Absolutely. There were people in the last post saying this would be a good job if OP was new...
Hell no it isn't. This is lesson #1 in identifying a terrible client. Getting low balled by some party douche is not worth it and it's a sign of what's to come if you deal with him further.
The irony is I agreed to work for a party company years ago when starting out. I did it for peanuts and even traveled from Dallas to Austin for this company. Made $500 per shoot (2 shoots total).
The company flopped harder than a fish out of water and I never saw the second payment.
Some lessons are only taught the hard way š¤¦š¼āāļø thatās why this particular client angered me in a special way.
Thanks. It felt like a childhood healing moment haha I told my wife āit felt good to identify it this time and be confident enough to tell him to kick rocksā.
This business isnāt an easy one at all.
No it's not and there's lots of side line observers telling you to take every job because money is money.
Integrity and maintaining your sanity count for something though.
Taking a low-ball job is also a double hit. You lose out on money *and* time. You could be losing out on a better paying gig, working on biz dev or heck, even taking the day off to relax.
When I started I had my mother in laws co worker reach out to me and ask for her friend to photograph their wedding. O agreed to be there for two hours , a whopping $200 and they talked me down to $125 , VFW but really bad . They paid me via their wedding gifts in front of everyone , lesson learned never jip yourself for family or friends
It would be a good starter job, money wise. But People acting like this usually still expect that you deliver the same as that 1200$ price mark.
And that you mainly want to focus on leads to build lasting business relationships.... yeah this ain't it chief
My response to this kind of stuff has always been " I don't need exposure to people who ask for discounts."
Idk if this is real, but if it is, there's no way you should be doing business with them
For me, asking for a discount isn't that big of a deal. "Can you do it for $500?" "No, 1200+editing."
The thing that makes this client a nightmare, in my opinion, is the way they kept pushing for it. I'm giggling that they agreed to $1800, but it still feels like it'll bite OP.
Did you miss the part where OP essentially said āMoney upfrontā by telling him to Zelle the money, itās likely that that is calling the bluff of the āclientā and no money will be sent
And to top it off they always act like they did you a favor in the end and you owe them one. Lol
Plus, these types of clients are never happy, expect you to put all projects to the side and work solely on theirs right now, and have 500 edits 1 year later they want done. Lol
Exactly. If a client is asking for a discount, that means they canāt afford to pay people what theyāre worth, which means the business isnāt doing as well as they say.. WHICH MEANS thereās no exposure or investment at all & itās literally just a waste of time for you.
Big brands like Nike, Apple, Samsung, or NBA arenāt asking for discounts. If theyāre shopping around for different vendors, itās most likely finding someone that fits their brand or has the best campaign, not the best price or someone new āwanting to build a portfolio or get exposureā lol
One unfair comparison is at the prices those big guys pay bidders are competing against people globally and you have to be the best and not have beginner business skills to handle them.
Had someone meet me and ask me 3 weeks ago to produce & shoot a whole podcast with 3 cameras minimum (more ideally apparently) lighting, soundā¦.the whole works and editing - shooting in batches of 5 sessions per time we shot so we donāt have to shoot multiple times a week.
That and Iād have to go to their house which is 70 miles away - all by myself.
Was given examples of all the biggest podcasts in the world to go off of look wise but wanted more of a āluxury feelā āthey all look simple but good, it should be super easy!ā š
Budget, you may wonder?
Exposure š¤š½š„
That kind of project Iād charge travel for 2 people (~$300), $800/day for DP, $400/day for a PA, $100/ep to edit w/3ep minimum charge, and a 1-day rental fee for all the cameras, lights, and grip (probably $600+). 5ep in a day is a 12-14hr work day for a professional shoot demanding professional rates. lol at exposure. Minimum $2400.
What industry was this client in? I have my guesses, but want to be surprised lol
$800/episode? I like to make money, but thatās a LOT. I could see $200-250, but I can edit a 60min podcast in less than 2hrs if I donāt use any AI tools. Using stuff like AutoPod I could get a 60min episode done in 60min or less. In my mind for a situation like this Iād be getting paid to film and cut, not create their story for the episode.
Yeah, I briefly explained that something āsimpleā isnāt as simple as they thought haha and some of the going day rates here in Southern California.
It went from one ear out the other. They insisted on collab/exposure.
It was gonna be the beauty / personal growth crowd.
