A client meeting at a coffee shop in Portland taught me to always bring a printed contract
I was meeting a new client at a place called Stumptown Coffee about six months ago. We were talking about a website redesign, and he seemed really into my ideas. I was excited and started giving him details on the spot. Then he asked for a 'quick favor' to just mock up one page so he could 'see my vision'. I did it on my laptop right there, which took about an hour of my time. When I sent him the invoice later, he refused to pay for that hour, saying it was just part of the pitch. I lost $150 and a morning of work because I didn't have our agreement on paper. Now I never start any work, not even a sketch, without a signed contract in front of me. Has anyone else had a client try to get free work by calling it part of the 'conversation'?