so WTF do you want

[mooseman]

Unbelieveable....car dealer guy come in wants 100 to 200 shirts one color 2 sides on white shirts.
Says we want a march madness basketball theme with the words "march hugeness".
asks to have some proofs before they give an order.
We say no way commitment first art proof later.
they say OK we will commit to $500.00
we say OK that will get you 78 shirts for $500 we send the following proof sets.
they come back with this

" Just reviewed the proofs with the staff and none of them are really what we are looking for.  We want something with a large ball instead of the player.   I was thinking a basketball over a hoop in the middle of shirt and a car with the word HUGE inside the ball, or a ball over a hoop and the ball reads FUCCILLO FORD.   I'm not much of art guy but something along those lines.  Also once agreed on logo, when would your start printing?"

we say ...we are confused we can't keep throwing ideas at the staff untill something sticks....so march hugeness is out ? we are back to huge....what kind of car a Ford , a generic car , this is different than the marchhugeness and march madness theme you asked for so i am a little lost. Not sure how to work a car and a basketball hoop & ball into a logical image.
Please pin this down want to get you want you want but i can't keep throwing ideas until i stumble onto what the staff wants.

Unbelieveable.........
mooseman

[Get Shirts]

You can't really get mad at a customer who's indecisive, just bill them for your time. I understand why you would be frustrated, but part of the skill we develop in this trade is asking the right questions. 

... or maybe you were just venting, in that case.. screw this dude!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mooseman]

Unfortunately there is no billing  the time it is a $500.00 order for 78 shirts. Apparently when they found out they were not going to get the art with out an order commitment they drastically cut the order fro 100 to 200 shirts to the 78 they will get for the $500.00 commitment.
i don't have any issue kicking in simple art from my collections like the examples but there is no way I am ever going to guess what "the staff" wants when it changes in a staff meeting. Plus they are in a hurry for the shirts as march is half over as is their promotion...i am both venting and too old for this at the same time 
mooseman

[Homer]

That's Fucillo for you. HUUUUGGGGGGGGEEE-UH...

can't stand that guy, but he's a mad genius with his marketing. From what I see advertised here, it's all arial black and real simple, don't over think it with them.

We get this stuff all the time, just say -just tell them it'll cost another hour of art. You can't bill this together, that's how you and your "Staff" get screwed....

[Dottonedan]

The key is to have them send you reference images that fall in line with what they want. Puts is back on them to do a little research, narrow down an example in their heads...before seeing yours....and gives you more of a visual of what they are thinking.

The old "Just send me 3-4 idea"...don't work fo noooobody. Like... I've got time to do 5 different designs for your one order?  Sheesh.

[Frog]

S.O.P. for me has become asking folks to make a sketch and then snap and send a phone pic.

[GraphicDisorder]

Your first mistake is not billing for art and print separate. They are not the same thing. The artistic process can drag on longer than the printing process in cases, so how can you or anyone else just not bill for it? It's one thing to type up some simple text or something....but once you start down the road of a actual design....IMO you better be billing for it.

[Sbrem]

I've taken to "guiding" customers to Shutterstock to look over designs; I'll help them with search terms, and to search for vectors (but we can deal with whatever if they want to spend) and let them spend the time searching for it. I have some regulars that will just go there first now and send me what they want, I download it for what, $10, put the rest of the design together for $30 - $45 on a project like this, and done.

[Prince Art]

Your first mistake is not billing for art and print separate. They are not the same thing. The artistic process can drag on longer than the printing process in cases, so how can you or anyone else just not bill for it? It's one thing to type up some simple text or something....but once you start down the road of a actual design....IMO you better be billing for it.

Agreed. And invoicing for art should spell out what they get for that price, & what they don't. We clarify how many alternates or revisions they are entitled to before they're billed for more art time. Since we bill up front, we give the art quote & shirt quote as 2 separate things, and then give SOME customers the option of paying for both at once. Customers who seem dicey MUST pay in two stages. We also always clarify that print turnaround is "X" number of days after final artwork is approved. Reminds them that meeting their deadline largely rests on them & their decision-making process.

S.O.P. for me has become asking folks to make a sketch and then snap and send a phone pic.

I like this idea!

[ScreenFoo]

WTF do they want?

I believe it's called a "swift kick in the butt"?

[mooseman]

this is my second and last attempt....no word yet from the custy...going to be interesting!
mooseman

[mooseman]

Well the answer is in.......
after the second set custy requested a modification looks like I finally guessed at what they want.......

Custy about the second set of proofs...."
Those options look good.  We'd like to see an updated pic of a mustang above the ball.   I've attached a pic I found on Google.  Not sure if that can be used but something like that w/o the large shadow or a vehicle from the 20th century.  Also are you thinking of doing "march hugeness 2017" on the front breast?   If so, please send a logo.

found a late model mustang revised and resent
custy.....Hey Mike.  Those look great.  I forwarded the images to the managers to decide.   I'll let you know as soon as possible if they want 75 f&b or 85 b.  When can we expect the shirts to be finished if decisioned today?

Looks like we are finally ready to go.....OOPS NOT YET.....

custy....Just was told by the GM that we are going to hold off on the Tshirts for this event.  It's already the 15th and doesn't see the value in doing it now.  I personally will pay you for your time on the artwork.  I'm not at the dealership today so I'm not 100% what the conversation about it was but I'll find out more on Friday. 


I AM THINKING ABOUT CHANGING MY ICON.........

[GraphicDisorder]

Another example of why we bill for art and print separately and up front. Its real easy to find out if people are serious about their project. Bill them and require payment up front for artwork and it becomes super clear. Weeds out sooooooo many tire kickers.

[Croft]

I've taken to "guiding" customers to Shutterstock to look over designs; I'll help them with search terms, and to search for vectors (but we can deal with whatever if they want to spend) and let them spend the time searching for it. I have some regulars that will just go there first now and send me what they want, I download it for what, $10, put the rest of the design together for $30 - $45 on a project like this, and done.

send them to Vectorstok they are way cheaper and have some really good images

[Sbrem]

Thanks, I'll check them out. We buy from Shutterstock on the "5" plan, that is, 5 images for $49.00, pay up front, download as needed. We get $60.00 an hour for art, so the $10.00 is fairly inconsequential at that point.