You usually would only need a plumber to fix a leak or whatever once every ten years.
Though if you were using one to fit your entire house with central heating, installing the new boiler in the cellar and move all your washing appliances into a new utility room then he is not going to charge you his standard hourly rate for the lot (as he would run the risk of being massively undercut) instead is more likely to take on the job lot at an agreed price with regular agreed billing/invoicing dates using his business brain to schedule the work in logical steps during the downtime from his other jobs.
If you see my point.
I've never asked anyone to do work for free. Everything has costs involved and working for free is usually actually paying to work. I've worked for costs & expenses before if i feel it would benefit my showreel.
Like i said before i'd rather build up a longer term relationship with someone in design (like i have done with facilities houses, art directors, camera operators etc etc) who will over time learn to understand what i want & need and the way i work rather than using the far cheaper but faceless designer from a different country everytime. Though as a new business trying to make limited funds stretch across every overhead is tricky and paying a premium to use the same UK designer for every thing isn't really an option
I'm in the process of setting up as a freelance video producer/videographer after years of doing bits around a full time job.
As most of my start up capital is tied up in equipment purchases I'm waiting for the vatman to give me back some of my brass or the work to come in. Therefore i'm working on a tiny budget for my initial desgin work.
What has puzzled me is when i explain my design requirements (which will be really substantial over time) the designers don't seem to want to take into consideration the fact it's not just about the first or 2nd job i'm enquiring about.
If I have to pay the premium price for each peice of design work then there is nothing to keep me going back to the same designer especially when there are others who will always work cheaper or if i suddenly have money to invest i'm more likely go to get the work from someone with an established reputation.
Surely it's in a freelancer's best interests to look beyond the initial job or even look to build a partnership or collaborative relationship with a client to make sure they can pay the bills over a longer period of time.
As it stands i'm still looking for a realistic quote for some quite basic design work which at this rate is going to end up being outsourced to China or somewhere similar.
Some really impressive design work but i would seriously look at getting a copywriter to collaberate with because some as intelligent as you come across the choice of words used (or not used) in places does make the "age issue" pop up.
Also on the age front it's difficult for some clients to actually pay somebody who isnt yet 16 (because of national insurance issues and the are lots of laws about employing "young persons") which for many is a headache they would want to do without.
Obviously the quality of work is there or i wouldn't be commenting and whilst i'm not a web designer (i'm a video producer) it's easy to spot good design.
The key to any freelance is working. If your always working your always working do whatever it takes to keep building your client base.
Special offers are a good way of getting interest becuase your not saying your cheap. It's impossible to do some work for somebody for £300 then expect £1000 next time unless they used a promotional coupon or code or whatever mechanic works for you to best let the client know they are getting a good deal and it's not gonna be that price again.
I'd even consider doing work for cost if it's gonna lead to more work. Do enough to blow somebodies mind and then charge them to finish it (e.g. build a homepage for free then when they like it charge to build the rest of the site) The more sites that have been done by you, the more people see your work.
Well thats how it works with video production.
If your looking to add to your porfolio i know my website could do with an overhaul design wise.
