freelancing: how not to suck
TRANSCRIPT
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
How many of you are freelancers?
INTRODUCTION
How many of you are freelancers?
How many of you are considering freelancing?
INTRODUCTION
How many of you are freelancers?
How many of you are considering freelancing?
How many of you got lost and ended up here accidentally?
INTRODUCTION
How many of you are freelancers?
How many of you are considering freelancing?
How many of you got lost and ended up here accidentally?
Story Time.
THE FIRST WAY NOT TO SUCK AT
FREELANCING
THE FIRST WAY NOT TO SUCK AT
FREELANCING
Don’t freelance.
WHY YOU SHOULDN’T FREELANCE
WHY YOU SHOULDN’T FREELANCE
Income
WHY YOU SHOULDN’T FREELANCE
Income
Self-Discipline
WHY YOU SHOULDN’T FREELANCE
Income
Self-Discipline
Attracting Clients
WHY YOU SHOULDN’T FREELANCE
Income
Self-Discipline
Attracting Clients
Accounting & Legal
WHY YOU SHOULDN’T FREELANCE
Income
Self-Discipline
Attracting Clients
Accounting & Legal
Proficiency
BAD REASONS TO START FREELANCING
BAD REASONS TO START FREELANCING"I want more time to code."
BAD REASONS TO START FREELANCING"I want more time to code."
"I don't like BS meetings."
BAD REASONS TO START FREELANCING"I want more time to code."
"I don't like BS meetings."
"I don't like my coworkers."
BAD REASONS TO START FREELANCING"I want more time to code."
"I don't like BS meetings."
"I don't like my coworkers."
"I'm going to make more money next month."
BAD REASONS TO START FREELANCING"I want more time to code."
"I don't like BS meetings."
"I don't like my coworkers."
"I'm going to make more money next month."
"I can get away with telling everyone to show up naked to my presentation at Drupal Camp." (Apparently, this is true.)
BAD REASONS TO START FREELANCING"I want more time to code."
"I don't like BS meetings."
"I don't like my coworkers."
"I'm going to make more money next month."
"I can get away with telling everyone to show up naked to my presentation at Drupal Camp." (Apparently, this is true.)
Incidentally, I started freelancing for all of these reasons.
GOOD REASONS TO START FREELANCING
GOOD REASONS TO START FREELANCING
"I want to have a flexible schedule."
GOOD REASONS TO START FREELANCING
"I want to have a flexible schedule."
"I want to work for myself."
GOOD REASONS TO START FREELANCING
"I want to have a flexible schedule."
"I want to work for myself."
"I want to have an unlimited income."
DON’T QUIT MONDAY
DON’T QUIT MONDAY
Start small.
DON’T QUIT MONDAY
Start small.
Build up your client base while you have a full time gig.
DON’T QUIT MONDAY
Start small.
Build up your client base while you have a full time gig.
Fire your boss, but nicely.
DON’T QUIT MONDAY
Start small.
Build up your client base while you have a full time gig.
Fire your boss, but nicely.
Don't burn bridges.
FIND THE RIGHT CLIENTS
FIND THE RIGHT CLIENTS
Networking Meetups
FIND THE RIGHT CLIENTS
Networking Meetups
Craigslist
FIND THE RIGHT CLIENTS
Networking Meetups
Craigslist
Odesk, etc
FIND THE RIGHT CLIENTS
Networking Meetups
Craigslist
Odesk, etc
Word of Mouth
FIND THE RIGHT CLIENTS
Networking Meetups
Craigslist
Odesk, etc
Word of Mouth
Recruiters
FIND THE RIGHT CLIENTS
Networking Meetups
Craigslist
Odesk, etc
Word of Mouth
Recruiters
Portfolio Site
FIND YOUR ZEN SPACE
FIND YOUR ZEN SPACE
It’s not your bedroom.
FIND YOUR ZEN SPACE
It’s not your bedroom.
It’s not your living room.
FIND YOUR ZEN SPACE
It’s not your bedroom.
It’s not your living room.
It’s probably not a coffee shop.
FIND YOUR ZEN SPACE
It’s not your bedroom.
It’s not your living room.
It’s probably not a coffee shop.
It probably is a home office or a coworking space.
FIND A PARTNER
Designers, meet programmers. Programers, meet designers.
DEFINE & SELL YOUR PROCESS
As a programmer or designer, it’s easy to focus on your piece of the process. But there’s more to it!
Client expectations management. (Story: “uploading a PSD”).
Today I’m giving away my process that I’ve built over five years.
