Comments on: The acrobatic balance of price and quality on freelancers http://www.stratos.me/2009/07/the-acrobatic-balance-of-price-and-quality-on-freelancers/ Just writing what hits my mind! Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:34:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: (Anti) Social-Lists 7/19/09 | (Anti) Social Development http://www.stratos.me/2009/07/the-acrobatic-balance-of-price-and-quality-on-freelancers/comment-page-1/#comment-2260 (Anti) Social-Lists 7/19/09 | (Anti) Social Development Sun, 19 Jul 2009 04:05:25 +0000 http://www.stratos.me/?p=1288#comment-2260 [...] The Acrobatic Balance of Price and Quality on Freelancers - Stratos discusses the issues related in getting paid adequately for high quality work when freelancing. [...] [...] The Acrobatic Balance of Price and Quality on Freelancers – Stratos discusses the issues related in getting paid adequately for high quality work when freelancing. [...]

]]> By: stratosg http://www.stratos.me/2009/07/the-acrobatic-balance-of-price-and-quality-on-freelancers/comment-page-1/#comment-2246 stratosg Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:48:46 +0000 http://www.stratos.me/?p=1288#comment-2246 @Anya: Thanks for dropping by! I really appreciate it! As the word of mouth i guess it's the only way for all of us ;) @Anya: Thanks for dropping by! I really appreciate it! As the word of mouth i guess it’s the only way for all of us ;)

]]> By: Anya http://www.stratos.me/2009/07/the-acrobatic-balance-of-price-and-quality-on-freelancers/comment-page-1/#comment-2244 Anya Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:52:09 +0000 http://www.stratos.me/?p=1288#comment-2244 Strato about marketing yourself: "Μ'οποιον δάσκαλο καθίσεις τέτοια γράμματα θα μάθεις" so my dear, welcome to the club :) (sorry for the Greek). But knowing how good you are, I guess word of mouth will be the thing at the end :) Strato about marketing yourself: “Μ’οποιον δάσκαλο καθίσεις τέτοια γράμματα θα μάθεις” so my dear, welcome to the club :) (sorry for the Greek). But knowing how good you are, I guess word of mouth will be the thing at the end :)

]]> By: stratosg http://www.stratos.me/2009/07/the-acrobatic-balance-of-price-and-quality-on-freelancers/comment-page-1/#comment-2240 stratosg Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:50:03 +0000 http://www.stratos.me/?p=1288#comment-2240 @Prasanth: I think we all agree here that the problem exists the way both me and Kim put it. It is every freelancer's experience unfortunately and not only mine as it turns out... @Raju: I guess you are right. That "ideal" world is my world. I believe that the client will look for his own good on both price and quality and it seems that price is the only thing. I guess you are focusing on me advertising my self but i think my problem is i just can't think that way. It's not that i don't want to it's just that i can't look at my work that way that's all. That's why i can't be a business man ever ;) I suck at marketing :) As for freelancer i will rely on what Kim and you said. Word of mouth. Thanks for dropping by people and leaving valuable feedback! @Prasanth: I think we all agree here that the problem exists the way both me and Kim put it. It is every freelancer’s experience unfortunately and not only mine as it turns out…

@Raju: I guess you are right. That “ideal” world is my world. I believe that the client will look for his own good on both price and quality and it seems that price is the only thing. I guess you are focusing on me advertising my self but i think my problem is i just can’t think that way. It’s not that i don’t want to it’s just that i can’t look at my work that way that’s all. That’s why i can’t be a business man ever ;) I suck at marketing :) As for freelancer i will rely on what Kim and you said. Word of mouth.

Thanks for dropping by people and leaving valuable feedback!

]]> By: Raju http://www.stratos.me/2009/07/the-acrobatic-balance-of-price-and-quality-on-freelancers/comment-page-1/#comment-2237 Raju Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:53:17 +0000 http://www.stratos.me/?p=1288#comment-2237 Stratos, at a very high level, you seem to live in an "Ideal" world, where everyone ought to know and behave in a way which is correct. I might be wrong in the way I am analyzing you, but atleast this is what I feel looking at your posts and little mail interactions we had before. Marketing is as important as the actual work. Some people mis-use their marketing skills to fool the customers, but few others don't care to use it to put across their business in a way the buyer would understand. I have "ZERO" experience in freelancing, but I feel Kim has put everything in a beautiful way through her comment on top. Stratos, at a very high level, you seem to live in an “Ideal” world, where everyone ought to know and behave in a way which is correct. I might be wrong in the way I am analyzing you, but atleast this is what I feel looking at your posts and little mail interactions we had before. Marketing is as important as the actual work. Some people mis-use their marketing skills to fool the customers, but few others don’t care to use it to put across their business in a way the buyer would understand. I have “ZERO” experience in freelancing, but I feel Kim has put everything in a beautiful way through her comment on top.

