Frequently asked questions
How does Trisecta work with clients?
We offer a variety of options for working with you, depending on your needs.
- Retainer - If your needs span a year (or at least several months) and you'd like to ensure our availability to support you during that period of time, we can book a fixed number of consultation hours for you each month. We allow for some adjustments to hours in the retainer, making it possible to accelerate or postpone a specified subset of the retained hours within a 30-day window. Retainers often carry the added benefit of discounted rates for the period specified.
- Project - Many clients prefer this method when they are working within a budget to complete very specific tasks. We understand budget management, and will work with you to clarify the project parameters (for example, the specific input you will provide, the number of revisions to be provided, firm review dates, delivery dates, etc.). When the project is less clearly defined, we can provide a project estimate that uses wider cost ranges, and then bill you according to actual costs incurred so that either more or less can be done along the way. "Not-to-exceed" project estimates are available, but place rigid conditions on the project scope, drafts, delivery dates, delays and other parameters. Discounted rates may apply to projects that meet specific size requirements as long as the project goes to completion.
- Hourly - This is a good method for working on projects where changes in scope, direction, and delivery dates are anticipated. Upon request, we can provide an up-front general estimate and help you understand any deviations as they occur. While that estimate will help to approximate the amount of work and costs associated with your project, it cannot account for project restart time and changes in scope or direction that can significantly increase costs. Hourly work differs from project work and retainer work in that lower rates may not apply. Also keep in mind that there are no pre-reserved time slots for executing and completing your projects when we work with you on an hourly basis. If you do plan to request hourly work, we recommend providing as much advance notice as possible.
Talk to us about your needs. We can help you determine which method makes the most sense. At times, we combine different facets of these three basic options to define the most favorable way of working with you. The contract you sign with Trisecta prior to work initiation will clearly state the method that we will use to work together, including retainers and hourly rates, as applicable. The contract will also specify your payment terms.
What are my ownership rights for work performed by Trisecta?
In general, our work is always work-for-hire. In other words, you own the assets that are the work products of our contractual relationship. That means that when we develop content on your behalf, you should feel free to copyright the information. That's the general rule. We will discuss special circumstances which may apply as we more specifically discuss our role in working with you. Examples of special circumstances that may apply include:
- Use of images that we purchase on your behalf or that we recommend that you purchase are always subject to their own terms and conditions.
- Your permission to use a logo in various ways is governed by terms established between your company and the agency that developed it for you. We recommend that you understand or verify your permission to provide us your logo for use in work we are performing on your behalf. If you are having someone develop a new logo for you, we highly recommend that you understand what deliverables you will receive as well as your associated rights to use and modify the logo in ways that you are free to determine.
- You are responsible for securing the legal right to use or modify any content that you provide to us for that purpose. For example, if you want us to develop a form for your business that is patterned directly from someone else's form, we will operate on the assumption that you have obtained the appropriate permission.
- The software and services that we use in fulfilling your marketing needs always have their own terms and conditions. (Even with open source solutions, you need to be aware of your rights and restrictions that apply.) We will ask that you read and understand those terms and conditions, in addition to any fee structures that may apply.
- We sometimes work with other experts and partners who have their own terms and conditions for work products that could be essential to your marketing strategy and fulfillment. We will always inform you of this type of relationship and ensure that you are comfortable with the special terms and conditions that may apply.
What are Trisecta's payment terms?
For retainer work, one month's fee is payable in advance for the duration of the agreement. Each month's invoice will include additional incidental charges along with a clear explanation of those charges. For project work, a payment of fifty percent of the estimated cost is requested prior to project initiation, and invoices will be provided on a monthly basis or at project completion, whichever comes first. Invoice payment terms are typically net 15. We can discuss other payment terms that vary from these arrangements when we determine the type and scope of our working relationship. For our long-term clients, we typically wave the up-front payment on project work.