had a bit of a breakdown yesterday

[Seraph]

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.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Wait... he wants you to compete with prices of templates that sell hundreds of thousands of times when you're providing unique, tailored to the client product?

PSHAW. It sounds like someone got hit really hard with a stupid wrench. I hope he realizes when he gets his template up and running that his website looks exactly like couple hundred thousand other websites and it's no unique, so he starts losing money. Can't wait to see him complain then. "But it saved so much money--" aannndd you got what you paid for.

I'm sorry this happened. :/ Try to keep your head up though, and don't give up. We all know your work is worth the money that clients pay for it.

[Merriweather]

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.

Well, by his theory, art galleries should sell an original painting for the price of a mass-produced poster, then. And having your hair dyed at the salon should cost the same as buying a box of hair dye.

Some people just don't get it.

[Seraph]

Wait... he wants you to compete with prices of templates that sell hundreds of thousands of times when you're providing unique, tailored to the client product?

PSHAW. It sounds like someone got hit really hard with a stupid wrench. I hope he realizes when he gets his template up and running that his website looks exactly like couple hundred thousand other websites and it's no unique, so he starts losing money. Can't wait to see him complain then. "But it saved so much money--" aannndd you got what you paid for.

I'm sorry this happened. :/ Try to keep your head up though, and don't give up. We all know your work is worth the money that clients pay for it.

Yah, one of the ones he showed me yesterday had sold over a hundred times already in a couple of months...I was like that's going to be WAY higher soon, and eveeeryone's going to know.

Well, by his theory, art galleries should sell an original painting for the price of a mass-produced poster, then. And having your hair dyed at the salon should cost the same as buying a box of hair dye.

Some people just don't get it.

Dang. Can I borrow that? that's just beautiful.

[TheSHAD0W]

Yeah... Frankly, I think you should be a bit more... Well, "snooty" may not be the right word, but prideful, with a touch of disdain.

"Yes, that template is cheap, and if it'll work for your concept then you'll save a lot of money using it. But if it doesn't fit your business right, you won't be able to fix it easily, and will be a waste of money when you have to get your site redone. We build things right, and specific to your needs."

[Pixilated]

Problem is, Seraph can repeat that a dozen times but these people won't listen ... until their poor business decision comes back to bite them in the butt. Then they'll complain to all and sundry how they spent all this time and effort to produce a website that looks exactly like X, Y and Z (and a few dozen others) and isn't drawing nearly as much business they'd expected.

You get what you pay for -- exactly. And they're paying for mass-produced, so they're going to get the results of mass-produced, which isn't going to be nearly as good as the results from unique and thus noticeable.

I'm sorry to hear things aren't going well, Seraph. I hope things pick up for you very soon.

[Seraph]

Yeah... Frankly, I think you should be a bit more... Well, "snooty" may not be the right word, but prideful, with a touch of disdain.

"Yes, that template is cheap, and if it'll work for your concept then you'll save a lot of money using it. But if it doesn't fit your business right, you won't be able to fix it easily, and will be a waste of money when you have to get your site redone. We build things right, and specific to your needs."

Heh, no kidding. I am seriously considering putting up a notice saying that, at the very least, I will no longer provide consultations regarding competitor's premade templates.

You get what you pay for -- exactly. And they're paying for mass-produced, so they're going to get the results of mass-produced, which isn't going to be nearly as good as the results from unique and thus noticeable.

I'm sorry to hear things aren't going well, Seraph. I hope things pick up for you very soon.

And yet, they do not understand this. And keep coming back later on whining, just like you say.

Thanks, I hope things turn around too, this is....discouraging.

[Ashaela]

I offer e-hugs if you want them.... :-(

[dbuzman]

I will no longer provide consultations regarding competitor's premade templates.

Continue to provide consultation just charge them more than it would have cost them to get the the website designed by you in the first place.

[PepperElf]

and you know what's going to happen? He's going to turn around and wonder why "Why does my website look like every other website? How am I going to stand out?"

cos that's what you get when you order the "fast food" version of something.


It's like with one company I saw that prints free business cards. First time I saw the brown paisley I thought it looked sharp. The 50th time I saw it... not so much. (frankly I'm tired of seeing them now!)

Compare that to my bf's business card which he had specifically designed to stand out. His card stands out among all the carbon-copy-cards. Needless to say, it did take some investment. Perhaps not as much as a custom website, but ... still the concept is the same. If you want to stand out you can't get the same crap everyone else gets from the cookie-cutter-stores.

[Pixilated]

Continue to provide consultation just charge them more than it would have cost them to get the the website designed by you in the first place.

Yep. When they suddenly want you to "ramp up" their tedious website ... or heaven forbid, actually design them a unique one! ... make sure your prices have gone up. Let's see if they've absorbed the lesson and are willing to pay for something that will make them stand out.

*snip*
It's like with one company I saw that prints free business cards. First time I saw the brown paisley I thought it looked sharp. The 50th time I saw it... not so much. (frankly I'm tired of seeing them now!)*snip*

Brown paisley business cards???

[pzychobitch]

I offer e-hugs if you want them.... :-(

As do i

[BroSCFischer]

The sad part is that these are people who she has worked with before, and already HAVE a web presence. They are looking to cut costs, but are going to swiftly realize that when you have a unique, superior product and change to a common, inferior one you lose much of the individuality of your business. PLUS you have to deal with lack of available features, individualized support, and the relationship that can help things go smoothly.

On top of that, your customers may find that certain aspects of the personalized website that they enjoyed and came back for, are no longer available.

The REAL unfortunate thing is that by the time they realize the change is actually costing them more than they saved, they might not be able to AFFORD the personalized website. Which means Seraph would continue to suffer.

Hope things improve Seraph.

SC

[Pixilated]

*snip*

On top of that, your customers may find that certain aspects of the personalized website that they enjoyed and came back for, are no longer available.

*snip*

How true that is! A website I used to visit frequently, many years ago, took out a segment that had a large public input. For me, that took away a lot of the site's attraction -- haven't been back in years.

Unfortunately you may be right about the rebound effects of them having a bland website. If that's the case, and IF Seraph still considers them friends who are trustworthy, maybe an arrangement could be set up whereby they could pay over time ... ?

[PepperElf]

Brown paisley business cards???

well it's not overdone - just a splash of paisley at 2 corners. just look up "free business cards" and you'll probably find it. what's overdone is how often I see it used here.

... which is why it doesn't stand out. (except perhaps as a sign reading "I'm too cheap to invest in a better business card")



If a business wants to stand out they can't look like everyone else. Be it an overused business card template, or a website. Sure the cookie-cutters are cheaper, but that's what they'll look like - someone who doesn't care to make a difference in their appearance.