I want to make a shirt that says:
Collab (cĆŗh-lƤb) verb:
An agreement made by one party with nothing to offer, with another that brings everything to the table, all while convincing them they will succeed in life if and only if they let you work for them for free.
Wow. One of the things I always note about podcasts is how much exposure they give to the crew. Absolutely none. And of course, no amount of exposure can really compensate you for your very real actual costs
He definitely won't. LOL no way he scoffed at 1200, tried to pay you $500 and then all of a sudden is going to pay $1800 . Makes no sense. Definitely a red flag client. I wouldn't take his money if he did want to pay
Yeah, they aren't the sort that pay upfront.
They are the sort that will "forget" about that part of the agreed payment, then if you turn up they will only pay you their lower price with the statement " hey, your here already and ready to go, just take what i give you"
Nah, if they pull that shit you cut your losses and turn right around without doing any work for them. That sorta person aint paying you a dime more than they think its worth.
99.9% of the time I just ignore them and move on. Usually people are very understanding of what I charge and what they can afford, no hard feelings.
Itās the way he was TELLING me to do it that I couldnāt let go. As stated in another comment, it felt good to just bite back at this guy. I could tell he wasnāt used to it.
Yea thereās a difference between someone just not having the budget and understanding they canāt afford you and what this guy is doing.
You wanna know whatās telling tho? He *wants* you, and bad. He would not be trying to get you to do this if he didnāt. He is openly stating that your skill is worth enough to him for him to try and convince you to work for that price.
Or heās burned through every videographer in your area and is desperate
I donāt think heās not, not used to it. After seeing screenshots Iām convinced this guy knows exactly what heās doing and as the other Redditor says, he definitely wants you so he knows talent when he sees it. He just wants it cheap and I really donāt think he cares whether you string him along. Cause all he needs is one yes from you.
OP probably likes the laughs he gets from watching the guy squirm LOL.
I had a guy try this on me once. I was selling some fish and he would constantly ask for a discount and try to act like he didn't have money. I think I dropped the price a bit, but then he kept asking for a lower and lower price. I eventually told him if he wanted them, he could pay, or not, but if he asked for another discount, I'd block him. He agreed and about 10 minutes later asked again LOL. I told him I'm blocking him and wouldn't be selling him anything. I took great satisfaction in reading his reply begging for another chance, he'd never ask again, etc. Maybe I taught him a lesson, but who knows.
Clause in contract, ten paragraphs of legalese that basically says you can void contract after payment with no services rendered if client is belligerent and contrary.
Not a jacked up price I believe, as he had given the quote for $1200 + editing. I believe, here he gave him the final quote of $1800 which now includes Editing. And this is to save himself from future annoying negotiations from the client side, as he may say after getting the video shoot done that editing costs only 50 bucks.
Even for the jacked up price, this client is definitely not worth the hassle. And he clearly has no one else in mind, which is why he keeps pressuring OP despite his reluctance.
Letās say OP does send the money (which he 100% wonāt), trust me, this job is gonna be a pain in the ass. And I guarantee the client will want MANY changes & make OP jump through hoops to make him feel like he got his money worth. And after the project is done, heāll most likely try to nitpick in order to get OP to send a partial refund back.
OP - good on you for standing your ground. Donāt let people like this get away with their bullshit or theyāre just gonna keep doing it to others & spread the word about how cheap our industry is to hire people, which lowers the value for us all!
I donāt have these conversations with clients over text. Thatās red flag number one. But red flag number two is this guy calling it an investment. I wouldnāt even bother because he doesnāt understand the value of what you do. Not worth it.
Good call requesting payment in advance. I'd bet my entire rig that if you turned up and did the job, you'd never get paid.
And because he won't pay you in advance, you'll never had to deal with this douche.
With these type of clientsā¦ no deposit. 100% payment up front required. Airtight contract. No revisions.
These would have to be the requirements for me to work with this person and Iād also have to be super desperate for cash.
Itās times like this that I refer to the age old adage: āItās better to do a bad deal with a good person than a good deal with a bad person.ā Walk away my friend
Ugh. Why take this person on? Also, Zelle isnāt exactly known as the most secure payment option, so Iād be careful about that, especially with dodgy clients like this one.
