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You have to live with yourself AND the long term effects of your
actions.<br>
It is not your job to make as little as possible, BUT you have to
decide what is the right amount to charge for your services.<br>
If your hourly rate is adequate (meaning it also includes the time
you need for sales, proposals, vacation, etc) then charging for what
you actually put into a job or task is correct. If, however, your
rate is only good if you are constantly, fully employed, then you
have to make up for that someplace...either in a higher rate or
padded hours.<br>
I had a sales policy when I was consulting full time that basically
said I charged X per hour for the time that I did work for my
clients and 1/2 for travel time. And I let them know that if I was
talking to them, they should assume I was billing. I didn't always,
but it was in the sales policy.<br>
And I made sure that my rate covered the extra time that I wasn't
working and could still make a living, and in my case, pay my
programmers and office staff and all the extras that come with
running a business that are not illustrated by the hours you spend
on a specific project.<br>
You need to think it through and then come up with what makes sense
for you.<br>
But if you intentionally "gouge" your client, it will cause two bad
effects.<br>
First, eventually the client will find someone who won't gouge them
and move on.<br>
Secondly, the fact that you see it as gouging will, ultimately,
affect your relationship with the client and yourself.<br>
I think you should get paid a mix of what you are worth and what the
market will bear. You can't overcharge the market, because it will
kick back at you, eventually. You can't overcharge for what you are
truly worth...same result.<br>
If, however, you provide value to your client that is as good or
better than they can get elsewhere at the same price and you deal
with them honestly and fairly, you will have a good and long career
in a sometimes fun and always fascinating field.<br>
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<font size="2" color="#cc0000" face="Arial">"Be careful what you
pretend to be because you are what you pretend to be." - Kurt
Vonnegut<font size="2" color="#000000" face="Arial"><br>
Doug Johnson<br>
Solution Visionary</font><font size="2" color="#000000"
face="Arial"><br>
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On 2/23/2012 4:26 PM, Fred Jones wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAHS7u_GUSaia0FowDpH+JbPGZaocAdwt_4nqiKJ1iXXzGfUZUA@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">OK the subject is exaggerated--that was just to get your attention. :)
</pre>
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