Ideas for protecting your designs

A loyal reader asked:

"I’m concerned about an area that I’m sure you are expert: people taking your quotes or designs down the street for a better price. Since we are just starting out, I tend to work for hours creating shirt designs for Christian Schools in the hope that they will select one or two for their kids.

We’ve been successful doing this, yet I’m also concerned that the computer proofs (PDF’s) I send them are being taken to my competitor, and the designs I’ve worked on for hours are being taken without my authorization.

What do you do to keep your stuff safe?"

Excellent question...

Some schools of thought:

1. Make the sale before any design work. This includes getting a deposit of 50% so a client can't walk away so easily. This is what I do now, since I'm so busy I don't need to propose ideas in hopes of future work. The economy is strong where I live.

2. Work on spec like you have been, BUT export art to a low-res bitmap with these guidelines. Or convert a copy of the art to a proof sheet, then convert it to 72 DPI at it's existing size. Make a PDF.

Then prospects can see your art on screen, but there are no vectors of it in the PDF. The art would have to be rebuilt by someone...

Mention that they art they are seeing is only a low resolution proof of the real artwork.

People also me also ask about releasing art. I'm happy to do it, if the art has been paid for. I don't hold the customer's original art hostage. If they want their original art to shop around, then I wish them luck. I desire a different type of client than the ones focused on price anyway.

Jeff