Well its not about games, sorry! But this is the only place I know about the business side of programming. What I''m wondering is how much I should charge someone who wants me to develop something? Obviously hourly could get ridiculous! This guy wants me to make a custom IE bar... I haven''t done too much research (this is my first stop on the net about this issue), so I dont know how complicated it will be to make one, but I dont want to short change myself, and I dont want to make him laugh and go elsewhere cuz I could really use an extra source of income!

How to be a Consultant in 3 Easy Steps:

1. Pick a number, any number...and call that your "hourly rate". Make it high-ish so that if they don''t immediately end the conversation and you find you''ve agreed to do it that you don''t mind doing it for that much. $100 per hour is too "round"...they won''t buy it. Go for $79 per hour, or $112 per hour. Make it look like you put some thought into it. If necessary, justify the number with your "years of specialized experience."

2. Pick another number, higher than the first. This one can be more "round", but not *too* round. That is your minimum number of billable hours. If you take this project, this number times the first number is how much you want to be paid *at least* for having done the job. You''re not promising to do it for that much, because who can tell how long a project will take?

3. Pick one last number. The complete randomness of this number dwarfs the other two you''ve already pulled out of...thin air. Pull out all the stops. Make this a Truly Random Number. Now multiply it by 5. Go ahead and double the result of that for good measure, and then declare that your "estimate of the number of hours it will take you to do this project." It''s not like *they* have any idea how long it should take. Who''s the expert here, anyway?

Addendum: If this is corporate client (a Big Company), multiply all the above numbers by at least 10 before presenting them. Also, you might consider telling them that you''ll need at least a staff of 5 (paid at the same rate, which you''ll keep 2/3''s of) to complete the project in the timeline you''ve given.

Good luck!


DavidRM
Samu Games

!!!!!!!!!!!!

I like this guy!!

A friend of mine, who spent a couple years as a high-paid consultant, wanted me to add this additional information...

Be VAGUE. Don't actually commit to anything, but agree with everything they tell you in non-commital terms. ie. "I understand what you're saying"; or "I can see where that could make sense"; or (my favorite) "Um-Hm" Don't actually tell them anything that they didn't tell you first...this works best if you can quote what "that other" VP told you. Make certain that you haven't actually committed to produce anything identifiable by any date prior to 6 moths after you've left. Then if it fails..ask them what happened and act surprised about some random (and seemlingly insignificant) things. You can then blame any failure on the fact that THEY didn't expalin those things to you before. Alternately you can blame it on the fact that THEY didn't understand what you have outlined for them to do (and since you left nothing in writing..."Prove me wrong...*I'M the expert here*"). You can then volunteer to help them out "at a discounted rate" (say 75% of your previous rate) but that you'll have to "squeeze it in with your other projects (ie when you feel like doing it - and remotely too) or...if they feel its a priority (to save their jobs) you can "reschedule some things" and be out there ASAP...but you'll have to charge twice your previous rate. Don't explain anything (i.e. reasons), and don't commit to actually making anything actually work...just that you'll come back out and "take a look"..the funny thing is they'll keep paying...

Repeat as necessary (until you can retire to your private Yacht with a crew of Bikini Bunnies)

DavidRM
Samu Games


Edited by - DavidRM on October 19, 2000 1:15:43 PM

David, you''re my new hero



""You see... I'm not crazy... you see?!? Nazrix believes me!" --Wavinator

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