The Cost of Doing Business

[LeftBrain Artist]

One of my clients wants me to make a DVD-ROM for their catalog which will include, among other things, the InDesign Layout file with all the linked images. Its intended use is for the internationally based arms of the U.S. based company to receive this DVD and pass it along to designers (in-house or otherwise) who will make final alterations to the catalog based on availablity of product in those countries. The production run on this DVD will be around 15-20.

So, I'm thinking this is a textbook example of a scenario where including the catalog fonts onto the CD will break all sorts of license agreements. The only way I'll put them on the DVDs is if A) Client specifically requests it and B) client will pay fees associated with purchasing all necessary fonts with license agreements for one user per CD produced - at least several Ks worth.

What's funny about this is that this client previously told me (on a different project) that I couldn't bill them for purchasing a font they specifically requested - he made the comment that it should be considered the cost of doing business. Oooo! Dontcha hate it when you say something that comes back to bite you in the essex? I wonder if he'll just pass the font problem along to the foreign designers or if he'll pony up the cash to put it all on the DVD.

Thoughts?

[Logo-Mechanix]

Just a guess but I would think there is not going to be any ponying.

[PrintDriver]

You can buy multi-seat licenses for fonts. In fact most fonts come with a 5-seat license automatically (the ones I buy do anyway). Just have him best guess the number of seats and charge accordingly.

[Tsmalldon]

Just a guess but I would think there is not going to be any ponying.

Again I concur with the aforementioned Hypothesis!

[SurfPark]

If you really like this client, they cover the cost. For the price of one font, you'll be able to secure future work with them. As long as they don't shutter at every little expense, they might be worth keeping around.

Remember that you have the ability to create a "misc." area on your invoice. The client will immediately ask what kind of charges those are, which you can promptly say DVD costs and fonts. I'm sure there is a better way to word such charges, but I find that when you clump some things together, it makes the costs seem more logical.

I know you didn't bring it up, but if you used any non-royalty-free stock photography that is going to have to be charged as well.

[LeftBrain Artist]

Oh, they're a good client, been doing business with them for years. Every once in a while my contact gets quirky - but I'm led to believe its usually driven by his higher-ups. Its funny, its a large corporation that has an advertising/marketing budget well into 7 figures. I'll get a hard time for a $180 line item one day, but the next day I could get a PO for an $18,000 job no questions asked.

That's business for you. Its a weird game they play, but you play it anyway, or you don't get paid. I usually have to do weird things with the bills to keep everyone happy, but at the end of the day, month, or year, everything adds up, and no one has been unfairly treated. Of course, it only works if you've got a solid relationship where concessions made one day on either side have an opportunity to be accounted for in the future. Somehow I manage to make it look like I'm the only one making concessions, though. Hee hee.