Charging an additional percentage from clients if they don't want project posted in your portfol

[PortalPacific]

Hello! So I am getting back into graphic and web design and am almost done with my portfolio. In the past I have noticed while working as a freelancer on bigger projects especially, usually no contract at all. Near the end of the project the client would mention that none of the work I have been slaving over will be able to be posted on my website/online portfolio. (usually I work alone and make everything from scratch)

This has always been unsettling. How am I suppose to show people what I am capable of if I am unable to give them hard examples of my work? 

Mostly because I haven't worked with contracts in the past I refused any notion that I was not allowed to post my creations in my portfolio but now that I am inching back into the freelancer world and working on my portfolio and contract I was thinking that I would just say something along the lines of: If you as a client want the work I do to remain anonymous and for me to relinquish all creative rights including featuring it in any portfolio or public display it will cost an additional 25% of final project total costs.

Is 25% too much? I wasnt sure but it must be enough to make up for the clients I will lose because they did not see an example of something specific they were looking for because I was unable to post due to ownership laws. 

 

I really haven't read much about this issue and would be happy to hear from other people. Has this been an issue for you in the past? What are freelancers doing in regards to this issue?

 

Thanks Neowinians! 
 

[Dick Montage]

I would come at it from the other angle.  Present the same fact but differently.

 

Mark down if they do.  Not up if they don't!

[Seahorsepip Veteran]

I would come at it from the other angle. Present the same fact but differently.

Mark down if they do. Not up if they don't!

Yeah sounds better then additional costs, somehow people dislike reading that there might be additional costs :P

[Crimson Rain]

Saying something like that will often cost you the whole job. Nothing is stopping you from adding it to your portfolio unless you signed an agreement at start about it. The client might get ###### off and might not give you more works but that's about it.

 

There is nothing much you can do about this.

 

 

Also, the clients who ask you not to add it in portfolio is not the real client. They are usually some firm who got the job because the actual client thinks paying $$$$ will get them better results while those firms outsource the job to others for $$.

 

They don't want you to add it to your portfolio because they are going to add it to THEIR portfolio.

[Praetor]

Saying something like that will often cost you the whole job. Nothing is stopping you from adding it to your portfolio unless you signed an agreement at start about it. The client might get ###### off and might not give you more works but that's about it.

 

There is nothing much you can do about this.

 

 

Also, the clients who ask you not to add it in portfolio is not the real client. They are usually some firm who got the job because the actual client thinks paying $$$$ will get them better results while those firms outsource the job to others for $$.

 

They don't want you to add it to your portfolio because they are going to add it to THEIR portfolio.

 

this.

 

also if someone told me that i had to pay more for NOT getting the project to appear in some shady/cool/trendy site that would be a non business for me.

 

Also wtf do a contract! It's a legal binding that protects you and the client.

[Dick Montage]

Please 100% ignore Crimson Rain's post.  He seemingly knows little about contractual disputes and IP ownership.

 

You work with a contract.  If people have reason to not want their brand on your portfolio that is 100% valid.

[Praetor]

Please 100% ignore Crimson Rain's post.  He seemingly knows little about contractual disputes and IP ownership.

 

You work with a contract.  If people have reason to not want their brand on your portfolio that is 100% valid.

 

actually he does raises some issues that i've seen in my designer other life; there's an ever growing shady practice in here (and quite possible in everywhere) where companies gain contracts for $$$$, subcontract other companies for $$ that contract freelancers for $. End client pays big bucks for a job that no one wants responsability when it goes bad, but everyone wants to add that job into their portfolio. It's patetic, disgusting and sad and undermines a market flooded with young kids that think because they know HTML and CSS they can do every website under the sun. /rant.

[Dick Montage]

But to make such assumptions based purely on them not wanting to be in portfolio is wrong.

 

I have worked with massive multinational clients, who stipulate that the production of any work is wholly under NDA, and as such we can never divulge.

 

And saying there is nothing they can do is entirely wrong.

[Brian M. Veteran]

Back in the day when I did freelance web stuff, I would only ever take a job on if it was for the person/company, not an agency, etc (e.g. if the website/design was branded for "Company X", I would only deal with Company X). I never had anyone ask to exclude it from my portfolio.

Made the mistake of taking an agency job, half up front, half when complete, and when it come to completion they pulled the "we'll pay when our client is happy with it" card, and took ages to pay, etc.

[Praetor]

But to make such assumptions based purely on them not wanting to be in portfolio is wrong.

 

I have worked with massive multinational clients, who stipulate that the production of any work is wholly under NDA, and as such we can never divulge.

 

And saying there is nothing they can do is entirely wrong.

 

your right and it's wrong saying they can do nothing about it. On the other hand: Nik L your avatar as gone MIA again!

[Praetor]

Made the mistake of taking an agency job, half up front, half when complete, and when it come to completion they pulled the "we'll pay when our client is happy with it" card, and took ages to pay, etc.

 

heck, i went worse: i made the mistake of setting up with a partner; he collected the clients and the business side of things and i did the design work. Didn't work as soon as i found that he wasn't getting the clients at all (clients wanted a designer) and i was doing all the work (lasted like...1 week lol - i was really naive).

[Crimson Rain]

Please 100% ignore Crimson Rain's post.  He seemingly knows little about contractual disputes and IP ownership.

 

You work with a contract.  If people have reason to not want their brand on your portfolio that is 100% valid.

Are you blind or just didn't read my post properly? I clearly said they cant do anything unless you signed agreement (NDA or whatever) with them about this that forbids you from disclosing that you worked on this project. L2R.

 

When you work on something, you have every right to boast about that you worked on this unless you have waived that right in the contract or posting source code/licensed copies out in the open while the contract says the IP belongs to the client.

 

The OP clearly said "Near the end of the project the client would mention that none of the work I have been slaving over will be able to be posted on my website/online portfolio..."