half out of it with a cold, so...sorry if I ramble, or don't make sense. I'm trying to.
So, this winter's been very hard on us, financially. We're over our heads now, bill-wise, due to a bunch of medical expenses that hit us. So I've been trying to get extra work everywhere I can, and....it's not been good.
This month, I lined up a five extra jobs that were supposed to be "coming down the pipe", you know? They were with good clients (who are really good friends now), and I've known each of them for YEARS.
Four of them cancelled on me this week. All in one week.
All of their reasons? They're outsourcing. Or going to a massively popular uber-cheap template website. It's literally the walmart of the web design world.
ONe of them had the gall last night to, after speaking with me just that morning and confirming that he still wanted me to work on his project..... ask my opinion on a cheap template. To quote "I'd save a ton of money if I bought this, I mean, seriously, comparing this to your prices....this is a lot better, and a lot cheaper."
I tried to be calm and polite, and explained how they are a multi-million corporation who not only simply aggregates other's designs for sale (so they don't have to invest time/effort in making said templates), but that they have plenty of money to back themselves up with that. And that each design sells hundreds, thousands of times. All of mine are unique, and I work personally with the clients. I sink time and effort. That costs money.
He said that if I couldn't compete with the prices, then maybe I should get out of my business and just mimic their setup.
I lost it. Signed off, broke down into tears, and pretty much was deeply depressed for the rest of the night. Still am severely depressed.
It's been bad, real bad. And to have someone who I considered a friend, and one of my best clients cut me down like that...after all that's already happened this week, and over the past couple of months..
I don't know. So close to giving up right now, but I can't. We need a roof over our heads.
So, this winter's been very hard on us, financially. We're over our heads now, bill-wise, due to a bunch of medical expenses that hit us. So I've been trying to get extra work everywhere I can, and....it's not been good.
This month, I lined up a five extra jobs that were supposed to be "coming down the pipe", you know? They were with good clients (who are really good friends now), and I've known each of them for YEARS.
Four of them cancelled on me this week. All in one week.
All of their reasons? They're outsourcing. Or going to a massively popular uber-cheap template website. It's literally the walmart of the web design world.
ONe of them had the gall last night to, after speaking with me just that morning and confirming that he still wanted me to work on his project..... ask my opinion on a cheap template. To quote "I'd save a ton of money if I bought this, I mean, seriously, comparing this to your prices....this is a lot better, and a lot cheaper."
I tried to be calm and polite, and explained how they are a multi-million corporation who not only simply aggregates other's designs for sale (so they don't have to invest time/effort in making said templates), but that they have plenty of money to back themselves up with that. And that each design sells hundreds, thousands of times. All of mine are unique, and I work personally with the clients. I sink time and effort. That costs money.
He said that if I couldn't compete with the prices, then maybe I should get out of my business and just mimic their setup.
I lost it. Signed off, broke down into tears, and pretty much was deeply depressed for the rest of the night. Still am severely depressed.
It's been bad, real bad. And to have someone who I considered a friend, and one of my best clients cut me down like that...after all that's already happened this week, and over the past couple of months..
I don't know. So close to giving up right now, but I can't. We need a roof over our heads.
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