Early on in my career
I volunteered for a community bike program and I happily agreed to make a
poster for them. They wanted it at full poster size to put up around the city.
I told them that I can design it but they will have to bring it to a print shop
to get it printed.
A week later I’d
created the poster and thought it looked great. The whole process had been very
smooth – or so I thought.
Me: Here is the final print ready
file, you just need to bring it to a print shop to get printed. I recommend
“print shop name”, I’ve worked with them in the past and they are great but
there are many great print shops in the city.
Client: What do
you mean bring it somewhere to print it? Aren’t you the print shop?
Me: Um … no. I’m
a graphic designer, I designed the poster but I don’t have equipment to print
out at full poster size.
Client: Oh, will
the printing of the posters be free as well?
Me: No, unless
you have some kind of arrangement with a print shop, you will have to pay them.
Client: Well
that’s not what we agreed to, you said the poster would be free!
Me: No… I said I
would volunteer my time to help out with a cause I believe in and design the
poster. I told you that you would have to bring it to a print shop.
Client: Well forget it then.
In the end, my
beautiful posters where never printed because they didn’t realize you have to
pay for services.