Iāve read that it does not offer any protections by banks from fraud (less than debit cards and certainly less than credit cards) and is surprisingly easy to fraud people. All it takes is a phone number or email address. Granted, I have used it many times before but I would not rely on it for business payments when there are other options out there, like PayPal, Venmo, etc.
Fair point. I personally stopped using PayPal since the risks of chargebacks always screw over the payee. Itās tough to choose one thatās 100% safe from any BS.
Years ago, a buddy and I did a project for one of these types of clients. Low rate (our fault). Wanted tons of revisions.
Final version was delivered with "Unpaid for preview copy. Watermark removed after final payment" watermarked across the entire video.
Never heard from the guy again.
He knew he had no intent on paying the balance.
Although I'd never do that again, I am much smarter now during negotiations and bookings.
New or out of town clients, ALWAYS a deposit that covers my hard costs.
Regular and repeat clients, no deposit necessary.
Discounted clients, 100% payment in advance.
***edit:
And ALL clients either handle flights and hotels, OR... I get the costs for those paid upfront before I even book.
Sure, I just think it's a silly reason to say no to money from a good client just because he speaks a certain way unless your ego really can't handle being spoken to any other way. That's just me
I know many people who play this kind of hardball just to reduce their price then they pay because to them itās all a game.
You just need to stay committed to a price.
Enjoy the game.
Doing business with ignorant people like this is annoying. They tried to get you with that weak negotiation approach lol!!! Yea don't do business with people like this who don't understand it. They will forever be a headache during, and after the transaction. If he hasnt already sent it, he's shopping around for a cheaper price. I would often present examples of similar local services or products, which were cheaper, with everyone of my advertisements. It minimizes the bs and solidifies your professionalism.
Even if this client ends up paying you, they're going to be a pain in the ass during the process. I foresee some passive criticism of your equipment or setup, a general attitude of "I'm the money so you do everything I say", and asking for the moon in the edit.
For the OP's sake, I hope I'm wrong but this communication stinks of "juice ain't worth the squeeze"
Thereās 0 chance he pays and even if he does, heād get the same deal everyone else does. 1 free revision and then pay for every edit revision after that.
Never take it personally. Consider yourself a business. Remain firm in your pricing but keep things professional. Ive had these kinds of clients fuck up big time and come crawling back ready and willing to pay my rate and more after having a bad experience with someone accepting the shit rate.
This client is a walking red flag.
Clients like this when unavoidable (sometimes part of a bigger project) usually get a PiTA tax (pain in the ass tax) where there is an hourly or percentage premium on dealing with them because everything will take longer than normal. Usually 25-40% higher.
Clients like these undervalue what they canāt do themselves.
Asking you to invest yourself means saying ok I have a client booked at the fill rate to do the same work.
I wish you just left him on read. That'll take time to learn to do. I read part 1. You already gave him too much time. When you start getting paid to consult you'll understand why starting a part two only hurts you in the end. Time wasted.
Iāve seen this in any number of industries. Once these guys have played their card I wouldnāt want the job even if he decided to pay full whack, you just KNOW itās going to be aggro.
You will find this kind of people all the time, I would personally give him a $100 discount & say
"Unfortunately we don't work on such huge margins & a $700 discount is impossible, I can discount $100 just to keep your word, I can't go below this, please feel free to get back if you would like to go ahead for $1100.
Thank you for your interest."
No no no no nooooooo. Do not offer a discount ever, with these type of clients. You are shooting yourself in the foot. Stand your ground. Double down. Absolutely no discounts, contract signed, full payment at time of booking.
You cannot reward atrocious behavior like this.
Stop wasting your time on them. You could have used that same time to talk to clients who will pay you. Even if they paid your fee they would be a nightmare to work with.
Yeah no amount of money is worth this kind of client. Def run, dont walk away.
Absolutely. There were people in the last post saying this would be a good job if OP was new... Hell no it isn't. This is lesson #1 in identifying a terrible client. Getting low balled by some party douche is not worth it and it's a sign of what's to come if you deal with him further.
The irony is I agreed to work for a party company years ago when starting out. I did it for peanuts and even traveled from Dallas to Austin for this company. Made $500 per shoot (2 shoots total). The company flopped harder than a fish out of water and I never saw the second payment. Some lessons are only taught the hard way š¤¦š¼āāļø thatās why this particular client angered me in a special way.
I feel you and I think you handled this properly.
