What I'm looking for (as a buyer)

[wendym]

Right now I’m buying art, but I have needs and wants for other services so I thought it might be useful to tell you what I’m looking for when I check out a gig.



I want to have a face to put with the user name. Avatars and graphics don’t work that well for me, I remember names with real faces, and feel more comfortable giving my money to a real person with a real face. I don’t really care if you’re a professional or an enthusiastic hobbyist, so long as you’re enthusiastic enough to make yourself presentable and sit in front of a camera for a minute.



I want to see what you can do and your level of consistency, so if you don’t have a lot of completed work for me to check out, please post more than 1 or 2 samples of your work. I know it’s work, and it takes time and I will appreciate you all the more for it. This is HUGE for me, because if I’m happy with your work I’ll hire you again and again, and I want to know that you can deliver every time.



Explain, in as much detail as you can, what you’re going to give me for $5. I’ve clicked on your gig and I’m giving you my full attention-- take advantage of it and tell me why I need to give you $5. Tell me exactly where that $5 ends, and how much more you’ll need for additional services. I don’t mind, I won’t turn away from someone that’s going to work for me because they need to be compensated fairly.



After the purchase:

Communicate with me. Please, after you get the details from me, and before you start working if there are any questions in your mind about what I want just ask.



If you need more time or have any problems after you start the work, talk to me. Seriously, my needs can wait if you have the flu or your computer breaks down, or your neighbor secures his wi-fi connection so you no longer have free internet access except during library hours (we’ve all been there) I just need to know what the timeline looks like. Keep me updated.



Also, I think this last one is more specific to me than the average buyer, if you’re not feeling the gig I request then tell me. I have multiple websites and probably more blogs than any one human should, most likely we can figure out an option for you to complete your same gig with different content, subject, topic, etc. it’s not going to mess up anything critical in my life and you’ll probably be much happier than if you just buckle down and hate me for hiring you.

[katylady77]

thanks for the great tips! I will look into adding a personal pic of myself. Also, I appreciate the communication thing! It’s frustrating as sellers as well, when you want to clarify something and dont get a response! WE are working on a deadline.

[wendym]

@katylady77: I hate that with my clients too. Some people expect you to be both a mind reader and a time traveler-- I tell mine I can do things yesterday but they have to pay for the time machine rental. Funny how they never take me up on the offer 😉

[Helena8664]

Great tips! I’ve already utilized them, and since you’re interested in some original art, you might be interested in mine at http://fiverr.com/helena8664/send-you-a-unique-piece-of-colorful-art …only $5 (plus shipping) for some beautiful, original art that normally sells for more on etsy. If you’re interested in seeing their etsy prices, check it out at fragglesrock 🙂



Sheriff’s note: I’m afraid outside links aren’t allowed on the forum

[Guest marsch001]

Good advice! I haven’t used a very personal image, but I might do so now (I have been thinking about it, but never thought it was “necessary”).



I do translations, and I’ve had some great buyers who are available for me to ask questions if something isn’t clear in the text, but more than once have someone bought a gig and sent the file without any sort of communication, not even replying to my simple message of “done, let me know if you need something else/you have any questions about this”. It makes me as a seller much more comfortable, to have at least some sort of communication.



Granted, translations are fairly straight forward (although I have had people who complain because I haven’t edited the text and rewritten it to sound “great”, but translated what they gave me with some alterations for things to make sense) and not as subjective as art, but there’s some good advice for anyone.

[mesparks]

Nice to hear from a buyers perspective.

And yes the communication part is most important. Its really frustrating when you need a response to your query but all that happens is you are left to assume things on your own and proceed.



Anyway I am also offering few creative gigs, checkout my profile and let mw know if something interests you.



Good luck with your fiverr purchases:-)

[wendym]

@marsch001: I think some customers are cheap and just want to exploit people and others just don’t know where one job ends and the next begins. When webdesign was still kind of a new thing; I had customers do everything from expect me to physically go and build their sites from their computers to send me samples from their entire inventory to photograph for online catalogs.



While translations have been around forever, I think it may still be a new thing to a lot of your clients, you may have to try to educate them so they don’t have unrealistic expectations.