]]> By: Prasanth Chandra http://www.stratos.me/2009/07/the-acrobatic-balance-of-price-and-quality-on-freelancers/comment-page-1/#comment-2236 Prasanth Chandra Mon, 13 Jul 2009 04:21:17 +0000 http://www.stratos.me/?p=1288#comment-2236 This is happening every where. I had many experiences of dealing with such people who wants the best for a very cheap price. As Kim said, Getting clients by word of mouth or through friends will surely benefit. Another thing I noticed is that, even some companies which do a lot in freelancing are using the same policy of working for pennies. You stole the words out of my mouth in your post. This is happening every where. I had many experiences of dealing with such people who wants the best for a very cheap price.

As Kim said, Getting clients by word of mouth or through friends will surely benefit.
Another thing I noticed is that, even some companies which do a lot in freelancing are using the same policy of working for pennies.

You stole the words out of my mouth in your post.

]]> By: stratosg http://www.stratos.me/2009/07/the-acrobatic-balance-of-price-and-quality-on-freelancers/comment-page-1/#comment-2235 stratosg Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:50:38 +0000 http://www.stratos.me/?p=1288#comment-2235 @Kim: First of all thank you again for your kind words and you support. Now to be honest i haven't told a client "you know what? you'll be getting this and that and the other" since i believe this is what a professional is expected to do, care for his client. I guess it also shows a lack on my marketing skills... I will have to agree on client's disappearing rather than ranting and trying to add more to the to-do list after the quote. On the other hand i also agree that there are some awesome people out there that really understand what a coder does... Anyway, all in all, i think that acquiring friends and helping out is what will really help as you suggested and i seriously see it as an extra cash every now and then... @Kim: First of all thank you again for your kind words and you support. Now to be honest i haven’t told a client “you know what? you’ll be getting this and that and the other” since i believe this is what a professional is expected to do, care for his client. I guess it also shows a lack on my marketing skills… I will have to agree on client’s disappearing rather than ranting and trying to add more to the to-do list after the quote. On the other hand i also agree that there are some awesome people out there that really understand what a coder does…

Anyway, all in all, i think that acquiring friends and helping out is what will really help as you suggested and i seriously see it as an extra cash every now and then…

]]> By: Kim Woodbridge http://www.stratos.me/2009/07/the-acrobatic-balance-of-price-and-quality-on-freelancers/comment-page-1/#comment-2234 Kim Woodbridge Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:41:27 +0000 http://www.stratos.me/?p=1288#comment-2234 I'm glad I've helped you even a little. I have a lot of respect for your skills and am hoping to find more work for you. The job bidding sites have almost become impossible to earn any money from - you end up competing against ridiculously low bids and overall the clients are a pain. When you provide an estimate do you tell them about the extra services that they will be receiving? Someone complained about my price for something and then when I explained exactly what he was getting for the price he thought it was a better deal. Personally, I would rather have someone disappear after receiving the quote than emailing me back with a rant about the price. It's difficult - you spend time providing estimates to never hear from the person again, or you provide a proposal and a price and the person tries to keep adding things, or the client disappears for weeks and then expects you to be available as soon as they decide to email you to finish the project. But then other people are really awesome. Your skills are awesome though and more people should know about you. I think marketing yourself and word of mouth is going to generate more income than scriptlance ever will. I’m glad I’ve helped you even a little. I have a lot of respect for your skills and am hoping to find more work for you.

The job bidding sites have almost become impossible to earn any money from – you end up competing against ridiculously low bids and overall the clients are a pain.

When you provide an estimate do you tell them about the extra services that they will be receiving? Someone complained about my price for something and then when I explained exactly what he was getting for the price he thought it was a better deal. Personally, I would rather have someone disappear after receiving the quote than emailing me back with a rant about the price.

It’s difficult – you spend time providing estimates to never hear from the person again, or you provide a proposal and a price and the person tries to keep adding things, or the client disappears for weeks and then expects you to be available as soon as they decide to email you to finish the project. But then other people are really awesome.

Your skills are awesome though and more people should know about you. I think marketing yourself and word of mouth is going to generate more income than scriptlance ever will.

]]>