Content and Payment Options

This advice page for web design and graphic art services includes content advice and payment options for design services.

Payment and Process for Contracting My Services

Payment Terms

Payment for all paid marketing advice, web design, and graphic art services is in advance of beginning your project. Depending on how quickly you provide content or the nature of your project, most designs are completed within 2-3 days for business cards and post cards, 1-2 weeks for other art including brochures, and subject to agreements on all other work. Do NOT send payment for any project until we have an agreeement in place via email.

Payment Methods

For larger projects like paid marketing advice or web design, you may use PayPal for secure online payment including most major credit cards, or mail a company or personal check for the full amount if less than $500. Projects will be added to my chalk board, and then actual work scheduled upon receipt of full payment.

Client Approval Process for Web Design and Artwork Designs

Final artwork and web design work is subject to your approval, so completion may depend on timely review and approval of artwork, or requests for changes. Proofs for approval may be uploaded or emailed to you for review and approval, or suggestions for change.

Note: As a no-charge courtesy for printed marketing materials, I will forward artwork to your printer of choice. Approval in writing by email is required before orders are forwarded.

Special Notes About Approvals and Errors

While every attempt is made to create accurate designs without spelling or phone number errors, the client is responsible for proof reading all designs. Online web site text errors are easily corrected, however, errors in printed materials remain the responsibility of the client without exception.

Important: For graphic artwork designs, clients may request up to two minor revisions without additional charge, so carefully consider your needs up front to avoid added design cost. Minor changes are slight adjustments of text content, or moving objects in the design. Major changes include photo edit, photo replacement, or significant text changes.
Advice for Submitting Client Provided Content

Customer Provided Content and Copyright

The customer by placing an order for design services unconditionally guarantees that they own the copyright, or have permission from the copyright holder, of any content they furnish including text, graphics, photographs, audio, video, designs, trademarks, or artwork submitted for use in the website, multimedia, or printed marketing material project.

Design services are provided as an independent contractor, and projects are therefore not “work for hire” as would be the case using a direct employee. As the creative design service provider, Jim Degerstrom retains all rights to any original design of graphics, video production, or programming code created on behalf of the customer. Therefore, customer rights of ownership are limited to fair use of designs in the original intended use only, whether in print or online.

Text Content

For cards, brochures, and web sites including company name, your name, title, phone numbers, addresses, web or email address, and information about your business, must be sent in ASCII text. Standard email uses ASCII, so copy text into the body of an email (not an attachment), and send to me.

Your software should have an option to save your file as “plain text” or “ASCII” which you can ““cut and paste” into an email. Check the Help option of your software for instructions on cut and paste. If you only have a printed version of your content, additional fees may apply to convert it to digital text.

Special Note About Text Content

Often text content is one of the most difficult aspects of helping your designer. Many small business owners know their business inside and out, but have trouble documenting this information. Writing skills and perfect content or spelling are NOT necessary. For each section of your project it will often be enough to write a list of bullets or phrases that describe what you do and the benefit to your customers. I’ll do the rest.

Photographs

Photos may be emailed in JPG format only, and must be a minimum of 300 dpi resolution to be used for printing. Do not worry about the size of your photograph because bigger is better. I will resize photographs and the quality will be better if I have a large photo to begin.

For example, you may provide an 8 × 10 photo to be made smaller and placed on a business card ! As necessary, I will also edit photos, so if you have a quality photo with an inappropriate background, I can replace the background to make it appear as if taken in a professional studio.

Examples You Create

Home computer software programs are most likely done in a graphics program that I don’t own. Due to anti-virus security setups on my computer, I do not accept text or imbedded photo attachments in MicroSoft Word or any other publishing software. Please, if you have digital art you created make sure the file name ends in .eps, .jpg, or .tif before you send it.

Why is this? Most home software programs create 3-color artwork that looks good on your computer and prints well on your printer. Artwork for commercial printing is done with a 4-color process, so 99% of the time I don’t have the software to open or view files unless you save them in eps, jpg, or tif. You may print and mail a hard copy of your designs by US Postal Service to my address at the bottom of this page.

Your Logo

If you have a logo already, it may be emailed in .EPS, .JPG, or .TIF format, and 300 dpi resolution. Web site versions of your logo cannot be used for printing cards or brochures because most are only 72 dpi. However, I can reproduce most logos unless they are extremely unique, so send whatever you have.

QUESTIONS? Timely communication during your web design or graphic art project is necessary, so contact me by email with any questions.