Hey Joe- I was wondering if you’d be able to give us a sample design so we can see what kind of work you do. It will help us make a decision on which designer we should go with.

This is not an uncommon email, especially in the world of web and graphic design. And it seems harmless to a lot of people. Sure, they just want a sample design. But they are really asking for free work. While you as a freelancer might be tempted to do comp/spec work to try and seal the deal on a contract, it’s not the way to go. Last week I posted 10 Reasons to Say No To Spec Work by No!Spec; here is my take on spec work.

Tags: clients, comps, gigs, proposal, relationships, samples, spec work, tips, work | Posted in Advice, Lessons | 4 Comments »

You didn’t think all my resources would be other people’s stuff, did you? I wouldn’t be a very good freelancer if I didn’t give some stuff away for free. Today I’m providing a template I use when coming up with proposals for clients. I’ve generalized it and it’s ready for you to adapt and make your own. I’ve also provided a sample proposal so you can see how I use it (all company names, specs, prices are fictitious).

For furture reference, all documents I upload and make public will go in this folder. You’re free to use any of them free of charge. Though if someone asks, a reference would be nice

This (and most documents) are in a .doc format. If you need it in another format (Open Office, for example), let me know and I’ll convert it for you.

Finally, you might want to take some time to read the Read  Me file in the folder.

(link to post)Visit Freelance Proposal Template