The more you think about the freelance model, the simpler and simpler it gets. Example. If you are a musician or a sculptor or a fine artist, the thought is, you need about 1,000 true fans to make a living at your chosen craft. To live large, you need maybe 10,000. If you aspire to [...]
Typo in your quote: What would you do?
You’ve been talking to a new client about a project. The client has been disappointed with other freelancers, seems to like you. Has lots of work. The client asks for a quote. You want this project, you want this client. So you think very carefully about the fee. After a lot of head-scratching and figuring, [...]
Give away your best ideas. Win more work.
No, this isn’t about doing work for free. That is a dopey business model. (I speak from experience here.) And it’s not about doing work on spec. Which is mostly an exercise in jackoffery. Run away from that. I’m talking about giving away advice, expertise, game plans, ideas — even that BIG idea that can [...]
Slightly devious client handling
First, let me go on record: I actually like most of my clients. It is always more profitable to treat your clients with utmost respect, to be on their side, to sweat out the best way to deliver what they want (even when it’s not what they say they want.) But if you have been [...]
Scariest pricing: Who liked it, who hated it.
Boy, this post apparently touched a sensitive nerve: The scariest pricing idea ever. That works. The notion (even the possibility) of allowing clients to decide how much to pay got a lot of people commenting, retweeting, forwarding and linking. Very intriguing. Some 100 or so readers offered perceptive comments here (thank you for chiming in). [...]