AIGA SPEAKS ON SPEC WORK

Spec work (short for speculative work) is any job for which the client expects to see examples or a finished product before agreeing to pay a fee. it is also widely considered undesirable and immoral by the graphic design community, as it requires the designer to commit time and resources to a project with the chance of getting nothing in return. While a client may feel they don’t want to invest money until seeing some work, designers should not have to prove their worth to get a job.  Spec work serves as a disadvantage for both the designer and client. The designer is being asked to essentially work for free for the possibility of securing the job, which he may or may not be awarded. It is liking having a architect build your home first so you can consider if you want to hire him to build your vacation house. The client is also starting out with a strained and negative relationship with the designer, rather then a positive one that is meant to foster a long term relationship

This is why it is crucial for designers to properly brand themselves. Don’t come of as the designer turning multiple cheap logos a week, this will likely result in spec work requests and expectations. Rather be the designer who is adding value to your client’s project, the one who spends the time to really think about the clients’ company and what they need to effectively grow their brand.