What is “spec” work
“Spec” is short for work done on a speculative basis. Work done without compensation, for the client’s speculation. Imagine these scenarios:
- You visit a restaurant and tell the waiter “I don’t know what I want, but I’ll know it when I taste it. Bring me half a dozen dishes and I’ll pay for the one I liked.”
- You take your car to the mechanic and say “my car needs 4 new tires but I only have enough money for 2, I need you to throw in the other 2.
- You ask a painter to paint your house for free, but you promise to add the fee onto the next time you need your house painted.
- on and on the list goes…
Obviously you would never ask any of the above questions, even more obvious is that the answer from any of the above service provides would be no. These kind of requests are almost exclusive to the graphic design industry for some reason, despite design being a business like any other.
Design requires time, equipment and most importantly skill and knowledge, for what reasons other than these do you approach a designer?
Remember…
You hire a builder not because he can stack bricks, but because he has the knowledge to build a structurally sound house. The same applies to design.
“You hire a builder not because he can stack bricks, but because he has the knowledge to build a structurally sound house. The same applies to design.”
Love this! I have also found that when I have done free design work in the past (for non-profits) that they never used the design. They just where not organized enough to stay in business long enough or have the know how of even installing the logo on their website.
I do give non-profits a discount, but I don’t do any more free designing — unless it purely as a gift.
Yep that’s often the way it goes Joni, if people aren’t willing to invest any money in something it’s not surprising that they never get around to using it.
I’ve done 1 charity job also like yourself, but if a business is expecting anything for free they’re not likely to take your work seriously.