I’ll Wait for a Buy-One-Get-One-Free Deal

Here’s an interesting idea – shop for your next writer based on price alone. Oh, I hear you all groaning out there, but this is the idea of the new millenium! For why else would people post projects and respond questioning why you’re so much more expensive than everyone else? And why would they come back a month later asking for a “test” project pricing? See, the ad stated the “employer” wanted someone to write something like 45 newsletters, just as many websites and sales materials up the wazoo. Carefully, I calculated all the different projects mentioned per item grouping, determined if any could use templates and duplicate material, and then took about 10 percent off the top (as it was a competitive bidding site). I came up with a $36K price tag. Wouldn’t you know I got a note back immediately: “Why are you nearly 200 percent higher than all the other bids?”

My answer: “Because given the amount of work, type of work, and expertise required, this is what it costs. I base my estimate on a per-hour charge and I estimate it would take XXX hours to complete all the work. Mind you, if this is monthly, I can work out a discount for ongoing work.”

Silence! Until…. a month later: “I want to get going on a white paper. What’s your price for 20 pages with what I’d call more notes than actual writing?”

My answer: “$1,200 based on a 12-hour project. That’s assuming I’d need to contact you for more information and assuming these are detailed notes. I use a project timer, so if we are short those twelve hours, you gain. If we run over, I charge $100/hr.”

Again, silence.

Can you really run a business (or am I giving too much credit here?) in this manner? Can you really shop around and make the price fit the project? Dontcha see that’s going to bite you in the a$$?