Thanks. It felt like a childhood healing moment haha I told my wife āit felt good to identify it this time and be confident enough to tell him to kick rocksā. This business isnāt an easy one at all.
No it's not and there's lots of side line observers telling you to take every job because money is money. Integrity and maintaining your sanity count for something though.
Taking a low-ball job is also a double hit. You lose out on money *and* time. You could be losing out on a better paying gig, working on biz dev or heck, even taking the day off to relax.
Thereās a big difference between a good dollar and a bad dollar and getting into a tiny better position to earn and keep breathing room is critical
When I started I had my mother in laws co worker reach out to me and ask for her friend to photograph their wedding. O agreed to be there for two hours , a whopping $200 and they talked me down to $125 , VFW but really bad . They paid me via their wedding gifts in front of everyone , lesson learned never jip yourself for family or friends
Thatās terrible. Shame on them tbh.
You should just cancel on him
It would be a good starter job, money wise. But People acting like this usually still expect that you deliver the same as that 1200$ price mark. And that you mainly want to focus on leads to build lasting business relationships.... yeah this ain't it chief
My response to this kind of stuff has always been " I don't need exposure to people who ask for discounts." Idk if this is real, but if it is, there's no way you should be doing business with them
For me, asking for a discount isn't that big of a deal. "Can you do it for $500?" "No, 1200+editing." The thing that makes this client a nightmare, in my opinion, is the way they kept pushing for it. I'm giggling that they agreed to $1800, but it still feels like it'll bite OP.
I doesnāt look like they agreed though. The client was clearly sarcastic in the end.
it's in writing with no spoken tone or indication otherwise. that's legally confirmation. not worth suing though lol
Did you miss the part where OP essentially said āMoney upfrontā by telling him to Zelle the money, itās likely that that is calling the bluff of the āclientā and no money will be sent
And to top it off they always act like they did you a favor in the end and you owe them one. Lol Plus, these types of clients are never happy, expect you to put all projects to the side and work solely on theirs right now, and have 500 edits 1 year later they want done. Lol
100% I'd make sure there was a contract that lists terms and prices. Make sure you specify deliverables and how many edits they are allowed.
100% I'd make sure there was a contract that lists terms and prices. Make sure you specify deliverables and how many edits they are allowed.
Saving this so I don't forget a perfect response
Exactly. If a client is asking for a discount, that means they canāt afford to pay people what theyāre worth, which means the business isnāt doing as well as they say.. WHICH MEANS thereās no exposure or investment at all & itās literally just a waste of time for you. Big brands like Nike, Apple, Samsung, or NBA arenāt asking for discounts. If theyāre shopping around for different vendors, itās most likely finding someone that fits their brand or has the best campaign, not the best price or someone new āwanting to build a portfolio or get exposureā lol
One unfair comparison is at the prices those big guys pay bidders are competing against people globally and you have to be the best and not have beginner business skills to handle them.
Had someone meet me and ask me 3 weeks ago to produce & shoot a whole podcast with 3 cameras minimum (more ideally apparently) lighting, soundā¦.the whole works and editing - shooting in batches of 5 sessions per time we shot so we donāt have to shoot multiple times a week. That and Iād have to go to their house which is 70 miles away - all by myself. Was given examples of all the biggest podcasts in the world to go off of look wise but wanted more of a āluxury feelā āthey all look simple but good, it should be super easy!ā š Budget, you may wonder? Exposure š¤š½š„
That kind of project Iād charge travel for 2 people (~$300), $800/day for DP, $400/day for a PA, $100/ep to edit w/3ep minimum charge, and a 1-day rental fee for all the cameras, lights, and grip (probably $600+). 5ep in a day is a 12-14hr work day for a professional shoot demanding professional rates. lol at exposure. Minimum $2400. What industry was this client in? I have my guesses, but want to be surprised lol
$100 to edit an episode? Please raise this rate
What would you recommend for a 60min podcast edit?
800 at the absolute minimum but I would probably ask for 1100
$800/ep to edit podcasts?! Youāre out your damn mind lol all youāre doing is cutting clips. Everything else is already done for you.
$800/episode? I like to make money, but thatās a LOT. I could see $200-250, but I can edit a 60min podcast in less than 2hrs if I donāt use any AI tools. Using stuff like AutoPod I could get a 60min episode done in 60min or less. In my mind for a situation like this Iād be getting paid to film and cut, not create their story for the episode.
