freelance advice
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- monkeyshine
geez, I'm awfully needy for a friday. I need advice. I have been working on a freelance project (creating a flash gallery for an interior designer type) and the client's print designer has been the project manager. I like the designer fine but feel she is not very articulate and as I finish the gallery she responds with things like "lots I like, will get back to you after conferring with client".
Last night she told me we would need more images for a section and I could go find them on the client's current website. I feel that it is a waste of my time to have me go digging for images. Is it rude to tell her to gather them and send in an organized fashion?
Also, instead of clear email instructions she's big on discussing via phone or better yet, lets meet. To me, it is unnecessary to meet and I don't have time to meet and hear what she could convey via email. I feel that this project is just dragging out and I keep doing more and more production work because they're not very organized.
How do I gracefully and respectfully put a limit on this madness?
- version30
be happy your clients aren't in another country speaking another language, the emails I get are always great
oh, just do what it takes to get paid and get a good reference
- gruntt0
tough call. just grin and bare it and remember the one quote from the bible that i ever use... This Too Shall Pass.
(at least i think that's from the bible)
- monkeyshine0
communication from another country sounds appealing at this point. I just want to know how to graciously reel them in without offending...and they already paid me.
I work fulltime too so my time is tight.
- zombiewoof0
All cient communications need to be via email. Even if you meet in person or on a call, type up the minutes in an email for all to agree upon.
Request the items you need in a professional-sounding email,. Put the onus on her to be a part of the project. "As you are so familiar with xyz's work, I feel you could best pick the right images, blah, blah blah.." stroke her ego a bit to get her more involved.
Last bit of advice. Identify everthing you need, get her sign off, before proceeding with the production. And let her know that anything beyond what you agreed upon may incur overage charges from the client. That'll scare her into action.
- monkeyshine0
thanks, zombie
- tehgee0
yes say more $$ :D
- JazX0
say the following:
I really enjoy working with you guys. I find it both interesting and challenging at the very same time. I've never quite felt this way about a project. However, I can only do so much. I'm sure you understand.
Toodles!
- withSound0
Dear Clients,
Please hurry up and wrap this shit up as quick as possible or I'll kill all of you and hide your bodies.
Fuck off,
Me
- monkeyshine0
lol...JazX. I've never quite felt this way about a project and franky, I'm undeserving. It's me, not you.
:)
...or I could just drag this out until I leave town. "I've rethought this email communication, let's meet. As a matter of fact, lets meet and talk to one another on our phones while we look deeply into one anothers eyes and waste alot of time. When, you say? Well, I have to move some things around..." and then set a date for the day after I'm gone.
You guys are the best!
- JamesEStone0
be honest... say that the project has been going on for a while, and you'd like to use the remaining budget accordingly, and that is to list the corrections and supply the new images in an email.
- monkeyshine0
thanks ya guys. I guess I'll half suck it up and half try to be more assertive. oh...and the designer gave me about 200 that she set up in iPhoto. "iPhoto is of no use to me," I say. "I thought so too until I learned how to use it," she replied. Between her and the client, who sends me about 40 emails a day with one image per email (with no labelling) I have no chance.