as a shock to clients but if the proof is free, it still costs the company money to Fed Ex it to you. Know what the extra expenses are so you can budget properly.

Being in business today, no matter what size company you are, is about being informed. Don’t waste your time and money - know what to ask before you decide what companies you work with.

©The Technology Therapy Group, LLC
Jennifer Shaheen - The eMarketing and Technology Therapist

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