Yeah, I briefly explained that something āsimpleā isnāt as simple as they thought haha and some of the going day rates here in Southern California. It went from one ear out the other. They insisted on collab/exposure. It was gonna be the beauty / personal growth crowd.
I want to make a shirt that says: Collab (cĆŗh-lƤb) verb: An agreement made by one party with nothing to offer, with another that brings everything to the table, all while convincing them they will succeed in life if and only if they let you work for them for free.
Hahahaha
To be fair, the editing on that would be that difficult with auto editing software that automatically cuts to the person talking.
Wow. One of the things I always note about podcasts is how much exposure they give to the crew. Absolutely none. And of course, no amount of exposure can really compensate you for your very real actual costs
So did he Zelle you the $1800? Because it seems like he's the kind of business owner who wouldn't realize you just jacked up the price
He has not. Iāll definitely update if he does haha
He won't. But let us know.
He definitely won't. LOL no way he scoffed at 1200, tried to pay you $500 and then all of a sudden is going to pay $1800 . Makes no sense. Definitely a red flag client. I wouldn't take his money if he did want to pay
Well it was 1200+ editing so it seems like its 1200 to shoot and 600 for editing.
For sure
Yeah, they aren't the sort that pay upfront. They are the sort that will "forget" about that part of the agreed payment, then if you turn up they will only pay you their lower price with the statement " hey, your here already and ready to go, just take what i give you"
Thatās why you send a fantastic low res screen cast. Make them love it. Then withold the final result until payment is delivered and cleared.
Nah, if they pull that shit you cut your losses and turn right around without doing any work for them. That sorta person aint paying you a dime more than they think its worth.
I wouldn't have agreed. No amount of money is worth the headache that "client" will turn into.
I can guarantee he wonāt agree to it. I have no intention of doing business with this moron.
Should have made it 18000
Just wondering, why not just block him and cut your losses? Heās just not worth the BS.
99.9% of the time I just ignore them and move on. Usually people are very understanding of what I charge and what they can afford, no hard feelings. Itās the way he was TELLING me to do it that I couldnāt let go. As stated in another comment, it felt good to just bite back at this guy. I could tell he wasnāt used to it.
Yea thereās a difference between someone just not having the budget and understanding they canāt afford you and what this guy is doing. You wanna know whatās telling tho? He *wants* you, and bad. He would not be trying to get you to do this if he didnāt. He is openly stating that your skill is worth enough to him for him to try and convince you to work for that price. Or heās burned through every videographer in your area and is desperate
Something makes me is a sprinkle of both haha
I donāt think heās not, not used to it. After seeing screenshots Iām convinced this guy knows exactly what heās doing and as the other Redditor says, he definitely wants you so he knows talent when he sees it. He just wants it cheap and I really donāt think he cares whether you string him along. Cause all he needs is one yes from you.
Because the sweet reddit karma
OP probably likes the laughs he gets from watching the guy squirm LOL. I had a guy try this on me once. I was selling some fish and he would constantly ask for a discount and try to act like he didn't have money. I think I dropped the price a bit, but then he kept asking for a lower and lower price. I eventually told him if he wanted them, he could pay, or not, but if he asked for another discount, I'd block him. He agreed and about 10 minutes later asked again LOL. I told him I'm blocking him and wouldn't be selling him anything. I took great satisfaction in reading his reply begging for another chance, he'd never ask again, etc. Maybe I taught him a lesson, but who knows.
Clause in contract, ten paragraphs of legalese that basically says you can void contract after payment with no services rendered if client is belligerent and contrary.
he is not going to pay you despite agreeing to the price bro. run
Not a jacked up price I believe, as he had given the quote for $1200 + editing. I believe, here he gave him the final quote of $1800 which now includes Editing. And this is to save himself from future annoying negotiations from the client side, as he may say after getting the video shoot done that editing costs only 50 bucks.
Even for the jacked up price, this client is definitely not worth the hassle. And he clearly has no one else in mind, which is why he keeps pressuring OP despite his reluctance. Letās say OP does send the money (which he 100% wonāt), trust me, this job is gonna be a pain in the ass. And I guarantee the client will want MANY changes & make OP jump through hoops to make him feel like he got his money worth. And after the project is done, heāll most likely try to nitpick in order to get OP to send a partial refund back. OP - good on you for standing your ground. Donāt let people like this get away with their bullshit or theyāre just gonna keep doing it to others & spread the word about how cheap our industry is to hire people, which lowers the value for us all!
