To intend, purpose. No lottery here.
This has to be said, so I’m going to say it (yup, hang on to your cap).
There are numerous sites out there that enable business owners to throw in an RFP, get hundreds of options in return, and choose the one they want to pay for. If this doesn’t sound particularly unethical or problematic to you, allow me to talk more on the problems of spec work.
First of all, let’s talk about design. Design is not pure aesthetics. Design is not choosing your favourite colours, finding a pretty font (maybe one that hasn’t been used much because it’s SO unique), and making everything look nice.
Have you ever heard of anyone being ‘lucky’ and making a website just right? Or being lucky enough to have a good looking business card? Or even luckily finding the right can of paint to decorate their living room? (I like to include other design disciplines in the discussion).
You see, graphic design is not about making a huge number of options, throwing them against the wall and seeing which one sticks. That’s for spaghetti, dice and children’s games.
We’re talking business here. The business of graphic design and the business that you are in. If you want to gamble on your business, you may be in the wrong place. Perhaps a poker table might be more suitable, because being in business (as I know you know, whoever you are) is about calculation, planning, strategy and wisdom. Ok, perhaps a little luck, but that’s not luck is it? It’s actually your hard work that others perceive as luck.
There is a reason that building websites, print materials and multimedia productions is called DESIGN. It’s because it takes planning, experience, expertise and a skillset that involves communicating with the client to understand their needs. It’s a process, not an end result.
I’m all for business owners (and others) doing what needs to be done to get the job done. But if you are serious about your business, you need to be serious about how you market and present your brand to others.
Leave your dental work to your dentist, plumbing to a plumber and renovations to a specialist. Don’t leave it up to luck. Leave it to a professional.