I do ad design and my partner writes the copy — how should we split clients and revenue on joint projects?

Have your partner invoice you as a subcontractor each month for their share. If you bill the end client 5,000 USD, your partner invoices you for their cut. That way, the full amount doesn't show up as profit in your account—you write it off as an expense, completely solving the tax imbalance.

Four years ago, I teamed up with a copywriter friend the exact same way. Two years in, the client cut their design budget and decided to go copy-only. My partner took the client, went solo and didn't say a word to me. It completely wrecked our friendship. I realize now that friendship and business don't mix. If we had set up a written framework back then, we'd probably still be working together today.

Four basic rules to set from day one: 1) Point of contact; only one person talks to the client on each project, the other focuses purely on production. 2) Revision cap; if visuals have to be redone because copy changed, bill extra. 3) Portfolio credit; both sides can post the work, but they have to tag each other. 4) Non-compete; neither side can pitch the shared client behind the other's back.

would the client not agree to separate invoices? if you billed design and copy separately, wouldn't that split the tax and legal liabilities right off the bat? how do corporate clients react when you propose that?

We split the workload 40 percent design, 40 percent copy, and 20 percent to whoever brought in the lead and handles project management. We ran about 70,000 USD through this setup last year without a single argument. Whoever hustles harder gets compensated for it.

tbh who brought the client in doesnt even matter that much, whats important is who keeps them but if they hate the design the client walks no matter how good the copy is. i mean def factor the revision haedache into the math.

sounds like a great setup; your skills complement each other well. there's huge demand right now for freelance teams that handle both visuals and copy under one roof then that said sign a simple working agreement before turning this into a formal partnership. no matter how close you are, written rules save relationships once money and liabilities get involved.

If a client hits you with a late penalty or refuses to pay because they dislike the deliverables, how do you split the loss? Who decides whether the fault lies with the design or the copy flow? If your delivery and sign-off processes aren't defined beforehand, the partnership will crack at the first real crisis.

let's separate the concepts, they're geting mixed up. partnership isn't a decision to make without working together first.

Exactly, and not many people know this. When listing, put proof that the product actually works at the very top.

If you post the result here, it will help others too.

The answer above hits the nail on the head. Taking notes for two weeks yields better results than a six-month estimate.

Hope this helps.

following.

Great work.

Thanks for posting. I mean everyone rushing into designer copywriter partnership gets stuck at the same point.

The biggest time-waster for us was not knowing who had the final say. Proven by experience.

I feel the same way. Hasty decisions become decisions you have to fix six months later.

I'm also curious if anyone does it differently.

Let me share my experience. When making decisions, write down the worst-case scenario too, not just the best.

The harder it is to reverse a decision, the slower you should make it. Just leaving this note, it might be useful.

Let me share what happened to me; it might be useful. Most time waste accumulates in tasks waiting for approval.

If you post the result here, it will help others too.

i've been dealing with this for a long time.. and like just because everyone does it doesn't mean it's right.