[This article relates to: graphic design spec work, free graphic design, freelance graphic designer, technology, design jobs, work, graphic design, web design, design by committee.]
Recently I came across a blog that touted the benefits of giving away your best stuff for free. Sure, there may be a few individuals, products or services who can make even more money from using "the power of free" (though that has risks in itself), but for the vast majority I think it's a bad idea. If you give away your strengths for free, what else is left?
There are few reasons why free is bad. Giving things away for free tells people, "this has no value." And it conditions them to expect everything for free. Software, videos, creative content, you name it. Often when you give something for free, you can never gage its true value because, who's going to complain about something that's free? Not to mention sometimes "free" leads to the advertising model as the only way to generate revenue.
"Free" is an especially bad strategy for us designers. I was recently contacted by a company who wanted to hire me to do logos. The way it worked was, when they got a client, I would design a few different logos for free, and if the client didn't like them, they didn't have to pay. Which meant I didn't get paid, despite all my hard work. It was an inefficient way to produce the logo - there was no creative process and no apparent research phase. Worst of all, there was no educating the client in how we work. This type of endless work process is a money-losing proposition. The client gets free work at the designer's expense. (Needless to say, I did not dignify the company's offer with a response.)
For you beginners, free design work without pay is called spec work. If you're a creative, you should very much be against it and anyone who insists you work this way. You wouldn't ask an architect to build a house before you bought it. Spec work commoditizes our service, which not only drives down the value of our work, but is counterproductive to the creative objectives our clients come to us for in the first place. If a client refuses to pay for your creativity and wants something for free, consider it a red-flag. They want to lower their risk and raise yours.
In the meantime, stick to your guns and let those who preach the benefits of "free" keep giving it up.
Questions, comments or suggestions? Email TheFGD@freelancegraphicdesigner.info.