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Independent Interaction of Sam Wilson
Last year a young man from England wrote to ask me what advice I could offer him to grow his Web Design career. I didn’t want to say “do something else” so I wrote this.
Obviously a list like this can continue indefinitely, but here’s the highlights from my own meandering experience.
Work indirectly with the money
The objective of every project for a client is the same: make them more money. I find having a well-organized and impartial liaison between yourself and the stakeholder provides an important firewall during crunch time: when scope creeps and timelines are like a herd of cats.
Don’t work with assholes
Seriously. Also, so I’m clear on my definition, an asshole is someone who on first meeting “yikes, this person sure seems like an asshole… but I’ll give them a chance because I need the work.” No, unless you are starving, you should avoid assholes. They will shit on you.
Be brief
Don’t overload anyone (especially non-technical people) with details. It’s nerve-wracking, confusing, and a sign of weakness in their eyes.
Appear magical
Related to the above… but encourage the feeling in your clients’ minds that you have actual magic powers. Don’t be arrogant about that magic though. Appearing magical is how you’ll eventually start that cult *wink*.
Be (genuinely) humble
Be aware of your worth but don’t aggrandize your importance. It’s about results not your ego. Know there is always someone out there a little more skilled or knowledgeable.
Never be “If-Come Enterprises”
Never engage in business with people who want you to do something cheaply on the promise of future work that will be better-paying. It practically never ever ever happens that way.
Remain positive
When something goes wrong, deal with it but stay positive. Don’t forget that positivity makes you and your team more efficient. If you find that things are so bad you can’t stay positive, fire the client. Firing clients is a key survival mechanism for freelance.
How very true these sentiments are. I’d like to add: Be patient with clients. Patience is so important. Also get as much money upfront as possible, otherwise you’ll spend more time tracking your money down that you’ll spend making it.
Tue, January 12, 2010 at 4:05pmTotally agreed John. Patience is key in everything. It’s rare that a client should be fired. Patience and communication can smooth out most bumps in a project.
Tue, January 12, 2010 at 4:23pmFantastic article Sam!
Tue, January 12, 2010 at 6:34pmGreat tips. lol “don’t work with assholes” so true
Wed, January 13, 2010 at 12:55pmnice writing and nice site. also a good point is to learn to estimate your time accurately. thanks.
Wed, January 13, 2010 at 1:29pm> Never be “If-Come Enterprises”
>
> Never engage in business with people who want you to
> do something cheaply on the promise of future work
> that will be better-paying. It practically never ever ever > happens that way.
This is a storic truth!!<br>
Thu, January 21, 2010 at 5:27amGreat article man!