> When I 1st started contracting I had a hard time saying my rate out load....
Yea, same here. But, I'm almost too busy now, so maybe it's time to
raise rates a little bit. I don't back down on them for anybody.
I now do most jobs in phases:
1. Meet with client and work out site map and site functionality
2. Draw up a detailed contract specifying deadlines for things and
whom is supplying what.
Two things I'm always careful about:
a. Client is responsible for delivering *all* content to me by a
specified date or that voids my "complete" deadline.
b. I do a very detailed site map listing all features. If they try
to sneak a single additional feature in after development has
started, then it's an *addition*, is billed additionally and
adds additional time to the "complete" date.
3.Once all the above is approved, I get a partial payment
(usually 1/3rd) before I do anything else. Until I get this
payment, they're not going to see a single layout, because
I had a client walk with my layouts, call me on the phone and
go "we've decided to try something else", and then *use* the
layouts for their site anyway. The partial payment is always
enough to cover the initial graphic design.
4. From there I plow into the site/application structure, CSS and
all that other good stuff. At some point in the process, defined
in the contract, I get another payment.
5. After it's all finished, unless it's a client I've worked with
before and trust, it doesn't go live until I'm paid in full.
I've only been ripped off once in the last 10 years - and I manged to
sell the site in question to somebody else, so the system is working
pretty good in my opinion.
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