So I've known a client for several years who I offered free graphic design work for from time to time. She contacted me a couple days ago requesting another free design. This one was much more involved and would take several long days at least to do. I basically obligated to request a fee, and she seemed pretty concerned about it, mentioning how she's a non profit and might not be able to afford it (like ANY fee. she wants free work), and put up an ad on her company's facebook page asking for graphic designers. My concern is, not to brag too much, but the thing she needs to have made is kinda hard to do and I'm not sure anyone who's commented on her post has the experience and skills to see it through properly.
So I feel a bit torn between not wanting to leave her company in the dust for this upcoming event vs. setting up and maintaining boundaries and terms that are respectful to myself as a professional graphic designer/illustrator. Again, since connecting with her I've already provided a decent amount of free graphic design work, even a couple of projects as involved as this, so I'm not feeling too guilty here. And honestly it's tough not to feel a tad insulted when being asked to make another ambitious project for free after all that I've contributed. But it's still a tough call for me. What if whoever's hired makes something that looks like garbage? I dunno.
Advice?
Honestly, I think if you do it for free, you're setting both of you up for failure, more or less. If you do it free, then she will feel like what you provide is the caliber of free design work, and you're also setting a precedent for yourself ("if I push back a little, he'll still do it for free"). The best thing you can do here, as uncomfortable as it may sound, is let her get someone for free, and let her see the value in your services through that.
Many people simply don't have a good grasp on what good design work is, what it costs, and the time it takes. They think the computer does most of the work and that they just don't "know" how to do it. If you let her see that there is a great amount of skill, talent, and knowledge involved (through booking someone who will provide sub par work) then she will be more likely to identify what it is she was getting for free, and hopefully have a better understanding for future projects when she approaches you.
There's nothing wrong with volunteering your time to an NPO, but you have to draw your limits on occasion because the more you give, the more they are likely to ask for.
