Don\'t do work for nothing

[capitalquality]

I know this sounds like I’m stating the obvious but I’ve done this before and I’m pretty sure I’ve just done it again.

In my enthusiasm to get ahead and please potential buyers I have:

• completed work before the buyer has filled in the mandatory requirements (if I have enough information) only to find the buyer never fills in the mandatory requirements. No requirements, no order, no delivery, no pay.
• completed work based on desperate midnight messages from the other side of the world saying please have it ready in the morning but no order ever comes. No order, no delivery, no pay.

Like I say, it’s stating the obvious, but I think I’m going to risk annoying a few potential buyers with a delay in starting their order rather than working for free and throwing it away.

[anamariaedan]

Never do it! What I do is always send them a custom offer and say “Once you accept my offer and fill-in your requirements, I am ready to start working on your oder!”. Because buyers often talk with more sellers in the same time, you can never be sure they will order from you until it is actually there.

[emmaki]

I almost fell into the trap yesterday! I was negotiating with a potential long term contract. It was looking good until he ordered my prize gig ($5 for 10 words, sigh) and then said “oops! Well, if you do this then we can negotiate from there!”

That was a few days ago. I sent a sullen “OK” which was in direct contrast with my awesome communications before. Last night I said “No, I can’t do this.” and explained to him that I was not going to cripple my negotiations so, and gave him a bill for $20 to cover the extra words or a cancellation.

Accepted the cancellation and disappeared with a puff of smoke. At least I didn’t have to resentfully write some half-assed crap for him to negotiate a hateful deal where I was crippled.

I would have lost overall, anyway. Beware bike tours man! He doesn’t respect negotiation space and takes advantage of professional friendliness.

[emmaki]

Anyway–I know it’s hard. It jars me when it happens. But there’s always another punter who won’t be wriggling through your skills for free, so give them the air instead.

[emmaki]

Heh, you haven’t dealt with the questions who then order when you’ve clearly tried to clear a few more up then get offended when you point out they’ve gone supercheap in the middle of negotiations and are using that as a bargaining chip.

[misscrystal]

I’m not negotiating my prices. Buyers trying to negotiate are cheap and difficult usually.

[cyaxrex]

Was this Italy bike tours man by any chance?

[emmaki]

Europe wide, had a Google Drive spreadsheet. We bonded over Salzburg, briefly. I shared an anecdote about a loud American tour guide on the Sound of Music tour bus (which was surprisingly fun).

All that small chat and effort for nothing!

[emmaki]

I was working it up then he ordered the cheapest gig and used it as a bargaining chip!!!

Honestly, negotiation skills are wasted on some people.

[coolgrfx]

Dead right. If the buyer starts to negotiate I say "I am sure you will find a dozen of better sellers who are willing to do the job for that price "

[emmaki]

Tell me about it. The ones who want to really spend just ask “are you available, what’s your price?” along with a superb brief, I send the details in an equally businesslike manner and they order.

WHY CAN’T EVERYONE BE LIKE THIS?

[anamariaedan]

Well, I didn’t refer to the negotiations, I send the offer after talking to them and finding a price to agree upon. I was only referring to how I send the message that buyers must order and then I will work on their task.

[capitalquality]

I want to hear that anecdote one day 🙂

[capitalquality]

I know…I’ve met very few bad buyers. Most are great to work with and some will even pay what the work is worth.