Comments on: Freelance Freedom #5

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 18:16:39 +0000

If you feel like it, you could say to a potential client, “Fast. Cheap. Good. Pick two.”

By: Henry

Henry — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 15:52:40 +0000

Dev said:

I got a good chuckle out of that. Personally, I use gofreelance for getting most of my jobs and have always received good rates. One of the benefits of paying $2.95 to join is that you establish a quality marketplace of clients and freelance service providers. I can’t say enough good things about it, so check it out - http://tinyurl.com/35r9vv

I looked at this site and it seems no different than any other. Are you on their payroll?

By: Scott Perez-Fox

Scott Perez-Fox — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 19:28:29 +0000

Defilly Craig’s List! I just came from there and saw a post requesting a slogan for a company and the reward, assuming you are the ‘winner’, is to receive an iPod shuffle (street price, $79). Next indeed.

By: Ana

Ana — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 18:30:27 +0000

Example 1: Hypoteticly I made a site for an Australian shampoos trend. For this site (design and construction HTML) I charged 1500€
Example 2: The same site but for another customer I charge 800€
Example 3: One design more complex than on presented I charged 700€ (only design)
As you see they are distant prices between itself.

Stupidly I charged 2000€ for one, and I finished for making for 800€ Ya. It is truth. But I wanted to make this site!

My price method is the price that I find that it must be, later I have that to negotiate with the customer. Each work is a door opened for new works.

But for example, and this is real. I am going to do a design for a site for 200€! A site for 200€? It is simple, yes is, but the simple ones does not imply that it is easy. It is the same that to charge 10€ for one logo as I have seen for there. The problem is that there are many freelancers charging prices to much low, and the companies know of this and want this.

Sometimes I get completely confused.

: )

By: James

James — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 02:54:28 +0000

Im a relatively new freelancer with only a few years experience, and it seems everywhere I look I’m finding the same problem as everyone here.

I’ve made the horrifically bad mistake of taking work at a much lower rate than what is actually required to make it worth while.. all I’ve gotten for it is stress and bad deals.

BUT, few people have mentioned that, as bad as the low rates clients throw at you is the impossible deadlines mixed in with that.

My only response to it all is boy, are they ignorant.. think about what you are asking of someone else.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 00:57:15 +0000

I’ve been “nice enough” to tell some clients that, while I’m not interested in working for them, they might do well to try and raise the bar on their end a little bit.

I’m often barked back at with “This is the going rate, quit trying to rip me off.”

I just assume now that the world is a better place without their website getting built (or whatever the project.)

By: Dev

Dev — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 05:02:51 +0000

By: Henry

Henry — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 20:24:55 +0000

This comic illustrates why I rarely waste time on job boards. I’m a freelance writer, not a designer, but the situation is the same. I see job boards as an almost passive, sort of lazy way to look for work. Someone says he or she has an assignment. You raise your hand and hope you get it. It’s easy, so everyone does it, driving prices down.

An active job search entails meeting people, making calls and more calls, sending personal e-mails, and marketing your services. It’s more work, but you’ll find better clients who are willing to pay you what you’re worth.

By: Lance

Lance — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 14:45:39 +0000

John said: be careful when it comes to doing work for free…

I don’t mind writing for free - on my own terms - for friends, enjoyment or causes I believe in. I replied to this particular person politely that I’d be happy to supply links to some stuff I’ve already written for other sites but that I was unable to accept his request for pro bono work at this time. Thank you very much and have a nice day. I give him credit for persistence - he ignored my reply and stated that he was not expecting work on spec, he just wanted me to write a few pieces for free… blah blah blah. He may not know it but he’s already given me something I don’t get from my day job - the pleasure of exercising my ability to say “NO.”
Mary Ann says: this site is GOLD. I agree - I’ve bookmarked it and made it part of my daily “rounds”.

By: Rajesh Shakya

Rajesh Shakya — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 12:53:53 +0000

Why freelance marketplace bidding is so valueless?