Just the hearing the terms; contracts, estimates, budget, invoices & deposits make me want to run for cover. It is one part of the creative business process that I have been procrastinating for a while and when I do sit down to begin working on this particular facet to my business, I feel the need to nap.
But, I finally sucked it up and brewed a strong pot of coffee and chained myself to my desk for about 10 hours and cranked out the documents that I feel are important to my creative business. I believe having these documents makes everyone feel more comfortable.
When someone selects me to create a design for their event or business, I want the experience to be an outstanding one! Nowadays, we correspond so much through email, it is easy for things to be lost in translations. But, by having clear communication and documentation the possibility of a misunderstanding can be eliminated.
I think it is very important to get to know who I am working with, so I usually begin the process with a phone call. This way, I can hear their excitement about the project, listen for clues and most importantly get to know who they are as a person. After my initial phone meeting, I write up a summary and email it to them for their review. This is to ensure we both know that I have interpreted their design expectations correctly.
From there I begin my "Work Order" to price out the job and then present them with a "Design Estimate". Once they agree to the estimate, I will send them a contract to sign and at this time their deposit will required - I send them a PayPal request, I love the request because the money goes directly into my bank account and I don't have to be responsible for their credit card.
If you are interested in taking a look at my documents you can download examples Download Renee Rodriguez Design Forms.
I would love your feedback about my process and forms and welcome suggestions. Let me know what works for, your clients and your creative business.
