Creative professionals spend a lot of time refining their skills and learning new ones. After all, your business can’t survive if you suck and you aren’t willing to move outside your comfort zone every now and then, right?
But how far do you go to justify the time it takes to build your skillset? And how do you present yourself to clients who might ask for things you’ve never done before?
These questions came up during a Skype call earlier this month and I’m curious to hear what others think. The poll below is anonymous and I can assure you no one will ever know how you answered!
In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll answer each question myself.
Have I ever lied about my skills to land a client?
Have you ever taken on a client or project that you knew was beyond your skill level?
Yes, I have. Generally, I will pass on any project that isn’t a good fit for my skills. However, there have been times when I needed money, I knew I could figure out the parts I felt unsure about, and I felt comfortable accepting the project even though I hadn’t done X or Y before.
I won’t even talk about the first decade or so I spent built websites because every project was beyond my skill level. Luckily my rates were so low I don’t think anyone cared.
Have you ever flat out told a client you had experience you didn’t really have?
One time, early in my freelance career (late 90s), I gave a link to a potential client and told her I had built a certain feature on a site. (Spoiler alert: I didn’t really build it.) She was impressed, which was great, except for the part where she emailed the site owner and asked for a reference, and the poor guy was completely confused.
So yeah. I didn’t get that project or any of the others I could have gotten if that first one had worked out. And I learned an embarrassing lesson about saying, “I haven’t done that before, but here’s why I know I can do it,” or, “No, I haven’t done that, but here’s someone who can.”
Have you ever lost or given up a project because you knew it was out of your scope?
Too many times to count. After the incident above, I became an expert at gathering up resources and colleagues, and I’m never hesitant to refer out when needed. My reputation is important and I’m not willing to risk it (plus I stopped doing stuff I don’t like).
Have any of your clients ever paid an hourly rate for the time you spent figuring out things you didn’t know?
Yes. This has happened many times. I’m now at a point in my life/career where I bill by the project, because hourly rates actually punish me for working fast. But early on, I was happy to bill by the hour while I researched, practiced, broke things, fixed them, and tinkered around in general. I cringe a little looking back on this, for the record.
Does it matter if you exaggerate your abilities as long as the client is happy with the end result?
I’m actually sort of torn on this one. Results do matter, and the value a designer, developer, copywriter, or other professional brings to a project means far more than the exact methods s/he used to deliver that value.
However….
Personally, I don’t like the feeling that someone is paying me for one thing and receiving another. I also hate the idea that another dev might come along later and go Holy crap, the last person who worked on your site was a total quack! Trust is an important part of the work I do and I can’t risk that without a very good reason.
Then again, posts like this one from Bourn Creative remind me that there are many, many ways to approach a problem, and there isn’t always a right or wrong way to do things. I’m not sure I’m lying to a client if I end up using a different method than another person might use.
I look forward to hearing what you guys think about all the questions – especially this last one – since I haven’t decided exactly what I think yet.
Take the poll!
Have you ever taken on a client or project that you knew was beyond your skill level?
Yes, I have
No, I haven't
Maybe, maybe not
Have you ever flat out told a client you had experience you didn't really have?
Yep
Nope
Well, not directly, but...
Have you ever lost or given up a project because you knew it was out of your scope?
Yes I have
No way! Giving up is for quitters!
Not exactly this, but another thing that's close
Have any of your clients ever paid an hourly rate for the time you spent figuring out things you didn't know?
Duh. What am I supposed to do, work for free?
Of course not! I learn on my own time or not at all.
I don't spend time figuring things out because I am all-knowing.
I only do the same "safe" projects to avoid this issue.
Does it matter if you exaggerate your abilities as long as the client is happy with the end result?
Yes, it matters
No, it doesn't matter
It depends on the situation
The post Poll: Have You Ever Lied About Your Skills to Land a Client? appeared first on Nuts and Bolts Media.