Comments on: Me First!

By: Leigh

Leigh — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:49:00 +0000

Yay, I'm famous! :)

Good points from everyone here. I'm really drawing the line for the end of this year and into 2009 with deposits, deadlines, and being prepared to work with me. Don't book time with me if you are not ready to move forward.

By: Rebecca Smith

Rebecca Smith — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:51:00 +0000

This is right on the money (pun intended)! Unfortunately, it happens to me more than I’d like, but a good contract in place — with dates — always helps. So does a firm yet positive attitude.

By: Avid Writer

Avid Writer — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:35:00 +0000

There’s nothing left to say. Devon said it all in a nutshell.

By: Lori

Lori — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:25:00 +0000

LOL Isn’t that the truth!

By: Devon Ellington

Devon Ellington — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:02:00 +0000

Absolutely. And it needs to be major cash, not an extra five bucks tossed in!

By: Lori

Lori — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:56:00 +0000

Amen to that, Devon. If I overbook, I get it done on my time. Or I call in the troops for help. What I won’t do is forego my time off in order to meet someone’s arbitrary deadline, or to compensate for their lack of planning. Not unless there’s additional cash involved…

By: Devon Ellington

Devon Ellington — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:28:00 +0000

I charge if there's a signed contract in place with specified dates that were booked and then nothing happened. I'm not someone who sits and waits around, in life or in work. I try to be as clear as possible about needing definite dates and a contract in place, and I'm also clear that I book on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Until there's a contract in place, it's not real and you can be bumped at any time.

If you want to move up the queue, you have to pay more.

I also don't go into details about non-availability. "I'm booked." And if they pry, I say flat out, "That's not your business."

Fortunately, corporate types are in my minority of clients, and I hardline early with anyone from a corporation, so I run into this problem less than a lot of other people.

I do however believe that, if overbooking is YOUR mistake, you don't start waffling and moaning about having to work additional hours or weekends or whatever. You made the commitment, YOU mis-figured your time, suck it up and get it done.