[Guest marsch001]

Reply to @wendym: Wow that sounds… like a lot of work! I have done websites as well, but they have all been for people that I know and I’ve been able to meet with them (which is lucky, because at least two of them have had no idea about anything and I’ve had to explain it in very simple terms which is easier to do in person).



As for translating. I freelance through another website that does larger projects than on here, and once I had to redo the whole project because they weren’t happy with the translation - it turns out that it wasn’t the translation in and of itself, but the fact that I had translated it as it was written, when the text needed to be edited first (another time it was a similar issue, but then they had to first send me an updated text that had been edited by them, and luckily I got paid for that extra work). I think that’s the worst part, with larger projects, but so far on this site I’ve not had that issue. A little rewriting of sentences is to be expected because something that sounds good and makes sense in one language won’t necessarily make a lot of sense in another, but when you have to proofread and edit the whole text before you even start translating (and the text is over 5000 words) then you really start to wonder if you’re charging to little!



And this was very long. I apologise. I have a habit of rambling.

[radugeorgescu]

Good article to read and so true. I liked it so much that I’m willing to do your portrait in my style for free. http://fiverr.com//radugeorgescu//draw-your-portrait-in-this-style PM me with a good foto and let me show you how I see you. <3

[seohut]

Thanks very good tips

[wendym]

@marsch001: LOL, insane demands are par for the course with web design, I used to have a problem telling people “no” before I started, but now I say it all the time along with “I can do that; it will cost extra.” and "You’re f@#$ing kidding me right?"



If you have to edit before you translate you should definitely offer that as an additional service and charge for it, even if a customer doesn’t buy the service you’ve made them aware right up front, which should negate any complaints ahead of time.

[Guest marsch001]

Reply to @wendym: That is a good idea, and is certainly something I think I will implement here using a gig extra if I notice it is a problem. If it’s really bad, I will email the people I’m doing a translation for and tell them that they need to send me a better copy, because it’s so much larger and I’m often paid a set price for the whole of the project.



I’ve also had that problem, not wanting to say “no” to a job. But that’s good, I’m going to have to remember the “I can do that; it will cost extra”, because you need to stand up for yourself!



I think many people think it’s really easy to do web designs, and that’s why they want what they want and they think they will be able to get it at the snap of a finger. If only they knew what kind of coding laid behind that pretty front! They would all be getting headaches. I’ve been doing websites on and off for 10 years, and I still feel like I have no idea what I’m doing some of the time.

[Guest soldierdollar]

Great tips. I’ll always have them at the back of my mind

[brack3n]

Awesome, thought we had every box ticked until I read this…

[brack3n]

Awesome, thought we had every box ticked until I read this…

[Guest scriptwizard]

Hi wendym, you are very clear about what you as an individual wants to see (or rather insist on seeing) before you part with your ca$h. I totally disagree however, with the idea that everyone should apply a personal appearance via a video (based on one person’s preference as an individual) because the simple proven truth is that there are few people who are not judgemental subconsciously as well as consciously & you will not ever understand how damaging this piece of advice could turn out for many individuals who try. I say personal appearance is not a necessity at all but I do say video is the very best way at engaging & getting any message across full stop. Be warned readers, people are soO judgemental & really do not even know it.

[Guest scriptwizard]

Hi wendym, you are very clear about what you as an individual wants to see (or rather insist on seeing) before you part with your ca$h. I totally disagree however, with the idea that everyone should apply a personal appearance via a video (based on one person’s preference as an individual) because the simple proven truth is that there are few people who are not judgemental subconsciously as well as consciously & you will not ever understand how damaging this piece of advice could turn out for many individuals who try. I say personal appearance is not a necessity at all but I do say video is the very best way at engaging & getting any message across full stop. Be warned readers, people are soO judgemental & really do not even know it.

[mark74]

Great post, really!!! +1 for this!! 🙂

[mark74]

Great post, really!!! +1 for this!! 🙂

[wendym]

@scriptwizard: I never said video, what I said was picture. Yes, unfortunately some people are very judgmental, but I honestly think most people are not and just want a face to go along with the name. I want to know to know that I’m dealing with a person.

[wendym]

@scriptwizard: I never said video, what I said was picture. Yes, unfortunately some people are very judgmental, but I honestly think most people are not and just want a face to go along with the name. I want to know to know that I’m dealing with a person.