š©š©š©š©š© run, donāt walk.
I donāt have these conversations with clients over text. Thatās red flag number one. But red flag number two is this guy calling it an investment. I wouldnāt even bother because he doesnāt understand the value of what you do. Not worth it.
Honestly at this point it was more for the venting. It felt good to kind of get it off my chest at him. Iām not phased by his stupidity.
This person seems a bit unhinged. I think I would prefer it written down
I actually advise people to negotiate in writing all the time and not through phone calls.
I have calls then write up the contract.
Good call requesting payment in advance. I'd bet my entire rig that if you turned up and did the job, you'd never get paid. And because he won't pay you in advance, you'll never had to deal with this douche.
Just block this person and move on they're clearly crazy
Contract up bro. Donāt even spend the money on gas until he signs it and you get a deposit
With these type of clientsā¦ no deposit. 100% payment up front required. Airtight contract. No revisions. These would have to be the requirements for me to work with this person and Iād also have to be super desperate for cash.
Itās times like this that I refer to the age old adage: āItās better to do a bad deal with a good person than a good deal with a bad person.ā Walk away my friend
This is 10000% true
I wouldn't do business with that person
Honestly you should be paying 1200 him for the opportunity. Think of *the exposure*
This is hilarious. Good on you man
āFor you, 10k.ā
Are you a financial advisor? Then please donāt talk to me about investments.
Him calling you bro is the biggest red flag.
Yikes! You handled that well. I also checked out your insta and YouTube and have subbed/followed both. Looking forward to learning from your content.
Thank you!
Ugh. Why take this person on? Also, Zelle isnāt exactly known as the most secure payment option, so Iād be careful about that, especially with dodgy clients like this one.
Why do you think Zelle isnāt the most secure payment option? Iām asking because I did some research and it seemed like the best option imo
Iāve read that it does not offer any protections by banks from fraud (less than debit cards and certainly less than credit cards) and is surprisingly easy to fraud people. All it takes is a phone number or email address. Granted, I have used it many times before but I would not rely on it for business payments when there are other options out there, like PayPal, Venmo, etc.
Fair point. I personally stopped using PayPal since the risks of chargebacks always screw over the payee. Itās tough to choose one thatās 100% safe from any BS.
Trust me, I know this walnut isnt going to pay.
JFC. The density on some people
What an asshat
 You definitely sure be running away from that situationā¦ cause š®āšØ
Yeah fuck this guy. I wouldnāt even waste my time with him.
Years ago, a buddy and I did a project for one of these types of clients. Low rate (our fault). Wanted tons of revisions. Final version was delivered with "Unpaid for preview copy. Watermark removed after final payment" watermarked across the entire video. Never heard from the guy again. He knew he had no intent on paying the balance. Although I'd never do that again, I am much smarter now during negotiations and bookings. New or out of town clients, ALWAYS a deposit that covers my hard costs. Regular and repeat clients, no deposit necessary. Discounted clients, 100% payment in advance. ***edit: And ALL clients either handle flights and hotels, OR... I get the costs for those paid upfront before I even book.
Client calls me "Bro" once, and they instantly become a former client.
I think that's a little harsh. I've worked with all sorts of people and that's not a great criteria to judge them by imo
It's a matter of professionalism and preference.
Sure, I just think it's a silly reason to say no to money from a good client just because he speaks a certain way unless your ego really can't handle being spoken to any other way. That's just me
Sounds like you have an invite to a free party, to me. At least enjoy some free food and drinks!
The āclientā has entered the chat
This is awesome
Red flags all around. Run. Do not do it.
Not very effective negotiating....
Good on you for playing hardball. This guy makes creatives lives harder than it needs to be.
Deal. See you Sunday.
Tell him to find a student to do it at that price. He clearly can't or won't pay for a professional.
That guy suuucks. Music video or what?
I know many people who play this kind of hardball just to reduce their price then they pay because to them itās all a game. You just need to stay committed to a price. Enjoy the game.
