The Official Client Work Thread

[Kiopa_Matt]

But I have no idea who to ask to speak to or what kind I'm supposed to say to that person that will get me work.

Well, what do you have to offer? Just cold calling some company and basically saying, "hey, I need some money, do you some elementary web design shit I can do?" isn't going to cut it, which from the sounds of things is what you're trying.

Better get yourself better trained if you want decent contracts.

 

[Nick PPC.BUZZ]

Clients are those creatures which pay me money. They bring their money to me. Or going to bring, at least. So, why would I be bad with them? Is it wise to beat a hand which feeds you? They don't have to be polite, clever or patient. This is me who must be polite, clever and patient. They just are expected to purchase.

 

[ToddW]

Charge a shit load more, and deliver.

It's rather easy to keep clients, and keep them happy.

Some clients obviously e-mail / call / etc too much... and in such cases offer a retainer and explain to them you aren't billing them per-hour to reply, but will need to if they continue to take up so much time outside the scope of the project(s). I've had some clients I've told I would stop working with them if they didn't listen to my advice, and kept questioning me... they're still with me to this day, almost 10 years. Some years I may make $1k from them other years it could be a $50k project... so just because they're not spending $$ today, month, year doesn't mean next year they won't have a new idea for a new site, etc... We're talking lawyers, contractors, ecom stores, etc... not tiny mom and pop stores with barely enough for a $1k WordPress site.

The biggest ongoing issue I find is that if you start out, deliver great, they keep you around, they grow... you grow with them and do more. It's a catch 22 because 1. you're making more $ and have a better relationship but 2 you're now the "internet/computer do it all guy" if you're not very careful about WHAT you're doing and not doing up front you could be doing "everything" for them... which you may or may not want depending on your biz.

Explaining to a client about:
- AdWords
- Usability
- Page Content
- Etc

Takes time.
Most n00bs bill for "programming" or "design" hours and forget the other 40-50% of their time they spend with the customer on the phone, email etc.

I find it easy to charge 5x as much as someone else when I can clearly show the client what they're getting, my history, and work references. I don't fight for bottom barrel clients, in fact I don't go after new clients ever... they come to me. We grow as much as we want because we pick and choose who to work with, and price ourselves out on purpose sometimes.

Even for $5/mo web hosting I charge $100/mo starting and clients pay it with no problem... I do offer the services along with it to justify it too. Never had a client complain, in fact I've had some leave to cheap hosts and other developers then come back apologizing.

Long-time clients I normally raise rates slow, but I've gone from $30hr with some clients that are very long-term to ~200/hr.

I don't try to do client work but it's nice cashflow for other businesses I'm working on

 

[tim2963]

What a fail thread, who the fuck is going to bash their clients. lol, if you have a problem with them fix it or get new ones.

 

[ActionJackson83]

For me clients to last 1 year on average. It's frustrating when clients get pissed at something they have no reason to be pissed about, then ask me "what exactly do I do" every month. After that question they tend to ask me to do things that are outside the scope of our agreement, and then shortly after that I get dumped for another company.

Am I the only one this happens to here?!?!

 

[GirlyGirl]

For me clients to last 1 year on average. It's frustrating when clients get pissed at something they have no reason to be pissed about, then ask me "what exactly do I do" every month. After that question they tend to ask me to do things that are outside the scope of our agreement, and then shortly after that I get dumped for another company.

Am I the only one this happens to here?!?!

Clients from Hell website is fairly cathartic.

 

[Kiopa_Matt]

For me clients to last 1 year on average. It's frustrating when clients get pissed at something they have no reason to be pissed about, then ask me "what exactly do I do" every month.

I don't know, I'm actually the opposite. I enjoy when clients ask "what do I do", as it means they trust me. Besides, that's what they're paying me for -- to come up with solutions to their problems. What I dislike is when clients try telling me how to do my job. It's never really an issue though. Some clients require more consultation than others, but they generally always end up listening.

After that question they tend to ask me to do things that are outside the scope of our agreement

That's fine, why not just charge extra for it? In 13 years, I don't think I've had a single project that didn't change in scope mid-way. It's completely fine to me if the client changes project scope, but I am going to bill for it.

Although I dislike it when clients change scope too much, and too often, because it screws with my schedule. I don't need a strictly regimented schedule, but I do need a general idea of what's in the pipeline so I can plan things. If you keep piling on dozens of hours of work every time I'm nearing completion, and expect me to get cracking on it straight away, well... I can't tell one client my time will be freed up in a few days, then have another client pile on 50 hours of additional work I didn't know about, and expect me to start banging it out asap.

 

[StarkReality]

ask me "what exactly do I do" every month.

Don't you send them any reports? It's kinda understandable when clients ask what they get for their money.

After that question they tend to ask me to do things that are outside the scope of our agreement

Do you have a detailed contract with them? Old fashioned, loads of paper, two signatures, avoids a lot of misunderstandings later on and if a real problem arises, it's something you can put on a judges desk.

 

[bluechinagroup]

Dumb assumption from a dumbass.

Remember when I said you were a complete dumbass for getting locked out of your old account? You're proving to everyone right now what a complete idiot you are.

Also you're just a middle man between fiverr and your clients. No wonder they hate you. This is some bottom tier shit man.

Kiopa_Matt is pretty much a genius compared to you. He's making some strong posts in your dumbass thread.

 

[AngryFiver]

Remember when I said you were a complete dumbass for getting locked out of your old account? You're proving to everyone right now what a complete idiot you are.

Also you're just a middle man between fiverr and your clients. No wonder they hate you. This is some bottom tier shit man.

Kiopa_Matt is pretty much a genius compared to you. He's making some strong posts in your dumbass thread.

You have taken what I've written and turned it into something entirely else.

I don't know what the fuck your problem is.

You're upset because I make a post about having clients and dealing with problems arising from that. I guess you should go on Clients From Hell and start bashing them too.

Get a fucking life.

 

[bluechinagroup]

I'm not upset; why would I be? You're the guy with the red bricks, the shit tier clients, and a crappy "business model" that barely makes you enough money.

The reason you completely suck balls at making money online is because you have no vision and are way too narrow minded.