[Guest scriptwizard]

I am not being judgemental about your thread (I like it) but what you said, “so long as you’re enthusiastic enough to make yourself presentable and sit in front of a camera for a minute.” Could be interpreted to mean having to video yourself (after all, it does not take a minute to take a picture, it’s more like a click). I just wanted to make the point that people are judgemental & for that reason appearing on video (or photo in my view) can have the opposite effect than what people are hoping to achieve. You may think that most people are not judgemental if you like but that isn’t how the human brain works in the real world. The human brain has evolved to be judgemental about all in its surroundings. It will do this in nano-seconds because it is a necessary function for survival (it always has been). Even you seem to not notice that you do it (at least you do not seem to think so). Don’t worry it is not a disease, it is quite normal, a reality (whether anyone consciously thinks so or not).



Besides this is not to imply that in ALL cases showing your photo or appearing in a video would have a negative result, it is suggesting though that people will instinctively draw conclusions from what they see (good or bad) & that by doing so could result negatively in some instances. Personally I prefer not to take that risk.

[Guest scriptwizard]

I am not being judgemental about your thread (I like it) but what you said, “so long as you’re enthusiastic enough to make yourself presentable and sit in front of a camera for a minute.” Could be interpreted to mean having to video yourself (after all, it does not take a minute to take a picture, it’s more like a click). I just wanted to make the point that people are judgemental & for that reason appearing on video (or photo in my view) can have the opposite effect than what people are hoping to achieve. You may think that most people are not judgemental if you like but that isn’t how the human brain works in the real world. The human brain has evolved to be judgemental about all in its surroundings. It will do this in nano-seconds because it is a necessary function for survival (it always has been). Even you seem to not notice that you do it (at least you do not seem to think so). Don’t worry it is not a disease, it is quite normal, a reality (whether anyone consciously thinks so or not).



Besides this is not to imply that in ALL cases showing your photo or appearing in a video would have a negative result, it is suggesting though that people will instinctively draw conclusions from what they see (good or bad) & that by doing so could result negatively in some instances. Personally I prefer not to take that risk.

[wendym]

@scriptwizard: I can see what you’re saying, in my experience it usually takes more than one click to get a photo of a person that they are willing to share with the world, more like 5 to 10 photos they don’t like before they get to the 1 that they are willing to post on a website.



As far as human nature goes, we generally react to faces in a good way, some faces work better than others for different purposes but we’re wired to respond to friendly expressions in a good way regardless of age, race, attractiveness, sex, etc. so someone that is likely to NOT hire due to a profile picture is probably some kind of psychopath that you wouldn’t want to work for anyway.



If you check out the most successful websites for high end sales (cars, real estate, law firms, consulting firms) there is a reason their staff has short bios and photos next to each bio, it interprets well in the business world. If it didn’t work for the majority it wouldn’t be a standard practice.



Now the except to this rule shows up when people don’t put a little thought into their photos-- you wouldn’t believe (maybe you would) how many people fail to take into account their surroundings and the small details-- even with a nice profile picture if I see a mess or drug paraphernalia (or both) in the background I’m probably going to assume the person is too disorganized to work for me. That would definitely hurt their chances of work.

[wendym]

@scriptwizard: I can see what you’re saying, in my experience it usually takes more than one click to get a photo of a person that they are willing to share with the world, more like 5 to 10 photos they don’t like before they get to the 1 that they are willing to post on a website.



As far as human nature goes, we generally react to faces in a good way, some faces work better than others for different purposes but we’re wired to respond to friendly expressions in a good way regardless of age, race, attractiveness, sex, etc. so someone that is likely to NOT hire due to a profile picture is probably some kind of psychopath that you wouldn’t want to work for anyway.



If you check out the most successful websites for high end sales (cars, real estate, law firms, consulting firms) there is a reason their staff has short bios and photos next to each bio, it interprets well in the business world. If it didn’t work for the majority it wouldn’t be a standard practice.



Now the except to this rule shows up when people don’t put a little thought into their photos-- you wouldn’t believe (maybe you would) how many people fail to take into account their surroundings and the small details-- even with a nice profile picture if I see a mess or drug paraphernalia (or both) in the background I’m probably going to assume the person is too disorganized to work for me. That would definitely hurt their chances of work.