Comments on: Why I Hate Bidding Sites, and Why You Should, Too

By: Schraepfer Harvey

Schraepfer Harvey — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:20:00 +0000

Thanks, Lori, for the post.
And, thanks all, for the discussion.
I like the specific targeting advice, which for me includes more phone calls or face time with prospects and less time searching bogus posts.
I like working for companies or people that I like. I feel accomplishment getting out there and doing the work for these clients. My early-career marketing plan: local word-of-mouth. Companies of Greater Boston, this talent's for hire.

By: Eileen Coale

Eileen Coale — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:38:00 +0000

I gave guru a try a few years ago, and I don’t understand why people think it’s any easier than doing your own marketing campaign. Sorting through the listings to identify likely prospects, tailoring your proposal, and jumping through whatever other hoops are required are very time consuming. You can take the same amount of time and do a targeted marketing campaign to your ideal clients and you’ll get a far better ROI on your time and money. And you don’t have to face the insult of people offering you $1.50 an article.

By: Avid Writer

Avid Writer — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:47:00 +0000

Well written Post, Lori! I know other writers have had "success" working on these sites. I joined last year in a moment of desiration and really wound up regretting it. I spent money I didn't have and never won a bid because I couldn't afford to bid as low as was necessary to secure the first few jobs.

Fast forward a couple of months and I have found a couple of great clients who keep me nice and busy.

@Lori: Yes, emloyers are looking for cheap talent, but many have learned the same lesson I did using these sites. One of my clients was using these sites and the poor quality of writing from dirt cheap writers in another country really burned them, so they no longer look to those sites for writers. Whic works out great for me. :)

By: Lori

Lori — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:31:00 +0000

Kathy, you're a talented diplomat. :))

I think everyone here has solid points. Yes, you can make the $100K elsewhere. Yes, there's money to be made on these sites. Yes, those who signed on early have the advantage.

Personally, I was turned off by Guru's handling of my concerns. I was also turned off by eLance's restructuring fees to put more money in their pockets. I would much rather take the time to market myself to clients than to get paid less to find them easier. I've always wondered why these employers use these sites. Is it because the talent can be had for cheaper?

By: Irreverent Freelancer

Irreverent Freelancer — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:23:00 +0000

Well obviously, Devon, since I’m still making a go of this freelancing thing, $100,000 does not represent my entire life’s earnings. It’s just a small piece (and these days a VERY small piece) of the pie. But I’m going to have to disagree with fotobuch too. Nowadays, I honestly don’t think these sites work for people who weren’t fortunate enough to get in on them while the bidding was free. Don’t you all love how I argue both sides of the coin? ;o)

By: devonellington

devonellington — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:31:00 +0000

And if you go out and get the clients on your own, you make $100K in ONE YEAR, not over a period of years.

Thank you, Peter Bowerman, for teaching that lesson!

By: Fotobuch

Fotobuch — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:00:00 +0000

Well I pretty much agree with devon ellington above, these job posting should be done in some particular sites like media etc. but i can't deny what irreverent said above, these bidding sites really works at some point.

There are many advantages and disadvantages of these bidding sites.so this how the argument continues.

By: Lori

Lori — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:21:00 +0000

You are correct, Kathy. I don't belong, yet I still bellyache. :))

I've had the same dilemma in the past - the very lucrative client is tied in with the site for one year. Even if the client agrees to go offsite and break the contract terms, I won't. I can't afford to be taken to task by the site and to pay back that cash. I stuck with that client for the requisite year, and then we took business offsite.

Maybe the argument is more against crap wages, which we all agree appear on any website, paid subscription or not. My point is we as a collective do need to make more noise about it and educate the masses a bit. If it stops one person from posting a low-paying job or one writer from taking it, it's worth the effort.

By: Irreverent Freelancer

Irreverent Freelancer — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:08:00 +0000

Ah, but this argument makes the erroneous assumption that everyone who complains about the freelance-bidding sites actually belongs to them. From what I can tell, Lori, you DON’T belong to any them, yet you’re still complaining about them, correct? ;o) Some of us just like to explore them for the entertainment value and blogging opportunities they provide. And some of us must continue to use them sporadically as part of an implicit contract. You are correct, Lori, that most of the bigger of these sites require you to maintain business through them for a period of one year as part of their terms of service. Almost no one adheres to this term, but if you’re an honest individual, you stick to your side of the contract, even when the site does nothing for you. Over the years, I’ve made over $100,000 on a freelance-bidding site (much more if you consider how much I made after my one-year stipulation with them was up) that I’ve more or less left behind save for slowdowns. Many of the clients I obtained there are still clients to this day. That’s about the only praise you’ll hear coming from me. I’m one of the lucky ones, though. I’ve managed to get my real-world rate on almost every project I’ve accepted there, and in fact, I even tack on extra to cover my fees. And while I’m occasionally wading through it for the fun of it, I’m definitely not making “crap.”

By: Devon Ellington

Devon Ellington — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:10:00 +0000

I wrote a pithy addendum that blogger, of course, ate.

Let's try this again.

I've said it a million time -- find a company that interests you and convince them they can't live without you.

No one NEEDS these bidding sites.

It's short sighted on the part of the client, because top level writers aren't on them. If they post on places like Journalism Jobs and Media Bistro, they'll get a better quality of writer. Or if they hire someone off the transom (me) who's totally crazy about their company, they get a better deal in the long run.

I've lost patience with the writers who stick on these sites and moan. If it's not working, LEAVE. CHANGE. SHOW SOME INITIATIVE.

If you're "too busy" to seek out potential clients, maybe you need to take a class in time management. Or maybe you shouldn't be freelancing.