I thought this was funny...

[deronsizemore]

I've been negotiating (or trying to) for a website deal that would allow me to design a website for a rapper who is getting pretty big. So I'm thinking this could be a big deal for me to design this site. He's got an album on iTunes, was on an MTV show, been listed in Source Mag as well as others as the best rapper in the South West United States. So, to me, I'm thinking "hell yeah!", because not only could this mean good money from this guy if he gets big, but maybe give me access to other big names maybe needing some design stuff.

Anyway, I've been going through the PR/Marketing head to work out details about the site, and she sends me an email the other day that reads:


...just to give you an idea we've gotten a guy that is willing to do it for $500 and then update for $10 per month after that. We are really trying to beat this quote so we're shopping around. Just let me know what you're thinking and we'd love to have you on board!!

Well I'll tell her what I'm thinking.... :wave:

Who in their right mind, besides just some guy with photoshop who calls himself a web developer would do a site for this cheap? I mean 10 a month for updates? I don't care if you're the worst designer in the world, that's not worth your time.

So I emailed back with my quote (which was higher obviously) and have not heard anything back yet. So I'm guessing the whole thing was made up anyway to try and get something for nothing and now she's pondering my quote.

[Emancipator]

Its called... India.. sometimes its called Singapore. Seriously I used to get this all the time... I know your pain bro.

[John]

I figure it's worth more to spend your time working on your own sites anyways.

[deronsizemore]

I figure it's worth more to spend your time working on your own sites anyways.


Yeah, me too. I was just going to do this because the girl that I'm negotiating with about it just started working for the place that I recently left, and I guess she was talking about the site and everything and my old coworkers passed my number on to her. So even though it sucks, it's really no harm for me either way. If I get it great, if not oh well...back to working on my own sites.

[deronsizemore]

Its called... India.. sometimes its called Singapore. Seriously I used to get this all the time... I know your pain bro.


lol...yeah you're probably right. That never crossed my mind.

What's even more funny (I forgot to add) is that she's also wanting some flash work for the site. She wants a flash intro as well as a flash MP3 player so you can preview this guys music. I don't do flash, but I know that it's not cheap and 500 probably wouldn't cover the flash work she wants, let alone the whole site.

[Emancipator]

You should outsource to india and say you will do it for $499. :P I am sure you can hire some guy for 10cents a day to do the work.

Honestly John is right, spend the time on your own sites, you will make more money.

[paul]

I figure it's worth more to spend your time working on your own sites anyways.
I agree. It also seems to be an astonishingly difficult message for people to hear. I found this forum several years ago and expected it to mushroom in size. That hasn't happened and SP is still filled with posts about how to get more customers etc. Strange.

[Cutter]

This is the reason I don't design websites for people anymore. I'll charge more just for them to talk to me than they want for an entire site.

[MarkB]

If you're going to do client work, then definitely steer clear of people who want a site for $500 - they don't understand, or appreciate, the value a good site will do for their business. If you're a competent designer/developer, you shouldn't be doing a site for under $2k (basic, static) IMO unless you just need some quick cash. Otherwise you'll just be dealing with cowboys :)

[The New Guy]

If the rapper becomes really big, it might be worth it to get the PR.

[deronsizemore]

If you're going to do client work, then definitely steer clear of people who want a site for $500 - they don't understand, or appreciate, the value a good site will do for their business. If you're a competent designer/developer, you shouldn't be doing a site for under $2k (basic, static) IMO unless you just need some quick cash. Otherwise you'll just be dealing with cowboys :)


Exactly what I think, although the quote I gave them was lower than 2k. I mean, I'm sure this rapper wouldn't do an hour show for $500...so why in the hell would this lady think that I want to spend 20 hours (just threw that number out there) creating a website for $500?



If the rapper becomes really big, it might be worth it to get the PR.

Yeah, that crossed my mind also. To just suck it up, do the site for 500 and then hopefully he gets huge and is good PR for me. Although I'm almost out of the mindset of doing others' sites. I enjoy working on my own and that's about it really...unless the money is outstanding, which in this case it's not.

[Chris]

More likely if he gets really huge they'd simply dump you for a larger firm. Maybe he signs with a label (new label) with an in house department that handles such things.

[deronsizemore]

More likely if he gets really huge they'd simply dump you for a larger firm. Maybe he signs with a label (new label) with an in house department that handles such things.


Gosh, thanks for just shattering my hopes! :) lol. You're right though, I guess I just had wishful thinking.

[Emancipator]

Im with chris 100%. Been there had that done.

[KLB]

I'll have to agree that Chris is spot on with his assessment of the situation.

[vahsi000]

I don't know about what everyone's standards are in here, but for me $500 is alot of money for me, like I have a part-time day job paying me about $7USD per hour. Like I consider myself one of those crappy designers with photoshop (although I do a little bit of everything like HTML & Flash). The most money i've earned online is about $10-15 "ever" (for a quick html job). The crappy part of my situation is that I can't even work at design agencies in australia since there aren't that much demand for websites/designers here therefor the agencies are really picky and they only pick those with past exp. So yeh, you don't have to go all the way to india to find cheap online labour, just come "down under".

[deronsizemore]

I don't know about what everyone's standards are in here, but for me $500 is alot of money for me, like I have a part-time day job paying me about $7USD per hour. Like I consider myself one of those crappy designers with photoshop (although I do a little bit of everything like HTML & Flash). The most money i've earned online is about $10-15 "ever" (for a quick html job). The crappy part of my situation is that I can't even work at design agencies in australia since there aren't that much demand for websites/designers here therefor the agencies are really picky and they only pick those with past exp. So yeh, you don't have to go all the way to india to find cheap online labour, just come "down under".


Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely not saying I couldn't use 500 dollars, but for the time it takes to plan everything out, design it, prepare for changes (scope creep), etc...it's not worth 500 bucks.