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Snapped a little bit today.
It's been, in general, a very bad day anyways. Can barely move after I overworked myself doing yardscaping yesterday, and the kid has been ornery as get out.
So I get two SCs today, both of whom don't get past getting a price quote. First one is just the typical rude "it costs WHAT?!"followed by the "scammer!" "*itch!" and whatnot.
The second guy though....I don't know why, but he triggered the snap.
He was asking for a large, complicated order for his site, and told me he had a budget of $40. $40. No freaking way that would even cover anything REMOTELY similar to what he wants, and wouldn't even cover one of my premades. I explain that perhaps he might be best off looking elsewhere, sorry.
He proceeds to go into a ragefest I haven't seen in about a week. He promptly insults my work, demands huge discounts, curses me out, and then hits me with the kicker:
"You just won't lower your prices because you don't want to actually WORK. You're too lazy. I could get a better design off of fiverr."
Oh, FUDGE NO.
I promptly blocked him. I was, quite literally, shaking with rage. I don't know why, but that was IT.
So, here's the other thing. The site owners have a little social group online that 95% of them are a member of. I decided this was the final straw, I'm going to just address this flat out.
I spent the next twenty minutes writing and rewriting a letter to the site owners. I don't know if those two clients from today are in the group. Personally, I'm kinda hoping they are. I really don't care what they think, and I'm to the point that I just...I need to explain this to them.
So....I posted this:
The replies already are pretty much flying in, and I'm barely able to type up this post in between replying to IMs from the owners. I know, I probably shouldn't have done this, but....I just couldn't take it anymore. I don't know why.
So far, replies are fairly nice, couple are like "Well, lower your prices just a little." But in general, mostly support, thankfully. Just waiting until the others log on, because if I know these people, the phone/email tree's already at full blast.
It's been, in general, a very bad day anyways. Can barely move after I overworked myself doing yardscaping yesterday, and the kid has been ornery as get out.
So I get two SCs today, both of whom don't get past getting a price quote. First one is just the typical rude "it costs WHAT?!"followed by the "scammer!" "*itch!" and whatnot.
The second guy though....I don't know why, but he triggered the snap.
He was asking for a large, complicated order for his site, and told me he had a budget of $40. $40. No freaking way that would even cover anything REMOTELY similar to what he wants, and wouldn't even cover one of my premades. I explain that perhaps he might be best off looking elsewhere, sorry.
He proceeds to go into a ragefest I haven't seen in about a week. He promptly insults my work, demands huge discounts, curses me out, and then hits me with the kicker:
"You just won't lower your prices because you don't want to actually WORK. You're too lazy. I could get a better design off of fiverr."
Oh, FUDGE NO.
I promptly blocked him. I was, quite literally, shaking with rage. I don't know why, but that was IT.
So, here's the other thing. The site owners have a little social group online that 95% of them are a member of. I decided this was the final straw, I'm going to just address this flat out.
I spent the next twenty minutes writing and rewriting a letter to the site owners. I don't know if those two clients from today are in the group. Personally, I'm kinda hoping they are. I really don't care what they think, and I'm to the point that I just...I need to explain this to them.
So....I posted this:
Just because it's been One of Those Days, I want to really just get this off my chest:
Hi, I own <my company>. And right off the bat, yes, I know my prices are high. There's a reasoning behind that, and I'm going to outline exactly why, and why its beneficial to you, the site owners.
First off, my prices are the way they are due to the amount of time and the work that I put into them. Unlike some more recent “designers” that have come onto the scene, I don't use templates that I just recolor. Everything I design starts from a completely blank canvas in Photoshop, and then I build on from there. I usually invest, on average, ten hours in the more simple designs. High quality stuff ends up taking a LOT more. I really work hard at making a site to what my client envisions.
Secondly, its the experience. I've worked on <industry> designs for about six years now. I've improved a lot, and I've learned various tricks and techniques that help bring in people to a website. I've learned about color psychology, which shapes are the most attractive to clicking, and usability techniques, just to name a few. I've studied on these things in my off time, so I can improve, and help make your sites BETTER.
Thirdly, supply/demand, and to make sure I still have some semblance of a life. I get, on average, at least eight to ten orders a week. I'm only one person, and I have a family. If my prices were any lower, it'd increase, and I'd be unable to keep up with the demand, and then you'd all hear a rumbling in the earth, followed by a shriek, and then the sky would go dark. Okay, well maybe not that, but you get my drift.
The benefits of this, though?
Your site is custom, and is what you envisioned. When a site owner loves their design, it shows through in their business. They are happy, and they work more productively, and in general, things are better.
Its a filter of sorts. If a site has the money to purchase a custom design from me, it generally means they actually have the funds to work at their business. I say generally, because of course, this isn't always true, but it's usually a very good sign.
Remember I mentioned that experience? On average, I've heard back from my clients that their traffic at least DOUBLES after a design. It honestly makes me happy to hear back from someone how their site was doing so terribly, but now everyone's signing up like crazy.
Its an INVESTMENT. Not a frivolous expense. Not a scam. Its an investment into improving your business. You're just about guaranteed to make back your money and waaaay more then some after you purchase a site design.
So yes, I do charge a lot, and I hope that this clears up some of the veil of the mystery of why I do so.
Tldr; I charge so much because I have housecarls to feed. (Skyrim joke, LOL!)
Hi, I own <my company>. And right off the bat, yes, I know my prices are high. There's a reasoning behind that, and I'm going to outline exactly why, and why its beneficial to you, the site owners.
First off, my prices are the way they are due to the amount of time and the work that I put into them. Unlike some more recent “designers” that have come onto the scene, I don't use templates that I just recolor. Everything I design starts from a completely blank canvas in Photoshop, and then I build on from there. I usually invest, on average, ten hours in the more simple designs. High quality stuff ends up taking a LOT more. I really work hard at making a site to what my client envisions.
Secondly, its the experience. I've worked on <industry> designs for about six years now. I've improved a lot, and I've learned various tricks and techniques that help bring in people to a website. I've learned about color psychology, which shapes are the most attractive to clicking, and usability techniques, just to name a few. I've studied on these things in my off time, so I can improve, and help make your sites BETTER.
Thirdly, supply/demand, and to make sure I still have some semblance of a life. I get, on average, at least eight to ten orders a week. I'm only one person, and I have a family. If my prices were any lower, it'd increase, and I'd be unable to keep up with the demand, and then you'd all hear a rumbling in the earth, followed by a shriek, and then the sky would go dark. Okay, well maybe not that, but you get my drift.
The benefits of this, though?
Your site is custom, and is what you envisioned. When a site owner loves their design, it shows through in their business. They are happy, and they work more productively, and in general, things are better.
Its a filter of sorts. If a site has the money to purchase a custom design from me, it generally means they actually have the funds to work at their business. I say generally, because of course, this isn't always true, but it's usually a very good sign.
Remember I mentioned that experience? On average, I've heard back from my clients that their traffic at least DOUBLES after a design. It honestly makes me happy to hear back from someone how their site was doing so terribly, but now everyone's signing up like crazy.
Its an INVESTMENT. Not a frivolous expense. Not a scam. Its an investment into improving your business. You're just about guaranteed to make back your money and waaaay more then some after you purchase a site design.
So yes, I do charge a lot, and I hope that this clears up some of the veil of the mystery of why I do so.
Tldr; I charge so much because I have housecarls to feed. (Skyrim joke, LOL!)
So far, replies are fairly nice, couple are like "Well, lower your prices just a little." But in general, mostly support, thankfully. Just waiting until the others log on, because if I know these people, the phone/email tree's already at full blast.
ing clients in this mother
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