MY PROCESS
MY PROCESS
Paperwork
MY PROCESS
Paperwork
Planning
MY PROCESS
Paperwork
Planning
Graphic Design
MY PROCESS
Paperwork
Planning
Graphic Design
Development
MY PROCESS
Paperwork
Planning
Graphic Design
Development
Testing & Training
MY PROCESS
Paperwork
Planning
Graphic Design
Development
Testing & Training
Content Entry
MY PROCESS
Paperwork
Planning
Graphic Design
Development
Testing & Training
Content Entry
Site Launch
MY PROCESS
Paperwork
Planning
Graphic Design
Development
Testing & Training
Content Entry
Site Launch
Maintenance
PROCESS: PAPERWORK
PROCESS: PAPERWORK
Estimate
PROCESS: PAPERWORK
Estimate
Flat vs. hourly. How many work flat? Hourly?
PROCESS: PAPERWORK
Estimate
Flat vs. hourly. How many work flat? Hourly?
Demo: Estimating tool (I’m giving this away, too).
PROCESS: PAPERWORK
Estimate
Flat vs. hourly. How many work flat? Hourly?
Demo: Estimating tool (I’m giving this away, too).
Statement of Work
RATES
RATES
POLL: What are your rates
RATES
POLL: What are your rates
$0 - $50/hr?
RATES
POLL: What are your rates
$0 - $50/hr?
$50 - $75/hr?
RATES
POLL: What are your rates
$0 - $50/hr?
$50 - $75/hr?
$75 - $100/hr?
RATES
POLL: What are your rates
$0 - $50/hr?
$50 - $75/hr?
$75 - $100/hr?
$100 - $125/hr?
RATES
POLL: What are your rates
$0 - $50/hr?
$50 - $75/hr?
$75 - $100/hr?
$100 - $125/hr?
$125+?
PAYMENT
PAYMENT
Do not undercharge.
PAYMENT
Do not undercharge.
Do not take “portfolio” projects unless you actually need them.
PAYMENT
Do not undercharge.
Do not take “portfolio” projects unless you actually need them.
Always invoice.
PAYMENT
Do not undercharge.
Do not take “portfolio” projects unless you actually need them.
Always invoice.
Work either for free or at your full rate.
PAYMENT
Do not undercharge.
Do not take “portfolio” projects unless you actually need them.
Always invoice.
Work either for free or at your full rate.
Always, always, ALWAYS get half up front.
PAYMENT
Do not undercharge.
Do not take “portfolio” projects unless you actually need them.
Always invoice.
Work either for free or at your full rate.
Always, always, ALWAYS get half up front.
Watch for red flags: story time.
PROCESS: PLANNING
PROCESS: PLANNING
Sitemap
PROCESS: PLANNING
Sitemap
Wireframes
PROCESS: PLANNING
Sitemap
Wireframes
But it's simple enough that I don't need to wireframe! No, it's not.
DESIGN & DEV
DESIGN & DEV
You should know about this already so I’m skipping it, except to say...
DESIGN & DEV
You should know about this already so I’m skipping it, except to say...
COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR CLIENT
TESTING, TRAINING, CONTENT ENTRY
TESTING, TRAINING, CONTENT ENTRY
Explain to clients that bugs are normal (and are not free to fix)
TESTING, TRAINING, CONTENT ENTRY
Explain to clients that bugs are normal (and are not free to fix)
Test it yourself thoroughly (or hire testers if you can)
TESTING, TRAINING, CONTENT ENTRY
Explain to clients that bugs are normal (and are not free to fix)
Test it yourself thoroughly (or hire testers if you can)
Walk clients through the features of the site by having them add content. As they go along, they’ll find things you missed. Fix them promptly.
LAUNCH
Make sure to set the expectation that this process is not automatic. There is no big red button you are pushing.
MAINTENANCE
MAINTENANCE
Security & feature updates can be great recurring revenue.
MAINTENANCE
Security & feature updates can be great recurring revenue.
Some models for maintenance contracts:
MAINTENANCE
Security & feature updates can be great recurring revenue.
Some models for maintenance contracts:
Discounted hour chunk (e.g., 60 hours)
MAINTENANCE
Security & feature updates can be great recurring revenue.
Some models for maintenance contracts:
Discounted hour chunk (e.g., 60 hours)
Use it or lose it (e.g., 10 hours/mo.)
MAINTENANCE
Security & feature updates can be great recurring revenue.
Some models for maintenance contracts:
Discounted hour chunk (e.g., 60 hours)
Use it or lose it (e.g., 10 hours/mo.)
Monthly invoice
YOU’RE GOLDEN!
Story to sum up.
Find this presentation, the estimating tool and my process document at my blog, blog.andy-walters.com