“Budget is a big concern” is not my concern…
I garner a fair amount of work from online sources, and I’ve found that there are a couple of universal red flags when it comes to bidding on projects or quoting a job. I’ll go into some of the others later, but the big one is “Budget is a concern.”
While I understand that money is an issue in a lot of situations, if a person upfront about the budget being the primary concern, I’ve discovered that 99% of the time I don’t want that job.
If a prospective client makes it plain that budget is #1, then that’s precisely what the main concern is going to be. Not the design. Not the process. Not the thought that goes into the work. Not you. The money will be the main concern and will always be the main concern. And that’s really not a great way to start a relationship.
I don’t want my work to be all about the money. I want to make money. I want to be paid what I’m worth - but I also want the design and the art and the craft to be at the heart of it. If the client is only concerned about the dough, all the esoteric stuff is out the window. And that’s no fun.
The other issue with this sort of client and project is that it often turns into a situation where you get locked into a low bid and you wind up working way, way too hard for the money you are getting. They’re concerned about the dollar. Not much else.
This might be a generalization, but I’ve found that my worst clients over the past 10 years have been the ones that come in needling for low-ball quotes and bids.
Don’t chase the low bids. Don’t bid on projects that say “money is tight” or “we’re a startup, so budget is low.” You might unearth a diamond of a client - but more often than not, you’re stuck holding a lump of coal.
3 Responses so far
May 30th, 2008
12:58 pm
I’m so glad you’re writing again! I really enjoy your articles. You have a way with words… I think the last paragraph really sums it up.
June 21st, 2008
4:50 pm
Wow.
I’m in one of those situations where I’ve given a bid that was too low in the first place, but my client keeps throwing on extra bits of work that we hadn’t agreed to in the begining! I feel like a slave! Help!
June 22nd, 2008
4:25 pm
Ryan - well, well, well…
I hope you have a contract.
Truthfully, I’ve found that when you low-ball the bid in the first place, you often wind up not only doing the original job on the cheap, but you also can expect to wind up with more work that you really expected.
Unfortunately, there’s not an awful lot you can legally do about that - unless you have a contract. It’s of the utmost importance that you go into a project - even if it’s a low bid prospect - with a written understanding between both parties as to what you will and will not provide. That way, these little add-ons can’t happen without some financial remuneration on the part of the client.
If you don’t have a contract, you have a couple of options.
1 - Cut the chord and run. Not necessarily the most attractive solution, but it will get you out of a losing situation. Be nice, but protect yourself. If you are worried about it affecting you in the future, you have to weigh that against what it’s costing you right now.
2 - Tell the client. Stand up for yourself, your time and your business. If they remotely care about you or the project or the relationship, they’ll listen and agree to pay you for the extras. If they don’t care - see option 1. You’ll be better off without them.
So - in the future, do yourself a HUGE favor: GET A CONTRACT SPELLING OUT WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO.
It’ll make a world of difference. You won’t feel like a slave - you’ll have some power in the relationship - you’ll look more professional - you’ll get paid for your excellence, not your need for work.
Thanks for viewing. Back to your normal Sunday activities…
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