NYCPHP Meetup

[Bradley Baumann]

A fine example. :-D

Recipe for success.
1. Read your books.
2. Get some experience.
3. Get more experience.
4. Charge a lot.
5. Blow everyone away.

Heh.
-Bradley Baumann

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Hendricks" <jim at bizcomputinginc.com>
To: "NYPHP Talk" <talk at nyphp.org>
Sent: Monday, January 20, 2003 1:01 PM
Subject: Re: [nycphp-talk] NYC Freelance rates


> A great story about the cost/value question.  I started my business almost
2
> years ago.  I have 19 years in the business so knew that my experience
> should allow for high rates, but my lack of name recognition as an
> independent would work against me.  Rather than start my rates at the $90
I
> felt I should be able to get, I started at $70.  I also factored my cost
of
> living, extra cost for running the business, and an expectation of 20
> billable hours per week and came up with $60 would be the minimum I would
> need to live on if I obtained the 20 billable per week.  I had no bites.
I
> finally had a great lead which would lead to the potential for much future
> work, but they didn't want to pay over $50, this was with me stating the
$70
> hr. rate.  Since the potential was great, we settled on $55 hr for the
first
> project, each project thereafter would be a new negotiation with the
> understanding that I would over time attempt to get the rate up to my $70.
>
> Well experience pays off, my next couple projects were at $60, then $65,
now
> at $70.  On top of all that, they have lots of other projects ongoing with
> other consultants.  They even have one project billing out at $10 an hour.
> Wouldn't you know that many of their lowball projects have encountered
many
> problems at delivery time with no end in sight as to when the problems
would
> be corrected.  They have pulled me in to correct the problems fully
> understanding that my corrections would take more time because I would
need
> to familurize myself with what was done by the other programmer.  They now
> rarely contract any real projects for the person willing to lowball
because
> they finally understand the concept of getting what you pay for and don't
> want to have to pay me to correct the problems caused by the low ballers.
>
> Jim
> ______________________________________________________________
> Jim Hendricks, President, Biz Computing, Inc
> Phone:  (201) 599-9380     Email: jim at bizcomputinginc.com
> Web: www.bizcomputinginc.com
> Snail:  Jim Hendricks,  Biz Computing, Inc.,  255 McKinley Ave, New
Milford,
> NJ 07646
> ______________________________________________________________
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Sterling Hughes" <sterling at bumblebury.com>
> To: "NYPHP Talk" <talk at nyphp.org>
> Sent: Monday, January 20, 2003 12:46 PM
> Subject: Re: [nycphp-talk] NYC Freelance rates
>
>
> > On Mon, 2003-01-20 at 12:38, Brian wrote:
> > > Jumping at a low rate has a tendency to put you in a low pay bracket
for
> any
> > > future work that may come out of it.  People start passing out your
name
> as
> > > 'the cheap guy' and that type of pigeon-holing is a trend that is
> difficult
> > > to change.
> > >
> > > That may be easy for me to say, since I am not at a loss for projects
at
> the
> > > moment either.  I will say that it was necessary for me to cut some of
> the
> > > cheap ties lately and make contacts in bigger companies with bigger
> budgets
> > > and with a better understanding of quality work.
> > >
> >
> > Of course, and when that time comes you can say, "I'm sorry, but my rate
> > is no longer XXX an hour.  Because of the quality of my work, I'm very
> > busy and my rate is UUU.  Since you're an old client, I'll only charge
> > you ZZZ."
> >
> > XXX == cheap rate
> > ZZZ == exorbinant rate minus a little
> > UUU == exorbinant rate
> >
> > If they don't want to pay you, then you can move onto your other
> > clients, and they will probably still have a good taste in their mouth
> > because you tried to accomodate them, and hopefully give you more
> > expensive work when they find it.  If they are willing to pay you, then
> > great, you're only giving them a small discount for one project, and it
> > may lead to a continuing relationship at the rate you're currently
> > charging.
> >
> >
> > -Sterling
> >
> > --
> > "I can't give you a brain, so I'll give you a diploma"
> >     - The Great Oz, The Wizard of Oz
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
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