Working for Free?
- Started
- Last post
- 51 Responses
- ********0
I don't really see the big deal about doing things for free every once & a while. Feels good! Consider trying it.
:)
- Miguex0
if a client complains for $35 bucks, you most likely don't want ANY business with him. It's a matter of respect. You were to nice and let him have for free, but without knowing it, you just lowered his (already low) respect for you as a professional.
They are probably paying the other guys, and you are the "guy to go for free/cheap work". Please don't do it again, specially if its a new client. We've all done work for free before, but is usually if you can get something out of it. And should be out of your own initiative not because the client is not happy with your rates and doesn't want to pay.
- yep, client should never initiate a freebee .. you need to be in control - not them.********
- yep, client should never initiate a freebee .. you need to be in control - not them.
- cannonball19780
Just say "It's beyond my principles of practice to work for free, so I'm not sure how to respond to your last message."
- ETM0
I may not charge for small, random items for long term clients that have supported me and respect what I do. Honestly, some small tasks take less time than creating and sending the actual invoice.
However, I don't do anything free for new clients. How a business relationship starts is crucial to how it operates for the duration. And it needs to start with mutual respect and understanding for the time and talents involved on both sides.
Like some have said, seems like a big red flag for future proceedings.
- airey0
wow. all this bullshit over 10 minutes work. you've spent more time here for free than you ever spent on that business card. fucking lol.
- Milan0
it's the fuckin principle, don't start bending over for your clients or they'll expect it every time
- it really isn't. it's a bunch of cunts winding each other up. work and life aren't black and white. sometimes you do a little extra or a little free and you improve the client relationship. sometimes you get fucked.airey
- story0
@airey: it isn't about the 10 minutes of work. I was on here trying to get the opinions of other professionals in this field.
- ETM0
If airey could monitize his hate, sarcasm and glibness, he'd be a billionaire. :D
- hahahahaairey
- i feel like an idiot, but what's glibness?capn_ron
- It's the condition of being glib.ETM
- you should feel more stupid about not using the dictionary before posting that comment.airey
- By dictionary he means Google.ETM
- and by google i mean asking here.airey
- and by asking here he means the dictionary.ETM
- i'm stuck in a thought paradox.airey
- what are you guys talking about? i seriously think you are stuck in an asylum and get to use the internet.capn_ron
- What came first QBN or the asylum?ETM
- the weird thing is that i don't exist. i was aborted at 4 weeks. hi from the other side.airey
- Trick question, QBN *IS* the asylum. M. Night Shamalam's head explodes.ETM
- airey0
put it this way, and this is just an opinion along with all the others so pls ignore, listen, don't, whatever.
yes, sometimes clients can be using cunts. sometimes you can do a favour and it becomes expected and blows. yet sometimes it can work in your favour and keep a client on side. it's worth raising the point that you have an hour minimum you'd usually charge and maybe explain why but there's little benefit is a harsh email about 10 minutes work. if he'd asked for a brochure or a web-layout then sure but in my mind a 10 minute 'favour' is a chance to leverage some stronger connection out of the client. give 'em the whole 'as your a special client, etc'. make their already wanker ego feel better and let them feel like they got a 'win'. after all they came to you to solve a problem. if you're relied on for this then you're relied on. which is a good thing. i did 2 small rush jobs for a client 2 years ago, a business card and a css revision. i did them for nothing as i was working on a flyer for the client and thought i'd do some brown-nosing. now that client gives me around 35k a year and are pretty much trouble free so the small time outlay was worthwhile.
now as for this being a 'principle', ahh jury's out on that one. we all spend a lot more time here that;s unpaid than we would like to admit. yes, it's a downtime kinda thing but if you work for yourself then your business should be just as important as your downtime no? it's your business after all. one of the things you realise when you transition from employed to self-employed is the client juggling act can be as much trouble as it can be fun. in the past your employers would have done stuff for clients for free but you never knew cause you got a wage.
just 2cents, ignore and move on, there's nothging to see here.
“Principles have no real force except when one is well-fed.”
Mark Twain“Important principles may and must be inflexible.”
Abraham Lincoln“Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others.”
Groucho Marx
- must_dash0
I do plenty of freebies for clients, but they are the ones who I regularly do proper work for, any that never pay I tell them no. and the ones like I had today, who wanted their site done, and told me how many hours work it was I avoid like the plague.
- airey0
the thought i follow is that instead of spending money on promotion i spend time on it with existing clients. referrals are the only way i make clients and to do that you keep 'em happy(ish).