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#1 2007-10-03 14:54:49

iblastoff
Plugin Author
From: Toronto
Registered: 2006-06-11
Posts: 1,197
Website

insulting website requests

I need a music entertainment website to promote and market new artist.
-designed in flash
-unlimited pages
-i would like the concept to be like a myspace and youtube combined, if thats even possible.
-i would like ppl to be able to make their own page
-an instant messanger service
-an online store on the site
-internet search avalibilty
-chat room

i have a limited budget of $300. i am open to negotiation though if my details are completed.

PM me with the time it will take you to do it and the budget.

Thank you

just unbelievable!!!
this wasn’t a specific request to me, but i definitely get similar ones with even lower budgets than that. i’m just a jerk and choose to ignore these proposals. but just out of curiousity, how do you guys inform completely unknowledgeable clients like this?

Last edited by iblastoff (2007-10-03 14:56:14)

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#2 2007-10-03 15:45:29

rui
Member
From: Espinho, Portugal
Registered: 2005-04-28
Posts: 65

Re: insulting website requests

iblastoff wrote:

(…)

just unbelievable!!!
this wasn’t a specific request to me, but i definitely get similar ones with even lower budgets than that. i’m just a jerk and choose to ignore these proposals. but just out of curiousity, how do you guys inform completely unknowledgeable clients like this?

____________________

I don’t…
I just ignore those proposals. It’s a question of (my) mental health!

All the Best,
Rui

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#3 2007-10-03 15:47:18

maniqui
Member
From: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Registered: 2004-10-10
Posts: 3,070
Website

Re: insulting website requests

“If you want to pay with peanuts, hire monkeys!”


La música ideas portará y siempre continuará

TXP Builders – finely-crafted code, design and txp

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#4 2007-10-03 15:55:34

mrdale
Member
From: Walla Walla
Registered: 2004-11-19
Posts: 2,215
Website

Re: insulting website requests

Yep, probably not worth responding to, but if you have to respond…

I’d say something like “I focus on building collaborative relationships with clients to build sites that they are happy working with long-term. A budget in this range would not be able to accommodate any consulting or custom design, which are pre-requisites for successful sites.”

Then politely point them to some really sucky services… the more garish the better. Tell them that you’d be delighted to help them in the future if they have a bugdet and are able to commit to the long term success of their Web site.

That usually works for me. And some do come back later.

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#5 2007-10-04 12:17:28

colak
Admin
From: Cyprus
Registered: 2004-11-20
Posts: 9,090
Website GitHub Mastodon Twitter

Re: insulting website requests

maniqui wrote:

“If you want to pay with peanuts, hire monkeys!”

I’ll use this one:)


Yiannis
——————————
NeMe | hblack.art | EMAP | A Sea change | Toolkit of Care
I do my best editing after I click on the submit button.

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#6 2007-10-04 12:23:48

Gocom
Developer Emeritus
From: Helsinki, Finland
Registered: 2006-07-14
Posts: 4,533
Website

Re: insulting website requests

“If you want to pay with peanuts, hire monkeys!”

Bananas are for monkeys ;D

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#7 2007-10-04 18:12:33

jstubbs
Member
From: Hong Kong
Registered: 2004-12-13
Posts: 2,395
Website

Re: insulting website requests

OK, so what do you do when you start a site for a client, agree a sum, then when the site is virtually finished the client no longer answers emails requesting payment? Take down the site? Send a rude email? Tempted to do both ;-)

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#8 2007-10-04 20:11:02

robin746
Member
From: Ireland
Registered: 2007-09-22
Posts: 113
Website

Re: insulting website requests

I saw that request. In fact there’s lots like it on the various freelance sites, along with a sufficient number of replies from companies willing to provide absolutely everything for no money that I doubt I am on the same planet as them.

For that reason I have completely given up on said sites. If anyone knows of a freelance site that isn’t a rip-off joint, let me know. For that matter, if someone knows how I can get some textpattern work, let me know that too!

As for clients running away, the best course of action is always to head this off at the pass: half up-front half on delivery seems to be a normative option. Back when I wrote custom software full-time we’d first get paid to write the full spec, on a fixed-price basis. This spec would then be used to determine how much the whole job would cost. If the client wanted to walk away then they’d just bought themselves a spec and likely at a cut-rate price… our loss. But by then most were committed to the relationship.

Of course most prospects would say “You want us to pay you before you tell us what you’re going to provide?” Better to lose those sorts of clients early in the process. But it’s tough being that disciplined.


robin

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#9 2007-10-05 10:37:37

Mary
Sock Enthusiast
Registered: 2004-06-27
Posts: 6,236

Re: insulting website requests

Oh yeah, “make me the world and charge me nothing” is typical. The simple response is, “What you want cannot be done for anything like $300.” Then say what you could do for $300. They usually don’t answer after that. :)

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#10 2007-10-05 16:17:08

kevinpotts
Member
From: Ghost Coast
Registered: 2004-12-07
Posts: 370

Re: insulting website requests

I agree with Mary. I always give a firm but polite “you’re kidding me” e-mail.


Kevin
(graphicpush)

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#11 2007-10-05 18:43:05

jstubbs
Member
From: Hong Kong
Registered: 2004-12-13
Posts: 2,395
Website

Re: insulting website requests

In my case the site is up and ready. The owner has not paid, and since he is a friend of a friend, we did not get payment in advance. I don’t really care much about it, and would be happy to take the site down, but wondered what others here might do…

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#12 2007-10-05 19:39:55

Neko
Member
Registered: 2004-03-18
Posts: 458

Re: insulting website requests

I wouldn’t take anything down, especially if you have contracts of some sort and he might have the brilliant idea to sue you for some reason (site was not operable, loss of money, contacts). You know, there’s crazy people out there.

I’d try to call and speak to him directly, if he refuses to clear the situation in person/by phone, I’d ask my lawyer to send a XX days notice for breaking the agreement and then, eventually, if money’s not yet arrived, take the whole thing down. The goal in cases like these is always getting the money in your pocket, forget about pride and attitude. :)

Last edited by Neko (2007-10-05 20:37:13)

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