Hello, I’m the Pro bono Camel!

Um…hello? What are you doing with your head in my tent?

What, me? Oh, well you offered to help me out here by letting me into your campsite, but it’s a wee bit cold out here, so I figured I’d just get my nose out of the cold.

Oh, sure! By all means! Let me just move some things around…wait a minute…I see a hoof in the tent, too.

Oh, shucks…yeah…my right hoof is kind of cold. Do you mind?

Um…no, I guess not…

Good! We’re getting along smashingly! Of course, it seems silly to have one hot hoof and one cold hoof. I’ll just slide the other one in here. Can you make some room?

Well, um…it’s a small tent, Mr. Camel…

Are you saying that one hoof is fine, but both are too much? C’mon…

Well, I guess…wait a minute…there’s a LOT more of you in here…

My hoofs are attached to the front half of me, silly! Ooch over…and is there enough coffee for everyone?

Um, let me check the pot…

Lovely! My, what a nice painting! I can’t quite see all of it though…let me just….

Whoa whoa whoa…um…you’ll have to back up a bit. I can’t have all of you in here at once!

Really? It doesn’t SEEM crowded. And we love your work! Do you have any more? And I won’t say no to one of those powdered donuts.

Wait…wait a sec. I’m good with the nose and the hoofs, but the rest of you isn’t gonna fit in here.

I seem to be very cozy, thanks for worrying about me. Are the powdered donuts fresh?

They…uh…well, they’re powdered donuts…I don’t think they’re actually fresh ever.

Oh, too bad. Maybe you should run to the store for more. You’ll have to leave from the other side of the tent, though. No room in here…you should have thought about that before inviting me in, silly tent-dweller!

Has this ever happened to you? Probably not, unless you’re living in a tent near a high camel-traffic area. But if you’ve ever taken on a client, you’ve invariably dealt with the dreaded “project creep”. Perhaps it’s a logo redesign that turns into stationery and business cards, or a website that suddenly needs a shopping cart.

With a paying client, you have some leverage over project creep by charging extra for extra services. But unless you take charge, pro bono work has no built-in defense systems. And as a result, you’ll hear horror stories about the free project that ended up costing a fortune, either in lost time or actual money. Worst of all, any attempt to push the project back into its original confines is often met with disbelief and anger; after all, you were the one who offered to help in the first place, right?

The solution to the camel in the tent scenario is simple: build a fence. The solution to pro bono project creep is the well-defined contract. Before you put pen to paper or mouse to the pad, create your contract. Outline exactly what you’re willing to do as well as contingencies for any additional work. Don’t leave anything open to chance.

You might be saying “gee, a contract? But I’m only writing a few press releases.” or “I don’t know if it’s worth the hassle…I’m only refreshing their old logo, and besides, I’m not really a professional yet.” This thinking is pure rubbish and you know it; it’s the creative equivalent of handing a car thief your keys and saying “Now don’t steal it, please.”

If you don’t value your time, nobody else will. A contract is a visible, tangible expression of both your creative value as well as a proclamation of how much respect you give to your client. It’s also excellent practice for those clients who will one day pay you cold hard cash.

For example, if you agree to write a series of press releases, first decide exactly how many press releases, how long it should take to write them and when and where they’ll be released. Give yourself a due date on every single one and add a few extra hours for editing and wrapup. If your potential client makes decisions by committee, demand a single representative of your pro bono client as your liaison. Create an escape clause that allows you to end your work arrangement if you find yourself incompatible. Put a pricetag on your work to let them know they’re receiving a commodity as valuable as anything else in the world bought or sold. In short, prepare for rain while the sun shines, and you’ll never get wet.

There’s an old saying in the business world: Contracts protect everyone. Nevertheless you may find yourself at the end of a cold hard stare when you present your local volunteer rose pruning society a three page contract outlining the particulars of branding their annual tea party. People view contracts with distrust because so many of them are evil convoluted creatures (the contracts, not the people)

Your solution here is to make your contract as readable, as transparent, as you can make it. There’s no need to say “The party of the first part, hereinafter known as the Designer, agrees to create a physical representation of the organization of the party of the second part, hereinafter known as the LadyBugs Rose Pruners of Greater Wagga Wagga…” when simply saying “I, the Designer, agree to the creation of a marketable identity for the LRPGWW, and agree to do the following work…” will do just fine.

Present your contract, offer to explain or detail anything in question, and then have everybody sign it. And by sign it, I mean SIGN IT. Don’t fax it over, email it by or leave a copy in the mailbox. And if the LRPGWW will not sign your contract, don’t work for them.

There are some great resources out there in regards to contracts. This site has examples; so does Creative Latitude. Good contracts, like clothing, require tailoring to your specific needs. Don’t over complicate and don’t undercut yourself. Remember your most powerful tool is your gut instinct. Remember that your contract keeps you safe and makes for a healthy relationship for all involved. If you doubt that, remember there’s a coffee-drinking, powdered donut eating camel ready to move into your tent. And nobody wants that.

Except the camel.

Next time, We’ll have a sample pro bono scenario and a contract to match. Stay tuned!

This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro-bono