I get contacted and I have a 3 minute conversation which usually includes phrases like:
"You've done this a lot so you should know...", "It's really not that hard to do", or "Give me a ballpark, I won't hold you to it..."
Actually all of these are lies. Anyone in our industry knows this to be so.
This post is not meant to be a rant, but it may end up sounding like one.
I actually think that those that are making the statements are not doing it to take advantage, they are more just in a position of either not knowing, or not appreciating what it takes to do what we do. So I hope this post will help educate - if nothing else.
For the record, I am done giving pricing without full specs. I am done with ballpark numbers, I am done with brainstorming after those numbers have been revealed. I am done with Ad agencies dictating design without ANY idea what matters and what actually works for the web, especially after pricing has been discussed.
Imagine that you are building a house, you tell the architect you want a house with walls and a roof. How much is that? He'd be crazy to answer, yet I am expected to give an answer without hesitation.
Go into Home Depot, ask them - "How much is a piece of string?"
Answer: IT DEPENDS
Depends on length, type, features, materials, craftsmanship, etc. etc.
The same is true for our "product". IT DEPENDS.
"By events calendar do you mean, I can see when events are happening ONLY - or I can register, create a custom t-shirt, invite friends, tweet, add it to my calendar, send myself reminders, blah blah blah?"
So I am done.
This IS a rant, more at myself for letting it happen then at others for asking.
We are not laying pipe in a 100' trench - we are dealing with emotion, marketing, expectations and the only way to make those expectations clear is to fully define them.
So, it ends, at least in as much as it's been done before.
Here's what I want...
I want you happy, not let down. Conversely, you should want me happy, because it is in your best interest for me to be here and not go bankrupt eating features and costs because you wanted a price up front.