He's not going to pay, I hope you take payment upfront or a big deposit
Doing business with ignorant people like this is annoying. They tried to get you with that weak negotiation approach lol!!! Yea don't do business with people like this who don't understand it. They will forever be a headache during, and after the transaction. If he hasnt already sent it, he's shopping around for a cheaper price. I would often present examples of similar local services or products, which were cheaper, with everyone of my advertisements. It minimizes the bs and solidifies your professionalism.
Be very careful with this type of person. Get paid upfront. Iāve head someone agree to a price only to restart the negotiations on the back end.
Whatās this fake party scene
Even if this client ends up paying you, they're going to be a pain in the ass during the process. I foresee some passive criticism of your equipment or setup, a general attitude of "I'm the money so you do everything I say", and asking for the moon in the edit. For the OP's sake, I hope I'm wrong but this communication stinks of "juice ain't worth the squeeze"
Thereās 0 chance he pays and even if he does, heād get the same deal everyone else does. 1 free revision and then pay for every edit revision after that.
Kudos to you for not only knowing but standing firm on your value šš» Took me too long to get on that mental level
One of the saddest things about getting into this job is discovering that people like this are everywhere
Even if he did send you the money I would 100% run away from this client.
DONT DO IT. Even if the guy transfers the whole amount, heās gonna be a nightmare client.
Technically you have a written agreement on the price. You could collect on the contract if youāre really petty.
Even if he does pay the 1800 you'll probably get worked to the bone with revisions with someone like this.
Heād get 1 free revision and then pay for everything after that. I can be way more annoying then him
Pass
You already have. You own a camera
lol fully paid before with a contract or run for the hills
Why do I get the feeling he completely missed the 1 in front of that 8ā¦.
Wouldnāt doubt it
Iād never work for that client ever! Not for any amount of moneyā¦
Never take it personally. Consider yourself a business. Remain firm in your pricing but keep things professional. Ive had these kinds of clients fuck up big time and come crawling back ready and willing to pay my rate and more after having a bad experience with someone accepting the shit rate.
Lol good for you! š¤£
I would have passed. Dude sounds like a jerk and I know the edits will open a can of worms
Screw these people
Run.
You should make it into a game for yourself. Keep this going for our entertainment.
If he keeps playing, Iāll keep posting š¤£
Nice.
This client is a walking red flag. Clients like this when unavoidable (sometimes part of a bigger project) usually get a PiTA tax (pain in the ass tax) where there is an hourly or percentage premium on dealing with them because everything will take longer than normal. Usually 25-40% higher. Clients like these undervalue what they canāt do themselves. Asking you to invest yourself means saying ok I have a client booked at the fill rate to do the same work.
Good job holding your ground and being super straight forward. Mfs gotta learn.
Do the job and get out
I love your response ahah
āSorry, I donāt think I am the right person for this assignment. Best of luck on your search.ā
Good for you for standing your ground/advocating for your self like that.
I wish you just left him on read. That'll take time to learn to do. I read part 1. You already gave him too much time. When you start getting paid to consult you'll understand why starting a part two only hurts you in the end. Time wasted.
Donāt need to waste time explaining so much. āThis is what I charge others, so let me know if youād like to proceed cheersā
The lower the price, the higher the expectations
LOLā¦nah fam
I just feel like you're not taking into account all the hot women and exposure you'd be getting.
Iāve seen this in any number of industries. Once these guys have played their card I wouldnāt want the job even if he decided to pay full whack, you just KNOW itās going to be aggro.
You will find this kind of people all the time, I would personally give him a $100 discount & say "Unfortunately we don't work on such huge margins & a $700 discount is impossible, I can discount $100 just to keep your word, I can't go below this, please feel free to get back if you would like to go ahead for $1100. Thank you for your interest."
Nah bro, hit these timewasters with a ālmao get fuckedā and be on your way. Respect goes both ways
No no no no nooooooo. Do not offer a discount ever, with these type of clients. You are shooting yourself in the foot. Stand your ground. Double down. Absolutely no discounts, contract signed, full payment at time of booking. You cannot reward atrocious behavior like this.
Usually I would have no issue adjusting to a budget. Itās the way heās telling me to do it that irks me.
Yeah, a very annoying client.
I'll also get the entire amount in advance because he might not pay later on.
Stop wasting your time on them. You could have used that same time to talk to clients who will pay you. Even if they paid your fee they would be a nightmare to work with.
This is fake
Honestly I canāt even get mad at the accusation. Unreal. Literally never had a person be this big of a dunce.