F**k stress
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- Amicus0
If you are busy on a constant basis raise your fees. You'll tend to lose a couple more jobs here and there, but make the same money.
Another solution is to find a younger, but equally talented person to take on some of the work when you are overwhelmed. ie. Move towards becoming an agency head and only working on the jobs that satisfy you most while still making money off everything.
- +1
I tried making the switch to being a "consultant" and only doing productions on projects i really dug.freakpelican
- +1
- mantrakid0
Yeah that was a typo I meant to say I never use hard dates. "2 weeks to do the work" is only "2 weeks from today" if the client gives me everything I need and there are no surprises.
All you have to do is be open and honest every single step of the way and most clients actually appreciate being in the loop. Client always introduce new variables based on the fact that they talk / think about the project after dropping it in your hands. You should never be afraid to tell the that what they are asking for was outside of the original concept and will require more time or more work.
Also if they ask you for a quote and you say 2 weeks to do the work, yo can also say your "start date" is dependent on what you currently have in your production schedule. Clients seem to think that you just sit on ur ass waiting for work sometimes. Make sure they know ur busy, and set a precedent by saying so. They can't do shit if u tell them there's no way you can get to their project for another 2 weeks. Tey can find someone else, but then there you go... Now you dnt have the issue anymore. If they insist, then you explain that to get their job done sooner, you're basically putting a delay on a loyal clients project and so now you have to charge a premium to cover the friction it causes to your ore client relationship.
It's all just business. Take the emotion out of it and it becomes simple stress free decisions and the bottom line is you are looking out for YOU all the time. It sounds selfish, but the end result is you are not stressed and can put more effort and time into the work you do for your clients. And your clients will recognize it and respect you for it.
- All of this was learned the hard way. It's been many long years freelancing but I truly feel happy with my work sitch these days.mantrakid
- until you take work from a friend or family member...monospaced
- dragonfruit0
had the same problem. started making music.
- formed0
Managing expectations is a big part of things. I make my clients acknowledge that what they get is "as is" and "to the best of our abilities" if the time frame is short. This avoids the race to a deadline, then coming back with corrections after their presentation/meeting.
Hobbies - personally, I embraced photography and love it. I get the creative freedom, the accolades, etc., without anyone else demanding anything. BUT I completely disagree that you shouldn't look for ways to be profitable. I do believe that the best scenario is to be paid to do things you love, so why shouldn't you look for angles to make a few bucks? Doesn't have to be a career, might not pan out (I am not shooting families or seniors, so probably won't be a career changer), but who cares if you are having fun.
Passion - see above. Keep that alive. Realize that the hard work is also there to enable your uninhibited passion to flow, to give you life, to give you money to buy things (like my new D800 that I can' really justify, certainly not the case full of lenses!), to have fun with your creativity.
SAVE - if you are making money, save, there will be a rainy day. All about a balanced approach to life, business and living