My friend said to always ask for a spec sheet before a freelance job, and it saved me last month

I took on a logo design gig for a small coffee shop. My friend, who's been freelancing for 5 years, told me to always get a detailed spec sheet from the client first, listing things like file types and color codes. I almost skipped it to be fast, but I sent a simple Google Form. The client wanted the logo in 12 different formats, including a specific Pantone color I wouldn't have guessed. Having that list upfront meant I charged correctly and didn't have to redo anything. Has anyone else had a simple ask that turned out to be super important for a project?

2 comments

2 Comments

sage52819d ago

Honestly that's such a good call. I got burned once because I didn't ask about usage rights up front. Did a bunch of custom illustrations for what I thought was a one time blog post, and then the client turned around and started printing them on t shirts to sell. We hadn't talked about that at all, so I had to go back and re negotiate the whole deal, which was super awkward. That spec sheet idea would have caught it.

val_taylor19d ago

That spec sheet thing is just good life advice in general. Always get the weird details in writing, whether it's for a freelance job or helping a friend move their couch.