Recently, I turned down a gig. It was a difficult move for me to do. As a freelancer, choosing to do so in a time of recession all along while building a clientèle was a BOLD move. The signs were all there. When your little voice inside is screaming, that's a pretty big sign right there. I don't like it when clients give me carte blanche. That means coming up with at least 8, 574 visual suggestions. That's a lot of ideas, a lot of time, a lot of frustration and oh yes...very little money. Equally challenging is a client who refuses to take no for an answer. Trust me Mr. Potential Client, your novel War and Peace will not fit in a one inch by one inch ad. Another sign a gig can lead to a disaster: no deadline. Ok, that's just crazy. Anyone who has dealt with visual-individuals know how our creativity kicks in the minute our proscuitto is oh so close to that due date. My «21 gun salute» warning sign went off when the client told me to set his project in Times Roman and that it would look good. Instantly, I turned into De Niro: You talkin' to me? YOU talkin' to ME? Of course, I did origami with my tongue and chose not to say anything right then. I knew it was over.
Here is my advice on this matter: do not let time go by act NAO. You know you're heading for trouble let's just break-up and say good-bye. In my case, the client needed someone more «technical» if you catch my drift. Ideally, suggesting the client another graphic designer is a great gesture. Don't forget to part ways in a polite matter. Do not confuse politeness for weakness. A little class goes a long way.
Thank you.
