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First time freelance project (self.freelance)

submitted ago by TearEUW

Hiya, I'm currently about to take on a project designing the magazine layout for an online business website. The client should call sometime next week to discuss things further, but as a Design student in my degree course taking on freelancing for the first time I had some questions that I wanted to ask.

  1. What are the main questions I need to discuss with the client? I've heard a front payment is generally reasonable to ask for, should I be charging per hour or as a whole (and what would be a reasonable amount to ask?) I'm to be given the content and my role is to design the layout of a magazine which appears to be around the 230 page mark.

  2. Is a contact required? What would be the main points that need to be accepted by myself and the client?

  3. They specified "You would be freelance and it would start off with a trial period to see how you do, you would be working with the editor-in-chief and the deputy editor" Is this trial period something reasonable to ask for? Or should it require payment too, I don't want to work for free.

That's about it, but if anyone else has advice it'd be greatly appreciated.

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[–]hobesmart 4 points5 points ago

While a contract is not "required," NOT having one is the worst mistake anyone can make as a freelancer. Maybe everything works out in the end, but often times there are issues. Not having a contract could lead to a whole slew of problems. Remember: a contract is there to protect both parties. Since you're new to the game, you probably have not yet watched F**k you, pay me. Watch it and take every word of advice that is in there for every client you ever work with (especially including friends and family).

tl;dr: Most definitely get a contract

[–]drifting_ 1 point2 points ago

where would you get a contract outline? is there any for free on the net?

[–]hobesmart 0 points1 point ago

when i first started out not that long ago, i used a modified version of the AIGA standard template until business picked up to the point where i decided to hire a lawyer who now does all of mine.

a good template can save you money in the short run, but once you're doing better for yourself, definitely find yourself a good lawyer. there are a lot of little details that need to be in a contract that don't come with the one-size-fits-all format of most templates. the misconception about hiring attorneys is that they're expensive, but honestly what's much more expensive is not having a good contract.

[–]drifting_ 0 points1 point ago

Thanks heaps this was the answer i was looking for. So how much is a good amount to pay for a contract? Would you use one per client with just more work added to it?

[–]mkaito 3 points4 points ago

What are the main questions I need to discuss with the client?

Largely depends on how you go about the project, and how you tackle the design task. Everyone has their own favourite questions. I tend to ask about things they have seen that they liked, and things they don't like. Most of the actual process comes when I show them a few doodles in my moleskine, and discuss each with them.

I've heard a front payment is generally reasonable to ask for

Yes. It makes sure both parties take the project seriously through an investment. They invest money upfront, you invest time and work. It also gets bullshit clients out of the way. I'd be very wary of someone who outright refuses to make an upfront deposit.

should I be charging per hour or as a whole

The bigger the project, the better of an idea it is to simply put a price tag on it. You should track your hours either way, and make sure that you stay within the boundaries you estimated.

Working by the hour is good if the project is organic, but if you have a very defined scope, you might want to just tag it and get it done ASAP.

230 page

Sounds like you're gonna be busy for a few weeks.

Is a contact required?

Contract? Never a bad idea.

What would be the main points that need to be accepted by myself and the client?

It should document your agreement on project scope, payment, timeframe, as well as anything that'd be useful in a court. Lawyers are good at this kind of thing.

Is this trial period something reasonable to ask for?

I've never heard of such a thing myself. They might be wary because you're still a student.

I don't want to work for free.

Nobody does; but if you don't have references and portfolio to speak for you, you will have to buckle down and get something done so you have something to show them. Most of us made fake projects, just for show. Either way, you'll have to do something for "free". Think of it as an investment. Your future clients won't have to try and figure out whether someone without a portfolio is good or not.

[–]TearEUW[S] 0 points1 point ago

Yeah, the 230 page thing was a huge downer. As much as I'd love to get some paid experience I don't feel confident enough to design such a large amount to a high quality. I'll discuss it with the client on wednesday and see how things go.

[–]crasseffect 1 point2 points ago

  1. Charging a fixed fee is a good idea for both parties if the job is precisely defined, and charging hourly is a good idea for both parties if the job is vague and changes often. Fixed fee on a vaguely specified job means that you will spend a lot of time on changes for free. Fixed fee on a precise job means you get paid more by working faster.

  2. Yes, a written contract is absolutely necessary, and shows professionalism. It doesn't have to be pages of legalese. My contracts are usually less than half a page, describing the work to be done, schedule, and payment in simple English.

  3. Not sure what they mean there. A "trial period" is okay, but anything longer than half a day of work should be paid.

Partial up-front payment is common for experienced freelancers, and helps weed out useless clients. But in the same way, a client is going to be cautious about your ability to deliver unless you have amazing recommendations and portfolio.

If you are paid hourly, a freelance contract can be ended at any time without notice, so a trial period won't be that different from the rest. If you are paid a fixed fee for work completed, make sure to split the work and payments up into smaller milestones.

[–]brandscaping 1 point2 points ago

One question I ask all new clients - "What do you want this project to do in order to be considered a successful venture?" You'll be surprised at the answers you get, and this can really help you with your focus. ie: the Client has requested X, but really wants Y. They don't know that there are better ways to get Y - but you do. When you know what the client's goals are, it's much easier for you to accomplish them (or weed out the folks with unrealistic expectations)