jubba, youve got a lot to learn about money my friend. from this last post it seems as though you have restated your innitial opinion and not even listened at all… the advice given to you is sound,…
especially the part about driving down the costs for everyone else. Everytime you do a site for 250.00 3 other people goto a company and say, This guy got it for 250, i want it for 250…
and if you are a student, i hope its NOT business :sigh: obviously you are paying to goto school - and webdesign is just creating you extra money… Why wouldnt you want MORE extra money? Graduate school with zero debt…?.. i dunno…
Jubba this is true…You just stay out of my neck of the woods
The good thing about this business is that word of mouth will get you farther than just a cheap trick. If you can afford to do it cheaply cool. I to have another job so I am Clark Kent by day a web developer/programmer by night, but I do recognize my value and wish to be paid accordingly. Service the clients you have with the uttmost respect and you will not have that many problems from the recreational designer. But there is enough of the pie to go around I believe.
*Originally posted by sheep * jubba, youve got a lot to learn about money my friend.
No, actually I don’t. I know all there is to know about money. I know that my family doesn’t have any of it. I know that I need as much as possible so that I can return to school next year. I know that this summer I will need to work 3, 45 hr/week, jobs just to come back to school. My family is poor. I am lucky that I have come this far. I charge as much as my clients can pay. My clients are small-time, so I have to charge lower. You do one site for 500, I do 1 site for 100. That 100 dollars to me is groceries for the week. Your 500 gets split between you and whoever works with you. I know that I can charge more, because of my capabilities. The only problem is that I have trouble finding larger clients. I am from an area where no one needs a website. I do local small-time bands. I am usually friends with someone in the band so I charge low because they are going to college too and they need their money just like I need mine.
I don’t need a lesson in money management my friend. I just need money period, and I will do whatever is necessary to take the burden off of my parents.
well instead of walking 10 miles to work uphill in knee deep snow both ways,… Lol,… maybe listen and ask some more questions and get some honest advice from people who are living it and doing it.
THe website is just the product that must live up to the expectations presented at the Sale… Its all about the Sale that first 5 minute conversation and just how much confidence you had - controlled them and explained the world of webdesign to them like you would a child,… make em comfy with your charm and tell them exactly how much you need while looking right in the eye. They will pay you.
im not trying to insult, im trying to help. can i see your work?
Jubba you are 100% correct, you have to do what you have to do. I was in college too but I had a hoop scholarship but I do know how hard it is. I too tailor my prices to fit the client. BUt when the time comes for your big strike do yourself and us a favor dont build a portal with a content management system and flash games for $100 bucks. Do we have a deal?
You will have quite an extensive portfolio when the time comes, SO I REPEAT STAY OUT OF MY NECK OF THE WOODS!!!
me = :bad: +:angry: = u :!: :run:
none of my work is really posted. Most of my clients (being ‘friends’) have been jerking me around since day one. A simple Flash site that I created 8 months ago
(they are all very simple sites, nothing major. They need to updated, but I refuse to do any more work on them, until they give me the money they owe me. Like I said, they are my friends and they have jerking me around. The last one needs to get their own domain. But they are waiting until they finalize the name of their band.
I am in the process of creating another site that isn’t posted yet. Complete database driven. And the guy is a friend of mine so I’m only charging 250.
I am listening to your advice, but all the advice that you are giving, I already know. I know that more should be charged and I know the possible ramifications of not charging more. I am getting by with what I am doing now. Once I have these sites finalized and I have a real portfolio under my belt, then I will begin charging more.
definatley passable at 500 if not 750… you are wasting your time with friends man - we ALL go through that one. Your friends love to get work for free, and since they know you - they have no problem demanding more and more and more work. My advice on that one, finish these sites and dont do any more friends sites period…
I plan on it. And don’t lie, my work is crap. I know its crap. Its nothing compared to what I am capable of if I could devote my time to it, but I have to do my school work first.
That Flash site is absolute crap. I need to redo that at some point. The Requiem Skateboards site was done for free. Basically because its my friends company and we are partners in that. I make the websites and I contact distributors and he puts money into the product. I use his domain for all my testing and stuff because I can’t afford my own domain right now.
Oh well…
At least I still have my health coughcoughcough*coughcoughcough
I admire your determination and talent. I believe your work is worth much more than your’re getting, but at least you are getting something. Don 't forget to include the tutorials you’ve done in your portfolio.
In my personal experience, when I’ve been jerked around, it’s always been the “el cheapo” type of gig. When dealing with unknown or new clients, it’s probably a good idea to ask for some money up front on the first project. I’ve been burnt a few times too. Another dangerous situation for freelancers is a project where there are a number of different concerns (individuals and/or companies) involved with whom you’ve never dealt (ie, gotten paid) in the past. At the end of the day, everybody points at everybody else, and you (actually I) end up holding the (empty) bag.
Seriously though, contact info still won’t get you paid. I had a client once who was a lying sack of, well, fruit bats.
“Oh, sure,” she’d say, “drop down after one and the check will be waiting for you.”
Of course, “after one,” there was never a check, and she was “out of the office.” Finally, I did manage to get “partial payment” from this witch (still amounted to several hundred $), but of course, the check bounced. Next stop, courthouse. Eventually got my judgement against her, but by then she’d filed bankruptcy, so I was out not only the dough (over $1000), but also the time, energy and aggravation of all the paperwork and legal foo foo. Within a year, she was back in business under another name.
Yeah fruit bats are useless. That is the fear I have of unknown clients. At least with my friends, I know where they live. I am bigger than them, and I know I will get my money. The main problem is that I want them to get their domain, so I can start doing the real work, but they keep jumping around…
Rule number one in business is never deal with friends and family. I learned that very quick. They will take kindnes for weakness everytime. If you do be sure to separate the 2. business is business and friendship is friendship. If they are friends or family they should understand.
[SIZE=1]funny how this thread turned into everyone preach to Jubba.[/SIZE]
